Micro-Flying
Joe Malinchak | [email protected]
The new columnist shares the history of his passion for tiny models.
As I contemplated what to write about for my first "Micro-Flying" column, I couldn’t help but reflect on my history with micro RC and why I enjoy it so much.
Back in my college days in the mid-1980s, my friends and I started an RC club, the Little Riddle Flyers, at the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University campus in Prescott, Arizona. It was a great club and we enjoyed flying our models at the many RC fun-fly events held throughout the year.
It was at one of these events that I witnessed my first micro RC model fly. I was at the One-Eighth Air Force Fly-In that was held in Phoenix every year, watching the flightline, when I saw a beautiful 30-inch-span Stinson Reliant doing low passes up and down the field. I was in awe!
After his flight I asked the builder the usual number of questions people ask about a model they like: What radio system, engine, and covering material are you using? What is the weight and wing loading, and how long will it fly? I drove the man crazy with all my questions!
He told me the model used the Cannon radio. It was the world’s most lightweight RC system available at the time. The four-channel receiver and the servos weighed 1/2 ounce each, and the four-cell Ni-Cd pack weighed 1 ounce.
I was amazed by this system and had to own one. After checking my college bank account, I ordered the Cannon. I figured I could cut down on my food for the next month without affecting my budget. What aircraft would I install this system in? I wanted something impressive for my next trip down to Phoenix. While looking at some new foam FF kits at my local hobby shop, I found my airplane. A company called Bentom had 19-inch-span models that I thought would work perfectly! I started with the P-51 and installed the Cannon receiver, two servos, and added a Cox Tee Dee .020 engine. To my amazement the model flew perfectly right out of my hand! It was fairly fast but manageable, and it had the power to roll and loop. Now I had something worthy to fly at the One-Eighth Air Force Fly-In. My friends and I traveled to the next event in force. I flew the P-51 and a 19-inch-span Spitfire I built from the same FF series. Everyone was impressed with the little models, and I was hooked on micro RC.
I started thinking even bigger (or smaller) on a large scale. I decided to build a small-scale, 30-inch-span B-17 from a Sterling FF kit. I used the then-newly released G-Mark .03 engine with throttle control. I completed the model in time for the next event, but I did not have time to test it. The show organizers were willing to let me fly during the halftime demonstration, and I agreed to if I could get all the engines running. I had trouble, so I did not attempt to fly it. Because of engine problems I never did manage a successful flight with the model. The standing joke with my friends throughout the years was, "Have you flown the B-17 yet?" I still have the airplane, and someday I plan to install some new micro outrunner motors and get it flying.
My next big development came many years later. I attended the Westchester Radio AeroModelers’ (WRAM) Show and met John Worth. He was displaying the new CETO receiver and actuator.
I was blown away by this new system and couldn’t wait to experiment with it. Electrics were too heavy at the time, so I went to a power source I had played with in the past. I found my collection of Telco CO2 motors I had used in some FF models.
I constructed a balsa test model that flew well enough but lacked power. I started searching for better motors, and the quest led me to my good friend Henry Pasquet.
Henry was experienced with CO2 motors and had made an informative video of some of the models he flew with the Brown CO2 line. I called him, and he told me everything I needed to know to get the best performance out of this power source.
Henry and I kept pushing our models to new limits in size and weight. He was going smaller and lighter, and I was doing small-scale models. We couldn't believe it when we broke the 13-inch-span, Peanut-size barrier!
My next goal was 1/72 scale. I thought, "Wouldn't it be neat if I could get a 1/72-scale RC model to fly?"
I had seen a FF model made from wall foam that Mark Denham of England built. I ordered some material from him and designed a 1/72-scale F6F Hellcat. I knew that the F6F would be a good choice for this project. I used the new 1-gram Gasparin 2.6 CO2 motor, Nick Leichty's receiver, and a 30-milligram actuator that Fritz Mueller made for me.
The Hellcat weighed 5 grams and, to my surprise, flew beautifully! I believe it was the world's first 1/72-scale flying model.
Today I am still pushing the limits on my micro RC models. I enjoy designing new airplanes and the challenge it takes to get them to fly well. My wife, Cindy, who has supported my modeling efforts throughout the years, also enjoys building and flying micro RC airplanes.
She wanted to know what I saw in this hobby and went with the "if you can't beat them, join them" approach. She asked me if she could build a model of her own.
Cindy's first RC aircraft was a 13-inch-span, CO2-powered Peck-Polymers Nesmith Cougar. It was single-channel and weighed less than an ounce. The model looked great and flew beautifully.
She flew the Cougar at the S.M.A.L.L. (Small Model Airplane Lovers League) Fly-In in 1998 and won the Flying Ace award with her first RC airplane. She finally understood why I love modeling so much. The fun in building and flying models and the great friends we have made throughout the years make this one great hobby!
What's New?
The HM-4#3 four-channel, fixed-pitch, micro RC helicopter from Walkera comes out of the box ready to fly. It has a 180 mm rotor span and weighs 45.5 grams.
I am a big fan of the Micron helicopter from Precision Heli. The HM-4#3 is even smaller and uses only one 400 mAh Li-Poly cell. It is not for beginners, but anyone with some fixed-pitch helicopter time can handle it. My model flew great right from the box; however, I did balance the tail blade and lubricated all the ball links and bearings.
The helicopter has a few weak spots:
- The rotor head is somewhat fragile.
- The motors run on the hot side.
I ordered some extra parts to keep mine flying. You can find the HM-4#3 in the United States for roughly $108.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
