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How to Build a Model of Col.Roscoe Turner’s ThompsonTrophy Winning Racer

The plane is easy to build and isa good one for the beginner to starton. Get the dimensions forpurchasing materials from the plans.Supplies may be bought at yournearest model shop or from thesupply companies advertising in thismagazine. If you wish to square offthe plans, making it easier formeasuring, joint the correspondingdashes on the border with straightlines. Each square will equal onesquare foot.

Balsa wood is to be usedthroughout in making the model.The paint job is silver with blacktrimmings and only small cans ofdope ore lacquer will be needed.The wheels or any other accessoriesmay be purchased if desired.

Make the fuselage first. Draw theoutline of the top view on a piece ofbalsa with the grain of the woodrunning lengthwise. Cut to shapewith saw and sharp, flat chisel. Goover the surfaces roughly withcourse sandpaper and then draw onthe side elevation. The fin will be puton later. Cut once more and thenshape the out the contour with yourrazor blade, as shown by the cross-sections.

Go over the surfaces with courseand then fine sandpaper untilmaximum smoothness is obtained;and then begin the wing surfaces.They will be made in two panels, onefor each side of the fuselage. Drawthe plan view accurately on stock

and cut to shape. Then taper themdown as shown by airfoil sectionsand airfoil sections and frontelevation with a cold chisel and razorblades. Sandpaper the surfaces tosmoothness and then make the tailsurfaces in a like manner.

The propeller is made in fourseparate parts, namely the threeblades and the hub. When theyhave been whittled out with yourrazor blade cement the blades to thehub using colorless model cementand lay aside to dry.

It is easier to make the landinggear legs in two separate parts.Shape out the landing gear legsproper and then the part that extendsoutward to form the axle on separatepieces of wood. Then connect thetwo pieces with cement and whenconnections have dried thoroughlysandpaper to smoothness.

The assembly of the model issimple. Lay the fuselage in flyingposition and put the wing panels inplace with planet of model cement.Put blocks under the wing to hold itin place. Join the tail surfaces inplace next. Take plenty of time andbe accurate.

The next step is the landing gearwhich must be sturdily built. It mightbe well to use small pieces of wire asdowels. Go over all joints once morewith cement and then sandpaperagain. Brush off all dust and beginthe paint job.

Many coats will have to beapplied before a smooth finish isobtained. It might be well to go over

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the entire model with fine sandpaperafter the first coat has dried. After asmooth finish has been obtained andthe propeller has been painter silver,connect it to the nose with a straightpin as a prop shaft. Put the wheelson with wire inserted into the landinggear legs as axles. Any trimmingsmay be added that your skill willallow. You will then have a completereplica of the plane flown by Col.Roscoe Turner to win the 1938Thompson Trophy Race, setting anew speed record for the event of283 miles per hour.

Model Airplane News, December,1938