There are plans and then there are plans, if you know what I mean. All can furnish a finished product, but some leave a lot for the builder to determine and devise his own means of completion. It depends on the level of building skill. On the other hand I have never built from a plan or kit that I didn't change something. You know how you handle your ship and you build and beef up accordingly. Fine, as long as you stay within limits and don't increase the wing loading to that of a tank.

The Davis D-1K or W by Gene DeCook is a fine plan. I have seen Cole Palens Davis flown by Tom Fox, and the picture of the airplane coming down the length of the Old Rhinebeck strip is etched in my mind forever.

The head-on view of it is very clean and the shape of the double taper wing is very pleasing. There is a good article in the latest Scale R/C Modeler describing the quarter scale version, that is very good, but enough of this, let's get to the plan.

I spent quite a bit of time studying the plan, and as far as I can see there is nothing that isn't covered. I think the plan is superb. The first things I look for, are the thrust line marked the full length of the fuselage, the wing(s) incidence setting, and the CG marled. It is ALL there in these plans. A Quadra engine is shown and the mount looks adequate.

Fuselage sides are made from quarter inch luan mahogany ply, with cut outs from the rear of the front cockpit to the tail post. Aircraft tubing is used in the construction of the landing gear, cabane struts and shock struts and the shock struts are fully functional, built up of tubing and springs. Wouldn't it be neat if someone would market a quarter and third scale hydraulic shock strut. The fin is constructed with tubing for the leading edge. I don't see why the rudder, stab and elevator could not be constructed the same way. It's a little more work, but sure looks neat, and is light.

I did the wing tips, wing trailing edge and the whole empennage of my Travelair 12Q that way back in 1959. Had my wife stitch up envelopes for covering, turned the seam inside and slid it on and tacked it to the root rib, shrunk it and started doping, it worked. Gene DeCook warns about an aft. CG. With tubing (aluminum) in the tail, it's light and strong. All attachment fittings are shown, with patterns.

You have your choice of stabilizers, D-1K or D-1W, they are both shown on the plan. Wing spars are made from 3/16" pine core with 1/16" ply outer pieces and should be very strong. The wing appears to be built in three sections and a quarter inch aluminum tongue ties the outer panels to the center section. Ribs are balsa and ply, with leading and trailing edges capped. Ailerons are operated by bellcranks with arrow shafts for push rods, with the servo in the center section. Span is 90 and 1/2 inches, wing area is 1300 squares, and weight is given at 24 lbs. This figures out to a wing loading of 42.53 ounces per, a bit much for a normal Quadra.

I would recommend one of Dario's hopped up Quadras or the small Kawasaki. Anyway this should make a fine looking and flying bird. Details are also shown how to construct you own tailwheel assembly. In my opinion, Gene DeCook did a superb job on the plans.

Now if someone would come out with plans for the Lockheed Vege, Orian, Altair, Sirius, and Dave Platt would stop fighting WWII and get the Great Lakes Kit on the market. Nuts, I could go on and on and on about what I would like to see... but I will tell you, the next issue I will re-view the Fairchild 22, C-7E, and the Staggerwing Beech G7-S.

The set of Davis D-1K plans can be obtained from DGA Designs, Scale Giant Classics Plans, 136 E. Main Street, Phelps, New York 14532 Price of the set $25.00 p.p. (Plans are shipped rolled and in cardboard container.)