Focal Point - 2005/05
North American B-25
Terry Patrick (211 N. 70th Ave., Yakima WA 98908; E-mail: [email protected]) built his 118-inch-wingspan B-25 from Nick Ziroli plans.
The model is powered by two Zenoah G-38 engines, weighs 43 pounds, and is equipped with Robart retracts. It carries and drops five bombs, and the top turret rotates. The B-25 is painted with Benjamin Moore house paint and features a JR 8103 radio system.
"On the landing approach, oil is released into the right engine, simulating a hit by enemy antiaircraft fire," wrote Terry.
Nieuport Sesquiplane
Bill Beck (2301 N. Six Mile Rd., Sioux Falls SD 57110) asserts that the above model is a Nieuport Type 17 sesquiplane—not a biplane. If the bottom wing is half or less the area of the top wing, the aircraft is a sesquiplane.
Bill built his 1/4-scale model from a Balsa USA kit that his kids gave him on his 75th birthday. It is powered by an O.S. 160 Gemini Twin which spins an 18 x 6 propeller. Covering is Solartex.
"The photo was taken on the maiden flight, and it flew well at a good, stable scale speed," wrote Bill.
Fokker D.VII
Jim Farrar (1091 Pintail Ct., Columbus IN 47201; E-mail: [email protected]) built his Fokker from a Proctor Enterprises kit and finished it in the scheme of pilot Oberleutnant Hasso von Wedel, who flew with Jasta 24 in World War I.
The model is powered by a Laser 300v engine and controlled by a JR XP8103 radio system. The covering is printed linen fabric with a clear modeling-dope topcoat. Latex house paint was mixed to match the original colors of the cowlings, undercarriage, wheels, and struts.
"My model weighs 25.8 pounds and took 4 years of 'off and on' work to complete," wrote Jim.
Mexican P-47
Jesus A. Castro (1034 Via Margarita, Rio Rico AZ 85648; E-mail: [email protected]) built his 60-size P-47 Thunderbolt from a Top Flite kit and painted it with Mexican Air Force markings. Sonora Models in Hermosillo, Mexico, custom-made the insignia and other graphics.
The project took Jesus almost a full year to complete. The model is covered with fiberglass and finished with Top Flite paints, and it is powered by a Magnum 120 engine.
Swoose!
Ron Richard (Box 5963, Arcata CA 95521; E-mail: [email protected]) built his unusual Swoose floatplane from Nick Ziroli plans enlarged 15%. It spans 72 inches and weighs 13 pounds.
The wing is made from balsa-covered blue foam, and the model is covered with MonoKote. A Saito 100 engine provides the power.
Colorful Bearcat
R.M. (Bob) Kirkpatrick (5912 Standing Rock Dr., Austin TX 78730; E-mail: [email protected]) built his Grumman F8F Bearcat from an Air-Kill Products RC Combat kit. It’s powered by a SuperTigre G-15 engine.
All of the model’s external surfaces are covered with lightweight fiberglass cloth and polyester resin. It is finished with Hobbypoxy primer, Sig modeling dope for the colors, and a topcoat of Superpoxy Clear. Bob applied the simulated panel lines and rivets on the model using a Rapidograph technical pen.
First Built-Up Model
Josh L. Hines (478 Heather St., Englewood OH 45322; E-mail: [email protected]) reports that this is only his second model airplane, but it is the first one he has built from a kit. He constructed and covered his Great Planes Extra 300 during the winter of 2003–2004.
An O.S. .46 FX engine provides the power, and a Futaba 9C radio-control system performs guidance chores.
"I found out on this project that I get just as much enjoyment out of building models as I do flying them," wrote Josh.
Modified Delta Vortex
Joe McCary (1 Mercer Ln., Fredericksburg VA 22405) crafted this modified version of Bruce Tharpe Models' Delta Vortex.
He powers this colorful model with an O.S. 70 Ultimate with pump. The engine is mounted on its side and draws fuel from a 17-ounce tank that is mounted over the Vortex’s CG.
It weighs just less than 7 pounds and has a wing loading of less than 12 ounces per square foot.
"In over 50 years of building and flying models of all types, I can say that this is the most stable, most well-behaved flying platform I have ever flown," wrote Joe.
Henry’s Travel Air
Craig A. Chastney (5150 Meadowlake Ln., Dunwoody GA 30338; E-mail: [email protected]) submitted this photo of fellow Atlanta R/C Club mate Henry Smollen with his scratch-built Travel Air. The photo was taken immediately after the maiden flight.
An O.S. 61 powers Henry’s biplane, and Craig reports that it "flies like a dream."
Henry is respected by club members as one of the most industrious and meticulous builders in the group. According to Craig, "He joined the club and learned to fly at the age of 70—and that was 20 years ago."
Super Decathlon
Bradley P. Buchanan (2558 W. 1275 N., Layton UT 84041; E-mail: [email protected]) built his Super Decathlon from a Dynaflite kit.
It spans 89 inches and is powered by an O.S. 1.60 FX two-stroke engine fitted with a J-Tec muffler and a 3-inch-diameter chrome spinner. Brad uses a JR eight-channel radio with six Hitec servos for guidance. Also fitted is a TME smoke pump.
The model is covered with orange and white Coverite to give it a prototypical fabric look. Brad painted the cowling and the wheel pants with LustreKote.
"Weighing just 14 pounds, this is a great-flying airplane that's easy to land and fun to put together," he wrote.
Enlarged Bill Winter RC Special
Russell M. Stiff (1008 Lakeridge Cir., Troutville VA 24175; E-mail: [email protected]) built an enlarged version of Bill Winter's 1947 RC Special that was redesigned by John Hunton in 1988, with Bill Winter's help, to 141% size. This 14-pound model spans 88 inches; the original spanned 63 inches.
It is covered with UltraCote and trimmed with Great Planes White Vinyl Stripe. The painted areas were done with Pactra Bright Red Formula U polyurethane.
For power Russell chose a Saito 120 four-stroke with a Master Airscrew Classic Series 16 x 8 propeller and a Tru-Turn 3-1/2-inch P-51-style spinner. A Futaba TX6A radio with eight Futaba S3004 servos is used for guidance.
Dad’s Mentor
Scott A. Hayden (137 Bullen St., Milford ME 04461; E-mail: [email protected]) sent in this photo of a Beechcraft T-34 Mentor that his father Paul E. Hayden built from a Top Flite kit. The T-34 is covered with MonoKote and powered by an O.S. 120 engine with pump. Robart Manufacturing made the landing gear especially for this model. The entire cockpit is removable to allow for easier detailing.
Goldberg Sailplane
Fred Ayers (104 Falkener Dr., Greensboro NC 27410; E-mail: [email protected]) built his majestic Goldberg sailplane from a Bob Holman short kit.
It is covered and finished with silk and modeling dope. An O.S. .40 is used for power, and guidance is provided via a Futaba radio-control system that employs four servos. One channel and servo are used to deploy the single retractable wheel.
"This airplane climbs out like a free flight with no control inputs, and it flies like a dream," wrote Fred.
Head-Turning Ultimate Pitts
Craig Keyser (2450 South Mill Rd., Heber UT 84032; E-mail: [email protected]) built his 12-pound Ultimate Pitts from a LanierRC kit. It spans 60.25 inches.
A Saito 180 four-stroke engine, swinging a 16 x 8 APC propeller, powers this model. It is fitted with a TME Simple Smoker system and controlled via a Futaba 7CAP radio system with eight digital servos.
Craig used a Stan’s Fiber Tech cowl and wheel pants on the Pitts, which he covered with MonoKote.
"It was a great airplane to build, and it’s a real head-turner at the field," he wrote.
Grumman Duck
Robert Pease (21714 Sunset Dr., Astor FL 32102; E-mail: [email protected]) co-built this Grumman J2F-6 Duck from Cleveland plans that were enlarged 10%. The late Fred Strauss, who passed away in February 2002, started constructing this model, and Robert finished it.
The size increase yielded a 1/2-scale model that spans 65 inches, has 1,322 square inches of wing area, and weighs 18 pounds. The Duck is powered by a GMS 120 engine, and features include retractable landing gear and full cockpit detail with sliding canopy.
Restored Piper Tomahawk
Rickey Sweigart (170 1st St. SW, Naples FL 34117; E-mail: [email protected]) built this 1/4-scale Piper Tomahawk 18 years ago from plans he obtained from Jim Messer Quality Plans. According to Rickey, Reid Quality Models currently sells these plans.
Rickey retrieved the model from storage recently and re-covered it with Super MonoKote. He painted the cabin, cowl, and wingtips with matching LustreKote paint. It spans 100 inches and weighs 19 pounds. A Quadra 35 Model 1 provides the power.
"I will improve the scale appearance over time," wrote Rickey.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
