Focal Point
Radical 110
- Builder: Bob Ellingson
- Address: 1270 River Cove Rd., Social Circle, GA 30025
- E-mail: [email protected]
Bob bashed his Sig Rascal 110 ARF into a design he calls a “Radical 110,” which looks more like a classic 1930s-era airplane because of the Saito FA-325RS radial four-stroke engine up front.
Bob replaced the original fuel tank with a larger 24-ounce tank and built a new engine mount, bringing the Saito approximately 3/4-inch closer to the firewall.
To properly ballast the Radical 110, Bob replaced the prepackaged aluminum tail-wheel assembly with one made from brass, which added 8 ounces to the model’s weight. That, combined with two 2400 mAh Ni-Cd battery packs behind the cockpit, allowed the airplane to balance properly on the CG. Its dry weight is 16 pounds.
“The Radical 110 flies like a gentle giant and sounds great flying overhead at full throttle,” wrote Bob.
SIAI Marchetti SF-260
- Builder: Federico Jones
- Address: 825 Darden Dr., Newport News, VA 23608
- E-mail: [email protected]
Federico built this SIAI Marchetti SF-260 from Model Airplane News plans designed by David W. Goerne. This 1/4-scale fighter trainer spans 87 inches and features flaps and Robart retracts. Its flying weight is 26 pounds, and it is covered with Super Coverite.
The model is powered by a Western Hobbies GF45i gas engine that turns an 18 x 12 propeller. A Futaba 9C radio system is used with 11 servos onboard.
“The flight is smooth and realistic,” wrote Federico.
El Chuparosa Twins
- Builder: Mike Vogelsang
- Address: 1320 S. Farming Rd., Arbor Vitae, WI 54568
- E-mail: [email protected]
Mike built two 1/3-scale El Chuparosa biplanes using plans from Scale Plans and Photo Service. His great uncle, Ray Hegy, designed the full-scale El Chuparosa in the late 1950s.
Each model spans 48 inches. One is powered by a Saito 100 twin, and the other has a Saito 91. Futaba guidance is used with Hitec digital servos.
The cowl and wheel pants were molded from fiberglass using the plug cross-sections on the plans. The El Chuparosas are finished with 21st Century Fabric.
P-51D "Swap Shop Queen"
- Builder: Rick Rea
- Address: 7450 A Grant Village Dr., Saint Louis, MO 63123
- E-mail: [email protected]
Rick rebuilt this P-51D to honor the Tuskegee Airmen. This “Swap Shop Queen” has fully functional flaps and is powered by an O.S. FS-91 Surpass II four-stroke engine that spins a 14 x 6 Master Airscrew K-series propeller. Guidance is via a five-channel Futaba system.
Rick covered the model with Aluminum MonoKote and hand-cut other MonoKote colors for the trim, stars, bars, and cowl. To simulate the engine exhaust pipes, Rick used round dowel rod cut at a 45° angle and painted it black.
The airplane is finished in the markings of the 302nd Fighter Squadron attached to the 332nd Fighter Group, to honor Lawrence Roberts—father of Robin Roberts, anchor of ABC’s “Good Morning America”—of the 44K Class of Tuskegee Airmen.
TBM-3 Avenger
- Builder: Gordon Dey
- Address: 6805 Devonshire Cir., Pensacola, FL 32506
- E-mail: [email protected]
Gordon built this TBM-3 from a Skyshark R/C kit.
The model is full tilt, with retracts and split flaps as on the full-scale airplane. Power is provided by a Thunder Tiger .91 four-stroke engine, and Gordon uses a Futaba seven-channel radio for guidance.
He covered the balsa fuselage and wings with fiberglass and painted it with PPG Concept acrylic urethane Insignia Blue, mixed to match the MonoKote on the control surfaces.
“My first carrier landing [was] in the radio man’s seat,” wrote Gordon.
de Havilland Chipmunk
- Builder: Sheldon Williams
- Address: 6019 Kelly Rd., Flushing, MI 48433
Sheldon built his de Havilland Chipmunk from a Dynaflite kit.
It has a 90-inch wingspan and weighs 19 pounds. Sheldon accessorized the model with Robart struts, and it features working flaps. A Zenoah G-38 gas engine powers the airplane very well.
Sheldon covered the model with Sig Koverall and finished it with Krylon spray paint, which is fuelproof to the gas/oil mix.
Miss Ashley II
- Builder: Windy Urtnowski
- Address: 93 Elliot Pl., Rutherford, NJ 07070
- E-mail: [email protected]
Windy built Miss Ashley II based on the late Gary Levitz’s Reno air racer.
The semi-scale model is powered by a Ro-Jett .76 engine and weighs 61 ounces. The fuselage is made from carbon fiber laid up in a custom mold to be extraordinarily strong yet extremely lightweight. The wing and tail surfaces are of conventional built-up construction covered with carbon-fiber veil and tissue.
The Miss Ashley has a Brodak dope finish with handmade graphics. The entire airplane was covered with clear dope and hand-rubbed until an even surface was achieved.
The fuel tank and propeller are from Windy’s original molds.
OV-10 Bronco
- Builder: Richard Norris
- Address: 5307 Halmark, Austin, TX 78723
Richard built his OV-10 Bronco from plans by Rich Uravitch and instructions from the November 1995 issue of Model Airplane News.
The Bronco is powered by two O.S. .25 FX two-stroke engines and employs a Futaba radio controlling eight servos.
This Bronco can be built with the scale-size 52.5-inch wing or, for a lighter wing loading, constructed with a slightly longer wing that has an extra rib bay added to each tip.
“The MonoKote covering looks just like Mr. Uravitch’s,” wrote Richard.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
