This is a scale model that is one of those rare airplanes that flies
good as a scale model because of its large tail 
control
surfaces. The model flies so well that I did a loop and roll on the third flight. It taxies great and is easy to
lift off the water. It usually lifts off in 100 to 150 feet, with a slight amount of up elevator. This depends
on head winds of course, but the model is stable at high speed taxi because of the large angle of attack of the
wing floats. Its broad beam gives it good floatation and a quick transition to ³step² making it a fun
plane to fly.
The only modification to the plane is the addition of splash rails
along the 
chine
below the cockpit to prevent bow splash into the props during the transition to step and 1² to the cord of
the wing to provide a little more wing area.
The plane tracks and grooves smoothly and with the wash out called for in the wing it makes a gentle strait ahead nose drop when stalling. No snaps or ugly stuff. Slow flight is stable but the typical control mushiness shows up just before the stall speed. The flaps are very functional and the model can maintain altitude on 1 engine if the speed is kept up. On any twin, you never get slow on one engine.
Landing Gear: These are offered as a separate kit. They are scale and operate from the wing and as they fold up they pull the wheel up into the fuse.
The kit includes Cowls and Nacelles made of Fiberglass with a dummy radial engine formed into the cowl.
This kit comes with all wood needed and lots of hardware,
including metal hardware pieces such as engine spacers, flange, water rudder tube, shaft, sheet metal, etc. The
wing comes with a pre cut airfoil and is pre slotted for the spars. The 1 / 4² ply leading edge main spar
is hand sawed and it incorporates the engine firewalls into it. All balsa is lite grade. Most of the plywood parts
are pre cut ready to fit into the fuselage and wing. The battery pack is located in the nose and the receiver and
servos are mounted under the leading edge of the wing in the fuselage.
The vertical stab is foam core sheeted with 1/16" balsa and is glued on just above the horizontal stab. The horizontal stab foam cores are glued to a 1/8" ply spar that goes through the fuselage. It is also glued onto the fuselage making a very strong structure.
This is a very well developed kit. It is not a basic of builders kit. It will frame out very quickly. Within 16-24 hrs. you should have the plane built ready for the radio and finishing details. The only carving is the leading edge of the wing, floats and wing tips. All the hardware for a water rudder are included. A water rudder is great for cross wind taxying and single engine taxying. See the OCT 89 issue of Model Airplane News for a feature article on the Albatross.
THE ALBATROSS KIT CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING PARTS
| 1 | CONSTRUCTION MANUAL 1 4 1 X 1/4 X 1/8" HOLE SHEETMETAL FOR MOTOR BELL CRANK |
| 2 | 2 1 X 1/4 X 1/8" HOLE SHEETMETAL FOR ELEVATOR HORN |
| 3 | 1 3 X 1/8 STEEL ROD FOR WATER RUDDER SHAFT |
| 4 | 1 1-5/8 X 1/8 BRASS TUBE FOR WATER RUDDER SLEEVE |
| 5 | 1 2 X 3 SHEET METAL PLATE FOR WATER RUDDER |
| 6 | 1 3-1/2 X 1-1/2 X 2 BALSA FOR RUDDER BOTTOM |
| 7 | 1 VACUUM FORMED RADOME |
| 8 | 1 3-1/4 X 2 X 3/4 BALSA FOR VERTICAL STAB TIP |
| 9 | 1 2-1/2 X 2 X 1/2 BALSA FOR RUDDER TOP |
| 10 | 1 4-1/2 X 1 X 3/8 HARD WOOD BLOCK FOR WING SERVO MOUNTS |
| 11 | 1 2-1/4 X 3/4 DOWEL FOR WING BOLT SPACERS |
| 12 | 1 4 X 3/8 DOWEL FOR NACELLE ANCHORS |
| 13 | 2 1 X 1/4 X 3/32" HOLE FOR FLAP HORN |
| 14 | 2 2-1/4 X 3/32 STEEL ROD FOR ELEVATOR TORQUE TUBE ENDS |
| 15 | 1 1 X 1 X 1 BALSA FOR WATER RUDDER POST MOUNT |
| 16 | 1 15 X 2 X 1 BALSA FOR WING TIPS |
| 17 | 1 14 X 1 X 1/2 BALSA FOR WING LEADING EDGE |
| 18 | 1 9 X 5/8 SQUARE FOR VERTICAL STAB LEADING EDGE |
| 19 | 1 12 X 2 X 3/16 BALSA FOR WING SADDLE FILLER |
| 20 | 1 10 X 1 X 3/8 WING TRAILING EDGE |
| 21 | 1 9 X 2 X 1/2 BALSA FOR HORIZONTAL STAB TIP |
| 22 | 1 13 X 1/4 DOWEL FOR ELEVATOR AND FLAP HORNS, WING FRONT HOLD DOWN PINS, FLOAT STRUT MOUNTING [PLATE ANCHORS AND RUDDER HINGE HARD MOUNTS FOR HINGES |
| 23 | 1 15 X 1/2 X 1/4 TRIANGLE STOCK FOR SPLASH CHINES |
| 24 | 1 1/8 X 24 PLY SPAR FOR HORIZONTAL STAB |
| 25 | 1 1/4 PLY FIREWALL LEADING EDGE SPAR |
| 26 | 4 VAC. FORMED ENGINE NACELLES |
| 27 | 2 VAC. FORMED ENGINE COWLS |
| 28 | 1 VAC. FORMED STYRENE TURTLE DECK |
| 29 | 1 11 X 8-1/2 X 1/4 PLY PLATE FOR PARTS |
| 30 | 1 20 X 8-1/2 X 1/8 PLY FOR PARTS |
| 31 | 1 RUDDER FOAM CORE |
| 32 | 1 VERTICAL STAB FOAM CORE |
| 33 | 1 SET OF HORIZONTAL STAB FOAM CORES |
| 34 | 1 SET OF WING FOAM CORES |
| 35 | 1 SHEET OF ACETATE FOR WINDOWS |
| 36 | 1 20 X 4 X 1/4 BALSA FOR FLOAT STRUT SIDES |
| 37 | 2 30 X 3/8 SQUARE BALSA FOR ELEVATOR AND RUDDER PUSHRODS |
| 38 | 1 24 X 3/8 SQUARE BALSA FOR WATER RUDDER PUSHROD |
| 39 | 1 30 X 3/8 SQUARE HARDWOOD FOR COWL MOUNT BEAMS |
| 40 | 1 24 X 2 X 1/8 BALSA FOR MAIN GEAR DOORS |
| 41 | 1 24 X 3/4 X 3/8 BALSA FOR ELEVATOR TRAILING EDGE |
| 42 | 1 24 X 5/8 SQUARE BALSA FOR HORIZONTAL STAB LEADING EDGE |
| 43 | 2 30 X 1 X 1/2 WING LEADING EDGES |
| 44 | 2 36 X 1 X 3/8 WING TRAILING EDGES |
| 45 | 1 48 X 1/8 WING MAIN SPAR |
| 46 | 1 24 X 2 X 2 BALSA FOR FLOATS |
| 47 | 17 36 X 4 X 1/16 BALSA FOR WING, AND EMPENAGE COVERING |