REARWIN SPEEDSTER
Jagriti Srivastava
The Rearwin Speedster was a sport aircraft produced in the United States in the 1930s.The Super Kraft Rearwin Speedster from Kangke is the perfect model for someone looking to step up to giant scale flying. The symmetrical airfoil and moderate wing loading provide excellent flight characteristics that are well within the capabilities of most sport pilots. The Speedster?s aerobatic capabilities and classic appearance will also appeal to the seasoned giant scale pilot.
DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT
The Speedster was a high-wing strut-braced monoplane of conventional design with an enclosed cabin and fixed, tailskid undercarriage.Developed during the Great Depression, work was suspended between 1934 and 1937.By the time it was resumed, the ACE Cirrus engine that had powered the two prototypes was out of production, and Speedsters produced in series had Menasco C-4 engines.
VARIANTS
Speedster 6000 - prototypes with ACE Cirrus engines (2 built)
Speedster 6000M - production version with Menasco C-4 engine (ca 12 built)
SPECIFICATIONS(6000M)
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
Crew: One pilot
Capacity: 1 passenger
Length: 22 ft 2 in (6.76 m)
Wingspan: 32 ft 0 in (9.75 m)
Height: 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Empty weight: 1,052 lb (478 kg)
Gross weight: 1,668 lb (758 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Menasco C-4, 125 hp (93 kW)
PERFORMANCE
Maximum speed: 166 mph (266 km/h)
Range: 600 miles (960 km)
Rate of climb: 750 ft/min (3.8 m/s)
KANGE SUPERCRAFT REARWIN SPEEDSTER
Like many aviation buffs, I am very interested in Golden Age era aircraft. During that period, the design of aircraft changed dramatically. Gone was the boxy look of the old biplanes. Speed, reliability and comfort was the order of the day. One of the beauties from that era was the Rearwin Speedster.
Founded by Raymond Rearwin in 1928, the Rearwin Airplane Company designed and built over 400 aircraft before closing its doors in 1946. The model 6000M Speedster was powered by an inline inverted Menasco 125 horsepower engine. The Rearwin Speedster was truly a work of art for its day and remains very popular among modelers.
Kangke Super Kraft has done an excellent job of capturing the beauty and appeal of the original in their model of the Rearwin Speedster.
IN THE WORKSHOP
The plane is shipped in two boxes: one for the wings, stab and fin, and the other contains the fuse and the rest of the parts. Upon first inspection, you can?t help but notice the quality workmanship and the excellent finish on the Speedster. All of the parts are individually wrapped in plastic to protect the UltraCote finish. The hardware package is good quality and complete with just about everything you will need. All of the flying surfaces are pre-hinged and a few drops of PK Industries thin CA will make for a good strong hinge system.
The rear of the fuse contains two pockets, one for each elevator servo. This design allows for a perfectly straight run from the servo to the control horn. It is little details like this that impress me. It shows that the designer has taken the time to think things through. If you do not have a computer radio, you?ll need a servo reverser for one side. Take some extra time to make sure that the massive tail section is epoxied in straight and securely.
The cabin area of the Speedster is massive, and it seems to swallow up your airborne pack. The windows and windscreen are pre-formed and require just a little trim for a perfect fit; and they do look good when finished.
The fuselage has two access hatches. A rather large one on the bottom, which also gives you access to the landing gear mount, makes it easy to install your electronic equipment. The hatch on the top of the fuse is used to access the wing bolts, fuel tank and the top inside of the cabin. The front end of the Super Kraft Speedster is very rugged. The firewall is epoxied using triangular bracing stock and then glassed.
AIRBORNE
With the US 41 engine running well after a short break-in, we were ready to go. The Speedster handles great on the ground and the tail wheel steering is very positive.
Takeoff- With the nose of the Speedster pointed into the wind, it quickly picks up speed as you bring the throttle up. The first thing you notice is that big tail coming up. Then, with just a little touch of up, the Speedster is airborne. The climb out is smooth, clean and straight.
The Kangke Speedster is very stable and smooth in flight. All of the controls are very responsive for a big high-wing plane. At full throttle, the Speedster is surprisingly fast. There are no bad habits when you enter a turn: the plane cruises through the turn like it is on rails. When I reduced the power to check the stall characteristics, the Speedster slowed down nicely. The stall is straightforward and easy to recover.
Aerobatics- Because of the symmetrical airfoil, rolling the Speedster requires very little down elevator while inverted and little altitude is lost during the roll. Loops are very clean and exiting the loop at about the same point as the entry was no problem. Most hi-wingers are not that good at flying inverted, but the Speedster?s wing is fully symmetrical. This is just a little change from true scale that the designers have included to make it fly better.
Landing- As it starts to settles in, all that is needed is a little power to slow the descent. With the big 96-inch wing, it is very stable and touchdown is as real as it gets. The roll out is straight and rather short.
Regards,
Jagriti Srivastava [B.Tech ]
Web Developer / Blog Master
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