Focal Point - 2004/06

10 MODEL AVIATION
Fast Fox
Dave Horvath (5151 State University Dr., Los Angeles CA
90032; E-mail: [email protected]) sent this photo of his Fox
original design.
It features a foam-core wing with a span of 49 inches. The airfoil
section is an NACA 0012. The model is powered by an O.S. .32 SX
engine, and the ready-to-fly weight is 3 pounds.
“The top speed is 120-plus miles per hour on 15% nitromenthane
fuel and an APC 8 x 6 propeller,” wrote Dave.
CL Gunship
Dennis R. Slater (5153 W. Melrose St., Chicago IL 60641) built
this highly modified, Control Line Lockheed AC-130 Hercules
gunship from Air Age plans.
It spans 81 inches, weighs 12.5 pounds, and is powered by two
O.S. .45 FSR engines mounted in the inboard nacelles. Electric
motors are mounted in the outboard nacelles to spin the propellers.
The throttle control is via the standard three-line system, but
encoder/decoder electronic operation was included for the flaps,
landing-gear lights, marker lights, brakes, outboard motor control,
the rear door, and cargo and troop parachute drops.
“This is my second version of the model, and it is a huge step up
from the prior one,” wrote Dennis.
EC-47N
Don R. Giandomenico (6094 Verbena Ln., San Bernardino CA
92407; E-mail: [email protected]) built this Top Flite DC-3 kit
as an EC-47N electronic warfare aircraft that was used in the
Vietnam War.
The 11.5-pound model features Robart retracts, split flaps, and
working landing and running lights. Two Magnum 61 four-stroke
engines spin 10 x 7 three-blade propellers. The Futaba radio gear
includes 10 servos controlled by a Futaba 8U radio.
Covering is 3⁄4-ounce fiberglass and Cheveron Hobby Products
paint. The model spans 82.5 inches and is 55.5 inches long.
“She flies beautifully,” wrote Don. “The flaps really help this
airplane slow to a crawl without any bad tendencies.”
Aerobatic Bücker
Bob Haines (22 Heather Brook Rd., Uncasville CT 06382) built
this beautiful Bücker Jungmeister from Cleveland plans.
“The plans must be reworked to suit RC needs,” he wrote.
The model has a 53-inch wingspan and is powered by an Enya
80 four-stroke engine. It is covered with Solartex and is very
aerobatic.
Model Aviation, 5161 E. Memorial Dr., Muncie IN 47302
Focal Point
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June 2004 11
Kit-Bashed PT-23
Wayne F. Reynolds (102 Robie St., Bath NY 14810) “kitbashed”
a Dynaflite PT-19 kit into this great-looking PT-23. It took
him more than 21⁄2 years to complete the project.
A Saito FA-120 four-stroke engine that is cleverly surrounded by
a scratch-built seven-cylinder dummy engine powers the model.
Also featured are Robart PT-19 struts for the landing gear.
“Special thanks to Sal Calvagna for his inputs on Radio Control
Giants,” wrote Wayne.
Inline Fokker D.VIII
John A. Hanson (4128 Dutch Hollow Rd., Bemus Point NY
14712) built this 1918 Fokker D.VIII inline from scaled-up Model
Airplane News plans that were published in 1941.
The built-up model features all stick construction and weighs
7.25 pounds. It has a wingspan of 84 inches and is powered by a
Magnum 52 four-stroke engine. The covering is Oracover, and a
three-channel Airtronics radio is used for guidance.
“It flies low and slow, and it’s a dream to handle,” wrote John.
For more great Focal Point photos, go to: www.modelaircraft.org/mag/index.htm
Plans-Built Meteor
David Mikitka (8509 Redwing Ln., Forth Worth TX 76123; Email:
[email protected]) built this 84-inch-wingspan Laird-Turner RT-
14 Meteor from Wendell Hostetler plans.
It is covered with World-Tex fabric and painted with custommixed
Sig dope. The model is powered by a 4.2-cubic-inch Brison
gas engine, which swings a 24 x 6 propeller. The project took David
535 hours to complete.
“I scratch built all of the fiberglass parts and placed each rivet by
hand,” wrote David. “My wife made the scale pilot from a DGA
full-body kit.”
Relaxing Flying King
M. Patrick Murphy (Box 411, Sussex WI 53089; E-mail:
[email protected]) built this Flying King from a Bruce
Tharpe Engineering (BTE) kit and fitted it with the optional flaps
and optional BTE tail-wheel kit.
The model is powered by a Saito 80 four-stroke engine and
guided by a Futaba T6XAS radio. The covering is Coverite 21st
Century Fabric in Cub Yellow.
“The kit was an absolute delight to build, and at the time the
photo was taken, the model had 10 flights on it,” wrote M. Patrick.
“It is the most relaxing flier I have ever taken up.”
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12 MODEL AVIATION
Model Aviation, 5161 E. Memorial Dr., Muncie IN 47302
Focal Point
First-Attempt Corsair
Lenny Halzel (144 President Ave., Providence RI 02906; E-mail:
[email protected]) built this 30-pound Corsair from a Top Flite kit.
It spans 86 inches, and a 3W-75 engine powers it. A Futaba PCM
receiver and Hitec high-torque servos are used. The retracts are by
Robart. The model was covered with 3⁄4-ounce fiberglass cloth using
West System epoxy, and the finish is PPG Concept automotive
paint.
“This was my first attempt at a scale warbird, and the knowledge
to do the panel lines, rivets, and weathering techniques was obtained
from the Dave Platt Painting and Detailing video that I purchased,”
wrote Lenny.
Nice Pup
Phil Shellabarger (194 D St., Coos Bay OR 97420; E-mail:
[email protected]) built this 1⁄4-scale Sopwith Pup from a Balsa
USA kit.
It has a 77-inch wingspan, weighs 15.5 pounds, features a pullpull
control-system linkage, and is powered by an O.S. 120 III with
fuel pump.
The Pup is covered with Super Coverite and painted with 21st
Century paint. The wheels and the Vickers machine gun are
Williams Bros. products.
Realistic-Sounding Skywalker
Kent McCormick (1603 Gary Grove, Quincy IL 62305; E-mail:
[email protected]) owns this Sig Skywalker that Wayne Allen
built. It is powered by an O.S. 300 twin and is controlled by a JR
radio.
“The sound with the twin and a large Dynathrust four-stroke
propeller is very realistic,” wrote Kent.
Don Taylor took this photo on the runway at Haerr Field in
Taylor, Michigan.
Innovative Goose
Laddie Mikulasko (7 Giffen Rd., Dundas, Ontario, Canada L9H
6S1) must have some impressive electric bill! His original-design
Scale Howard Hughes Spruce Goose has eight 6-volt Speed 400
motors for power, each driving a 2:1 gearbox.
The internal electrics feature serial parallel connections so that
the power to each outboard motor can be interrupted when steering
the model on the water’s surface. It flies with 32 2000 mA batteries
and uses 9.4 x 7 APC propellers. The entire model was constructed
from balsa wood.
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June 2004 13
Wet or Dry Cub
Bob Schultheis (5632 N. Moraine Hills Dr., West Bend WI
53095) built this Sig clipped-wing Cub more than 12 years ago, and
it still performs well. In the photo it is taxiing in after a landing at
Bong Recreation Area in southern Wisconsin.
The model can be reconfigured for water or land in only 10
minutes. A YS 91 four-stroke engine powers it, and the steering on
the water is accomplished with a waterproof servo that is buried in
one of the floats.
“The airplane had an unusual experience in northern Wisconsin
when it joined a bald eagle in flight and the two circled together,
eyeing each other for about five minutes,” Bob wrote. “Then the
eagle got bored and flew away.”
Modified Moth
Robert A. Garner Jr. (358 Twp. Rd. 1161, Proctorville OH
45669; E-mail: [email protected]) modified this Great Planes Tiger
Moth ARF.
“I wanted a different look than out of the box, so I went to the
Internet to look for possible restored full-scale units, and this is a
copy of one that I found,” he wrote.
The model is powered by an O.S. .91 FS engine, and it uses a JR
8103 radio for guidance.
Nostalgic Helldiver
Edgar B. Pease Jr. (30138 Corte Cantera, Temecula CA 92591)
wrote, “At the close of WW II my last assignment in Navy uniform
was ferrying a brand new SB2C Helldiver, number 325, from the
Curtiss plant in Columbus, Ohio, to North Island Naval Air Station,
San Diego.”
This nostalgic remembrance inspired Edgar to produce this
scratch-built version of the aircraft he once flew. His model is
electric powered and weighs 4 pounds. It is covered with
MonoKote, and some Perfect Paints were also used to complete the
finish.
Proud of your latest building/flying effort? Share it with MA’s
readers and/or visitors to AMA’s Web site
(www.modelaircraft.org)! Send us a glossy color print or digital
photo on CD-ROM (minimum 300 ppi) with an appropriate
description of the model, and we will publish or post the best
submissions.
No E-mailed photos, laser copies, ink-jet copies, or
photocopies will be accepted. Restrict content to the model with
or without the owner/builder. Inappropriate photos will not be
published.
Supply your full address (and E-mail address if available) so
that interested parties may contact you directly. Send all
submissions to Bob Hunt, Box 68, Stockertown PA 18083, ATTN:
Focal Point. Because of this section’s popularity, it may be
several months before your model is featured.
Detailed Cessna
Leo Joshua (832 Sagewood Dr., Hinesville GA 31313; E-mail:
[email protected]) built this Cessna 182 Skylane from a Great Planes
ARF kit and modified it with many scale details.
It features a handmade scale interior and a full-body pilot which
Leo made by adding a carved foam body to a Williams Bros. 1⁄8-
scale sport pilot bust.
The model has Ram operational landing, navigation,
anticollision, and rotating tail beacon lights. Leo added functional
flaps to the wing. An O.S. .46 FX engine powers the model.
For more great Focal Point photos, go to: www.modelaircraft.org/mag/index.htm
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