How about doing a Citabria?

rickylc

New member
There is just nothing else that flies quite like a Citabria.

Not sure if it's the tail moment or the pendulum like feel, but they are just a dream to fly!
 

rickylc

New member
As a starting point, possibly the SIG Citabria plans? I am not finding anything else that looks an appropriate size. This kit would likely not be an easy conversion building it balsa as it comes in at around 7 lbs, lol.

But if made out of foam board...
 

charlesrc2

Active member
So, I've never attempted anything like this, but thinking of prototyping the plane by straight copying the profile of each view onto Foam and seeing how it goes. It can't be that hard, right? LOL
You got this. I thought about build that too. I'm working plans for foam board Sig Seniorita like the one on my profile.
 

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The Fopster

Master member
So, I've never attempted anything like this, but thinking of prototyping the plane by straight copying the profile of each view onto Foam and seeing how it goes. It can't be that hard, right? LOL

I've scratch built my first design off a three view combined with an old balsa plan and it worked fine! I think if you match the model size and power pack to a known successful flyer you should be in good shape. Good luck!
 

rickylc

New member
Found a picture of SIG Citabria Plans, 69" Wingspan, I'm thinking that is too large.

I will probably reduce to 66%, aprox 46" WIndspan. Also found the build instruction manual which gives extra details like dihedral angle, could be useful.
 

Hoomi

Master member
I don't know if you're using the software that many of the designers on here use, or hashing it out "old-school," but what I've done on the two occasions I've worked on a wing design, is to draw out the wing top-to-bottom profile on paper in the size I want it, and use that to get an idea for the measurements I need. In both cases, I made a mock-up of the profile, working out as basically a 1 inch section of the wing, and then make the full wing using what I found in that.

If I do much more designing, I'll have to look into the design software that others use. Right now, the money and the time to get the software, and get up to speed on it, is significantly greater than the money and time I spend working out the design the old fashioned way.
 

rickylc

New member
I am not using any design software really, I'll just scale the pertinent portions of the Sig Citabria plans and wing it, :)

Maybe it works, maybe it doesn't, though I think the Clark Y should be relatively easy to achieve with foamboard, or at least something close.

I will just take a wing rib and try to come close to the shape with placement of spar and indents for folding.

The under-cambered wingtip is something that just happens with Foamboard wings, so should be good there.

The fuse looks like it will be pretty straight forward, I am not sure about mounting power and firewall, but that too should not be a major issue.