Category Archives: Testimonial

School Project for Aviation and Science

Education, Sighting, Testimonial

The following quote is from the Science Toy Maker Web site:

“Note: I am not a very humble person, but I have come across a really great beginners airplane design by Mr. Darcy Whyte that is better than what I have been making. It’s called the Squirrel. I will still write out step-by-step instructions here eventually because his two pages of instructions might be a little hard for beginners to follow. He uses them mostly during the classes he teaches (if you are lucky enough to live near Toronto you can sign up for them).”

“For now, go to Darcy’s web site and download the PDF instructions here rubber-power.com for the squirrel. Note that he has an instructional video there, too. You might be able to stream it with a fast connection, or right-click and ‘save target as.’ ”

–Slater Harrison, Pennsylvania

Pin It

Squirrels appear in another school

Education, Gallery, Outreach, Testimonial, ,

 

Here’s some information I got from Victor I. Smedstad:

Got Squirrel from the Internet a month or so ago. I have been trying to build model airplanes since about 1941 with a nickel or dime Comet Curtis Robin. Most of my so called scale attempts flew like rocks, so much of what I have built has been flyers. For the past 7 years I have been volunteering three days a week at an elementary school in Bremerton, Washington, adjoining the Naval Base. I wanted to work on flying models with kids, but until Squirrel, they all required Xacto or razor blades and that meant risk of injury which could only be minimized with one adult to one kid, a ratio I could not come even close to. So no building.

Then Squirrel!!

 

After my third Squirrel, I made some modifications, none of which modified the basic design. A fifth grade teacher was willing to work with me and I found that most shoe boxes were 11 inches or more in width, but few were as much as 12 inches in width. So the first modification was to reduce the wing span to 11 inches.

Because time was a problem, and fifth graders are not too good at measuring, I made a Sharpie mark at the middle of the wing leading and trailing edges, and at the middle of the horizontal stab LE and at the middle of two 2inch ribs for the end ribs.

In addition I redrew the instructions as plans on my $10 CAD program. Found out later that fifth graders have difficulty dealing with plans, but could do what they were told to do.

I tried it out first on a fourth grader, just one. As tying the tooth pick on with thread was more that kids could do, I eliminated the thread and added a 3/8 inch X 3/16 piece to butt up against the tooth pick.

I then got a group of five kids who were willing to stay after school and used two sessions to make sure the white glue had time to dry thoroughly.

They then acted as classroom experts when we then had the remaining 20 kids do the Squirrel.

Attachments: First, a shot of the classroom: Flegel class 00. Because there was no way we could get 25 kids flying squirrels in the gym, we flew outside. Flegel class 06. And all 25 flew: Flegel class 17.

I am impressed as were the kids.

Victor I. Smedstad

Pin It

Squirrel inspires other model airplane designs

Experimental, Gallery, Testimonial

 

Subject: new Squirrel derivative…

Darcy, inspired both by your Squirrel and the Dandrieux butterfly (you must be familiar…see photo “copter”) I have come up with a ridiculously simple parlor mite that, after some refining, really does fly and is about as easy to build as the Squirrel, including the innovative glue-and-fold prop I came up with. I thought you might like to see this airplane but I also wanted to ask about selling a kit of it….I thought it would be polite to get your thoughts & make sure you were OK with me selling something like this, considering how closely it resembles the Squirrel. I took a lot of your ideas….

* leading edge only wing and stab

* vertical wing tips

* same basic configuration (tractor, rubber powered monoplane w/single fin) There are some differences….

* It’s tiny! 5″ span, weighs about 1/2 gram

* paper rudder

* unique paper prop that I’m real proud of 🙂

* more typical alu bearing and wire hook

* even ctr wing is leading edge only

* with 1/32 sq wood, not good for kids 🙂

So…anyways…let me know what you think. The Dandrieux butterfly copters will definitely be out there as kits too. In all cases the # of kits I make will be ultra-limited…just haven’t the time…basically will make as many as and when I feel like. They will sell for $3 each but you’ll get a couple gratis, again, for your ideas.

—————————–

Ondrej “Andy” Mitas

art, music, airplanes

Pin It

Free Flight Mailing List (FFML) sighting

Sighting, Testimonial

ffml@smartgroups.com FREE FLIGHT mailing list

Sent: Sunday, January 08, 2006 2:02 AM
Subject: [ffml] OOS Squirrel
Hi List,

Our son visited us in Wiesbaden last spring. I had no models ready for fun so we went on the Internet, downloaded the SQUIRREL (Darcy White design), and with a slight modification, built and took it up to the brow of the hill, a big walkers and pet exercise area. There is a Roman watch tower there so we think it is the highest point in Wiesbaden.

We cranked in a few turns and while we were trimming and testing with short flights, we noticed a gentleman reading the newspaper. He was watching over his glasses. We sent up a few mid-power flights and decided too crank in some turns. We got it up to 80-90 percent and gave it a toss.

It was a sunny, cool day with the slightest breeze from the SSE. The model spiraled almost straight up and then began a more gentle circle to the left as the power came off. After a few circles we realized it was in rising air and we watched it get smaller and smaller as it tracked North. Just before it specked out as it flew over the city, the gentleman reading the paper put it down and asked in perfect English, ‘is your name on the airplane?’ I said,’ yes- also my address and telephone number.’ He said something like this. If that comes down in town and causes a car accident, they’ll know who to call for the suit! We laughed but later I wondered if he was kidding or was voicing a real concern. Regardless, the telephone never rang about the model and Hung is the only one who knows where it is.

The modification I made to the power system was to slant the toothpick that holds the rubber for the rear hook. I re-read the instructions later and found the reason the toothpick is pointed straight down is so when turns are depleted the rubber slips off which changes the CG and brings the model back down- a built in DT! Bill Kuhl has Squirrel video on his website.

Rolf

Pin It