Ed_Moorman

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Flaps has a new airplane for me to test fly in the near future. Is it a twin or a seaplane? I posted both places.

Here's the latest seaplane project from my flying buddy, Carl "Flaps" Laffert, Marine aviator in WW II (Dauntless) and Korea (Skyraider). Flaps scratch built it from plans. He found and enlarged from some old control line plans, then he re-designed the construction for RC.

Power: 2 Magnum .52 4-strokes
Finish: Ultracote in Coast Guard colors like the one in the Navy Air Museum in Pensacola.

Ready to test in a couple of weeks after it warms up some more.

Carlos Murphy

My Feedback: (72)

VERY, VERY NICE.

moodier

My Feedback: (1)

Yes!!!I want one!!!Is it just his or is this someone looking into kitting it?

Ed_Moorman

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It is just his original design, although it started from a control line set of plans. Flaps has been building models since the 1930s (born in 1921). I am 16 years younger and have been flying power models since 1950. We'll talk about a project and he'll decide on a plane. He likes scale, but will do an occasional acro plane I like. He also likes wierd stuff like canard, pusher twins. I'll do web research (he doesn't do computers). Then we'll both look for plans or I'll find 3-views on the web which he will have blown up to the size he wants. Generally, we like planes of a 72" span or less just for ease of transportation. From this or from magazine plans, he will design his own construction and start building. He also gets into an area and builds several planes. Right now we are into seaplanes (12) and twins (5).

We both make input into the design and construction methods. I do all the flying for us and I usually insist on a good flying airfoil, scale or not. He has developed a semi-symmetrical airfoil that I like flying and we use it on most of our planes. It gives fairly good inverted and outside performance, which I like, and doesn't have the pitch changes with power adjustments like a Clark-Y.

Many of his scale models only get flown a dozen times of less, then sold. If they are really good fliers, I adopt them and they get flown a lot along with my acro/3D planes. He once built a .25-size Northrop A-17 from plans. It flew well, so I have him build a larger version with plug in wings and his airfoil. It is a nominal .61 size, but I am using a Magnum 1.08. Super airplane. Fast, does excellent acro. It's a little heavy and I use flaps for landing, but he built 3-part, perforated dive flaps so it looks cool on final with the "Swiss-cheese" flaps down.

Since we don't compete and since many of the planes may not be flown very much, we generally use film covering or fabric instead of paint. This also means they are normally lighter than a painted plane. I am always harping on light weight and performance while he likes the scale detail. Our compromise usually turns our pretty well. As I mentioned, he sells most all of his scale creations, so if you are in the Florida panhandle area, drop by to see him. If the Widgeon flies OK, I plan to take it to a float fly in Winchester, Tennessee on June 4th.

dicknadine

is a View of his airfoil configuration available? am looking for something better than the good old stock Clark variety. migh help my scratch design and builds. dick

staggerwing

My Feedback: (5)

moodier:

Check out G & P Sales for his 81" Widgeon kit. http://www.rcairplane.net/index9.html

I am building the 120".

Rich


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Wyoming Wind Festival Jan 1 to Dec 31

1972stroker

My Feedback: (20)

My god..!!I WANT ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......Great work, very talented.