2anono%4 -Rekoselnica'a Biplane
Biplane
Model Building. ww.e-rokodelnica si
This page describes a model of a biplane made of plywood that has a propeller driven by an electric
motor. The airplane model is designed to learn sawing with a fretsaw and other skills. The biplane is not,
a flying one, but it can be used as a toy. Because of small parts, it (as a toy) is not suitable for children
under three years.
Table of Contents:
Material and Tools
Preparation of Parts
Assembling
Propulsion nad Landing Gears
tis not allowed to use this document or part of it for commercial purposes, The exception is teachers who may use it at
their own classes,
Material and Tools
Material:
Plywood, thickness 4 mm.
Piece of wire, diameter 2mm
Screws M3x30 with countersunk head, nuts M3 and washers 3,2
Electrie motor for toys
Battery holder for two AA cells and two AA batteries,
Toggle switch - single pole
Stranded wire
Tools:
« Fretsaw with V-shaped rest table
teipskww-cckodelica siM005(M006_EN-iplane hm wm2anono%4 -Rekoselnica'a Biplane
Drill, different drill bits
Abrasive paper
Colors, brush, diluter or cleaner
Adhesive for wood
General purpose Adhesive
Soldering iron and solder
Preparation of Parts
We cut parts of the biplane out of 4 mm thick plywood first. We find patterns of the parts in files that are
pointed at by links in figure 1. We print the drawings and transfer the patterns to the plywood. A
procedure is described in greater detail in the page Transferring Shapes of Parts to Plywood.
Figure 1: Parts of the Aircraft
In the drawings, each patter is drawn only once. It is written in brackets, how many parts of each pattern
we need to cut out. We need two fuselage sides 2, two pillars 9... We transfer them to the plywood board
We cut all parts out of plywood as precisely as possible. We can find some tips to help us sawing in the
page Using of a Fretsaw.
We sand edges of the cut parts with abrasive paper. By sanding, we make also a slant of 15° on the seat
back 5 and seat 4, as seen in Figures 2 and 3,
15°
5
Figure 2: Preparation of the seat back 5
teipskww-cckodelica siM005(M006_EN-iplane hm amtzano0%4 -Rekoselnica'a Biplane
Figure 3: Preparation of the seat 4 (The seat is turned bottom side up)
Ahole A for M3 screw is drilled in the seat 4. To make a hole, we need a 3.2 mm drill bit. As seen in
Figure 3, we have to make a chamfer the upper side of hole to hide the screw head. When the seat 4 is
made, we check the position of the screw and battery holder, as we can see on the figure 4. If we are
satisfied with the seat, we store the battery holder and screw until further.
Figure 4: Position of the battery holder under the seat 4 (The seat is turned correctly)
‘We have to cut two fuselage sides 2. To the one of them, we drill a hole C for a switch. The diameter of
drill bit depends on the thread on the switch. Afterwards, we store the switch until further
teipskww-cckodelica siM005(M006_EN-iplane hm ant2anono%4 -Rekoselnica'a Biplane
ion of switch on the fuselage side 2
An electric motor is fixed between the hood 3 and holder 14 by M3 screws. In the hood 3, we have to
drill two holes A with a chamfer for screw head. Holes B in the holder are made with the same drill bit.
Only, these holes B are without chamfer.
Figure 6; Motor assembly
A hole B is drilled also in the battery cover 16.
We have to drill a hole E for wheels in the fuselage sides 2. The diameter of the hole should be slightly
larger than the diameter of wire that we intent to use. If we have a wire with a diameter of 2 mm, we
should use a 2.5 mm drill bit. Then, we need to drill holes F in the wheels 15. The hole diameter should
be equal to the diameter of the wire. In our case, we take 2 mm drill bit.
A hole G in the propeller would be drilled after the propeller is assembled.
Assembling
Now, we have the parts prepared to start assembling them. First, we build a cockpit. The fuselage sides 2
are fixed to the wing 1. Between the fuselage sides 2, the seat 4 is inserted, We must take care to turn the
teipskww-cckodeiica siM005(M006_EN-iplane ht ant2anono%4 -Rekoselnica'a Biplane
seat correctly. That is with screw chamfer turned up. Then, we affix the seat back 5 and hood 3. The
hood 3 must also be affixed with hole chamfers turned up.
Figure 8: Assembling of the aircraft
Ina battery compartment, we affix two spacers 6. The two make a step that would support the battery
cover 16.
teipskww-cckodelica siM005(M006_EN-iplane hm sn2anono%4 -Rekoselnica'a Biplane
Figure 9: Assembling of the aircraft
After the glue is cured, we affix the tail 7 and vertical stabilizer 8.
Figure 10: Assembling of the aireraft
The upper wing 10 is affixed to the pillars 9 and fuselage sides 2.
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Figure 11: Assembling of the aircraft
Ip stwwr 0 rckadel2anono%4 -Rekoselnica'a Biplane
We glue parts 11, 12 and 13 to make the propeller. After the glue is cured, we drill a hole G. The hole
diameter should be equal to the diameter of the shaft of the engine. Its depth should be slightly less than
the length of the shaft. We must be very careful to drill it perpendicular,
12
13
a
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< Fa
Figure 12: Propeller
The gluing is now complete, We sand and paint parts of the biplane.
Propulsion and Landing Gears
We glue two washers over the holes E in fuselage sides 2. These two washers would allow wheels to tum
easier.
Figure 13: Washer
toward the
seat 4. It
The battery holder is glued inside the fuselage under the seat 4, It is turned with solder ta;
front of the airplane. Care must be taken that we can insert the screw through the hole in th
must remain enough space for mounting the motor.
teipskww-cckodelica siM005(M006_EN-iplane hm mizano0%4 -Rekoselnica'a Biplane
Figure 14: Battery holder
After the glue cured, we connect the motor, switch and battery holder according to the schematics in the
Figure 15.
Figure 15: Electric circuit
First, we attach the switch through the hole in the fuselage side 2. Then, the motor is fixed by the screws
and holder 14
teipskww-cckodelica siM005(M006_EN-iplane hm ant2anono%4 -Rekoselnica'a Biplane
Figure 16: Assembly of electrical parts
We apply a drop of glue into the hole in the propeller and affix it to the shaft of motor. Between the
engine and the screw, there should be a gap of one millimeter. We must be very careful that the glue does
not flow into the motor, because then it won't turn anymore! Therefore, the aireraft should be tumed with
its nose down, while the glue is curing.
Figure 17: Propeller
The wire for wheels axis should be $3 mm long. We grind both ends of the wire to remove sharp edges.
Then, we apply a drop of glue into the hole in one wheel and attach it to the axis. The axis with one
wheel is inserted through the holes in the fuselage sides 2. Now, the second wheel is glued to the axis.
teipskww-cckodelica siM005(M006_EN-iplane hm an2anono%4 -Rekoselnicaa Biplane
Figure 18: Landing gears
We insert batteries and fix the battery cover 16,
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Figure 19: Battery cover
Now, the biplane is ready to take off
‘anzano0%4 -Rekoselnica'a Biplane
teipskww-cckodelica siM005(M006_EN-iplane hm wn