Modeler’s Mall - 2009/12

144 MODEL AVIATION
Modeler’s Mall
F4D-1 Skyray Jet ARF @ $169.90 +
S&H from Hobby Lobby International,
5614 Franklin Pike Cir., Brentwood
TN 37027; Tel.: (615) 373-1444; Web
site: www.hobby-lobby.com.
The Skyray is constructed with
molded EPS foam construction,
prepainted and decorated with
waterslide decals. Assembly is quick
and consists of gluing the main wing
panels and vertical tail to the fuselage,
gluing on the nose cone, and installing
the landing gear.
In less time than it takes to charge
the three-cell, 1300 mAh Lithium-
Polymer battery with the included Li-Poly
balance charger, you can have the jet
ready to fly.
Landing gear is removable, allowing
for smooth ground handling with nose
wheel steering or hand launched for a
more “clean” look in the air. The 64mm
ducted fan is preinstalled with an
outrunner brushless motor and 30-amp
electronic speed control, producing
smooth power for jetlike performance.
The servos, control horns, and
control surface hinges are
preassembled. The canopy is held in
place by magnets, giving quick and easy
access to the battery compartment. The
F4D-1 has great flight manners and, with
its large wing area and delta
configuration, it slows to a walking pace
when the nose is raised.
Basic specifications include a 25.5-
inch wingspan, 309 square inches of
wing area, and a 21-ounce flying weight.
A four-channel radio system with Delta
mixing ability is required; endpoint
adjustments and exponential are also
recommended.
JR G370 3D Gyro @ $159.99 + S&H
from Horizon Hobby Inc., 4105
Fieldstone Rd., Champaign IL
61822; Tel.: (800) 338-4639; Web
site: www.jrradios.com.
Whether you’re new to 3-D flying
or a seasoned expert, the more you
know about the new G370 3D gyro,
the more you might come to like it.
For openers, it’s the most
durable gyro in its class. With a
machined-aluminum frame plus
aluminum top and baseplates, it’s
virtually crash-proof. And if you fly
lots of 3-D, you know how valuable
that can be.
At roughly half the thickness of
JR’s G770 3D, it’s equally precise.
And in terms of resistance to
external forces, the smaller 370’s
pirouette rate consistency is
unmatched. Plus it features heading
lock and normal modes, along with
settings for both electric and glow
power.
And finally, just to make an easy
decision even easier, it’s covered by
JR’s three-year warranty and
outstanding service record.
Astro-Hog @ $87 + S&H from
BMJR Model Products, Box 1210,
Sharpes FL 32959; Tel.: (321) 537-
1159; Web site: www.bmjrmo
dels.com.
Prior to the Astro-Hog by Fred
Dunn, published in the April 1958
issue of Model Airplane News, radiocontrolled
models were all high-wing
designs. Consensus of the RC flyers
at the time was that low wingers were
doomed and would never be suitable
for RC use.
The introduction of multichannel
radio equipment featuring
simultaneous control, modelers found
that ailerons were the answer. The
Astro-Hog opened the door for
performing complex maneuvers like
slow rolls, four-point rolls, and
inverted flight. The design was
reported to be aerodynamically
sound and structurally capable of
withstanding any normal abuse.
At a 36-inch span, the BMJR Astro-
Hog is half size of the original 72-inch
model and is truly a model of a model.
With brushless electric power, a wing
area of 194 square inches, and a
flying weight of roughly 17 ounces
range, its flight characteristics have
proven to be excellent.
The Astro-Hog is ready to bring
back memories, or create new ones,
without disturbing the neighbors at
your local flying site.
Great Planes Shoestring .46
GP/EP Sport ARF @ $199.99 +
S&H from Great Planes Hobby
Distributors, Box 9021,
Champaign IL 61826; Tel.: (217)
398-3630; Web site: www.great
planes.com.
The Great Planes Shoestring .46
GP/EP Sport ARF lets modelers
choose between a wide range of
two- or four-stroke glow engines or
brushless electric power. Modeled
after the home-built Formula One
pylon racer, the Shoestring is one
of the most recognizable models
around.
Assembly is quick, with a twopiece,
54-inch wing that makes it
easy to transport. The Shoestring
features a wide sport-flying
envelope, from gentle to “racer” fast
and extremely responsive.
Instructions are included for
installing a gas, glow, or electric
power system, with no modifications
required. A glow engine mount is
included, with the electric mount
sold separately.
It won’t take much imagination
for pilots to picture themselves
maneuvering past the pylons to a
Cleveland Air Races victory!
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JetMach Super Sport @ $389 +
S&H from Laser Design Services
LLC, 1823 Emerald Bay Dr.,
Rockwall TX 75087; Tel.: (972) 772-
4326; Web site: www.laser-designservices.
com.
The JetMach Super Sport was
designed to be a sport jet with
trainerlike flying habits. For those
looking for turbine thrills on a budget,
this is the kit for you.
Capable of slow landings and
takeoff rolls within 50 feet or less with
flight speeds between 15 to 100+
mph, it will help you hone your skills
and become comfortable to move
onto more high-performance turbinepowered
aircraft.
Builders will appreciate this kit
having all the balsa included, with
laser-cut parts that interlock. Also
supplied in the kit are a reinforced
wing tube, heat shield, and rolled
plans with instructions. A complete
list of hardware needed to complete
the model, like Robart 630 retracts or
equivalent, is also provided.
Basic specifications of the
JetMach Super Sport include a
wingspan of 80 inches, wing area of
1,300 square inches, and flying
weight of 20 pounds. Power
recommendations call for a turbine
engine capable of providing 14-24
pounds of thrust.
Piper L-4 Grasshopper 250 ARF
@ $99.99 + S&H from Horizon
Hobby Inc., 4105 Fieldstone Rd.,
Champaign IL 61822; Tel.: (800)
338-4639; Web site: www.efliterc.
com.
The L-4 Grasshopper was the
military derivative of Piper’s famous
civilian high-wing monoplane—the
J-3 Cub. The US Army Air Force
turned to the J-3 in military guise as
it sought a rugged yet lightweight
aircraft for liaison and observation
duties in direct support of ground
forces. The primary difference
between the civil and military
versions is the enlarged window
area in the rear cabin to allow better
observation.
During World War II,
Grasshoppers performed a wide
variety of functions throughout the
world such as artillery fire direction,
pilot training, glider pilot instruction,
courier service, and front-line
liaison. The L-4 Grasshopper
served with distinction in both World
War II and Korea.
Modelers who want to re-create
the glory days of the Grasshopper
can now do so with E-flite’s built-up
balsa version of the L-4. Combining
the compact size of a classic balsa
free-flight model with full fourchannel
control, the Piper L-4
Grasshopper 250 is an exciting
alternative to the usual park flyer
experience. Its exceptionally low
parts count and time-saving
features like the magnetically
secured plug-in wings make
assembly about as easy as it gets
for an ARF.
In the air, its docile flight
characteristics and gorgeous scale
appearance will reward you with
one of the most enjoyable park
flying experiences available. Plus,
it’s small enough and slow enough
to fly in a large indoor venue
whenever the park isn’t an option.
Velox 68 inches @ $399.99 + S&H
from 3D Hobby Shop, 603 FM 2093
STE 1601, Fredericksburg TX
78624; Tel.: (830) 990-6978; Web
site: www.3dhobbyshop.com.
The 68-inch Velox excels in
aerobatic manners with no wing rock
and no roll coupling. It tracks straight
for as long as you want, tumbles and
December 2009 145
snaps with authority, spins
beautifully, and does it all with
confidence.
This is the all-around, very
flexible 3-D aerobatic model in
exactly the right size. Giant-scale
pilots will notice that it outperforms
most 50cc aircraft. Park flyer and
electric pilots will notice that it feels
like a sim set on “easy.”
Available in two attractive color
schemes, the Velox can be powered
using a 1.40-1.80 glow engine, 30cc
gas engine, or 5S- to 8S-capable
motor. It has a 68-inch wingspan
with 900 square inches of wing area
and a flying weight of 8-9 pounds.
Futaba 8FG 2.4 GHz FASST Radio
@ $449.99 + S&H from Great
Planes Hobby Distributors, Box
9021, Champaign IL 61826; Tel.:
(217) 398-3630; Web site: www.2.4
gigahertz.com.
The Futaba 8FG 2.4 GHz FASST
radio is the perfect system for
upper-level sport fliers as well as
competition pilots. Any level of
modeler can program like a pro with
the 8FG’s SensorTouch pad. Similar
to the “click wheel” interface of an
iPod, modelers can navigate
through menus with unprecedented
speed and ease, using only a light
touch.
The 128 x 64 backlit LCD screen
offers adjustable contrast for clear
viewing in any light conditions. For
precision control of virtually any
airplane, sailplane, or helicopter, the
8FG has “real-time” response with
2048 resolution and extremely low
latency. Also implemented is the use
of a 32 MB to 2 GB SD memory
card for software updates and
almost unlimited aircraft memories.
All this is housed in a
comfortable, lightweight package,
perfectly balanced right out of the
box for neck-strap users.
Modeler’s Mall
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