Worth a Closer Look
14 MODEL AVIATION
In each installment of “Worth a Closer Look” we do our
best to bring you new and exciting products from our
industry. These write-ups are not press releases, but are
actually minireviews written by the Model Aviation staff. In
each instance the product or service is actually built, tested,
flown, used, etc. to give you a firsthand account of how it
performs.
We have found some of these items on our own, but many
have been brought to our attention from outside sources. If
you have a product or service that you feel might be “worth a
closer look,” contact Model Aviation Aeromodeling Editor
Bob Hunt at (610) 614-1747, or send an E-mail to closerlook@
airbornemedia.com.
PA 40 R Ultra Lite
In the past couple years, many CL Aerobatics (Stunt)
competitors have made a move to again try somewhat smaller
airplane designs. A 40-size Stunt model typically has 600-650
square inches of wing area. Most .40-size competition engines that
have been used lately are built in large cases, making them
difficult to “package” efficiently in the smaller models.
Many competitors in this event use a carbon-fiber tuned pipe to
augment the engine’s power and to contour the power application
to suit their particular needs. A rear-exhaust engine is almost a
must-have to do this packaging properly in a Stunt model.
Up to this point, few small-case, rear-exhaust competition
engines with the required power and characteristics have been
available.
The new PA (Precision Aero) 40 R Ultra Lite—designed and
manufactured by Randy Smith and Henry Nelson—has been
developed from the inside out specifically for Stunt use. It joins a
line of tremendously successful Aero Products CL Aerobatics
engines.
This engine features a mildly timed AAC (aluminum piston in
a chrome-plated aluminum liner) piston and liner, dual high-speed
ball bearings, and a true venturi. It has multiple configurations
available for a header muffler, tuned-pipe setups, or a rear can
muffler.
Each engine is hand-assembled, blueprinted, and balanced. The
weight, without header, is just more than 8 ounces.
This engine was actually designed and developed to cover a
range of airplane sizes from the 550-square-inch Ares-type Classic
Stunt models to 660-square-inch modern-design Stunters. It is
extremely tunable, allowing the appropriate power needed for
either end of this design spectrum to be realized.
The PA 40 R Ultra Lite is $309.95 plus shipping.
Aero Products: 980 Winnbrook Dr., Dacula GA 30019; Tel.:
(678) 407-9376; Web site: www.aeroproduct.net
OV-10 Bronco ARF
Developed
from the
original design
by Rich
Uravitch, this
model has been
thoroughly
flighttested
to
ensure a
high degree of
success for the first-time multiengine, Giant Scale RC flier.
The Bronco package comes complete with all required
hardware including engine mounts, fuel tanks, wheels, spinners,
and control linkages. All airframe components are expertly
precovered with iron-on film, and the canopy framing and
cowlings are painted to match the film. Engine cowlings and the
fuselage end caps are fabricated from fiberglass and are also
painted to match the film covering.
The kit includes a prewired, ready-to-install servo harness made
specifically for this design. No additional servo extensions or “Y”
harnesses are required.
The model is provided with a rugged, fixed-gear arrangement,
but provisions for fitting retracts are built in. Air-operated retract
systems, which can be retrofitted to completed airframes, are
available.
The Bronco spans 80 inches, has a wing area of 1,215 square
inches, and weighs 15-17 pounds. Power comes from two .46-.61
two-stroke engines, and a five-channel radio is required.
The OV-10 Bronco ARF is $439.95 plus shipping.
ScaleTech Products: 7715 Industrial St., West Melbourne FL
32904; Tel.: (321) 727-8227; Web site: www.hobbyhangar.com
4D
The TufFlight
4D design
includes a
conventional tail
and requires no
mixing or
computer radio.
The high-impact
plastic fuselage
and full flying
vertical and
horizontal
stabilators give
outstanding
control for all 3-D
moves.
Weighing only 4.5 pounds with a 720-square-inch wing, this
model will perform with your favorite .46 two-stroke or 72 fourstroke
engine. Using a 4-inch-pitch propeller, you can hover the 4D
at one-third to half throttle, which leaves plenty of thrust for
“emergencies.”
Available in a standard or deluxe kit, which includes all
necessary hardware, the 4D employs no balsa and is quick to
assemble. A detailed 44-page instruction manual outlines every
step with popular “check this box” ease of construction.
TufFlight Models Inc.: 5376 Amalfi Dr., Clay NY 13041; Tel.:
(315) 698-8103; Web site: www.tufflight.com
09sig1.QXD 6/24/04 10:18 am Page 14
September 2004 15
Harrier 3D .90 ARF
Covered with genuine UltraCote and built from top-quality
balsa and plywood similar to that found in Hangar 9 airplanes,
Seagull’s new Harrier 3D can easily perform sequence and 3-Dstyle
aerobatics.
Solid Harriers without wing rocking are a breeze (after all, it is
called the Harrier 3D .90), but the model’s effortless performance
of Blenders, Rolling Circles, and especially Torque Rolls allows
pilots to develop their aerobatic skills.
The Harrier 3D spans 60.5 inches, has a 948.6-square-inch
wing area, and weighs 7-8 pounds ready to fly. Power comes from
a .61-1.00 two-stroke or a 91-110 four-stroke engine. A fourchannel
radio with six servos is recommended. The Harrier 3D
sells for $174.99.
Horizon Hobby Distributors: 4105 Fieldstone Rd., Champaign
IL 61822; Tel.: (800) 338-4639; Web site: www.horizonhobby.com
MicroLux Drill Press
This variable-speed,
heavy-duty miniature
drill press is a
surprisingly affordable,
high-quality power tool
that is the perfect size
for small drilling
projects where
precision is crucial.
The digital depth
finder offers
incomparable
accuracy, and the
constant torque speed
control lets you select
the speed—from 0 to
5,000 rpm—for the
material you’re
drilling. It includes a
low-runout 1⁄4-inch
chuck and retails for
$199.95.
Micro-Mark: 340
Snyder Ave., Berkeley
Heights NJ 07922;
Tel.: (800) 225-1066; Web site: www.micromark.com
Little Toni ARF
A variation of the Cosmic Wind, the Little Toni Formula I Pylon
racer was fierce and famous for decades, reaching 201.8 mph at the
1970 Miami Races.
Great Planes’
ARF
is just
as
exciting
as an
everyday
flier or a
capable racer,
tracking solidly,
turning quickly, and slowing gently for smooth, easy landings.
Inside the painted fiberglass fuselage, the radio compartment
provides ample room for onboard gear.
The model assembles in as few as 12-15 hours, thanks to balsasheeted,
built-up balsa/plywood wing halves and tail surfaces covered
with MonoKote. A clear canopy, decals, and hardware are supplied.
The fiberglass wheel pants slip over the axles and are secured with
two screws; that is approximately five minutes’ work, with no drilling
or epoxy required. A painted fiberglass cowl, formed and painted
aluminum landing gear, and a scale aluminum spinner are included.
The Little Toni is legal for International Miniature Aircraft
Association flying, with a 63-inch wingspan. It weighs 7.25-8.25
pounds, has a 775-square-inch wing area, a 21.5-24.5-ounce/squarefoot
wing loading, and is 56.5 inches long.
It requires a two-stroke .61 or four-stroke 91 engine and uses a
four-channel radio with five servos. The Little Toni’s street price is
$269.99.
Great Planes Model Distributors: Box 9021, Champaign IL
61826; Tel.: (800) 682-8948; Web site: www.greatplanes.com MA
Streamer Pumps
This series of 12-volt field
pumps is designed to
give years of
reliable service.
They
feature
high
flow
rates (33
ounces
per
minute),
rugged gear-pump design,
and wide fuel compatibility.
Unlike other pumps,
Sullivan’s feature an ultrasonically
welded pump head to eliminate gasket
leaks. Their direct-drive design prevents
coupling failures for long life. They are easy to
operate using a single, reversible on-off-on switch for fueling
and defueling.
Streamer pumps are available for glow fuel (yellow) and for
diesel fuel and smoke fluid (red).
Sullivan Products: 1 North Haven St., Baltimore MD
21224; Tel.: (410) 732-3500; Web site: www.sullivanproducts.
com
09sig1.QXD 6/24/04 10:19 am Page 15
Edition: Model Aviation - 2004/09
Page Numbers: 14,15
Edition: Model Aviation - 2004/09
Page Numbers: 14,15
Worth a Closer Look
14 MODEL AVIATION
In each installment of “Worth a Closer Look” we do our
best to bring you new and exciting products from our
industry. These write-ups are not press releases, but are
actually minireviews written by the Model Aviation staff. In
each instance the product or service is actually built, tested,
flown, used, etc. to give you a firsthand account of how it
performs.
We have found some of these items on our own, but many
have been brought to our attention from outside sources. If
you have a product or service that you feel might be “worth a
closer look,” contact Model Aviation Aeromodeling Editor
Bob Hunt at (610) 614-1747, or send an E-mail to closerlook@
airbornemedia.com.
PA 40 R Ultra Lite
In the past couple years, many CL Aerobatics (Stunt)
competitors have made a move to again try somewhat smaller
airplane designs. A 40-size Stunt model typically has 600-650
square inches of wing area. Most .40-size competition engines that
have been used lately are built in large cases, making them
difficult to “package” efficiently in the smaller models.
Many competitors in this event use a carbon-fiber tuned pipe to
augment the engine’s power and to contour the power application
to suit their particular needs. A rear-exhaust engine is almost a
must-have to do this packaging properly in a Stunt model.
Up to this point, few small-case, rear-exhaust competition
engines with the required power and characteristics have been
available.
The new PA (Precision Aero) 40 R Ultra Lite—designed and
manufactured by Randy Smith and Henry Nelson—has been
developed from the inside out specifically for Stunt use. It joins a
line of tremendously successful Aero Products CL Aerobatics
engines.
This engine features a mildly timed AAC (aluminum piston in
a chrome-plated aluminum liner) piston and liner, dual high-speed
ball bearings, and a true venturi. It has multiple configurations
available for a header muffler, tuned-pipe setups, or a rear can
muffler.
Each engine is hand-assembled, blueprinted, and balanced. The
weight, without header, is just more than 8 ounces.
This engine was actually designed and developed to cover a
range of airplane sizes from the 550-square-inch Ares-type Classic
Stunt models to 660-square-inch modern-design Stunters. It is
extremely tunable, allowing the appropriate power needed for
either end of this design spectrum to be realized.
The PA 40 R Ultra Lite is $309.95 plus shipping.
Aero Products: 980 Winnbrook Dr., Dacula GA 30019; Tel.:
(678) 407-9376; Web site: www.aeroproduct.net
OV-10 Bronco ARF
Developed
from the
original design
by Rich
Uravitch, this
model has been
thoroughly
flighttested
to
ensure a
high degree of
success for the first-time multiengine, Giant Scale RC flier.
The Bronco package comes complete with all required
hardware including engine mounts, fuel tanks, wheels, spinners,
and control linkages. All airframe components are expertly
precovered with iron-on film, and the canopy framing and
cowlings are painted to match the film. Engine cowlings and the
fuselage end caps are fabricated from fiberglass and are also
painted to match the film covering.
The kit includes a prewired, ready-to-install servo harness made
specifically for this design. No additional servo extensions or “Y”
harnesses are required.
The model is provided with a rugged, fixed-gear arrangement,
but provisions for fitting retracts are built in. Air-operated retract
systems, which can be retrofitted to completed airframes, are
available.
The Bronco spans 80 inches, has a wing area of 1,215 square
inches, and weighs 15-17 pounds. Power comes from two .46-.61
two-stroke engines, and a five-channel radio is required.
The OV-10 Bronco ARF is $439.95 plus shipping.
ScaleTech Products: 7715 Industrial St., West Melbourne FL
32904; Tel.: (321) 727-8227; Web site: www.hobbyhangar.com
4D
The TufFlight
4D design
includes a
conventional tail
and requires no
mixing or
computer radio.
The high-impact
plastic fuselage
and full flying
vertical and
horizontal
stabilators give
outstanding
control for all 3-D
moves.
Weighing only 4.5 pounds with a 720-square-inch wing, this
model will perform with your favorite .46 two-stroke or 72 fourstroke
engine. Using a 4-inch-pitch propeller, you can hover the 4D
at one-third to half throttle, which leaves plenty of thrust for
“emergencies.”
Available in a standard or deluxe kit, which includes all
necessary hardware, the 4D employs no balsa and is quick to
assemble. A detailed 44-page instruction manual outlines every
step with popular “check this box” ease of construction.
TufFlight Models Inc.: 5376 Amalfi Dr., Clay NY 13041; Tel.:
(315) 698-8103; Web site: www.tufflight.com
09sig1.QXD 6/24/04 10:18 am Page 14
September 2004 15
Harrier 3D .90 ARF
Covered with genuine UltraCote and built from top-quality
balsa and plywood similar to that found in Hangar 9 airplanes,
Seagull’s new Harrier 3D can easily perform sequence and 3-Dstyle
aerobatics.
Solid Harriers without wing rocking are a breeze (after all, it is
called the Harrier 3D .90), but the model’s effortless performance
of Blenders, Rolling Circles, and especially Torque Rolls allows
pilots to develop their aerobatic skills.
The Harrier 3D spans 60.5 inches, has a 948.6-square-inch
wing area, and weighs 7-8 pounds ready to fly. Power comes from
a .61-1.00 two-stroke or a 91-110 four-stroke engine. A fourchannel
radio with six servos is recommended. The Harrier 3D
sells for $174.99.
Horizon Hobby Distributors: 4105 Fieldstone Rd., Champaign
IL 61822; Tel.: (800) 338-4639; Web site: www.horizonhobby.com
MicroLux Drill Press
This variable-speed,
heavy-duty miniature
drill press is a
surprisingly affordable,
high-quality power tool
that is the perfect size
for small drilling
projects where
precision is crucial.
The digital depth
finder offers
incomparable
accuracy, and the
constant torque speed
control lets you select
the speed—from 0 to
5,000 rpm—for the
material you’re
drilling. It includes a
low-runout 1⁄4-inch
chuck and retails for
$199.95.
Micro-Mark: 340
Snyder Ave., Berkeley
Heights NJ 07922;
Tel.: (800) 225-1066; Web site: www.micromark.com
Little Toni ARF
A variation of the Cosmic Wind, the Little Toni Formula I Pylon
racer was fierce and famous for decades, reaching 201.8 mph at the
1970 Miami Races.
Great Planes’
ARF
is just
as
exciting
as an
everyday
flier or a
capable racer,
tracking solidly,
turning quickly, and slowing gently for smooth, easy landings.
Inside the painted fiberglass fuselage, the radio compartment
provides ample room for onboard gear.
The model assembles in as few as 12-15 hours, thanks to balsasheeted,
built-up balsa/plywood wing halves and tail surfaces covered
with MonoKote. A clear canopy, decals, and hardware are supplied.
The fiberglass wheel pants slip over the axles and are secured with
two screws; that is approximately five minutes’ work, with no drilling
or epoxy required. A painted fiberglass cowl, formed and painted
aluminum landing gear, and a scale aluminum spinner are included.
The Little Toni is legal for International Miniature Aircraft
Association flying, with a 63-inch wingspan. It weighs 7.25-8.25
pounds, has a 775-square-inch wing area, a 21.5-24.5-ounce/squarefoot
wing loading, and is 56.5 inches long.
It requires a two-stroke .61 or four-stroke 91 engine and uses a
four-channel radio with five servos. The Little Toni’s street price is
$269.99.
Great Planes Model Distributors: Box 9021, Champaign IL
61826; Tel.: (800) 682-8948; Web site: www.greatplanes.com MA
Streamer Pumps
This series of 12-volt field
pumps is designed to
give years of
reliable service.
They
feature
high
flow
rates (33
ounces
per
minute),
rugged gear-pump design,
and wide fuel compatibility.
Unlike other pumps,
Sullivan’s feature an ultrasonically
welded pump head to eliminate gasket
leaks. Their direct-drive design prevents
coupling failures for long life. They are easy to
operate using a single, reversible on-off-on switch for fueling
and defueling.
Streamer pumps are available for glow fuel (yellow) and for
diesel fuel and smoke fluid (red).
Sullivan Products: 1 North Haven St., Baltimore MD
21224; Tel.: (410) 732-3500; Web site: www.sullivanproducts.
com
09sig1.QXD 6/24/04 10:19 am Page 15