Panther?

Anyone know where I can get a set of plans for a KenHi Panther?

Thanks,

YES

>YES

http://members.tripod.com/~TomDixon/plans2.htm

Including original, as well as a later (Midwest) one.

K.

Do yourself a favor and build the Midwest version. Its not quite as attractive, but definitly a better performer. The Kenhi Panther has a leading edge so sharp you can slit your finger wiping it down, the wing ia also very thin to boot.

Randy

PS Great name!!!!

>Do yourself a favor and build the Midwest version. Its not
>quite as attractive, but definitly a better performer. The
>Kenhi Panther has a leading edge so sharp you can slit your
>finger wiping it down, the wing ia also very thin to boot.
>
Most of Hi Johnson's earliest designs used 12% airfoils, which weren't "skinny" at the time they were current, since almost all of the real early models were in the 10-13% range.

In the case of the original Panther and Cougar, there was also a serious shortness in the nose, leaving little room for a decent sized fuel tank. Further, the first Panther had a short tail that was so close to the flaps that outside turns suffered badly from airflow interference. Of the two, the Cougar was by far the better flier.

Someone at Midwest addressed some of the Panther's shortcomings; I have been told that they redesigned it a second time as well, just before getting out of the C-L kit business. The only Midwest Panther that I am certain I'm familiar with does have a better airfoil, and also a smaller wing overall. The tail was slightly longer, but the nose was still relatively short for the size engines suggested.

Midwest's abominable balsa selection and dull dies didn't help their version of the Panther become particularly popular . .

Kiwi

Thanks...

Still looking for a Classic to build that I like.

Kiwi,

The 12% airfoil would have been pretty good, but that was only at the root. They got thinner and thinner toward the tips. I have a Kenhi Panther of the second version I believe. I can put it through the pattern fairly respectably but the sharp LE makes the model stall rapidly in tight corners. Limiting the travels and differencial I really enjoy the model. I plan to build anohter but I will change the airfoil and take the hit on fidelity points. The Kenhi Panther is the sexiest looking stunter I can think. I recommend the Midwest to those that don't want to make the changes, the the Kenhi is by far the prettiest.

This thread is driving me nuts! Can someone out there list the whole line-up, with a rough hierarchy as to size and performance?

My first full bodied plane was the Bobcat. Learned to fly inverted with it. No flaps. The Wildcat was the same plane, but with flaps, right? I don't remember the Panther at all. Was it bigger?

>Can someone out there list the whole line-up, with a
>rough hierarchy as to size and performance?
>
Look here:

http://bigwig.geology.indiana.edu/scripts/cl-messages/messages2/34967.cfm

>I don't remember the Panther at all. Was it bigger?
>
Mid-sized, at least, at 48" span and about 485 square inches - the Midwest version was the same span, but shorter root chord and a wing area of about 460 squares or so.

K.

-

According to the kit box for the Kenhi Panther I currently have, the specs are:

Wing span: 48"
Wing area: 500 square "
Overall length: 33.25"
Airfoil (root): HJ04512
Airfoil (tip): HJ04008
Finished Weight: 25 Oz. (Approx.)
Engine Sizes: .29-.35 Cu. In. Disp.

Hope that this is helpful.

OS

Kenhi, August 1952

Wildcat: 39", 330 sq in, flapped, "full stunt"

Bobcat: 39", 387 sq in, no flaps, "stunt trainer"

Cougar: 51", 412.5 sq in, flapped, "super stunt"

(How did they measure the area to the 0.5 sq in? Also, note that this is the earliest version of the Cougar).

Mustang: 48", 372 sq in, unflapped, "full stunt scale"

The quotes above are from Kenhi's ad copy.

Kenhi, October 1955

Panther: 54", "sport flying model". (I didn't know Kenhi made a sport/contest distinction between the Panther and the Cougar).

Cougar: 54", "contest stunt model". This is the second version.

Mustang: 37", "exact scale". Second version.

Bobcat: Same as above

Wildcat: Same as above

Midwest, 1966. Of the above, only the Panther and Cougar survive. (Of course, Midwest intro'ed a bunch of new models under their own name, like the Magician, various warbirds, etc.). The art for the Panther and Cougar in the 1966 AHC catalog is identical to the art in the 1955 Oct MAN ad. However, the Panther is now listed as 48" span. Is this a misprint? (Cougar is still 54").

I cannot conclusively say that the models changed under the Midwest name, based on this evidence.

Can anyone contribute?

I just checked Tom Dixon's plan list, and indeed the Kenhi version had a longer span (54") vs the Midwest (48") version.

Oh dear. I made a mistake. The 1955 versions of the Wildcat and Bobcat are listed as 37" span, making them 2" shorter than the 1952 listings. The art is different too, so I guess the info provided in the ad is correct. Currell

Don't go to the rubber room, Larry. See my thread below.

S. Freud

>Don't go to the rubber room,
>Larry. See my thread above.

I meant above. Honest.
>
>
>S. Freud