Building and Flying a Large Rubber Powered Ryan S-C from 1938 Plans

This video follows the construction and test flying of a model airplane published in the May 1938 Air Trails magazine of a Ryan S-C light plane. The model is of the prototype S-C that used a Menasco in-line engine. Later models would use the Warner radial engine. It was an interesting project with a balsa monocoque fuselage. The structure builds quite light for its size. A fun project! You can find the plans here if you're interested in giving one a try. outerzone.co.uk/plan_details....

[@crashrr2993]

Worth watching just for that lower seam! Can’t wait to see her in the blue.

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you. That seam may have been the most difficult part of the build!

[@valentincastelo6798]

BRAVO!

[@eyesquish485]

I really liked the rivets!

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you. A simple, quick thing to do that helps a model look a bit better. 🙂

[@ARGYPILATUS]

Amazing dear John! Its a beautiful airplane! I'm impressed with the symetrical airfoils.The original Ryan has semisymetrical airfoil 23012 and 3 degrees incidence and 3 degrees wash out.Congratulations with the flights!It flies amazing!

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you! Certainly, a compliment coming from you! The master of the Ryan! You need to build an SC model. 🙂Thanks for watching.

[@realreal3070]

this thing is beutiful bro, good job

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you and thanks for watching.

[@funscalemodels9782]

Another gem of a model, incredible work!

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you so much for your kind words.

[@mbasiletti]

Fantastic! You are such a prolific builder, John. Really enjoying this one. More flights when you can, please!

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you. I'm fortunate that our field currently has long grass. I hope to get this one back out soon, but we're experiencing some tremendous heat at the moment. A bit too warm for me to spend time at the field. Hopefully soon. I want to see this one high overhead! I'm thinking I need to add a kicker loop of maybe 1/16th rubber. We'll see!

[@oldschoolmotorsickle]

A very satisfying project to watch unfold. A lovely build too. Thumbs up!

[@Watchingthevideos99]

David, that you so much for your comment. This was an interesting build. Just wasn't sure what to expect until finally assembled but it certainly is showing some potential for good flights.

[@jonshereshaw3198]

The prototype Ryan SC is one of my favorite aircraft. I also ran across the plans in the 1938 Air Trails. The unique monocoque fuselage looked to be somewhat of a challenge. I’m really happy you got her flying. It does indeed look to be fine flyer. And of course your wonderful workmanship.

[@billorcg7779]

Beautiful build, thanks for sharing! Now, show us some more flights…

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you for your comment. Yes, I need to get this model back to the flying field. Just too many other projects at the moment!

[@dansmith7617]

That's so cool...AND it's from 1938. Well done! -Dan

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you Dan.

[@oldaviator]

Your planes are beautiful, fly well and the videos are interesting. Greetings from Ukraine! 🛩

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you so much. You have many skilled modelers in the Ukraine. I admire all of your work!

[@davidsmiley8338]

looks like you power half way to your destination, then glide the rest of the way... haha... nice work!!!

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Yea, still working out the rubber motor on this one. But a fun, challenging project. :)

[@williamrobinson7435]

Certainly DOES look like a flyer. I bet Tom at Max Fly Art (hope I spelt correctly), one of the best KZbin channels on rubber power, would like this. The sheet covered fuselage is MOST impressive. Looking forward to when you finish trimming this beast! 🌟👍

[@Watchingthevideos99]

William, Tom Hallman is actually a flying friend. You'll see him in my Flying Aces Nationals video. Yes, the monocoque fuselage on this ship is quite interesting. Amazingly light and strong. It's inspired several more projects including a Schweitzer 1-26 towline job with a sheetwood fuselage and sheetwood hollow wings. It's coming together and boy is it light and strong.

[@williamrobinson7435]

@@Watchingthevideos99 I'm not surprised Tom's your flying friend, after all, "birds of a feather fly together".. I shall CERTAINLY be checking out the video to which you refer. The work entailed in sheeting a fuselage in this way DOES pay off, in the auw/structural integrity stakes. Again, a lovely aircraft. 🌟👍

[@Watchingthevideos99]

@@williamrobinson7435 Thank you so much for your comments and for checking out my video.

[@HowesAero]

Very impressed with the monocoque fuselage. It's sonething that I've been contemplating for a free flight rubber powered DH Albatros but am a bit bit uncertain about weight/finishing. Last tine I tried monocoque it was a Cahill Clodhopper wakefield and I overbuilt it. Has this one trimmed out OK?

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Hi Jonathan. Thank you for your comment. Yes, the monocoque construction really surprised me with how light and strong the fuselage is on this model. I'm considering it for a couple other projects now. In fact, I have a fuselage for a 36 inch span Schweitzer 1-26 glider assembled in a similar manner. 1/32 sheet monocoque with just a few bulkheads. It looks promising. I expect it would would great for the Albatros. The Ryan has had some longer flights now. Might need a bit more power. They cut the grass at the field so I hesitated to do more flights since it's not quite there yet. Might have to wait until next spring now as I'm transitioning to indoor flying.

[@HowesAero]

@@Watchingthevideos99 Thanks for the reply. It certainly looks stunning. I think I'll build a simpler monocoque as an experiment before diving in fully, plenty of good prototypes to choose from.

[@daviddavids2884]

good work. but, at 1:37, unwise use of Symmetrical profiles.

[@Watchingthevideos99]

The model was built with full intent of remaining faithful to the original plan as published so I kept to the symmetrical airfoil in respect to the designer. I did end up using a good amount of washout in the wing to help with the flying characteristics. I have no regrets and full respect for the original design as published. Could a better model be built. Most certainly. But for a design published 84 years ago with no CAD this is a pretty nice design.

[@jamesjacocks6221]

Diplomacy eschews "unwise" words.

[@Watchingthevideos99]

James, I'm not sure I understand your comment.

[@jamesjacocks6221]

@@Watchingthevideos99 Hi John, beautiful model that had me hoping I can find the '38 Air Trails plans. I love big scale rubber ships. My comment was directed at DD and his poor choice of words, sp. "unwise" and I couldn't resist including a double down where his offending word, "unwise" was, to my mind, unwise. BTW, I loved the 1/32" sheeted LE and the NACA airfoil which gives the model an authority a lot of "scale" craft lack. Hope I wasn't too critical for your channel. I look forward to your postings, they're inspirational. Best.

[@Watchingthevideos99]

James, thank you so much for your kind words and no problem with a little fun here once in a while. 😄 This was quite an interesting project! The fuselage is so interesting when it's done. So light but quite strong. Amazing. Same with the wing. I think if you search, you'll find the plan. The November 2002 post on The Plan Page has the article with the plan. You can find it here. theplanpage.com/prev.htm