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March 2019 Update:
Steven's Ace newly completed Whizard #2 sports a Cox TeeDee .049 engine with
a 2 oz. fuel tank. That will extend the flight time from 2-3 minutes to about
10 minutes. Ace mini foam wing panels are used. Now, if only the snow would melt...
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Note Cox TeeDee .049 and separate fuel tank.
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 Canadian website visitor Steve S. is
an avid builder and flier of vintage model airplane designs that are powered by
Cox .020 and .049 engines. He has in the past submitted building and finished photos
of his Quarter Pint,
So-Long,
Ace Simple Citabria, and
Ace Pacer models.
As is evident by the many photos below and with his other models, the level of craftsmanship
is quite high and so they serve as great examples to anyone in search of tips on
how to properly build small R/C models.
 Said Steve in his e-mail, "While not a feature
in AAM, (although Ace ran lots of ads for the kits from 1974 on) I recently scratch
built an Ace Whizard from plans and using the foam wings that Ace supplied with
the kits*. They were rudder only but I added elevator as well and power with a Cox
Black Widow .049. It's ready to fly, the engine is running well but I have to wait
until spring now. I am always taken back at how overbuilt these designs were as
compared by today standards, but by selecting light wood they come out at a decent
weight. I guess that is why they lasted so long."
There is definitely a noticeable difference between the older model construction
and modern kits. Laser cutting of the wood parts has make incorporating lightening
holes and keyed joints more precise so that less material and adhesive is required
for equivalent or greater strength. The pre-built wood-frame models are amazingly
well engineered using almost all plywood that has been extensively lightened through
use of material removal. The structures look a lot like full-size home-builts. We've
come a long way, baby, as the old
Virginia Slims ads used
to claim!
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3/4 Front View
Ace Whizard Magazine Ad
Foam Wing Box
Foam Wing
Elevator Joiner
Balsa Tail Surfaces
Servo & Pushrod Installation
Landing Gear
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3/4 Rear View
Ace Whizard Plans
Fuselage Components
Tail Surfaces Covered
Tail Skid
Fuselage Nose Clamped
Fuselage Tail Clamped
Fuselage Front Shaped
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October 2018 Update:
Back in 2015 you posted pictures of the Ace Whizard I was building. I finally
got around to flying it this year. It flies fantastic and is so much fun, I got
over 50 flights on it. Very maneuverable on rudder and elevator, nice loops and
barrel rolls, stall turns are fun. Glides well as every landing is power off with
the Cox Black Widow. I use the high compression head and the gray 5x3 Cox prop.
Flight time is about 3 minutes. Hand launches are hand off until it gets altitude
but it will also ROG on our grass field. - Steven
Engine Compartment
3/4 Bottom View
Tail Surface Controls
Control Horns
Fuselage Covered
Fuselage Framed
Servos Installed
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Laser Design Service offers offer a
balsa built-up version of the foam wing.
See Steven's Bee-Tween,
Ace Whizard,
Simple Citabria,
Simple Duster,
Quarter Pint,
So-Long, and
Ace Pacer models.
Posted January 11, 2015
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