Focal Point
Flying Crutch
Mike Smith (512 W. 1st, Pittsburg, KS 66762; E-mail: [email protected]) built this unique flying crutch using a wing from a Sig Manufacturing Four-Star 40. It is built in a pusher configuration and mounts a Magnum .46 engine for power.
The model weighs 6 1/2 pounds and has no movable rudder—just a servo for nose-wheel steering. A JR 8103 radio provides guidance.
"It is a very stable and fun flier which does nice loops, rolls, and inverted flight," wrote Mike. "It will land very slow and nose-high."
1/4-Scale Wright Flyer
R.H. Horton (2686 Maplewood Dr., Columbus, OH 43231; E-mail: [email protected]) built his 1/4-scale radio-control 1903 Wright Flyer to celebrate the 100th anniversary of powered flight.
"I used the original Smithsonian drawings and included chain drives and hand-carved propellers," wrote R.H.
The model is equipped with an O.S. FS-120-E engine complete with an onboard electric starter. Control is via wing warping.
R.H. decided not to risk flight with this model, and now it hangs in the Center of Science & Industry in Columbus, Ohio.
Museum-Quality PT-22
Bob Sheere (9112 La Grand Ave., Garden Grove, CA 92841; E-mail: [email protected]) built this 1/4-scale Ryan PT-22 from Bob Sweitzer's plans.
Photos and measurements for the model were taken from the prototype, three-view drawings, and copies of the manufacturer's drawings obtained through the Ryan Museum in San Diego, California.
An O.S. 1.60 FX powers this aircraft, and guidance is handled by a Hitec seven-channel radio.
Inspired Spitfire
Bob Haines (22 Heather Brook Rd., Uncasville, CT 06382) was inspired to build this control-line aerobatics model after reading an article in Model Airplane News about the exploits of World War II British ace Douglas Bader.
"All I had to go on was a one-page three-view of the aircraft," wrote Bob. "I drew plans and scratch-built a 54-inch-span, Fox .35-powered Stunter."
He built the model in 1955, and a teenager in one of Bob's local clubs is flying it today!
Modified ACE 4-60
Carl Grover (1603 Saginaw Ln. S.W., Decatur, AL 35603) built this sporty ACE 4-60 biplane and added a custom-molded cowling and a formed-plastic canopy, both of which he scratch-built.
The model's finish is Sig Koverall and nitrate dope with a Hobbypoxy clear topcoat. It is powered by a K&B .65 Sportster engine fitted with a Slimline Pitts-style muffler. The wheel pants are from Fiberglass Master.
Going Vertical!
Carl Stock (4000 Brittany Cir. Apt. D, Bridgeton, MO 63044) designed and scratch-built his Sensation Pattern airplane with the thought of increasing vertical performance.
The functional air intakes and exhaust ducts cool the muffler, which is positioned above the wing. The exhaust is routed down and out the bottom of the fuselage. An O.S. 1.40 engine powers the 76-inch-wingspan model.
"... I hope it will give me a sensation somewhere near bliss," wrote Carl.
Homegrown Extra
Marty Meyer (160 Locust Ave., New Rochelle, NY 10805) sent this photo of his colorful 35%-scale Extra 300L.
He drew the plans for this model and constructed it in a six-month period from balsa, spruce, and aircraft-grade plywood. The wingspan is 106 inches, and the model is covered with MonoKote and Du Pont auto paint. It is powered by a 3W-100 engine.
Pretty Polen
Joe Moore (3181 San Pedro St., Clearwater, FL 33759; E-mail: [email protected]) scratch-built this 1/3-scale model of the experimental Polen Special from plans by Ed Rankin. It spans 89 inches and weighs 22 1/4 pounds.
Joe constructed the model from balsa, plywood, and carbon fiber. He applied silkspan over the balsa, used aluminum-colored dope as a filler, and followed it with 10 coats of hand-rubbed Randolph butyrate dope.
"The model's first flight required no trim adjustments on the transmitter—a first for me," wrote Joe.
Stretched Dazzler
Raymond Ringwald (1268 Kyndal Way, Gardnerville, NV 89410) added 5 inches to the fuselage of his Great Planes Dazzler and 1/2 inch to the ailerons and the elevators. He increased the rudder to almost twice the size of the stock model’s. The covering is MonoKote.
The kit’s directions called for a .40 engine, but Raymond opted to install a K&B .61. His flying site is at 5,000 feet elevation, and he thought the extra power and control-surface size might be needed.
Ziroli Stearman
Alfred Warren (2526 Alpine St., Morristown, TN 37814) built this model of Nick Ziroli’s Stand-Off Sport Scale Boeing Stearman from an old Long Island Hobbycrafters, Inc. kit (circa 1975).
The 6.8-pound model has a top wingspan of 51 inches and is powered by an O.S. 70 four-stroke engine. The simulated radial engine was built using Williams Bros. dummy cylinders (included in the kit) and a scratch-built crankshaft and other details.
Electric Dennyplane
The Dennyplane was originally built and flown by British actor Reginald Denny in 1936, wrote Bill Welle (1720 Kilpatrick Rd., Nokomis, FL 34275).
The version shown was built from D.B. Mathews’ plans featured in the January 1977 Model Aviation. It is powered by a 3:1 geared electric motor that turns an 8 x 11 propeller.
The model is covered with Dacron fabric and is reminiscent of the free-flight models of the late 1930s.
Electric Wright Flyer
George Steiner (2238 Rogue River Dr., Sacramento, CA 95826; E-mail: [email protected]) built this 1903 Wright Flyer from a Dare Design & Engineering kit.
It spans 40 inches and took only seven days to complete. Two GWS S1 motors drawing power from an eight-cell nickel-metal-hydride battery power it.
"My goal with this Wright Flyer was to duplicate what the first flight would have been like back in 1903," wrote George. "Every time I touch it or move it something has to be fixed or glued back in place."
According to George, he "enjoyed every minute of it!"
Dornier Do X
Laddie Mikulaszko (7 Giffen Rd., Dundas, Ontario, Canada L9H 6S1) designed and built this scale Dornier Do X and powered it with 12 6-volt, direct-drive Speed 400 motors. The propellers are Graupner 6 x 3 four-blade units.
The fuselage is made from balsa, and the wings and tail assemblies are made from foam and covered with tissue paper. The model is steered on the water by a rudder and by microswitch interruption of power to pairs of motors. It spans 80 inches and weighs 10 1/2 pounds.
Flying Quaker
Paul D. Spreiregen (2215 Observatory Pl. N.W., Washington, DC 20007) sent this photo of a Flying Quaker that former U.S. Navy pilot and longtime modeler Ernie Green (McLean, VA) built.
It has a 68-inch wingspan, weighs 44 1/2 ounces, and is covered with silkspan. A Bunch .45 ignition engine originally powered the model. Paul acquired the model from Ernie and installed an O.S. 26 four-stroke engine in place of the Bunch.
Front-Steer Stratos
Robert B. Peters (63 Bryan Ave., Amityville, NY 11701) developed this model of the Ligeti Stratos from a three-view drawing he obtained from Bob’s Aircraft Documentation.
Robert built the model to 1/3 scale, yielding a wingspan of 70.3 inches and a length of 33 inches. It is powered by an O.S. .46 FX engine fitted with a Pitts-style muffler.
"It is a great flier, and the fairing on the nose wheel acts as the rudder," he wrote.
Big Schweizer
"I haven't seen any scale sailplanes in 'Focal Point,' so I'm sending a photo of my 1/4-scale Schweizer SGS 1-26B that was built from Model Aviation plans #578," wrote L.W. Taylor (1015 Surrey Ct., Cary, NC 27511; E-mail: [email protected]).
Modifications he made to the plans include a sheeted nose and turtledeck, and an aerotow release. The model has a wingspan of 125 inches, weighs 9 pounds, and is covered with 21st Century Fabric.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
