Focal Point - 2006/12

98 MODEL AVIATION
Focal Point
Don Jacobson (1920 Sunset Dr., Waukesha WI 53189) scratchbuilt
his French-design Dewoitine D.338 from enlarged plans that
were featured in the June 2002 MA. He scaled up the 78.5-inch-span
wing 28% to yield a 100-inch span.
Don’s big trimotor aircraft is powered by two SuperTigre .40s
that are mounted on the wings and by a SuperTigre .51 that is
mounted in the nose. Features include Robart mechanical retracts
and a Futaba radio for guidance.
“On the maiden flight the nose and right engines went out, but it
flew so well that the test pilot, Doug Gritton, was able to land it on
one engine without damage,” wrote Don.
Henry Arance (880 Kimberly Ct., Upland CA 91784; E-mail:
[email protected]) scratch-built his 1/6-scale replica of a Hawker
Fury, which saw action during the Spanish Civil War, from plans
based on Peter Westburg’s drawings, which were in turn based on
actual factory plans.
The fuselage is made from foam blocks that were carved and
sanded to shape and then covered with several layers of carbon fiber
and fiberglass. With the exception of the pilot figure, Henry made all
the model’s parts. It is finished with Brodak modeling dope, with the
exception of the front of the fuselage which is painted with Alclad
Chrome paint.
The 12-pound, 5-ounce Fury spans 60 inches and is powered by
an Astro 40-5 motor drawing power from 28 NiMH cells.
“Spanish” Hawker Fury
Dewoitine D.338
Dick Hansen (10807 SE Stacy Ct., Portland OR 97266) built his
Nieuport 17 from an original 1968 VK kit.
It weighs 5.5 pounds, is powered by a SuperTigre .60 engine,
and is finished with silk and modeling dope. A Futaba EXA radio is
used for guidance.
Dick modified a pair of Williams Bros. wheels by adding
simulated aluminum wire spokes and then covered the hubs with
Solartex and painted them with silver dope. The machine guns are
also Williams Bros. items, and the flying wires are functional.
The elevator and rudder controls are pull-pull configuration. The
kit for this model is now available from Proctor Enterprises.
Proctor Nieuport 17
Bob Brown (901 Sunbonnet Loop, San Jose CA 95125; E-mail:
[email protected]) submitted this photo of his latest
building effort, which he calls the “Bubble Dancer XL.” The model
is based on Mark Drela’s Bubble Dancer and features a 144-inch
wingspan.
Consultations with Mark resulted in a beefed-up spar carbon and
bolt beam carbon. In addition, because the original fuselage/fin was
to be used (and to be backward-compatible with the original-design
wing), the rudder size was substantially increased to maintain the
positive control that is inherent with the original-design, 126-inchspan
wing.
The model was conceived to be competitive with the Super AVA
and the Super Danny. According to Bob, “The flying performance
did not disappoint.”
Bubble Dancer XL
12sig4.QXD 10/25/06 11:20 AM Page 98December 2006 99
Donald P. Corbett Jr. (10 Shepherd Ave., Oneonta NY 13820)
constructed his 1/3-scale Sopwith Pup from a Balsa USA kit.
It spans 108 inches and is covered and finished using the Stits
Lite system, including paints and finishing tapes. Don added rib
stitching to complete the effect.
Diane Chevalier painted the pilot that sits in the scale cockpit.
All markings are hand-painted and the flying wires are functional.
The G-62 engine that powers the big bipe is hidden from view by
a Mick Reeves dummy nine-cylinder radial engine. A Futaba radio
is used, and the rudder and elevators are pull-pull controlled, as on
the full-scale Pup.
Don captured the second-place trophy in the World War I
category at the WRAM (Westchester Radio Aero Modelers) Show
with this model.
Jerry Krainock (6701 Orion Ave., Van Nuys CA 91406; E-mail:
[email protected]) sent this photo of Jim Keeshon (Santa Monica
CA) holding his Fleetster.
It was originally a rubber-powered aircraft kitted by Cleveland
Models. Jim scaled up the design, which is covered with silk and
finished with clear modeling dope.
He powers the Fleetster with an AXI 2820-10 motor and a
Common Sense RC 2100 mAh Li-Poly pack. It features threechannel
RC control: motor, elevator, and rudder.
Detailed Sopwith Pup
Fleetster
Thomas W. Haake (174 Holly Hill Rd., Richboro PA 18954; Email:
[email protected]) sent this photo of his Pacific
Aeromodel, Inc. ARF Tiger Moth.
The model required close to 25 hours of assembly. The longest
period of time was spent correctly measuring and fastening the
flying wires.
The Tiger Moth spans 78 inches and has 1,841 square inches of
total wing area. It is covered with UltraCote and is powered by a YS
120 engine that is mounted in the inverted position. Tom uses a JR
XP9303 radio system for guidance duties.
“It was well worth the effort, as the model is exactly what I
wanted—a large scale slow flyer,” wrote Thomas. “This model takes
off and lands just by use of the throttle, and that alone is a real
thrill.”
Jack Pfaller (400 Southern Pine Tr., Rockledge FL 32955; Email:
[email protected]) has an exclusive flying site! He’s shown
with his Ultrafly Outrage in front of the Vertical Assembly Building
(VAB) at Kennedy Space Center.
According to Jack, the telephoto effect makes the building appear
much closer than it is. He received permission from the NASA site
manager to fly electric-powered models at lunchtime on a field that
is approximately a half mile from the VAB.
Jack’s Outrage was built from the all-foam Ultrafly kit and is
powered by an E-flite Park 370 motor and an 11.1-volt, 800 mAh,
three-cell Lithium battery pack.
Nice Flying Site, Jack!
Tiger Moth ARF
See page 199 for submission guidelines
Focal Point
12sig4.QXD 10/25/06 11:21 AM Page 99