Build Fly Crash 1908 Antoinette Foam Board RC Plane

Build Fly Crash 1908 Antoinette Foam Board RC Plane

Watch this video to learn how to build a 1908 Antoinette foam board RC plane from free plans you can download here:

The build of the Antionette is quite easy using 3/16" foam board, hot glue and some epoxy. I used a factor of 5, so whatever dimension I took off the plan (say, 0.5") I multiplied by 5 and drew out as 2.5" on the foam board.

The 1908 Antoinette was a popular French monoplane at the time. Several variants were constructed. This RC plane build video is an RC airplane that you can make at home. Foam board is a good example of the RC hobby for a low cost model for a DIY RC airplane.

Unfortunately I decided to retain the gap between the two wing panels for the model, and with the added weight needed to balance the RC airplane at the center of gravity combined with the higher airspeed caused the wings to fold during flight.

No matter, this is all part of rapid prototypes with RC foam board models. The fix is simple, just add rods to the two wing panels for greater strength. Or better yet glue the wing panels together and reinforce with ply doublers.

I did use an airfoil shape to the foam board wings using foam ribs and this worked well. The landing gear used thinner wire to save weight and the model is planned for hand launches.

The RC foam board Antionette did crash in its maiden flight due to the wings folding. I discuss this and show the video at half speed, so we can all learn from this design error.

Best of luck with your build of the 1908 Antionette RC model airplane! Here is a link to the plans folder:

Here is a link to my YouTube Channel:

Many thanks in advance for a post of this video on Facebook, it truly helps the channel a lot!
Regards,
Tim

Motor: Park 250 or equivalent
8x6 prop
Castle Talon 25 ESC
3 cell ThunderPower 1350 lipo
Spektrum AR620 receiver
2 HS40 and one HS55 servos
Total weight: 1 lb 5 ounces

Chapters

00:00 - Intro
00:48 - Project overview
06:48 - Fuselage construction
07:50 - Tail surfaces
08:18 - Wings
09:32 - Landing gear
11:16 - Join the wing
14:52 - Completed airplane
18:45 - Test flight
20:10 - Conclusions

[ianschroth]

Great video of the build process and what can happen. I've splattered several old school balsa kits on the maiden flight. Every plane you build has an expiration date, you just don't know when it is. I always joke that I'm going to build my fuselages with a garbage bag in them so there's a trash bag already at the crash site for me. Build another and go again! Cheers!

[stevis]

Great video! This is the kind of r/c modeling that I enjoy. Inexpensive planes and trial and error fun. Give me that over turbines, gas-powered 3-D, and scale hangar queens any day.

[SmokeFlame]

That plane really wanted to fly. Shame about the wing break. I'd love to see a second version. I'll bet it would be a dream.

[rajivnarainsingh]

This is a dream project ! A small suggestion from me. … after glueing the wings together, a couple of rubber bands over the central portion with two sets of dowels on the body, the wing configuration could be more stronger and stable with maybe no flutter in flight …
Thanks

[Patrician]

Another quality video, glad I found your channel! I can't wait to get some builds done this year!

[funscalemodels]

Good video Tim- thanks for sharing your experience and what was learned

[jeffmercer]

Enjoyed your video today. Thanks for taking the time to share. I like the uniqueness of this model.

[markpatterson]

Informative Video Tim. Show lessons learnt. Must admit when I saw your wing joining strategy I was worried. I think your main spar should have been at least 4mm deep and a bit thicker. We have to remember depth has a squared relationship. A flat 4mm deep carbon rod spanning a third into both wings then attached to your current wing should do the trick. Also a bit of 2mm carbon as a secondary spar further back. Looked a lovely plane like you say longer nose makes a lot of sense. Love experimental planes.

[olgoz]

Thanks for the video. Sorry the flight was so short. Interesting to see how weak those 3mm kebab sticks are. Re the wheels being behind the c.g. perhaps they kept the nose up/tail down just with prop wash and tail elevator and as the plane came to a halt it would sit back down onto the front . . ?

[alexgonzales]

Great video. I wonder it adding the metal wire supports like the real aircraft would have added to the strengh ?

[rickrader]

Interesting, educational video! Did the plane have any down thrust or right thrust?

[frankienv]

A simple 1/4" Dowel through the entire wing would have saved your model. All my RC planes are built and designed by me, here's a unique design concept I came up with for balancing my airplanes without adding all the weights. I simply make the fuselage and the nose of the plane out of 2 rectangular square tubes (Balsa or Foam) that slide inside each other, if the plane is to tail heavy (as always) I simply slide the nose out until it balances then lock it in place with a set screw, The entire plane becomes a sliding scale and I can adjust balance for slight nose heavy or level balance. something to think about if your not building scale replicas.

[robinbeckford]

I see there are 3 versions on Outerzone: 2 rubber-powered for free-flight, and a 98" RC monster.

[antofagastaride]

If you had placed the wing joiners down below the wing and made the cabon fiber rod continuous un the center it could have worked. And/or you culd have put a thin wire ( actualy a thread) between the end of the wheels axle and wing tip.

[davidquerry]

"And others not so much". I have experience there.

[jordancoleman]

I'll wait until the NTSB report comes out on this one before i form my opinion

[ericbarker]

This looks fun! but there is no download link in the description. 🥸