102 MODEL AVIATION
Kurt Bozarth, 18699 E. Ida Ave., Aurora CO 80015
RADIO CONTROL PYLON RACING
Basic components of a composite, painted-in-the-mold Q-500 kit.
This is the Shotgun manufactured by Bruce DeChastel.
The painted-in-the-mold Miss Candace Q-40 aircraft kit
components. Harold Sattler manufactures this model.
Q-500 backplate mounts. On left is older version that used engine’s
original backplate—now used as firewall drill guide during building.
COMPOSITE KITS: There are numerous composite Quarter 500
(Q-500) and Quarter 40 (Q-40) Pylon kits available in various
stages of completion. Some of these kits are ARFs with painted-inthe-
mold finishes, and others (available for a lower price) require
some level of final finishing. For the die-hard builders out there,
balsa-and-foam kits are also available.
I will not discuss which is better (balsa/foam or composite),
just as I will not answer the “Does this dress make me look fat?”
question. Feel free to do your own Internet research work to see
the multitudes of opinions about composite versus balsa/foam.
A modern painted-in-the-mold airplane is a beautiful thing. The
finish is smooth and without paint lines. In most cases, putting
together a Q-40 or Q-500 composite kit is easier than assembling a
trainer ARF.
A photo shows the basic components included in a Q-500
composite kit: the Shotgun manufactured by Bruce DeChastel
(www.bigbruceracing.com). Another photo shows a composite Q-
40 kit—the Miss Candace—manufactured by Harold Sattler
(www.superminnow.com/hmracing/index.html).
Many newcomers to the sport of RC Pylon Racing may be
unfamiliar with composite Pylon kits and may feel in the dark
regarding the required steps to complete them. I’m going to take a
few minutes to address popular (but not necessarily the best)
construction methods, starting with a Q-500 kit. I will begin the
discussion with the firewall and work my way back to the tail.
The firewall is normally installed, leaving you to drill enginemounting
holes and insert the blind nuts; 6-32 blind nuts and
socket-head bolts are the norm. The smaller, more compact blind
nuts are needed because of the close proximity of the holes to the
sides of the fuselage.
You will also need to drill a hole in the firewall for the throttle
pushrod, just as you would do in any sport airplane.
Nelson and Jett Q-500 engines are normally mounted to the
firewall via a backplate mount. See the photo. This makes
mounting an engine extremely easy. The only problem I have
encountered with this backplate mount was caused by operator
error; a “friend” did not drill the throttle pushrod hole in the
firewall accurately with the hole in the backplate mount, which led
to binding of the pushrod. No reinforcement to a composite Q-
500’s nose is needed.
The next items we encounter moving back from the firewall
are the wing hold-down mounting plates and bolts. Fortunately
most manufacturers will have already drilled and tapped the wing
hold-down plates with the use of a fixture, allowing you to replace
the wing with another if need be.
Adding a few drops of cyanoacrylate to the threads works
great to strengthen them, but make sure you spray them with a bit
of kicker before you mount the wing. I have a “friend” who did
not do this and found that his wing bolts were permanently
installed.
Speaking of bolts, the nylon variety is in fashion, with
countersunk heads; 1⁄4-20 is the common size for the LE, and 1⁄4-
20 or 10-24 are used at the TE.
The manufacturer installs the aileron torque rods in the wing.
You will need to add clevises and pushrods. But first you will
have to mount an aileron servo. Plans will show you where to cut
the hole in the wing to avoid hitting the spar. A small plywood
plate will be needed for support. The aileron servo is normally
mounted three or four inches from the TE.
A low-profile servo is nice for two reasons.
1) The wing thickness is minimal where
we mount the aileron servo.
2) The aileron-servo control arm and
pushrods may interfere with the elevator and
rudder servos mounted in the fuselage. More
about that later.
Just below the wing we encounter the
landing gear. A plywood landing-gear plate is
usually built into the fuselage floor. You will
have to drill/tap and mount the included
aluminum gear. Wheels are normally not
provided.
Most fliers mount the landing gear with
nylon bolts, as we do the wing. Some
countersink the bolts and some don’t. The
location of the gear is fixed; the manufacturer
builds a recessed area into the bottom of the
fuselage. Most install the gear so that the rake
is toward the rear of the airplane.
The throttle, elevator, and rudder servos
are normally mounted in the fuselage as far
aft as possible. Hatches are not used in
fiberglass fuselages behind the wing, as
they are in many balsa fuselages. Most
servos are mounted directly beneath the
rear wing hold-down plate. This area can
become quite crowded.
If the throttle, elevator, and rudder
servos are mounted exceptionally high in
the fuselage, they may interfere with the
aileron servo when the wing is mounted.
My “friend” has also encountered this issue
at the field just before a test flight.
Pushrods may or may not be included
with the kit. The most popular type used
today is the hollow carbon rod with 2-56
threaded ends. Before we can cut the
pushrods to the proper length, we have to
install the horizontal stabilizer.
The correct stabilizer location and
incidence is usually indicated on the
fuselage. Once this opening has been cut,
several trial fits will be required to
determine if the opening is large enough
and if the angles are correct. You will need
to mount the wing as a point of reference.
Because the stabilizer and elevator use a
“skinned” hinge, the manufacturer will
have already installed the elevator torque
tube and control horn. This will require you
to cut out a small portion of the fuselage
underneath the horizontal stabilizer.
This area is usually indicated on the
fuselage and can be covered with a small
piece of plywood after you have installed
the stabilizer. This opening also allows you
to connect the elevator pushrod clevis to
the elevator control horn after the stabilizer
has been installed.
Installation of the rudder pushrod is
similar to that on any sport model. As on
the ailerons and elevator, “skinned”
hinges are used, leaving you only to
install a rudder control horn, cut a pushrod
exit in the fuselage side, and construct a
pushrod to length.
In most cases, a bubbleless 5- or 6-
ounce fuel tank is installed just above the
landing-gear plate. The battery pack is
often squeezed in behind the servos in the
fuselage. Most run the receiver antenna
through a plastic tube mounted inside of
the fuselage. Make sure that the tube does
not interfere with the elevator pushrod and
control horn back at the tail.
The completion of a Q-40 painted-in-themold
composite kit does not differ much from
that of a Q-500 kit. There are some minor
differences, the biggest of which is that the
manufacturer does not install the Q-40
firewall. A plywood firewall that is cut to size
is normally included, but you will have to
install it. This is probably the most difficult
part. Once this is completed, the rest follows
what we did with the Q-500 composite kit.
For those of you who fly Sport Quickie
(AMA event 424) in regions where composite
airframes are not allowed and/or for those who
favor the traditional materials over these
“exotic” composites, balsa-and-foam Q-500
kits are still available.
Several of the balsa-and-foam Q-500
models were successful at last year’s Nats and
at the popular Winterfest Q-500 race in
Phoenix, Arizona. But again, I’m being pulled
into the “Which one looks better honey?”
quagmire.
One of the most popular balsa-and-foam Q-
500 kits has been Mike Del Ponte’s ReVlution.
He has reportedly been manufacturing the
model since the late 1930s, when balsa was
first introduced to the United States, but this is
unconfirmed. I have only been able to trace the
design back to 1979.
The ReVlution started winning races and
setting fast times across the country during the
1980s. Top racers such as Travis Flynn, Dub
Jett, Richard Verano, Dave Shadel, and Chip
Hyde had great success with this model.
Mike has continued to improve his design
to remain competitive, and he currently offers
a semi-ARF kit with a one-piece, balsasheeted,
carbon-reinforced wing and framedup
fuselage for $180, which is significantly
lower than what a composite kit costs today.
The most successful composite Q-500
airplane would arguably be Chuck Bridge’s
Vortex. His first version was of balsa-andfoam
construction, and it debuted in 1997. He
followed this up with a composite-wing
version in 1999 and immediately saw it set fast
time and take first place at the 1999 Nats.
Since then, nothing has come close to the
success of the Vortex. It has set fast time at the
Nats every year since its introduction. Travis
Flynn set an Open national record with a
Vortex, and Mathew Van Baren set a Senior
national record with one.
Bruce DeChastel’s Shotgun Q-500 appears
to be the new kid on the block. It is the latest
fully composite, painted-in-the-mold kit to hit
the market. In its debut at the 2004 Winterfest
race, Bruce placed third out of 52 competitors.
He has watched his Shotgun set local club
records and take the top three spots at a hotly
contested race in Medford, Oregon, last year.
None of this is a surprise considering
Bruce’s background. He has been racing FAI
since 1977 and competing with his own
designs since 1978. He has seen six FAI World
Champions compete with his models and has
sold more than 300 FAI aircraft to racers
residing in 12 countries. Bruce also
manufactures the successful Q-40 Polecat.
As a new member of the MA team of
columnists, I welcome your comments and
suggestions. Please E-mail me at
[email protected]. Thanks, and I
look forward to seeing you at some of this
year’s events. MA
Edition: Model Aviation - 2005/02
Page Numbers: 102,104,106
Edition: Model Aviation - 2005/02
Page Numbers: 102,104,106
102 MODEL AVIATION
Kurt Bozarth, 18699 E. Ida Ave., Aurora CO 80015
RADIO CONTROL PYLON RACING
Basic components of a composite, painted-in-the-mold Q-500 kit.
This is the Shotgun manufactured by Bruce DeChastel.
The painted-in-the-mold Miss Candace Q-40 aircraft kit
components. Harold Sattler manufactures this model.
Q-500 backplate mounts. On left is older version that used engine’s
original backplate—now used as firewall drill guide during building.
COMPOSITE KITS: There are numerous composite Quarter 500
(Q-500) and Quarter 40 (Q-40) Pylon kits available in various
stages of completion. Some of these kits are ARFs with painted-inthe-
mold finishes, and others (available for a lower price) require
some level of final finishing. For the die-hard builders out there,
balsa-and-foam kits are also available.
I will not discuss which is better (balsa/foam or composite),
just as I will not answer the “Does this dress make me look fat?”
question. Feel free to do your own Internet research work to see
the multitudes of opinions about composite versus balsa/foam.
A modern painted-in-the-mold airplane is a beautiful thing. The
finish is smooth and without paint lines. In most cases, putting
together a Q-40 or Q-500 composite kit is easier than assembling a
trainer ARF.
A photo shows the basic components included in a Q-500
composite kit: the Shotgun manufactured by Bruce DeChastel
(www.bigbruceracing.com). Another photo shows a composite Q-
40 kit—the Miss Candace—manufactured by Harold Sattler
(www.superminnow.com/hmracing/index.html).
Many newcomers to the sport of RC Pylon Racing may be
unfamiliar with composite Pylon kits and may feel in the dark
regarding the required steps to complete them. I’m going to take a
few minutes to address popular (but not necessarily the best)
construction methods, starting with a Q-500 kit. I will begin the
discussion with the firewall and work my way back to the tail.
The firewall is normally installed, leaving you to drill enginemounting
holes and insert the blind nuts; 6-32 blind nuts and
socket-head bolts are the norm. The smaller, more compact blind
nuts are needed because of the close proximity of the holes to the
sides of the fuselage.
You will also need to drill a hole in the firewall for the throttle
pushrod, just as you would do in any sport airplane.
Nelson and Jett Q-500 engines are normally mounted to the
firewall via a backplate mount. See the photo. This makes
mounting an engine extremely easy. The only problem I have
encountered with this backplate mount was caused by operator
error; a “friend” did not drill the throttle pushrod hole in the
firewall accurately with the hole in the backplate mount, which led
to binding of the pushrod. No reinforcement to a composite Q-
500’s nose is needed.
The next items we encounter moving back from the firewall
are the wing hold-down mounting plates and bolts. Fortunately
most manufacturers will have already drilled and tapped the wing
hold-down plates with the use of a fixture, allowing you to replace
the wing with another if need be.
Adding a few drops of cyanoacrylate to the threads works
great to strengthen them, but make sure you spray them with a bit
of kicker before you mount the wing. I have a “friend” who did
not do this and found that his wing bolts were permanently
installed.
Speaking of bolts, the nylon variety is in fashion, with
countersunk heads; 1⁄4-20 is the common size for the LE, and 1⁄4-
20 or 10-24 are used at the TE.
The manufacturer installs the aileron torque rods in the wing.
You will need to add clevises and pushrods. But first you will
have to mount an aileron servo. Plans will show you where to cut
the hole in the wing to avoid hitting the spar. A small plywood
plate will be needed for support. The aileron servo is normally
mounted three or four inches from the TE.
A low-profile servo is nice for two reasons.
1) The wing thickness is minimal where
we mount the aileron servo.
2) The aileron-servo control arm and
pushrods may interfere with the elevator and
rudder servos mounted in the fuselage. More
about that later.
Just below the wing we encounter the
landing gear. A plywood landing-gear plate is
usually built into the fuselage floor. You will
have to drill/tap and mount the included
aluminum gear. Wheels are normally not
provided.
Most fliers mount the landing gear with
nylon bolts, as we do the wing. Some
countersink the bolts and some don’t. The
location of the gear is fixed; the manufacturer
builds a recessed area into the bottom of the
fuselage. Most install the gear so that the rake
is toward the rear of the airplane.
The throttle, elevator, and rudder servos
are normally mounted in the fuselage as far
aft as possible. Hatches are not used in
fiberglass fuselages behind the wing, as
they are in many balsa fuselages. Most
servos are mounted directly beneath the
rear wing hold-down plate. This area can
become quite crowded.
If the throttle, elevator, and rudder
servos are mounted exceptionally high in
the fuselage, they may interfere with the
aileron servo when the wing is mounted.
My “friend” has also encountered this issue
at the field just before a test flight.
Pushrods may or may not be included
with the kit. The most popular type used
today is the hollow carbon rod with 2-56
threaded ends. Before we can cut the
pushrods to the proper length, we have to
install the horizontal stabilizer.
The correct stabilizer location and
incidence is usually indicated on the
fuselage. Once this opening has been cut,
several trial fits will be required to
determine if the opening is large enough
and if the angles are correct. You will need
to mount the wing as a point of reference.
Because the stabilizer and elevator use a
“skinned” hinge, the manufacturer will
have already installed the elevator torque
tube and control horn. This will require you
to cut out a small portion of the fuselage
underneath the horizontal stabilizer.
This area is usually indicated on the
fuselage and can be covered with a small
piece of plywood after you have installed
the stabilizer. This opening also allows you
to connect the elevator pushrod clevis to
the elevator control horn after the stabilizer
has been installed.
Installation of the rudder pushrod is
similar to that on any sport model. As on
the ailerons and elevator, “skinned”
hinges are used, leaving you only to
install a rudder control horn, cut a pushrod
exit in the fuselage side, and construct a
pushrod to length.
In most cases, a bubbleless 5- or 6-
ounce fuel tank is installed just above the
landing-gear plate. The battery pack is
often squeezed in behind the servos in the
fuselage. Most run the receiver antenna
through a plastic tube mounted inside of
the fuselage. Make sure that the tube does
not interfere with the elevator pushrod and
control horn back at the tail.
The completion of a Q-40 painted-in-themold
composite kit does not differ much from
that of a Q-500 kit. There are some minor
differences, the biggest of which is that the
manufacturer does not install the Q-40
firewall. A plywood firewall that is cut to size
is normally included, but you will have to
install it. This is probably the most difficult
part. Once this is completed, the rest follows
what we did with the Q-500 composite kit.
For those of you who fly Sport Quickie
(AMA event 424) in regions where composite
airframes are not allowed and/or for those who
favor the traditional materials over these
“exotic” composites, balsa-and-foam Q-500
kits are still available.
Several of the balsa-and-foam Q-500
models were successful at last year’s Nats and
at the popular Winterfest Q-500 race in
Phoenix, Arizona. But again, I’m being pulled
into the “Which one looks better honey?”
quagmire.
One of the most popular balsa-and-foam Q-
500 kits has been Mike Del Ponte’s ReVlution.
He has reportedly been manufacturing the
model since the late 1930s, when balsa was
first introduced to the United States, but this is
unconfirmed. I have only been able to trace the
design back to 1979.
The ReVlution started winning races and
setting fast times across the country during the
1980s. Top racers such as Travis Flynn, Dub
Jett, Richard Verano, Dave Shadel, and Chip
Hyde had great success with this model.
Mike has continued to improve his design
to remain competitive, and he currently offers
a semi-ARF kit with a one-piece, balsasheeted,
carbon-reinforced wing and framedup
fuselage for $180, which is significantly
lower than what a composite kit costs today.
The most successful composite Q-500
airplane would arguably be Chuck Bridge’s
Vortex. His first version was of balsa-andfoam
construction, and it debuted in 1997. He
followed this up with a composite-wing
version in 1999 and immediately saw it set fast
time and take first place at the 1999 Nats.
Since then, nothing has come close to the
success of the Vortex. It has set fast time at the
Nats every year since its introduction. Travis
Flynn set an Open national record with a
Vortex, and Mathew Van Baren set a Senior
national record with one.
Bruce DeChastel’s Shotgun Q-500 appears
to be the new kid on the block. It is the latest
fully composite, painted-in-the-mold kit to hit
the market. In its debut at the 2004 Winterfest
race, Bruce placed third out of 52 competitors.
He has watched his Shotgun set local club
records and take the top three spots at a hotly
contested race in Medford, Oregon, last year.
None of this is a surprise considering
Bruce’s background. He has been racing FAI
since 1977 and competing with his own
designs since 1978. He has seen six FAI World
Champions compete with his models and has
sold more than 300 FAI aircraft to racers
residing in 12 countries. Bruce also
manufactures the successful Q-40 Polecat.
As a new member of the MA team of
columnists, I welcome your comments and
suggestions. Please E-mail me at
[email protected]. Thanks, and I
look forward to seeing you at some of this
year’s events. MA
Edition: Model Aviation - 2005/02
Page Numbers: 102,104,106
102 MODEL AVIATION
Kurt Bozarth, 18699 E. Ida Ave., Aurora CO 80015
RADIO CONTROL PYLON RACING
Basic components of a composite, painted-in-the-mold Q-500 kit.
This is the Shotgun manufactured by Bruce DeChastel.
The painted-in-the-mold Miss Candace Q-40 aircraft kit
components. Harold Sattler manufactures this model.
Q-500 backplate mounts. On left is older version that used engine’s
original backplate—now used as firewall drill guide during building.
COMPOSITE KITS: There are numerous composite Quarter 500
(Q-500) and Quarter 40 (Q-40) Pylon kits available in various
stages of completion. Some of these kits are ARFs with painted-inthe-
mold finishes, and others (available for a lower price) require
some level of final finishing. For the die-hard builders out there,
balsa-and-foam kits are also available.
I will not discuss which is better (balsa/foam or composite),
just as I will not answer the “Does this dress make me look fat?”
question. Feel free to do your own Internet research work to see
the multitudes of opinions about composite versus balsa/foam.
A modern painted-in-the-mold airplane is a beautiful thing. The
finish is smooth and without paint lines. In most cases, putting
together a Q-40 or Q-500 composite kit is easier than assembling a
trainer ARF.
A photo shows the basic components included in a Q-500
composite kit: the Shotgun manufactured by Bruce DeChastel
(www.bigbruceracing.com). Another photo shows a composite Q-
40 kit—the Miss Candace—manufactured by Harold Sattler
(www.superminnow.com/hmracing/index.html).
Many newcomers to the sport of RC Pylon Racing may be
unfamiliar with composite Pylon kits and may feel in the dark
regarding the required steps to complete them. I’m going to take a
few minutes to address popular (but not necessarily the best)
construction methods, starting with a Q-500 kit. I will begin the
discussion with the firewall and work my way back to the tail.
The firewall is normally installed, leaving you to drill enginemounting
holes and insert the blind nuts; 6-32 blind nuts and
socket-head bolts are the norm. The smaller, more compact blind
nuts are needed because of the close proximity of the holes to the
sides of the fuselage.
You will also need to drill a hole in the firewall for the throttle
pushrod, just as you would do in any sport airplane.
Nelson and Jett Q-500 engines are normally mounted to the
firewall via a backplate mount. See the photo. This makes
mounting an engine extremely easy. The only problem I have
encountered with this backplate mount was caused by operator
error; a “friend” did not drill the throttle pushrod hole in the
firewall accurately with the hole in the backplate mount, which led
to binding of the pushrod. No reinforcement to a composite Q-
500’s nose is needed.
The next items we encounter moving back from the firewall
are the wing hold-down mounting plates and bolts. Fortunately
most manufacturers will have already drilled and tapped the wing
hold-down plates with the use of a fixture, allowing you to replace
the wing with another if need be.
Adding a few drops of cyanoacrylate to the threads works
great to strengthen them, but make sure you spray them with a bit
of kicker before you mount the wing. I have a “friend” who did
not do this and found that his wing bolts were permanently
installed.
Speaking of bolts, the nylon variety is in fashion, with
countersunk heads; 1⁄4-20 is the common size for the LE, and 1⁄4-
20 or 10-24 are used at the TE.
The manufacturer installs the aileron torque rods in the wing.
You will need to add clevises and pushrods. But first you will
have to mount an aileron servo. Plans will show you where to cut
the hole in the wing to avoid hitting the spar. A small plywood
plate will be needed for support. The aileron servo is normally
mounted three or four inches from the TE.
A low-profile servo is nice for two reasons.
1) The wing thickness is minimal where
we mount the aileron servo.
2) The aileron-servo control arm and
pushrods may interfere with the elevator and
rudder servos mounted in the fuselage. More
about that later.
Just below the wing we encounter the
landing gear. A plywood landing-gear plate is
usually built into the fuselage floor. You will
have to drill/tap and mount the included
aluminum gear. Wheels are normally not
provided.
Most fliers mount the landing gear with
nylon bolts, as we do the wing. Some
countersink the bolts and some don’t. The
location of the gear is fixed; the manufacturer
builds a recessed area into the bottom of the
fuselage. Most install the gear so that the rake
is toward the rear of the airplane.
The throttle, elevator, and rudder servos
are normally mounted in the fuselage as far
aft as possible. Hatches are not used in
fiberglass fuselages behind the wing, as
they are in many balsa fuselages. Most
servos are mounted directly beneath the
rear wing hold-down plate. This area can
become quite crowded.
If the throttle, elevator, and rudder
servos are mounted exceptionally high in
the fuselage, they may interfere with the
aileron servo when the wing is mounted.
My “friend” has also encountered this issue
at the field just before a test flight.
Pushrods may or may not be included
with the kit. The most popular type used
today is the hollow carbon rod with 2-56
threaded ends. Before we can cut the
pushrods to the proper length, we have to
install the horizontal stabilizer.
The correct stabilizer location and
incidence is usually indicated on the
fuselage. Once this opening has been cut,
several trial fits will be required to
determine if the opening is large enough
and if the angles are correct. You will need
to mount the wing as a point of reference.
Because the stabilizer and elevator use a
“skinned” hinge, the manufacturer will
have already installed the elevator torque
tube and control horn. This will require you
to cut out a small portion of the fuselage
underneath the horizontal stabilizer.
This area is usually indicated on the
fuselage and can be covered with a small
piece of plywood after you have installed
the stabilizer. This opening also allows you
to connect the elevator pushrod clevis to
the elevator control horn after the stabilizer
has been installed.
Installation of the rudder pushrod is
similar to that on any sport model. As on
the ailerons and elevator, “skinned”
hinges are used, leaving you only to
install a rudder control horn, cut a pushrod
exit in the fuselage side, and construct a
pushrod to length.
In most cases, a bubbleless 5- or 6-
ounce fuel tank is installed just above the
landing-gear plate. The battery pack is
often squeezed in behind the servos in the
fuselage. Most run the receiver antenna
through a plastic tube mounted inside of
the fuselage. Make sure that the tube does
not interfere with the elevator pushrod and
control horn back at the tail.
The completion of a Q-40 painted-in-themold
composite kit does not differ much from
that of a Q-500 kit. There are some minor
differences, the biggest of which is that the
manufacturer does not install the Q-40
firewall. A plywood firewall that is cut to size
is normally included, but you will have to
install it. This is probably the most difficult
part. Once this is completed, the rest follows
what we did with the Q-500 composite kit.
For those of you who fly Sport Quickie
(AMA event 424) in regions where composite
airframes are not allowed and/or for those who
favor the traditional materials over these
“exotic” composites, balsa-and-foam Q-500
kits are still available.
Several of the balsa-and-foam Q-500
models were successful at last year’s Nats and
at the popular Winterfest Q-500 race in
Phoenix, Arizona. But again, I’m being pulled
into the “Which one looks better honey?”
quagmire.
One of the most popular balsa-and-foam Q-
500 kits has been Mike Del Ponte’s ReVlution.
He has reportedly been manufacturing the
model since the late 1930s, when balsa was
first introduced to the United States, but this is
unconfirmed. I have only been able to trace the
design back to 1979.
The ReVlution started winning races and
setting fast times across the country during the
1980s. Top racers such as Travis Flynn, Dub
Jett, Richard Verano, Dave Shadel, and Chip
Hyde had great success with this model.
Mike has continued to improve his design
to remain competitive, and he currently offers
a semi-ARF kit with a one-piece, balsasheeted,
carbon-reinforced wing and framedup
fuselage for $180, which is significantly
lower than what a composite kit costs today.
The most successful composite Q-500
airplane would arguably be Chuck Bridge’s
Vortex. His first version was of balsa-andfoam
construction, and it debuted in 1997. He
followed this up with a composite-wing
version in 1999 and immediately saw it set fast
time and take first place at the 1999 Nats.
Since then, nothing has come close to the
success of the Vortex. It has set fast time at the
Nats every year since its introduction. Travis
Flynn set an Open national record with a
Vortex, and Mathew Van Baren set a Senior
national record with one.
Bruce DeChastel’s Shotgun Q-500 appears
to be the new kid on the block. It is the latest
fully composite, painted-in-the-mold kit to hit
the market. In its debut at the 2004 Winterfest
race, Bruce placed third out of 52 competitors.
He has watched his Shotgun set local club
records and take the top three spots at a hotly
contested race in Medford, Oregon, last year.
None of this is a surprise considering
Bruce’s background. He has been racing FAI
since 1977 and competing with his own
designs since 1978. He has seen six FAI World
Champions compete with his models and has
sold more than 300 FAI aircraft to racers
residing in 12 countries. Bruce also
manufactures the successful Q-40 Polecat.
As a new member of the MA team of
columnists, I welcome your comments and
suggestions. Please E-mail me at
[email protected]. Thanks, and I
look forward to seeing you at some of this
year’s events. MA