Couizinet Racer 1934

[leaded50]

I do love much the "elegant" unique designs in aircrafts. There the Italian and French was among the best ones at the eralier times of avaiation.
France did also have the biggest air-race on land of the time, and its aviation industry was keen to participate with different solutions and designs by producers specific to this races. They also participatet in long-range monoplane records and also airmail freight over kontinents.

Todays build design is originally made by René Couzinet in the late 20´s - early 1930s, Well known for its long-range monoplanes Couzinet , flying from France to New Caledonia, the first time a direct flight had succeeded. and did also made the first trip direct from Paris to Alger, in the 30´s. and more later.
The Couzinet wooden planes , had a very thick cantilever wing at the wing roots; with no dihedral on the upper surface, and main-spar was continuous from wing-tip to wing-tip. The fuselage thinning to the rear, forming the characteristic tail of a René Couzinet signature aircrafts. Aka, did not had any true tailfins. All was trimotor, and because of the thick wingroot could take-off with just two engines, and fly in straight height on one engine.


His project copyed here, the Couizinet 150 Racer was made as a designproposal for a race from London to Melbourne in the mid - 30´s . Also did make one wooden model supposed for wind - tunnel testing. Because of the war it did never got completed, as a prototype or even just more than the proposal idea. As it happend to much of the aviation industry that time, they hide/burnt/disabled as much as possible for not enemy could get it......and then saddly lost much info for the aftertimes . There is today just a few sentences to be found about this aircraft, and a faulty plasticmodel made with some errors in the design.

The picture of the wooden model is quite difficult to see designs of different parts on the aircraft. And i needed make some "supposedly" possibilitys on how, to hopefully make it a bit true. Rene Couzinet have made all his designs with a similar designtype on wings and rear stabilizer, and it seems like this Racer proposal do had similarity to his conventional wingtypes. as i will build it. Also the "fake" designed plasticmodel shows it could be right. The plastic models tailfin is truly incorrect though, more as a part stolen from a 30´s Morane-Saulnier, or Itailan aircraft.
Even the wheel/ wheelfairings & undercarriage is much similar to all other Couzinet type.
Wooden model shows a silver/light color on the cowling, and a darker hued fuselage/ wings. The plastic model is made fully in French Blue color, with reg.nr on side. (thats one thing for sure isnt correct, because was never made a plane to register) When colors are changed to black/white colors, many colors get more as black. also the French Blue would, but as a Racer made to compete for France, that blue-color seems to be correct. The French also had a idea of on many racers ,eg. to make canopys just for the head inside, seen on others, as the Caudron racers and more.

Specifications in measures is trouble though, no one is known. I made calculations of the picture, and rest is guessed with knowing measures on similar types French racers of the time.
Anyway was a typical French Racer of the time, very sleek with quite thin fuselage, a long front forward of the minimalistic height canopy. And had beautiful lines in the body to the tailfin tip.

In my build here i planned approx 1m long, that will give 1040mm length of the fuselage with propeleller eg.

 

[leaded50]

Im sorry i didnt started maked photos form the beginning. Ive had times with bigger healthtrouble in later moments, and as i use much the building as a way to keep me creative, And i forgot doing it medicated. Naaah, this is not my first try.. its the third, since the two first builds either was crazy out of line, or i fell/stepped on it .

At least here is going the right way, i made the fuselage with the rear surfaces, and got the firewall/motor in right place. Even cut out the space for the cockpit. The Couzinet long range airplane types had quite a flat top of the fuselage and rearward, therefor i decided follow that style on the canopy and rearward here too.

 

[leaded50]

Its a few different ways to make a sleek "cone" -curbed fuselage part.

Fig1. Make just a cone (aka; just a very few parts for fuselage). That will give easy seen the connection & shapechange, and will not make a sleek soft curbed bodypart.

If the cone is maked in more parts changed in sizes of everyone, you can build a curbed "cone" , the more parts, the less shown is the connections, and the more soft curbed it will be. This is more or less as the FT Master Build style.

Fig2. Another way is to cut a V-slice both in rear and front of cone, preferable a touch curbed to make the curbed style. When glued together , it makes a sleek curbed "cone" without any seen connections lengthwise eg. Then the cone started with needs to have bigger diameter than the fuselage part you will connect it to. With just one such V-cuts, you can make eg. the bottom be curbed up, but rest "flatsided". Cut also on top, tou get curbed bottom and top, Cut on sides too, you get all 4 sides sleek soft curbed.

Fig3. Its also possible when making the cone in diameter to fit the rest of fuselage, to make the "cone" sleek soft curbed anyway, by making slits in the middle where wanted the curbed style, press it a bit open (some will it open anyway..) and insert part to fit in the gap. When this is as a V-cut in both ends, biggest part in the middle, it will make also the curbed style.

Anyway, by both fig 2 & 3 , you need perhaps a little massage on the curbed "cone" to get the rounded shape better, since you cut away some, it doesnt have the exact rounded shape anymore, but 1 - 4 parts that is missing as much rounding as it was at start before cutting. Fig3 with insert witll make it more true rounded though. Anyway, a little massage on the cone, and sanding on the glued cuts after, it gets the right shape.


This way i could make the Racer here, in just two main parts to be the fuselage. A plain round cylinder all the way from front to middle of cockpit, where last 100mm was used the technique as Fig2 on. The rear part as a cone, using both Fig2 & 3 on to make it smooth curbed all the way from cockpit to the tip, at all sides/bottom/top.
A da** lot easier way to build it when from totally scratch, than try find out to make the rear "cone" curbed in a lot of different sections.

 

[FoamyDM]

I continue to wish you the best regarding your health. Your prolific approach to interesting seldom modelled planes is welcome and impressive. My hat continues to be off to you sir. *nods deep with a hat lift*

This seems to be like a cigarette boat of the airplane world. nice! The 30s are an exciting era.

I appreciate the write-up on the alternate methods to create tapering cone section fairly common to aircraft without needing to create concentric radii cones in seccession, insyead creat the mean cone, and either bloat the center, or taper the ends. Which help create a smoother variable cone section.

I would imagine this method has limits to the taper change. In your experience, does that tend to be ~2°,5°, 10°?

 

[leaded50]

I continue to wish you the best regarding your health. Your prolific approach to interesting seldom modelled planes is welcome and impressive. My hat continues to be off to you sir. *nods deep with a hat lift*

This seems to be like a cigarette boat of the airplane world. nice! The 30s are an exciting era.

I appreciate the write-up on the alternate methods to create tapering cone section fairly common to aircraft without needing to create concentric radii cones in seccession, insyead creat the mean cone, and either bloat the center, or taper the ends. Which help create a smoother variable cone section.

I would imagine this method has limits to the taper change. In your experience, does that tend to be ~2°,5°, 10°?

Thanks FoamyDM. My health is more or less just sh** ,its just to keep the good times, and try forget the bad ones.
30s eras planes is interesting yes, its a lot of nice ones, and in fact even many warbirds was beginned to evolve in that times , with its planes that gave its developed styles to the warbirds later.
The alternative methods aint aanything new, im not the inventor its been known in metalshaping, papershaping too, and other parts. and i would say its close to no limit to taper change! If do enough cuts or inserts, you can make round balls! Here too how perfect round shape you want, depends on the cuts/inserts. The more the smoother round shape it gets.
the wider V-cuts at end (fig2), the higher angle on tapering. The wider outcut in middle (fig3.) the bigger angle of tapering.

To try explain easier, look at the picture of the hot air baloon here, Check the blue stars part on the middle pic on top , there its deep V-cuts , and when glued together make rounded shape down to the center in height of a rounded baloon. The red/white parts on the pic top right, also made by deep V-cuts , glued together will make the lower rounded part mid height and downward.
Everything from a flat paper!
So is it possible to make a round ball? It doesnt have exactly any limit how many degrees tapering it can be done? YES on both!!
If its by paper or foamboard, starting from a flat board or a coneshaped one. Air ship as eg the Goodyear blimp, can easyer be done, by making a round cylinder, enough V-cuts in front and rear to get all to meet in center when glued together, by just enough/deep enough V-cuts in right shape to get the correct blimpshape, or also by using insert cuts in the middle to help more soft curbed shape all the way. without reducing the cylinder diameter size view..

 

[leaded50]

something more done today the cockpit/canopy with a pilot loving cheese and wine? , and the engine cowling done. The cockpit will be possible to open, to get to the tail servos. Battery and transmitter gonna be in own hatch behind the engine cowling. Cowling is made inside to fit the fuselage front (with spacers) and will be glued in place correctly to the propeller space. (or possible to remove for motor reach?) Yeaah, its some minor defects on the cowling..... who could been fixed with more work, but is that really needed? In the air, it wouldnt be able to see, and still on ground, the appearence of the whole plane will give viewers a interesting look, so much that the imperfections is missed. ....

 

[Piotrsko]

Wont see the defects from here. If I built THAT good......

 

[AIRFORGE]

Thanks FoamyDM. My health is more or less just sh** ,its just to keep the good times, and try forget the bad ones.
30s eras planes is interesting yes, its a lot of nice ones, and in fact even many warbirds was beginned to evolve in that times , with its planes that gave its developed styles to the warbirds later.
The alternative methods aint aanything new, im not the inventor its been known in metalshaping, papershaping too, and other parts. and i would say its close to no limit to taper change! If do enough cuts or inserts, you can make round balls! Here too how perfect round shape you want, depends on the cuts/inserts. The more the smoother round shape it gets.
the wider V-cuts at end (fig2), the higher angle on tapering. The wider outcut in middle (fig3.) the bigger angle of tapering.

To try explain easier, look at the picture of the hot air baloon here, Check the blue stars part on the middle pic on top , there its deep V-cuts , and when glued together make rounded shape down to the center in height of a rounded baloon. The red/white parts on the pic top right, also made by deep V-cuts , glued together will make the lower rounded part mid height and downward.
Everything from a flat paper!
So is it possible to make a round ball? It doesnt have exactly any limit how many degrees tapering it can be done? YES on both!!
If its by paper or foamboard, starting from a flat board or a coneshaped one. Air ship as eg the Goodyear blimp, can easyer be done, by making a round cylinder, enough V-cuts in front and rear to get all to meet in center when glued together, by just enough/deep enough V-cuts in right shape to get the correct blimpshape, or also by using insert cuts in the middle to help more soft curbed shape all the way. without reducing the cylinder diameter size view..


View attachment 245137

Very cool! Would love to make a couple for decoration.
Do you have a link to the original plans?

 

[leaded50]

Wont see the defects from here. If I built THAT good......

i use to cover up any open foam with woodglue. Here it seems i sanded true that? at least it got some trouble with that Silver alu sparypaint, even if trying fixing twice... well, cant win everyday.. Ha,ha

 

[leaded50]

Very cool! Would love to make a couple for decoration.
Do you have a link to the original plans?

Original plans eg..... sorry Airforge, its no plans to be found! Its only that picture of a model in black/white as in my opening post here, who is to be found about this plane design.
Easy said i started with a 110mm diam. 500mm long tube made of foam (of course with a insert for strength, approx 1/3 to middle height inside all the way. 20mm inside front i set my firewall (depending on motorlength.) Then the cowl can use 10 - 15mm more in space, before propeller needs the space. Rear at this tube i used style No2. at radius decrease in 4 V-cuts to the last 120mm to 100mm diam. The last 500mm section is maked as a cone and used No2 + No3 in 2 places to get the smooth rounded degree on the cone. Then put that long neckrest rear to tailfin in also a smooth careful curb. Nobody today can tell how the wings was planned to look, and its no scetches, or more pictures/info about the planedesign. All have been removed , supposedly burned in arkives as much was normally done to the big wars in Europa.

Wingdesign is my guesses , in what Mr.René Couzinet did in all his other designs, its normally a bit typical for a designer to follow a bit his own set mind in some designparts, and his wings was anyway something unique. I can see out from the one picture ,they are not ment to be fully like the passenger/transportplanes he designet, but some alike anyhow.

 

[leaded50]

fuselage is done! With cowling, engine installed, esc installed, tail fixed and its servos installed.
Ok, it didnt seem it was text on side, but felt it fit nicely there with " Londres-Melbourne Air Race" (London-Melbourne) in front sides, and " Societe De Avions Couzinet" at tail.
Also the wheel pants is ok, just not painted correct and adjusted in height yet.

 

[leaded50]

Worked with some cardboard to test out a few wingstyles. Found this to fit the best, it has the outer style of other Couzinet planes, it has the bigger style fillet that goes well onto the wing, not so much on fuselage, also a typical Couzinet style. Just a little angled leaded edge,. It did got the model to nicely flow on throwed test, even if not as wide wingspan as length of fuselage.
And it has a wingstyle much similar to other French racers of that era.

 

[leaded50]

at last more foamboard came! Wing with fixed wheels is ready made, and installed! Fillets too ,made in cardboard from a frozen pizzabox.
Then it needs just to get the wing/fillets painted , tail surfaces gets their servo horns, and its done!

 

[leaded50]

ahhh, its done!! the "French Blue" paint is on at the wing and fillets. Im happy with the build , it got as wanted, showing its uniqueness in design. Thin sleek fuselage, with not a "superior airsflow" radial nose cone. . Quite sleek wings here too, with shapes some orginating from the other designed Couzinet´s planes, and its "fat wide" fillets.
Would it been a great racer? Who knows.
I like the stance off it , wich remind me a little as a bit irritaded strong powerful racer at the Disney air-race cartoon movie.

Yes, it got a not original small hump on top front, for a finger to open the batteryhatch.
It got side air-outlets (louvers) in front of wing for easier remove heat from motor and ESC.
It got the aft landingwheel perhaps smaller than should, anyway more back than original seems have, this for connecting it to the rudder for steering on ground.
And, it got signs of the Londrés - Melbourne ( London - Melbourne) air races on sides, and signs of the (Societe De Avions Couzinet) company with this racer idea on tailfin.

Wonder how i did fastned the wheel/pants? Inside the foamy covered wheelrods, is a wooden spatel glued to the pants with 2K epoxyglue. In top end the spatel is glued to the wingfoam underside, and inside to a plate covering top foam, and the wing main spar, also with 2K epoxy. From earlier preferences i found this to function very well. The top plate is sharing the landing gearpressure better by a hard landing, without ruin the wingpanel. Glued to this plate, the spar and bottom foamboard, it expand the pressure over more space at wing, and sticks very good to the wingparts with this glue.

From side, that gets possible to check to the original modelphoto.

 

[Mr NCT]

ahhh, its done!! the "French Blue" paint is on at the wing and fillets. Im happy with the build , it got as wanted, showing its uniqueness in design. Thin sleek fuselage, with not a "superior airsflow" radial nose cone. . Quite sleek wings here too, with shapes some orginating from the other designed Couzinet´s planes, and its "fat wide" fillets.
Would it been a great racer? Who knows.
I like the stance off it , wich remind me a little as a bit irritaded strong powerful racer at the Disney air-race cartoon movie.

Yes, it got a not original small hump on top front, for a finger to open the batteryhatch.
It got side air-outlets (louvers) in front of wing for easier remove heat from motor and ESC.
It got the aft landingwheel perhaps smaller than should, anyway more back than original seems have, this for connecting it to the rudder for steering on ground.
And, it got signs of the Londrés - Melbourne ( London - Melbourne) air races on sides, and signs of the (Societe De Avions Couzinet) company with this racer idea on tailfin.

Wonder how i did fastned the wheel/pants? Inside the foamy covered wheelrods, is a wooden spatel glued to the pants with 2K epoxyglue. In top end the spatel is glued to the wingfoam underside, and inside to a plate covering top foam, and the wing main spar, also with 2K epoxy. From earlier preferences i found this to function very well. The top plate is sharing the landing gearpressure better by a hard landing, without ruin the wingpanel. Glued to this plate, the spar and bottom foamboard, it expand the pressure over more space at wing, and sticks very good to the wingparts with this glue.

View attachment 245378

View attachment 245379

From side, that gets possible to check to the original modelphoto.

View attachment 245380

Just WOW! If you get video of it in the air I'd love to see it. It looks fast just sitting still.

 

[leaded50]

Just WOW! If you get video of it in the air I'd love to see it. It looks fast just sitting still.

Its not got its maiden yet, the blue paint on wings wasnt even fully dried when making this photos