Focal Point - 2012/05

74 Model Aviation May 2012 www.ModelAviation.com
Brother Skyrays
Adrian Land (283 Vine St., San Carlos CA 94070; email: land_
[email protected]) wrote: “I’m teaching my two wee boys to
fly Control Line! In the picture you’ll see Andrew (age 7) with his
traditional sky-blue Sig Skyray, Cox Black Widow powered; and Aiden
(almost 4) with his navy-blue version, converted for electric power.
The Balsa Products A2212-10 electric motor turns a K&B nylon
6 x 3 propeller at about the same rpm as the Black Widow with an 800
mAh LiPo battery sufficient for two trainer flights of up to 11/2 minutes.
A JMP-2 timer coupled to a BP 18A ESC controls flight speed and
duration.
“As you’d expect for the classic Sig Skyray, both models fly well.
The extra weight of the battery on the electric power is no problem for
training flights with the generous wing area of the Skyray.”
Spacewalker
Gordon Collyer (16188 Glenhollow Ct., Culpeper VA 22701; email:
[email protected]) built this 47-inch Spacewalker .10 converted to
electric power from House of Balsa.
The model weighs 28.8 ounces ready to fly with a Rimfire .10 motor
and Flight Power 1600 mAh battery. The Spacewalker balanced
without additional weight with the battery placement slightly in front
of the LE.
Four-channel control was implemented with four Futaba S3114
servos, using wing-mounted servos for the ailerons. The coverings
used were MonoKote for all flight surfaces and Coverite Microlite for
the fuselage.
Gordon wrote: “I was concerned about flex between the
elevator halves, so I added a 1/16-inch wire stiffener across the joint.
Additionally, I have enclosed the front of the model and opened up
formers for cooling airflow. Finally, I reduced the dihedral by half and
deleted the wheel pants in order to allow use of 2.25-inch wheels for
flying off my home grass field, Skyline Flyers in Culpepper, Virginia.”
focal point
TS-11 200BR Jet
Todd Davis (telephone: [319] 361-2513; email: tjdavis@
rockwellcollins.com) built this turbine-powered jet. The aircraft is
modeled after a single-seat attack version that now sits outside of a
Polish museum.
Powered by a Jet Central Rabbit, the model was built by modifying
Ziroli Turbinator plans.
Todd’s model includes Robart retracts and split flaps. A Futaba
12FG provides control along with a Smart-fly module that provides
dual receiver battery capability.
Todd wrote: “It’s a great trainer jet and I have over 100 flights on it.”
Little Demon
Les Couey (1949 W. Anderson St., Evanston WY 82930) built this
Giant Scale Top Flite P-47 kit and converted it to the razorbackcanopy
version.
It has an 86-inch wingspan and features flaps and Robart retracts.
The airplane has a redundant flight system with an EMS battery
backer; the primary battery is a 4200 NiMH with a backup 2000 NiMH
six-volt system. A Zenoah G-62 is used for power and he used Krylon
spray paint for the markings and colors.
Les’ model is completed in the Little Demon scheme, based on the
one flown by Maj. Walter C. Beckham of the 353rd FG, 351st FS, which
then www.ModelAviation.com May 2012 Model Aviation 75
Mid-Star
Ray Castner (15207 Parkwood Ln., Strongsville OH 44149; email:
[email protected]) built this Sig Mid-Star kit purchased from
the Hobby Hangar in Medina, Ohio.
The model is powered by an O.S. .46 turning an 11 x 6 propeller. The
covering is tan and olive drab MonoKote, with red on the wingtips to
enhance visibility.
Ray wrote: “[I] was going for the P-40 Flying Tiger look in an easyto-
fly airplane, and the Mid-Star was a good fit. Red wingtips were
included to make the plane easy to see below the treeline at the field.
The Flying Tiger decals were ordered as used on the Great Planes
P-40, and the tiger teeth were hand cut from MonoKote trim.”
Swiss Pilatus Porter STOL
William Welle (1720 Kilpatrick Rd., Nokomis FL 34275; email:
[email protected]) scratch-built his Pilatus Porter entirely from
3/16-inch lightweight foam board.
William wrote: “Once the pattern is drawn on the boards, all the
parts can be cut out with a #11 blade X-Acto knife in about an hour
or less. The foam parts are then creased, bent, compressed, and
otherwise manipulated to make the model that you see here. Sanding
and painting using poster paint completes the job. Obviously no
covering is required.
“This relatively lightweight 48-inch model flies at a realistically
scale speed because of light wing loading, with a small electric
outrunner motor and lightweight components. It can be easily flown
in light winds.”
Focke-Wulf 190D
Tom Fey (918 E. Olive, Arlington Heights IL 60004; email:
[email protected]) presents his prototype of designer Gus Morfis’
Focke-Wulf 190D.
The model is powered by a 150-watt, 1500 Kv outrunner via eight
NiMH cells and a 7 x 5 Master Airscrew propeller. Tom’s model spans
32.5 inches and weighs 21 ounces. A four-channel radio flies the
airplane fast and smooth, upright or inverted.
The Focke-Wulf is all-balsa construction and covered in clear
MonoKote scuffed with 400-grit paper, then spray painted. Markings
are hand painted from stencils.
Stipa Caproni
Don Watson (765 Louis St., Eugene OR 97402; email: watson68@
comcast.net) wrote: “I scratch-built this aircraft, which is similar to
a plane built in Italy in the early 1930s. A man by the name of Luigi
Stipa designed it and it was built by a man named Caproni. The tubular
fuselage is a ventur shaped tube.
“On this model, the diameter is 18 inches and it is 48-inches long
with a wingspan of 102 inches. It is powered with a Zenoah G-38. If
you look close, you can see the aluminum bulkheads near the front
that form the venture feature of this plane. The inside of the fuselage
is fiberglass. It is approximately 1/5 scale.
“I have done much research on this aircraft and have lots of photos
of my model and of the original. If you are interested, email me.”
Interested in sharing your handiwork?
See page 150 for submission guidelines.transferred to the 78th FG.