Projects

Sal Tiebi design "Powerhouse by Dave Hewett

This plane is a 1939 Sal Taibi Powerhouse, powered with my big brushless motor . It has a7' (84") wingspan. and is at least 60" long. The March 1974 Model Builder carries a construction article.

I've double-braced all joints and fish-plated inside junctions where ever possible, some joints at wing junctions have 1/16" plywood plates cut to shape and epoxied on the inside. Epoxy, yellow glue and CA were used with spruce, plywood and balsa. It weighs 87.7 ounces now (with all electrical, battery and 4" wheels included), or 5.5 lbs, but has a total of 1432 square inches of lifting area, combined wing and stab, so it shouldn't be too heavy for the big brushless and 14.8 volt batteries.

The original 1939 freeflight plane with .99 gas ignition motor was around 4.5lbs. Building an 84" long wing on a 40" long bench is some fun. No more lightweight jobs meant for rubber and too weak with anything else as motive power for the immediate future, not until I get some flying time under my belt with bigger stuff.

From Stevs Kenny: This is Steve's Sukhoi in the building stage. Ya gotta love his workshop...Is that a glider I see on the wall!?

Here's the beginning of the Sopwith Tabloid project

Dave Hewett

Here's one of my winter projects from last year. It's a 1914 Sopwith Tabloid, the biplane that won the 1914 Schneider hydroplane race. It was on the cover of the Christmas 1964 British magazine Model Aircraft, and actually won that year's British National Meet for scale free flight.

 

The British example had pendulum control, I've used a radio and a brushless electric motor, probably with an 8" or 9" prop. The top wing is finished, but not in any of the shots. Since the photos were taken, the oval rear float with steerable rudder linked to fin was completed, plus I had to plank the bottom of the fuselage with 1/32" balsa with grain running horizontal for strength (because in a moment of wild abandon--as wild as it gets on this street in the winter-- it got knocked off the bench and a bottom longeron broke!). Actually, it was probably a blessing, I'd rather find a weakness now than in the air.

So the brushless motor setup and prop (9/8) combination may be right. At least for the wheeled u.c., the floats and heavy wire setup may be just too much for water takeoff. There's a separate 1/32" plywood cover that seals up the front when the floats are used.It has two scale undercarriages, one with a separate water rudder. They mount from the same drilled screw holes (except for one row of three).

 

Dave Hewett: Sopwith Tabloid was finished last year. The water take-off part is all theory, however, but with the wheeled undercarriage (so that's what "u.c." in all those English kit plans meant!) in place, I had to run for it on my cellar floor when I gave it a burst of full throttle and didn't have it secured enough. D

If anyone would like advice, or needs help, on various building, altering of kits, etc., I'm happy to offer whatever I can. All they have to do is send email or even call me at 802-257-7427. I'm still working for the magazine so I might not have a lot of time during regular business hours, but they can try.

Dave - Feb/08

 

Dave H. This little blue and white Waterman Aerocar is a clone of the original 1940 Megow kit, about 18" w.s., with a CO2 motor.

Everybodies favorite barnstormer byplane!