Werewolf

• RCM&E subscribers can read the Werewolf article in the Jan 2008 issue at the digital archive.
• The Werewolf plan, canopy, CNC pack and wood pack can be purchased here.  

Werewolf came about after an email correspondent suggested I design a 1.5 size version of Peter Russell’s 334G – a very nice little control line stunt model from the mid ‘50s, styled on the Focke Wulf 190. Although scaling other designs is not something I do, I like the FW 190 and used the concept to design my own version. Of course, a true-scale ‘190 would be lacking in wing area and the nose too short for the type of model that I enjoy flying, so Werewolf is the result.
There’s nothing complicated in the construction method, indeed it employs my standard build techniques proven over many designs. Oh, and you’ll not have to go hunting for a canopy or CNC parts as they’re available from the RCM&E plans service.

FLYING WEREWOLF
The model can be hand-launched if long grass dictates although it’ll have to be pretty long to stop her getting off the ground, indeed take-offs and landings from a rough mown airstrip are great, even on the longer grass the model doesn’t nose over.
So how does she fly? Well the stall is a non-event I’m pleased to say. In fact, the model won’t drop its nose even with the engine throttled right back and tends to just wallow around. If a wing does drop it can easily be picked up with aileron. She spins nicely too, and spin recovery is pretty near instant.
Werewolf has proven to be aerobatic in a very graceful, almost traditional manner. Loops, rolls and inverted flight are all very easy to perform. Flick rolls tend to be a bit slower than I really like but normal rolls are beautiful and very axial. I’m always especially pleased with the four-point rolls which are really positive – click – click – click – click, just like a ratchet.
Inverted flight is, as I say, very easy and requires virtually no down-elevator. During one sortie I almost forgot that the model was inverted, which could have been very embarrassing indeed.
If a dead-stick should occur, fear not, the glide is very good and you’ll find that the model will just float around. This being the case there’s a chance that the model will end up hundreds of yards further down the field when landing. I have to make far bigger circuits in these situations just to avoid a long walk! I flew my model with a .32 two-stroke although a .40 would undoubtedly improve the control response. Mind you, she remains fully aerobatic with the .32 indeed Werewolf is a pretty, capable and rugged little aerobat – I think you’ll like her so clear the building board!

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FUSELAGE
Cut out all the parts and glue the 1/32” ply doublers to the fuselage sides. Add the 3/16” stringers along the bottom, then make F-1 adding the blind nuts for the engine mount. Make F-2, not forgetting the strips of 1/8” ply along the sides; these reinforce the bottom which has to take the load of the wing retention dowel. Next, add the strips of 1/8” x 1/4” balsa to the rear formers.
Lay one side down and glue formers F-1, F-2, F-3, F-4 and F-5 in place, making sure that they’re vertical. When they’ve dried, fit the other side and leave the assembly to set. Pull the sides in at the rear, join with the scrap infill and add the remaining formers. Fit the triangular stock in the corners of F-1 and F-2. The cockpit floor and instrument panel are next – instrument detail can be added any time before the canopy is fitted and you’ll note that the instrument panel is sloping to allow the servos to be fitted a little higher in the fuselage than would otherwise be possible.
It’s a good idea to install the snake outers, including the throttle run, at this stage. Okay, glue on the upper sides and when dry, sandpaper the top smooth. Now fit the 1/4” sheet top decking piece at the front and the 1/2” sheet spine to the rear of the cockpit. Trim the sides of the cockpit using the canopy as a guide. Nearly there! The 1/16 sheet along the bottom of the fuselage, and the tank bay sheet floor, finish things off.

THE COWL
Since the engine on this model is inverted, the bottom cowl section is designed to be removed with minimum effort; it splits along the silencer line and needle valve holes. The filler and pressure tubes exit from the air-flow / glow plug access hole on the underside.
For me, the best method of shaping a cowl such as this is to temporarily fit the engine mount and engine, then take the nose ring and tack-glue it to the spinner backplate employing 1/16” balsa spacers between the plate and the nose ring. Mount this on the engine and then use the back-plate as a shaping guide. Glue 3/8” sheet balsa within the fuselage sides in front of F-1 and up to the nose ring. Build up the top block between F-1 and the nose ring and fabricate the lower cowl with 1/2” sheet sides to the 3/8” sheet base. Add the infill pieces around the intake.
This lower cowl can be attached to the fuselage in which ever way the builder prefers although one alternative is to make the top of the outlet duct from 1/16” ply and extend this over the bottom of F-1. Two small screws then pass through the ply into F-1 to hold the cowl securely, whilst two small dowels at the front will locate it and stop it moving sideways. Do re-check all the cowl holes for needle valves and other protuberances and then remove the engine and continue to shape the cowl. I installed a remote glow connector fitted to the right side of the model in the tank bay.

TAIL ASSEMBLY
Simple as you like, the tail is cut from medium 1/4” sheet so a description is almost superfluous. Mind you, there is one point that’s a bit unusual. Since the fin has very little support, I fitted a 1/4” dowel at the base which then locates into a hole in the scrap sheet infill at the rear of the fuselage. I’d suggest that the tail parts are covered before assembly although I’ll leave the final decision to you.

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LIFT GENERATOR
The wing construction sequence employed on Werewolf has been developed over many models and guarantees there’ll be no warps. Note that the wing is kept pinned to the board until all the sheeting has been completed.
Okay, pin down the lower leading edge sheet, lower centre-section sheet, the cap strips, the trailing edge sheet and then glue down the lower spar. Glue the liteply doublers to the ribs as shown and cut the undercarriage mounts from 1/4” ply. Make sure that they’re a good fit to the slots in ribs R-1a to R-4.
Now, be careful to follow the instructions for this next stage: Fit the ribs to the spar gluing the undercarriage mounting plate into the rib slots but not to the lower sheet, the glue here can be added later. Add the paper tube for the aileron servo lead before fitting R-1. The tube is made by rolling paper round some 1/2” dowel and then flattening it slightly. Insert and glue the top spar. The aileron ribs can be put in place after the aileron spar and leading edge have been laid down. Said ribs extend to the rear of the trailing edge sheet. Chamfer the bottom of the 1/8” leading edge strip to match the lower surface of the ribs and glue in place, flush with the underside of the ribs.
Now raise the lower leading edge sheet and glue to the bottom of the ribs and leading edge. I use short pieces of scrap trailing edge material as wedges to hold the sheet in place, then run cyano’ along the joints. Do make sure that the sheeting is in contact with the ribs, especially at the root. The sheet is glued to the undercarriage plates later.
Remember where the grain should point when adding the webbing between the spars – vertical that is. The hinge blocks come next, not forgetting the infill at the root to take the wing bolts, the ply plates for the aileron horns and the dihedral brace. Fit the hardwood block for the top, upright section, of the undercarriage leg and add triangular material in the corners between the mount and liteply ribs. Now sand the top of the wing until everything is smooth and flush with the ribs. I use clothes pegs and bulldog clips to hold the leading edge sheet to the spar and map pins at the leading edge. Continue by adding the trailing edge sheet, centre-section sheet and the cap strips, along with the 3/8 x 1/8” trailing edge. Doing it this way is easier than trying to chamfer the trailing edge sheet. The wing should now be ready to lift from the board. Repeat the process for the second wing up to the stage of fitting the top sheet. Don’t be tempted to fit R-1 to the second wing, or the aforementioned top sheet, until the wing halves are joined. On that subject, and with the second wing still pinned down on the board, join the completed wing to it. Note that the tip of the second wing should be propped up 2” above the level of the board, although this is not critical. Alignment of the dihedral brace should ensure sufficient accuracy here.
Gluing R-1 to the wing will now ensure a perfect fit at the root. The top sheeting can be added to the second panel at this stage and once everything is dry, the whole assembly lifted from the board. If all’s well it’ll be true and rigid.

Glue on the 1/8” sheet leading edge cap strip and shape as shown. With this, you can fit the bearers for the wing servo mounts and once these have dried, fit the mount and add the sheet at the end. I prefer to fit the control horns at this stage and then connect them to the servos before separating the ailerons from the wing panels. This, as I’m sure you’ll have guessed, ensures that everything is set up perfectly. Now cut out the ailerons and shape the aileron leading edge to allow for movement. Make and fit the wing and aileron tips and glue on the ply plate to support the wing bolt heads.
Find the centre of the undercarriage mounting plates and slice out a strip of leading edge sheet to take the undercarriage wires. Drill through for the vertical upstand and radius the corner to allow for the bend in the wire. Mark a location for the saddle clamps and cut away the sheet to clear them.
Since we’re nearly there, now’s a good time to glue the bottom leading edge sheet to the undercarriage mount, this by running glue under the sheet. Open out the hole for the wing dowel and temporarily fit the wing to the fuselage. Finally, add the fairing to the underside of the wing using 3/32” sheet as shown. This little touch just helps blend the wing to the fuselage.

FINISHING
Werewolf isn’t scale so you can use any colour scheme you like, although the FW 190 styling would suggest a German military theme. For the covering I used Solarfilm matt polyester in olive drab and dove grey. The German crosses came from Pyramid Models and the Werewolf motif from the internet.
Radio is fitted as detailed on the plan and since I use Spektrum gear the main receiver sits just behind the tank with the second behind the servos. Incidentally, standard servos are fine for this model.
The completed aeroplane should weigh in at around 4 – 41/2 lb, depending on the motor used, and if you ask me the C of G is better right at the front of the range.
Werewolf is a very nice sports aerobatic model that can be finished to look like a Luftwaffe war machine or whatever you like. Enjoy her, she has a terrific performance.

Rudder: As much as possible 

Name: Werewolf

Rec’d motor: .32 – .40 two-stroke