A week ago last Thursday I got a Little Zephyr kit from Dave Acton. It
was designed by Phil Hartmann in 1983. It made two Little Zephyrs.
They are a 12" span, 15" length indoor model suitable for flying in an
auditorium or gymnasium. I finished them up by last Tuesday night so I
could go with Dave to Teaneck, NJ last Wednesday and fly them. There
was a 1/32 ply rib pattern in the kit that helped speed up the build.
Red tissue was include but I covered one with dyed condenser tissue and
the other with dyed 1/4 mil Mylar. I didn't have any dyed OS film but
will use that on a later Little Zephyr.
The condenser tissue model weighed 3.00 gm and the 1/4 mil Mylar one was
2.26 gm without rubber. Right off the building board they both flew in
excess of 2 min. With a little work they were both flying 3' 45" before
we left. These models use flat prop blades mounted at 45° to make a
7-1/4 inch prop. My launch technique and the model handling of the
initial torque both need work but I think next Wednesday they will both
likely pass the 4 minute mark. Phil Hartmann designed great flying
models. I fly his Blue Ridge Square Eagle outdoors and it is partially
covered with dyed 1/4 mil Mylar. It flies great and will handle quite a
brisk wind.
Dyeing condenser tissue, 1/4 mill Mylar or OS film is a bit time
consuming but really makes a model look good. I have attached a few
photos of the Little Zephyrs and my first try at building a ministick.
One of the ministicks weights .55 gm the other .65 gm without rubber.
The last photo shows the comparison of the densities of color between
the condenser tissue, 1/4 mil Mylar and the OS film. The stabilizer at
the bottom of the photos is off the Square Eagle P30, covered in iDye
Poly Yellow and Aljo Mfg. Co. Neon Orange Poly dye.
I think Dave Acton may bring the Little Zephyr kit back into production
so you may be able to build and fly one in the not to distant future.
Tom Juell
New York City
--
You can make yourself happy or miserable -it's the same amount of effort.
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Received on Sat Jan 26 2013 - 14:52:43 CET