OCCASIONALLY
an exceptionally good
design emerges—one that is
easy to build and fly and seems to offer
something for everyone. That is the
case with D.B. Mathews’ series of
four-stroke-powered models that were
featured in MA in the 1980s.
D.B.’s 4-40 design was so popular
that he reprised the aesthetics and
construction techniques in a slightly
larger version and produced the 4-60
that is featured here. Rugged but light,
this tail-dragger design could serve as
an RC trainer and then take the new
pilot through rudimentary and even
advanced aerobatics.
The 4-60’s unique wing design
features a four-spruce-spar
construction with shear webs, yielding
a beautiful, extremely strong open
framework. The chosen airfoil provides
the flight advantages of a symmetrical
type but with the convenience and ease
of construction of a flat-bottom design.
Ace R/C kitted D.B. Mathews’ 4-
40, 4-60, and 4-120 monoplanes and
three biplane variants. Although they
are no longer available, those kits were
popular when they were in production.
The 4-60 was featured in the January
1986 MA and is available as plans set
499E. The plans come complete with a
bill of materials. MA
