FLYWHEEL'S FLAPADOODLE

'THE FLYWHEEL'S FLAPADOODLE"

When I was 15, I traded my older bike for a 2 cycle gas engine equipped with a variable speed carburetor.  I had, also, a pair of lawn mower wheels connected by a length of pipe, nailed onto a 2 x 4 support.

I began what I had intended to be a "go cart"....but as I collected scrap materials about me, I had more lathing strips and mattress ticking than I did 2 x 4s or another pair of lawnmower wheels....thus was born my 3/4 size airplane.  I called it "Flywheel's Flapadoodle".  It was a project of the whole summer and into the late fall.  Flapadoodle got great attention from everyone I knew and many that I didn't know.  I couldn't have enjoyed it more!

I spent hours of carving, sanding and checking for balance on the propeller (I'd never even heard of a thrust bearing engine or drive to prop ratio).

Finally the big day of trial came.

In my painting, I've chosen Lotus Abboud to crank it, (but I don't really recall who did).

At slow speed, all was O.K.,  but, when I revved it, the poorly balanced prop began to shake the contraption so badly that pieces began to fall off.  The vertical tail went first.

I loved building it!

MORE LATER    Elbert  10/11/13