Edition: Model Aviation - 2008/06
Page Numbers: 86,87

86 MODEL AVIATION
Focal Point
Mike Preda (2648 Ridge Rd., Lansing IL 60438) built this
Douglas SBD Dauntless from a SkyShark Models kit.
The 1/9-scale warbird is powered by an O.S. 61FX engine. A
Futaba 7CAP radio controls the eight servos. The finish is 3/4-ounce
fiberglass applied with epoxy finishing resin and then covered with
fuelproof paint. The Dauntless has functional dive brakes, a bomb
release, and Robart retracts.
Mike’s model represents the VB-3 flown by Lieutenant Sydney
Bottomly and his gunner, David F. Johnson (AMM2c), who scored a
direct hit on a Japanese aircraft carrier in the Battle of Midway on
June 4, 1942.
Douglas SBD Dauntless
Van Berg (L) and Jerry Dodge, president of the Associated
Modelers of Sacramento (7824 Patton Ave., Citrus Heights CA
95610), built these P-40E Warhawks from Top Flite Gold Edition
kits.
Each Warhawk spans 64 inches and is powered by a .60-size
engine: one an O.S. and the other a Tower Hobbies. The Robart
pneumatic retracts are the version specially made for this Top Flite
kit. These P-40s also feature fully functional flaps and onboard
glow-ignition systems.
“The kits were great and flew as expected,” wrote Jerry. “Thanks
to Top Flite for a good product.”
Rodger Farley (9246 Sealed Message Rd., Columbia MD 21045;
E-mail: [email protected]) scratch-built this DH-84 Dragon
2 from his plans.
It spans 94.66 inches and weighs 14.5 pounds loaded. Two AXi
2826/10 brushless outrunner motors turn APC 11 x 5.5 propellers.
Rodger built his model with balsa, basswood, and 1/64 plywood
using standard construction methods. Covering is Sig Koverall
Dacron fabric adhered with butyrate dope. The finish is LustreKote
spray in white primer, dark red, and aluminum, and then a clear
lacquer sealing was applied over all of it.
The outer wing panels come off by removing two connection sheet
pins per wing. There is no hard attachment for aileron controls, and the
wing wires are permanent and need no adjustment or reattachment.
“This makes for a very easy set-up and take-down,” wrote
Rodger. “Only a few minutes total.”
Don Butman (6161 Platt Ave., Woodland Hills CA 91337; Email:
[email protected]) built his Cessna 150 from a Guillow’s
kit.
This 1/16-scale FF model spans 24 inches and is powered with a
Gasparin 120 CO2 motor.
Don is well-known for his skillful construction techniques and his
high standards with stick-and-tissue models. He built this Cessna for
a local contest for Guillow’s 300-series kits, in which it won the Best
Craftsmanship award.
“The plane flies very well indeed,” wrote Don.
Cessna 150
DH-84 Dragon 2
WW II’s Flying Tigers
06sig3.QXD 4/24/08 10:35 AM Page 86
June 2008 87
Fred Dikeman (4177 Brandonmore Dr., Cincinnati OH 45255)
wanted a foamie that was fun and different. He created this model,
deviating from the standard pattern by cutting an open cockpit
through which to add the pilot.
The Funny Foamy uses an E-flite Park 400 brushless outrunner
motor with a Castle Creations Thunderbird-18 ESC. Guidance is
aided by a Berg Microstamp 4 receiver, and the motor is offered
authority with the use of a Thunder Power 1320 mAh, 11.1-volt
battery. Hitec HS-55 servos drive the rudder, elevator, and ailerons.
Fred equipped the model with skids. According to him, they
were a great addition because they prevent propeller damage and
enable his Funny Foamy to take off from anywhere.
Lee Richter (33543 Pennbrooke Pkwy., Leesburg FL 34748)
built this Lockheed A-12 from plans he made from a three-view
drawing.
The A-12 spans 60 inches and weighs 6 pounds. Two E-flite
480 outrunner motors provide the power, which is controlled with
two 40-amp E-flite controllers. The battery consists of one threecell,
5000 mAh Li-Poly pack, and the radio is a Spektrum DX7.
John Epley (4260 S. Tucson Estates Pkwy., Tucson AZ 85735; Email:
[email protected]) built this World War I German Taube from
a Balsa USA kit.
It spans 62 inches and weighs 5 pounds. Power is an O.S. Max
.46AX engine, and covering is Cub Yellow Worldtex. Guidance is
managed with a Futaba T4VF SkySport radio.
John wrote:
“It flew great right from the first flight. Only needed a minor
adjustment on the stabilizer.
“The .46 is a lot of power and it flew fast even at a quarter throttle.
The CG was right on with this engine. It is very stable and handles like
a fast trainer.”
Taube
Lockheed A-12
Funny Foamy
Don Pancer (2123 Drake School Rd., Hermann MO 65041; Email:
[email protected]) built this Crusader from plans he
purchased more than 40 years ago (plans number MPS150A).
Working in the family basement, Don had little time to finish the
project with five children playing around him. Although he built
other models throughout those roughly 40 years, he didn’t finish the
Crusader’s construction until fall 2006.
The plans called for building the F-8E from balsa with a plank
fuselage. Instead, Don constructed the fuselage with a balsa center
crutch and foam top and bottom that he sheeted with 1/16 balsa. He
built the bottom cowl from foam and fiberglass. The engine is a
K&B .61 that Don purchased years ago.
He painted his model in the same color scheme as Rich
Uravitch’s A-7 Corsair, which was published in Model Airplane
News and later became a House of Balsa kit.
F-8E Crusader
See page 207 for submission guidelines
Focal Point
06sig3.QXD 4/24/08 10:37 AM Page 87
Edition: Model Aviation - 2008/06
Page Numbers: 86,87

86 MODEL AVIATION
Focal Point
Mike Preda (2648 Ridge Rd., Lansing IL 60438) built this
Douglas SBD Dauntless from a SkyShark Models kit.
The 1/9-scale warbird is powered by an O.S. 61FX engine. A
Futaba 7CAP radio controls the eight servos. The finish is 3/4-ounce
fiberglass applied with epoxy finishing resin and then covered with
fuelproof paint. The Dauntless has functional dive brakes, a bomb
release, and Robart retracts.
Mike’s model represents the VB-3 flown by Lieutenant Sydney
Bottomly and his gunner, David F. Johnson (AMM2c), who scored a
direct hit on a Japanese aircraft carrier in the Battle of Midway on
June 4, 1942.
Douglas SBD Dauntless
Van Berg (L) and Jerry Dodge, president of the Associated
Modelers of Sacramento (7824 Patton Ave., Citrus Heights CA
95610), built these P-40E Warhawks from Top Flite Gold Edition
kits.
Each Warhawk spans 64 inches and is powered by a .60-size
engine: one an O.S. and the other a Tower Hobbies. The Robart
pneumatic retracts are the version specially made for this Top Flite
kit. These P-40s also feature fully functional flaps and onboard
glow-ignition systems.
“The kits were great and flew as expected,” wrote Jerry. “Thanks
to Top Flite for a good product.”
Rodger Farley (9246 Sealed Message Rd., Columbia MD 21045;
E-mail: [email protected]) scratch-built this DH-84 Dragon
2 from his plans.
It spans 94.66 inches and weighs 14.5 pounds loaded. Two AXi
2826/10 brushless outrunner motors turn APC 11 x 5.5 propellers.
Rodger built his model with balsa, basswood, and 1/64 plywood
using standard construction methods. Covering is Sig Koverall
Dacron fabric adhered with butyrate dope. The finish is LustreKote
spray in white primer, dark red, and aluminum, and then a clear
lacquer sealing was applied over all of it.
The outer wing panels come off by removing two connection sheet
pins per wing. There is no hard attachment for aileron controls, and the
wing wires are permanent and need no adjustment or reattachment.
“This makes for a very easy set-up and take-down,” wrote
Rodger. “Only a few minutes total.”
Don Butman (6161 Platt Ave., Woodland Hills CA 91337; Email:
[email protected]) built his Cessna 150 from a Guillow’s
kit.
This 1/16-scale FF model spans 24 inches and is powered with a
Gasparin 120 CO2 motor.
Don is well-known for his skillful construction techniques and his
high standards with stick-and-tissue models. He built this Cessna for
a local contest for Guillow’s 300-series kits, in which it won the Best
Craftsmanship award.
“The plane flies very well indeed,” wrote Don.
Cessna 150
DH-84 Dragon 2
WW II’s Flying Tigers
06sig3.QXD 4/24/08 10:35 AM Page 86
June 2008 87
Fred Dikeman (4177 Brandonmore Dr., Cincinnati OH 45255)
wanted a foamie that was fun and different. He created this model,
deviating from the standard pattern by cutting an open cockpit
through which to add the pilot.
The Funny Foamy uses an E-flite Park 400 brushless outrunner
motor with a Castle Creations Thunderbird-18 ESC. Guidance is
aided by a Berg Microstamp 4 receiver, and the motor is offered
authority with the use of a Thunder Power 1320 mAh, 11.1-volt
battery. Hitec HS-55 servos drive the rudder, elevator, and ailerons.
Fred equipped the model with skids. According to him, they
were a great addition because they prevent propeller damage and
enable his Funny Foamy to take off from anywhere.
Lee Richter (33543 Pennbrooke Pkwy., Leesburg FL 34748)
built this Lockheed A-12 from plans he made from a three-view
drawing.
The A-12 spans 60 inches and weighs 6 pounds. Two E-flite
480 outrunner motors provide the power, which is controlled with
two 40-amp E-flite controllers. The battery consists of one threecell,
5000 mAh Li-Poly pack, and the radio is a Spektrum DX7.
John Epley (4260 S. Tucson Estates Pkwy., Tucson AZ 85735; Email:
[email protected]) built this World War I German Taube from
a Balsa USA kit.
It spans 62 inches and weighs 5 pounds. Power is an O.S. Max
.46AX engine, and covering is Cub Yellow Worldtex. Guidance is
managed with a Futaba T4VF SkySport radio.
John wrote:
“It flew great right from the first flight. Only needed a minor
adjustment on the stabilizer.
“The .46 is a lot of power and it flew fast even at a quarter throttle.
The CG was right on with this engine. It is very stable and handles like
a fast trainer.”
Taube
Lockheed A-12
Funny Foamy
Don Pancer (2123 Drake School Rd., Hermann MO 65041; Email:
[email protected]) built this Crusader from plans he
purchased more than 40 years ago (plans number MPS150A).
Working in the family basement, Don had little time to finish the
project with five children playing around him. Although he built
other models throughout those roughly 40 years, he didn’t finish the
Crusader’s construction until fall 2006.
The plans called for building the F-8E from balsa with a plank
fuselage. Instead, Don constructed the fuselage with a balsa center
crutch and foam top and bottom that he sheeted with 1/16 balsa. He
built the bottom cowl from foam and fiberglass. The engine is a
K&B .61 that Don purchased years ago.
He painted his model in the same color scheme as Rich
Uravitch’s A-7 Corsair, which was published in Model Airplane
News and later became a House of Balsa kit.
F-8E Crusader
See page 207 for submission guidelines
Focal Point
06sig3.QXD 4/24/08 10:37 AM Page 87