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1912 Fokker Spin III
1/3 scale
Engine: Fox Tartan 22cc
Wingspan: 12ft.
Weight: 18lb.
Own design

The model represents the B-1912 version of the Spin (Spider). There were several variations on the design, some of which had
no cockpit fairing at all, leaving the pilot and passenger sat out in the slipstream.

Structure: the fuselage is a 1/64in birch plywood shell on a ramin frame. The wings have hollow tapered glassfibre fishing-rod spars with ribs made up from 3/16n ramin dowel with curved aluminium tube nose pieces. Leading and trailing edges are steel cable. The tailplane has 1/8in ramin dowel ribs with balsa/plywood sandwich spars. The rudders each consist of a single rib hinged to the fin post supporting a triangle of steel cable over which the covering is stretched. All fabric covering is doped nylon. Wings and tailplane are covered on the lower surface only.

Control is by rudder and tailplane warping. As with the full-size aeroplane, there are neither ailerons or wing warping.

Flying characteristics: Very slow, completely stable in normal flight. Responds very well to rudders and tail warp. Needs engine
power at all times as glide angle with engine at idle is almost vertical. Flat calm conditions essential due to extremely low wing loading.

First flown in 1983 this model participated in few events due to its inherent limitations, but picked up some prizes.

Current status: Sold a few years ago to Mike Ward's model museum at Goosedale, now believed to be somewhere in the U.S.A.