It's a real classic airplane. You can use a 7AC Champ's tail, wings, landing gear and cowl.

It was designed to use 70 to 80% of the same parts from the 7AC Champion. For RC Models, that means that there are a few things we can use from the A&A Industries Champ or other models. But the boot cowl deserves special attention and detail. The boot cowl changes shape in the area from the 7AC Champion firewall back to the wider 11 series fuselage. You need to model that to make it really look like a 11 series...no slab sides at that point. Also, the area over the wings is dome shaped, as the stringers add a little headroom over the cabin area there. The wings need to be put on the plane and then the stringers added over the top of the cabin. Other than that, it's a easy plane with stringer/former construction.

Weathervanes can be easily made with this three view. A great article on how to make them is found in the December 1998 issue of VINTAGE AIRPLANE, by Bob Whittier, pages 6-9. Back issues are at 1-800-843-3612 (EAA in Oshkosh, Wisconsin). With the three view and the article you can have a Chief flying over your house in a weekend! Lemon Yellow and Newport Blue Metallic for the colors.

The three-view is courtesy of Jeff Fiscus, a real airplane fan who as restored a wonderful 11AC which is drawn here and built a RV-6. Jeff's three-view is by far the most accurate yet produced of the Aeronca 11AC. Before his efforts we had just one three view in a 1946 magazine (a copy of which is on this website). He made the three-view for a possible RC model but ran out of time (easy to do!). Now he hopes that one of you will make a RC model of the 11AC! Additional details can be found on the Paul Matt drawing of the 7AC Champ, since the Chief and Champ share wings, cowling, landing gear and tail surfaces.

Other modern models and plansets of the Aeronca series are as follows:

Aeronca LC--Model Builder magazine, Golden Era aviation plans, Scale RC Modeler March/April 1986, also an aerobatic lookalike in RCM Feb. 1996. Also check out http://www.yolo.net/~jeaton/gems/4lc.htm And there is an electric scale LA or LC model at Model-Tech for a geared motor.

Aeronca 7AC/L-16-- AA Industries has a 1/6 and 1/4 scale Bud Nosen Kit, RCModeler 1/3 scale model November 1991 issue, Model Airplane News November 2000 has a Ziroli Aeronca Champ for a geared 280 electric schoolyard scale RC, Model Aviation planes worth modeling article January 2001; Air Progress January 1990; cover, Model Builder April 1984; American Aircraft Modeler January 1968 has an excellent article by Paul Matt with full three view; Airpower September 1981 excellent article on the World War II Aeronca TG Glider. There are two scale electric short kits that are on the market too, as of March 2008. Check out Pat Tritle's designs on RCgroups.

Aeronca C-1,C-2, C-3-- RCM and Model Airplane News have many plans. Balsa USA used to have a kit in quarter scale. Various European imports have C series kits. Dumas has a small scale C model.

Aeronca Defender-- Check magazine plans. It has been modeled the most of any Aeronca. Backyard Aviation had an electric planset in late 2003 (published by the same folks that do Model Airplane News).

Aeronca Sedan 15AC-- Kit, pICA, a Comet kit also. Check Ebay for "Aeronca"

Aeronca 11 series--There used to be none for RC models, but now there are two options. Pat Tritle has an excellent 11AC model that was featured in the March 2008 issue of Backyard Flyer. Pat's Custom models has the short kit. And there is a new 28" Rubber Scale 11AC Chief kit by Dare Design and Engineering of Cumberland, MD, kit #118FS. It lacks side stringers and the windshield tubing isn't scale... you need to move it to a scale location for the 11 series. One should also rework the nose to give the pinched in look at the firewall and also cover the tail so the rudder is faired into the tail better. It is basically a mix of prewar and post war design features.

Aeronca Pre-War Chief-- Comet Rubber Scale kit

Aeronca K-- Model Aviation August 1985 excellent plans..

Please note: Any aircraft plan or kit from these plans for commercial use must contact Jeff Fiscus for release. Email me for his address. Also you must give credit to this website (I love to see the counter go up!)

Scale documentation is found on this web site. If you need any detail photos, I'll run out to Othello airport and take them off of my Chief and post them here. OK, start cutting some balsa wood!

http://www.fly-imaa.org/imaa/hfarticles/const/v1-1-7a.html