Focal Point
Lockheed P-38J Lightning
Donald Yearout (820 Dobrich Cir., Bay Point CA 94565) latest project is his 6-foot-wingspan P-38J.
He scratch-built the 18-pound model from balsa, hardwood (spars), and plywood. It features fiberglass engine cowls and center pilot's nacelle. Two O.S. .46 FX engines provide power, and each is fitted with a homemade in-cowl muffler. JR radio equipment is used.
This is the second R/C version of the P-38 that Don has built, but he won the C/L Scale Nats crown with a P-38 many years ago.
Go Vanderbilt!
Gerald L. Ewell Sr. (809 Parks St., Manchester TN 37355) built his Stinger 120 from the LanierRC kit. He trimmed it in the black and gold of his alma mater—Vanderbilt University—and named it "Mr. Commodore," after Vanderbilt's athletic teams.
The model is powered by an O.S. 1.08 two-stroke engine and controlled via a Futaba radio system.
"My grandchildren, great fans of rival University of Tennessee, say that if it doesn't fly any better than the Commodores play football, it won't fly for long or not at all!" wrote Gerald. "I'm anxious to try it out when the weather permits and prove them wrong."
Gold Edition P-47
Ron Witkowski (2011 N. 109th Dr., Avondale AZ 85323; E-mail: [email protected]) built his P-47 Thunderbolt from a Top Flite Gold Edition kit.
It weighs nearly 10 pounds, has a SuperTigre G-75 (ringed) engine with an in-cowl muffler, and guidance is via a Futaba six-channel radio system.
Covering is MonoKote, with painted portions in LustreKote. Just aft of the engine cowling is lightly airbrushed black to simulate oil/exhaust. The kit came with full decals, but the cowling skull and crossbones was painted on.
"Stuka-schmitt?"
Jerry Russell (63510 Gold Spur Way, Bend OR 97701; E-mail: [email protected]) built his unique model from his CAD-drawn plans. It is a pseudo German World War II twin-engine fighter which features a 72-inch-span inverted gull wing.
The 8.5-pound model has an O.S. .48 Surpass four-stroke engine in front and an O.S. .40 Surpass four-stroke in the rear. The engine cowls are made from fiberglass. Covering is MonoKote.
"If I had to name it, I'd probably call it a 'Stuka-schmitt,' for the Stuka gull wing and the Messerschmitt forward fuselage look," wrote Jerry.
1912 Curtiss Model D Pusher
Dean Humphrey (10336 Ashford Dr., Yukon OK 73009; E-mail: [email protected]) built his 1/4-scale Curtiss Model D pusher from an Arizona Models kit. It was built for display at the "Frantic Museum" in Oklahoma, but it can be equipped with radio gear and a 120 four-stroke engine for flying.
The model is covered with cream-colored Super Coverite. For rigging Dean used .015 stainless control-line cable. The wheels were built using music wire for the spokes, which were soldered to the brass hub and brass ferrules in the rim. Turnbuckles keep the rigging cables tight and help keep the model rigid.
WACO YMF-5
Carl S. Diehl (49300 Meadow Oak Tr., Mattawan MI 49071) submitted this description and photo in response to Stan Alexander's "Why Not Model ...?" article in the February 2005 MA.
Carl built this 18-pound model of a 1934 WACO YMF-5 from a modified Pica kit to have exact scale outlines. It features stainless-steel rigging, cotton-cloth covering, and nitrate modeling dope followed by acrylic paint for the finish.
Power is provided by a Laser 200v twin engine that has a built-in gel cell for starting only. The radial engine in the cowl is a fake mounted in front of the real power plant. An Airtronics radio is used for guidance.
Big Pitts
Meril Davidson (2709 Indiana, Joplin MO 64804) built his 1/3-scale Pitts S-2B from Andy Sheber plans. It spans 80 inches and weighs 30 pounds.
A 3W-100 twin engine provides power, and a 26 x 10 3W propeller is used. The model is covered with Super Coverite, Krylon paints were used for color, and an automotive clear topcoat was applied.
A JR XPI803 PCM radio system was installed for guidance chores, along with digital servos, two JR MatchBoxes on the ailerons, and two 1400 mAh six-volt battery packs. The model uses a Sullivan Skywriter smoke system. The cabane struts were welded from automotive steel brake lines.
Saab Viggen
John S. Moore (6960 Hearthside Dr., Prince George VA 23875; E-mail: [email protected]) spotted a Kress Jets RK-20 fan unit for sale on an online auction site, and it reminded him that he had a set of Nick Ziroli plans for a Saab J37 Viggen in his attic. He bought the fan unit and built the Saab.
The model weighs 3 pounds, 7 ounces. Motivation is provided by an O.S. .25 VF/DF engine turning the Kress RK-20 fan unit at 27,000 rpm on 30%-nitromethane fuel.
"This was a fun aircraft to build," wrote John. "And it's even more fun to fly. (Isn't that what it's all about?) It is also different-looking."
Focal Point
Scratch-Built Transport
R.J. Barth (530 Platt, Montpelier OH 43543) scratch-built his 35-pound Lockheed C-123. It has an all-wood frame consisting of light plywood (poplar), aircraft plywood, and spruce.
Two Futaba radios are required to operate this model, which carries 13 servos. It spans 10 feet, 6 inches, and it is 6 feet long.
Covering is MonoKote, and power is provided by two O.S. .91 engines that each swing a 15 x 8 propeller. The C-123 features wheel brakes, working flaps, running lights, and landing lights. The working rear door opens to drop parachutes in flight.
Bird-E-Dog
Ryan C. Crutchfield (51 Choctaw Cir., Hendersonville NC 28739; E-mail: [email protected]) built his L-19 "Bird-E-Dog" from plans for Ernie Heyworth and Ed Lokken's design that was published in the April 2002 MA. This was Ryan's first plans-built project.
He modified the landing gear from the dural-aluminum type shown on the plans to a bent-wire type with a scale fairing. He also added ailerons and flaps. The model weighed a few ounces more than the design weight after the additions, so Ryan added a surface spar near the LE to help beef up the structure. Covering is Olive Drab MonoKote.
Etrich Taube
Jack Cohen (96 Feltwood Ln., Palm Coast FL 32137; E-mail: [email protected]) built his Etrich Taube from a Balsa USA kit.
It spans 84 inches and weighs slightly more than 8 pounds. A SuperTigre .61 two-stroke engine provides the power, and a Futaba T6EAX radio system is used for guidance.
Jack covered the model with Solartex Antique Fabric and then sealed it with Top Flite LustreKote lacquer spray.
"This is my second model since being away from building for almost 50 years," he wrote.
Art Chester's Jeep
Ray Conta (77 N. Shore Dr., Blasdell NY 14219) scratch-built his Art Chester Jeep from balsa and plywood. It spans 54 inches and weighs 7.5 pounds.
Covering is MonoKote, and some of the details were painted on with LustreKote paint.
The fiberglass cowl extends back to the wing's LE. The wing and the cockpit come off as one unit for easy access to the Futaba radio gear. A Saito 72 four-stroke engine powers this model, and the exhaust plumbing channels the burnt gases out the bottom of the cowl.
Sikorsky S-39
Bill Bradford (1837 Cromwell Dr., Nashville TN 37215; E-mail: [email protected]) built his 48-inch-span Sikorsky S-39 from a Classic Aero kit.
The 4-pound model is powered by a PJS 550R motor with a three-cell, 2100 mAh Li-Poly battery pack with a Justi 18 speed control.
Bill covered his amphibian with Coverite and finished it using UltraCote paint. It uses a Hitec Eclipse transmitter and a Hitec 555 receiver for guidance.
Nostalgic Skymaster
Ronnie Thompson (20400 Green Meadow Rd., Athens AL 35614; E-mail: [email protected]) watched his dad Jeff Thompson build and fly a Cessna Skymaster 40 years ago. He never forgot the experience and always wanted to build one.
Ronnie saw an advertisement for a Marutaka kit of the Skymaster in Radio Control Modeler, and he used the photos he had of his dad’s version to make a replica.
The model spans 76 inches and weighs 9 pounds. It has two SuperTigre .51 engines and is covered with UltraCote.
Snoopy’s Aeroplane Show
Terry Sattler (12215 White Pine Dr., Allendale MI 49401; E-mail: [email protected]) calls his RV-4 “Snoopy’s Aeroplane Show.” He built it from a Great Planes kit.
The model is powered by an O.S. .46 FX engine. It is covered with MonoKote, and the custom graphics are also MonoKote. LustreKote paint was used on the cowl and the wheel pants.
The model features running lights on the wingtips, tail, and turtledeck. Other features are working flaps and a Pitts-style muffler.
And the pilot? Snoopy, of course!
Aquastar Seaplane
Dale Nash (12405 Willow Forest Dr., Moorpark CA 93021; E-mail: [email protected]) built his Aquastar from Laddie Mikulaszko plans (item fsp06911 from www.rcstore.com). He named it “Dragonfly” because of its unusual profile.
The model spans 70 inches, is 59 inches long, and weighs 12 pounds. It is made from light plywood and balsa, with a fiberglass-reinforced bottom. An O.S. .91 FX engine fitted with a Master Airscrew 14 x 7 three-blade pusher propeller powers this sleek aircraft. It is guided by a Futaba radio system.
Dale finished the Dragonfly with Latex paint, homemade decals, and a clear topcoat by Klass Kote. The wing is covered with MonoKote.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
