Andy Reynolds' Vought XF5U

Designed by Andy Reynolds. Free plans from Winter 2013 Park Pilot.

The XF5U was an experimental design by Vought during World War II. The flat, round-shaped body led to the nickname “Flying Flapjack.” The entire body is the lifting surface, and its design resulted in low takeoff and landing speeds, but a high top speed. After some “interesting” prototypes, the final version of the XF5U flies well. It’s fairly quick and maneuverable, yet can slow down nicely. I set the elevons for as much throw as I could manage. This isn’t really needed for normal flying, but it does allow for some tight maneuvering. One of my favorite moves is to pull vertical, and apply full throttle and full aileron at the same time. The XF5U keeps going up for as long as I like, rolling all the way. Land it under power; it doesn’t have much of a glide, but will settle to the ground nicely with a touch of throttle. If you have any questions or comments, or would like to see additional images of the build, please visit my RCGroups blog at rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1761066. Read the entire build article inside the Winter 2013 issue of Park Pilot.

From any angle, the Flying Flapjack’s unique appearance commands the attention of every one who sees it. The best part is that the model flies well, so the attention has its reward.

The length of 1/4-inch bass or 4mm carbon-fiber tube runs from nacelle to nacelle, providing rigidity.

Andy’s XF5U is on the wing. Care to guess how the “Flying Flapjack” nickname came to be?

Click here to download your free Vought XF5U Build It Plans.