Designed by Bill Osborne & Drawn by Heman Lee

Peter Justin
1/2a Control Line Trainer Engine: Cox Black
Window .049

This model airplane is made from foam-board that can be purchased at any art-supply store or Target
for less than $3 a sheet. For today's youths, it is very rewarding to be able to build their own model and
make their first solo flight. Bill makes all of the components for our class from surplus materials.
Engines mounts, bell-cranks, control horn are all made from scratch in his home shop. Not only does he
supplies these airplanes to our class, he has built hundreds of these for the kids in his own community for
free. This model is a great trainer because it is almost indestructible when crashing on grass and easy to
build. With minor modifications it can even do basic aerobatics, such as loops.

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Parts List

1 Foam-Board 3/16" 1 Lead-out Guide

1 Plywood 1/16 X 1 1/4 X 12 or Paint Stick 8 Washers for 2-56 screws
1 Plywood 1/16 X 1 1/4 X 9 or Paint Stick 7 Screws 2-56 x 3/4
1 Balsa 1/8 X 5 1/16 X 3 9 Nuts 2-56
1 T-Angle Motor Mount 1 Control Horn
1 Lead Weight 1/4 oz 1 Bell-crank & Spacer
.055 X 9" Pushrod Wire 1 Cox Black Widow .049 engine
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with Cox 6 X 3 propeller.

Tools Needed

 Titebond or Elmer Yellow Wood Glue

 Model airplane dope (clear and color)
 Xacto Knife No. 1 or Hobby Knife
 Sand Paper - 320 or fine
 Ruler and Triangle
 Pliers with wire cutter
 C-Clamps and some heavy weights (Brick or
frying pan)
 Electric or Cordless Drill

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 Building Instructions
Step 1 - Outline the Platter.
1. Make a 12" diameter circle on the foam-board. To
do this, tack a string to the middel of the circle
and tie a felt pen 6" from the center. This will
allow you to draw a perfect 12" diameter circle.
2. Measure a distance between 1 to 1-1/2" for the
engine mount. (1/2" for Norvel or Stunt version).
If you are using the Norvel BigMig Startup with
the integrated tank, you can just make it perfectly
round.
3. Draw a horizontal line about 1 - 1/4" for the width
of the engine.
4. Make a straight line from the left edge of the
engine mount to the left tangent of the circle.
5. Do the same for the right side.
6. Now you have the basic outline of the Platter.

Cut the foam according to the outline you just made..

The platter is an 12" diameter plate with an 1 - 1/2"
nose. You can vary this distance down to 1/2" if you
want to make it do stunts. The one shown, is a trainer.
Mark the center of the Platter using a ruler. Draw and
straight line down the center. Mark the center of both top
and bottom plywood doublers.

Step 2 - Doubler.
Glue the plywood longer doublers to the top and the
shorter piece on the bottom. Make sure the doublers are
exactly in the center on both side. Use a clamp or heavy
object to clamp down the doublers and let it dry over
night.

Apply glue to both doublers and sandwich it to the

foamboad. Rub it back and forth a few time. Pull off and
apply more glue. Let it tack on for 5 minutes before
putting it back on and clamping it down.

Alternative: 3/32" softply or go to you local hardware or

paint store and ask for 2 paint mixing stick. You can use
these as doubler. Just cut one down to 11" or small
depending on which version you decide toe build, and the
other bottom doubler to 9" .

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Step 3 - Fill Edges
Use the flat edge of a scissors to crimp the edge of the
foam to create a slight taper airfoil. (Optional)

Fill all of the exposed foam edge with Titebond or

Elmers glue because most paints will actack the foam.
Sealing the foam will prevent this.

Step 4 - The Elevator (Update)

The elevator controls the model up and down movement.
Use Scotch's Crystal Clear or packing tape as a hinge, to
join the elevator to the main body. Angle the elevator
about 30 degree down while applying the tape. Repeat
the same step on the other side.

Alternative: Use tradition cloth hinges for even dental

floss. For better control, balsa wood can be use to make
the elevator.

(Update - A Better Way To Hinge)

This is a better way to apply the hinge. Fist, bevel the

elevator with a 45 degree cut. If you are using foam
board, apply glue to the exposed foam area the seal it.
Place the elevator next to the Platter, but try to leave a
small gap (1/32"). Put the first strip of tape on top. Turn
the Platter over and using a butter knife to insert the tape
into the gap so that is touch the other tape. Carefully
work out the tape from the gap.

Step 5 - The Rudder.

The rudder can be made from any shape you desire. You
can use the same foam board material or 3/32" to 1/8"
balsa wood. If you decide to make the rudder from balsa,
sand the rudder smooth starting with 220 to round and
taper all of the edges and finish with 400 grit sand paper.
Glue the rudder to the top double of the platter. Set the
back of the rudder with an offset about 3/8" to1/2" from

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the center line.

Step 6 - Painting
Because this is a gas powered model, it must be
painted a fuel proof paint. You can use almost
any type of paint, although model airplane dope
is the best. If you cannot get dope, Rustoleum
brand paint will give you enough fuel proofing.
Epoxy or Urethane type paints are very fuel proof
but don't apply too heavy a coat. You should not
use more that 2 coats on this model. One good coat
should do it. If you want a smoother job on the rudder
section, apply a few coat of clear dope and sand it smooth
before applying the final color coat. Also, make sure that
all exposed foam edges are sealed completely with glue.

Step 7 - Control Horn and Pushrod.

Install the control horn first. Use a 2-56 X ½" bolt and
nut to hold it in place. Bolt on control horn with 1 washer
Blind Nut
on the bottom. Blind nut may be substituted for bolt and
washer combination.

Make the Pushrod from 1/16" X 8-1/2" piece of steel

music wire. Make a Z or J-bend and one end. Install the
Control Horn and attach the pushrod to it. Make a bend
90 degree up at about 1/4" and position the bellcrank in
a neutral position. This will determine the hole for the
bellcrank so that the elevator in the neutral position.

Custom made control horn can be cut from

an aluminum sheet.

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Step 8 - Bellcrank.
Drill the hole for the bell-crank and install it according to
the instructions diagram.

Install lead-out assembly. Make lead-out wires from

scrap .015 or .018 cable or music wire.

Option: You can purchase 1/2A Nylon Bellcrank and

Horn set from Brodak or Carl Goldberg. They usually
come with wood screws for mounting the bellcrank and
horn. For the bellcrank, throw them out and mount using
2-56 X 3/4" machine screw. Use 1 blind nut on the
bottom if you screw if from the top.

Bill's scratch built bellcrank

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Step 9 - Leadout Guide.

Mount the center of the Lead-out Guide 8" from the back
end of the Platter. The Lead-out guide is made from
soldering 2 short pieces of brass tubing to a strip of
galvanize steel. This make a very strong Lead-out
Guide.

Bill's bullet-proof leadouts

You can use a strip of scrap plastic or 1/16" plywood for

the guides. Make a slot into the foam-board and glue it
into the slot.

Step 10- Leadout Wire. Here is an alternate method of making the

leadouts from a solid steel wire rather than
Leadouts can be made from .015 - .018 stranded steel using the crimp and sleeve method for
cable. Use copper or aluminum tubing for the crimps. stranded steel cable.
Another method is to wrap the end with copper wire.

You can make a leadout wire from .025 music wire. Do

the same on the bellcrank end and connector end.

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Step 11 - Engine Mount.
Install engine mount made from one aluminum T-bar or 2
L-bar using 2 or 3 screws and blind nut, or use Alternate
Built-up Motor Mount

Offset Weight

Mount engine and check the CG (Center of Gravity) .

Install the weight offset on the outboard wing at the C.G.
(Center of Gravity) point. Approximately 1/4 oz. should
do it or just glue 2 pennies to the bottom of the outboard
wing. If you look at the bottom of the Platter with the
engine at 12:00, the pennies whould be at about 10:00
11:00.

Important: The Platter will fly more stable if you

add a little positive incidence which is the
relationship of the engine thrust line to the wing.
To do this, simply angle motor mount 2-3 degress
down by adding a washer to each of the top two
bolts. Also, DO NOT over tighten the screws to the
foamboard sandwich. Over compressing the
foamboard will weaken the doublers.

Step 12 - Flying.
First time flyers should fly the Platter on 25' to 30' lines.
Once you have mastered it, you can lengthen it to 30' or
35'. I recommend a Cox 6 X 3 propeller.

Use a Sig or Cox 1/2A Control Handle. Connect the "UP

Elevator" line to the top of the handle, and the "DOWN
Elevator" line to the bottom.

The Platter must be hand launched gently. Don't fling it

like a freezbie. Use about a 20 degree loft, pointed
outward and release.

Have fun flying!

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