76 MODEL AVIATION
Paul Bradley
S m a l l - F i e l d F l y i n g
32238 Spinnaker Run, Magnolia TX 77354; E-mail: [email protected]
SMALL-FIELD Ducted-Fan Models: A few columns back I
shared a picture of Tres Wright of Forney, Texas, with his little
ducted-fan delta SuperMite.
Inspired by that model, Tres decided to take the next logical step
and develop a jet of his own design that used the same power
package: a Feigao brushless motor mated to a GWS EDF40 ductedfan
unit. The result is a nice-looking model that resembles the
Stealth fighter.
The photos include one with Tres’
daughters holding the model that provides a
nice size reference for the 18-inch
wingspan.
From the top the model looks much like
that famous Stealth fighter. The bottom
view reveals how Tres made the installation
of the power unit and equipment clean and
simple. Tres reported:
“Weight with no batteries is 2.9 ounces
and flying weight with a three-cell series
730 mAh Lithium pack is 4.6 ounces. The
aircraft handles exceptionally well and
performs nice, fast aerobatics. I had my
daughters clock it with a speed gun and it
did an impressive 60 mph in dead-level
flight. We tried some diving passes, but it
was too hard to get a reading on it at the
increased speed.
“I’m very happy with the aircraft! The
covering is Solite black with one wingtip in
yellow on the underside to help with
orientation.”
Tres Wright’s (Forney TX) daughters proudly display their
father’s ducted-fan, scratch-built EDF Stealth fighter.
The business side of Tres’ 18-inch aircraft shows the clean
installation of the power unit and equipment.
Lance Novak’s nicely detailed EDF F-16A uses a Vasa 55 carbon-fiber ducted-fan unit.
It is a nice small-field ducted-fan model, Tres. For those of you
with E-mail, he is offering a free copy of the plans. You can
contact him at [email protected].
On the subject of ducted-fan models, I’ll share with you a nicely
turned-out F-16 by Lance Novak who resides in Savannah,
Georgia.
Lance started with a foam-based kit imported from
Czechoslovakia by the people at Hobby Lobby. This particular kit,
with a wingspan of 22.5 inches and a flying weight of 16 ounces, is
nice for the smaller venues. It is powered with a brushed ball-
June 2005 77
and removal is performed by removing the
radome as in the full-scale aircraft. The
radome probe and static instruments are
made from brass and aluminum and look
quite realistic. All of the markings are
accurate including the serial number and
fueling requirements.
“With a little excess material removed
here and there, the weight came out roughly
where it would have if it had been built
totally stock.”
Lance, you made that F-16A a real
showpiece.
With all of this jet talk, I’ll switch gears to
something at the other end of the
performance scale. Mr. Model Airplane
Designer and Builder Pat Tritle continues to
turn them out. I was fortunate to receive a
nice note from Pat along with a few photos
of his new Cessna 120. This is a subject we
don’t see modeled as often as other civil
light airplanes, and it is certainly worthy of being rendered in model
form.
I have some special memories of the Cessna 120 since that was
the first full-scale airplane I experienced as a passenger. Once
again, Pat has done himself proud with this excellent model. The
picture of it in flight highlights his excellent rendition of that classic
Cessna.
I’m pleased to report that this model will be added to the Dumas
line of Pat Tritle-designed electric-powered RC models. The
specifications include a 40-inch wingspan, 230 square inches of
wing area, and a flying weight of less than 8 ounces. Power is the
GWS 4:1 IPS drive turning an 8 x 6 propeller. Energy comes from
two 700 mAh Lithium cells in series.
I had mentioned what I thought was the antenna trailing behind
the Cessna 120 in the flight photo, and Pat corrected my
observation.
“Most people do think that’s the antenna hanging out the back.
It is what I call my Autolanding Balance-Shifting Super
Autostabilization Device (ABSSAD; patent pending).
“The way it works is that when the model gets close to the
ground, the ABSSAD sensing device begins to make contact with
the ground, effectively reducing the load the tail must carry, and
automatically shifting the CG forward a little at a time as the model
bearing Speed 280 motor and uses the Vasa 55 carbon-fiber ductedfan
unit.
Lance decided that he wanted his version of the F-16 to have a
custom finish and markings along with some other nice details. One
unique element is his use of a high-intensity LED to simulate
afterburner glow. Look at the photo he provided to see just how
striking the effect of the high-intensity LED is in making you think
the fire is lit in that little electric-powered F-16.
Lance provided some additional details about the model.
“The wooden spar was replaced with an aluminum tube and the
bottom of the fuselage is reinforced with a thin coat of epoxy. Two
landing skids made from wing skids were added to the bottom.
“The wings are covered with Dove Gray MonoKote and the
fuselage and radome are painted to match. As with the full-scale
aircraft, the elevons are fully functional and are covered with
MonoKote. The tail cone is painted with metallic paint and has
chrome MonoKote inside to reflect the high-intensity orange LED.
“The cockpit has a full ejection seat and instruments. The ESC
is installed alongside the ejection seat in the right console and the
red ESC LED flashes in the instrument console when on. The
heads-up display is scaled down from a full-scale F-16A and is
clear with green markings for altitude, airspeed, etc.
“The canopy is permanently attached and battery installation
Lance simulated the F-16 afterburner using a high-intensity LED, making you think the
fire is lit in the little electric-powered aircraft.
A Pat Tritle-designed addition to the Dumas line of models is this
excellent rendition of the classic Cessna 120.
Don and Howard Lincoln’s fleet is a nice spectrum of electricpowered
small-field flyers.
gets closer to the ground. As the CG moves
forward, the model becomes more stable.
When coupled with ground effect and
carefully calculated washout, landings
become almost completely—but not quite—
automatic.
“So you see, if that big ugly thing has to
be hanging out there anyway, you might as
well get some good from it! That’s my
story, and I’m sticking to it!”
ARF or build from a kit? That is a
question that is often raised by small-field
fliers. There are so many great subjects to
choose from that the decision can
sometimes be a challenge. When you have
the time to build from a kit, the choice of
selecting a model that is nearly built or one
that requires assembling a number of parts
can be a real dilemma.
The quality of the ARF models is quite
surprising these days. I’m a dyed-in-thewool
builder who has been wowed by
several nice ARF offerings. When the
model you want only comes as an ARF, the
choice becomes easier.
I don’t think I’m alone in this decision
problem. I received a nice photo from the
father-and-son team of Howard and Don
Lincoln. The Lincolns happen to live in my
neck of the woods—the greater Houston,
Texas, area. They have been enjoying a
variety of electric-powered small-field
models.
In the photo you can see a stock ARF, a
modified ARF, and a kit-built model. This
is a nice mix and it represents the spectrum
of what a typical small-field flier might
have in his or her hangar.
The stock ARF on the left is the Great
Planes Mini Super Sportster EP. It comes
with a brushed motor, and Don reported it
to be a great flier when using an eight-cell
1100 mAh Ni-Cd battery pack.
On the end opposite the Mini Super
Sportster is an Ace Sparky. The Sparky is
shown with a scratch-built wing. The stock
ARF wing is larger and thicker than the one
seen in the photo.
The goal of the scratch-built wing was to
get more airspeed and improve the model’s
aerobatic qualities. Howard built the wing
and Don reported that they achieved all of
the performance changes desired. This is a
nice example of using an ARF model as a
starting point and then adding individual
touches to give it a new personality.
The model sitting in the middle of the
photo is a nicely built RV-4 that came from
a Great Planes slow flyer kit. Howard did
the building.
Howard and Don are not always content
to leave a model stock. Their RV-4 sports a
hot wind Speed 400 and larger battery pack
than the intended slow flyer setup. The
overall weight climbed to 25 ounces from
the kit-specified 18 ounces, but the model
is reported to be a nice aerobatic flier.
This is another case of adding one’s
personal touch to an established kit design.
It is certainly an aspect of the hobby that
makes it appealing to a wide variety of
individuals.
Based on the work of Howard and Don,
it does not matter if you select an ARF or
build from a kit. Leaving things stock or
adding your own touches through
component modifications and setup
changes can provide a wide spectrum of
small-field flyers. Our world keeps getting
better.
Product Update: In the last column I
mentioned a new 3-D flier from Model
Airplane Engineering (MAE). This
model—the SLICK—is constructed from
Depron foam and is designed to take
advantage of the homegrown rewound
computer CD-ROM motors.
Recognizing the demand for more
extreme 3-D maneuvers from the fans of
that form of flying, Randy Roman, the man
behind MAE, has introduced the SLICK
Xtreme. This is a SLICK with huge 43%
ailerons. Those give the 27-inch, slightlymore-
than-5-ounce 3-D flier some
impressive capabilities.
Randy notes that SLICK Xtreme can be
assembled in two or three hours. If you are
looking for a rugged 3-D flier that can be
flown in a tight space, the SLICK Xtreme
may be the ticket.
This brings me to the end of this
installment. As always, I encourage you to
send me some pictures and descriptions of
your latest small-field projects. Let the
small-field-flying world know what you
have been up to. MA
Sources:
F-16A:
Hobby Lobby International
5614 Franklin Pike Cir.
Brentwood TN 37027
(615) 373-1444
www.hobby-lobby.com
SLICK Xtreme:
Model Airplane Engineering
5001 Bainbridge Ct.
Lilburn GA 30047
(770) 925-8326
www.m-a-e.com
Edition: Model Aviation - 2005/06
Page Numbers: 76,77,78
Edition: Model Aviation - 2005/06
Page Numbers: 76,77,78
76 MODEL AVIATION
Paul Bradley
S m a l l - F i e l d F l y i n g
32238 Spinnaker Run, Magnolia TX 77354; E-mail: [email protected]
SMALL-FIELD Ducted-Fan Models: A few columns back I
shared a picture of Tres Wright of Forney, Texas, with his little
ducted-fan delta SuperMite.
Inspired by that model, Tres decided to take the next logical step
and develop a jet of his own design that used the same power
package: a Feigao brushless motor mated to a GWS EDF40 ductedfan
unit. The result is a nice-looking model that resembles the
Stealth fighter.
The photos include one with Tres’
daughters holding the model that provides a
nice size reference for the 18-inch
wingspan.
From the top the model looks much like
that famous Stealth fighter. The bottom
view reveals how Tres made the installation
of the power unit and equipment clean and
simple. Tres reported:
“Weight with no batteries is 2.9 ounces
and flying weight with a three-cell series
730 mAh Lithium pack is 4.6 ounces. The
aircraft handles exceptionally well and
performs nice, fast aerobatics. I had my
daughters clock it with a speed gun and it
did an impressive 60 mph in dead-level
flight. We tried some diving passes, but it
was too hard to get a reading on it at the
increased speed.
“I’m very happy with the aircraft! The
covering is Solite black with one wingtip in
yellow on the underside to help with
orientation.”
Tres Wright’s (Forney TX) daughters proudly display their
father’s ducted-fan, scratch-built EDF Stealth fighter.
The business side of Tres’ 18-inch aircraft shows the clean
installation of the power unit and equipment.
Lance Novak’s nicely detailed EDF F-16A uses a Vasa 55 carbon-fiber ducted-fan unit.
It is a nice small-field ducted-fan model, Tres. For those of you
with E-mail, he is offering a free copy of the plans. You can
contact him at [email protected].
On the subject of ducted-fan models, I’ll share with you a nicely
turned-out F-16 by Lance Novak who resides in Savannah,
Georgia.
Lance started with a foam-based kit imported from
Czechoslovakia by the people at Hobby Lobby. This particular kit,
with a wingspan of 22.5 inches and a flying weight of 16 ounces, is
nice for the smaller venues. It is powered with a brushed ball-
June 2005 77
and removal is performed by removing the
radome as in the full-scale aircraft. The
radome probe and static instruments are
made from brass and aluminum and look
quite realistic. All of the markings are
accurate including the serial number and
fueling requirements.
“With a little excess material removed
here and there, the weight came out roughly
where it would have if it had been built
totally stock.”
Lance, you made that F-16A a real
showpiece.
With all of this jet talk, I’ll switch gears to
something at the other end of the
performance scale. Mr. Model Airplane
Designer and Builder Pat Tritle continues to
turn them out. I was fortunate to receive a
nice note from Pat along with a few photos
of his new Cessna 120. This is a subject we
don’t see modeled as often as other civil
light airplanes, and it is certainly worthy of being rendered in model
form.
I have some special memories of the Cessna 120 since that was
the first full-scale airplane I experienced as a passenger. Once
again, Pat has done himself proud with this excellent model. The
picture of it in flight highlights his excellent rendition of that classic
Cessna.
I’m pleased to report that this model will be added to the Dumas
line of Pat Tritle-designed electric-powered RC models. The
specifications include a 40-inch wingspan, 230 square inches of
wing area, and a flying weight of less than 8 ounces. Power is the
GWS 4:1 IPS drive turning an 8 x 6 propeller. Energy comes from
two 700 mAh Lithium cells in series.
I had mentioned what I thought was the antenna trailing behind
the Cessna 120 in the flight photo, and Pat corrected my
observation.
“Most people do think that’s the antenna hanging out the back.
It is what I call my Autolanding Balance-Shifting Super
Autostabilization Device (ABSSAD; patent pending).
“The way it works is that when the model gets close to the
ground, the ABSSAD sensing device begins to make contact with
the ground, effectively reducing the load the tail must carry, and
automatically shifting the CG forward a little at a time as the model
bearing Speed 280 motor and uses the Vasa 55 carbon-fiber ductedfan
unit.
Lance decided that he wanted his version of the F-16 to have a
custom finish and markings along with some other nice details. One
unique element is his use of a high-intensity LED to simulate
afterburner glow. Look at the photo he provided to see just how
striking the effect of the high-intensity LED is in making you think
the fire is lit in that little electric-powered F-16.
Lance provided some additional details about the model.
“The wooden spar was replaced with an aluminum tube and the
bottom of the fuselage is reinforced with a thin coat of epoxy. Two
landing skids made from wing skids were added to the bottom.
“The wings are covered with Dove Gray MonoKote and the
fuselage and radome are painted to match. As with the full-scale
aircraft, the elevons are fully functional and are covered with
MonoKote. The tail cone is painted with metallic paint and has
chrome MonoKote inside to reflect the high-intensity orange LED.
“The cockpit has a full ejection seat and instruments. The ESC
is installed alongside the ejection seat in the right console and the
red ESC LED flashes in the instrument console when on. The
heads-up display is scaled down from a full-scale F-16A and is
clear with green markings for altitude, airspeed, etc.
“The canopy is permanently attached and battery installation
Lance simulated the F-16 afterburner using a high-intensity LED, making you think the
fire is lit in the little electric-powered aircraft.
A Pat Tritle-designed addition to the Dumas line of models is this
excellent rendition of the classic Cessna 120.
Don and Howard Lincoln’s fleet is a nice spectrum of electricpowered
small-field flyers.
gets closer to the ground. As the CG moves
forward, the model becomes more stable.
When coupled with ground effect and
carefully calculated washout, landings
become almost completely—but not quite—
automatic.
“So you see, if that big ugly thing has to
be hanging out there anyway, you might as
well get some good from it! That’s my
story, and I’m sticking to it!”
ARF or build from a kit? That is a
question that is often raised by small-field
fliers. There are so many great subjects to
choose from that the decision can
sometimes be a challenge. When you have
the time to build from a kit, the choice of
selecting a model that is nearly built or one
that requires assembling a number of parts
can be a real dilemma.
The quality of the ARF models is quite
surprising these days. I’m a dyed-in-thewool
builder who has been wowed by
several nice ARF offerings. When the
model you want only comes as an ARF, the
choice becomes easier.
I don’t think I’m alone in this decision
problem. I received a nice photo from the
father-and-son team of Howard and Don
Lincoln. The Lincolns happen to live in my
neck of the woods—the greater Houston,
Texas, area. They have been enjoying a
variety of electric-powered small-field
models.
In the photo you can see a stock ARF, a
modified ARF, and a kit-built model. This
is a nice mix and it represents the spectrum
of what a typical small-field flier might
have in his or her hangar.
The stock ARF on the left is the Great
Planes Mini Super Sportster EP. It comes
with a brushed motor, and Don reported it
to be a great flier when using an eight-cell
1100 mAh Ni-Cd battery pack.
On the end opposite the Mini Super
Sportster is an Ace Sparky. The Sparky is
shown with a scratch-built wing. The stock
ARF wing is larger and thicker than the one
seen in the photo.
The goal of the scratch-built wing was to
get more airspeed and improve the model’s
aerobatic qualities. Howard built the wing
and Don reported that they achieved all of
the performance changes desired. This is a
nice example of using an ARF model as a
starting point and then adding individual
touches to give it a new personality.
The model sitting in the middle of the
photo is a nicely built RV-4 that came from
a Great Planes slow flyer kit. Howard did
the building.
Howard and Don are not always content
to leave a model stock. Their RV-4 sports a
hot wind Speed 400 and larger battery pack
than the intended slow flyer setup. The
overall weight climbed to 25 ounces from
the kit-specified 18 ounces, but the model
is reported to be a nice aerobatic flier.
This is another case of adding one’s
personal touch to an established kit design.
It is certainly an aspect of the hobby that
makes it appealing to a wide variety of
individuals.
Based on the work of Howard and Don,
it does not matter if you select an ARF or
build from a kit. Leaving things stock or
adding your own touches through
component modifications and setup
changes can provide a wide spectrum of
small-field flyers. Our world keeps getting
better.
Product Update: In the last column I
mentioned a new 3-D flier from Model
Airplane Engineering (MAE). This
model—the SLICK—is constructed from
Depron foam and is designed to take
advantage of the homegrown rewound
computer CD-ROM motors.
Recognizing the demand for more
extreme 3-D maneuvers from the fans of
that form of flying, Randy Roman, the man
behind MAE, has introduced the SLICK
Xtreme. This is a SLICK with huge 43%
ailerons. Those give the 27-inch, slightlymore-
than-5-ounce 3-D flier some
impressive capabilities.
Randy notes that SLICK Xtreme can be
assembled in two or three hours. If you are
looking for a rugged 3-D flier that can be
flown in a tight space, the SLICK Xtreme
may be the ticket.
This brings me to the end of this
installment. As always, I encourage you to
send me some pictures and descriptions of
your latest small-field projects. Let the
small-field-flying world know what you
have been up to. MA
Sources:
F-16A:
Hobby Lobby International
5614 Franklin Pike Cir.
Brentwood TN 37027
(615) 373-1444
www.hobby-lobby.com
SLICK Xtreme:
Model Airplane Engineering
5001 Bainbridge Ct.
Lilburn GA 30047
(770) 925-8326
www.m-a-e.com
Edition: Model Aviation - 2005/06
Page Numbers: 76,77,78
76 MODEL AVIATION
Paul Bradley
S m a l l - F i e l d F l y i n g
32238 Spinnaker Run, Magnolia TX 77354; E-mail: [email protected]
SMALL-FIELD Ducted-Fan Models: A few columns back I
shared a picture of Tres Wright of Forney, Texas, with his little
ducted-fan delta SuperMite.
Inspired by that model, Tres decided to take the next logical step
and develop a jet of his own design that used the same power
package: a Feigao brushless motor mated to a GWS EDF40 ductedfan
unit. The result is a nice-looking model that resembles the
Stealth fighter.
The photos include one with Tres’
daughters holding the model that provides a
nice size reference for the 18-inch
wingspan.
From the top the model looks much like
that famous Stealth fighter. The bottom
view reveals how Tres made the installation
of the power unit and equipment clean and
simple. Tres reported:
“Weight with no batteries is 2.9 ounces
and flying weight with a three-cell series
730 mAh Lithium pack is 4.6 ounces. The
aircraft handles exceptionally well and
performs nice, fast aerobatics. I had my
daughters clock it with a speed gun and it
did an impressive 60 mph in dead-level
flight. We tried some diving passes, but it
was too hard to get a reading on it at the
increased speed.
“I’m very happy with the aircraft! The
covering is Solite black with one wingtip in
yellow on the underside to help with
orientation.”
Tres Wright’s (Forney TX) daughters proudly display their
father’s ducted-fan, scratch-built EDF Stealth fighter.
The business side of Tres’ 18-inch aircraft shows the clean
installation of the power unit and equipment.
Lance Novak’s nicely detailed EDF F-16A uses a Vasa 55 carbon-fiber ducted-fan unit.
It is a nice small-field ducted-fan model, Tres. For those of you
with E-mail, he is offering a free copy of the plans. You can
contact him at [email protected].
On the subject of ducted-fan models, I’ll share with you a nicely
turned-out F-16 by Lance Novak who resides in Savannah,
Georgia.
Lance started with a foam-based kit imported from
Czechoslovakia by the people at Hobby Lobby. This particular kit,
with a wingspan of 22.5 inches and a flying weight of 16 ounces, is
nice for the smaller venues. It is powered with a brushed ball-
June 2005 77
and removal is performed by removing the
radome as in the full-scale aircraft. The
radome probe and static instruments are
made from brass and aluminum and look
quite realistic. All of the markings are
accurate including the serial number and
fueling requirements.
“With a little excess material removed
here and there, the weight came out roughly
where it would have if it had been built
totally stock.”
Lance, you made that F-16A a real
showpiece.
With all of this jet talk, I’ll switch gears to
something at the other end of the
performance scale. Mr. Model Airplane
Designer and Builder Pat Tritle continues to
turn them out. I was fortunate to receive a
nice note from Pat along with a few photos
of his new Cessna 120. This is a subject we
don’t see modeled as often as other civil
light airplanes, and it is certainly worthy of being rendered in model
form.
I have some special memories of the Cessna 120 since that was
the first full-scale airplane I experienced as a passenger. Once
again, Pat has done himself proud with this excellent model. The
picture of it in flight highlights his excellent rendition of that classic
Cessna.
I’m pleased to report that this model will be added to the Dumas
line of Pat Tritle-designed electric-powered RC models. The
specifications include a 40-inch wingspan, 230 square inches of
wing area, and a flying weight of less than 8 ounces. Power is the
GWS 4:1 IPS drive turning an 8 x 6 propeller. Energy comes from
two 700 mAh Lithium cells in series.
I had mentioned what I thought was the antenna trailing behind
the Cessna 120 in the flight photo, and Pat corrected my
observation.
“Most people do think that’s the antenna hanging out the back.
It is what I call my Autolanding Balance-Shifting Super
Autostabilization Device (ABSSAD; patent pending).
“The way it works is that when the model gets close to the
ground, the ABSSAD sensing device begins to make contact with
the ground, effectively reducing the load the tail must carry, and
automatically shifting the CG forward a little at a time as the model
bearing Speed 280 motor and uses the Vasa 55 carbon-fiber ductedfan
unit.
Lance decided that he wanted his version of the F-16 to have a
custom finish and markings along with some other nice details. One
unique element is his use of a high-intensity LED to simulate
afterburner glow. Look at the photo he provided to see just how
striking the effect of the high-intensity LED is in making you think
the fire is lit in that little electric-powered F-16.
Lance provided some additional details about the model.
“The wooden spar was replaced with an aluminum tube and the
bottom of the fuselage is reinforced with a thin coat of epoxy. Two
landing skids made from wing skids were added to the bottom.
“The wings are covered with Dove Gray MonoKote and the
fuselage and radome are painted to match. As with the full-scale
aircraft, the elevons are fully functional and are covered with
MonoKote. The tail cone is painted with metallic paint and has
chrome MonoKote inside to reflect the high-intensity orange LED.
“The cockpit has a full ejection seat and instruments. The ESC
is installed alongside the ejection seat in the right console and the
red ESC LED flashes in the instrument console when on. The
heads-up display is scaled down from a full-scale F-16A and is
clear with green markings for altitude, airspeed, etc.
“The canopy is permanently attached and battery installation
Lance simulated the F-16 afterburner using a high-intensity LED, making you think the
fire is lit in the little electric-powered aircraft.
A Pat Tritle-designed addition to the Dumas line of models is this
excellent rendition of the classic Cessna 120.
Don and Howard Lincoln’s fleet is a nice spectrum of electricpowered
small-field flyers.
gets closer to the ground. As the CG moves
forward, the model becomes more stable.
When coupled with ground effect and
carefully calculated washout, landings
become almost completely—but not quite—
automatic.
“So you see, if that big ugly thing has to
be hanging out there anyway, you might as
well get some good from it! That’s my
story, and I’m sticking to it!”
ARF or build from a kit? That is a
question that is often raised by small-field
fliers. There are so many great subjects to
choose from that the decision can
sometimes be a challenge. When you have
the time to build from a kit, the choice of
selecting a model that is nearly built or one
that requires assembling a number of parts
can be a real dilemma.
The quality of the ARF models is quite
surprising these days. I’m a dyed-in-thewool
builder who has been wowed by
several nice ARF offerings. When the
model you want only comes as an ARF, the
choice becomes easier.
I don’t think I’m alone in this decision
problem. I received a nice photo from the
father-and-son team of Howard and Don
Lincoln. The Lincolns happen to live in my
neck of the woods—the greater Houston,
Texas, area. They have been enjoying a
variety of electric-powered small-field
models.
In the photo you can see a stock ARF, a
modified ARF, and a kit-built model. This
is a nice mix and it represents the spectrum
of what a typical small-field flier might
have in his or her hangar.
The stock ARF on the left is the Great
Planes Mini Super Sportster EP. It comes
with a brushed motor, and Don reported it
to be a great flier when using an eight-cell
1100 mAh Ni-Cd battery pack.
On the end opposite the Mini Super
Sportster is an Ace Sparky. The Sparky is
shown with a scratch-built wing. The stock
ARF wing is larger and thicker than the one
seen in the photo.
The goal of the scratch-built wing was to
get more airspeed and improve the model’s
aerobatic qualities. Howard built the wing
and Don reported that they achieved all of
the performance changes desired. This is a
nice example of using an ARF model as a
starting point and then adding individual
touches to give it a new personality.
The model sitting in the middle of the
photo is a nicely built RV-4 that came from
a Great Planes slow flyer kit. Howard did
the building.
Howard and Don are not always content
to leave a model stock. Their RV-4 sports a
hot wind Speed 400 and larger battery pack
than the intended slow flyer setup. The
overall weight climbed to 25 ounces from
the kit-specified 18 ounces, but the model
is reported to be a nice aerobatic flier.
This is another case of adding one’s
personal touch to an established kit design.
It is certainly an aspect of the hobby that
makes it appealing to a wide variety of
individuals.
Based on the work of Howard and Don,
it does not matter if you select an ARF or
build from a kit. Leaving things stock or
adding your own touches through
component modifications and setup
changes can provide a wide spectrum of
small-field flyers. Our world keeps getting
better.
Product Update: In the last column I
mentioned a new 3-D flier from Model
Airplane Engineering (MAE). This
model—the SLICK—is constructed from
Depron foam and is designed to take
advantage of the homegrown rewound
computer CD-ROM motors.
Recognizing the demand for more
extreme 3-D maneuvers from the fans of
that form of flying, Randy Roman, the man
behind MAE, has introduced the SLICK
Xtreme. This is a SLICK with huge 43%
ailerons. Those give the 27-inch, slightlymore-
than-5-ounce 3-D flier some
impressive capabilities.
Randy notes that SLICK Xtreme can be
assembled in two or three hours. If you are
looking for a rugged 3-D flier that can be
flown in a tight space, the SLICK Xtreme
may be the ticket.
This brings me to the end of this
installment. As always, I encourage you to
send me some pictures and descriptions of
your latest small-field projects. Let the
small-field-flying world know what you
have been up to. MA
Sources:
F-16A:
Hobby Lobby International
5614 Franklin Pike Cir.
Brentwood TN 37027
(615) 373-1444
www.hobby-lobby.com
SLICK Xtreme:
Model Airplane Engineering
5001 Bainbridge Ct.
Lilburn GA 30047
(770) 925-8326
www.m-a-e.com