cymaz Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 I am seriously thinking of building this. Easy wing almost flat fuselage - nothing complicated. Just get some scale drawings send them off to Falcon Aviation and wer'e away.......though not for a few years yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Cantwell Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 blow it to third scale, and you can join the new Thomson trophy display team!!! i LOVE aircraft from this era, come on, get it done,!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted December 29, 2011 Author Share Posted December 29, 2011 ERRRRR........all finished apart from fitting my mates home built 7 cyl radial that sounds sooooooooooo smooth. Do you want to see it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Cantwell Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 err, me puzzled, but got to say YES!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 Bonzo...7Cylinder radial? I'm puzzled too! Edited By Peter Miller on 29/12/2011 18:44:55 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted December 29, 2011 Author Share Posted December 29, 2011 Sorry ,wrong post in wrong topic. I'm doing 2 things at onceEdited By Peter Smedley on 29/12/2011 18:50:49 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted December 29, 2011 Author Share Posted December 29, 2011 Err how about Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Smitheman Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 I really look forward to seeing this, I built a Wittman Buster formula one racer years back. It flew well, but was oh so hard to land due to the uc being way far forward of the leading edge. I more or less tamed it by having lots of toe out on the u.c. and by landing as slow as possible, tailwheel first. The original is in the Smithsonian. Steve Wittman was evidently quite a remarkable character. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted May 30, 2020 Author Share Posted May 30, 2020 Slow progress. I've had the plans increased to 1/3 scale. 88" long fuselage, I will probably split the fuse behind the cockpit. The wing panels are 30" wide. This is to scale though I expect to slightly increase the span by a little.....not by much.This will lessen the wing loading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dwain Dibley. Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 You will have the ribs cut out by 2029 then ....... D.D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan W Posted May 31, 2020 Share Posted May 31, 2020 Does this have anything to do with the Bonzo Dog Doh-Dah Band? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted May 31, 2020 Author Share Posted May 31, 2020 No, Steve ( real name Sylvester) Wittman named most of his planes after cartoon characters in the 30’s and 40’s. Bonzo Edited By cymaz on 31/05/2020 08:48:47 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted May 31, 2020 Author Share Posted May 31, 2020 Posted by Dwain Dibley. on 30/05/2020 23:58:57: You will have the ribs cut out by 2029 then ....... D.D. All the ribs are identical, thank goodness. I’ve asked Tina at Slec. There was also a kind gent from the LMA who has drawn the wing in CAD and has done me proud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted May 31, 2020 Author Share Posted May 31, 2020 Steve at 90! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan W Posted May 31, 2020 Share Posted May 31, 2020 Posted by cymaz on 31/05/2020 08:47:14: No, Steve ( real name Sylvester) Wittman named most of his planes after cartoon characters in the 30’s and 40’s. Bonzo Edited By cymaz on 31/05/2020 08:48:47 Ha ha! I was being a tad facetious, since your original link from 2011 is dead, so I had no idea what the Bonzo was. By luck, I was not that far out from Bonzo the dog . Anyway, I hope you make some progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted May 31, 2020 Author Share Posted May 31, 2020 It’s my retirement project. And there’s at least 5 years before I, hopefully, go semi at 60. The young lad , Brian,(only in his 80’s who’s building a 100” DB Giant Mannock ) and I have discussed how to build it. He suggests building the formers with square spruce with diagonal members and gluing brace plates either side of all the joint. It should keep it light and strong. Then, lay down the upper most fuselage side stringer and build it up side down, slotting the formers over the plan....sounds good to me. Split the fuselage just behind the cockpit. Edited By cymaz on 31/05/2020 11:04:00 Edited By cymaz on 31/05/2020 11:09:24 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted May 31, 2020 Author Share Posted May 31, 2020 A forum member I’ve been in contact with in the US started doing a 1/3 scale but that seems to have fizzled out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan W Posted May 31, 2020 Share Posted May 31, 2020 Looks like a great subject, very distinctive. Roll on retirement! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dwain Dibley. Posted May 31, 2020 Share Posted May 31, 2020 WOW ...... what a guy !! Also...Agreed, It's a cool subject and a great thing to look forward to. I am planning to retire about the same time as you, so will have plenty of time to look in and "encourage " You Cy. D.D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Heywood 1 Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 I just landed on this forum thread while do a search for information on Bonzo. Is there any way that I may obtain a copy of the scale drawing you are using for reference? Thank you. Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted February 18, 2021 Author Share Posted February 18, 2021 Well, I have new drawings from the son of Bob Sonnleitner. Bob drew up the drawings when the plane had a full renovation in 1986. The plans are subject to copyright and I have Paul Sonnleitners’ permission to use them.I don’t want to upset Paul as he let me have the plans and didn’t want any money to post them from the US. The only thing he wanted was for me to build the plane in the future. It maybe best to contact him directly. If you manage to contact him, he may let you have a copy. He’s a nice guy and would like to keep his Dad’s work alive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted October 29, 2021 Author Share Posted October 29, 2021 I’ve been helped no end by Tim. He’s a wizard on CAD. I need some advice on general design parameters. If any of the RCME plan contributors comment, that would be great. Is there a guide on how far apart to place wing ribs? Granted, it’s based on a lot of criteria. The plane wouldn’t be doing high G loops and rolls. What the best way to build a light but strong tail surface? Ive included a couple of the CAD pictures to show what we’ve done already. The wing panel is about 3’ the ribs are now at 1”. There are wing tubes front and rear and a main spar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted November 27, 2021 Author Share Posted November 27, 2021 90 1/4” is full size ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Harper Posted November 27, 2021 Share Posted November 27, 2021 (edited) Robert, It is great that you are building Bonzo. Steve W built Bonzo after he built Chief OshKosh. It is very easy to see the tail, rear fuse and wing similarities. When you fly Bonzo, consider flying it a full throttle. It took me two years to realize that is how Chief OshKosh needs to be flown….it’s a pylon racer after all. Assuming it flies the same - you will really enjoy flying Bonzo! The pics are all of Chief OshKosh for comparison with Bonzo. If I built the wing again, I would use half the number of ribs compared to scale to reduce weight. Good luck with the build! Jon Edited November 27, 2021 by Jon Harper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Harper Posted November 27, 2021 Share Posted November 27, 2021 I found this scale drawing of Bonzo a few years ago. Has everything needed for a scratch build own design. Hope it is useful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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