10 MODEL AVIATION
Jake’s Flite Streak Jr.
Jake Moon (9930 Edgecliff Cir., Dallas TX 75238) holds his justcompleted
Flite Streak Jr. that was built from a Brodak kit. Jake
assisted his father Steve in every phase of the construction-andfinishing
process.
An O.S. Max III 15 engine powers the model, which weighs 14
ounces and is covered with Polyspan and finished with Sig modeling
dope.
At the time this photo was taken, Jake had made approximately
60 solo CL flights with a Sig Buster and was looking forward to
learning Loops and Wingovers with the Flite Streak Jr. We know for
a fact that he succeeded!
Tigrotto
Walter Gremlitz (808 El Rancho Dr., Sun City Center FL 33573)
built a Tigrotto from an Italian Mantua Models kit that allows you to
make three different model designs from it.
The airplane spans 46.8 inches, weighs roughly 4 pounds, and is
powered by an O.S. .10 engine. Most of the fuselage is made from
square dural aluminum tubing that was predrilled for assembly using
nuts and bolts.
The Tigrotto was supposed to be a tail-dragger, but Walt
modified it to have tricycle gear. The wing was supposed to be a
sheeted-foam type, but Walt used balsa instead.
North Star
Apparently Jim Archer (146 Lakeview Dr., Buchanan Dam TX
78609; E-mail: [email protected]) likes the unusual. He wanted
something different from all the other airplanes at his field and
something that could be flown off of water if desired. This model fit
that description.
He built his North Star from a Balsa USA kit and powers it with
an O.S. .46 FX engine. Futaba radio gear is used for guidance, and
the model is covered with MonoKote.
“It was test flown at our club field by Mel Whitley, former Top
Gun winner, and it performed as advertised,” wrote Jim. “It is quite
fast, looks good, and flies great.”
Model Aviation, 5161 E. Memorial Dr., Muncie IN 47302
Focal Point
Cessna 195
Gale Sherman (14417 Shirley Cir., Omaha NE 68144) built his
Cessna 195 from plans that Rich Uravitch drew, and he covered it
with MonoKote.
The cowl is finished with red and white LustreKote paint. All of
the rocker-arm blisters on the cowling are handmade. The model
features a fully detailed instrument panel and a Hangar 9 pilot. An
O.S. 52 four-stroke engine powers Gale’s classic Cessna.
“The airplane ground handles and flies great!” he wrote.
12sig1.QXD 10/25/04 8:37 AM Page 10
December 2004 11
Cub on Floats
Greg Weaver (8227 Anderson Pl., Harrisburg NC 28075) built a
Great Planes 60-size Cub and mounted a set of Great Planes floats on
it.
A YS 91AC four-stroke engine powers Greg’s 16-pound model.
He flew it first with the stock wheels to make sure it was properly
trimmed and to break in the engine, and then he switched to the floats.
The Cub is covered with Sig Koverall and painted with Nelson
Hobby water-based polyurethane paints. The floats are covered with
3⁄4-ounce fiberglass on the upper portion and 2-ounce cloth on the
lower portion. They have rivet detailing and are painted with Boeing
silver wing paint and topcoated with clear.
1912 Headless Pusher
Robert A. Frey (364 W. Hill Rd., Vestal NY 13850) built his 1⁄8-
scale Curtiss 1912 Model D Headless Pusher based on plans for the
similar 1911 Model D and photographs of the 1912 Headless Pusher
replica on exhibit at the Curtiss Museum in Hammondsport, New
York.
The building techniques Robert used were similar to those used
on the full-scale airplane, and the construction materials were balsa,
spruce, and birch dowel. The control rigging is the same as on the
full-scale airplane, with nylon upholstery thread used for bracing
and control wires.
A Speed 400 motor with a Mini Olympus gear drive and a 9 x 6
propeller supplies power. The Headless Pusher spans 39 inches and
weighs 20 ounces.
For more great Focal Point photos, go to: www.modelaircraft.org/mag/focalpt/index.asp
Blohm und Voss Bv 141B
Ronald D. Kuhn (N4521 County Hwy. TT, Columbus WI
53925; E-mail: [email protected]) built a rarely modeled
Blohm und Voss from Nick Ziroli Plans.
He had the plans blown up to 150% of their original size to yield
an 82.375-inch-wingspan aircraft. An RCV90 engine swinging a
153⁄4 x 13 propeller powers the model.
Ronald hand-cut each of the 57 windows in the “greenhouse”
section of the crew compartment.
Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79
Ty Brown (4777 Camp Cabarrus Dr., Kannapolis NC 28081; Email:
[email protected]) built his Italian Savoia-Marchetti
torpedo bomber from plans he developed from a three-view that a
gentleman in Malta sent to him.
This model spans 110 inches and weighs 22 pounds. Powering it
are two Magnum 61 four-stroke engines and an O.S. 91 four-stroke.
It features CJM retracts, operating flaps, and a functional torpedo
drop.
The wing was built up and is covered with 3⁄4-ounce fiberglass
cloth. The front of the fuselage is also covered with 3⁄4-ounce cloth,
but the rear section is covered with Coverite. Ty’s model is finished
with latex paints and has a polyurethane clear topcoat.
12sig1.QXD 10/25/04 8:39 AM Page 11
12 MODEL AVIATION
Model Aviation, 5161 E. Memorial Dr., Muncie IN 47302
Focal Point
Aluminized Ryan STA-M
Lora Knowlton (7196 S. Nelson St., Littleton CO 80127; E-mail:
[email protected]) built the Great Planes Ryan STA-M ARF but
decided to vary from what Great Planes had in mind.
She did some research and learned that the full-scale version’s
fuselage was aluminum, so she stripped the gray MonoKote from the
model and re-covered it with Aluminum MonoKote. She also added
panel lines and rivets, and she airbrushed “exhaust and dirt” detail.
Lora’s Ryan is powered by a YS 91 engine.
“It flies great and looks awesome in the Colorado sky,” she wrote.
Clipped-Wing Cub
Dan Wolfe (8079 Wilson Rd., Bannister MI 48807) and his
friend Ted McMurray (Montrose MI) built a 1⁄4-scale clipped-wing
Cub from a Sig kit.
A Magnum 160 twin engine powers the model, and a Hitec Flash
5 radio guides it.
Dan and his wife Donna covered and finished the Cub with
Nelson LiteFAB and painted it with Nelson Hobby Paint.
“For 25 years I thought it would be neat to see some of my
handiwork in a magazine,” wrote Dan.
Cassutt Racer
Stan Zdon (902-88th Ln. NW, Coon Rapids MN 55433; E-mail:
[email protected]) scratch-built his 28%-scale, 12-pound Cassutt Racer
using dimensions and photos from the Internet.
It spans 58 inches, the fuselage length is 54 inches, and the wing
area is 864 square inches. An O.S. 91 Surpass engine, swinging an
APC 14 x 8 propeller, powers it.
The front of the airplane, from the wing forward, is made from
fiberglass and is painted with 21st Century paint, as is the fuselage
above the wing and landing gear. The rest of the model is covered
with white 21st Century Fabric.
“The entire project was very enjoyable and I had to learn many
new procedures,” wrote Stan.
Scratched Tri-Motor
Jake Chichilitti (509 Cambridge St., Belmont CA 94002)
designed the plans for his tri-motor airplane from a small metal
display model and from photos he received through the Internet.
The model spans 80 inches and has 720 square inches of wing
area. It weighs 7 pounds, 14 ounces, and is powered by three
Magnum XL 28 engines. It is covered with Sig-brand silkspan and
finished with Brodak modeling dopes.
The model features an operational passenger door on the right
side of the fuselage that is held closed via rare earth magnets from
RadioShack.
12sig1.QXD 10/25/04 8:42 AM Page 12
December 2004 13
1934 Monocoupe Model A
Bill Cohen (67-945 Foothill Rd., Cathedral City CA 92234; Email:
[email protected]) blew up the plans for a 1934
Monocoupe from a 28-inch Cleveland Rubber model. The finished
product spans 8 feet and weighs 11 pounds.
A geared Cobalt 40 AstroFlight motor that runs on 18 cells
provides power.
“It flew great while the batteries were at full charge, but as the
voltage dropped, the airplane literally fell out of the sky,” wrote Bill.
He plans to repower the model with an O.S. 91 Surpass engine.
The Monocoupe is covered with orange Micafilm, and the black
areas are 21st Century Fabric. Bill uses a six-channel Futaba radio
for guidance and an Ace speed control.
Golden Eagle Cessna
David Teer (1076 Forest Rd. #3, New Haven CT 06515; E-mail:
[email protected]) built this Cessna 421 Golden Eagle from plans.
It has a wingspan of 121 inches, is 100 inches long, and weighs 54
pounds.
The model features two receivers, two air tanks for the retracts,
two three-blade 20 x 10 propellers, two Zenoah G-62 engines, 11
FMA Direct high-torque servos, a navigation light system, two
B&B mufflers, and operating split flaps.
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.
For more great Focal Point photos, go to: www.modelaircraft.org/mag/focalpt/index.asp
Hogwalker?
Ronald Casteel (5 Norris Dr., Russell PA 18345; E-mail:
[email protected]) built this unique version of a Spacewalker from
a modified Sig Manufacturing Astro-Hog kit.
By converting the Astro-Hog to a tail-dragger, leaving off the
back of the turtledeck, reshaping and relocating the cockpit,
changing the shape of the cowl and the wing and tail-surface tips,
and adding a scalelike paint scheme, the redesign into a
Spacewalker was complete.
The MonoKote-covered airplane is powered by an O.S. .40 FS
engine.
“And best of all, it still handles like an Astro-Hog,” wrote
Ronald.
Pitts ARF
Roger Russell (330 East College, Jacksonville IL 62650; E-mail:
[email protected]) sent in this shot of his Great Planes Pitts ARF.
It has a Zenoah G-62 that turns a 22 x 10 propeller and uses a JR
783 PCM receiver along with Hitec servos. Two JR Matchboxes
control the four aileron servos and are powered by a separate 4.8-
volt/1900 mAh battery pack and switch. The model weighs 20 pounds
and has a removable TME smoke tray.
This was an early version of the Great Planes Pitts, and Roger has
made all of the updates and suggested modifications.
“With over 75 flights on the model, all seems to be holding up,”
he wrote.
12sig1.QXD 10/25/04 8:44 AM Page 13
Edition: Model Aviation - 2004/12
Page Numbers: 10,11,12,13
Edition: Model Aviation - 2004/12
Page Numbers: 10,11,12,13
10 MODEL AVIATION
Jake’s Flite Streak Jr.
Jake Moon (9930 Edgecliff Cir., Dallas TX 75238) holds his justcompleted
Flite Streak Jr. that was built from a Brodak kit. Jake
assisted his father Steve in every phase of the construction-andfinishing
process.
An O.S. Max III 15 engine powers the model, which weighs 14
ounces and is covered with Polyspan and finished with Sig modeling
dope.
At the time this photo was taken, Jake had made approximately
60 solo CL flights with a Sig Buster and was looking forward to
learning Loops and Wingovers with the Flite Streak Jr. We know for
a fact that he succeeded!
Tigrotto
Walter Gremlitz (808 El Rancho Dr., Sun City Center FL 33573)
built a Tigrotto from an Italian Mantua Models kit that allows you to
make three different model designs from it.
The airplane spans 46.8 inches, weighs roughly 4 pounds, and is
powered by an O.S. .10 engine. Most of the fuselage is made from
square dural aluminum tubing that was predrilled for assembly using
nuts and bolts.
The Tigrotto was supposed to be a tail-dragger, but Walt
modified it to have tricycle gear. The wing was supposed to be a
sheeted-foam type, but Walt used balsa instead.
North Star
Apparently Jim Archer (146 Lakeview Dr., Buchanan Dam TX
78609; E-mail: [email protected]) likes the unusual. He wanted
something different from all the other airplanes at his field and
something that could be flown off of water if desired. This model fit
that description.
He built his North Star from a Balsa USA kit and powers it with
an O.S. .46 FX engine. Futaba radio gear is used for guidance, and
the model is covered with MonoKote.
“It was test flown at our club field by Mel Whitley, former Top
Gun winner, and it performed as advertised,” wrote Jim. “It is quite
fast, looks good, and flies great.”
Model Aviation, 5161 E. Memorial Dr., Muncie IN 47302
Focal Point
Cessna 195
Gale Sherman (14417 Shirley Cir., Omaha NE 68144) built his
Cessna 195 from plans that Rich Uravitch drew, and he covered it
with MonoKote.
The cowl is finished with red and white LustreKote paint. All of
the rocker-arm blisters on the cowling are handmade. The model
features a fully detailed instrument panel and a Hangar 9 pilot. An
O.S. 52 four-stroke engine powers Gale’s classic Cessna.
“The airplane ground handles and flies great!” he wrote.
12sig1.QXD 10/25/04 8:37 AM Page 10
December 2004 11
Cub on Floats
Greg Weaver (8227 Anderson Pl., Harrisburg NC 28075) built a
Great Planes 60-size Cub and mounted a set of Great Planes floats on
it.
A YS 91AC four-stroke engine powers Greg’s 16-pound model.
He flew it first with the stock wheels to make sure it was properly
trimmed and to break in the engine, and then he switched to the floats.
The Cub is covered with Sig Koverall and painted with Nelson
Hobby water-based polyurethane paints. The floats are covered with
3⁄4-ounce fiberglass on the upper portion and 2-ounce cloth on the
lower portion. They have rivet detailing and are painted with Boeing
silver wing paint and topcoated with clear.
1912 Headless Pusher
Robert A. Frey (364 W. Hill Rd., Vestal NY 13850) built his 1⁄8-
scale Curtiss 1912 Model D Headless Pusher based on plans for the
similar 1911 Model D and photographs of the 1912 Headless Pusher
replica on exhibit at the Curtiss Museum in Hammondsport, New
York.
The building techniques Robert used were similar to those used
on the full-scale airplane, and the construction materials were balsa,
spruce, and birch dowel. The control rigging is the same as on the
full-scale airplane, with nylon upholstery thread used for bracing
and control wires.
A Speed 400 motor with a Mini Olympus gear drive and a 9 x 6
propeller supplies power. The Headless Pusher spans 39 inches and
weighs 20 ounces.
For more great Focal Point photos, go to: www.modelaircraft.org/mag/focalpt/index.asp
Blohm und Voss Bv 141B
Ronald D. Kuhn (N4521 County Hwy. TT, Columbus WI
53925; E-mail: [email protected]) built a rarely modeled
Blohm und Voss from Nick Ziroli Plans.
He had the plans blown up to 150% of their original size to yield
an 82.375-inch-wingspan aircraft. An RCV90 engine swinging a
153⁄4 x 13 propeller powers the model.
Ronald hand-cut each of the 57 windows in the “greenhouse”
section of the crew compartment.
Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79
Ty Brown (4777 Camp Cabarrus Dr., Kannapolis NC 28081; Email:
[email protected]) built his Italian Savoia-Marchetti
torpedo bomber from plans he developed from a three-view that a
gentleman in Malta sent to him.
This model spans 110 inches and weighs 22 pounds. Powering it
are two Magnum 61 four-stroke engines and an O.S. 91 four-stroke.
It features CJM retracts, operating flaps, and a functional torpedo
drop.
The wing was built up and is covered with 3⁄4-ounce fiberglass
cloth. The front of the fuselage is also covered with 3⁄4-ounce cloth,
but the rear section is covered with Coverite. Ty’s model is finished
with latex paints and has a polyurethane clear topcoat.
12sig1.QXD 10/25/04 8:39 AM Page 11
12 MODEL AVIATION
Model Aviation, 5161 E. Memorial Dr., Muncie IN 47302
Focal Point
Aluminized Ryan STA-M
Lora Knowlton (7196 S. Nelson St., Littleton CO 80127; E-mail:
[email protected]) built the Great Planes Ryan STA-M ARF but
decided to vary from what Great Planes had in mind.
She did some research and learned that the full-scale version’s
fuselage was aluminum, so she stripped the gray MonoKote from the
model and re-covered it with Aluminum MonoKote. She also added
panel lines and rivets, and she airbrushed “exhaust and dirt” detail.
Lora’s Ryan is powered by a YS 91 engine.
“It flies great and looks awesome in the Colorado sky,” she wrote.
Clipped-Wing Cub
Dan Wolfe (8079 Wilson Rd., Bannister MI 48807) and his
friend Ted McMurray (Montrose MI) built a 1⁄4-scale clipped-wing
Cub from a Sig kit.
A Magnum 160 twin engine powers the model, and a Hitec Flash
5 radio guides it.
Dan and his wife Donna covered and finished the Cub with
Nelson LiteFAB and painted it with Nelson Hobby Paint.
“For 25 years I thought it would be neat to see some of my
handiwork in a magazine,” wrote Dan.
Cassutt Racer
Stan Zdon (902-88th Ln. NW, Coon Rapids MN 55433; E-mail:
[email protected]) scratch-built his 28%-scale, 12-pound Cassutt Racer
using dimensions and photos from the Internet.
It spans 58 inches, the fuselage length is 54 inches, and the wing
area is 864 square inches. An O.S. 91 Surpass engine, swinging an
APC 14 x 8 propeller, powers it.
The front of the airplane, from the wing forward, is made from
fiberglass and is painted with 21st Century paint, as is the fuselage
above the wing and landing gear. The rest of the model is covered
with white 21st Century Fabric.
“The entire project was very enjoyable and I had to learn many
new procedures,” wrote Stan.
Scratched Tri-Motor
Jake Chichilitti (509 Cambridge St., Belmont CA 94002)
designed the plans for his tri-motor airplane from a small metal
display model and from photos he received through the Internet.
The model spans 80 inches and has 720 square inches of wing
area. It weighs 7 pounds, 14 ounces, and is powered by three
Magnum XL 28 engines. It is covered with Sig-brand silkspan and
finished with Brodak modeling dopes.
The model features an operational passenger door on the right
side of the fuselage that is held closed via rare earth magnets from
RadioShack.
12sig1.QXD 10/25/04 8:42 AM Page 12
December 2004 13
1934 Monocoupe Model A
Bill Cohen (67-945 Foothill Rd., Cathedral City CA 92234; Email:
[email protected]) blew up the plans for a 1934
Monocoupe from a 28-inch Cleveland Rubber model. The finished
product spans 8 feet and weighs 11 pounds.
A geared Cobalt 40 AstroFlight motor that runs on 18 cells
provides power.
“It flew great while the batteries were at full charge, but as the
voltage dropped, the airplane literally fell out of the sky,” wrote Bill.
He plans to repower the model with an O.S. 91 Surpass engine.
The Monocoupe is covered with orange Micafilm, and the black
areas are 21st Century Fabric. Bill uses a six-channel Futaba radio
for guidance and an Ace speed control.
Golden Eagle Cessna
David Teer (1076 Forest Rd. #3, New Haven CT 06515; E-mail:
[email protected]) built this Cessna 421 Golden Eagle from plans.
It has a wingspan of 121 inches, is 100 inches long, and weighs 54
pounds.
The model features two receivers, two air tanks for the retracts,
two three-blade 20 x 10 propellers, two Zenoah G-62 engines, 11
FMA Direct high-torque servos, a navigation light system, two
B&B mufflers, and operating split flaps.
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.
For more great Focal Point photos, go to: www.modelaircraft.org/mag/focalpt/index.asp
Hogwalker?
Ronald Casteel (5 Norris Dr., Russell PA 18345; E-mail:
[email protected]) built this unique version of a Spacewalker from
a modified Sig Manufacturing Astro-Hog kit.
By converting the Astro-Hog to a tail-dragger, leaving off the
back of the turtledeck, reshaping and relocating the cockpit,
changing the shape of the cowl and the wing and tail-surface tips,
and adding a scalelike paint scheme, the redesign into a
Spacewalker was complete.
The MonoKote-covered airplane is powered by an O.S. .40 FS
engine.
“And best of all, it still handles like an Astro-Hog,” wrote
Ronald.
Pitts ARF
Roger Russell (330 East College, Jacksonville IL 62650; E-mail:
[email protected]) sent in this shot of his Great Planes Pitts ARF.
It has a Zenoah G-62 that turns a 22 x 10 propeller and uses a JR
783 PCM receiver along with Hitec servos. Two JR Matchboxes
control the four aileron servos and are powered by a separate 4.8-
volt/1900 mAh battery pack and switch. The model weighs 20 pounds
and has a removable TME smoke tray.
This was an early version of the Great Planes Pitts, and Roger has
made all of the updates and suggested modifications.
“With over 75 flights on the model, all seems to be holding up,”
he wrote.
12sig1.QXD 10/25/04 8:44 AM Page 13
Edition: Model Aviation - 2004/12
Page Numbers: 10,11,12,13
10 MODEL AVIATION
Jake’s Flite Streak Jr.
Jake Moon (9930 Edgecliff Cir., Dallas TX 75238) holds his justcompleted
Flite Streak Jr. that was built from a Brodak kit. Jake
assisted his father Steve in every phase of the construction-andfinishing
process.
An O.S. Max III 15 engine powers the model, which weighs 14
ounces and is covered with Polyspan and finished with Sig modeling
dope.
At the time this photo was taken, Jake had made approximately
60 solo CL flights with a Sig Buster and was looking forward to
learning Loops and Wingovers with the Flite Streak Jr. We know for
a fact that he succeeded!
Tigrotto
Walter Gremlitz (808 El Rancho Dr., Sun City Center FL 33573)
built a Tigrotto from an Italian Mantua Models kit that allows you to
make three different model designs from it.
The airplane spans 46.8 inches, weighs roughly 4 pounds, and is
powered by an O.S. .10 engine. Most of the fuselage is made from
square dural aluminum tubing that was predrilled for assembly using
nuts and bolts.
The Tigrotto was supposed to be a tail-dragger, but Walt
modified it to have tricycle gear. The wing was supposed to be a
sheeted-foam type, but Walt used balsa instead.
North Star
Apparently Jim Archer (146 Lakeview Dr., Buchanan Dam TX
78609; E-mail: [email protected]) likes the unusual. He wanted
something different from all the other airplanes at his field and
something that could be flown off of water if desired. This model fit
that description.
He built his North Star from a Balsa USA kit and powers it with
an O.S. .46 FX engine. Futaba radio gear is used for guidance, and
the model is covered with MonoKote.
“It was test flown at our club field by Mel Whitley, former Top
Gun winner, and it performed as advertised,” wrote Jim. “It is quite
fast, looks good, and flies great.”
Model Aviation, 5161 E. Memorial Dr., Muncie IN 47302
Focal Point
Cessna 195
Gale Sherman (14417 Shirley Cir., Omaha NE 68144) built his
Cessna 195 from plans that Rich Uravitch drew, and he covered it
with MonoKote.
The cowl is finished with red and white LustreKote paint. All of
the rocker-arm blisters on the cowling are handmade. The model
features a fully detailed instrument panel and a Hangar 9 pilot. An
O.S. 52 four-stroke engine powers Gale’s classic Cessna.
“The airplane ground handles and flies great!” he wrote.
12sig1.QXD 10/25/04 8:37 AM Page 10
December 2004 11
Cub on Floats
Greg Weaver (8227 Anderson Pl., Harrisburg NC 28075) built a
Great Planes 60-size Cub and mounted a set of Great Planes floats on
it.
A YS 91AC four-stroke engine powers Greg’s 16-pound model.
He flew it first with the stock wheels to make sure it was properly
trimmed and to break in the engine, and then he switched to the floats.
The Cub is covered with Sig Koverall and painted with Nelson
Hobby water-based polyurethane paints. The floats are covered with
3⁄4-ounce fiberglass on the upper portion and 2-ounce cloth on the
lower portion. They have rivet detailing and are painted with Boeing
silver wing paint and topcoated with clear.
1912 Headless Pusher
Robert A. Frey (364 W. Hill Rd., Vestal NY 13850) built his 1⁄8-
scale Curtiss 1912 Model D Headless Pusher based on plans for the
similar 1911 Model D and photographs of the 1912 Headless Pusher
replica on exhibit at the Curtiss Museum in Hammondsport, New
York.
The building techniques Robert used were similar to those used
on the full-scale airplane, and the construction materials were balsa,
spruce, and birch dowel. The control rigging is the same as on the
full-scale airplane, with nylon upholstery thread used for bracing
and control wires.
A Speed 400 motor with a Mini Olympus gear drive and a 9 x 6
propeller supplies power. The Headless Pusher spans 39 inches and
weighs 20 ounces.
For more great Focal Point photos, go to: www.modelaircraft.org/mag/focalpt/index.asp
Blohm und Voss Bv 141B
Ronald D. Kuhn (N4521 County Hwy. TT, Columbus WI
53925; E-mail: [email protected]) built a rarely modeled
Blohm und Voss from Nick Ziroli Plans.
He had the plans blown up to 150% of their original size to yield
an 82.375-inch-wingspan aircraft. An RCV90 engine swinging a
153⁄4 x 13 propeller powers the model.
Ronald hand-cut each of the 57 windows in the “greenhouse”
section of the crew compartment.
Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79
Ty Brown (4777 Camp Cabarrus Dr., Kannapolis NC 28081; Email:
[email protected]) built his Italian Savoia-Marchetti
torpedo bomber from plans he developed from a three-view that a
gentleman in Malta sent to him.
This model spans 110 inches and weighs 22 pounds. Powering it
are two Magnum 61 four-stroke engines and an O.S. 91 four-stroke.
It features CJM retracts, operating flaps, and a functional torpedo
drop.
The wing was built up and is covered with 3⁄4-ounce fiberglass
cloth. The front of the fuselage is also covered with 3⁄4-ounce cloth,
but the rear section is covered with Coverite. Ty’s model is finished
with latex paints and has a polyurethane clear topcoat.
12sig1.QXD 10/25/04 8:39 AM Page 11
12 MODEL AVIATION
Model Aviation, 5161 E. Memorial Dr., Muncie IN 47302
Focal Point
Aluminized Ryan STA-M
Lora Knowlton (7196 S. Nelson St., Littleton CO 80127; E-mail:
[email protected]) built the Great Planes Ryan STA-M ARF but
decided to vary from what Great Planes had in mind.
She did some research and learned that the full-scale version’s
fuselage was aluminum, so she stripped the gray MonoKote from the
model and re-covered it with Aluminum MonoKote. She also added
panel lines and rivets, and she airbrushed “exhaust and dirt” detail.
Lora’s Ryan is powered by a YS 91 engine.
“It flies great and looks awesome in the Colorado sky,” she wrote.
Clipped-Wing Cub
Dan Wolfe (8079 Wilson Rd., Bannister MI 48807) and his
friend Ted McMurray (Montrose MI) built a 1⁄4-scale clipped-wing
Cub from a Sig kit.
A Magnum 160 twin engine powers the model, and a Hitec Flash
5 radio guides it.
Dan and his wife Donna covered and finished the Cub with
Nelson LiteFAB and painted it with Nelson Hobby Paint.
“For 25 years I thought it would be neat to see some of my
handiwork in a magazine,” wrote Dan.
Cassutt Racer
Stan Zdon (902-88th Ln. NW, Coon Rapids MN 55433; E-mail:
[email protected]) scratch-built his 28%-scale, 12-pound Cassutt Racer
using dimensions and photos from the Internet.
It spans 58 inches, the fuselage length is 54 inches, and the wing
area is 864 square inches. An O.S. 91 Surpass engine, swinging an
APC 14 x 8 propeller, powers it.
The front of the airplane, from the wing forward, is made from
fiberglass and is painted with 21st Century paint, as is the fuselage
above the wing and landing gear. The rest of the model is covered
with white 21st Century Fabric.
“The entire project was very enjoyable and I had to learn many
new procedures,” wrote Stan.
Scratched Tri-Motor
Jake Chichilitti (509 Cambridge St., Belmont CA 94002)
designed the plans for his tri-motor airplane from a small metal
display model and from photos he received through the Internet.
The model spans 80 inches and has 720 square inches of wing
area. It weighs 7 pounds, 14 ounces, and is powered by three
Magnum XL 28 engines. It is covered with Sig-brand silkspan and
finished with Brodak modeling dopes.
The model features an operational passenger door on the right
side of the fuselage that is held closed via rare earth magnets from
RadioShack.
12sig1.QXD 10/25/04 8:42 AM Page 12
December 2004 13
1934 Monocoupe Model A
Bill Cohen (67-945 Foothill Rd., Cathedral City CA 92234; Email:
[email protected]) blew up the plans for a 1934
Monocoupe from a 28-inch Cleveland Rubber model. The finished
product spans 8 feet and weighs 11 pounds.
A geared Cobalt 40 AstroFlight motor that runs on 18 cells
provides power.
“It flew great while the batteries were at full charge, but as the
voltage dropped, the airplane literally fell out of the sky,” wrote Bill.
He plans to repower the model with an O.S. 91 Surpass engine.
The Monocoupe is covered with orange Micafilm, and the black
areas are 21st Century Fabric. Bill uses a six-channel Futaba radio
for guidance and an Ace speed control.
Golden Eagle Cessna
David Teer (1076 Forest Rd. #3, New Haven CT 06515; E-mail:
[email protected]) built this Cessna 421 Golden Eagle from plans.
It has a wingspan of 121 inches, is 100 inches long, and weighs 54
pounds.
The model features two receivers, two air tanks for the retracts,
two three-blade 20 x 10 propellers, two Zenoah G-62 engines, 11
FMA Direct high-torque servos, a navigation light system, two
B&B mufflers, and operating split flaps.
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.
For more great Focal Point photos, go to: www.modelaircraft.org/mag/focalpt/index.asp
Hogwalker?
Ronald Casteel (5 Norris Dr., Russell PA 18345; E-mail:
[email protected]) built this unique version of a Spacewalker from
a modified Sig Manufacturing Astro-Hog kit.
By converting the Astro-Hog to a tail-dragger, leaving off the
back of the turtledeck, reshaping and relocating the cockpit,
changing the shape of the cowl and the wing and tail-surface tips,
and adding a scalelike paint scheme, the redesign into a
Spacewalker was complete.
The MonoKote-covered airplane is powered by an O.S. .40 FS
engine.
“And best of all, it still handles like an Astro-Hog,” wrote
Ronald.
Pitts ARF
Roger Russell (330 East College, Jacksonville IL 62650; E-mail:
[email protected]) sent in this shot of his Great Planes Pitts ARF.
It has a Zenoah G-62 that turns a 22 x 10 propeller and uses a JR
783 PCM receiver along with Hitec servos. Two JR Matchboxes
control the four aileron servos and are powered by a separate 4.8-
volt/1900 mAh battery pack and switch. The model weighs 20 pounds
and has a removable TME smoke tray.
This was an early version of the Great Planes Pitts, and Roger has
made all of the updates and suggested modifications.
“With over 75 flights on the model, all seems to be holding up,”
he wrote.
12sig1.QXD 10/25/04 8:44 AM Page 13
Edition: Model Aviation - 2004/12
Page Numbers: 10,11,12,13
10 MODEL AVIATION
Jake’s Flite Streak Jr.
Jake Moon (9930 Edgecliff Cir., Dallas TX 75238) holds his justcompleted
Flite Streak Jr. that was built from a Brodak kit. Jake
assisted his father Steve in every phase of the construction-andfinishing
process.
An O.S. Max III 15 engine powers the model, which weighs 14
ounces and is covered with Polyspan and finished with Sig modeling
dope.
At the time this photo was taken, Jake had made approximately
60 solo CL flights with a Sig Buster and was looking forward to
learning Loops and Wingovers with the Flite Streak Jr. We know for
a fact that he succeeded!
Tigrotto
Walter Gremlitz (808 El Rancho Dr., Sun City Center FL 33573)
built a Tigrotto from an Italian Mantua Models kit that allows you to
make three different model designs from it.
The airplane spans 46.8 inches, weighs roughly 4 pounds, and is
powered by an O.S. .10 engine. Most of the fuselage is made from
square dural aluminum tubing that was predrilled for assembly using
nuts and bolts.
The Tigrotto was supposed to be a tail-dragger, but Walt
modified it to have tricycle gear. The wing was supposed to be a
sheeted-foam type, but Walt used balsa instead.
North Star
Apparently Jim Archer (146 Lakeview Dr., Buchanan Dam TX
78609; E-mail: [email protected]) likes the unusual. He wanted
something different from all the other airplanes at his field and
something that could be flown off of water if desired. This model fit
that description.
He built his North Star from a Balsa USA kit and powers it with
an O.S. .46 FX engine. Futaba radio gear is used for guidance, and
the model is covered with MonoKote.
“It was test flown at our club field by Mel Whitley, former Top
Gun winner, and it performed as advertised,” wrote Jim. “It is quite
fast, looks good, and flies great.”
Model Aviation, 5161 E. Memorial Dr., Muncie IN 47302
Focal Point
Cessna 195
Gale Sherman (14417 Shirley Cir., Omaha NE 68144) built his
Cessna 195 from plans that Rich Uravitch drew, and he covered it
with MonoKote.
The cowl is finished with red and white LustreKote paint. All of
the rocker-arm blisters on the cowling are handmade. The model
features a fully detailed instrument panel and a Hangar 9 pilot. An
O.S. 52 four-stroke engine powers Gale’s classic Cessna.
“The airplane ground handles and flies great!” he wrote.
12sig1.QXD 10/25/04 8:37 AM Page 10
December 2004 11
Cub on Floats
Greg Weaver (8227 Anderson Pl., Harrisburg NC 28075) built a
Great Planes 60-size Cub and mounted a set of Great Planes floats on
it.
A YS 91AC four-stroke engine powers Greg’s 16-pound model.
He flew it first with the stock wheels to make sure it was properly
trimmed and to break in the engine, and then he switched to the floats.
The Cub is covered with Sig Koverall and painted with Nelson
Hobby water-based polyurethane paints. The floats are covered with
3⁄4-ounce fiberglass on the upper portion and 2-ounce cloth on the
lower portion. They have rivet detailing and are painted with Boeing
silver wing paint and topcoated with clear.
1912 Headless Pusher
Robert A. Frey (364 W. Hill Rd., Vestal NY 13850) built his 1⁄8-
scale Curtiss 1912 Model D Headless Pusher based on plans for the
similar 1911 Model D and photographs of the 1912 Headless Pusher
replica on exhibit at the Curtiss Museum in Hammondsport, New
York.
The building techniques Robert used were similar to those used
on the full-scale airplane, and the construction materials were balsa,
spruce, and birch dowel. The control rigging is the same as on the
full-scale airplane, with nylon upholstery thread used for bracing
and control wires.
A Speed 400 motor with a Mini Olympus gear drive and a 9 x 6
propeller supplies power. The Headless Pusher spans 39 inches and
weighs 20 ounces.
For more great Focal Point photos, go to: www.modelaircraft.org/mag/focalpt/index.asp
Blohm und Voss Bv 141B
Ronald D. Kuhn (N4521 County Hwy. TT, Columbus WI
53925; E-mail: [email protected]) built a rarely modeled
Blohm und Voss from Nick Ziroli Plans.
He had the plans blown up to 150% of their original size to yield
an 82.375-inch-wingspan aircraft. An RCV90 engine swinging a
153⁄4 x 13 propeller powers the model.
Ronald hand-cut each of the 57 windows in the “greenhouse”
section of the crew compartment.
Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79
Ty Brown (4777 Camp Cabarrus Dr., Kannapolis NC 28081; Email:
[email protected]) built his Italian Savoia-Marchetti
torpedo bomber from plans he developed from a three-view that a
gentleman in Malta sent to him.
This model spans 110 inches and weighs 22 pounds. Powering it
are two Magnum 61 four-stroke engines and an O.S. 91 four-stroke.
It features CJM retracts, operating flaps, and a functional torpedo
drop.
The wing was built up and is covered with 3⁄4-ounce fiberglass
cloth. The front of the fuselage is also covered with 3⁄4-ounce cloth,
but the rear section is covered with Coverite. Ty’s model is finished
with latex paints and has a polyurethane clear topcoat.
12sig1.QXD 10/25/04 8:39 AM Page 11
12 MODEL AVIATION
Model Aviation, 5161 E. Memorial Dr., Muncie IN 47302
Focal Point
Aluminized Ryan STA-M
Lora Knowlton (7196 S. Nelson St., Littleton CO 80127; E-mail:
[email protected]) built the Great Planes Ryan STA-M ARF but
decided to vary from what Great Planes had in mind.
She did some research and learned that the full-scale version’s
fuselage was aluminum, so she stripped the gray MonoKote from the
model and re-covered it with Aluminum MonoKote. She also added
panel lines and rivets, and she airbrushed “exhaust and dirt” detail.
Lora’s Ryan is powered by a YS 91 engine.
“It flies great and looks awesome in the Colorado sky,” she wrote.
Clipped-Wing Cub
Dan Wolfe (8079 Wilson Rd., Bannister MI 48807) and his
friend Ted McMurray (Montrose MI) built a 1⁄4-scale clipped-wing
Cub from a Sig kit.
A Magnum 160 twin engine powers the model, and a Hitec Flash
5 radio guides it.
Dan and his wife Donna covered and finished the Cub with
Nelson LiteFAB and painted it with Nelson Hobby Paint.
“For 25 years I thought it would be neat to see some of my
handiwork in a magazine,” wrote Dan.
Cassutt Racer
Stan Zdon (902-88th Ln. NW, Coon Rapids MN 55433; E-mail:
[email protected]) scratch-built his 28%-scale, 12-pound Cassutt Racer
using dimensions and photos from the Internet.
It spans 58 inches, the fuselage length is 54 inches, and the wing
area is 864 square inches. An O.S. 91 Surpass engine, swinging an
APC 14 x 8 propeller, powers it.
The front of the airplane, from the wing forward, is made from
fiberglass and is painted with 21st Century paint, as is the fuselage
above the wing and landing gear. The rest of the model is covered
with white 21st Century Fabric.
“The entire project was very enjoyable and I had to learn many
new procedures,” wrote Stan.
Scratched Tri-Motor
Jake Chichilitti (509 Cambridge St., Belmont CA 94002)
designed the plans for his tri-motor airplane from a small metal
display model and from photos he received through the Internet.
The model spans 80 inches and has 720 square inches of wing
area. It weighs 7 pounds, 14 ounces, and is powered by three
Magnum XL 28 engines. It is covered with Sig-brand silkspan and
finished with Brodak modeling dopes.
The model features an operational passenger door on the right
side of the fuselage that is held closed via rare earth magnets from
RadioShack.
12sig1.QXD 10/25/04 8:42 AM Page 12
December 2004 13
1934 Monocoupe Model A
Bill Cohen (67-945 Foothill Rd., Cathedral City CA 92234; Email:
[email protected]) blew up the plans for a 1934
Monocoupe from a 28-inch Cleveland Rubber model. The finished
product spans 8 feet and weighs 11 pounds.
A geared Cobalt 40 AstroFlight motor that runs on 18 cells
provides power.
“It flew great while the batteries were at full charge, but as the
voltage dropped, the airplane literally fell out of the sky,” wrote Bill.
He plans to repower the model with an O.S. 91 Surpass engine.
The Monocoupe is covered with orange Micafilm, and the black
areas are 21st Century Fabric. Bill uses a six-channel Futaba radio
for guidance and an Ace speed control.
Golden Eagle Cessna
David Teer (1076 Forest Rd. #3, New Haven CT 06515; E-mail:
[email protected]) built this Cessna 421 Golden Eagle from plans.
It has a wingspan of 121 inches, is 100 inches long, and weighs 54
pounds.
The model features two receivers, two air tanks for the retracts,
two three-blade 20 x 10 propellers, two Zenoah G-62 engines, 11
FMA Direct high-torque servos, a navigation light system, two
B&B mufflers, and operating split flaps.
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.
For more great Focal Point photos, go to: www.modelaircraft.org/mag/focalpt/index.asp
Hogwalker?
Ronald Casteel (5 Norris Dr., Russell PA 18345; E-mail:
[email protected]) built this unique version of a Spacewalker from
a modified Sig Manufacturing Astro-Hog kit.
By converting the Astro-Hog to a tail-dragger, leaving off the
back of the turtledeck, reshaping and relocating the cockpit,
changing the shape of the cowl and the wing and tail-surface tips,
and adding a scalelike paint scheme, the redesign into a
Spacewalker was complete.
The MonoKote-covered airplane is powered by an O.S. .40 FS
engine.
“And best of all, it still handles like an Astro-Hog,” wrote
Ronald.
Pitts ARF
Roger Russell (330 East College, Jacksonville IL 62650; E-mail:
[email protected]) sent in this shot of his Great Planes Pitts ARF.
It has a Zenoah G-62 that turns a 22 x 10 propeller and uses a JR
783 PCM receiver along with Hitec servos. Two JR Matchboxes
control the four aileron servos and are powered by a separate 4.8-
volt/1900 mAh battery pack and switch. The model weighs 20 pounds
and has a removable TME smoke tray.
This was an early version of the Great Planes Pitts, and Roger has
made all of the updates and suggested modifications.
“With over 75 flights on the model, all seems to be holding up,”
he wrote.
12sig1.QXD 10/25/04 8:44 AM Page 13
