Half A Scorpion More than a Trainer

I built a Half A Scorpion as per the OZ plans https://outerzone.co.uk/plan_details.asp?ID=5973 some time ago for my lad to fly and I ended up having a fly of it myself and really enjoyed flying it. I thought if might be able to do more than it does as per the current plans and made some minor changes that for once resulted in a fantastic plane to fly. I flew the modified Scorpion today on 42 ft .008 steel and its the best fun ive had flying since coming back to CL. The thing was a genuine blast to fly and yet so calm in its behaviour ( mostly ). Some photos below and then the mods I made to it and how it flew.


On the build - Prep table at home


On the launch table at the field. Single drop off wheel, rear stooge, on a card table.

I changed the nose of the fuse and shortened it by 50 mm as I mount my engines differently to the plan. Doing this places my prop in the same position as the plan. The main change was the elevator. I kept the exact same shape and angles of the elevator tips but changed the centre chord of the elevator to be 40mm instead of 25 mm and the chord at the elevator tips to be 30 mm instead of 20 mm. I also added a bent piece of music wire that sticks up like an antennae just infront of the fin to stop the fin getting broken when the plane flips over on landing. Like a little roll cage in a car.  I used an 049 TD with a slitted cylinder running at about 7 to 8 tenths throttle/needle. The plane was quite fast and surprisingly responsive. I was able to fly Wingovers, inside loops, outside loop ( cos I was in a lot of trouble   ), horizontal eights and inverted. I couldnt believe how well it flew inverted, stable as....... . flew several laps stable inverted which for me is surprising. the plane looped effortlessly and could actually be steered through the loops and you could square off a corner really easy and tighten and open the loop easily as suited whilst in the loop. I was really surprised by how easy it was to fly this plane through those manauveres on 42 foot lines with a TD.  

It would definately fly 52 foot lines on a good day with a TD 049 running flat out with a TD cylinder and Kamtecknik head. For anyone learning to fly loops, wingovers,.... the things I mentioned earlier this is a great and very stable plane to do them with. And super easy and cheap to build, and launches from a card table if need be. I was amazed at how straight and stable it flew wingovers!!! Im building myself another one. It may be a 'Trainer' but its a very good trainer that does much much more than roundy roundy and is a simple slab profile with shaped airfoyle wing.

GaryB
'Yabby'