1912 Blackburn Monoplane RC Planes Plans
Conclusion of the RC planes plans build for the 1912 Blackburn monoplane
Buy CAD RC planes plans for the Blackburn here!
Great video of full scale Blackburn in flight at the Shuttleworth collection, bottom of this page.
Build your own RC airplane with the three channel Blackburn monoplane
M-1 forward wing mount
Metal wing tube mounts
This is a good time to make and install the very important 1/4” balsa wing tube mounts M-1 and M-2 to the fuselage. Take a moment to study the airplane plans, as it is critical that these two mounts are made with the exact angle and heights as shown on the RC planes plans. These RC planes plans balsa mounts will set the dihedral and incidence of the two wing panels when installed, and simply must be done correctly. This is a similar method of mounting the wings as with the Chickadee. Glue M-1 to the top of F-1, and M-2 to the bottom of F-1 in the exact RC planes plans locations. Note that you can make these 1/4" mounts from two pieces of 1/8” balsa glued together. Use a hard grade of balsa for strength.
Once the M-1 and M-2 mounts are glued in place per the RC planes plans, glue on the 1/4” inner diameter metal tubes. These tubes must be lined up exactly to the RC planes plans two inner 1/4” balsa wing dowels. The easiest way to accomplish this alignment is to slip the 1” tubes onto the inner balsa dowel spars of a wing panel, and put a very small amount of 5 minute epoxy on M-1 and M-2. Carefully hold the metal tubes (slipped on the RC planes plans inner wing spars) in place on M-1 and M-2 while the glue dries. Be certain that the epoxy does not accidentally touch either wing spar in any place, as you do not want to glue the wing to the metal tubes. Once all four tubes are glued in place on the mounts as shown on the RC planes plans, you can remove the wings. Add additional epoxy glue to firmly bond the four tubes to the wing mounts.
Blackburn battery hatch, with M-1 wing tube at rear
Battery hatch and landing gear
Make the removable battery hatch as described on the RC planes plans. I constructed the hatch in place on the fuselage for an accurate alignment, using plastic wrap to keep the hatch formers from being glued to the fuselage. The RC planes plans battery hatch is kept in place with a friction fit that works fine for the flight speeds of the Blackburn.
Finished Blackburn battery hatch
Bend the landing gear parts from 1/16” music wire to the outline on the RC planes plans. The gear should be glued to the underside of F-1, and anchored with some scrap balsa epoxied in place. Use thread and epoxy to tie the landing gear parts together, ensuring proper alignment from the RC planes plans. It is best to install the gear before the 1/32” balsa cowl and fuselage sheeting is in place.
1/8" balsa cowl spacers glued in place
Build the balsa cowl
Add the 1/8” balsa cowl spacers for F-8, and glue on F-8. I had my electric motor installed for this procedure, to ensure accurate placement and alignment of F-8. Install the elevator and rudder servos before the cockpit 1/32” balsa sheeting is glued on. The fuselage is fairly narrow, and I had the servo control arms sticking slightly outside the fuselage. Your servo arrangement on the RC planes plans may permit the elevator and rudder control runs to stay inside the fuselage. Per the RC planes plans, cover the cowl and top fuselage aft to F-12 with light weight 1/32” balsa, leaving an opening as required for the servos. Cut out the cockpit opening from the 1/32” balsa as shown on the RC planes plans.
Former F-7 in place over Blackburn electric motor
Covering and finishing the Blackburn model
This is a good time to cover the RC planes plans fuselage and wings with CoverLite. As with the tail surfaces, brush on Stix-It where the covering will be ironed on to the structure. I covered only the top surfaces of the wings to save weight. Leave the first bay of the lower fuselage uncovered, as on the original Blackburn monoplane. The top of the RC planes plans fuselage from the cowl to behind the cockpit is covered with metallic MonoKote to simulate the sheet metal installed on the original Blackburn.
After the Blackburn is covered, make the tail skid from a 3/32” bamboo skewer as described on the RC planes plans, and glue in place. Install the elevator, followed by the RC planes plans rudder with clear hinge tape. Insert and glue the rudder and elevator control horns, and install the control rod linkages from the two servos. Use 1/8” square light weight balsa, sanded round, for covering of the undercarriage wire struts. Epoxy glue works well as shown on the RC planes plans, and the addition of the balsa covering to the undercarriage adds greatly to the Blackburn’s appearance.
Blackburn undercarriage and fuselage wood stain
Use wood stain for the open wood areas of the Blackburn. Install a set of lightweight RC planes plans wheels. Glue on the RC planes plans rigging king post, located directly in front of the Blackburn cockpit opening. Any rigging installed does not add to the aircraft’s strength, but certainly looks good. I used elastic thread for the RC airplanes plans rigging, and soft metal hooks and eyelets from the local craft store. It just takes a moment to hook all this up at your flying location, and is well worth the effort.
Blackburn front view with rigging in place
Your Blackburn is just about done at this time. Install the wings, and ensure the Blackburn balances at the center of gravity as shown on the plans. You may have to shift the battery location to ensure the proper CG for your initial test flight. No worries regarding adverse yaw, as there are no ailerons on this version of the Blackburn.
Blackburn RC planes plans model in flight
Flying the Blackburn
The Blackburn should be flown under calm wind conditions, and the test flight went very smoothly. The Blackburn’s controls are smooth and positive, and the incidence of the wing makes for a short takeoff run with a smooth lift off. The Blackburn is very gentle in the air, and truly flies “on the wing.” You will immediately be comfortable with its forgiving handling characteristics. I am sure you will have as much fun building from RC planes plans and flying your 1912 Blackburn Type D monoplane as I have had. Do give it a try!
The 1912 Blackburn Type D monoplane flies today as part of the United Kingdom's Shuttleworth Collection. Great video of this historic Blackburn airplane in flight below.
Full scale 1912 Blackburn Type D in flight - just incredible
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