80 MODEL AVIATION
Focal Point
Andrew Andrews (266 Stillhouse Rd., Franklin NC 28734; email:
[email protected]) built this model from plans in late
1998, for a first all-electric contest in Fort Myers, Florida.
The airplane differs from the plans in that Andrew made the
vertical fin square. He also made many modifications to install the
electrical units of the time (10 years ago), but those changes cannot
be seen since they are internal. The motor is a geared AstroFlight
15. The batteries at that time were 14-cell Ni-Cds from SR
Batteries.
“First flight was performed in January 1999,” wrote Andrew.
“The model has been flown more than 200 times with this
configuration, although lately, I have been using Li-Polys (much
lighter) and it definitely adds to the agility of the model.”
Spacewalker
John Epley (4260 S. Tucson Estates Pkwy., Tucson AZ 85735; email:
[email protected]) built an enlargement of the Seniorita,
which, in essence, is a Kadet.
The wing spans 80 inches, and ailerons were added to improve
performance. Covering is antique and red Solartex shrunk tight with
three coats of thin dope. The wing is fastened on with four nylon 1/4-
20 bolts. A Saito .65 four-stroke engine provides the power, and the
receiver is a Futaba SkySport TFP T6VA.
“It’s great to fly, being very forgiving, and makes a good trainer
for beginners,” wrote John.
Mel Smith (1252 Newport Landing Dr., Fenton MO 63026; email:
[email protected]) created his Harley from a Sig kit.
“Ever see a Harley fly?” wrote Mel. “Two years ago I sold my
Harley [motorcycle] and now I miss it, so I did the next best thing: I
built one.”
He started with a Sig Four-Star 60 kit and bashed it around a bit.
The model uses a GMS .75 engine and a Spektrum DX7 radio for
control. The covering is Black, Orange, and Chrome MonoKote.
Mel cut most of the graphics and obtained the rest from the local
Harley-Davidson store.
“It was a fun winter project and after I run another tank or two of
fuel through the engine, I will take it to the field and put it in the
air,” he wrote.
Harley
Seniorita Supersized
Robert Bryant (Box 751951, Houston TX 77275) designed and
built this aerobatic/3-D model.
It is constructed from balsa and foam, with an UltraCote finish.
Power is an E-flite Power 32 motor with a Jeti 77 Opto ESC and
four-cell Li-Poly battery. Robert uses a JR radio for guidance.
The G Force spans 54 inches, is 55 inches long, and weighs 4
pounds, 6 ounces.
“This is a very true flying airplane that does everything,” wrote
Robert.
G Force
11sig3.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 9/25/09 9:47 AM Page 80
November 2009 81
Lou Melancon (8630 Amsbury Way, Cumming GA 30041; email:
[email protected]) built his enlarged Swoose from 1989
Nick Ziroli plans.
The model spans 72 inches and weighs 11 pounds. The engine is
a Thunder Tiger F-75 four-stroke with a Cline regulator. The
transmitter is a Futaba, and the five servos and receiver are from
Hitec.
Lou finished the fuselage with 1/2-ounce fiberglass cloth, which
he sprayed with Klass Kote epoxy paint. The wings, stabilizer, and
rudder are covered with Coverite antique fabric that was painted
with Klass Kote.
“The airplane was started in January 2008 and first flew in July
2008,” wrote Lou. “It is an everyday flyer and quite striking in the
air. It never fails to generate interest when sitting on the ground.”
David Zola ([email protected]) and his father, Dan, are
shown at Dave’s flying field with their Cal-Aero Vultee BT-13
Vibrator. Dan built it and Dave is the chief test pilot.
Power is provided by a Saito FA-82a engine, and control is via a
Futaba six-channel radio. The Vultee weighs 10 pounds, is 4 feet
long, and spans 6 feet. The model is fiberglassed, covered with
silver auto paint, and has operating landing lights.
Dave is lucky enough to be able to see his club’s flying field
from his back porch. Under his control, the airplane performs
smoothly with no noticeable vibrations.
Tom Berg (3106 Indianapolis Ave., Clovis CA 93619; e-mail:
[email protected]) built his Skyraider from a Global kit that his father
purchased in the 1990s. Tom’s father was an avionics technician with
VA-25 aboard USS Midway in 1965.
The model is covered with white UltraCote, gray MonoKote, and
custom vinyl graphics from Extreme Scale FX. Tom’s wife, Ann,
hand-painted the Century Jet Models pilot.
Power is a Magnum XL 91 RFS with an onboard glow driver set, to
operate under 42% throttle. Control is via a JR 8103 radio with four
Spektrum DS821 and four JR537 servos. The Skyraider features
Robart retracts with Robostruts, two-position flaps, and droppable
ordnance.
“One of the best parts of this project was going through my dad’s
cruise books, talking to guys from his squadron and being able to show
my son Chris about his grandfather’s service to our country,” wrote
Tom.
Vultee Vibrator
Swoose
A-1H Skyraider
Bill Schmidt (4647 Krueger, Bel Aire KS 67220; e-mail:
[email protected]) built this Vultee dive-bomber from a
50¢ Comet kit. The kit was released in 1943 and was available until
1996, when Comet Models was sold to Guillow’s.
Bill built his 32-gram Vengeance 111% larger than the kit, and
he made it Rubber Scale. Covering is Japanese tissue and nitrate
dope, power is provided by braided strands of 1/8-inch rubber, and
the model has an 8-inch Peck-Polymers propeller.
A-35 Vengeance
See page 183 for submission guidelines
Focal Point
11sig3.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 9/25/09 9:47 AM Page 81
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/11
Page Numbers: 80,81
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/11
Page Numbers: 80,81
80 MODEL AVIATION
Focal Point
Andrew Andrews (266 Stillhouse Rd., Franklin NC 28734; email:
[email protected]) built this model from plans in late
1998, for a first all-electric contest in Fort Myers, Florida.
The airplane differs from the plans in that Andrew made the
vertical fin square. He also made many modifications to install the
electrical units of the time (10 years ago), but those changes cannot
be seen since they are internal. The motor is a geared AstroFlight
15. The batteries at that time were 14-cell Ni-Cds from SR
Batteries.
“First flight was performed in January 1999,” wrote Andrew.
“The model has been flown more than 200 times with this
configuration, although lately, I have been using Li-Polys (much
lighter) and it definitely adds to the agility of the model.”
Spacewalker
John Epley (4260 S. Tucson Estates Pkwy., Tucson AZ 85735; email:
[email protected]) built an enlargement of the Seniorita,
which, in essence, is a Kadet.
The wing spans 80 inches, and ailerons were added to improve
performance. Covering is antique and red Solartex shrunk tight with
three coats of thin dope. The wing is fastened on with four nylon 1/4-
20 bolts. A Saito .65 four-stroke engine provides the power, and the
receiver is a Futaba SkySport TFP T6VA.
“It’s great to fly, being very forgiving, and makes a good trainer
for beginners,” wrote John.
Mel Smith (1252 Newport Landing Dr., Fenton MO 63026; email:
[email protected]) created his Harley from a Sig kit.
“Ever see a Harley fly?” wrote Mel. “Two years ago I sold my
Harley [motorcycle] and now I miss it, so I did the next best thing: I
built one.”
He started with a Sig Four-Star 60 kit and bashed it around a bit.
The model uses a GMS .75 engine and a Spektrum DX7 radio for
control. The covering is Black, Orange, and Chrome MonoKote.
Mel cut most of the graphics and obtained the rest from the local
Harley-Davidson store.
“It was a fun winter project and after I run another tank or two of
fuel through the engine, I will take it to the field and put it in the
air,” he wrote.
Harley
Seniorita Supersized
Robert Bryant (Box 751951, Houston TX 77275) designed and
built this aerobatic/3-D model.
It is constructed from balsa and foam, with an UltraCote finish.
Power is an E-flite Power 32 motor with a Jeti 77 Opto ESC and
four-cell Li-Poly battery. Robert uses a JR radio for guidance.
The G Force spans 54 inches, is 55 inches long, and weighs 4
pounds, 6 ounces.
“This is a very true flying airplane that does everything,” wrote
Robert.
G Force
11sig3.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 9/25/09 9:47 AM Page 80
November 2009 81
Lou Melancon (8630 Amsbury Way, Cumming GA 30041; email:
[email protected]) built his enlarged Swoose from 1989
Nick Ziroli plans.
The model spans 72 inches and weighs 11 pounds. The engine is
a Thunder Tiger F-75 four-stroke with a Cline regulator. The
transmitter is a Futaba, and the five servos and receiver are from
Hitec.
Lou finished the fuselage with 1/2-ounce fiberglass cloth, which
he sprayed with Klass Kote epoxy paint. The wings, stabilizer, and
rudder are covered with Coverite antique fabric that was painted
with Klass Kote.
“The airplane was started in January 2008 and first flew in July
2008,” wrote Lou. “It is an everyday flyer and quite striking in the
air. It never fails to generate interest when sitting on the ground.”
David Zola ([email protected]) and his father, Dan, are
shown at Dave’s flying field with their Cal-Aero Vultee BT-13
Vibrator. Dan built it and Dave is the chief test pilot.
Power is provided by a Saito FA-82a engine, and control is via a
Futaba six-channel radio. The Vultee weighs 10 pounds, is 4 feet
long, and spans 6 feet. The model is fiberglassed, covered with
silver auto paint, and has operating landing lights.
Dave is lucky enough to be able to see his club’s flying field
from his back porch. Under his control, the airplane performs
smoothly with no noticeable vibrations.
Tom Berg (3106 Indianapolis Ave., Clovis CA 93619; e-mail:
[email protected]) built his Skyraider from a Global kit that his father
purchased in the 1990s. Tom’s father was an avionics technician with
VA-25 aboard USS Midway in 1965.
The model is covered with white UltraCote, gray MonoKote, and
custom vinyl graphics from Extreme Scale FX. Tom’s wife, Ann,
hand-painted the Century Jet Models pilot.
Power is a Magnum XL 91 RFS with an onboard glow driver set, to
operate under 42% throttle. Control is via a JR 8103 radio with four
Spektrum DS821 and four JR537 servos. The Skyraider features
Robart retracts with Robostruts, two-position flaps, and droppable
ordnance.
“One of the best parts of this project was going through my dad’s
cruise books, talking to guys from his squadron and being able to show
my son Chris about his grandfather’s service to our country,” wrote
Tom.
Vultee Vibrator
Swoose
A-1H Skyraider
Bill Schmidt (4647 Krueger, Bel Aire KS 67220; e-mail:
[email protected]) built this Vultee dive-bomber from a
50¢ Comet kit. The kit was released in 1943 and was available until
1996, when Comet Models was sold to Guillow’s.
Bill built his 32-gram Vengeance 111% larger than the kit, and
he made it Rubber Scale. Covering is Japanese tissue and nitrate
dope, power is provided by braided strands of 1/8-inch rubber, and
the model has an 8-inch Peck-Polymers propeller.
A-35 Vengeance
See page 183 for submission guidelines
Focal Point
11sig3.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 9/25/09 9:47 AM Page 81