CHOVITA

• Gary

CHOVITA is an Argentine rubber powered free flight airplane from July 1941. It is described as an ideal model for those who wish to make a start in aeromodeling.

I found this plan online.

https://volarlibremente.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/chovita.jpg

 
It looked like a simple fun plane. I scaled it to the mm scale and printed it to about 14 1/2″ span.
 
I was trying to find out what the name CHOVITA means. This author tells of migrating as a boy from Soviet Poland to Argentina, where he bought a kit of this model. He says the name refers to a small local gull.
 
Climb Or Crash
By Andrew Zakrzewski · 2014
 
A good match might be the Andean Gull, which lives in the mountains and is a high altitude flyer. Lots of good pictures online if you want to match coloration: white with black head and wingtips. 
 
I also found many links where it is a personal name.
 
Later I found this plan with instructions. It is in Spanish, but right click and click on Translate. Google does a good enough job that you can make it out.
 
 
The materials list gives 380 mm for the lengths of the wing spars. That is 14.96″ = 14 15/16″.
 
I rescaled the drawing so it will print out to 380 mm span.
 
CHOVITA 380
 
Right Click. Save. Open in PC Paint. Set printer to 100%, Portrait format. It should print on two sheets. Trim the edge of one, overlap and glue it to the other. Plan should be full size. I had to crop the mm scale out to get it to print.
 
The plan shows a 5″ prop, but a 6″ would be a better match to the wing area. You might want to make the landing gear a wee bit longer if you do that and want ROG flights.

Later I found that ‘Chovita’ is Spanish for Little Crow. I covered my first CHOVITA entirely in black Esaki tissue.

CHOVITA 006.JPG

On October 15, 2020, we received this photo and message from Bob Love.

“I decided to build this little guy from a plan on a 8 1/2 x 11 inch paper ; roughly 2/3 scale. It has a 9” wingspan and weighs in (with rubber) @ 5 grams. My trim glides show promise, and I’m confident he’ll fly when my trimming is complete. Thanks for the article re: “Chovita” 🙂, Bob Love.”

I sent Bob a picture of my CHOVITA and reported that I was planning a similar color scheme. When I found out that Chovita means “baby crow” in Spanish, I made mine all black, accordingly. A bit of right thrust, a bit of right rudder. 6″ Peck prop. 15 1/2″ loop of 1/16″ Super Sport. 9.1 grams all up. CG at 43.6% chord. It flew so well it went over the trees and out of the park, it came down I know not where. Didn’t want to knock on doors with this virus going around. I have another one framed up, may use the other color scheme this time, just for variety.

Bob replied with another photo.

“Hey Gary, sure please post my photo. I’m sorry you lost yours, it was beautiful! I am glad it flew well though, thanks! I actually just built another to scale and I’m trimming it out now 😊. I’ll send you a photo.”

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