That Will Never Fly… Oh Yes, It Will!

Man holding a model plane with a green field and blue sky in the background.

Free Flight Scale

As seen in the July 2025 issue of Model Aviation.

BEWARE THE SCALE MODELER who becomes bitten by untested concept designs. It’s a Free Flight (FF) apple dangling that, for some, is nearly impossible to resist.

I’ve been under the shadow of that tree for the past three building seasons— first with the futuristic 43-inch wingspan Boeing 306-C twin pusher flying wing, followed by last year’s stylish 35-inch wingspan Burnelli Transport twin with the lifting body, an alternate design that was never built. This year, after receiving a nudge from guru Scale modeler Bob Wetherall, I dove headfirst into designing plans for the 29.5-inch wingspan sleek and sexy Beech craft Model M20 Staggerwing twin, a proposed design from 1937 that never made it past the pencil and paper stage.

Red and white vintage airplane flying against a blue sky. — The author’s 35-inch wingspan Burnelli Transport, shown soaring over Wawayanda NY, was one of eight alternate versions that were sketched by the inventive designer in 1947. Photo by Peter Kaiteris.

My fascination with concept aircraft happened early in my FF journey, when I first saw Don Srull winding a peculiar-looking warbird from both ends. He was preparing to fly a 36-inch wingspan Jumbo Scale Lippisch Project P-13 (Model Aviation, July 1986; AMA plans number 36280) alongside the annual Don Ross One-Design event in Galeville, New York, in 1989.

The initial launch led to a stall that dove the model into the tall grass. After a few hand winds, he tossed it skyward again, where it gained enough altitude to handle the scalloped flight path, but it remained graceful, leading to a pattern across the flight line and beyond for a respectable flight (note the YouTube video link in "Sources").

I was so green and hadn’t even built a Scale model yet, but I was hooked on FF Scale after witnessing that flight. The possibilities were endless. Through every period of aviation, there are vast numbers of potential, unproven concept designs. My first was from the Pioneer era, the Blériot XXVI from 1911. A three-view had been created; however, I’ve never seen more information regarding a full-scale aircraft. But oh, how it flies!

Wooden biplane model parts laid out for assembly. — The many parts of the proposed Beechcraft Model M20 Staggerwing that will come together this summer as a rubber-powered flying twin.

Wooden model airplane with detailed framework on a table. — With so much structure involved, this foamcore jig was crucial for holding the model securely while determining wing incidence and décalage.

Wooden model airplane frame on a sunlit floor. — The twin is ready for completion and waiting on a pair of homemade propellers and tissue covering in U.S. Army Air Force colors and markings.

The limited documentation for the M20 said that it was based on the Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing. That’s all I needed to hear to get the design in motion. An artist’s rendering gave the twin an exaggerated, sleek appearance, so I used that as inspiration and applied it to my version of the Staggerwing twin.

A few years earlier, I had built a 35-inch wingspan Hodek HK-101 low-wing twin aircraft that had similar nacelles, so my construction approach had already been successfully tested. The numerous curves on the M20 created a challenge, but I kept an eye on the original Model 17, allowing me to resolve any areas of uncertainty.

One design shift that I borrowed from the drawing was the repositioning of the lower wing. It had been moved up a tad rather than remaining on the bottom of the fuselage. This adjustment gave the design a more streamlined appearance, with the nacelles raised higher relative to the fuselage.

Although a concept design leads to many challenges, it can still be made using conventional building techniques. For this model, I created a number of jigs out of 3/16-inch foam core to ensure that the proper setups of the wing, stabilizer, and nacelles were relative to each other. I needed to be sure that the wing incidences were spot on, along with the intended décalage. These jigs allowed me to hold the model securely in place while the various angles were being set.

With a wingspan of 29.5 inches, the weight of the bones came in at 77 grams. It will be able to swing two 9.75-inch counterrotating propellers spinning over the top toward the wingtips. I’m nearing the covering stage, having settled on an attractive yellow and blue color scheme, as seen on the U.S. Army Air Force’s Beech YC-43 Staggerwings. With the star insignia on the wing and the red and white stripes on the tail, the model should be strikingly beautiful in the sky.

As with my previous two concept designs, the goal is to merely fly a circle or two high enough for me to see the underside of the model as it cruises overhead. Perhaps, this time, Beech craft will have a few regrets for not following through with the design back in 1937.

Consider adding a concept design to your building schedule. The thrill of seeing a model fly, when the original never had the chance to, is a gift in waiting from the FF gods. Check my YouTube channel for a building series that focuses on the Staggerwing twin.