Vintage Top-Flite ‘Schoolmaster’ Plan 39” Span Sportster

Here is a reprinted plan made available from the archive of a collective of fellow aero-modelling enthusiasts. The archive contains older and hard to find RC and free flight model plans as well as rare, or out of production, kit plans.

A non-profit service by aero-modellers for aero-modellers

The plan offered is a high quality print and does not fade in strong sunlight like the traditional dye-line prints used by the majority on plan suppliers in the past

THIS LISTING IS FOR A PLAN SET ONLY

YOU ARE NOT BIDDING FOR A KIT OR AN AIRFRAME

Here is the offer to bid on an unused reprinted restored kit plan for the Top-Flite ‘Schoolmaster’, which was a popular single channel and intermediate RC sport model that originates in the early seventies. It was in production for a considerable length of time, but I believe it is now, out of production.

Designed by Ken Willard and kitted by Top-Flite of America, the ‘Schoolmaster’ is one in a series of compact simple to build, robust RC sport models, that were designed for small field operation on a modest budget, with a small motor and cheap RC equipment. The ‘Schoolmaster’ is a high wing monoplane with a conventional cabin type fuselage.

The model features straightforward built up construction to provide a rugged airframe, well suited to club flying & even open moorland flying. The single sheet reprinted plan (33” x 43” Approx – crisp black print on white paper) is very nicely detailed, with full-size sketches of all the main components (Except the tailplane, which does not show the full left hand side – but that can be established from the right hand side details. The elevator needs interpolating – but that is easy as it has a constant chord, so it is just a matter of blending the tips into the tailplane). The wing ribs are to the same detail for the constant chord wings (The wing rib details can be determined from the fuselage cross section). The fuselage formers are mainly from sheet material located against strip & the details can be easily interpolated from the elevation & plan sections of the fuselage. The plan includes several ‘3-view’ sketches, with notes, of the various stages of construction of the airframe, as well as a scale ‘3-view’ drawing of the completed model.

A great bit of aero-modelling nostalgia !

An experienced modeller will have no trouble replicating the ‘Schoolmaster’ airframe using the detail on the plan and their experience. That said it is not beyond the capabilities of a novice plan builder who has assembled a few ‘real’ kits in the past.

If you are a ‘retro’ enthusiast, and appreciate a bit of traditional building, then this plan set offers you the opportunity to replicate the Top-Flite ‘Schoolmaster’, and personalise it to suit your own preferences and flying style. Even today, it remains a pleasant and enjoyable sport model that is certainly not significantly disadvantaged by the age of the design, when compared to modern commercial compact sports offerings. This excellent design lends itself nicely to a little ‘modernisation’, which can enhance the performance envelope of this ‘classic retro’ machine. A great bit of nostalgia for modellers that have had, or flown, a ‘Schoolmaster’ (or one of the others in the range) in the past !

The recommended engine range on the plan is .049 to .09 cu in. It is no surprise to see a Cox motor on the plan ! (A modern .09 cu in engine would increase the versatility as you then have the benefit of a throttle and power in reserve ! )

You may even wish to consider an electric conversion. (This is certainly feasible with either simple brushed motors on Ni-Cad/Ni-Mh batteries to modern brushless motors & Li-Po batteries.

You are buying a plan set only – this is not  a kit or an airframe !

This is a traditional balsa & plywood build that provides a comparatively quick to build airframe.

The fuselage is a simple box structure. The dorsal, fin & rudder are all sheet construction. The stabilizer is built from strip wood and fully sheeted top and bottom. It has a flat plate section, with elevators from sheet balsa.

The motor is shown beam mounted (Cox ‘TD’ & American ‘Hornet’ motors shown on plan), but the airframe could be readily adapted for several power plants.

The wings are shown as individual built up, fully sheeted panels. Sketches show the dihedral settings. The wings are shown as being fixed with rubber-bands, which offers a bit more ‘crash resistance’ if operating over rougher grass fields.  

The model is shown on the plan with tricycle undercarriage and 3-view type illustrations. However the plan also shows details for a traditional ‘tail-dragger’ undercarriage, with optional wheel spats (Or wheel pants as they say across the pond !). There is not a sketch for the undercarriage legs, but there is sufficient information to interpolate the necessary details for them.

The Top-Flite ‘Schoolmaster’ built as shown on the plan has 3 channel Rudder/Elevator and throttle (or ESC ! ) controls. (The plan shows a complex escapement to provide those functions via single channel RC …. It is amazing what was done in the past !) You can easily accommodate modern ‘mini’ proportional RC in this model, and a reduced scale sketch shows a typical 3-channel ‘multi’ installation.

This design does not require any special, or custom made, parts, so all necessary items should be readily available from your local model shop.

The plan clearly shows the position for the centre of gravity.

The build is straightforward and would not present any problems to an experienced kit builder. It would even suit a novice plan builder. The model could even be used as a sport trainer if set up on reduced throws and used with a “buddy box” system and competent instructor.

Here is the chance to build a replica of the Top-Flite ‘Schoolmaster’ sportster at a price much less than that of a comparable kit. More work … but more satisfaction !

I would guestimate around £10-15 worth of balsa for this one !

Bidding starts at just £5.99 for this plan.

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P&P / Delivery within UK via 1^st Class Royal Mail will be £2.00 with plan supplied folded in large envelope – approx A4 size.

Postage outside UK by Air Mail will be £3.00