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Bob Taylor's Britten-Norman "Islander"
Photos and text by Doug Mills

Photo courtesy of Britten-Norman Corporation
After
a disappointing experience with his Ziroli DC-3, Bob decided what he needed is a
large model plane capable of landing at a much slower speed.
Such a plane would require a slower stall speed
and a lighter wing loading in order to land safely on the FMAC field.
Lou Costlow suggested either the Islander or the Aero Commander.
Both planes met Bob's requirements,
but where do you find plans for these planes?
After many phone calls and searches on the Internet he concluded that
there are none available. Lou then offered to let Bob use a
set of Mark Frankel plans
that were included with a partially built
7 ft. Islander that Lou had
purchased at a flea market several years earlier. To be useable, the plans would
have to be enlarged by a professional printing service - at a considerable
price.
Just
for kicks, I posted a want ad on 4 R/C websites, and within a week, received a
response from a fellow modeler who had taken the Frankel plans, modified them
with a CAD program so that he could build a 9 1/2 ft. version of the
Islander-------and he made them available on
CD-ROM. I contacted a buddy
of mine who is a computer draftsman and he said he could take the CAD file and
enlarge it 131% to give Bob his needed 12 ft. (actual 12 1/2 ft.) wingspan.
Not only that, his printer accepted 3 ft by 5 ft paper and could print a
copy for us for the cost of the paper. Perfect.
Bob got a copy of the CD, had them enlarged and printed, and began
building . The plans worked O.K. for a 9 ft model, but several
modifications had to be made due to the increased
size and weight.
Let's
look at the specs:
Wingspan:
150 in. (12 1/2 ft., built in three 4 ft. sections for portability),
Fuse length: 102 in. (8 1/2 ft.), Wing
cord: 21 in., Cord height: 3 1/2
in., Wing style: Semi-symmetrical,
Wing area: 21 sq. ft., Wing
loading: approx. 34 oz/sq. ft., Estimated
weight: around 43 lbs, Functions:
Rudder, elevator, flaps, ailerons, throttle.
Basic construction: 1/8 in. ply, balsa, light ply, and fabric covering, Finish: dope and acrylic latex,
Servos: 9 metal and one nylon gear,
Wing tubes: telescoping aluminum, Engines:
2 US41's, Gear: Custom built shock
absorbing, fixed main, steer-able nose, made from 6061-T6 aluminum with 3 1/2
in. travel recoil shocks, Wheels:
Dual 5 1/2" mains and
nose, Fuel tank: 50 oz gas, Props:
two 18X6, Radio: Hi-Tech PCM.
The
first group of
photos (taken on April 15, 2003) show the result of about three months
planning, obtaining materials, and building.
More photos to follow as work progresses.

Click on thumbnail to view a larger image
The
next group of photos show about 6 weeks of progress.
The plane was assembled to check weight and balance, and for photographs.
Note the scratch-built
nose gear assembly.
The plane is almost ready to cover and paint.

Click on thumbnail to view a larger image
The plane was completed and ground tested around the first
week in August. There are no more "in progress" photos available. Many
were taken, however cameras are not smart enough to tell the operator to insert
a roll of film. (Maybe a gremlin stole it)

Click on thumbnail to view a larger image
Here is the Islander near completion. All that's
left to do is install the windshield and spinners and go fly it!
There is no planned date to fly the monster yet. We are
waiting for good weather, an experienced pilot, finding a looooong runway, and
lots of nerve, etc. etc. etc. I'm certain there will be a LOADED camera on hand
when we do.
This page was last updated on 03/21/04
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