XF 226 Build Article

The Business End

HB .25 for power with a Dave Brown

mount and Tru-Turn spinner. It took

considerable Dremel surgery of the

top block and engine mount to fit the

engine on the thrust line. Lower fwd

fuselage sheet is removable.

R/C Aircraft Insight From Low Altitude

John W. Blossick Tail Slide Haven johnb@tslidehaven.com August 2022

Left Wing Panel

Wing is completely sheeted with a full

depth spar built egg crate style. Aileron

size required is oddball 1/2” by 1”. Wing

sheeting is filled with nitrate dope and

sanded smooth for the covering.

Bulkhead #2 Opening

The build article mentioned the bulkhead opening as optional. I needed it to fit the fuel tank.

Elevator Joiner

Elevator joiner wire shaped per the

plan and control horn fabricated from

brass and soldered to joiner.

About the XF-226

I didn’t spend much time deliberating about

building this airplane. I liked the way it

looked (F-86ish), few parts, and I have a

.25 engine needing to earn its keep.

I gave the plan a quick study and read the accompanying article. I figured it would be a quick build. How complicated can a wing attached to a box fuselage drawn in 1968 be? Easy right? Wrong. The airplane build was an annoying affair escaping the fireplace more than once. I won’t list all the problems but they began when I used the wing building technique suggested in the build article. It seemed simple and straightforward, yet prompted me to invent new forms of profanity as work progressed! The lower chin cowl also took a fair amount of time to fabricate, but the inverted engine gives the aircraft a very clean, aggressive look. Onward to the details!