NF-1 biplane!

[Monte.C]

I should post these plans...

NF stands for No Fuss. I always knew I'd have to build a biplane one day but there are three issues I didn't want to deal with:
1. Mounting the top wing with struts or struts & wires.
2. Horrible fuselage interior access.
3. CG issues.
We solved all three.

A bunch of research led me to the Zaunkönig biplane and the Schoolgirl.
Ken Willard's Schoolgirl:

I used the balsa plans as a starting point to draw up my own, optimized for what I wanted.

Plans are HERE.

The top wing is removable, and I also built a hatch on top of the nose for easy battery changing, so for use at the field you don't have to take the wing off.

Fuselage doublers inside the nose area might make things easier, so you might want to widen the fuse for that. I like using strips of basswood instead.




And a mushed power pod.


This was the maiden flight. The first minute here I had the CG too far back, hence the wild pitching. Took me most of a battery to figure out the problem. Duh!

 

[Michael9865]

Looks good.

 

[GrizWiz]

Nice!

 

[Monte.C]

Thanks guys! It feels good in the air, maybe not quite as snappy as my Sport Stick but this is heavier and with more wing & more drag. But I've got to get it out again, I feel like I don't really know what it can do yet.

 

[Matthewdupreez]

ummm ok dumb newbie question.... where can I find the pdf plans?

 

[Tech3811]

ummm ok dumb newbie question.... where can I find the pdf plans?

Here they are: https://forum.flitetest.com/index.php?resources/nf-1-simple-biplane.168/

 

[Matthewdupreez]

thanks tech3811.
appreciate it
regards Matthew

 

[Matthewdupreez]

oh and what motor does it use? a a2212 1400kv/1200kv with a 9x4.5 / 10x5 prop?
will that work?

 

[Monte.C]

oh and what motor does it use? a a2212 1400kv/1200kv with a 9x4.5 / 10x5 prop?
will that work?

Hi @Matthewdupreez
At the top of this page there is a description that contains a link to the plans. Read that.
On the plans page it describes the specs. Read that.
Feel free to ask any other questions you have.

 

[tomlogan1]

Thank you for this. Been looking for a biplane without struts. I have the plans cut out. The went together nicely and alignend quite well. For your design, since you are not specifying A fold B fold etc. are the dotted lines score lines or simply to align top & bottom pieces?

Thanks again for a very simple plane.

 

[Monte.C]

Thank you for this. Been looking for a biplane without struts. I have the plans cut out. The went together nicely and alignend quite well. For your design, since you are not specifying A fold B fold etc. are the dotted lines score lines or simply to align top & bottom pieces?

Thanks again for a very simple plane.

Hey I'm back guys. @tomlogan1 I'm glad you're hoping to get some fun out of this plane! You got my message but let me make it official here. I prefer to cut the sides, top & bottom separately and glue them together myself. Leave the top & bottom with the foam notched out leaving just paper tabs, and leave the sides whole from edge to edge. If you see vertical lines inside the fuse, they're probably score lines where the piece needs to fold, right?

Sorry, it was never made to be a speedbuild kit. Gimme any questions you come up with.

 

[tomlogan1]

Hey I'm back guys. @tomlogan1 I'm glad you're hoping to get some fun out of this plane! You got my message but let me make it official here. I prefer to cut the sides, top & bottom separately and glue them together myself. Leave the top & bottom with the foam notched out leaving just paper tabs, and leave the sides whole from edge to edge. If you see vertical lines inside the fuse, they're probably score lines where the piece needs to fold, right?

Sorry, it was never made to be a speedbuild kit. Gimme any questions you come up with.

Hey I'm back guys. @tomlogan1 I'm glad you're hoping to get some fun out of this plane! You got my message but let me make it official here. I prefer to cut the sides, top & bottom separately and glue them together myself. Leave the top & bottom with the foam notched out leaving just paper tabs, and leave the sides whole from edge to edge. If you see vertical lines inside the fuse, they're probably score lines where the piece needs to fold, right?

Sorry, it was never made to be a speedbuild kit. Gimme any questions you come up with.

No apolgies needed. I am still slowly putting the plane together. It could be a kit it's so easy and very clear plans. I screwed up on the tail where the elevator goes through the rudder and had to brace it but structually it will be fine. V2 will be more aesthetically pleasing. I'm not a big fan of the paper tabs as I end up burning myself with hot glue (klutz) so I have narrowed the top and bottom pieces and butted them into the fusealage and it looks good to me.

Great plane and thanks again.

 

[Monte.C]

Oh hey - for any builders interested - tie down your wing with rubber bands. Unless you want to make yourself crazy. I'm getting over my aversion to rubber bands.

 

[tomlogan1]

Do you use the #64 rubber bands? That's what I've used on my CTH planes.

 

[Monte.C]

Do you use the #64 rubber bands? That's what I've used on my CTH planes.

LOL my planes are small and I don't much care, and I just bought rubber bands from the Dollar Tree!!
I managed to avoid it for a while, but I just started to notice I'm shying away from top-mount wing fuselage access, so I gave it up and got these but haven't actually used them yet.

I bet they work just like rubber bands.

 

[tomlogan1]

Where is the CG on this plane? Plans tossed after completion. Did manage to make templates so I won't have to reprint, but did not mark CG.

Thanks.

 

[Monte.C]

Where is the CG on this plane? Plans tossed after completion. Did manage to make templates so I won't have to reprint, but did not mark CG.

Thanks.

I guessed, and it turned out just a hair farther forward than I thought. Try around 20% behind the leading edge of the top wing. Maybe even 18%. Better safe than sorry.
As long as it isn't tail heavy and you toss it with a little bit of up-elevator you'll be fine.

 

[tomlogan1]

Sounds great, thanks. A very great design & plans.

 

[tomlogan1]

Hey I'm back guys. @tomlogan1 I'm glad you're hoping to get some fun out of this plane! You got my message but let me make it official here. I prefer to cut the sides, top & bottom separately and glue them together myself. Leave the top & bottom with the foam notched out leaving just paper tabs, and leave the sides whole from edge to edge. If you see vertical lines inside the fuse, they're probably score lines where the piece needs to fold, right?

Sorry, it was never made to be a speedbuild kit. Gimme any questions you come up with.

Just got a chance to fly the Schoolgirl. Absolutely wonderful. Used a 2300Kv motor with a 6x4 prop and it really covered a lot of areas: It can go fast and is fairly aerobatic; It can go slow and make the battery last a long while.

I'm building another and using colored packing tape to give it better visibility. Am trying to figure out some landing gear to use the asphalt runway we have at our field.

Really a wonderful plane and simple build.

 

[Monte.C]

Just got a chance to fly the Schoolgirl. Absolutely wonderful. Used a 2300Kv motor with a 6x4 prop and it really covered a lot of areas: It can go fast and is fairly aerobatic; It can go slow and make the battery last a long while.

I'm building another and using colored packing tape to give it better visibility. Am trying to figure out some landing gear to use the asphalt runway we have at our field.

Really a wonderful plane and simple build.

Hey Tom you just made my day! I was pretty new when I published that. It seems when you're starting out it might feel important to put plans out there. Haven't published anything since. Really good to hear about your positive experiences with this plane!

I only flew it with the 1804-2200KV motor - is that similar to what you used? I'm not even sure if I took it to top speed. It's fun and I got the "need for a biplane" out of my system!

You put ailerons only on the bottom wing, right? That seemed fine for mine. Do you have any pics?