Focal Point - 2015/04
F-86 Sabre
Raymond Belanger (Pensacola, FL; email: [email protected]) built this F-86 Sabre micro electric ducted-fan model from a Great Planes kit.
This jet is a replica of the Royal Canadian Air Force F-86 Sabre Golden Hawks, flown by an air demonstration team from the late 1950s to the early 1960s. Raymond painted the model with Tamiya spray paint; the graphics came from Bad Brad Graphics.
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Cessna 170
Fred Mulholland (Tampa, FL; email: [email protected]) constructed this 6-foot wingspan Cessna 170 from a 60-year-old “crash-cut” Berkley kit.
The model is covered with silk and Brodak Dope and is powered by an O.S. FS56 four-stroke engine. Fred built this same model 60 years ago when only single-channel RC and rubber-band escapements were available for control. His new 170 has full-house control and a 2.4 GHz Futaba radio.
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Stuntman 23
Jeff Croy (Webster, MN; email: [email protected]) submitted the following: “My son, Ashton, built this Stuntman 23 from an old Carl Goldberg kit. He has been flying ARF RC aircraft for several years and wanted to give building a try. The airplane was built true to the plans and powered with a new Cox Black Widow .049.
“His first control-line flights have been very successful and a joy to watch, as this was also my very first model airplane back in the late 1960s.”
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Senior Falcon
Peter Van Staagen (Zebulon, NC; email: [email protected]) started this Carl Goldberg kit in 1976 and finished it in 2013.
- Wingspan: 69 inches
- Weight: 6.6 pounds (allows unlimited vertical performance)
- Power: 1,500-watt motor, 55-amp ESC, 6S 3,700 mAh LiPo
- Radio: Spektrum DX6i
- Servos: Seven
- Features: electric conversion, carbon-fiber spinner, air scoops for cooling, bolt-on wings, flaps, magnetic hatch, LED landing lights triggered by battery voltage, UltraCote covering
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Gee-Bee Z
Kevin Strathy (Sebring, FL) built this 33% Gee-Bee Z from Hostetler plans.
- Power: Great Planes 65cc electric motor with a 12S 10,000 mAh battery pack
- ESC: 160-amp Castle Creations
- Propeller: 26 x 12 Xoar
- Note: "It flies very well and scalelike," wrote Kevin.
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Wedell-Williams Model 44 Racer
Patrick Aman (Prattville, AL; email: [email protected]) built his Wedell-Williams Model 44 Racer from an ARF produced by Troy Built Models.
- Span: 88 inches
- Length: 71 inches
- Power: 77cc Evolution radial engine
- Servos: Six Hitec HS-5645MG
- Weight: Slightly less than 24 pounds
- Notes: The larger engine required an extension of 4 inches from the original firewall; Patrick added 1.5 pounds of weight to the tail to correct the center of gravity.
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F6F Hellcat
Lee Moody (Dacula, GA; email: [email protected]) built this 72-inch F6F Hellcat from a CMP ARF.
Lee wrote: "The modified airframe sports new wingtips carved from balsa plugs, then mounted and finished with fiberglass to more closely match the scale outline of the wing. It also has a new Hangar 9 F6F canopy and Hangar 9 oleo struts with RCLander electric retracts.
"The Hellcat is powered by an Evolution 1.20 two-stroke engine with a 15 x 8 Master Airscrew propeller and is guided with a Spektrum DX7 radio. The 1/6-scale pilot is from ESM. The two radio masts and some weathering round out the build.
"This plane flies like a trainer. With the flaps down, it will float in with just a click or two of throttle."
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Cloud Dancer 40
Mike Hausner (The Villages, FL; email: [email protected]) built this modified Cloud Dancer 40, designed by Fred Reese from RCM plans.
Modifications to the original design include reshaped tail feathers, wingtips, and a razorback turtledeck. The model sat in Mike's workshop for approximately 17 years. In 2013 he converted it to electric: the nose was lengthened and redesigned to accommodate an E-flite Power 25 motor with a 60-amp ESC, and a removable lower cowl section was created for battery access.
- Power: E-flite Power 25 with 60-amp ESC
- Battery: 4S 3,200 mAh LiPo
- All-up weight: 4 pounds, 8 ounces
- Wingspan: 60 inches
- Covering: royal blue and cream MonoKote with red trim sheet graphics
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
