Author: Joe Malinchak
Edition: Model Aviation - 2012/11
Page Numbers: 81,82,83,84
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It's never too late to learn to fly

Joe Malinchak [email protected]

When I was a child, I spent many hours reading model airplane magazines and dreaming about flying full-scale and RC model airplanes. Model aviation is a great way for people of any age to get introduced to airplanes and flying. You can learn about aerodynamics, weight and balance, building and construction techniques, and even aviation history.

Model aviation will lead many to an interest in learning to fly a full-scale airplane and a career in the field of aviation. It is a great time to start a career in aviation because pilots will be in great demand at some point in the future. New work rules, the cost of learning to fly, pilot retirements, and fewer pilots coming out of the military are affecting commercial airline pilot staffing levels.

The best way to get started is to go to your local flight school and take an introductory flight to see if aeronautics is for you. If it is, you can work to obtain your ratings and start your career in aviation!

de Havilland Dash 8-100

My full-time job is flying a de Havilland Dash 8-100 and a Dash 8-300 for US Airways Express/Piedmont Airlines, Inc. Flying this turboprop throughout the Northeast is a good job.

I have been planning to design a model of the DH‑8 for several years. I began a design a few years ago that flew okay, but I stopped to complete other projects. With a new line of twin-steer DT 2.4 GHz receivers, I had no excuse; I had to complete my DH‑8 design!

I decided to make the model a profile design, as are many of my previous designs, because it saves weight and is easy to construct. I wanted to pack in as much detail as possible, so I carried my camera to work to take plenty of photos. I couldn’t tell you how many photos I took of the airplane; I had to go back several times to capture missing details. I included panel lines, rivets, access hatches, and many other markings—if it’s on the full-scale airplane, it’s probably on my model. Most people won’t notice the minute details, but I wanted accuracy.

I drew the design in Adobe Illustrator from a good set of three-view drawings and referenced a plastic model kit of the Dash. My first prototype had a scale wing outline, but it was too fast and did not fly well. To achieve the flight characteristics I wanted, I increased the wing area so the model would fly slower without compromising its looks.

The 9½‑inch wingspan model is constructed from Durobatics foam with carbon-fiber rod inside the fuselage and under the wings for strength. I coated the foam with inkAID (mixed roughly 70% inkAID to 30% water) and sprayed it with an airbrush. The inkAID allowed me to print the DH‑8 graphics directly onto the foam with an inkjet printer. Parts were cut with a #11 blade.

After cutting, I added the carbon rod and assembled the model using UHU Por glue for Styrofoam. Power comes from two 4mm x 11mm 13-Ohm motors with two 32mm Plantraco propellers. These motors produce good power and are the same I used on my Plantraco Micro Butterfly and 1/72-scale Spitfire and Bf 109 designs. I soldered the motors to the DT Rx41d receiver and mounted the receiver to the underside of the wing. Mounting the receiver there lets me test motors and receiver operation before mounting the wing on the fuselage.

The all-up weight of the model is about 5 grams ready to fly with a 30 mAh LiPo cell, and flight time is roughly 5 to 7 minutes. The aircraft is easy to fly with the twin‑steering mix and is great for relaxed flying on a calm day. For micro twin-engine models such as the DH‑8, a twin‑steering setup is the way to go.

DT 2.4 GHz Rx41d DSM2 Receiver

DT Receivers has added several new receivers to its line, including models with twin‑steering capability. The Rx41d weighs approximately 0.28 grams and supports twin‑steer mixing. It also has the option of using an actuator for elevator control; I left the actuator off my model to save weight, but it would be useful on designs with wheels for touch‑and‑go practice.

Key features:

  • Two built-in ESCs for brushed motors.
  • Programmable twin‑steering mix via transmitter at 0%, 12.5%, 25%, 50%, or 100%.
  • Option to select steering mix channel (e.g., change from aileron to rudder channel).
  • Low‑voltage cutoff and configurable actuator output channel.
  • Three servo outputs.
  • Can drive two external brushless ESCs with twin‑steering mix.

I found 50% steering mix provided nice turns on my DH‑8 model. DT 2.4 GHz receivers can be purchased in the US from Bob Selman Designs (BSD). See the DT 2.4 GHz website and BSD for more information.

Bob Selman's Micro Moony

Bob Selman sent pictures and details of his new Micro Moony, designed by Rolf Schmidt. Rolf provided plans for a 12‑inch wingspan scale model with an all‑balsa profile fuselage using aileron and elevator for controls. Bob used the DT Rx31 receiver and two of Nick Leichty’s 0.75‑gram servos.

Finishing: Bob added printed tissue trim with a glue stick and then applied two coats of nitrate dope thinned 50/50, a technique recommended by Paul and Ralph Bradley.

Power and performance: He used an SS long‑can direct‑drive motor with a Tri‑Turbo propeller and a Nanotech 130 mAh LiPo cell. The airplane weighs 18.2 grams ready to fly and is described as agile and quick in the air.

Microaces 1/24-Scale Kits

A new company, Microaces, debuts with four beautiful new kits designed for the Spektrum AR6400 and AR6400L receivers. The kits feature a receiver clip for easy removal of AR6400/AR6400L receivers so they can be shared among models, and a motor‑mounting system that allows removal of the brushless motor without opening the fuselage.

The Microaces models use a 5000 Kv brushless motor and a GWS5030 propeller for scale flight performance. The airplanes are available as deluxe kits (including brushless motor and ESC) or as standard kits (without motor and ESC). I look forward to doing a build review of these models in an upcoming column. See the Microaces website for current pricing and more information.

Sources

Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.