Bob's Aeronca "K"

The Aeronca K Flies…

The Aeronca Model "K" is a true classic. It is also an obscure design with which many scale modelers may not be familiar. I first became aware of the "K" through a mid - 1950's model magazine construction project article for a single channel R/C scale model, as well as the Comet rubber powered free flight kit that sold for twenty five cents in those long-past days when I was a little kid. At that time you could have bought a flyable full scale "K" for a few hundred dollars if you could find one...and if you wanted one. The design was produced in the mid 1930's, and only about 350 were ever built. In the decade or so following World War II, light airplanes like the "K" were considered nothing more than underpowered old crates that no one really wanted, and far too many were scrapped, abandoned, or broken up for parts. As time passed aviation enthusiasts developed an increased awareness of the value of historical airplanes and in the importance of preserving our aeronautical heritage, and the few remaining Aeronca "K" 's became sought - after antiques worthy of extensive restoration efforts.

From a serious scale aeromodeler's point of view the "K" is an excellent subject in that it combines comfortable flight characteristics with intense charisma and just enough external detail to be really challenging, without being fussy to handle. There is quite a bit of reference material available for documentation of a scale model. This airplane is far from being "just another Cub" and has in fact proven to be easier to fly in R/C scale model form than the J-3.

The fullscale subject of my model is NC19723, which now resides in the Pioneer Hangar at the EAA Air Museum in Oshkosh, WI. following an extensive restoration by Tom Trainor, who generously contributed reference material to my scale model project. Using Tom's material along with published scale drawings, I have also made extensive use of a set of model plans developed during the early 1980's by the late Bob Wischer to produce a ¼ scale "K" that he flew with some success in various competitions. Dolly Wischer has approved my use of Bob's drawings as part of the material on which the finished CAD plans of my electric powered Aeronca "K" are based.

The “K” is now flying…check my notes in FlightImages for an update on our experiences with the airplane during the 2001 contest season, and click here for my fully detailed story of the Aeronca K project. This material was written for Flying Models Magazine and I have presented it here as originally written, especially for FlightImages visitors.

The availability of plans for the “K” depends on you. My working drawings were completed to the degree necessary for me to build the airplane from them, but they are not finished to the level of sophistication I demand of commercial plans. If I can be assured of sufficient interest in this design, I will complete the detail work and offer the plan set here on FlightImages. The set will consist of (2) 36” x 90” sheets just as per my Taylorcraft plan as well as a complete “PatternPack” template sheet; price will be $50.00 shipped within the US.

Please let me know if you might be interested in plans or this airplane…contacting me entails no obligation on your part, but I need to know that there are more than just a few potential customers “out there” before I commit time to finishing the project.