Focal Point - 2003/06
Super Skybolt
Rich Farleigh (508 Stony Creek Ct., Sterling VA 20164)
- Model: Great Planes Super Skybolt
- Power: O.S. FS-120 Surpass III engine with pump on a J'Tec Snuf‑Vibe mount
- Radio/servos: Futaba 8UAP radio with three 9303 and two 9102 servos; 6‑volt, 2000 mAh battery
- Controls: pull‑pull rudder
- Smoke: TME smoke system; Slimline Pitts smoke muffler added since photo
- Covering: MonoKote
“Main wing trim was done by making a paper template and cutting each color from trim sheets, then applying template to wing for alignment,” wrote Rich. “This beauty speaks for itself!”
Fairchild 24
Myron H. Pickard (7089 Goodview Rd., Goodview VA 24095)
- Model: 1/5‑scale Fairchild 24 built from an Ikon N’Wst kit; features a Ranger cowl
- Span: 90 inches
- Weight: 16 pounds
- Covering/finish: Super Coverite; painted with Krylon
- Engine: Ryobi 31cc (gas)
- Details: scale working struts
“The fuselage in the background is a full‑scale 24 which I am helping to rebuild,” wrote Myron.
Stearman PT‑17
Joe W. Chadwick (905 N. Amy Dr., Deer Park TX 77536)
- Model: Boeing Stearman PT‑17 (from a Royal kit) — Joe’s first RC scale build
- Span: 68 3/8 inches
- Weight: 13 pounds, 2 ounces
- Covering: MonoKote
- Power: Saito FA‑120 Special hidden in a handmade dummy engine
- Photo: taken at a local airport
“Xplane”
Randall L. Huston (Box 13, Bolckow MO 64427; E‑mail: [email protected])
- Construction: blue foam, balsa, and light plywood
- Dimensions: span 34 inches; length 37 inches
- Weight: 3 pounds, 14 ounces
- Power: Magnum .46 engine; 10 x 6 APC propeller; Macs tuned pipe
- Radio: four‑channel Hitec Focus 4 with electronic elevon mixing by PME
- Flying characteristics: takes off from a 45° launching pad, slows to a crawl for landing, flies faster than 100 mph, rolls three times per second
“It’s a blast to fly,” he wrote.
Multiseasonal Project
Larry Barton (130 Woodmont Dr., Randolph NJ 07869)
- Model: F‑14 TAMEcat trainer designed by Jeff Troy, built from an Altech kit (last kit sold at Carl’s Hobbies closing)
- Note: Jeff signed one fuselage part and numbered it 5,946
- Covering: White, Chrome, Royal Blue, Cub Yellow, and Aluminum MonoKote
- Power: O.S. .46 FX engine
“Wonder if anyone else out there has one of the other TAMEcats,” wrote Larry.
Flying Machine
Scott Robison (1807 Meadowlake Dr., Charleston IL 61920; E‑mail: [email protected])
- Model: Flying Machine designed by Don Muddiman; kitted by Progressive Aviation
- Span: 44 inches
- Recommended power: O.S. .40 FX with a Macs tuned pipe
- Prop/Performance: 9 x 7 propeller; will turn 17,000 rpm; speed between 110 and 140 mph
- Notes: Scott’s 4‑year‑old son Ryan is learning to fly and is pictured holding the model
"This is the second one I've built and I love it! It'll perform any trick in the book with no nasty habits."
Phokker?
David Neiswender (3 Colonial Ln., Cherry Hill NJ 08003; E‑mail: Janet‑[email protected])
- Model: Balsa USA Phaeton biplane modified and finished as a World War I–style fighter (Iron Cross markings)
- Power: early version of the Saito 45
- Radio: 1980 Kraft FM seven‑channel
- Notes: classic WWI fighter lines; flies like a WWI fighter should
"I don't know whether to call it a Fake Fokker, or a Phony Fokker or maybe a Phokker," wrote David.
Sweet!
Ed Wehrle (84 W. Patterson Rd., Eighty Four PA 15330; E‑mail: [email protected])
- Model: RadioCraft Staudacher S‑300
- Power: BME 102cc Twin engine
- Covering: CFC graphics
- Weight: 28 pounds
"It is a 'sweet' flying airplane," wrote Ed.
Edge 540T
Tom Fenn (5041 S. Santa Ana Ave., Sierra Vista AZ 85650; E‑mail: [email protected])
- Model: 33% Aeroworks Edge 540T
- Span: 105 inches
- Length: 93 inches
- Flying weight: 26 pounds
- Finish: MonoKote and TopFlite LustreKote paint
- Radio: Futaba eight‑channel using two PCM receivers
- Power: Desert Aircraft DA‑100 engine with a Mejzlik 26 x 12 propeller
"This airplane is so much fun to fly you hate to see the day end," wrote Tom.
“Old Faithful”
Shawn Kappner (8220 Mariner Ln., Miamiville OH 45039; E‑mail: [email protected])
- Model: Ace Extra 230 (plain‑Jane) restored and given graphics by Dennis Kirby (Kirby's Custom Graphics)
- Notes: After 8 years and 150 flights a makeover of pinstripes and graphics greatly refreshed the airplane
Airmaster
Abe Fasch (205 V.F.W. Rd. #2, Grovetown GA 30813)
- Plans: Model Aviation plans 694 (construction feature, August 1991)
- Span: 66 inches
- Length: 56 inches
- Weight: 8 pounds
- Wing area: 786 square inches
- Canard: spans 35 inches; area 232 square inches
- Construction: built‑up balsa and plywood
- Covering: red, white, and blue MonoKote
- Power: two ASP .46 engines with APC 10 x 7 propellers (tractor and pusher)
- Notes: "More than enough power since the airplane was designed for twin .40s and a flying weight of nine lbs.," wrote Abe.
Starduster Too
Matt Kerr (904 Frank St., Bay City MI 48706; E‑mail: [email protected])
- Model: 3 1/4 inches to the foot scale Starduster Too, built from Dario Brisighella drawings
- Span: 80 inches
- Length: 64 inches
- Weight: 20 pounds
- Power: US Engines 35cc
- Notes: Matt's first RC scale project; shown next to his full‑scale Starduster Too
"I am still trying to learn to fly a Telemaster 40," wrote Matt. "It may (or will) be a long time before I fly the Starduster."
“Midnight Express”
Glen Todd (243 Stallo St., Monte Vista CO 81144)
- Model: B‑26 “Midnight Express” built from a Wing Mfg. kit
- Power: two Magnum .40 engines (each engine has its own throttle servo)
- Radios: two Airtronics radios — one dedicated to throttles, one for flight controls
- Finish: Krylon polyurethane oil‑based paint applied with an airbrush
WW II Replica
Ken Glemby (57 Jefferson Ave., Westwood NJ 07675)
- Model: 6‑foot‑span P‑47D replica of the aircraft Ken flew in the 9th Air Force, 406th Fighter Group, 514th Squadron during World War II
- Builder: Ken’s brother‑in‑law Murry Greene (12 Consul Dr., Livingston NJ 07039) built the model and focused on color, lettering, and detailing
- Features: three operating pylon bomb shackles; navigation lights; landing lights; flaps; retracts; detailed cockpit and pilot
- Construction: balsa construction sealed with clear epoxy, filled and sanded many times, then sprayed for a "just out of the factory" look
“His sister—my wife—after whom I named the airplane is still the young and beautiful Paula,” wrote Ken. “I can’t say the same for myself.”
Glow Conversion
Bill Foth (14 E. Oak, Algona IA 50511)
- Model: 1/6‑scale 1930 Consolidated Fleet biplane by Concept Models (originally electric)
- Conversion: converted to glow power
- Power: O.S. .46 FX engine
- Radio: Futaba SkySport 6A
- Details: hand‑cut graphics; dummy engine by Williams Bros.
“The airplane flies well,” wrote Bill.
Share your project
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- Mail to: Model Aviation, 5161 E. Memorial Dr., Muncie IN 47302; Attn: Focal Point.
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Bf 110 Zerstörer
Roger P. Jones (1777 W. Lark Dr., Chandler AZ 85248)
- Model: Messerschmitt Bf 110 German bomber, designed and scratch‑built from a plastic kit
- Span: 72 inches
- Power: twin .40 engines
- Design/process: Roger used a pantograph and the kit plans to estimate areas and dimensions; he designed all servo/pushrod control‑surface operations and balance points from his piloting experience as a US Air Force Captain
- Features: operating flaps; main landing gear and doors; microservos with Y connection for throttles
- Finish: duplicates the Battle of Britain Erg 210 Squadron camouflage
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
