Stagger Bi
Tom White (1788 Plymouth Way, Sparks NV 89431; email: [email protected]) wrote:
“The Stagger Bi is a Phil Kraft design from 1959 … I had to update the construction techniques to modern day, but that was easy enough. The plans showed a solid 1/8 plywood wing spar, sewn hinges, bellcranks to the ailerons, rubber-band wing hold downs, and an upright engine with cheek cowls. It also had Bonner Digimite servos drawn on the plans.
“I used the proven 1/4 spar top and bottom with shear webs between the ribs on the wings. I inverted the Saito 72 and built the cowling and put a remote starter on it. The wings are covered with aluminum Solar Film and the body is Cub-yellow MonoKote. The cowl is painted. It doesn’t have retracts, but I put wheel covers on to simulate retracts.”
Super Sportwin
Don Kiryluk (10721 Staghound Tr., Zebulon NC 27597; email: [email protected]) built his own version of Mark Rittengers’ Super Sportwin, which was pictured on the cover of the June 2011 Model Aviation.
The motors are Turnigy D3542/6 with Turnigy Trust 55A ESCs. Don uses electric retracts from Nitro Planes and wing cores by Bob Hunt in his model. The covering is UltraCote. With full power, the Super Sportwin shows 945 watts and 75 amps spinning 9 x 8 APC propellers.
1809 Cayley
Daniel Mitchell (1027 Bradley Sq., Sparks NV 89434; email: [email protected]) wrote:
“In 1809, Sir George Cayley created a drawing of a ‘solid of least resistance’ using a ‘well fed trout’ as a guide. His original drawing looks very much like a modern, fully symmetrical airfoil. Curious to see how well it would fly, I decided to design and build a model using Sir Cayley’s airfoil shape for the wing ribs.
“Construction is all wood with fully sheeted wings and tail surfaces. With the O.S. .61 running at full song, this 6-pound airplane has aggressive vertical performance and is notably quick on the straight and level. Wing loading (550 square inches with a 62-inch wingspan) is a bit high, so low-speed performance is less than inspiring.
“Conclusion: this 16% airfoil, although speedy, is not the fastest shape around. Don’t tell George …”
Revived LT-40
Bill Eikner (35 Harloff Rd., Honeoye Falls NY 14472; email: [email protected]) and Eric McGahey (123 Bunker Hill Dr., Rochester NY 14625; email: [email protected]) share this rebuilt LT-40 with readers.
The LT-40 is a Sig ARF spanning 70 inches and powered by an O.S. .55AX, two-stroke engine turning a 12 x 6 propeller. The model also has Maxford USA .40-size fiberglass floats. Bill is the owner of the model and when it suffered a crash, Eric revived it.
Eric made extensive fuselage repairs and reattached all tail feathers. He also removed all of the MonoKote and recovered and applied new Sig graphics. More repairs were made to the wing and float struts.
All repairs were completed in late March 2012. The maiden flight followed on March 23 using traditional landing gear with tires resulting in a successful flight.
Fokker D.VI
Carl Schurenberg (7678 Oceola Ln., West Chester OH 45069; email: [email protected]) built this Fokker D.VI from a Glenn Torrance kit.
The model spans 75 inches and weighs approximately 17 pounds. It is powered by a Zenoah G-26 and guided by Spektrum radio gear. Carl covered his model in Balsa USA Lozengetex fabric.
Carl wrote:
“The kit follows many of the construction designs of the full-size plane and hence is not for the beginning modeler. It was fun to build a somewhat different and unusual plane.”
Stuka Dive Bomber
Edward Niccum (3288 Stewert Dr., Darien IL 60561; email: [email protected]) scratch-built this Junkers 87 Stuka Dive Bomber with working bomb drop.
Spanning 71 inches with a weight of 7.5 pounds, the Stuka was built from Royal-Marutaka plans. The construction is balsa and light ply with MonoKote covering using a Saito .72 for power. Wheels pants are vacuum-formed plastic with light plywood internal reinforcing.
The bomb is made from balsa and light cardstock with an impact activated buzzer in case it misses the field and winds up in the rough surrounding Edward’s club field.
Buzzard Bombshell
Thomas W. Haake (Richboro PA; email: [email protected]) built this 1940 Buzzard Bombshell from Bob Holman plans and short kit.
Constructed using Horizon Hobby UltraCote ParkLite covering, Thomas’s model is powered by an E-flite Power 32 electric motor spinning a 13 x 6.5 APC propeller. The electric components include Hitec HS-225 servos, a Spektrum AR500 receiver, and a Castle Creations ICE-50 ESC. A Spektrum DX8 controls the Buzzard Bombshell.
“The model is a terrific slow flyer and thermal floater,” Thomas wrote.
Mustang
Ralph Doyle (2463 Wesington Dr., Maryland Hts. MO 63043) built this CMP P-51D Mustang.
A Chinese SV 26cc gas engine powers this 72-inch wingspan model using 16 x 6 propeller. The Mustang comes with flaps and Ralph added electric retracts. The photo was taken by Carolyn Schlueter.
Ralph wrote:
“This P-51 has no bad habits and flies like a dream. An additional note: If you’re not into gas engines, I also flew it with an O.S. .90 and did not feel that it was underpowered swinging a 14 x 6 propeller.”
