FT Scout in Balsa from plans?

[rch2016]

I have built R/C planes nearly a decade ago, both electric and glow from plans. Kits are becoming so expensive, and the companies that I used to buy kits from are either out of business or planning to shut down. The FT Scout looks like the type plane for electric am thinking about, but have no interest in foam. Curious if anyone has built an FT Scout using balsa construction? Imagine a built-up wing with maybe ribs using a Clark Y form?

I searched the forums but found no references to balsa build of an FT Scout.

 

[Joker 53150]

I’ve seen a few FT planes built from balsa, but not that one. I’m sure it could be done without much difficulty, although you’ll probably be blazing a new trail.

 

[Ricci]

Will be really easy to do in Balsa.

 

[agentkbl]

I'd love to see that done. An old style barnstormer in the old style of plane building. will be watching closely.

 

[rockyboy]

I'd love to see someone 'blaze the trail' on this and post the plans and info for other people (like me) to follow

 

[jsknockoff]

I'd love to see someone 'blaze the trail' on this and post the plans and info for other people (like me) to follow

If there is enough interest to make it worth the effort, I’d be willing to start drawing up sets of plans for a few of the FT designs out of balsa. I have been thinking about designing some fun scale balsa planes for a little while.

 

[Ricci]

I'd love to see that done. An old style barnstormer in the old style of plane building. will be watching closely.

Oh yes! The good old Barnstormer. Was my second rc plane! I still have it with a 3.5 ccm nitro motor.

 

[Geeto67]

I have to be honest - why build the flitetest airplane out of balsa when you can just download and print any number of plans from outerzone and scratch build that way:

https://outerzone.co.uk/search/results.asp?keyword=SE5

The thing that concerns me about balsa vs foamboard is that balsa is a fibrous material where as foamboard is not. fibrous materials don't have a good track record for shearing loads that occur with the grain (causes the wood to split). It's an interesting experiment for sure but I'm not all convinced that there is an advantage other than bragging rights that your airplane is not foamboard.

 

[jsknockoff]

I have to be honest - why build the flitetest airplane out of balsa when you can just download and print any number of plans from outerzone and scratch build that way:

https://outerzone.co.uk/search/results.asp?keyword=SE5

The thing that concerns me about balsa vs foamboard is that balsa is a fibrous material where as foamboard is not. fibrous materials don't have a good track record for shearing loads that occur with the grain (causes the wood to split). It's an interesting experiment for sure but I'm not all convinced that there is an advantage other than bragging rights that your airplane is not foamboard.

I think the idea was to build a balsa frame airplane the conventional way with the same rough outline and dimensions as the FT planes. Not to completely copy foam build style. Someone correct me if I’m wrong.

 

[jsknockoff]

I was envisioning planes similar to the old Ace Simple Series. Basically the rough outline of what ever model you wanted but with very very simple construction techniques. These would not be very scale aircraft. Just easy to build and fun to mess around with.

 

[Geeto67]

I think the idea was to build a balsa frame airplane the conventional way with the same rough outline and dimensions as the FT planes. Not to completely copy foam build style. Someone correct me if I’m wrong.

My reading was that he wanted to copy the FT plans straight to balsa to preserve the exact dimensions. I mean he keeps referring to it as an FT SE5 and not an outline or a profile airplane. I could be wrong but I don't think so.

I don't think it is that unreasonable, but it isn't a 1 for 1 translation. The Fuselage assembly would probably work for a lot of this if you used thick enough balsa and taped the joints. Even the poster board sections could be replaced with thin balsa that is wetted to take the curve. The wings however would require a completely different technique, but building a sheeted wing isn't something difficult either and any basic balsa modeler should be able to do it.

 

[rch2016]

I wasn't thinking to copy the construction methods of the FT Scout, rather the dimensions and layout, building the wings using conventional methods, ribs and solite covering, not sheet covering. Last did this more than decade ago, have been out of the hobby for that time. Of course methods and materials have moved on in that time. Was just wondering about any that might have downloaded the plans, constructed a balsa version using the methods appropriate, and how the results turned out.

What is on my bench now is a MM Dandy Sport. A very well designed and capable kit, easily built with good flight performance. The FT Scout seems to have similar design simplicity.

 

[Ricci]

Hi,
In UK you will get also Cathedral Foamboard. Its quite similar to FT Foamboard.
It's bigger than FT Foamboard. In Germany is a little bit more expensive than FT Foamboard from Graupner but you get it in 10 pieces package and not only in 25 or 50.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0...=ES9YPXASCE3SPXMTRAPM&dpPl=1&dpID=718q4RFdC6L

 

[Geeto67]

I dunno why I read FT scout as SE5, my bad. too little sleep.

You can try it and I don't want to discourage you in anyway, but I still think there are plenty of plans that come really close to the airplane but are already balsa translated. The plane is very similar to a Stick in design (with a cockpit fairing laid on top).