First Printing 2008 8.5" x 11" 86 pages
The Sunday Flyer covers 35 years' worth of experience designing, scratch building, and flying RC aircraft. You can learn more in a few pleasant evenings of reading than in years of experimenting on your own. Wouldn't you like to get out of the rut of flying the same thing everyone else is flying? You can build far better aircraft, for far fewer dollars, while having far more fun!
Some of the subjects covered include:
•aircraft design •the best airfoils •scratch building from plans •building from photos •simplifying construction •enlarge or shrink plans to any size you wish •build RC planes for less than the cost of building kits or ARFs •build anything your imagination can dream up •the workshop •building projects for your workshop •construction tips
I am a sport flier. My planes are neither beautiful nor exotic, but they often fly better than many other planes at the flying field! Every time I go to a fly-in, pilots always come over and want to know where they can get the ARF they just saw flying. It's so sad. These guys are missing the best part of the hobby, the fun and enjoyment you get from designing and building your own model airplanes, and doing it in what ever size you like. I just point to their heads, and tell them it is locked in there, waiting for them to create it on their own workbenches at home. For the most part they look at me like I am from some other planet. If they only knew how simple the whole process really was…
And that, of course, is the reason for this book. Designing and scratch building your own planes really is quite simple once you get someone to take the time to point out the basics. Would you like to learn how to build anything you wish, in any size you want? Read The Sunday Flyer.
Turn your creativity loose and learn to design and build anything you want – in any size you want. The Sunday Flyer will teach you the basics of scratch building and good aerodynamics.
A simple little stick may turn out to be a wonderful flier, with just a little input of imagination from the builder!
Basic aircraft design is covered so you will have a pretty good idea of how your creations will fly before they even leave the drawing board.
Building and construction tips are shown throughout The Sunday Flyer.
The author loves to feel that he is getting the most out of his hobby dollars, and all the way through the book money saving tips are featured. For instance, this 65" pattern plane has all the features of the real thing, yet cost around $60 for wood and covering material. The 84" stick is a real aerobatic fun flier that costs around $80 for wood and covering.
You no longer are limited do doing the same thing that everyone else at the flying field does.
This 96" Telemaster was custom built for night flying, with see-through everything. Of course the Telemaster could have just as easily been built with a 38.7" wingspan, or a 52", or a 79", or a 148", or – you get the idea. After reading The Sunday Flyer you will know how to build what ever you want - in any size you want.
Time spent in the workshop is precious time, and usually is the best part of the day. Tom built a new model building area in his workshop in 2007. Now building is more fun than it ever was.
The May 2008 issue of RC Report ran an article I wrote titled Setting Up a Good Workshop. The response was amazing. There just isn't a lot of workshop equipment designed especially for the hobby of building RC models.
Since woodworking is another hobby of mine, I was able to design easy-to-build shop cabinets especially for my model airplane addiction.
If you have the some basic woodworking tools you can build anything shown here. Order a copy of Practical Shop Cabinets along with your copy of The Sunday Flyer if you would like to learn more about building shop cabinets
Just another lazy day at the field, shooting dozens of touch and goes with a aircraft you designed and built yourself – there's nothing like it. I asked a friend to fly one of my sticks for a few moments while I took some photos, and he didn't want to give it back. He flew it until it was about out of fuel, and then said, "What a great flying airplane. I could fly it all day!"
The author is shown enjoying some quiet time at the flying field back in 1975, shooting touch and goes with an 84" scratch-built fun fly airplane.
The Sunday Flyer is only $8.00 plus $3.50 shipping to your US address. Please mail your check for $11.50 to:
Tom Clark
13720 Butterfield Trail NW
Deming, NM 88030
PayPal orders: Please send the payment to this account and state what you are ordering, along with your mailing address. Thank you!
This 72" model was flown for nearly 10 years before it was retired. The plane has 1000 square inches of wing area, and only weighs 5.5 pounds. Power is an OS 52 four-cycle engine. Some of the best that RC offers can be had for just a little effort, with very little cash involved. Come join the rest of us who are having the most fun the hobby offers, scratch building your own designs!
102" Stick
