Cermark Fantasy Racer - 2012/02

62 MODEL AVIATION
Cermark Fantasy Racer
An Italian artist’s take
on Golden Age racing
The completed model is sharp. Adding a pilot and pin striping makes it stand out from other
Fantasy Racers at the field.
02sig2.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 12/16/11 12:42 PM Page 62February 2012 63
Fantasy Racer
Cermark
Joe Hass
Far left: The landing gear snaps into four mating surfaces on the wing. Four screws secure the durable landing gear assembly to the wing.
Left: Aileron servos are preinstalled with the linkages already connected. Note the two wing-locking mechanisms on the right side of the
picture.
THE FANTASY RACER was inspired by Italian artist
Mirco Pecoran’s Gee Bee R-3. Three versions are
available. The RTF (ready-to-fly) is complete with radio
system and battery. The BNF (bind-and-fly) version is
minus the radio and receiver, and the other version, used
in this review, is the PNP (plug-and-play) that lets you
use your radio system and battery.
The 36-page, six-language manual covers the
different versions. Cermark has added a single-page
addendum with important additional information.
The primary construction is EPP (EPO) foam with
plastic reinforcements.
I am going to jump ahead a bit to cover some of the
finishing touches. After completing the Fantasy Racer, I
decided that black striping tape to separate the red
scallops from the white surfaces would add a nice
touch. It was much harder to do with the airplane
completed.
If you want to make this addition, it is easier to do
while the pieces are apart. Only the line between the
Basic aerobatics are easily flown with the Fantasy
Racer, including knife-edge passes that exhibit
very little coupling.
take
racing
02sig2.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 12/16/11 12:43 PM Page 6364 MODEL AVIATION
Assembling the Fantasy Racer is quick thanks to a low parts count and preinstalled power system and servos.
The wing-locking mechanism is simple, yet effective.
Right: There’s plenty of room to mount your receiver of choice. Rudder and elevator servos are preinstalled.
Photos by the author
02sig2.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 12/16/11 12:44 PM Page 64February 2012 65
S p ecif ication s
Model type: Sport
Skill level: Beginner builder,
intermediate pilot
Wingspan: 51 inches
Wing area: 453 square inches
Length: 41 inches
Weight: 3 pounds, 8 ounces
Wing loading: 18 ounces per square
foot
Power system: 400-500 watt electric
Battery: Three-cell LiPo 2200 mAh
20C or higher
Radio: Four-channel minimum
Servos: Four servos installed with Y
connector
Construction: Foam and plastic
Covering/finish: Prepainted
Price: PNP $101.99
Pluses and Minuses
+•
Nice-looking model and a great value
• Available as an RTF, BNF, or PNP
• Unbelievable flight performance
• Durable
• High-quality connectors for power
system -•
Requires a 4000 mAh battery to
balance properly
• A way to secure the battery needs to
be installed
• Elevator pushrod needs additional
support
Test Model Details
Motor: NEODYM 10 1000 Kv brushless
motor
Speed control: 50 amp BEC ESC
Battery: Hyperion three-cell, 4000 mAh
25C LiPo
Propeller: 12 x 6
Output load: 511 watts, 43 amps, 12.6
volts, 9000 rpm with included
propeller
Radio system: Spektrum DX6i
transmitter, Spektrum AR500
receiver, servos and Y connector
included with aircraft
Ready-to-fly weight: 3 pounds, 10
ounces
Flight duration: 7-8 minutes of
aggressive aerobatics, 10-12 minutes of
sport flying
Left: A simple plywood brace is used to keep the elevator pushrod from
flexing under flight loads.
Right: The battery compartment can accommodate various size batteries.
Hook-and-loop strap was epoxied to the bottom of the battery
compartment to keep the battery from moving.
fuselage and the wing is best done after the wings are attached. I
used the black vinyl sign material. It is thin and extremely flexible
with an aggressive adhesive. The adhesive is so powerful that you
want to plan ahead and carefully apply the stripes only once. I cut
the vinyl to the desired width and put it in place.
The servos, motor, and ESC are preinstalled. Neat and simple!
Per the addendum, I checked and added a bit of epoxy to the control
horn attachments. I test-fit the tail wheel bracket then epoxied it to
the fuselage before the rudder was attached.
The instructions show the rudder pushrod attached to the outer
hole on the rudder control horn. I found that slightly more rudder
movement was necessary, so I used the center hole. The elevator
pushrod flexed when I applied down elevator, so I added a small
plywood brace as shown above. The control throws were set per the
manual with 25% exponential.
Each landing gear assembly is attached to the wing with four
screws. The wings are supported with aluminum tubes and locked in
place with clips that are an integral part of the wing and fuselage.
Neat!
Carefully position the included propeller on the spinner
backplate to match the cutouts in the spinner, before you secure it in
place. Add your receiver and battery and you are ready to go. There
is room for a variety of batteries, but more on that later.
After the stripes were added the canopy looked woefully empty
without a pilot. A visit to John Hoover at Flight Line Hobby in Lake
Orion, Michigan, had me leaving with a Hangar 9 (HAN9101) pilot
figure that was the right size and color.
Because the canopy was already attached, getting the pilot into
the canopy required some creativity. Using the SWG method
(scientific wild guess), I cut the foam from the bottom, pushed the
pilot into place, and glued it with epoxy. If you choose to add a
pilot, be careful. There’s little room between the bottom of the
canopy hatch and the top of the servos. Make sure the servos move
freely when the canopy is in place.
After much testing, I settled on a three-cell 4,000 mAh Hyperion
25C LiPo battery. It gives me 7- to 8-minute aggressive flights using
only half the battery’s capacity.
The battery slides fully forward in the battery compartment to
achieve a CG that requires little forward stick for inverted flight. To
ensure that the battery wouldn’t move, I glued a double-sided hookand-
loop fastener to the bottom of the battery compartment and
added a piece of matching hook-and-loop fastener to the battery.
The loop portion of the fastener was added to the battery area to
make sure it did not move from side to side.
Total time from start to finish, including installing the pilot and
the striping, was roughly three hours. A third of that time was spent
on the striping. I started the Fantasy Racer after dinner and it was
ready to fly before bedtime.
02sig3.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 12/16/11 1:49 PM Page 65Flying: After the usual control and taxi
tests, I was ready for the first flight.
Positioned on the center of the grass
runway, I slowly advanced the throttle
while holding full up-elevator. As the
speed increased, I released the up-elevator
and the tail came up in a scale fashion. A
little more throttle and a touch of upelevator
and the Fantasy Racer was
airborne.
A click of right aileron and a click of
down-elevator was all that was required for
trim. A quick climb to altitude provided a
chance to try a stall. I didn’t notice any
adverse characteristics with a gentle break
and there was no tendency to fall off on
either wing.
I flew down to a reasonable altitude and
I tried some basic maneuvers. Loops were
easy from level flight. Rolls were
amazingly axial. Inverted flight required a
touch of down-elevator. Before long I
decided to set up for a landing to check
things out and recharge the battery.
A left pattern was flown. On short final
at approximately 4 feet off the ground, I
chopped the throttle—big mistake!
Instantly the Fantasy Racer almost stopped
and stalled, impacting those big, beautiful
wheel pants. Ouch!
I walked over to the aircraft, lying
ingloriously on its back, expecting to see
missing chunks of foam and broken plastic
parts on the landing gear.
Amazingly, there was only some paint
worn away on the front of the wheel pants;
everything else was perfect! This is one
durable machine. At Flight Line Hobby, I
found that Apple Barrel 20501 Bright Red
was a perfect match for the red on the
Racer.
With a fully charged battery, another
scalelike takeoff was completed. While the
battery was still fresh, I tried some knifeedge
flight. Solid knife-edge flight was
easy in either direction with no adverse
coupling. Four-point rolls were crisp and
scalelike.
I attempted another landing, this time
with power. The rate of descent was
controlled by the throttle with only the
slightest touch of up-elevator to break the
descent. After the main landing gear was
solidly on the ground, I reduced the throttle
and the tail dropped. I taxied back for
another takeoff.
Airborne again, I came around for a
touch-and-go. Maintaining power until the
main landing gear touched, I slowly
advanced the throttle for another smooth
takeoff. This airplane looks great and flies
beautifully!
Climbing back to altitude, I tried a spin.
The Fantasy Racer needs to fully stall
before a spin starts. It takes roughly a
quarter turn to stop the spin after the
controls are neutralized. Rolling circles,
avalanches, and stall turns were easily
accomplished.
I solicited the help of a local Extreme
Flight Championships, Electric
Tournament of Champions, and
International Miniature Aerobatic Club
competitor, my son Chris, for the flight
photos. Given the aircraft’s unique design,
he was pleasantly surprised at the wide
flight envelope.
Conclusion: The Fantasy Racer is a great
value with excellent flight performance and
durability. You can get in the air quickly
and will be pleased with the total package.
Cermark has a winner; give it a try!

62 MODEL AVIATION
Cermark Fantasy Racer
An Italian artist’s take
on Golden Age racing
The completed model is sharp. Adding a pilot and pin striping makes it stand out from other
Fantasy Racers at the field.
02sig2.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 12/16/11 12:42 PM Page 62February 2012 63
Fantasy Racer
Cermark
Joe Hass
Far left: The landing gear snaps into four mating surfaces on the wing. Four screws secure the durable landing gear assembly to the wing.
Left: Aileron servos are preinstalled with the linkages already connected. Note the two wing-locking mechanisms on the right side of the
picture.
THE FANTASY RACER was inspired by Italian artist
Mirco Pecoran’s Gee Bee R-3. Three versions are
available. The RTF (ready-to-fly) is complete with radio
system and battery. The BNF (bind-and-fly) version is
minus the radio and receiver, and the other version, used
in this review, is the PNP (plug-and-play) that lets you
use your radio system and battery.
The 36-page, six-language manual covers the
different versions. Cermark has added a single-page
addendum with important additional information.
The primary construction is EPP (EPO) foam with
plastic reinforcements.
I am going to jump ahead a bit to cover some of the
finishing touches. After completing the Fantasy Racer, I
decided that black striping tape to separate the red
scallops from the white surfaces would add a nice
touch. It was much harder to do with the airplane
completed.
If you want to make this addition, it is easier to do
while the pieces are apart. Only the line between the
Basic aerobatics are easily flown with the Fantasy
Racer, including knife-edge passes that exhibit
very little coupling.
take
racing
02sig2.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 12/16/11 12:43 PM Page 6364 MODEL AVIATION
Assembling the Fantasy Racer is quick thanks to a low parts count and preinstalled power system and servos.
The wing-locking mechanism is simple, yet effective.
Right: There’s plenty of room to mount your receiver of choice. Rudder and elevator servos are preinstalled.
Photos by the author
02sig2.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 12/16/11 12:44 PM Page 64February 2012 65
S p ecif ication s
Model type: Sport
Skill level: Beginner builder,
intermediate pilot
Wingspan: 51 inches
Wing area: 453 square inches
Length: 41 inches
Weight: 3 pounds, 8 ounces
Wing loading: 18 ounces per square
foot
Power system: 400-500 watt electric
Battery: Three-cell LiPo 2200 mAh
20C or higher
Radio: Four-channel minimum
Servos: Four servos installed with Y
connector
Construction: Foam and plastic
Covering/finish: Prepainted
Price: PNP $101.99
Pluses and Minuses
+•
Nice-looking model and a great value
• Available as an RTF, BNF, or PNP
• Unbelievable flight performance
• Durable
• High-quality connectors for power
system -•
Requires a 4000 mAh battery to
balance properly
• A way to secure the battery needs to
be installed
• Elevator pushrod needs additional
support
Test Model Details
Motor: NEODYM 10 1000 Kv brushless
motor
Speed control: 50 amp BEC ESC
Battery: Hyperion three-cell, 4000 mAh
25C LiPo
Propeller: 12 x 6
Output load: 511 watts, 43 amps, 12.6
volts, 9000 rpm with included
propeller
Radio system: Spektrum DX6i
transmitter, Spektrum AR500
receiver, servos and Y connector
included with aircraft
Ready-to-fly weight: 3 pounds, 10
ounces
Flight duration: 7-8 minutes of
aggressive aerobatics, 10-12 minutes of
sport flying
Left: A simple plywood brace is used to keep the elevator pushrod from
flexing under flight loads.
Right: The battery compartment can accommodate various size batteries.
Hook-and-loop strap was epoxied to the bottom of the battery
compartment to keep the battery from moving.
fuselage and the wing is best done after the wings are attached. I
used the black vinyl sign material. It is thin and extremely flexible
with an aggressive adhesive. The adhesive is so powerful that you
want to plan ahead and carefully apply the stripes only once. I cut
the vinyl to the desired width and put it in place.
The servos, motor, and ESC are preinstalled. Neat and simple!
Per the addendum, I checked and added a bit of epoxy to the control
horn attachments. I test-fit the tail wheel bracket then epoxied it to
the fuselage before the rudder was attached.
The instructions show the rudder pushrod attached to the outer
hole on the rudder control horn. I found that slightly more rudder
movement was necessary, so I used the center hole. The elevator
pushrod flexed when I applied down elevator, so I added a small
plywood brace as shown above. The control throws were set per the
manual with 25% exponential.
Each landing gear assembly is attached to the wing with four
screws. The wings are supported with aluminum tubes and locked in
place with clips that are an integral part of the wing and fuselage.
Neat!
Carefully position the included propeller on the spinner
backplate to match the cutouts in the spinner, before you secure it in
place. Add your receiver and battery and you are ready to go. There
is room for a variety of batteries, but more on that later.
After the stripes were added the canopy looked woefully empty
without a pilot. A visit to John Hoover at Flight Line Hobby in Lake
Orion, Michigan, had me leaving with a Hangar 9 (HAN9101) pilot
figure that was the right size and color.
Because the canopy was already attached, getting the pilot into
the canopy required some creativity. Using the SWG method
(scientific wild guess), I cut the foam from the bottom, pushed the
pilot into place, and glued it with epoxy. If you choose to add a
pilot, be careful. There’s little room between the bottom of the
canopy hatch and the top of the servos. Make sure the servos move
freely when the canopy is in place.
After much testing, I settled on a three-cell 4,000 mAh Hyperion
25C LiPo battery. It gives me 7- to 8-minute aggressive flights using
only half the battery’s capacity.
The battery slides fully forward in the battery compartment to
achieve a CG that requires little forward stick for inverted flight. To
ensure that the battery wouldn’t move, I glued a double-sided hookand-
loop fastener to the bottom of the battery compartment and
added a piece of matching hook-and-loop fastener to the battery.
The loop portion of the fastener was added to the battery area to
make sure it did not move from side to side.
Total time from start to finish, including installing the pilot and
the striping, was roughly three hours. A third of that time was spent
on the striping. I started the Fantasy Racer after dinner and it was
ready to fly before bedtime.
02sig3.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 12/16/11 1:49 PM Page 65Flying: After the usual control and taxi
tests, I was ready for the first flight.
Positioned on the center of the grass
runway, I slowly advanced the throttle
while holding full up-elevator. As the
speed increased, I released the up-elevator
and the tail came up in a scale fashion. A
little more throttle and a touch of upelevator
and the Fantasy Racer was
airborne.
A click of right aileron and a click of
down-elevator was all that was required for
trim. A quick climb to altitude provided a
chance to try a stall. I didn’t notice any
adverse characteristics with a gentle break
and there was no tendency to fall off on
either wing.
I flew down to a reasonable altitude and
I tried some basic maneuvers. Loops were
easy from level flight. Rolls were
amazingly axial. Inverted flight required a
touch of down-elevator. Before long I
decided to set up for a landing to check
things out and recharge the battery.
A left pattern was flown. On short final
at approximately 4 feet off the ground, I
chopped the throttle—big mistake!
Instantly the Fantasy Racer almost stopped
and stalled, impacting those big, beautiful
wheel pants. Ouch!
I walked over to the aircraft, lying
ingloriously on its back, expecting to see
missing chunks of foam and broken plastic
parts on the landing gear.
Amazingly, there was only some paint
worn away on the front of the wheel pants;
everything else was perfect! This is one
durable machine. At Flight Line Hobby, I
found that Apple Barrel 20501 Bright Red
was a perfect match for the red on the
Racer.
With a fully charged battery, another
scalelike takeoff was completed. While the
battery was still fresh, I tried some knifeedge
flight. Solid knife-edge flight was
easy in either direction with no adverse
coupling. Four-point rolls were crisp and
scalelike.
I attempted another landing, this time
with power. The rate of descent was
controlled by the throttle with only the
slightest touch of up-elevator to break the
descent. After the main landing gear was
solidly on the ground, I reduced the throttle
and the tail dropped. I taxied back for
another takeoff.
Airborne again, I came around for a
touch-and-go. Maintaining power until the
main landing gear touched, I slowly
advanced the throttle for another smooth
takeoff. This airplane looks great and flies
beautifully!
Climbing back to altitude, I tried a spin.
The Fantasy Racer needs to fully stall
before a spin starts. It takes roughly a
quarter turn to stop the spin after the
controls are neutralized. Rolling circles,
avalanches, and stall turns were easily
accomplished.
I solicited the help of a local Extreme
Flight Championships, Electric
Tournament of Champions, and
International Miniature Aerobatic Club
competitor, my son Chris, for the flight
photos. Given the aircraft’s unique design,
he was pleasantly surprised at the wide
flight envelope.
Conclusion: The Fantasy Racer is a great
value with excellent flight performance and
durability. You can get in the air quickly
and will be pleased with the total package.
Cermark has a winner; give it a try!