The third wheel of the “Tourist”

Sidecar for Tula-Tourist scooter: fiberglass body & frame

Enthusiasts build sidecars for all kinds of motorcycles and motor scooters! For Izh and Voskhod, for old Zündapps and brand-new Vyatka-Elektron. Owners of Tula-200 motor scooters are also happy to add a third wheel to their machine — especially since the engine power of the modern Tula-Tourist makes it quite feasible. Unlike many such trailers, Read more…

City car “Alezonnik-2”

Alezonnik-2: compact DIY urban two-seat car build

The two-seat car “Alezonnik-2” was built specifically for driving in urban conditions. Therefore, even before design work began, I formulated the main requirements the future vehicle had to meet: compact size, minimum curb weight, and high maneuverability combined with good road stability. Drawing on experience gained while building an off-roader (“Modelist-Konstruktor” No. 10, 1996) to Read more…

“Flying hippopotamus”

Douglas XB-19: first U.S. intercontinental bomber

The nuclear arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union in the second half of the 20th century is regarded as one of the defining chapters of modern history. A central episode of that era was the emergence of strategic bombers. To cross the Atlantic or Arctic Ocean carrying a 5,000 kg bomb Read more…

“Grasshopper” with a D-6 engine

«Kuznechik» micromotorcycle: frame, fork, paint

More and more often, the editorial mail receives bulky packages with drawings and descriptions of homemade micromotorcycles. Their principal difference from designs of earlier years is a successful combination of standard and homemade units in the construction. A second important detail is a sharply improved appearance and bold design solutions. On these pages we present Read more…

The fourth is unnecessary

Triada-350 trike: IZH-Yu-5 engine, frame, chassis, foam body

The proverb usually mentions a fifth wheel. However, some car designers use a formula reflected in the title of our article. They really do consider the fourth wheel on a car redundant. Judge for yourself: unlike a four-legged stool, a three-legged one does not rock even on uneven ground (remember from school: through three points Read more…

Foot-powered shower

Portable dacha shower with foot membrane pump

It is intended for dacha and garden cabins and can also be used in field conditions. The design was approved by everyone who used it for several years. A typical dacha shower is usually a booth on a frame of four posts with a water tank on top. Because of its weight, such a fixed Read more…

Air-cushion boat / hovercraft

RC airboat hydroglider 2.5 cm3: design and assembly guide

Building and tuning an airboat hydroglider is much easier (and cheaper) than building a racing boat model with a propeller, gearbox, and liquid-cooled engine. At the same time, if properly designed, it is practically not inferior to the “classic” setup in either speed or maneuverability. The proposed radio-controlled model with an air propulsor is based Read more…