ZILN 526 AKROMATER

[Steve Dwyer]

When you curiously look at a plan on E Bay the next thing of course is your hit with a bunch of models. The ZILN 526 keeps showing up. I did some checking to see it had some popularity years back. It has similar lines of a Prowler and with a 50" span it would appear to be a reasonably good stunter. I'm wondering what experience there is out there building it. I would assume it would be good candidate to do a "Fancherize" mod as well?

I'm more curious than anything, right now there are too many boxes on the shelf already. Comment anyone?

Steve

[Dennis Toth]

Looks great. Would be a very good electric, has lots of room for battery and electric stuff on the outside of the fuse.

Best,   DennisT

[Jim Svitko]

I like the looks of that plane.  It looks like a stunt plane.  So, I modified a Time Machine 60 to resemble one.  Very good performer.  ST 51 for power.

If I ever decided to build another, I would shorten the nose by modifying the tank to get the necessary fuel capacity.  The ST 51 is a thirsty beast.

One of Tom Dixon's recent projects is the Zlin.  He sent me a set of plans for that plane.  Tom maintained the wing planform shape and the plane is much more representative of the original than my modified Time Machine.  Tom also drew it up with wing dihedral.

[Steve Dwyer]

I'd like to see Tom Dixon's recent Zlin plans and if he retained the same wing airfoil. Comparing the airfoils of the Twister and the Time Machine with similar design wings to the Zlin they both have a more robust airfoil and a bullnose compared to the thinner Zlin. I'd lean toward making this modification.

Your thoughts?

[Bob Hudak]

Pretty sure that's the one I built from plans in 2006. Powered it with an Enya 35.It was ok but...
The wing had a pretty thin airfoil and the Enya left alot to be desired. I built another and stuck a Enya 40XZS and a Chipmunk wing in it.This helped alot. They both were on the heavy sidebecause when I started out I wanted them to survive the ground(build light they say). I built 3 of them cuz I liked the looks so much. Got the plans from Model Airplane News, believe it was in a 72' issue.

[Igor Burger]

 

[Igor Burger]

 

[Istvan Travnik]

Nice model, nice photos, Igor!
When they were made?
Istvan

[Igor Burger]

Nice model, nice photos, Igor!
When they were made?
Istvan

We were much yougner  . I think it was 1998 so it is 24 years. Alex had it in Sebnitz on Worlds 2002 as backup model if I remember well. I think he flew it once if I remember well.

[Istvan Travnik]

Thanks, Igor!
My question was not fully accidentally: in the background I can see the tower of Bratislava-Vajnory Sporting Airfield.
Am I right?
I remember to that airfield with good memories, and I am so sorry for that hangars & tower etc. were all destroyed...

[L0U CRANE]

SIG also kitted a Zlin, possibly a 527 instead of this one. It had a more tapered wing planform, as did the 'full-size' Zlin.

...AND a 'thin' airfoil. ...about 1972-1975. Smallish area. The sharply swept LE may have confused some people - it affected the CG   ...didn't look quite right that much further back on the root chord.

Never built one, but heard that the 'smaller' area, 'thin' airfoil and possibly heavier build seemed behind a reputation as not comparable to a contemporary SIG kit, which was- I think David F's ride to prominence.

Very pretty plane, tho..

[Steve_Pollock]

The plan for the Ray Borden 50" profile Zlin is available free on outerone, plan number 11080.

[Ara Dedekian]

SIG also kitted a Zlin,

Very pretty plane, tho..

      This topic sent me to my stash of photos. I built a Sig Akromaster back in the early eighties inspired by an illustration in, 'The Lore of Flight'. Al Rabe had his column in American Aircraft modeler then and had me spellbound with all his innovations so I incorporated as many as I could into the build. Removable wing, molded turtle decks, moveable rudder and balsa sheeted built up wings. Did I know anything about airfoil thickness, flap/elevator ratios, balsa density etc., etc., . . . NOPE! The wood was box stock and with Al's innovations thrown in, turned out way overweight. A ST 46 (that I didn't have a clue how to run) up front with a Semco muffler didn't help. It was likely one of the ones with a bad ring that Brett keeps warning us of. I guess I'll have to file that experience under, 'those were the clueless days'. (Perhaps 'were' isn't appropriate) Maybe I'll try again.

     The photo of the C/L scale Zlin was taken at the 1974 Aerolympics in Lakehurst N.J. I believe it was a U.S. entry.

      While we're at the Aerolympics, my choice of the most realistic scale plane I've ever seen was Britain's RC entry, a Fairy Fulmar.

    Ara

 

[jerry v]

Zlin 526

Jerry

[MikeyPratt]

Steve,
I’ve always loved the looks of all the Zlin's, they just look right..  The drawing you posted looks pretty good and if built light, it will fly just great, but as you noted, a little more thickness in the airfoil with a blunter leading edge would help a ton, and would not be so weight sensitive and make an great corning model.

However, I would also add 1-1/2 to 2” to each side of the stab & elevators until the area of the stab & elevators got close 25% of the wing area.  The tail moment seems to be fairly long for this model shown on the plan, maybe that’s why it is as small, sorta scale like the way Zlin's look.

Let me know if you need some help on this but it does look like a fun project.

Later,
Mikey