Full Size Printed Plans Peanut Scale 1913 DEPERDUSSIN learned on the technique of building with foam

This listing is for Full Size Printed Plans

1913  DEPERDUSSIN

Whether you happen to like this little sausage or not, there's still a valuable lesson to be learned on the technique of building with foam, so slow down and take a longer look.

One Full size Printed plan on sheet 11” x 17”

Four Pages of notes and photos

By A. A. LIDBERG

This model was designed and developed as an experiment in construction techniques. I wanted to see how foam handled and how well it could be used to duplicate the shape and appearance of a monocoque fuselage. Light flying models have traditionally used formers and stringers to duplicate this type of construction, but the resulting surface is far from smooth and detracts from the scale ap­pearance.

Deperdussin seems to have origi­nated monocoque construction, so one of their planes is an appropriate example. The fuselage on the full-scale racing plane was made up of 3 layers of tulip wood glued together on a form. When dry, the form was removed and the shell was covered on both sides with fabric which was glued on and varnished. The thick­ness of the finished shell was about an 1/8 inch. Conventional wood ribs and spars covered with fabric were used for the wing and tail. Flown by M. Prevost, this plane won the 1913 Gordon Bennet race at Rheims, France, averaging over 124 mph on the 124.3 mile course. The plane is a true pioneer, considering its vintage and its accomplishments. Due to legal and financial problems, Armand Deperdussin's firm went bankrupt. Under the guidance of Louis Bleriot, the revived company was known worldwide by its initials (SPAD), the designation of its WW I fighter plane.

Because this model project was an experiment, some lessons were learned, so I can share the failures as well as the successes with other modelers.

Thank you for your interest