IVAN'S PLANS
These are plans for electric powered R/C
model planes that Ivan Pettigrew has designed and built. In recent years,
Chilliwack B.C. near the West Coast of Canada has become a "Mecca" in the
Pacific North West for electric powered model planes. Ivan was one of the
prime movers in this trend when he designed his first electric powered model in
the early nineties. Most of these models use racing car motor of the "05"
class (equivalent to Speed 600 size.) These models are larger than
most other model aircraft that use the same power packages, but because of the light
construction and low wing loading, they fly very well on low power, and come
close to scale like flight appearance. Flight times vary from seven
to fifteen minutes using Sanyo 1900 mAH nicads. The plans are hand drawn
with adequate details for scratch builders, and come with written construction
notes. The models are built mostly of balsa, using traditional
construction methods.
Update 2008. The descriptions and
specs for most of the models were written before Li-Poly batteries came in to
use. With Li-Po batteries, the weight and wing loading of the models will be
lighter than the figures shown, and performance will be enhanced.
Where a nine cell pack was originally used, a 3S Li-Po battery should be used,
preferably of larger capacity. Flight time will be considerably longer,
not only because of extra battery capacity, but because of the weight saving.
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Read articles by Ivan on the following
topics: (click on the topic underlined in blue)
Flying Boat
Design Things that all
R-C float flyers should know.
Multi Engine
Electric models Electrics
lend themselves to great multis.
Batteries
A viewpoint on batteries by "Low Tech Ivan."
Model specs
Detailed specs on the models listed. Gear
ratios, props, batteries used, and more. Read an update on the use of
Speed 480 motors in the Multi Motor models such as the Albatross. Flight
time has increased considerably. Also notes on the use of Li-Poly
batteries and brushless motors.
For more details, and prices, send e-mail
to ivanp2@shaw.ca When requesting a
price list, be sure to indicate the country the plans are to be mailed to.
Prices given include the cost of postage. All overseas mailings go by air.
Last update, May 20, 2009
For more about electric powered modelling in the Chilliwack area, check:
"Hal's Hangar:
www.geocities.com/halsask/
| D.H. 89 RAPIDE Span 76 inches. Length 56
inches. Wing area 1,100 sq. ins. Weight with nine N-1900 SCR cells
is 97 ozs. Wing loading 12.8 oz/sq.ft. Built 1994 |
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| D.H. 88 COMET Span 80 ins. Length 54 ins.
Wing area 750 sq. ins. Weight with eighteen N-1900 SCR nicads is 108
oz
giving a wing loading of 20.7 oz/sq.ft. Has retracts. Two
models built, 1995 and 2000. |
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| SEAGULL. Non scale flying boat. Span 60 in. Wing area 550
sq. in. Length 48 in. Weight with nine N-1900 SCR nicads is
55oz. Wing ldg 14.5 oz/sq. ft. Capable of 30 splash and go
landings per flight. Built 1994. Over 450 flights off water and
still going strong. |
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| SHORT SEALAND 600 1/9.5 Scale.
Span 75 ins. Length 58 ins. Wing area 830 sq.ins. Weight with
nine N-1900 SCR nicads is 90 ounces giving wing loading of 15.6 oz/sq.ft.
Has removable wheels for land operation. Built 2002. |
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| BRISTOL FREIGHTER 1/12 scale. Span 108ins.
Length 71 ins. Wing area 1,480 sq.ins. Weight with sixteen
N-1900 SCR nicads is 157 ozs giving wing loading of 15.2 oz/sq.ft.
Flaps. Built 2000. |
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SHORT SOLENT 400 Span 82ins. Wing area
905 sq. ins. Length 65 ins. Uses four GWS Speed 400 geared
motors. Weight 83 ozs with eight N-1900 SCR nicads, giving wing
loading of 13.2 oz/sq ft. Flies over 15 minutes on 3,000 NiMH cells.
Built 2004.
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| AUSTER AIGLET J5F. Scale 1/5 Span 75 ins.
Length 52 ins. Wing area 850 sq.ins. Weight with nine N-1900 SCR nicads
is 72 ozs giving wing loading of 12.2 oz/sq.ft. Fully aerobatic.
Flies on wheels, floats and skis. Plan shows wheels only. Built
1997. |
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| RICHARD PEARSE MONOPLANE 600. Scale 1/4 Span 60 in.
Wing area 1,200 sq, in. Length 35 in. Weight with nine CP-1700 SCR
nicads is 60 ozs giving wing loading of 7.2 oz/sq.ft. Model of a
historic plane that is claimed to have flown briefly in New Zealand on March
31, 1903. This model is a reliable flyer, and very aerobatic.
Built 2003. A smaller model is also available for a Speed 370 motor. |
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| PARTENAVIA. Scale 1/6.6 Span 70 in. Wing
area 730 sq in. Length 56 1/2 in. Weight with nine N-1900 SCR
nicads is 77 ozs giving a wing loading of 15.2 oz/sq.ft. Designed to
be an entry level multi. Very easy to build with rectangular wing and
box type fuselage construction. Very aerobatic and safe to fly.
Built 2004. |
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| SHOESTRING. Scale 1/4.8 Span 58 in. Wing
area 500 sq. in. Length 46 in. Weight with nine N-1900 SCR
nicads is 56 oz giving wing loading of 16.1 oz/sq.ft. A smooth flyer.
Good on floats. Also available at 62 in span. Lighter wing
loading and slightly slower. Great aileron trainer. 1997 &
2001 |
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| BEAUFIGHTER. Scale 1/10 Span 73in. Wing
area 765 sq.in. Length 51 in. Weight with eighteen N-1900 SCR
nicads is 124 oz giving wing loading of 23.4 oz/sq.ft. Retracts and
optional flaps. Does impressive aerobatics. Built 1999, based on
smaller version built 1993 |
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| MINICAT. A smaller 82% version of the PBY-5 listed
above. Scale 1/15 Span 83in. Wing area 835 sq.in.
Length 52in. Uses two GWS Speed 400 geared motors running parallel from and
eight cell battery. Weight with eight CP-1900 SCR nicads is 64 oz. for
wing loading of 11 oz/sq.ft. Flies 27 min on eight cell 3,000 NiMH.
Built 2004 |
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| GRUMMAN ALBATROSS. Scale 1/12 Span 84 in.
Wing area 945 sq. in. Length 62 in. Weight with nine N-1900 SCR nicads is 93
ounces giving wing loading of 14.2 oz/sq.ft. Maiden flight Dec 28,
2004. In Sept 2005 the motors were changed from ".05" racing car
motors to Speed 480. Flight time increased considerably. Twenty
eight minutes on an eight cell 3,000 NiMH battery. |
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| SEALAND 480 A scaled down version of the Sealand
600 (2002).
Uses Speed 480 or Long Can Speed 400 motors. Span 74 1/2 in.
Wing area 695 sq. in. Length 53in. Weight with eight CP-1700 SCR
nicads is 60 ounces for wing loading of 12.6 oz/sq.ft. Flight time with
eight 3,000 NiMH cells is 32 minutes. A hot performer. Built 2005 |
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| SOLENT 480. August 2006. A
larger version of Short Solent 400 above. Scale 1/14.5 Span 99
inches. Wing area 1,200 sq. ins. Length 73.5 inches.
Airfoil Selig 7055 with NACA leading edge cuff on outboard sections.
Flies on 10 to12 nicads, (3S or 4S Li-Poly cells). Weight with ten
2,600 NiMH cells is 124 ounces giving a wing loading of 14.9 oz/sq.ft.
Four Permax 480 motors wired parallel. MP-Jet Speed 400 gearboxes with
4.1:1 reduction drive 10 x 7 four blade props. Static current is 38
amps giving thrust of 60 ounces at 4,600 RPM. Ivan's all time
favourite flying boat. |
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BLACKBURN BEVERLEY
600.
August 2007. Scale 1/15.5 Span 125 inches. Wing Area 1,700 sq.in. Length
77 inches. Airfoil Selig 7055 with NACA leading edge cuff on outboard
sections. Slotted flaps. Wing built in three sections. The nose section
of the fuselage is removable to give access to the battery and make
adjustments to the nose wheel mounting, as well as reducing the size of the
fuselage for transportation. The tail plane and main landing gear are all
removable for transportation. Weight with a 6S Li-Po 2800 mAH battery is
164 ounces giving wing loading of 13.9 oz/sq.ft. Four “Speed 600” (Mabuchi
550) can motors wired series-parallel, with 3.5:1 Master Airscrew reduction
gearboxes, turn 10x6 four blade props at 6,500 RPM. Static thrust is 110
ounces at 32 amps (16 amps to each motor). |
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DH 86 EXPRESS. August 2008 Scale 1/7.9 Span, 98 inches. Wing area 1,507
square inches. Airfoil Selig 3021 modified towards the tips. Length 71
inches, Weight with 6S 2800 Li-Poly battery, 114 ounces. Wing loading is
13.5 ounces / square foot (allowing for 80% efficiency of biplane wings.)
Four Jamara 480 HS BB motors are used, wired series-parallel, driving 10 x 7
APC-E props through 4.1:1 ratio gearboxes. Static Thrust is 76 ounces at
6,200 RPM drawing 26 amps from the battery. (13 amps each motor.) The
wings have a very high aspect ratio. Efficiency comes from using the thin
Selig 3021 airfoil, but as in sailplanes, it makes for a challenge in
accurate construction. Removable outer wing panels are optional, but demand
good workmanship because of the thin airfoil used. Likewise, the
undercarriage is a tight fit in the fairings, but they add to the
streamlining of the model. The torsion bar suspension used on the main gear
gives very good operation on rough fields Flight characteristics are
excellent. A safe, easy to fly model. |
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The wings for the Lancaster, Catalina PBY-5A, Freighter, Mars, Solent 480, Beverley,
and Express are built in
three sections for ease of transportation.
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For pictures of the Spring 2005 fly in at Chilliwack, May 28 & 29, look at:
For videos of some of the models flying
see:
http://gvillette.rchomepage.com/ 2003
http://pacificcoast.net/~gvillette/indexmh.htm 2003
To view models built from Ivan's plans, visit Luke
Middleton's thread
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=710485
Solent 480, filmed, and edited
with music by Hal Norrish: June 2007
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNeeWK86GIc
Beverley 600, filmed and
edited by Hal Norrish: Sept 2007
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UsbU9CLdvY
| Thank you for visiting "Ivan's Plans." This picture was
taken at the May 2004 fly in at Chilliwack. |
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