Edition: Model Aviation - 2010/12
Page Numbers: 80,81,

80 MODEL AVIATION
Focal Point
Ed More (Box 329, West Ossipee NH) presents this electricpowered
fleet of blue-sheet-foam flyers, all of which are his original
designs. There are two trainers, a diamond-tadpole airfoil pizza box
flyer, a 3-D flyer based on the F-4F Wildcat, an indoor flyer, and a
CLB (“cute little biplane”).
Construction incorporates the use of 1/4-inch foam insulation,
arrow shafts, self-adhesive shelf edging, bamboo skewers, lauan
underlayment, foam meat trays, soda straws, fishing line, and used
dryer antistatic cloth. The nontraditional modeling materials keep
Ed’s costs down.
“All have flown well and are used in youth programs,” he wrote.
Irwin Weisbrot (6 Starlight Dr., Norwalk CT 06851; e-mail:
[email protected]) built his S.E.5a Replica from a 24-inchwingspan
Guillow’s rubber-powered model that he modified for
electric flight.
He sheeted the metal-clad surfaces on the full-scale version with
1/32 balsa and covered the open bays with Polyspan. He laminated
the tail outlines with balsa strips for a more realistic scale effect.
Irwin modified the wing spars for scale ailerons and made sure that
the rib spacing and riblets were correct.
An E-flite Park 370 motor, Castle Creations ESC, and 480 mAh,
three-cell Li-Poly battery drive the propeller. A Hitec minireceiver
commands the servos.
Irwin painted his model with a base of nitrate dope under
Aqueous/Acrylic paint. The S.E.5a weighs 13.1 ounces, which gives
it a wing loading of 8.7 ounces per square foot.
Tony Farmer (1711 Spanish Trace Dr., Saraland AL 36571; email:
[email protected]) and Wayne Boudreaux present
Tony’s L-4 Grasshopper Cub.
It started life as a Balsa USA 1/4-scale Cub kit that Richard
Moore framed. Configured by Wayne and piloted by Tony, the kit
was bashed into an L-4 military version of the aircraft.
Tony added a rear observation cockpit area along with custom
landing gear, cowl, wing attachment, and landing gear strut covers.
He covered the Grasshopper with Solartex Olive Drab iron-on fabric
with painted-on trim and insignia. A detailed cigar-smoking pilot
graces the cockpit interior.
The model turns an 18 x 6 propeller mounted to an SPE 26cc gas
engine, and a Futaba 9C radio helps with guidance. Tony painted his
wife’s name on the Grasshopper as nose art.
Quarter-Size Grasshopper
Replica Replica
Blue-Sheet-Foam Flyers
Michael Wharton (905 Liberty St., Weatherford TX 76086; email:
[email protected]) built his Mister Mulligan from a
laser-cut short kit redesigned by Laser Works in Wichita Falls,
Texas.
This Bud Nosen design is 1/4 scale with a 108-inch wingspan.
Fiberglass Specialties provided the wheel pants and cowl. The
model weighs a hefty 31 pounds ready to fly, with a Sachs 4.2 gas
engine up front. The airframe consists of aircraft plywood, light
plywood, and balsa. All stringers are basswood.
Michael’s granddaughter, who is eager to learn to fly, sits in
Mister Mulligan.
Mister Mulligan
12sig3x.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 10/21/10 11:41 AM Page 80
December 2010 81
Lee Miller (412 Swiss Dr., crowley TX 76036; e-mail:
[email protected]) spent most of his life looking for
plans he could use to build an F-104 Starfighter.
“Even when I was a child growing up, I would go to Motts fiven-
dime store and get a model of the F-104 Starfighter,” wrote Lee.
“Back then it only cost 29 cents.”
Roughly a year ago he found the plans through eBay that he had
been seeking. Lee built the Starfighter, even though the plans were
in German. He noted that it doesn’t have a stinger on the nose for
safety, but he did add flaps that were not on the plans.
According to Lee, his next F-104 will have ducted-fan power.
“Thanks to Ted Hodges (recently deceased) for my building
skills,” he wrote.
Bill Welle (1720 Kilpatrick Rd., Nokomis FL 34275) used
lightweight foam board to scratch-build this scale rendition of the
Aeronca c-3.
“After 75 years building models with balsa wood, I have learned
to work with this new material which is 3/16-inches thick with paper
on both sides,” wrote Bill.
According to him, once cut to shape, the foam board is sanded,
curved, bent, grooved, scored, and painted to produce the airplane
you see. This model has no balsa framework, ribs, formers, or
stringers.
Bill’s electric-powered Aeronca spans 52 inches and weighs a
very light 16 ounces. He claims that it flies realistically at a scale
speed.
Jim Nelson (Box 87, Hayfield MN 55940; e-mail: nelson_
[email protected]) built his WAcO SRE from enlarged Walt
Mitchell plans.
“The little one flew so well that I had to build a bigger one,”
wrote Jim.
Increased in size by 30%, the model is powered by a Desert
Aircraft 3W-150 twin-cylinder engine that turns a 32-inch propeller.
Jim uses Spektrum electronics throughout. Throttle management is
definitely needed.
“It has about a dozen flights and flies wonderfully,” he wrote.
Kent Nelson (9757 Portofino Dr., Orlando FL 32832; e-mail:
[email protected]) presents his B-25, B-17, and B-24.
The B-25 Mitchell from Royal Quality Kits is powered by twin
O.S. .50 two-stroke engines and spans 707/8 inches. The B-17 Flying
Fortress, also a Royal Aircraft kit, uses four O.S. .26 four-stroke
engines for power. The B-24 Liberator, manufactured by Jack
Stafford Models, is powered with four O.S. .40 four-stroke engines.
Wonderful-Flyin’ WACO
Old Dawg, New Trick
Starfighter
The “B” Fleet
See page 191 for submission guidelines
Focal Point
12sig3x.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 10/21/10 11:41 AM Page 81
Edition: Model Aviation - 2010/12
Page Numbers: 80,81,

80 MODEL AVIATION
Focal Point
Ed More (Box 329, West Ossipee NH) presents this electricpowered
fleet of blue-sheet-foam flyers, all of which are his original
designs. There are two trainers, a diamond-tadpole airfoil pizza box
flyer, a 3-D flyer based on the F-4F Wildcat, an indoor flyer, and a
CLB (“cute little biplane”).
Construction incorporates the use of 1/4-inch foam insulation,
arrow shafts, self-adhesive shelf edging, bamboo skewers, lauan
underlayment, foam meat trays, soda straws, fishing line, and used
dryer antistatic cloth. The nontraditional modeling materials keep
Ed’s costs down.
“All have flown well and are used in youth programs,” he wrote.
Irwin Weisbrot (6 Starlight Dr., Norwalk CT 06851; e-mail:
[email protected]) built his S.E.5a Replica from a 24-inchwingspan
Guillow’s rubber-powered model that he modified for
electric flight.
He sheeted the metal-clad surfaces on the full-scale version with
1/32 balsa and covered the open bays with Polyspan. He laminated
the tail outlines with balsa strips for a more realistic scale effect.
Irwin modified the wing spars for scale ailerons and made sure that
the rib spacing and riblets were correct.
An E-flite Park 370 motor, Castle Creations ESC, and 480 mAh,
three-cell Li-Poly battery drive the propeller. A Hitec minireceiver
commands the servos.
Irwin painted his model with a base of nitrate dope under
Aqueous/Acrylic paint. The S.E.5a weighs 13.1 ounces, which gives
it a wing loading of 8.7 ounces per square foot.
Tony Farmer (1711 Spanish Trace Dr., Saraland AL 36571; email:
[email protected]) and Wayne Boudreaux present
Tony’s L-4 Grasshopper Cub.
It started life as a Balsa USA 1/4-scale Cub kit that Richard
Moore framed. Configured by Wayne and piloted by Tony, the kit
was bashed into an L-4 military version of the aircraft.
Tony added a rear observation cockpit area along with custom
landing gear, cowl, wing attachment, and landing gear strut covers.
He covered the Grasshopper with Solartex Olive Drab iron-on fabric
with painted-on trim and insignia. A detailed cigar-smoking pilot
graces the cockpit interior.
The model turns an 18 x 6 propeller mounted to an SPE 26cc gas
engine, and a Futaba 9C radio helps with guidance. Tony painted his
wife’s name on the Grasshopper as nose art.
Quarter-Size Grasshopper
Replica Replica
Blue-Sheet-Foam Flyers
Michael Wharton (905 Liberty St., Weatherford TX 76086; email:
[email protected]) built his Mister Mulligan from a
laser-cut short kit redesigned by Laser Works in Wichita Falls,
Texas.
This Bud Nosen design is 1/4 scale with a 108-inch wingspan.
Fiberglass Specialties provided the wheel pants and cowl. The
model weighs a hefty 31 pounds ready to fly, with a Sachs 4.2 gas
engine up front. The airframe consists of aircraft plywood, light
plywood, and balsa. All stringers are basswood.
Michael’s granddaughter, who is eager to learn to fly, sits in
Mister Mulligan.
Mister Mulligan
12sig3x.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 10/21/10 11:41 AM Page 80
December 2010 81
Lee Miller (412 Swiss Dr., crowley TX 76036; e-mail:
[email protected]) spent most of his life looking for
plans he could use to build an F-104 Starfighter.
“Even when I was a child growing up, I would go to Motts fiven-
dime store and get a model of the F-104 Starfighter,” wrote Lee.
“Back then it only cost 29 cents.”
Roughly a year ago he found the plans through eBay that he had
been seeking. Lee built the Starfighter, even though the plans were
in German. He noted that it doesn’t have a stinger on the nose for
safety, but he did add flaps that were not on the plans.
According to Lee, his next F-104 will have ducted-fan power.
“Thanks to Ted Hodges (recently deceased) for my building
skills,” he wrote.
Bill Welle (1720 Kilpatrick Rd., Nokomis FL 34275) used
lightweight foam board to scratch-build this scale rendition of the
Aeronca c-3.
“After 75 years building models with balsa wood, I have learned
to work with this new material which is 3/16-inches thick with paper
on both sides,” wrote Bill.
According to him, once cut to shape, the foam board is sanded,
curved, bent, grooved, scored, and painted to produce the airplane
you see. This model has no balsa framework, ribs, formers, or
stringers.
Bill’s electric-powered Aeronca spans 52 inches and weighs a
very light 16 ounces. He claims that it flies realistically at a scale
speed.
Jim Nelson (Box 87, Hayfield MN 55940; e-mail: nelson_
[email protected]) built his WAcO SRE from enlarged Walt
Mitchell plans.
“The little one flew so well that I had to build a bigger one,”
wrote Jim.
Increased in size by 30%, the model is powered by a Desert
Aircraft 3W-150 twin-cylinder engine that turns a 32-inch propeller.
Jim uses Spektrum electronics throughout. Throttle management is
definitely needed.
“It has about a dozen flights and flies wonderfully,” he wrote.
Kent Nelson (9757 Portofino Dr., Orlando FL 32832; e-mail:
[email protected]) presents his B-25, B-17, and B-24.
The B-25 Mitchell from Royal Quality Kits is powered by twin
O.S. .50 two-stroke engines and spans 707/8 inches. The B-17 Flying
Fortress, also a Royal Aircraft kit, uses four O.S. .26 four-stroke
engines for power. The B-24 Liberator, manufactured by Jack
Stafford Models, is powered with four O.S. .40 four-stroke engines.
Wonderful-Flyin’ WACO
Old Dawg, New Trick
Starfighter
The “B” Fleet
See page 191 for submission guidelines
Focal Point
12sig3x.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 10/21/10 11:41 AM Page 81