Focal Point - 2004/10
Retractable Four-Star
Ryan Livingston (15881 McClellan Dr. A-12, Marshall MI 49068; E-mail: [email protected]) wanted to build a model with retractable landing gear and started with a Sig Manufacturing Four-Star 120 kit.
He converted it to a tricycle landing-gear arrangement and installed B&D Enterprises pneumatic retracts. Other modifications include a custom-made fiberglass cowl, side-mounted engine, and a low-profile canopy. Ryan powers his custom model with an O.S. .91 FX.
"The picture was taken after about two months of flying, which have proven the model to be a real presence in the air and on the ground," he wrote.
Converted Edge
Michael Rosman (W362 S10130 Lewin Ln., Eagle WI 53119; E-mail: [email protected]) converted a 30% LanierRC Edge 540T from a two-place replica to a single-place version.
He redid the model's covering and made all the graphics on the computer except the ones on the wing; Kirby's Custom Graphics did those. A Sachs 4.2 engine that turns a 24 x 10 propeller at 6,700 rpm powers the model.
"The airplane is a dream to fly," wrote Michael. "It lands like a trainer and does every 3-D maneuver out there. It is definitely the best airplane I have owned to date." Michael thanks his dad Bill Rosman for his help with covering and painting the model.
Salvage/Scratch P-38
H. Lee Trogdon (24779 Fink Rd., Albemarle NC 28001; E-mail: [email protected]) began this profile P-38 project with a Sig 300S wing he salvaged from a trash barrel at the flying field. He scratch-built the rest from balsa and plywood.
The elevator and rudder servos are mounted in the pods on the sides of the booms, and the horizontal stabilizer is split in the middle to allow the booms to be removed. A Tower Hobbies .40 engine powers the model. It spans 58 inches, is 41 inches long, and weighs 4.5 pounds. It is covered with Cream and White UltraCote.
Baby Boomer
Jerry Sciortino (25328 Brookside Dr., Seaford DE 19972) covered his 1/4-scale Fly Baby with 21st Century Fabric and powers it with a Saito 1.30 two-cylinder engine.
The model weighs 13 pounds and features a full-figure lady pilot that Jerry's wife prepared. The practice bomb slung on the bottom of the Fly Baby bears the name "Baby Boomer." "In my attempts to add scale detail, I was lucky to find an owner of a full-scale Fly Baby who allowed me to photograph and measure his airplane," wrote Jerry.
Martin P6M-2
David Plummer (14414 NE 14th Pl., Bellevue WA 98007; E-mail: [email protected]) constructed this 1/6-scale Martin P6M-2 flying boat.
The model spans 77 inches, is 90 inches long, and weighs 17.5 pounds. It is powered by four Mega ACn 22/20/2 brushless motors, each fitted with a 60A controller, driving WeMoTec HW609 fans. The fans produce a thrust of 6 pounds at full throttle.
"With the rather low thrust-to-weight ratio, I'm not sure the model will get off the water, but I'll give it a try," wrote David.
Super Stearman
Walt Carnes (2620 Knightsbridge Dr., Fort Wayne IN 46815; E-mail: [email protected]) took 15 months to build this PT-17 "Super Stearman" from Nick Ziroli plans.
The model mounts a Quadra-Aerrow Q400 gas engine with spring starter and weighs 24 pounds. Other features include a JR XP8103S eight-channel radio system for guidance, Robart struts and wheels, Fiberglass Specialties wheel pants and cowl, and a Goebel instrument panel. The PT-17 is covered with Koverall fabric and is painted with 2003 VW yellow paint and trimmed with VW red paint.
"It seems like the Stearman will fly forever on 24 ounces of fuel," wrote Walt.
Commemorative Flying Wing
Mark Wasilow (291 Santa Barbara, Irvine CA 92606; E-mail: [email protected]) designed and built this racing/aerobatic flying wing to commemorate the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
This model is a spin-off of old CL Combat airplane designs. It spans 40 inches, has a wing area of 480 square inches, weighs 2.5 pounds, and features a 1-inch-thick symmetrical airfoil that Mark designed. Using an O.S. Max SX-32, the model has been clocked by a radar gun at speeds exceeding 150 mph.
"The wing is very docile at slow flight and lands very slow like a trainer," wrote Mark.
Profile Europa
James Morway (1105 Marion Dr., Holly MI 48442; E-mail: [email protected]) built this profile Europa using Bob Hunt's Lost Foam wing-building system.
A Webra .32 engine fitted with a carbon-fiber tuned pipe powers the model. It is covered with OZ film and all lettering and graphics were airbrushed. The pilot figure depicts "Big Art" Adamisin, James's longtime friend.
"Since Europa is a moon of Jupiter, I think you catch the drift of the paint job," wrote James.
First Kit-Build
Michael Harris (5827 Elmwood Dr. NE, Albuquerque NM 87109; E-mail: [email protected]) submitted this photo of his first kit-built model: a 40-size Great Planes F-15 Eagle.
He powers it with an O.S. .50 SX engine and uses Futaba radio gear for guidance. The F-15 spans 47 inches and weighs 6 pounds. The covering is Dove Gray MonoKote.
"I quickly found out why military jets are painted gray, as this model's camouflage in the sky works real well!" wrote Michael. According to him, the model flies nicely and the landings aren't as tough as he thought they might be.
Smoothie and Flite Streak Trainer
Father and daughter Tom and Mindy Alberty (9943 Bayham, Portage MI 49024) enjoy flying their Brodak Manufacturing CL models. Mindy is 11 years old and has been flying with her dad for two years.
Mindy's Flite Streak Trainer is covered with MonoKote and is powered by a Fox .15 engine. Tom's Smoothie is also covered with MonoKote and is powered by a Fox .35 engine.
"Both airplanes shown have accidentally flown inverted," wrote Tom. "Although the experience frayed our nerves, both airplanes and pilots survived!"
Don't Blink!
Ron Molaro (1366 73rd St., Brooklyn NY 11228; E-mail: [email protected]) built this Patriot from a Great Planes kit. He powers it with a Jett Engineering .50 engine.
Other features include Spring Air retracts, Bob Violett Models wheels and brakes, and a Futaba radio-control system. Ron modified the kit by adding a larger fuel tank and fully sheeting the wings. He also added custom simulated intakes crafted from blocks of solid balsa.
"The Patriot flies fast and tracks like an arrow," wrote Ron. "If you blink, you'll miss it."
Simulated Flight Photo
Jerome Sciortino (25328 Brookside Dr., Seaford DE 19973) named his Top Flite 1/5-scale P-51D Mustang "Big Beautiful Doll." It is powered by a SuperTiger .90 engine and features Robart mechanical retracts.
He decided to shoot the model in a simulated flight pose after reading Mark Lanterman's article "Capturing Models Digitally" in the August 2003 MA. Jerome used a Nikon F-3 with a Vivitar 70–210mm lens to take the photo.
"I am not too proud to learn a better way of taking pictures," wrote Jerome. "Thanks for the lesson!"
Sorta-Scale Curtiss
Robert C. Johnson (69 Beaverbrook Rd., Burlington MA 01803; E-mail: [email protected]) built a Sig Hog-Bipe and made minor changes to the nose and vertical fin so it would resemble a 1930s Curtiss shipboard fighter. He calls this a "Sorta-Scale" transformation.
A Saito 80 engine swinging a 13 x 6 prop powers Robert's biplane. It is covered with Coverite 21st Century Fabric.
"It is an absolute joy to fly, and it lands like a feather," he wrote.
D.H.80A Puss Moth
Robert E. Thacker (1703 Calle Maria, San Clemente CA 92672) built this de Havilland D.H.80A from a West Wings kit purchased from Peck-Polymers.
Bob covered this 24-inch-span free-flight model with transparent silkspan he had saved for more than 30 years, attaching the material with two coats of Sig nitrate model dope. He fabricated the windshields and windows from Clear Super MonoKote.
The model's initial finished weight was 2.65 ounces, but Bob added an additional 0.5 ounce of lead to achieve the correct flying balance.
Tale of Two Thunderbolts
Avey Shaw (52 Teed St., Huntington Station NY 11746) built two P-47 Thunderbolts and painted them to match.
He built the smaller P-47 from a Top Flite kit more than 15 years ago and named it "Betty," after his mother-in-law. He built the larger model from Nick Ziroli plans and named it "Flex," a nickname he gave his nephew. The larger model spans 72 inches and is powered by a Quadra 35 engine.
"The 49 on the cowl represents how many RC aircraft I've built to date," wrote Avey.
38 Special
Mitchell Heller (3110 Harrison, Glenview IL 60025; E-mail: [email protected]) built this 38 Special from a Brodak kit.
The fuselage was primed with Brodak modeling dope and painted with black acrylic auto paint. The wings were covered with White MonoKote. A Silver Fox tuned Fox .35 engine powers the model, and it flies on 60-foot lines. This is a popular CL sport design featuring a profile fuselage.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
