Micro-Flying - 2008/09

“Tim Wolff
brought these
beautiful
DiddleBugs. Both
models flew
exceptionally well.
He used a covering
of Litespan
synthetic tissue for
both models. The
larger model had a
JMP receiver and is
powered by a GWS
M20 motor. It
weighs 2.97 ounces
with a 24-inch wingspan. The smaller version weighs 21.5 grams
and has an 18-inch wingspan.
“As I continued my journey of photographing and reviews, I
came across this amazing, colorful, eye-catching plane. The model
was Bill Lowe’s Ghost biplane. I was so impressed I wanted one
of my own. However; I found out it was a four-channel aerobatic
model, better suited to my husband’s flying abilities.
“With a weight of only 3.9 ounces, and a wingspan of 30
Cindy Malinchak reports on the 2008 PERF Indoor event
September 2008 79
Also included in this
column:
• The author reviews the
Toledo Show
• Keystone Indoor Electric
Fly will have Micro Fun
Scale event
Micro-Flying Joe and Cindy Malinchak | [email protected]
Del Ogren’s Gee Bee
Ascender has a 20-inch
wingspan and weighs 18.3
grams. The model is
covered with gampi
paper and uses the
ParkZone system.
Left: Ken Spencer flew this neat 13-
inch-wingspan Gee Bee racer. It uses
the GWS 7mm motor and Plantraco’s
.9-gram receiver.
Above: Among Bill Lowe’s collection was a
30-inch-wingspan, 250-size Ghost biplane
weighing only 3.9 ounces. It flew extremely
slow 3-D maneuvers in the high school
gym!
MY WIFE took most of the pictures and notes at the Perryville
Electric River Fliers (PERF) indoor event, so she decided to write
her own review. I’m really glad that she could take the time to
write down and share her own impressions for us.
“What an experience! For the first time my husband and I
attended the Toledo Weak Signals show in Ohio this year. We had
a great time! The numerous static display models, new products,
and various activities were outstanding. I was very impressed at
all the detail and workmanship these skilled modelers put into
their creations.
“What blew me away was this huge RC tank that entered the
building around closing time and parked itself next to the statics.
If you could see heads spin!
“On Saturday night we attended the PERF indoor micro fly-in.
The local RC club ran a fun, well organized event. The bleachers
were packed with enthusiastic onlookers.
“I got a kick out of this cool looking plane: Del Ogren’s Gee
Bee Ascender. I actually thought it was flying backwards;
however my husband informed me that it had a canard in the
front, and was supposed to fly that way. The model weighs 18.3
grams with a wingspan of 20 inches. It was covered with gampi
paper. Del used an inkjet printer for the color.
80 MODEL AVIATION
Tim Wolff’s 24-inch-wingspan DiddleBug weighs 2.97
ounces, is covered with Litespan, and is powered by a
GWS M20 motor.
Right: Peter
De Stefano
entered this
outstanding
stick-andtissue
Rearwin
Speedster.
Above: The new ParkZone Citabria was on display. It has a 16.5-inch wingspan and weighs
only 21 grams. It is available in three colors.
Left: Cindy Malinchak won third place with her Peck-Polymers Cougar. State of the art
when it was first introduced, the Peanut Scale model uses the Brown A23 CO2 motor for
power.
My first stop at the show was the Horizon Hobby display. I
couldn’t wait to see if there were any new micromodels in the
ParkZone line. To my surprise, they had a fantastic new design
called the Vapor. It is a 14.75-inch-wingspan, three-channel,
living-room flyer. It weighs only 12 grams ready to fly.
The best part is that the Vapor uses Spektrum DSM2 radio
technology, and it can be bound to any Spectrum DSM2-equipped
transmitter. This airplane is at your hobby shop now as an RTF
with or without the transmitter.
The next new model that I admired from the ParkZone line was
the Micro Citabria. The three-channel aircraft has a 16.5-inch
wingspan and weighs 21 grams ready to fly. It is available in three
trim colors: red, yellow, and blue. I will be doing a complete
review of the new Vapor and Citabria in future issues.
One of the main reasons for attending the show was to enter
and support the Micro Static competition. John Worth’s RC Micro
World sponsored the micro category again this year.
I entered the L-4 Grasshopper Piper Cub that I designed and
built several years ago for the NIRAC [National Indoor Remote
Controlled Aircraft Council] Championships, and I was awarded
first place. I modeled the airplane after a friend’s beautifully
restored full-scale L-4.
The three-channel model has a 16-inch wingspan, uses a
Mighty Midget 3.5-gram outrunner motor, and weighs only 1.3
ounces. I constructed it from Sig contest balsa to save as much
weight as possible. I covered the L-4 in Japanese tissue that was
airbrushed with the correct colors.
Rob Romash entered his beautiful Aeronca K. The model
weighs 14 grams and is covered with tissue and detailed with
hand-drawn markings. The aircraft features a full cockpit and
inches, it has a wing loading of only 1.3 ounces. This model is made
of laser-cut Depron, and is covered with clear plastic wrap. As a 3-D
slow flyer it uses a Futaba spectrum radio, and E-flite 250 motor.
“I met his wonderful wife Tina, who Bill quoted, ‘is a huge part
of the process of getting the planes out to people that love them!’
She did an expert job with the colors of this plane using a permanent
colored marker. Bill was so kind and allowed my husband to fly the
plane. He said it was the slowest and best-flying 3-D model he has
flown to date!
“There is also a 14-inch span mini version of the Ghost. This
plane uses the ParkZone system for guidance. Bill also flew his slow
flyer design. The model flew very gracefully with the ParkZone
system installed.
“Kits of these planes are available for purchase. For more details
and information, please contact Bill. [See sources list.]
Friends, Bob Selman, Gary Jones, and Ken Spencer brought a
variety of fine flying micro models. One of the models that caught
my husband’s attention was Ken Spencer’s Gee Bee Racer. The
model uses Gary Jones’ 7mm drive, and is made from laser-cut
Depron foam. He used the Plantraco .9 gram receiver and 2
MiniACTs. This model flew great, and hopefully Bob Selman will
add it to his growing line of fantastic kits.
“In closing my first review for this column, I had the best time at
Toledo and PERF and my husband and I are both looking forward to
attending next year’s event.”
Micro-Flying Toledo: After several years of trying to arrange our
schedules, my wife and I finally made it out to Toledo, Ohio, for the
54th annual Weak Signals Expo. The show was a real treat for me. I
spent all weekend looking at all the new products and beautiful
static displays. On Saturday night, I flew my models at the PERF
indoor event.
pilot. Rob was awarded second place for
his efforts.
My wife, Cindy, entered her singlechannel,
13-inch-wingspan, CO2-powered
Peck-Polymers Cougar featured in my
March 2008 column. This was the first
model she ever built. It uses the Brown
A23 motor and was a state-of-the-art
micro RC aircraft at the time it was built.
The judges must have thought so too,
because she was awarded third place.
Peter De Stefano entered his
exceptional Rearwin Speedster. The stickand-
tissue model was nicely executed. I
am sorry that I didn’t get many details
about this aircraft.
Keystone Indoor Electric Fly Update:
The club I belong to, the Muncy Indoor
Flyers, will hold a micro Fun Scale
contest at this year’s Keystone event! If
you have never entered Fun Scale, this is
a good way to get your feet wet.
AMA Fun Scale rules will apply.
However, we will have a 2-ounce weight
limit! Please see the contest Web site for
more information. MA
Sources:
Stevens AeroModel
(719) 393-0830
www.stevensaero.com
Bill Lowe
[email protected]
ParkZone
(800) 338-4639
www.parkzone.com
RC Micro World
www.cloud9rc.com
Peck-Polymers
(720) 833-9300
www.peck-polymers.com
Keystone Indoor Electric Fly
www.keystoneindoor.com