Focal Point - 2012/02
Citabria
David Boudreau ([email protected]) built this Hobby Shack Citabria in 1987.
The Citabria has a 48-inch wingspan with a 400-square-inch wing. David uses an O.S. Max .25 engine for power. Control is an Airtronics FM six-channel radio.
David wrote: "When I first joined the AMA it was in 1973 and things sure have changed since then. In fact, I still have my old AMA number. I'm retired now and look forward to flying RC again. It is a wonderful hobby and I have missed it."
Graupner Kit
Roger Mullins ([email protected]) shared with MA his old Graupner kit from roughly 30 years ago that Ron Norvelle passed on to him.
Roger's model was missing the tail feathers and some minor parts. He converted it to electric power and added slotted flaps. The Graupner spans 62 inches and weighs nearly 7 pounds ready to fly.
"It flies very realistically and it's a lot of fun to shoot touch-and-gos with those big flaps," wrote Roger.
Eddie the Eagle
Mike Weinig ([email protected]) built Eddie the Eagle, a slope-soaring glider, from plans by Jack Edwards.
The glider uses ailerons and elevator for control. The Eagle is foam, covered with 3/4-ounce fiberglass and polycrylic. Mike finished the model by hand painting with an airbrush.
"It flies great and scared the local gulls good," wrote Mike.
Thing
Bob Swenson (175 Santa Rosa Ave., #309, Oakland, CA 94610; [email protected]) shares the second edition of his highly modified TwinStar named Thing.
Features include:
- Twin tails
- Mechanical retracts
- Bomb drop
- Solid balsa nose
- Rounded fuselage with clipped P-38 canopy
Bob wrote: "Even with a bit of additional weight, it still flies very well. With the gear up, it really looks good on a low pass. And with no drag from a fixed landing gear, it really goes!
"One other feature, thanks to my son, Joel, who is a wonder with transmitters, to help ground control, he linked the rudders to the individually controlled throttle servos. So when you give it right rudder, you get an increase in left throttle, and vice-versa. It really helps in a side wind, especially when taxiing back to the pits."
Slow Poke 15
Mark Coffin ([email protected]) built his Slow Poke 15 from a kit.
An O.S. Max .25 FP powers the Slow Poke using Futaba S3003 servos and a Futaba FASST 2.4 receiver for control. The covering is red-and-cream Coverite 21st Century Fabric. Mark wrote: "I'm only in my second year of RC flying, and although I've graduated to more advanced models, I still enjoy flying the three-channel Slow Poke. It makes such graceful moves in the sky! The guys at the field enjoy it as well because you don't see them very often."
Aeronca Champ
Charles Cimino ([email protected]) submits his scratch-built scale Aeronca Champ.
The Champ is covered in Super Fabric and painted. Its wingspan is 18 feet and it weighs roughly 85–90 pounds.
The main gear has air shocks with internal springs in the struts to handle the weight on landing. Charles used Aeronca Champ logos and numbers identical in design and colors to the full-scale airplane.
The engine is a two-cycle Briggs & Stratton 150cc with a separate mechanical fuel pump. This powerhouse spins a 36 x 16 pitch propeller.
Charles wrote: "It's so scale that I made a pilot figure wearing a shirt, turtleneck, cap, sunglasses, and headset with mic. It looks so real on a low pass that it drops spectators' jaws!"
Note: A model of this size and power requires the pilot to have a permit to fly under the Large Model Airplane program.
FedEx Flyer
Tom Chamberlin ([email protected]) is an independent contractor with FedEx Home Delivery. He is able to use his truck to haul his airplanes to the field.
This profile ARF is finished to match Tom's truck. He added a little white and purple MonoKote and used some leftover vinyl lettering from FedEx trucks to complete it. It has a 48-inch wingspan and is powered with a Saito .72.
"It flies great!" Tom wrote.
Zestorer
Gonzalo Bures ([email protected]) built this ESM Bf 110 Zestorer modeled after the Night Fighter Squadron.
The model spans 95 inches and is powered by two .26cc gas engines. A nine-channel Futaba PCM with battery back-up system controls four basic controls plus flaps, retracts, and bomb drops. Scale details include the cockpit, panel lines, rivets, and a full-figure pilot and radio operator.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
