David Adams
P r o d u c t R e v i e w
E-mail: [email protected]
Fan-Tastic Models Gee Bee
R-1 Super Sportster
Pros:
• Unique-looking Scale model has a
personality all its own.
• Looks great in the air and on the
ground; will draw envious stares from
others!
• Excellent high- and low-speed flying
qualities.
• Kit is carefully engineered for light
weight with emphasis on strength
where needed.
• Outstanding engineering on landing
gear.
• Exceptional molding of parts with
nice surface detail, prejoined fuselage
halves.
• All necessary parts for finishing the
model are included.
Cons:
• Kit price; however, it is a gorgeous
airplane.
• Wheels rub on inside of wheel pants.
THE GEE BEE R-1 Super Sportster has one
of the most unique airplane shapes in history.
With a fat fuselage wrapped around a huge
radial engine, a red-and-white color scheme,
a canopy barely big enough for a head to fit
into, practically no vertical fin, and large
wheel pants, it is a shape that is not easily
forgotten.
It also brings up fears and images in most
pilots’ minds of an airplane bouncing around
the sky in a barely controlled fashion. Several
years ago Delmar Benjamin made a replica
of the Gee Bee and has been flying it in air
shows. I have been lucky to have seen it in
action. To watch his Gee Bee do knife-edge
flight brought new light to the airplane’s
abilities.
This model flies as if Delmar Benjamin
were at the stick. From the first moment of
taxi to the end of a flight, the Gee Bee has
impeccable handling characteristics.
However, it is not a beginner’s aircraft; you
should be particularly comfortable
controlling a model with ailerons. You can
preview the model in flight and the
instruction manual on the manufacturer’s
Web site.
The kit consists of several molded foam
pieces that have a nice, hard, slick finish. The
fuselage and rudder halves are joined at the
factory and the wings are pretrimmed, but
there is still a moderate amount of assembly
to be done. I am impressed with the obvious
thought and engineering that went into
making the model light and strong enough to
withstand flight and landing loads. The
landing gear is especially well done.
I recommend that the builder read and
understand the instructions before
constructing any model. Following them
exactly makes things much easier. I was
distracted by an exciting television show and
glued the landing-gear-holder parts assembly
to the wings approximately 1⁄4 inch from the
right spot. I had to make changes in
mounting the servos as a result. The
instruction manual’s approach is easier than
my messed-up method, so pay attention.
Concerns and Modifications: The molded
parts’ fit and finish are great; however, the
edges of the wingtips and edges of the
horizontal tail did need sanding on the
bottom of the surfaces to remove a slightly
concave molding shape.
Be careful when marking and cutting the
vacuum-formed parts. I don’t like vacuumformed
components, so I approach them with
caution and misgivings and usually don’t get
them to fit all that well.
In this case I had reservations about the
wing fillets, but I copied the cutting lines in
This airplane is beautiful. It is only when you see the relatively huge antenna wire
extending from the aft fuselage that the scale becomes apparent.
The Gee Bee in its element, with the pilot
grimacing as G forces build. The model’s
looks and flight are amazing.
July 2004 69
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:01 pm Page 69
70 MODEL AVIATION
Photos by the author
the instructions as closely as I could,
including the odd shape on the front of the
fillet. Later I learned that they were a perfect
match to the fuselage and wing, and the
funny shape wrapped around the wing LE
perfectly.
Sanding a notch in the wing LE to accept
a round spar was time consuming and
tedious. Take your time and let the
sandpaper, which is wrapped around a
dowel, do the cutting for you. The spar fit
nicely; it was slightly smaller than the wing
thickness.
The landing gear is a unique structure
which uses vacuum-formed parts and
wire struts to form a rigid inner structure
about which a decorative foam wheel
pant is glued. The vacuum-formed parts
have to be cut out so that each landinggear
leg gets a left and a right piece. A
good way to see how much plastic to cut
off is to place it in the foam wheel shell
and remove any plastic that would
The Gee Bee hurtles by with the big radial thundering.
The airplane required little stick correction during the first and
subsequent takeoffs. Low-speed flight is nice.
You can see the servo installation, including coupled rudderaileron
servos on the left. Elevator servo is on the right.
Carefully cut and fit with its mate along with the inner liner, the
wheel assembly is strong and trouble free.
The foam and plastic parts form a lightweight structure that contributes to the Gee
Bee’s excellent flying qualities. The parts fit beautifully.
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:01 pm Page 70
interfere with the foam halves bonding.
Do be careful making the landing gear,
and make a left-wing and a right-wing
assembly. It is easy to make two left-wing
assemblies. (Don’t ask.)
The provided wheels are too big for the
space in the wheel pants. I mounted them in
my Unimat and turned the rubber down
slightly, keeping the basic shape the same. I
did that until the wheels turned freely in the
pants.
The rudder is hinged on one side by a
molded-in foam hinge. The other side would
have shown a big gap, but I carefully
removed the foam by sanding until the rudder
“nested” into the fuselage and vertical tail,
and I installed a paper “gap cover.” Take
your time and this will look great.
As I mentioned earlier, I mislocated the
landing-gear-holder parts when gluing them
on the lower surface of the wing. As a result,
I had to mount my servos differently. Instead
of mounting them on a thin plywood plate as
instructed, I had to mount the servos directly
to the wing foam. This has not proven to be a
problem, but it would have been easier if I
had been more alert.
Notice that all radio gear is mounted to
the wing, which is permanently glued to the
fuselage. The wings are small enough
compared to the fuselage that this is not a
problem in transportation.
Paper painting masks are provided to help
give the nice, curved red-paint edges. They
are to be attached to the foam with doublestick
tape to protect the unpainted white foam
areas. The instructions note that some of the
smooth surface might be removed if the tape
is too tacky.
I used the painting masks as a guide to
mark the paint lines on the foam and used
regular masking tape to mask the edges. This
worked well and protected the model’s finish.
I painted the wings, fuselage, wing fillets,
landing-gear assemblies, and cowl separately
before installation.
Radio Equipment: No radio equipment is
provided, so I use my Futaba 8U transmitter.
To achieve the lightest weight, I use a GWS
R4P receiver and GWS microservos. The
ESC I had available was a Great Planes 10-
amp unit. I also use eight-cell packs of 280
mAh NiMH batteries, which I had in the
battery box, instead of the suggested Ni-Cds.
Those substitutions have worked well,
and my model is only .5-ounce heavier than
the suggested weight. I plan on putting a
dual-conversion receiver in the Gee Bee so I
can fly it at my flying field without worrying
about frequency conflicts.
Flying: Since this model is indoor/outdoor
rated, I waited until we had a morning with
an extremely light wind, as noted in the
instruction manual. I had performed a
thorough preflight of the airplane and
checked control throws and CG location. I set
the control throws per the instructions. My
model’s CG came out exactly where desired,
with no additional weight needed.
Since I had watched the Gee Bee fly
indoors on the Fan-Tastic Models Web site, I
felt good about the upcoming flight but was
still anxious because of tales I had heard
about model Gee Bees. I taxied it around a
bit, and the airplane seemed to be nicely
responsive on the ground.
Pointing the model’s nose into the wind, I
slowly added power, ready to feed in rudder
as needed. The Gee Bee tracked straight, and
the tail came off the ground after a few feet.
After roughly 20 feet, with a bit of upelevator
fed in, the airplane lifted off gently.
The climb rate was rapid since I wanted
altitude on the first flight for trimming, and
the Gee Bee was much faster than my Lite
Stik airplanes. It needed a little up-elevator
and right aileron trim to fly straight and level.
The airplane flew like a racing airplane,
but with no bad tendencies. It was groovy
and looked great in the air when it came
around in a racing turn. I tried a roll and was
rewarded with a barrel roll. The loop I made
was shaped better, but remember that this is
not an aerobatic airplane.
The model slowed nicely during the
landing, responding to power settings and
elevator and settling in as any other airplane
would to a nice landing with the smallest
bounce. Landings on grass are more of an
arresting-hook type of landing; the Gee Bee
does not roll on grass.
I have flown the airplane many times and
have learned that if you try to maneuver it
All In One
Power Panel
(PAC-MF-0502)
FIELD EQUIPMENT
$44.99
$44.99
Come with a Built-in field charger, never
miss as day’s flying because of low
batteries.This Power Panel Functions as a
regular power panel and as a field charger
for your Tx (9.6V), Rx (4.8V or 6.0 V) and
glow starter (1.2V).
Digital peak-detection, pulse-current
charger for Rx (4.8V and 6.0V)
Charges NiCd and Ni-Mh batteries.
Portable
Super Starter
(PAM-1002PP)
Small size, light weight,
big torque.
Its surprising power comes from our
unique 3:1 gear drive. The Super Starter is
easy to handle with one hand and yet it will
start engines up to 2.2 cu. In. (depending
on battery packs and state of charge). The
oversized aluminum cup and double ended
rubber cone will comfortably drive
everything from prop nuts to 5” spinners.
PAM-1002PP Super Starter with battery
holder and 2 x 7.2V 1500 mAh battery
packs, factory assembled.
Only $89.99
(For 3000 mAh batteries,
add $30.00)
Field Box
& Combo
Super Starter
Small size but high torque.
(PAM-1002B)
• Two drawer
field box
• 12v 7 amp
maintenancefree
battery
• 12v 500 mAh
charger w/LED
• Super Starter
• Standard
power panel
• Electric fuel
pump
• Glow starter
w/charger
• Glow Plug
wrench
Field Box
Combo
$139.99
• Two drawer
• Fully
assembled
• Painted and
fuel proof
• Adjustable
cradle
• Removable
power
compartment
Field Box
$39.99
This light weight Starter has a comfortable
size that fits very well in one hand.
The 3:1 geared reduction design for starting
engines up to 1.8 cu. in.
The big cup and double side rubber cone
will fit from 1/2” prop nuts to 5” spinners.
o
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:02 pm Page 72
74 MODEL AVIATION
while going extremely slow, it will try to
stall but can recover with approximately an
eight-foot loss in altitude. I have flown in
winds up to 4-5 mph and not noticed their
effects. This is a stable aircraft.
I really like the Gee Bee. It is a greatlooking
Scale model. It is fast and goes
around a pylon turn with such authority that
it seems like a much bigger airplane. This is
not a beginner’s aircraft, and it does require
some aileron experience to fly; however, it is
honest-flying and will bring many smiles as
it roars (well, some imagination is required)
on a low pass over the runway. I highly
recommend the Gee Bee. MA
Manufacturer:
Fan-Tastic Models
3204 Johnson Rd.
Southlake TX 76092
[email protected]
www.fan-tasticmodels.com
Price: $109.95 delivered
Specifications:
Wingspan: 31 inches
Wing area: 165 square inches
Length: 21 inches
Recommended weight: 12.0 ounces
Model’s ready-to-fly weight: 12.5 ounces
with battery
Power used: GWS IPS Twin A RXC 7.2-volt
electric motor
Radio recommended: At least three channels
for aileron (coupled rudder), elevator, motor
with microreceiver and microservos
Radio used: Futaba 8U transmitter, GWS
R4P receiver, GWS microservos, 10-amp
Great Planes ESC
Materials in kit: Foam (for structure) and
plastic (for parts)—extremely complete
Needed to finish model: Sharp modeling
knife and sandpaper; foam-safe
cyanoacrylate, epoxy, and RC/56; bright red
foam-safe spray paint and black trim tape;
Scotch double-stick tape; Scotch Crystal
Clear tape for hinges
Needed to fly model: Radio equipment, motor
battery, GWS 10 x 8 propeller
Products used in review:
Futaba 8U Super Series radio system, 10-amp
ESC:
Great Planes Model Distributors
Box 9021
Champaign IL 61822
(217) 398-8970
www.futaba-rc.com/
Motor, receiver, microservos, propeller:
GWS USA, LLC.
3401 Airport Dr.
Torrance CA 90505
(310) 891-3393 or toll-free 886-FLYGWS4
([886] 359-4974)
Fax: (310) 891-3313
[email protected]
www.gws.com.tw
Just call and ask for
cowlings, wheelpants or
floats from Carl Goldberg
Models, Midwest Products,
Global Hobbies, Great
Planes Manufacturing, Pica
Products and many more.
Most cowlings are
seamless.
Call for
Price
List
or
visit
us
on the
internet!
Make it last
with fiberglass.
We have a large selection
of one piece, epoxy
resin cowlings and
wheel pants.
Stan’s Fiber Tech
2575 Jackson, Riverside, CA 92503
909-352-4758 • www.stansfibertech.com
NEED LASER CUT PARTS
OR CAD WORK FOR THAT
DREAM SHIP?
We can work from your drawing, your sketch
or your idea. Top quality materials and 25
years of experience assure you of a Top
Notch job. Call today to arrange for a quote
or eMail your requirements.
Top Notch Products Company
P.O.Box 1051
Goodletsville, TN 37070
Phone 615-310-5371
eMail [email protected]
07sig3.QXD 4/27/04 9:05 am Page 74
Tom Sullivan
P r o d u c t R e v i e w
E-mail: [email protected]
Great Planes Lancair ES ARF
Pros:
• Comes out of the box 90% prebuilt.
• All parts are precovered/prepainted.
• Fiberglass fuselage comes with
formers and windows preinstalled.
• All hardware is provided (including
wheels and tank).
• Two-piece, plug-in stabilizer is
included.
• Color scheme replicates full-scale
Lancair, allowing this model to be
used in AMA Fun Scale competition.
• This model is International
Miniature Aircraft Association-legal.
Cons:
• Quality of finish could have been
better. The covering had a fair
amount of wrinkles and was not
ironed down in several places, and
there were more scratches/scrapes on
the fuselage than there should have
been. (The review model was a
preproduction kit, so it is hoped that
this will not be the case with
production Lancairs.)
• For CG reasons, the radio
installation is tricky.
• Using stamped marks on the
fuselage resulted in a misalignment
between the engine and cowling.
Photos by the author
WITHOUT A DOUBT, some of the
sleekest and most popular home-built
aircraft these days are those designed by
Lancair International, Inc. All the aircraft
in the Lancair lineup have everything
needed to be a winner: beautiful lines,
speed, and practicality.
It used to be that if you wanted to build
an RC version of the Lancair, you only
had a couple of options: build one of the
large versions similar to those used for
quarter-scale air racing or scratch-build
your own. Because of the fuselage’s
complex curves, no kit was available for
the average RC pilot—until Great Planes
introduced its Lancair ES.
First Impressions: When I opened the
Lancair’s box, the most obvious thing I
noticed was the nicely finished fiberglass
fuselage. Although it isn’t long, the curves
of the cockpit area give a big, open space
in which even the biggest hands can work.
The fuselage, cowl, wheel pants, and
winglets are fiberglass. The wing halves,
the stabilizer halves, and all control
Great Planes used a color scheme from a full-scale Lancair, making this kit a good choice for AMA RC Fun Scale.
The review Lancair ES tracked well on takeoff, and the O.S. 91 four-stroke engine had
more than enough power to pull it through the air.
76 MODEL AVIATION
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:03 pm Page 76
July 2004 77
surfaces are precovered with MonoKote
iron-on covering. Carefully examining the
finish revealed quite a few wrinkles in the
covering (which were easy to handle with
an iron or heat gun) and several
scratches/scrapes in the paint. Once I
stepped back a foot or two, I was hardpressed
to see any of the scratches so I
didn’t worry about them.
A complete hardware package is
provided. Everything else is included with
the kit except glue (cyanoacrylate and
epoxy), the radio, and the engine. Each
part is high-quality and, as you’ll see
throughout the review, none of this
hardware needed to be replaced.
Rounding out the kit are a few decals and
a 42-page, well-illustrated instruction
manual.
Construction: Assembly starts with the
wing—specifically, attaching the ailerons
and flaps. All control surfaces utilize
cyanoacrylate-type hinges, and all hinge
slots are precut, making this quick to do.
Servo installation is next. Each wing
half requires two servos: one for aileron
and one for flaps. In the case of the
aileron servos, the wing is so thin toward
the end that custom plastic hatches are
provided. These hatches stick out from
the surface of the wing a bit, giving the
extra room needed to cover the servo.
The only unusual step is to
permanently epoxy the aileron servos to
the hatches. Pay attention to each servo’s
orientation. (The aileron servos need to
turn in opposite directions, and the flap
servos need to turn in the same direction.)
You need two 24-inch servo extensions
for the aileron servos and two 12-inch
extensions for the flap servos. The leads
were easy to pull through the wing using
the preinstalled threads.
Let’s look at joining the wing halves. I
glued two plywood spars together to form
a larger, more substantial spar. Be sure to
test the fit of the spar into each wing half.
Touch-and-gos and landings are a breeze with the flaps deployed. The Lancair had no
tendency to snap or tip-stall, even close to stall speeds.
Lancair comes covered, painted. Fuselage, wheel pants, wingtips
are fiberglass. Wing, stabilizer are balsa and plywood.
Using flaps will quickly slow the model down. When full flaps are
dialed in, it pokes around the sky with good control.
This is a fast machine under full throttle. It is fully aerobatic and looks awesome when
brought in for a high-speed pass directly over the runway.
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:03 pm Page 77
This kit required a bit of sanding, not only
to allow the spar to be inserted, but to
shorten it enough so that the wings mate
properly. After the fit was right, I joined
everything with 30-minute epoxy.
To finish the wings I added the control
hardware, epoxied on the winglets, and
glued on a plywood piece which stiffened
the area around the wing-hold-down bolts.
The first step in the fuselage
construction is to cut the three holes
toward the back where the pushrods exit.
In the manual, this step mentions two
ways: using progressively larger drill bits
or using a small grinding bit with a
Dremel-type rotary tool. I chose to use the
drill-bit method, but now I advise against
it. No matter how careful you are, the
paint and fiberglass will chip using even
the sharpest drill bit.
To finish the wings I inserted the
pushrod guide tubes through these holes,
snaked them through the fuselage, and
then cut the pushrods to length.
The stabilizer is next to be assembled,
and it can be built as a fixed unit or as
removable halves; I chose the removable
route. The stabilizer halves slide onto an
aluminum tube and a carbon-fiber
antirotation tube. I secured each half by
drilling and tapping into the aluminum
tube, and then fastening everything with
two screws.
Attaching the rudder and elevator
halves was done using the same
cyanoacrylate-type hinge material I used
in the wing assembly. Again, all slots were
precut, making this step quick.
At this point construction moves up to
the underside of the fuselage, in the wingsaddle
area. You must attach two plywood
pieces inside the fuselage—one at the
front of the saddle and one at the rear.
These are removable pieces that are held
in with screws that attach to hardwood
blocks, which you must epoxy in place.
These formers require a bit of sanding to
match to the curve of the fuselage.
Next I mounted the engine. I chose a
power plant that I’ve used in several
reviews: the O.S. FS-91 four-stroke.
Regardless of how it’s mounted, the 91’s
cylinder head will stick out of the cowl, so
I mounted it inverted to hide it from view
when the model is sitting in the pit area.
(The manual shows the installation of a
.61 two-stroke with a Top Flite muffler.
That installation does not require the cowl
to be cut out, but it does require the
bottom of the fuselage to be cut out so that
a cooling duct can be installed. Regardless
of the path you choose, you’re going to
end up cutting away something for proper
engine cooling.)
Once that step was finished, I
assembled the fuel tank and slid it into
position. I like to use a three-line system
and incorporated the Du-Bro Fill It
Fueling System into the tank. When I
chose this route, two of the lines were the
standard carburetor feed (with a clunk)
and the vent/pressure line; the third was
similar to the carburetor feed (also with a
clunk) and was used to fill and empty the
tank.
I installed the landing gear, which was
fairly straightforward. The two main gear
attach to preinstalled hardwood plates on
the bottom of the wing. The steerable nose
gear is mounted in place with the supplied
hardware, and then holes are drilled into
the firewall for the steering pushrod (and
the throttle pushrod).
The manual would have had me attach
the nose-wheel fairings, wheel, and wheel
pants. That was easy enough, but in
hindsight I would have preferred to attach
those pieces before I mounted the nose
gear to the fuselage.
Now for the big step: radio installation,
which is normally straightforward. Not so
in this case. The Lancair’s short fuselage
means that weight distribution is key to
getting the correct CG balance. To do this,
Great Planes has chosen some unique
steps.
The battery and receiver are attached to
a plywood tray subassembly with rubber
bands. This subassembly is slid into
position, under the pushrods, and held in
place by a couple of screws. Then I
plugged in all the servos, extensions, and
Y harnesses. I reattached the two formers,
which went in the front and rear of the
saddle area, and I made sure to feed the
78 MODEL AVIATION
Tru-Turn now offers 2 Spinners made to fit the new ARF P-51’s from Hangar 9.
A 3-1/2” P-51 Spinner for the .60 P-51 ARF and a 5” P-51 Spinner for the 77”,
1.50 P-51 ARF – Available in 2, 3 & 4-blade prop slots!
The 3-1/2” is available in our “120-Slot” for your 4-stroke. The 5” is also
available in our “Menz Cut” for your euro props up to 28” diameter!
Browse our website to see these new items today! Use our Adapter
Finder™ online to find the right Adapter Kit for your engine, then:
See your Hobby Dealer or contact Tru-Turn direct!
281-479-9600 www.tru-turn.com
Made in the U.S.A.
by Romco Manufacturing, Inc.
100 West First Street, Deer Park, Texas 77536
PRECISION MODEL PRODUCTS
P-51 SPINNERS FOR YOUR
HANGAR-9 ARF Tru-Turn makes 11
sizes of P-51 Spinners
to suit your needs!
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:04 pm Page 78
80 MODEL AVIATION
pushrods through them. Finally I mounted
the servo tray and attached the servos.
You might remember that I referred to
the inside of the fuselage as cavernous.
It’s amazing how quickly this changed
into constricting.
After all the pushrods were attached to
the servos, I fitted the cowl and mounted
it on the fuselage. The cowl fits on a
premade step around the firewall, which
is small and has zero room for
adjustment.
Because the engine was mounted
beforehand using stamped markings on
the firewall as a reference, whether
everything lines up or not is a gamble by
the time you’re to this step. I followed the
markings and ended up with the engine
misaligned to the right and up a bit. In
hindsight, when it came time to mount
the engine, I should have mounted it so
that it fit the cowling properly, regardless
of what the stamped firewall markings
showed.
Flying: After a good night’s charge and
going over all the details at the last
minute, it was finally time to fly the
Lancair. Because of the short fuselage, I
was able to transport it fully assembled in
a minivan (my Honda Odyssey) after I
removed the two rear seats.
With it fueled up and with a range
check completed, I applied the starter and
the engine came to life. (If you use a
similar engine in an inverted position,
make sure that the glow-plug ignitor will
clear the nose gear. I didn’t catch this
until it was too late and had to wire up a
remote glow-plug attachment point.)
Taxiing was not a problem with the
Lancair. Maneuvering was no problem
with the model’s tricycle landing gear,
and even taking it through our uneven
field was easy.
Lining up into the wind, I slowly
applied the throttle, and the takeoff run
was underway. The Lancair accelerated
rapidly and tracked straight down the
runway. Liftoff was smooth, and it was
soon apparent that it had plenty of power
from the 91 four-stroke.
After a few trim passes and a couple
minutes to get used to the airplane, it was
time for some low photo passes. The
Lancair was predicable, smooth, and
quick. With the photos out of the way, it
was time to see what the model could do.
The Lancair was a rocket under full
throttle, with tons of speed and great
performance. Aerobatics were not a
problem; loops, snaps, rolls, etc. were
done with authority.
Slowing the Lancair down without
flaps was difficult. By design, it is so
sleek that it doesn’t like to go slow.
However, I dialed in the flaps and the
story changed. The large flaps slowed it
down quickly. With full flaps, it was
almost like throwing out a parachute.
Now the Lancair is a pussycat and flies
easily at one-third of its full speed.
Landings were easy, and I recommend
using flaps during them. Not only does it
slow the Lancair down, but the extra lift
gives you the ability to come in at a
shallower angle and still have good
control.
The Lancair is a great-looking kit and a
lot of fun to fly. Although I did point out
a couple of problems, they are minor, and
any experienced pilot can easily build a
great-flying model. There’s nothing about
the kit that disappoints; I’m extremely
happy with it, and this one will be a
keeper! MA
Manufacturer/distributor:
Great Planes Model Distributors
Box 9021
Champaign IL 61822
(217) 398-8970
www.greatplanes.com/airplanes/gpma134
7.html
Street price: $280
Specifications:
Wingspan: 79.75 inches
Wing area: 690 square inches
Length: 52 inches
Weight recommended: 8.5-9.0 pounds
Review model’s weight (ready to fly):
8.75 pounds
Engine recommended: .61-.75 two-stroke
or 91 four-stroke
Engine used: O.S. FS-91 four-stroke
Radio recommended: Five-channel, seven
servos
Radio used: JR 8103 transmitter,
receiver, and seven Expert 571 hightorque
servos
Materials used in construction: Fiberglass
(fuselage, cowl, wheel pants), balsa and
plywood (built-up wing), solid balsa
(control surfaces)
Products used in review:
JR 8103 radio system:
Horizon Hobby Distributors
4105 Fieldstone Rd.
Champaign IL 61822
www.horizonhobby.com
O.S. FS-91 four-stroke engine:
Great Planes Distributors
Box 9021
Champaign IL 61826
www.osengines.com
Fill It Fueling System:
Du-Bro Products
Box 815
Wauconda IL 60084
www.dubro.com
14 x 8 Master Airscrew propeller:
Windsor Propeller Co., Inc.
Box 250
Rancho Cordova CA 95741
www.masterairscrew.com
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:04 pm Page 80
Edition: Model Aviation - 2004/07
Page Numbers: 69,70,72,74,76,77,78,80
Edition: Model Aviation - 2004/07
Page Numbers: 69,70,72,74,76,77,78,80
David Adams
P r o d u c t R e v i e w
E-mail: [email protected]
Fan-Tastic Models Gee Bee
R-1 Super Sportster
Pros:
• Unique-looking Scale model has a
personality all its own.
• Looks great in the air and on the
ground; will draw envious stares from
others!
• Excellent high- and low-speed flying
qualities.
• Kit is carefully engineered for light
weight with emphasis on strength
where needed.
• Outstanding engineering on landing
gear.
• Exceptional molding of parts with
nice surface detail, prejoined fuselage
halves.
• All necessary parts for finishing the
model are included.
Cons:
• Kit price; however, it is a gorgeous
airplane.
• Wheels rub on inside of wheel pants.
THE GEE BEE R-1 Super Sportster has one
of the most unique airplane shapes in history.
With a fat fuselage wrapped around a huge
radial engine, a red-and-white color scheme,
a canopy barely big enough for a head to fit
into, practically no vertical fin, and large
wheel pants, it is a shape that is not easily
forgotten.
It also brings up fears and images in most
pilots’ minds of an airplane bouncing around
the sky in a barely controlled fashion. Several
years ago Delmar Benjamin made a replica
of the Gee Bee and has been flying it in air
shows. I have been lucky to have seen it in
action. To watch his Gee Bee do knife-edge
flight brought new light to the airplane’s
abilities.
This model flies as if Delmar Benjamin
were at the stick. From the first moment of
taxi to the end of a flight, the Gee Bee has
impeccable handling characteristics.
However, it is not a beginner’s aircraft; you
should be particularly comfortable
controlling a model with ailerons. You can
preview the model in flight and the
instruction manual on the manufacturer’s
Web site.
The kit consists of several molded foam
pieces that have a nice, hard, slick finish. The
fuselage and rudder halves are joined at the
factory and the wings are pretrimmed, but
there is still a moderate amount of assembly
to be done. I am impressed with the obvious
thought and engineering that went into
making the model light and strong enough to
withstand flight and landing loads. The
landing gear is especially well done.
I recommend that the builder read and
understand the instructions before
constructing any model. Following them
exactly makes things much easier. I was
distracted by an exciting television show and
glued the landing-gear-holder parts assembly
to the wings approximately 1⁄4 inch from the
right spot. I had to make changes in
mounting the servos as a result. The
instruction manual’s approach is easier than
my messed-up method, so pay attention.
Concerns and Modifications: The molded
parts’ fit and finish are great; however, the
edges of the wingtips and edges of the
horizontal tail did need sanding on the
bottom of the surfaces to remove a slightly
concave molding shape.
Be careful when marking and cutting the
vacuum-formed parts. I don’t like vacuumformed
components, so I approach them with
caution and misgivings and usually don’t get
them to fit all that well.
In this case I had reservations about the
wing fillets, but I copied the cutting lines in
This airplane is beautiful. It is only when you see the relatively huge antenna wire
extending from the aft fuselage that the scale becomes apparent.
The Gee Bee in its element, with the pilot
grimacing as G forces build. The model’s
looks and flight are amazing.
July 2004 69
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:01 pm Page 69
70 MODEL AVIATION
Photos by the author
the instructions as closely as I could,
including the odd shape on the front of the
fillet. Later I learned that they were a perfect
match to the fuselage and wing, and the
funny shape wrapped around the wing LE
perfectly.
Sanding a notch in the wing LE to accept
a round spar was time consuming and
tedious. Take your time and let the
sandpaper, which is wrapped around a
dowel, do the cutting for you. The spar fit
nicely; it was slightly smaller than the wing
thickness.
The landing gear is a unique structure
which uses vacuum-formed parts and
wire struts to form a rigid inner structure
about which a decorative foam wheel
pant is glued. The vacuum-formed parts
have to be cut out so that each landinggear
leg gets a left and a right piece. A
good way to see how much plastic to cut
off is to place it in the foam wheel shell
and remove any plastic that would
The Gee Bee hurtles by with the big radial thundering.
The airplane required little stick correction during the first and
subsequent takeoffs. Low-speed flight is nice.
You can see the servo installation, including coupled rudderaileron
servos on the left. Elevator servo is on the right.
Carefully cut and fit with its mate along with the inner liner, the
wheel assembly is strong and trouble free.
The foam and plastic parts form a lightweight structure that contributes to the Gee
Bee’s excellent flying qualities. The parts fit beautifully.
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:01 pm Page 70
interfere with the foam halves bonding.
Do be careful making the landing gear,
and make a left-wing and a right-wing
assembly. It is easy to make two left-wing
assemblies. (Don’t ask.)
The provided wheels are too big for the
space in the wheel pants. I mounted them in
my Unimat and turned the rubber down
slightly, keeping the basic shape the same. I
did that until the wheels turned freely in the
pants.
The rudder is hinged on one side by a
molded-in foam hinge. The other side would
have shown a big gap, but I carefully
removed the foam by sanding until the rudder
“nested” into the fuselage and vertical tail,
and I installed a paper “gap cover.” Take
your time and this will look great.
As I mentioned earlier, I mislocated the
landing-gear-holder parts when gluing them
on the lower surface of the wing. As a result,
I had to mount my servos differently. Instead
of mounting them on a thin plywood plate as
instructed, I had to mount the servos directly
to the wing foam. This has not proven to be a
problem, but it would have been easier if I
had been more alert.
Notice that all radio gear is mounted to
the wing, which is permanently glued to the
fuselage. The wings are small enough
compared to the fuselage that this is not a
problem in transportation.
Paper painting masks are provided to help
give the nice, curved red-paint edges. They
are to be attached to the foam with doublestick
tape to protect the unpainted white foam
areas. The instructions note that some of the
smooth surface might be removed if the tape
is too tacky.
I used the painting masks as a guide to
mark the paint lines on the foam and used
regular masking tape to mask the edges. This
worked well and protected the model’s finish.
I painted the wings, fuselage, wing fillets,
landing-gear assemblies, and cowl separately
before installation.
Radio Equipment: No radio equipment is
provided, so I use my Futaba 8U transmitter.
To achieve the lightest weight, I use a GWS
R4P receiver and GWS microservos. The
ESC I had available was a Great Planes 10-
amp unit. I also use eight-cell packs of 280
mAh NiMH batteries, which I had in the
battery box, instead of the suggested Ni-Cds.
Those substitutions have worked well,
and my model is only .5-ounce heavier than
the suggested weight. I plan on putting a
dual-conversion receiver in the Gee Bee so I
can fly it at my flying field without worrying
about frequency conflicts.
Flying: Since this model is indoor/outdoor
rated, I waited until we had a morning with
an extremely light wind, as noted in the
instruction manual. I had performed a
thorough preflight of the airplane and
checked control throws and CG location. I set
the control throws per the instructions. My
model’s CG came out exactly where desired,
with no additional weight needed.
Since I had watched the Gee Bee fly
indoors on the Fan-Tastic Models Web site, I
felt good about the upcoming flight but was
still anxious because of tales I had heard
about model Gee Bees. I taxied it around a
bit, and the airplane seemed to be nicely
responsive on the ground.
Pointing the model’s nose into the wind, I
slowly added power, ready to feed in rudder
as needed. The Gee Bee tracked straight, and
the tail came off the ground after a few feet.
After roughly 20 feet, with a bit of upelevator
fed in, the airplane lifted off gently.
The climb rate was rapid since I wanted
altitude on the first flight for trimming, and
the Gee Bee was much faster than my Lite
Stik airplanes. It needed a little up-elevator
and right aileron trim to fly straight and level.
The airplane flew like a racing airplane,
but with no bad tendencies. It was groovy
and looked great in the air when it came
around in a racing turn. I tried a roll and was
rewarded with a barrel roll. The loop I made
was shaped better, but remember that this is
not an aerobatic airplane.
The model slowed nicely during the
landing, responding to power settings and
elevator and settling in as any other airplane
would to a nice landing with the smallest
bounce. Landings on grass are more of an
arresting-hook type of landing; the Gee Bee
does not roll on grass.
I have flown the airplane many times and
have learned that if you try to maneuver it
All In One
Power Panel
(PAC-MF-0502)
FIELD EQUIPMENT
$44.99
$44.99
Come with a Built-in field charger, never
miss as day’s flying because of low
batteries.This Power Panel Functions as a
regular power panel and as a field charger
for your Tx (9.6V), Rx (4.8V or 6.0 V) and
glow starter (1.2V).
Digital peak-detection, pulse-current
charger for Rx (4.8V and 6.0V)
Charges NiCd and Ni-Mh batteries.
Portable
Super Starter
(PAM-1002PP)
Small size, light weight,
big torque.
Its surprising power comes from our
unique 3:1 gear drive. The Super Starter is
easy to handle with one hand and yet it will
start engines up to 2.2 cu. In. (depending
on battery packs and state of charge). The
oversized aluminum cup and double ended
rubber cone will comfortably drive
everything from prop nuts to 5” spinners.
PAM-1002PP Super Starter with battery
holder and 2 x 7.2V 1500 mAh battery
packs, factory assembled.
Only $89.99
(For 3000 mAh batteries,
add $30.00)
Field Box
& Combo
Super Starter
Small size but high torque.
(PAM-1002B)
• Two drawer
field box
• 12v 7 amp
maintenancefree
battery
• 12v 500 mAh
charger w/LED
• Super Starter
• Standard
power panel
• Electric fuel
pump
• Glow starter
w/charger
• Glow Plug
wrench
Field Box
Combo
$139.99
• Two drawer
• Fully
assembled
• Painted and
fuel proof
• Adjustable
cradle
• Removable
power
compartment
Field Box
$39.99
This light weight Starter has a comfortable
size that fits very well in one hand.
The 3:1 geared reduction design for starting
engines up to 1.8 cu. in.
The big cup and double side rubber cone
will fit from 1/2” prop nuts to 5” spinners.
o
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:02 pm Page 72
74 MODEL AVIATION
while going extremely slow, it will try to
stall but can recover with approximately an
eight-foot loss in altitude. I have flown in
winds up to 4-5 mph and not noticed their
effects. This is a stable aircraft.
I really like the Gee Bee. It is a greatlooking
Scale model. It is fast and goes
around a pylon turn with such authority that
it seems like a much bigger airplane. This is
not a beginner’s aircraft, and it does require
some aileron experience to fly; however, it is
honest-flying and will bring many smiles as
it roars (well, some imagination is required)
on a low pass over the runway. I highly
recommend the Gee Bee. MA
Manufacturer:
Fan-Tastic Models
3204 Johnson Rd.
Southlake TX 76092
[email protected]
www.fan-tasticmodels.com
Price: $109.95 delivered
Specifications:
Wingspan: 31 inches
Wing area: 165 square inches
Length: 21 inches
Recommended weight: 12.0 ounces
Model’s ready-to-fly weight: 12.5 ounces
with battery
Power used: GWS IPS Twin A RXC 7.2-volt
electric motor
Radio recommended: At least three channels
for aileron (coupled rudder), elevator, motor
with microreceiver and microservos
Radio used: Futaba 8U transmitter, GWS
R4P receiver, GWS microservos, 10-amp
Great Planes ESC
Materials in kit: Foam (for structure) and
plastic (for parts)—extremely complete
Needed to finish model: Sharp modeling
knife and sandpaper; foam-safe
cyanoacrylate, epoxy, and RC/56; bright red
foam-safe spray paint and black trim tape;
Scotch double-stick tape; Scotch Crystal
Clear tape for hinges
Needed to fly model: Radio equipment, motor
battery, GWS 10 x 8 propeller
Products used in review:
Futaba 8U Super Series radio system, 10-amp
ESC:
Great Planes Model Distributors
Box 9021
Champaign IL 61822
(217) 398-8970
www.futaba-rc.com/
Motor, receiver, microservos, propeller:
GWS USA, LLC.
3401 Airport Dr.
Torrance CA 90505
(310) 891-3393 or toll-free 886-FLYGWS4
([886] 359-4974)
Fax: (310) 891-3313
[email protected]
www.gws.com.tw
Just call and ask for
cowlings, wheelpants or
floats from Carl Goldberg
Models, Midwest Products,
Global Hobbies, Great
Planes Manufacturing, Pica
Products and many more.
Most cowlings are
seamless.
Call for
Price
List
or
visit
us
on the
internet!
Make it last
with fiberglass.
We have a large selection
of one piece, epoxy
resin cowlings and
wheel pants.
Stan’s Fiber Tech
2575 Jackson, Riverside, CA 92503
909-352-4758 • www.stansfibertech.com
NEED LASER CUT PARTS
OR CAD WORK FOR THAT
DREAM SHIP?
We can work from your drawing, your sketch
or your idea. Top quality materials and 25
years of experience assure you of a Top
Notch job. Call today to arrange for a quote
or eMail your requirements.
Top Notch Products Company
P.O.Box 1051
Goodletsville, TN 37070
Phone 615-310-5371
eMail [email protected]
07sig3.QXD 4/27/04 9:05 am Page 74
Tom Sullivan
P r o d u c t R e v i e w
E-mail: [email protected]
Great Planes Lancair ES ARF
Pros:
• Comes out of the box 90% prebuilt.
• All parts are precovered/prepainted.
• Fiberglass fuselage comes with
formers and windows preinstalled.
• All hardware is provided (including
wheels and tank).
• Two-piece, plug-in stabilizer is
included.
• Color scheme replicates full-scale
Lancair, allowing this model to be
used in AMA Fun Scale competition.
• This model is International
Miniature Aircraft Association-legal.
Cons:
• Quality of finish could have been
better. The covering had a fair
amount of wrinkles and was not
ironed down in several places, and
there were more scratches/scrapes on
the fuselage than there should have
been. (The review model was a
preproduction kit, so it is hoped that
this will not be the case with
production Lancairs.)
• For CG reasons, the radio
installation is tricky.
• Using stamped marks on the
fuselage resulted in a misalignment
between the engine and cowling.
Photos by the author
WITHOUT A DOUBT, some of the
sleekest and most popular home-built
aircraft these days are those designed by
Lancair International, Inc. All the aircraft
in the Lancair lineup have everything
needed to be a winner: beautiful lines,
speed, and practicality.
It used to be that if you wanted to build
an RC version of the Lancair, you only
had a couple of options: build one of the
large versions similar to those used for
quarter-scale air racing or scratch-build
your own. Because of the fuselage’s
complex curves, no kit was available for
the average RC pilot—until Great Planes
introduced its Lancair ES.
First Impressions: When I opened the
Lancair’s box, the most obvious thing I
noticed was the nicely finished fiberglass
fuselage. Although it isn’t long, the curves
of the cockpit area give a big, open space
in which even the biggest hands can work.
The fuselage, cowl, wheel pants, and
winglets are fiberglass. The wing halves,
the stabilizer halves, and all control
Great Planes used a color scheme from a full-scale Lancair, making this kit a good choice for AMA RC Fun Scale.
The review Lancair ES tracked well on takeoff, and the O.S. 91 four-stroke engine had
more than enough power to pull it through the air.
76 MODEL AVIATION
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:03 pm Page 76
July 2004 77
surfaces are precovered with MonoKote
iron-on covering. Carefully examining the
finish revealed quite a few wrinkles in the
covering (which were easy to handle with
an iron or heat gun) and several
scratches/scrapes in the paint. Once I
stepped back a foot or two, I was hardpressed
to see any of the scratches so I
didn’t worry about them.
A complete hardware package is
provided. Everything else is included with
the kit except glue (cyanoacrylate and
epoxy), the radio, and the engine. Each
part is high-quality and, as you’ll see
throughout the review, none of this
hardware needed to be replaced.
Rounding out the kit are a few decals and
a 42-page, well-illustrated instruction
manual.
Construction: Assembly starts with the
wing—specifically, attaching the ailerons
and flaps. All control surfaces utilize
cyanoacrylate-type hinges, and all hinge
slots are precut, making this quick to do.
Servo installation is next. Each wing
half requires two servos: one for aileron
and one for flaps. In the case of the
aileron servos, the wing is so thin toward
the end that custom plastic hatches are
provided. These hatches stick out from
the surface of the wing a bit, giving the
extra room needed to cover the servo.
The only unusual step is to
permanently epoxy the aileron servos to
the hatches. Pay attention to each servo’s
orientation. (The aileron servos need to
turn in opposite directions, and the flap
servos need to turn in the same direction.)
You need two 24-inch servo extensions
for the aileron servos and two 12-inch
extensions for the flap servos. The leads
were easy to pull through the wing using
the preinstalled threads.
Let’s look at joining the wing halves. I
glued two plywood spars together to form
a larger, more substantial spar. Be sure to
test the fit of the spar into each wing half.
Touch-and-gos and landings are a breeze with the flaps deployed. The Lancair had no
tendency to snap or tip-stall, even close to stall speeds.
Lancair comes covered, painted. Fuselage, wheel pants, wingtips
are fiberglass. Wing, stabilizer are balsa and plywood.
Using flaps will quickly slow the model down. When full flaps are
dialed in, it pokes around the sky with good control.
This is a fast machine under full throttle. It is fully aerobatic and looks awesome when
brought in for a high-speed pass directly over the runway.
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:03 pm Page 77
This kit required a bit of sanding, not only
to allow the spar to be inserted, but to
shorten it enough so that the wings mate
properly. After the fit was right, I joined
everything with 30-minute epoxy.
To finish the wings I added the control
hardware, epoxied on the winglets, and
glued on a plywood piece which stiffened
the area around the wing-hold-down bolts.
The first step in the fuselage
construction is to cut the three holes
toward the back where the pushrods exit.
In the manual, this step mentions two
ways: using progressively larger drill bits
or using a small grinding bit with a
Dremel-type rotary tool. I chose to use the
drill-bit method, but now I advise against
it. No matter how careful you are, the
paint and fiberglass will chip using even
the sharpest drill bit.
To finish the wings I inserted the
pushrod guide tubes through these holes,
snaked them through the fuselage, and
then cut the pushrods to length.
The stabilizer is next to be assembled,
and it can be built as a fixed unit or as
removable halves; I chose the removable
route. The stabilizer halves slide onto an
aluminum tube and a carbon-fiber
antirotation tube. I secured each half by
drilling and tapping into the aluminum
tube, and then fastening everything with
two screws.
Attaching the rudder and elevator
halves was done using the same
cyanoacrylate-type hinge material I used
in the wing assembly. Again, all slots were
precut, making this step quick.
At this point construction moves up to
the underside of the fuselage, in the wingsaddle
area. You must attach two plywood
pieces inside the fuselage—one at the
front of the saddle and one at the rear.
These are removable pieces that are held
in with screws that attach to hardwood
blocks, which you must epoxy in place.
These formers require a bit of sanding to
match to the curve of the fuselage.
Next I mounted the engine. I chose a
power plant that I’ve used in several
reviews: the O.S. FS-91 four-stroke.
Regardless of how it’s mounted, the 91’s
cylinder head will stick out of the cowl, so
I mounted it inverted to hide it from view
when the model is sitting in the pit area.
(The manual shows the installation of a
.61 two-stroke with a Top Flite muffler.
That installation does not require the cowl
to be cut out, but it does require the
bottom of the fuselage to be cut out so that
a cooling duct can be installed. Regardless
of the path you choose, you’re going to
end up cutting away something for proper
engine cooling.)
Once that step was finished, I
assembled the fuel tank and slid it into
position. I like to use a three-line system
and incorporated the Du-Bro Fill It
Fueling System into the tank. When I
chose this route, two of the lines were the
standard carburetor feed (with a clunk)
and the vent/pressure line; the third was
similar to the carburetor feed (also with a
clunk) and was used to fill and empty the
tank.
I installed the landing gear, which was
fairly straightforward. The two main gear
attach to preinstalled hardwood plates on
the bottom of the wing. The steerable nose
gear is mounted in place with the supplied
hardware, and then holes are drilled into
the firewall for the steering pushrod (and
the throttle pushrod).
The manual would have had me attach
the nose-wheel fairings, wheel, and wheel
pants. That was easy enough, but in
hindsight I would have preferred to attach
those pieces before I mounted the nose
gear to the fuselage.
Now for the big step: radio installation,
which is normally straightforward. Not so
in this case. The Lancair’s short fuselage
means that weight distribution is key to
getting the correct CG balance. To do this,
Great Planes has chosen some unique
steps.
The battery and receiver are attached to
a plywood tray subassembly with rubber
bands. This subassembly is slid into
position, under the pushrods, and held in
place by a couple of screws. Then I
plugged in all the servos, extensions, and
Y harnesses. I reattached the two formers,
which went in the front and rear of the
saddle area, and I made sure to feed the
78 MODEL AVIATION
Tru-Turn now offers 2 Spinners made to fit the new ARF P-51’s from Hangar 9.
A 3-1/2” P-51 Spinner for the .60 P-51 ARF and a 5” P-51 Spinner for the 77”,
1.50 P-51 ARF – Available in 2, 3 & 4-blade prop slots!
The 3-1/2” is available in our “120-Slot” for your 4-stroke. The 5” is also
available in our “Menz Cut” for your euro props up to 28” diameter!
Browse our website to see these new items today! Use our Adapter
Finder™ online to find the right Adapter Kit for your engine, then:
See your Hobby Dealer or contact Tru-Turn direct!
281-479-9600 www.tru-turn.com
Made in the U.S.A.
by Romco Manufacturing, Inc.
100 West First Street, Deer Park, Texas 77536
PRECISION MODEL PRODUCTS
P-51 SPINNERS FOR YOUR
HANGAR-9 ARF Tru-Turn makes 11
sizes of P-51 Spinners
to suit your needs!
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:04 pm Page 78
80 MODEL AVIATION
pushrods through them. Finally I mounted
the servo tray and attached the servos.
You might remember that I referred to
the inside of the fuselage as cavernous.
It’s amazing how quickly this changed
into constricting.
After all the pushrods were attached to
the servos, I fitted the cowl and mounted
it on the fuselage. The cowl fits on a
premade step around the firewall, which
is small and has zero room for
adjustment.
Because the engine was mounted
beforehand using stamped markings on
the firewall as a reference, whether
everything lines up or not is a gamble by
the time you’re to this step. I followed the
markings and ended up with the engine
misaligned to the right and up a bit. In
hindsight, when it came time to mount
the engine, I should have mounted it so
that it fit the cowling properly, regardless
of what the stamped firewall markings
showed.
Flying: After a good night’s charge and
going over all the details at the last
minute, it was finally time to fly the
Lancair. Because of the short fuselage, I
was able to transport it fully assembled in
a minivan (my Honda Odyssey) after I
removed the two rear seats.
With it fueled up and with a range
check completed, I applied the starter and
the engine came to life. (If you use a
similar engine in an inverted position,
make sure that the glow-plug ignitor will
clear the nose gear. I didn’t catch this
until it was too late and had to wire up a
remote glow-plug attachment point.)
Taxiing was not a problem with the
Lancair. Maneuvering was no problem
with the model’s tricycle landing gear,
and even taking it through our uneven
field was easy.
Lining up into the wind, I slowly
applied the throttle, and the takeoff run
was underway. The Lancair accelerated
rapidly and tracked straight down the
runway. Liftoff was smooth, and it was
soon apparent that it had plenty of power
from the 91 four-stroke.
After a few trim passes and a couple
minutes to get used to the airplane, it was
time for some low photo passes. The
Lancair was predicable, smooth, and
quick. With the photos out of the way, it
was time to see what the model could do.
The Lancair was a rocket under full
throttle, with tons of speed and great
performance. Aerobatics were not a
problem; loops, snaps, rolls, etc. were
done with authority.
Slowing the Lancair down without
flaps was difficult. By design, it is so
sleek that it doesn’t like to go slow.
However, I dialed in the flaps and the
story changed. The large flaps slowed it
down quickly. With full flaps, it was
almost like throwing out a parachute.
Now the Lancair is a pussycat and flies
easily at one-third of its full speed.
Landings were easy, and I recommend
using flaps during them. Not only does it
slow the Lancair down, but the extra lift
gives you the ability to come in at a
shallower angle and still have good
control.
The Lancair is a great-looking kit and a
lot of fun to fly. Although I did point out
a couple of problems, they are minor, and
any experienced pilot can easily build a
great-flying model. There’s nothing about
the kit that disappoints; I’m extremely
happy with it, and this one will be a
keeper! MA
Manufacturer/distributor:
Great Planes Model Distributors
Box 9021
Champaign IL 61822
(217) 398-8970
www.greatplanes.com/airplanes/gpma134
7.html
Street price: $280
Specifications:
Wingspan: 79.75 inches
Wing area: 690 square inches
Length: 52 inches
Weight recommended: 8.5-9.0 pounds
Review model’s weight (ready to fly):
8.75 pounds
Engine recommended: .61-.75 two-stroke
or 91 four-stroke
Engine used: O.S. FS-91 four-stroke
Radio recommended: Five-channel, seven
servos
Radio used: JR 8103 transmitter,
receiver, and seven Expert 571 hightorque
servos
Materials used in construction: Fiberglass
(fuselage, cowl, wheel pants), balsa and
plywood (built-up wing), solid balsa
(control surfaces)
Products used in review:
JR 8103 radio system:
Horizon Hobby Distributors
4105 Fieldstone Rd.
Champaign IL 61822
www.horizonhobby.com
O.S. FS-91 four-stroke engine:
Great Planes Distributors
Box 9021
Champaign IL 61826
www.osengines.com
Fill It Fueling System:
Du-Bro Products
Box 815
Wauconda IL 60084
www.dubro.com
14 x 8 Master Airscrew propeller:
Windsor Propeller Co., Inc.
Box 250
Rancho Cordova CA 95741
www.masterairscrew.com
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:04 pm Page 80
Edition: Model Aviation - 2004/07
Page Numbers: 69,70,72,74,76,77,78,80
David Adams
P r o d u c t R e v i e w
E-mail: [email protected]
Fan-Tastic Models Gee Bee
R-1 Super Sportster
Pros:
• Unique-looking Scale model has a
personality all its own.
• Looks great in the air and on the
ground; will draw envious stares from
others!
• Excellent high- and low-speed flying
qualities.
• Kit is carefully engineered for light
weight with emphasis on strength
where needed.
• Outstanding engineering on landing
gear.
• Exceptional molding of parts with
nice surface detail, prejoined fuselage
halves.
• All necessary parts for finishing the
model are included.
Cons:
• Kit price; however, it is a gorgeous
airplane.
• Wheels rub on inside of wheel pants.
THE GEE BEE R-1 Super Sportster has one
of the most unique airplane shapes in history.
With a fat fuselage wrapped around a huge
radial engine, a red-and-white color scheme,
a canopy barely big enough for a head to fit
into, practically no vertical fin, and large
wheel pants, it is a shape that is not easily
forgotten.
It also brings up fears and images in most
pilots’ minds of an airplane bouncing around
the sky in a barely controlled fashion. Several
years ago Delmar Benjamin made a replica
of the Gee Bee and has been flying it in air
shows. I have been lucky to have seen it in
action. To watch his Gee Bee do knife-edge
flight brought new light to the airplane’s
abilities.
This model flies as if Delmar Benjamin
were at the stick. From the first moment of
taxi to the end of a flight, the Gee Bee has
impeccable handling characteristics.
However, it is not a beginner’s aircraft; you
should be particularly comfortable
controlling a model with ailerons. You can
preview the model in flight and the
instruction manual on the manufacturer’s
Web site.
The kit consists of several molded foam
pieces that have a nice, hard, slick finish. The
fuselage and rudder halves are joined at the
factory and the wings are pretrimmed, but
there is still a moderate amount of assembly
to be done. I am impressed with the obvious
thought and engineering that went into
making the model light and strong enough to
withstand flight and landing loads. The
landing gear is especially well done.
I recommend that the builder read and
understand the instructions before
constructing any model. Following them
exactly makes things much easier. I was
distracted by an exciting television show and
glued the landing-gear-holder parts assembly
to the wings approximately 1⁄4 inch from the
right spot. I had to make changes in
mounting the servos as a result. The
instruction manual’s approach is easier than
my messed-up method, so pay attention.
Concerns and Modifications: The molded
parts’ fit and finish are great; however, the
edges of the wingtips and edges of the
horizontal tail did need sanding on the
bottom of the surfaces to remove a slightly
concave molding shape.
Be careful when marking and cutting the
vacuum-formed parts. I don’t like vacuumformed
components, so I approach them with
caution and misgivings and usually don’t get
them to fit all that well.
In this case I had reservations about the
wing fillets, but I copied the cutting lines in
This airplane is beautiful. It is only when you see the relatively huge antenna wire
extending from the aft fuselage that the scale becomes apparent.
The Gee Bee in its element, with the pilot
grimacing as G forces build. The model’s
looks and flight are amazing.
July 2004 69
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:01 pm Page 69
70 MODEL AVIATION
Photos by the author
the instructions as closely as I could,
including the odd shape on the front of the
fillet. Later I learned that they were a perfect
match to the fuselage and wing, and the
funny shape wrapped around the wing LE
perfectly.
Sanding a notch in the wing LE to accept
a round spar was time consuming and
tedious. Take your time and let the
sandpaper, which is wrapped around a
dowel, do the cutting for you. The spar fit
nicely; it was slightly smaller than the wing
thickness.
The landing gear is a unique structure
which uses vacuum-formed parts and
wire struts to form a rigid inner structure
about which a decorative foam wheel
pant is glued. The vacuum-formed parts
have to be cut out so that each landinggear
leg gets a left and a right piece. A
good way to see how much plastic to cut
off is to place it in the foam wheel shell
and remove any plastic that would
The Gee Bee hurtles by with the big radial thundering.
The airplane required little stick correction during the first and
subsequent takeoffs. Low-speed flight is nice.
You can see the servo installation, including coupled rudderaileron
servos on the left. Elevator servo is on the right.
Carefully cut and fit with its mate along with the inner liner, the
wheel assembly is strong and trouble free.
The foam and plastic parts form a lightweight structure that contributes to the Gee
Bee’s excellent flying qualities. The parts fit beautifully.
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:01 pm Page 70
interfere with the foam halves bonding.
Do be careful making the landing gear,
and make a left-wing and a right-wing
assembly. It is easy to make two left-wing
assemblies. (Don’t ask.)
The provided wheels are too big for the
space in the wheel pants. I mounted them in
my Unimat and turned the rubber down
slightly, keeping the basic shape the same. I
did that until the wheels turned freely in the
pants.
The rudder is hinged on one side by a
molded-in foam hinge. The other side would
have shown a big gap, but I carefully
removed the foam by sanding until the rudder
“nested” into the fuselage and vertical tail,
and I installed a paper “gap cover.” Take
your time and this will look great.
As I mentioned earlier, I mislocated the
landing-gear-holder parts when gluing them
on the lower surface of the wing. As a result,
I had to mount my servos differently. Instead
of mounting them on a thin plywood plate as
instructed, I had to mount the servos directly
to the wing foam. This has not proven to be a
problem, but it would have been easier if I
had been more alert.
Notice that all radio gear is mounted to
the wing, which is permanently glued to the
fuselage. The wings are small enough
compared to the fuselage that this is not a
problem in transportation.
Paper painting masks are provided to help
give the nice, curved red-paint edges. They
are to be attached to the foam with doublestick
tape to protect the unpainted white foam
areas. The instructions note that some of the
smooth surface might be removed if the tape
is too tacky.
I used the painting masks as a guide to
mark the paint lines on the foam and used
regular masking tape to mask the edges. This
worked well and protected the model’s finish.
I painted the wings, fuselage, wing fillets,
landing-gear assemblies, and cowl separately
before installation.
Radio Equipment: No radio equipment is
provided, so I use my Futaba 8U transmitter.
To achieve the lightest weight, I use a GWS
R4P receiver and GWS microservos. The
ESC I had available was a Great Planes 10-
amp unit. I also use eight-cell packs of 280
mAh NiMH batteries, which I had in the
battery box, instead of the suggested Ni-Cds.
Those substitutions have worked well,
and my model is only .5-ounce heavier than
the suggested weight. I plan on putting a
dual-conversion receiver in the Gee Bee so I
can fly it at my flying field without worrying
about frequency conflicts.
Flying: Since this model is indoor/outdoor
rated, I waited until we had a morning with
an extremely light wind, as noted in the
instruction manual. I had performed a
thorough preflight of the airplane and
checked control throws and CG location. I set
the control throws per the instructions. My
model’s CG came out exactly where desired,
with no additional weight needed.
Since I had watched the Gee Bee fly
indoors on the Fan-Tastic Models Web site, I
felt good about the upcoming flight but was
still anxious because of tales I had heard
about model Gee Bees. I taxied it around a
bit, and the airplane seemed to be nicely
responsive on the ground.
Pointing the model’s nose into the wind, I
slowly added power, ready to feed in rudder
as needed. The Gee Bee tracked straight, and
the tail came off the ground after a few feet.
After roughly 20 feet, with a bit of upelevator
fed in, the airplane lifted off gently.
The climb rate was rapid since I wanted
altitude on the first flight for trimming, and
the Gee Bee was much faster than my Lite
Stik airplanes. It needed a little up-elevator
and right aileron trim to fly straight and level.
The airplane flew like a racing airplane,
but with no bad tendencies. It was groovy
and looked great in the air when it came
around in a racing turn. I tried a roll and was
rewarded with a barrel roll. The loop I made
was shaped better, but remember that this is
not an aerobatic airplane.
The model slowed nicely during the
landing, responding to power settings and
elevator and settling in as any other airplane
would to a nice landing with the smallest
bounce. Landings on grass are more of an
arresting-hook type of landing; the Gee Bee
does not roll on grass.
I have flown the airplane many times and
have learned that if you try to maneuver it
All In One
Power Panel
(PAC-MF-0502)
FIELD EQUIPMENT
$44.99
$44.99
Come with a Built-in field charger, never
miss as day’s flying because of low
batteries.This Power Panel Functions as a
regular power panel and as a field charger
for your Tx (9.6V), Rx (4.8V or 6.0 V) and
glow starter (1.2V).
Digital peak-detection, pulse-current
charger for Rx (4.8V and 6.0V)
Charges NiCd and Ni-Mh batteries.
Portable
Super Starter
(PAM-1002PP)
Small size, light weight,
big torque.
Its surprising power comes from our
unique 3:1 gear drive. The Super Starter is
easy to handle with one hand and yet it will
start engines up to 2.2 cu. In. (depending
on battery packs and state of charge). The
oversized aluminum cup and double ended
rubber cone will comfortably drive
everything from prop nuts to 5” spinners.
PAM-1002PP Super Starter with battery
holder and 2 x 7.2V 1500 mAh battery
packs, factory assembled.
Only $89.99
(For 3000 mAh batteries,
add $30.00)
Field Box
& Combo
Super Starter
Small size but high torque.
(PAM-1002B)
• Two drawer
field box
• 12v 7 amp
maintenancefree
battery
• 12v 500 mAh
charger w/LED
• Super Starter
• Standard
power panel
• Electric fuel
pump
• Glow starter
w/charger
• Glow Plug
wrench
Field Box
Combo
$139.99
• Two drawer
• Fully
assembled
• Painted and
fuel proof
• Adjustable
cradle
• Removable
power
compartment
Field Box
$39.99
This light weight Starter has a comfortable
size that fits very well in one hand.
The 3:1 geared reduction design for starting
engines up to 1.8 cu. in.
The big cup and double side rubber cone
will fit from 1/2” prop nuts to 5” spinners.
o
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:02 pm Page 72
74 MODEL AVIATION
while going extremely slow, it will try to
stall but can recover with approximately an
eight-foot loss in altitude. I have flown in
winds up to 4-5 mph and not noticed their
effects. This is a stable aircraft.
I really like the Gee Bee. It is a greatlooking
Scale model. It is fast and goes
around a pylon turn with such authority that
it seems like a much bigger airplane. This is
not a beginner’s aircraft, and it does require
some aileron experience to fly; however, it is
honest-flying and will bring many smiles as
it roars (well, some imagination is required)
on a low pass over the runway. I highly
recommend the Gee Bee. MA
Manufacturer:
Fan-Tastic Models
3204 Johnson Rd.
Southlake TX 76092
[email protected]
www.fan-tasticmodels.com
Price: $109.95 delivered
Specifications:
Wingspan: 31 inches
Wing area: 165 square inches
Length: 21 inches
Recommended weight: 12.0 ounces
Model’s ready-to-fly weight: 12.5 ounces
with battery
Power used: GWS IPS Twin A RXC 7.2-volt
electric motor
Radio recommended: At least three channels
for aileron (coupled rudder), elevator, motor
with microreceiver and microservos
Radio used: Futaba 8U transmitter, GWS
R4P receiver, GWS microservos, 10-amp
Great Planes ESC
Materials in kit: Foam (for structure) and
plastic (for parts)—extremely complete
Needed to finish model: Sharp modeling
knife and sandpaper; foam-safe
cyanoacrylate, epoxy, and RC/56; bright red
foam-safe spray paint and black trim tape;
Scotch double-stick tape; Scotch Crystal
Clear tape for hinges
Needed to fly model: Radio equipment, motor
battery, GWS 10 x 8 propeller
Products used in review:
Futaba 8U Super Series radio system, 10-amp
ESC:
Great Planes Model Distributors
Box 9021
Champaign IL 61822
(217) 398-8970
www.futaba-rc.com/
Motor, receiver, microservos, propeller:
GWS USA, LLC.
3401 Airport Dr.
Torrance CA 90505
(310) 891-3393 or toll-free 886-FLYGWS4
([886] 359-4974)
Fax: (310) 891-3313
[email protected]
www.gws.com.tw
Just call and ask for
cowlings, wheelpants or
floats from Carl Goldberg
Models, Midwest Products,
Global Hobbies, Great
Planes Manufacturing, Pica
Products and many more.
Most cowlings are
seamless.
Call for
Price
List
or
visit
us
on the
internet!
Make it last
with fiberglass.
We have a large selection
of one piece, epoxy
resin cowlings and
wheel pants.
Stan’s Fiber Tech
2575 Jackson, Riverside, CA 92503
909-352-4758 • www.stansfibertech.com
NEED LASER CUT PARTS
OR CAD WORK FOR THAT
DREAM SHIP?
We can work from your drawing, your sketch
or your idea. Top quality materials and 25
years of experience assure you of a Top
Notch job. Call today to arrange for a quote
or eMail your requirements.
Top Notch Products Company
P.O.Box 1051
Goodletsville, TN 37070
Phone 615-310-5371
eMail [email protected]
07sig3.QXD 4/27/04 9:05 am Page 74
Tom Sullivan
P r o d u c t R e v i e w
E-mail: [email protected]
Great Planes Lancair ES ARF
Pros:
• Comes out of the box 90% prebuilt.
• All parts are precovered/prepainted.
• Fiberglass fuselage comes with
formers and windows preinstalled.
• All hardware is provided (including
wheels and tank).
• Two-piece, plug-in stabilizer is
included.
• Color scheme replicates full-scale
Lancair, allowing this model to be
used in AMA Fun Scale competition.
• This model is International
Miniature Aircraft Association-legal.
Cons:
• Quality of finish could have been
better. The covering had a fair
amount of wrinkles and was not
ironed down in several places, and
there were more scratches/scrapes on
the fuselage than there should have
been. (The review model was a
preproduction kit, so it is hoped that
this will not be the case with
production Lancairs.)
• For CG reasons, the radio
installation is tricky.
• Using stamped marks on the
fuselage resulted in a misalignment
between the engine and cowling.
Photos by the author
WITHOUT A DOUBT, some of the
sleekest and most popular home-built
aircraft these days are those designed by
Lancair International, Inc. All the aircraft
in the Lancair lineup have everything
needed to be a winner: beautiful lines,
speed, and practicality.
It used to be that if you wanted to build
an RC version of the Lancair, you only
had a couple of options: build one of the
large versions similar to those used for
quarter-scale air racing or scratch-build
your own. Because of the fuselage’s
complex curves, no kit was available for
the average RC pilot—until Great Planes
introduced its Lancair ES.
First Impressions: When I opened the
Lancair’s box, the most obvious thing I
noticed was the nicely finished fiberglass
fuselage. Although it isn’t long, the curves
of the cockpit area give a big, open space
in which even the biggest hands can work.
The fuselage, cowl, wheel pants, and
winglets are fiberglass. The wing halves,
the stabilizer halves, and all control
Great Planes used a color scheme from a full-scale Lancair, making this kit a good choice for AMA RC Fun Scale.
The review Lancair ES tracked well on takeoff, and the O.S. 91 four-stroke engine had
more than enough power to pull it through the air.
76 MODEL AVIATION
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:03 pm Page 76
July 2004 77
surfaces are precovered with MonoKote
iron-on covering. Carefully examining the
finish revealed quite a few wrinkles in the
covering (which were easy to handle with
an iron or heat gun) and several
scratches/scrapes in the paint. Once I
stepped back a foot or two, I was hardpressed
to see any of the scratches so I
didn’t worry about them.
A complete hardware package is
provided. Everything else is included with
the kit except glue (cyanoacrylate and
epoxy), the radio, and the engine. Each
part is high-quality and, as you’ll see
throughout the review, none of this
hardware needed to be replaced.
Rounding out the kit are a few decals and
a 42-page, well-illustrated instruction
manual.
Construction: Assembly starts with the
wing—specifically, attaching the ailerons
and flaps. All control surfaces utilize
cyanoacrylate-type hinges, and all hinge
slots are precut, making this quick to do.
Servo installation is next. Each wing
half requires two servos: one for aileron
and one for flaps. In the case of the
aileron servos, the wing is so thin toward
the end that custom plastic hatches are
provided. These hatches stick out from
the surface of the wing a bit, giving the
extra room needed to cover the servo.
The only unusual step is to
permanently epoxy the aileron servos to
the hatches. Pay attention to each servo’s
orientation. (The aileron servos need to
turn in opposite directions, and the flap
servos need to turn in the same direction.)
You need two 24-inch servo extensions
for the aileron servos and two 12-inch
extensions for the flap servos. The leads
were easy to pull through the wing using
the preinstalled threads.
Let’s look at joining the wing halves. I
glued two plywood spars together to form
a larger, more substantial spar. Be sure to
test the fit of the spar into each wing half.
Touch-and-gos and landings are a breeze with the flaps deployed. The Lancair had no
tendency to snap or tip-stall, even close to stall speeds.
Lancair comes covered, painted. Fuselage, wheel pants, wingtips
are fiberglass. Wing, stabilizer are balsa and plywood.
Using flaps will quickly slow the model down. When full flaps are
dialed in, it pokes around the sky with good control.
This is a fast machine under full throttle. It is fully aerobatic and looks awesome when
brought in for a high-speed pass directly over the runway.
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:03 pm Page 77
This kit required a bit of sanding, not only
to allow the spar to be inserted, but to
shorten it enough so that the wings mate
properly. After the fit was right, I joined
everything with 30-minute epoxy.
To finish the wings I added the control
hardware, epoxied on the winglets, and
glued on a plywood piece which stiffened
the area around the wing-hold-down bolts.
The first step in the fuselage
construction is to cut the three holes
toward the back where the pushrods exit.
In the manual, this step mentions two
ways: using progressively larger drill bits
or using a small grinding bit with a
Dremel-type rotary tool. I chose to use the
drill-bit method, but now I advise against
it. No matter how careful you are, the
paint and fiberglass will chip using even
the sharpest drill bit.
To finish the wings I inserted the
pushrod guide tubes through these holes,
snaked them through the fuselage, and
then cut the pushrods to length.
The stabilizer is next to be assembled,
and it can be built as a fixed unit or as
removable halves; I chose the removable
route. The stabilizer halves slide onto an
aluminum tube and a carbon-fiber
antirotation tube. I secured each half by
drilling and tapping into the aluminum
tube, and then fastening everything with
two screws.
Attaching the rudder and elevator
halves was done using the same
cyanoacrylate-type hinge material I used
in the wing assembly. Again, all slots were
precut, making this step quick.
At this point construction moves up to
the underside of the fuselage, in the wingsaddle
area. You must attach two plywood
pieces inside the fuselage—one at the
front of the saddle and one at the rear.
These are removable pieces that are held
in with screws that attach to hardwood
blocks, which you must epoxy in place.
These formers require a bit of sanding to
match to the curve of the fuselage.
Next I mounted the engine. I chose a
power plant that I’ve used in several
reviews: the O.S. FS-91 four-stroke.
Regardless of how it’s mounted, the 91’s
cylinder head will stick out of the cowl, so
I mounted it inverted to hide it from view
when the model is sitting in the pit area.
(The manual shows the installation of a
.61 two-stroke with a Top Flite muffler.
That installation does not require the cowl
to be cut out, but it does require the
bottom of the fuselage to be cut out so that
a cooling duct can be installed. Regardless
of the path you choose, you’re going to
end up cutting away something for proper
engine cooling.)
Once that step was finished, I
assembled the fuel tank and slid it into
position. I like to use a three-line system
and incorporated the Du-Bro Fill It
Fueling System into the tank. When I
chose this route, two of the lines were the
standard carburetor feed (with a clunk)
and the vent/pressure line; the third was
similar to the carburetor feed (also with a
clunk) and was used to fill and empty the
tank.
I installed the landing gear, which was
fairly straightforward. The two main gear
attach to preinstalled hardwood plates on
the bottom of the wing. The steerable nose
gear is mounted in place with the supplied
hardware, and then holes are drilled into
the firewall for the steering pushrod (and
the throttle pushrod).
The manual would have had me attach
the nose-wheel fairings, wheel, and wheel
pants. That was easy enough, but in
hindsight I would have preferred to attach
those pieces before I mounted the nose
gear to the fuselage.
Now for the big step: radio installation,
which is normally straightforward. Not so
in this case. The Lancair’s short fuselage
means that weight distribution is key to
getting the correct CG balance. To do this,
Great Planes has chosen some unique
steps.
The battery and receiver are attached to
a plywood tray subassembly with rubber
bands. This subassembly is slid into
position, under the pushrods, and held in
place by a couple of screws. Then I
plugged in all the servos, extensions, and
Y harnesses. I reattached the two formers,
which went in the front and rear of the
saddle area, and I made sure to feed the
78 MODEL AVIATION
Tru-Turn now offers 2 Spinners made to fit the new ARF P-51’s from Hangar 9.
A 3-1/2” P-51 Spinner for the .60 P-51 ARF and a 5” P-51 Spinner for the 77”,
1.50 P-51 ARF – Available in 2, 3 & 4-blade prop slots!
The 3-1/2” is available in our “120-Slot” for your 4-stroke. The 5” is also
available in our “Menz Cut” for your euro props up to 28” diameter!
Browse our website to see these new items today! Use our Adapter
Finder™ online to find the right Adapter Kit for your engine, then:
See your Hobby Dealer or contact Tru-Turn direct!
281-479-9600 www.tru-turn.com
Made in the U.S.A.
by Romco Manufacturing, Inc.
100 West First Street, Deer Park, Texas 77536
PRECISION MODEL PRODUCTS
P-51 SPINNERS FOR YOUR
HANGAR-9 ARF Tru-Turn makes 11
sizes of P-51 Spinners
to suit your needs!
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:04 pm Page 78
80 MODEL AVIATION
pushrods through them. Finally I mounted
the servo tray and attached the servos.
You might remember that I referred to
the inside of the fuselage as cavernous.
It’s amazing how quickly this changed
into constricting.
After all the pushrods were attached to
the servos, I fitted the cowl and mounted
it on the fuselage. The cowl fits on a
premade step around the firewall, which
is small and has zero room for
adjustment.
Because the engine was mounted
beforehand using stamped markings on
the firewall as a reference, whether
everything lines up or not is a gamble by
the time you’re to this step. I followed the
markings and ended up with the engine
misaligned to the right and up a bit. In
hindsight, when it came time to mount
the engine, I should have mounted it so
that it fit the cowling properly, regardless
of what the stamped firewall markings
showed.
Flying: After a good night’s charge and
going over all the details at the last
minute, it was finally time to fly the
Lancair. Because of the short fuselage, I
was able to transport it fully assembled in
a minivan (my Honda Odyssey) after I
removed the two rear seats.
With it fueled up and with a range
check completed, I applied the starter and
the engine came to life. (If you use a
similar engine in an inverted position,
make sure that the glow-plug ignitor will
clear the nose gear. I didn’t catch this
until it was too late and had to wire up a
remote glow-plug attachment point.)
Taxiing was not a problem with the
Lancair. Maneuvering was no problem
with the model’s tricycle landing gear,
and even taking it through our uneven
field was easy.
Lining up into the wind, I slowly
applied the throttle, and the takeoff run
was underway. The Lancair accelerated
rapidly and tracked straight down the
runway. Liftoff was smooth, and it was
soon apparent that it had plenty of power
from the 91 four-stroke.
After a few trim passes and a couple
minutes to get used to the airplane, it was
time for some low photo passes. The
Lancair was predicable, smooth, and
quick. With the photos out of the way, it
was time to see what the model could do.
The Lancair was a rocket under full
throttle, with tons of speed and great
performance. Aerobatics were not a
problem; loops, snaps, rolls, etc. were
done with authority.
Slowing the Lancair down without
flaps was difficult. By design, it is so
sleek that it doesn’t like to go slow.
However, I dialed in the flaps and the
story changed. The large flaps slowed it
down quickly. With full flaps, it was
almost like throwing out a parachute.
Now the Lancair is a pussycat and flies
easily at one-third of its full speed.
Landings were easy, and I recommend
using flaps during them. Not only does it
slow the Lancair down, but the extra lift
gives you the ability to come in at a
shallower angle and still have good
control.
The Lancair is a great-looking kit and a
lot of fun to fly. Although I did point out
a couple of problems, they are minor, and
any experienced pilot can easily build a
great-flying model. There’s nothing about
the kit that disappoints; I’m extremely
happy with it, and this one will be a
keeper! MA
Manufacturer/distributor:
Great Planes Model Distributors
Box 9021
Champaign IL 61822
(217) 398-8970
www.greatplanes.com/airplanes/gpma134
7.html
Street price: $280
Specifications:
Wingspan: 79.75 inches
Wing area: 690 square inches
Length: 52 inches
Weight recommended: 8.5-9.0 pounds
Review model’s weight (ready to fly):
8.75 pounds
Engine recommended: .61-.75 two-stroke
or 91 four-stroke
Engine used: O.S. FS-91 four-stroke
Radio recommended: Five-channel, seven
servos
Radio used: JR 8103 transmitter,
receiver, and seven Expert 571 hightorque
servos
Materials used in construction: Fiberglass
(fuselage, cowl, wheel pants), balsa and
plywood (built-up wing), solid balsa
(control surfaces)
Products used in review:
JR 8103 radio system:
Horizon Hobby Distributors
4105 Fieldstone Rd.
Champaign IL 61822
www.horizonhobby.com
O.S. FS-91 four-stroke engine:
Great Planes Distributors
Box 9021
Champaign IL 61826
www.osengines.com
Fill It Fueling System:
Du-Bro Products
Box 815
Wauconda IL 60084
www.dubro.com
14 x 8 Master Airscrew propeller:
Windsor Propeller Co., Inc.
Box 250
Rancho Cordova CA 95741
www.masterairscrew.com
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:04 pm Page 80
Edition: Model Aviation - 2004/07
Page Numbers: 69,70,72,74,76,77,78,80
David Adams
P r o d u c t R e v i e w
E-mail: [email protected]
Fan-Tastic Models Gee Bee
R-1 Super Sportster
Pros:
• Unique-looking Scale model has a
personality all its own.
• Looks great in the air and on the
ground; will draw envious stares from
others!
• Excellent high- and low-speed flying
qualities.
• Kit is carefully engineered for light
weight with emphasis on strength
where needed.
• Outstanding engineering on landing
gear.
• Exceptional molding of parts with
nice surface detail, prejoined fuselage
halves.
• All necessary parts for finishing the
model are included.
Cons:
• Kit price; however, it is a gorgeous
airplane.
• Wheels rub on inside of wheel pants.
THE GEE BEE R-1 Super Sportster has one
of the most unique airplane shapes in history.
With a fat fuselage wrapped around a huge
radial engine, a red-and-white color scheme,
a canopy barely big enough for a head to fit
into, practically no vertical fin, and large
wheel pants, it is a shape that is not easily
forgotten.
It also brings up fears and images in most
pilots’ minds of an airplane bouncing around
the sky in a barely controlled fashion. Several
years ago Delmar Benjamin made a replica
of the Gee Bee and has been flying it in air
shows. I have been lucky to have seen it in
action. To watch his Gee Bee do knife-edge
flight brought new light to the airplane’s
abilities.
This model flies as if Delmar Benjamin
were at the stick. From the first moment of
taxi to the end of a flight, the Gee Bee has
impeccable handling characteristics.
However, it is not a beginner’s aircraft; you
should be particularly comfortable
controlling a model with ailerons. You can
preview the model in flight and the
instruction manual on the manufacturer’s
Web site.
The kit consists of several molded foam
pieces that have a nice, hard, slick finish. The
fuselage and rudder halves are joined at the
factory and the wings are pretrimmed, but
there is still a moderate amount of assembly
to be done. I am impressed with the obvious
thought and engineering that went into
making the model light and strong enough to
withstand flight and landing loads. The
landing gear is especially well done.
I recommend that the builder read and
understand the instructions before
constructing any model. Following them
exactly makes things much easier. I was
distracted by an exciting television show and
glued the landing-gear-holder parts assembly
to the wings approximately 1⁄4 inch from the
right spot. I had to make changes in
mounting the servos as a result. The
instruction manual’s approach is easier than
my messed-up method, so pay attention.
Concerns and Modifications: The molded
parts’ fit and finish are great; however, the
edges of the wingtips and edges of the
horizontal tail did need sanding on the
bottom of the surfaces to remove a slightly
concave molding shape.
Be careful when marking and cutting the
vacuum-formed parts. I don’t like vacuumformed
components, so I approach them with
caution and misgivings and usually don’t get
them to fit all that well.
In this case I had reservations about the
wing fillets, but I copied the cutting lines in
This airplane is beautiful. It is only when you see the relatively huge antenna wire
extending from the aft fuselage that the scale becomes apparent.
The Gee Bee in its element, with the pilot
grimacing as G forces build. The model’s
looks and flight are amazing.
July 2004 69
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:01 pm Page 69
70 MODEL AVIATION
Photos by the author
the instructions as closely as I could,
including the odd shape on the front of the
fillet. Later I learned that they were a perfect
match to the fuselage and wing, and the
funny shape wrapped around the wing LE
perfectly.
Sanding a notch in the wing LE to accept
a round spar was time consuming and
tedious. Take your time and let the
sandpaper, which is wrapped around a
dowel, do the cutting for you. The spar fit
nicely; it was slightly smaller than the wing
thickness.
The landing gear is a unique structure
which uses vacuum-formed parts and
wire struts to form a rigid inner structure
about which a decorative foam wheel
pant is glued. The vacuum-formed parts
have to be cut out so that each landinggear
leg gets a left and a right piece. A
good way to see how much plastic to cut
off is to place it in the foam wheel shell
and remove any plastic that would
The Gee Bee hurtles by with the big radial thundering.
The airplane required little stick correction during the first and
subsequent takeoffs. Low-speed flight is nice.
You can see the servo installation, including coupled rudderaileron
servos on the left. Elevator servo is on the right.
Carefully cut and fit with its mate along with the inner liner, the
wheel assembly is strong and trouble free.
The foam and plastic parts form a lightweight structure that contributes to the Gee
Bee’s excellent flying qualities. The parts fit beautifully.
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:01 pm Page 70
interfere with the foam halves bonding.
Do be careful making the landing gear,
and make a left-wing and a right-wing
assembly. It is easy to make two left-wing
assemblies. (Don’t ask.)
The provided wheels are too big for the
space in the wheel pants. I mounted them in
my Unimat and turned the rubber down
slightly, keeping the basic shape the same. I
did that until the wheels turned freely in the
pants.
The rudder is hinged on one side by a
molded-in foam hinge. The other side would
have shown a big gap, but I carefully
removed the foam by sanding until the rudder
“nested” into the fuselage and vertical tail,
and I installed a paper “gap cover.” Take
your time and this will look great.
As I mentioned earlier, I mislocated the
landing-gear-holder parts when gluing them
on the lower surface of the wing. As a result,
I had to mount my servos differently. Instead
of mounting them on a thin plywood plate as
instructed, I had to mount the servos directly
to the wing foam. This has not proven to be a
problem, but it would have been easier if I
had been more alert.
Notice that all radio gear is mounted to
the wing, which is permanently glued to the
fuselage. The wings are small enough
compared to the fuselage that this is not a
problem in transportation.
Paper painting masks are provided to help
give the nice, curved red-paint edges. They
are to be attached to the foam with doublestick
tape to protect the unpainted white foam
areas. The instructions note that some of the
smooth surface might be removed if the tape
is too tacky.
I used the painting masks as a guide to
mark the paint lines on the foam and used
regular masking tape to mask the edges. This
worked well and protected the model’s finish.
I painted the wings, fuselage, wing fillets,
landing-gear assemblies, and cowl separately
before installation.
Radio Equipment: No radio equipment is
provided, so I use my Futaba 8U transmitter.
To achieve the lightest weight, I use a GWS
R4P receiver and GWS microservos. The
ESC I had available was a Great Planes 10-
amp unit. I also use eight-cell packs of 280
mAh NiMH batteries, which I had in the
battery box, instead of the suggested Ni-Cds.
Those substitutions have worked well,
and my model is only .5-ounce heavier than
the suggested weight. I plan on putting a
dual-conversion receiver in the Gee Bee so I
can fly it at my flying field without worrying
about frequency conflicts.
Flying: Since this model is indoor/outdoor
rated, I waited until we had a morning with
an extremely light wind, as noted in the
instruction manual. I had performed a
thorough preflight of the airplane and
checked control throws and CG location. I set
the control throws per the instructions. My
model’s CG came out exactly where desired,
with no additional weight needed.
Since I had watched the Gee Bee fly
indoors on the Fan-Tastic Models Web site, I
felt good about the upcoming flight but was
still anxious because of tales I had heard
about model Gee Bees. I taxied it around a
bit, and the airplane seemed to be nicely
responsive on the ground.
Pointing the model’s nose into the wind, I
slowly added power, ready to feed in rudder
as needed. The Gee Bee tracked straight, and
the tail came off the ground after a few feet.
After roughly 20 feet, with a bit of upelevator
fed in, the airplane lifted off gently.
The climb rate was rapid since I wanted
altitude on the first flight for trimming, and
the Gee Bee was much faster than my Lite
Stik airplanes. It needed a little up-elevator
and right aileron trim to fly straight and level.
The airplane flew like a racing airplane,
but with no bad tendencies. It was groovy
and looked great in the air when it came
around in a racing turn. I tried a roll and was
rewarded with a barrel roll. The loop I made
was shaped better, but remember that this is
not an aerobatic airplane.
The model slowed nicely during the
landing, responding to power settings and
elevator and settling in as any other airplane
would to a nice landing with the smallest
bounce. Landings on grass are more of an
arresting-hook type of landing; the Gee Bee
does not roll on grass.
I have flown the airplane many times and
have learned that if you try to maneuver it
All In One
Power Panel
(PAC-MF-0502)
FIELD EQUIPMENT
$44.99
$44.99
Come with a Built-in field charger, never
miss as day’s flying because of low
batteries.This Power Panel Functions as a
regular power panel and as a field charger
for your Tx (9.6V), Rx (4.8V or 6.0 V) and
glow starter (1.2V).
Digital peak-detection, pulse-current
charger for Rx (4.8V and 6.0V)
Charges NiCd and Ni-Mh batteries.
Portable
Super Starter
(PAM-1002PP)
Small size, light weight,
big torque.
Its surprising power comes from our
unique 3:1 gear drive. The Super Starter is
easy to handle with one hand and yet it will
start engines up to 2.2 cu. In. (depending
on battery packs and state of charge). The
oversized aluminum cup and double ended
rubber cone will comfortably drive
everything from prop nuts to 5” spinners.
PAM-1002PP Super Starter with battery
holder and 2 x 7.2V 1500 mAh battery
packs, factory assembled.
Only $89.99
(For 3000 mAh batteries,
add $30.00)
Field Box
& Combo
Super Starter
Small size but high torque.
(PAM-1002B)
• Two drawer
field box
• 12v 7 amp
maintenancefree
battery
• 12v 500 mAh
charger w/LED
• Super Starter
• Standard
power panel
• Electric fuel
pump
• Glow starter
w/charger
• Glow Plug
wrench
Field Box
Combo
$139.99
• Two drawer
• Fully
assembled
• Painted and
fuel proof
• Adjustable
cradle
• Removable
power
compartment
Field Box
$39.99
This light weight Starter has a comfortable
size that fits very well in one hand.
The 3:1 geared reduction design for starting
engines up to 1.8 cu. in.
The big cup and double side rubber cone
will fit from 1/2” prop nuts to 5” spinners.
o
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:02 pm Page 72
74 MODEL AVIATION
while going extremely slow, it will try to
stall but can recover with approximately an
eight-foot loss in altitude. I have flown in
winds up to 4-5 mph and not noticed their
effects. This is a stable aircraft.
I really like the Gee Bee. It is a greatlooking
Scale model. It is fast and goes
around a pylon turn with such authority that
it seems like a much bigger airplane. This is
not a beginner’s aircraft, and it does require
some aileron experience to fly; however, it is
honest-flying and will bring many smiles as
it roars (well, some imagination is required)
on a low pass over the runway. I highly
recommend the Gee Bee. MA
Manufacturer:
Fan-Tastic Models
3204 Johnson Rd.
Southlake TX 76092
[email protected]
www.fan-tasticmodels.com
Price: $109.95 delivered
Specifications:
Wingspan: 31 inches
Wing area: 165 square inches
Length: 21 inches
Recommended weight: 12.0 ounces
Model’s ready-to-fly weight: 12.5 ounces
with battery
Power used: GWS IPS Twin A RXC 7.2-volt
electric motor
Radio recommended: At least three channels
for aileron (coupled rudder), elevator, motor
with microreceiver and microservos
Radio used: Futaba 8U transmitter, GWS
R4P receiver, GWS microservos, 10-amp
Great Planes ESC
Materials in kit: Foam (for structure) and
plastic (for parts)—extremely complete
Needed to finish model: Sharp modeling
knife and sandpaper; foam-safe
cyanoacrylate, epoxy, and RC/56; bright red
foam-safe spray paint and black trim tape;
Scotch double-stick tape; Scotch Crystal
Clear tape for hinges
Needed to fly model: Radio equipment, motor
battery, GWS 10 x 8 propeller
Products used in review:
Futaba 8U Super Series radio system, 10-amp
ESC:
Great Planes Model Distributors
Box 9021
Champaign IL 61822
(217) 398-8970
www.futaba-rc.com/
Motor, receiver, microservos, propeller:
GWS USA, LLC.
3401 Airport Dr.
Torrance CA 90505
(310) 891-3393 or toll-free 886-FLYGWS4
([886] 359-4974)
Fax: (310) 891-3313
[email protected]
www.gws.com.tw
Just call and ask for
cowlings, wheelpants or
floats from Carl Goldberg
Models, Midwest Products,
Global Hobbies, Great
Planes Manufacturing, Pica
Products and many more.
Most cowlings are
seamless.
Call for
Price
List
or
visit
us
on the
internet!
Make it last
with fiberglass.
We have a large selection
of one piece, epoxy
resin cowlings and
wheel pants.
Stan’s Fiber Tech
2575 Jackson, Riverside, CA 92503
909-352-4758 • www.stansfibertech.com
NEED LASER CUT PARTS
OR CAD WORK FOR THAT
DREAM SHIP?
We can work from your drawing, your sketch
or your idea. Top quality materials and 25
years of experience assure you of a Top
Notch job. Call today to arrange for a quote
or eMail your requirements.
Top Notch Products Company
P.O.Box 1051
Goodletsville, TN 37070
Phone 615-310-5371
eMail [email protected]
07sig3.QXD 4/27/04 9:05 am Page 74
Tom Sullivan
P r o d u c t R e v i e w
E-mail: [email protected]
Great Planes Lancair ES ARF
Pros:
• Comes out of the box 90% prebuilt.
• All parts are precovered/prepainted.
• Fiberglass fuselage comes with
formers and windows preinstalled.
• All hardware is provided (including
wheels and tank).
• Two-piece, plug-in stabilizer is
included.
• Color scheme replicates full-scale
Lancair, allowing this model to be
used in AMA Fun Scale competition.
• This model is International
Miniature Aircraft Association-legal.
Cons:
• Quality of finish could have been
better. The covering had a fair
amount of wrinkles and was not
ironed down in several places, and
there were more scratches/scrapes on
the fuselage than there should have
been. (The review model was a
preproduction kit, so it is hoped that
this will not be the case with
production Lancairs.)
• For CG reasons, the radio
installation is tricky.
• Using stamped marks on the
fuselage resulted in a misalignment
between the engine and cowling.
Photos by the author
WITHOUT A DOUBT, some of the
sleekest and most popular home-built
aircraft these days are those designed by
Lancair International, Inc. All the aircraft
in the Lancair lineup have everything
needed to be a winner: beautiful lines,
speed, and practicality.
It used to be that if you wanted to build
an RC version of the Lancair, you only
had a couple of options: build one of the
large versions similar to those used for
quarter-scale air racing or scratch-build
your own. Because of the fuselage’s
complex curves, no kit was available for
the average RC pilot—until Great Planes
introduced its Lancair ES.
First Impressions: When I opened the
Lancair’s box, the most obvious thing I
noticed was the nicely finished fiberglass
fuselage. Although it isn’t long, the curves
of the cockpit area give a big, open space
in which even the biggest hands can work.
The fuselage, cowl, wheel pants, and
winglets are fiberglass. The wing halves,
the stabilizer halves, and all control
Great Planes used a color scheme from a full-scale Lancair, making this kit a good choice for AMA RC Fun Scale.
The review Lancair ES tracked well on takeoff, and the O.S. 91 four-stroke engine had
more than enough power to pull it through the air.
76 MODEL AVIATION
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:03 pm Page 76
July 2004 77
surfaces are precovered with MonoKote
iron-on covering. Carefully examining the
finish revealed quite a few wrinkles in the
covering (which were easy to handle with
an iron or heat gun) and several
scratches/scrapes in the paint. Once I
stepped back a foot or two, I was hardpressed
to see any of the scratches so I
didn’t worry about them.
A complete hardware package is
provided. Everything else is included with
the kit except glue (cyanoacrylate and
epoxy), the radio, and the engine. Each
part is high-quality and, as you’ll see
throughout the review, none of this
hardware needed to be replaced.
Rounding out the kit are a few decals and
a 42-page, well-illustrated instruction
manual.
Construction: Assembly starts with the
wing—specifically, attaching the ailerons
and flaps. All control surfaces utilize
cyanoacrylate-type hinges, and all hinge
slots are precut, making this quick to do.
Servo installation is next. Each wing
half requires two servos: one for aileron
and one for flaps. In the case of the
aileron servos, the wing is so thin toward
the end that custom plastic hatches are
provided. These hatches stick out from
the surface of the wing a bit, giving the
extra room needed to cover the servo.
The only unusual step is to
permanently epoxy the aileron servos to
the hatches. Pay attention to each servo’s
orientation. (The aileron servos need to
turn in opposite directions, and the flap
servos need to turn in the same direction.)
You need two 24-inch servo extensions
for the aileron servos and two 12-inch
extensions for the flap servos. The leads
were easy to pull through the wing using
the preinstalled threads.
Let’s look at joining the wing halves. I
glued two plywood spars together to form
a larger, more substantial spar. Be sure to
test the fit of the spar into each wing half.
Touch-and-gos and landings are a breeze with the flaps deployed. The Lancair had no
tendency to snap or tip-stall, even close to stall speeds.
Lancair comes covered, painted. Fuselage, wheel pants, wingtips
are fiberglass. Wing, stabilizer are balsa and plywood.
Using flaps will quickly slow the model down. When full flaps are
dialed in, it pokes around the sky with good control.
This is a fast machine under full throttle. It is fully aerobatic and looks awesome when
brought in for a high-speed pass directly over the runway.
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:03 pm Page 77
This kit required a bit of sanding, not only
to allow the spar to be inserted, but to
shorten it enough so that the wings mate
properly. After the fit was right, I joined
everything with 30-minute epoxy.
To finish the wings I added the control
hardware, epoxied on the winglets, and
glued on a plywood piece which stiffened
the area around the wing-hold-down bolts.
The first step in the fuselage
construction is to cut the three holes
toward the back where the pushrods exit.
In the manual, this step mentions two
ways: using progressively larger drill bits
or using a small grinding bit with a
Dremel-type rotary tool. I chose to use the
drill-bit method, but now I advise against
it. No matter how careful you are, the
paint and fiberglass will chip using even
the sharpest drill bit.
To finish the wings I inserted the
pushrod guide tubes through these holes,
snaked them through the fuselage, and
then cut the pushrods to length.
The stabilizer is next to be assembled,
and it can be built as a fixed unit or as
removable halves; I chose the removable
route. The stabilizer halves slide onto an
aluminum tube and a carbon-fiber
antirotation tube. I secured each half by
drilling and tapping into the aluminum
tube, and then fastening everything with
two screws.
Attaching the rudder and elevator
halves was done using the same
cyanoacrylate-type hinge material I used
in the wing assembly. Again, all slots were
precut, making this step quick.
At this point construction moves up to
the underside of the fuselage, in the wingsaddle
area. You must attach two plywood
pieces inside the fuselage—one at the
front of the saddle and one at the rear.
These are removable pieces that are held
in with screws that attach to hardwood
blocks, which you must epoxy in place.
These formers require a bit of sanding to
match to the curve of the fuselage.
Next I mounted the engine. I chose a
power plant that I’ve used in several
reviews: the O.S. FS-91 four-stroke.
Regardless of how it’s mounted, the 91’s
cylinder head will stick out of the cowl, so
I mounted it inverted to hide it from view
when the model is sitting in the pit area.
(The manual shows the installation of a
.61 two-stroke with a Top Flite muffler.
That installation does not require the cowl
to be cut out, but it does require the
bottom of the fuselage to be cut out so that
a cooling duct can be installed. Regardless
of the path you choose, you’re going to
end up cutting away something for proper
engine cooling.)
Once that step was finished, I
assembled the fuel tank and slid it into
position. I like to use a three-line system
and incorporated the Du-Bro Fill It
Fueling System into the tank. When I
chose this route, two of the lines were the
standard carburetor feed (with a clunk)
and the vent/pressure line; the third was
similar to the carburetor feed (also with a
clunk) and was used to fill and empty the
tank.
I installed the landing gear, which was
fairly straightforward. The two main gear
attach to preinstalled hardwood plates on
the bottom of the wing. The steerable nose
gear is mounted in place with the supplied
hardware, and then holes are drilled into
the firewall for the steering pushrod (and
the throttle pushrod).
The manual would have had me attach
the nose-wheel fairings, wheel, and wheel
pants. That was easy enough, but in
hindsight I would have preferred to attach
those pieces before I mounted the nose
gear to the fuselage.
Now for the big step: radio installation,
which is normally straightforward. Not so
in this case. The Lancair’s short fuselage
means that weight distribution is key to
getting the correct CG balance. To do this,
Great Planes has chosen some unique
steps.
The battery and receiver are attached to
a plywood tray subassembly with rubber
bands. This subassembly is slid into
position, under the pushrods, and held in
place by a couple of screws. Then I
plugged in all the servos, extensions, and
Y harnesses. I reattached the two formers,
which went in the front and rear of the
saddle area, and I made sure to feed the
78 MODEL AVIATION
Tru-Turn now offers 2 Spinners made to fit the new ARF P-51’s from Hangar 9.
A 3-1/2” P-51 Spinner for the .60 P-51 ARF and a 5” P-51 Spinner for the 77”,
1.50 P-51 ARF – Available in 2, 3 & 4-blade prop slots!
The 3-1/2” is available in our “120-Slot” for your 4-stroke. The 5” is also
available in our “Menz Cut” for your euro props up to 28” diameter!
Browse our website to see these new items today! Use our Adapter
Finder™ online to find the right Adapter Kit for your engine, then:
See your Hobby Dealer or contact Tru-Turn direct!
281-479-9600 www.tru-turn.com
Made in the U.S.A.
by Romco Manufacturing, Inc.
100 West First Street, Deer Park, Texas 77536
PRECISION MODEL PRODUCTS
P-51 SPINNERS FOR YOUR
HANGAR-9 ARF Tru-Turn makes 11
sizes of P-51 Spinners
to suit your needs!
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:04 pm Page 78
80 MODEL AVIATION
pushrods through them. Finally I mounted
the servo tray and attached the servos.
You might remember that I referred to
the inside of the fuselage as cavernous.
It’s amazing how quickly this changed
into constricting.
After all the pushrods were attached to
the servos, I fitted the cowl and mounted
it on the fuselage. The cowl fits on a
premade step around the firewall, which
is small and has zero room for
adjustment.
Because the engine was mounted
beforehand using stamped markings on
the firewall as a reference, whether
everything lines up or not is a gamble by
the time you’re to this step. I followed the
markings and ended up with the engine
misaligned to the right and up a bit. In
hindsight, when it came time to mount
the engine, I should have mounted it so
that it fit the cowling properly, regardless
of what the stamped firewall markings
showed.
Flying: After a good night’s charge and
going over all the details at the last
minute, it was finally time to fly the
Lancair. Because of the short fuselage, I
was able to transport it fully assembled in
a minivan (my Honda Odyssey) after I
removed the two rear seats.
With it fueled up and with a range
check completed, I applied the starter and
the engine came to life. (If you use a
similar engine in an inverted position,
make sure that the glow-plug ignitor will
clear the nose gear. I didn’t catch this
until it was too late and had to wire up a
remote glow-plug attachment point.)
Taxiing was not a problem with the
Lancair. Maneuvering was no problem
with the model’s tricycle landing gear,
and even taking it through our uneven
field was easy.
Lining up into the wind, I slowly
applied the throttle, and the takeoff run
was underway. The Lancair accelerated
rapidly and tracked straight down the
runway. Liftoff was smooth, and it was
soon apparent that it had plenty of power
from the 91 four-stroke.
After a few trim passes and a couple
minutes to get used to the airplane, it was
time for some low photo passes. The
Lancair was predicable, smooth, and
quick. With the photos out of the way, it
was time to see what the model could do.
The Lancair was a rocket under full
throttle, with tons of speed and great
performance. Aerobatics were not a
problem; loops, snaps, rolls, etc. were
done with authority.
Slowing the Lancair down without
flaps was difficult. By design, it is so
sleek that it doesn’t like to go slow.
However, I dialed in the flaps and the
story changed. The large flaps slowed it
down quickly. With full flaps, it was
almost like throwing out a parachute.
Now the Lancair is a pussycat and flies
easily at one-third of its full speed.
Landings were easy, and I recommend
using flaps during them. Not only does it
slow the Lancair down, but the extra lift
gives you the ability to come in at a
shallower angle and still have good
control.
The Lancair is a great-looking kit and a
lot of fun to fly. Although I did point out
a couple of problems, they are minor, and
any experienced pilot can easily build a
great-flying model. There’s nothing about
the kit that disappoints; I’m extremely
happy with it, and this one will be a
keeper! MA
Manufacturer/distributor:
Great Planes Model Distributors
Box 9021
Champaign IL 61822
(217) 398-8970
www.greatplanes.com/airplanes/gpma134
7.html
Street price: $280
Specifications:
Wingspan: 79.75 inches
Wing area: 690 square inches
Length: 52 inches
Weight recommended: 8.5-9.0 pounds
Review model’s weight (ready to fly):
8.75 pounds
Engine recommended: .61-.75 two-stroke
or 91 four-stroke
Engine used: O.S. FS-91 four-stroke
Radio recommended: Five-channel, seven
servos
Radio used: JR 8103 transmitter,
receiver, and seven Expert 571 hightorque
servos
Materials used in construction: Fiberglass
(fuselage, cowl, wheel pants), balsa and
plywood (built-up wing), solid balsa
(control surfaces)
Products used in review:
JR 8103 radio system:
Horizon Hobby Distributors
4105 Fieldstone Rd.
Champaign IL 61822
www.horizonhobby.com
O.S. FS-91 four-stroke engine:
Great Planes Distributors
Box 9021
Champaign IL 61826
www.osengines.com
Fill It Fueling System:
Du-Bro Products
Box 815
Wauconda IL 60084
www.dubro.com
14 x 8 Master Airscrew propeller:
Windsor Propeller Co., Inc.
Box 250
Rancho Cordova CA 95741
www.masterairscrew.com
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:04 pm Page 80
Edition: Model Aviation - 2004/07
Page Numbers: 69,70,72,74,76,77,78,80
David Adams
P r o d u c t R e v i e w
E-mail: [email protected]
Fan-Tastic Models Gee Bee
R-1 Super Sportster
Pros:
• Unique-looking Scale model has a
personality all its own.
• Looks great in the air and on the
ground; will draw envious stares from
others!
• Excellent high- and low-speed flying
qualities.
• Kit is carefully engineered for light
weight with emphasis on strength
where needed.
• Outstanding engineering on landing
gear.
• Exceptional molding of parts with
nice surface detail, prejoined fuselage
halves.
• All necessary parts for finishing the
model are included.
Cons:
• Kit price; however, it is a gorgeous
airplane.
• Wheels rub on inside of wheel pants.
THE GEE BEE R-1 Super Sportster has one
of the most unique airplane shapes in history.
With a fat fuselage wrapped around a huge
radial engine, a red-and-white color scheme,
a canopy barely big enough for a head to fit
into, practically no vertical fin, and large
wheel pants, it is a shape that is not easily
forgotten.
It also brings up fears and images in most
pilots’ minds of an airplane bouncing around
the sky in a barely controlled fashion. Several
years ago Delmar Benjamin made a replica
of the Gee Bee and has been flying it in air
shows. I have been lucky to have seen it in
action. To watch his Gee Bee do knife-edge
flight brought new light to the airplane’s
abilities.
This model flies as if Delmar Benjamin
were at the stick. From the first moment of
taxi to the end of a flight, the Gee Bee has
impeccable handling characteristics.
However, it is not a beginner’s aircraft; you
should be particularly comfortable
controlling a model with ailerons. You can
preview the model in flight and the
instruction manual on the manufacturer’s
Web site.
The kit consists of several molded foam
pieces that have a nice, hard, slick finish. The
fuselage and rudder halves are joined at the
factory and the wings are pretrimmed, but
there is still a moderate amount of assembly
to be done. I am impressed with the obvious
thought and engineering that went into
making the model light and strong enough to
withstand flight and landing loads. The
landing gear is especially well done.
I recommend that the builder read and
understand the instructions before
constructing any model. Following them
exactly makes things much easier. I was
distracted by an exciting television show and
glued the landing-gear-holder parts assembly
to the wings approximately 1⁄4 inch from the
right spot. I had to make changes in
mounting the servos as a result. The
instruction manual’s approach is easier than
my messed-up method, so pay attention.
Concerns and Modifications: The molded
parts’ fit and finish are great; however, the
edges of the wingtips and edges of the
horizontal tail did need sanding on the
bottom of the surfaces to remove a slightly
concave molding shape.
Be careful when marking and cutting the
vacuum-formed parts. I don’t like vacuumformed
components, so I approach them with
caution and misgivings and usually don’t get
them to fit all that well.
In this case I had reservations about the
wing fillets, but I copied the cutting lines in
This airplane is beautiful. It is only when you see the relatively huge antenna wire
extending from the aft fuselage that the scale becomes apparent.
The Gee Bee in its element, with the pilot
grimacing as G forces build. The model’s
looks and flight are amazing.
July 2004 69
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:01 pm Page 69
70 MODEL AVIATION
Photos by the author
the instructions as closely as I could,
including the odd shape on the front of the
fillet. Later I learned that they were a perfect
match to the fuselage and wing, and the
funny shape wrapped around the wing LE
perfectly.
Sanding a notch in the wing LE to accept
a round spar was time consuming and
tedious. Take your time and let the
sandpaper, which is wrapped around a
dowel, do the cutting for you. The spar fit
nicely; it was slightly smaller than the wing
thickness.
The landing gear is a unique structure
which uses vacuum-formed parts and
wire struts to form a rigid inner structure
about which a decorative foam wheel
pant is glued. The vacuum-formed parts
have to be cut out so that each landinggear
leg gets a left and a right piece. A
good way to see how much plastic to cut
off is to place it in the foam wheel shell
and remove any plastic that would
The Gee Bee hurtles by with the big radial thundering.
The airplane required little stick correction during the first and
subsequent takeoffs. Low-speed flight is nice.
You can see the servo installation, including coupled rudderaileron
servos on the left. Elevator servo is on the right.
Carefully cut and fit with its mate along with the inner liner, the
wheel assembly is strong and trouble free.
The foam and plastic parts form a lightweight structure that contributes to the Gee
Bee’s excellent flying qualities. The parts fit beautifully.
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:01 pm Page 70
interfere with the foam halves bonding.
Do be careful making the landing gear,
and make a left-wing and a right-wing
assembly. It is easy to make two left-wing
assemblies. (Don’t ask.)
The provided wheels are too big for the
space in the wheel pants. I mounted them in
my Unimat and turned the rubber down
slightly, keeping the basic shape the same. I
did that until the wheels turned freely in the
pants.
The rudder is hinged on one side by a
molded-in foam hinge. The other side would
have shown a big gap, but I carefully
removed the foam by sanding until the rudder
“nested” into the fuselage and vertical tail,
and I installed a paper “gap cover.” Take
your time and this will look great.
As I mentioned earlier, I mislocated the
landing-gear-holder parts when gluing them
on the lower surface of the wing. As a result,
I had to mount my servos differently. Instead
of mounting them on a thin plywood plate as
instructed, I had to mount the servos directly
to the wing foam. This has not proven to be a
problem, but it would have been easier if I
had been more alert.
Notice that all radio gear is mounted to
the wing, which is permanently glued to the
fuselage. The wings are small enough
compared to the fuselage that this is not a
problem in transportation.
Paper painting masks are provided to help
give the nice, curved red-paint edges. They
are to be attached to the foam with doublestick
tape to protect the unpainted white foam
areas. The instructions note that some of the
smooth surface might be removed if the tape
is too tacky.
I used the painting masks as a guide to
mark the paint lines on the foam and used
regular masking tape to mask the edges. This
worked well and protected the model’s finish.
I painted the wings, fuselage, wing fillets,
landing-gear assemblies, and cowl separately
before installation.
Radio Equipment: No radio equipment is
provided, so I use my Futaba 8U transmitter.
To achieve the lightest weight, I use a GWS
R4P receiver and GWS microservos. The
ESC I had available was a Great Planes 10-
amp unit. I also use eight-cell packs of 280
mAh NiMH batteries, which I had in the
battery box, instead of the suggested Ni-Cds.
Those substitutions have worked well,
and my model is only .5-ounce heavier than
the suggested weight. I plan on putting a
dual-conversion receiver in the Gee Bee so I
can fly it at my flying field without worrying
about frequency conflicts.
Flying: Since this model is indoor/outdoor
rated, I waited until we had a morning with
an extremely light wind, as noted in the
instruction manual. I had performed a
thorough preflight of the airplane and
checked control throws and CG location. I set
the control throws per the instructions. My
model’s CG came out exactly where desired,
with no additional weight needed.
Since I had watched the Gee Bee fly
indoors on the Fan-Tastic Models Web site, I
felt good about the upcoming flight but was
still anxious because of tales I had heard
about model Gee Bees. I taxied it around a
bit, and the airplane seemed to be nicely
responsive on the ground.
Pointing the model’s nose into the wind, I
slowly added power, ready to feed in rudder
as needed. The Gee Bee tracked straight, and
the tail came off the ground after a few feet.
After roughly 20 feet, with a bit of upelevator
fed in, the airplane lifted off gently.
The climb rate was rapid since I wanted
altitude on the first flight for trimming, and
the Gee Bee was much faster than my Lite
Stik airplanes. It needed a little up-elevator
and right aileron trim to fly straight and level.
The airplane flew like a racing airplane,
but with no bad tendencies. It was groovy
and looked great in the air when it came
around in a racing turn. I tried a roll and was
rewarded with a barrel roll. The loop I made
was shaped better, but remember that this is
not an aerobatic airplane.
The model slowed nicely during the
landing, responding to power settings and
elevator and settling in as any other airplane
would to a nice landing with the smallest
bounce. Landings on grass are more of an
arresting-hook type of landing; the Gee Bee
does not roll on grass.
I have flown the airplane many times and
have learned that if you try to maneuver it
All In One
Power Panel
(PAC-MF-0502)
FIELD EQUIPMENT
$44.99
$44.99
Come with a Built-in field charger, never
miss as day’s flying because of low
batteries.This Power Panel Functions as a
regular power panel and as a field charger
for your Tx (9.6V), Rx (4.8V or 6.0 V) and
glow starter (1.2V).
Digital peak-detection, pulse-current
charger for Rx (4.8V and 6.0V)
Charges NiCd and Ni-Mh batteries.
Portable
Super Starter
(PAM-1002PP)
Small size, light weight,
big torque.
Its surprising power comes from our
unique 3:1 gear drive. The Super Starter is
easy to handle with one hand and yet it will
start engines up to 2.2 cu. In. (depending
on battery packs and state of charge). The
oversized aluminum cup and double ended
rubber cone will comfortably drive
everything from prop nuts to 5” spinners.
PAM-1002PP Super Starter with battery
holder and 2 x 7.2V 1500 mAh battery
packs, factory assembled.
Only $89.99
(For 3000 mAh batteries,
add $30.00)
Field Box
& Combo
Super Starter
Small size but high torque.
(PAM-1002B)
• Two drawer
field box
• 12v 7 amp
maintenancefree
battery
• 12v 500 mAh
charger w/LED
• Super Starter
• Standard
power panel
• Electric fuel
pump
• Glow starter
w/charger
• Glow Plug
wrench
Field Box
Combo
$139.99
• Two drawer
• Fully
assembled
• Painted and
fuel proof
• Adjustable
cradle
• Removable
power
compartment
Field Box
$39.99
This light weight Starter has a comfortable
size that fits very well in one hand.
The 3:1 geared reduction design for starting
engines up to 1.8 cu. in.
The big cup and double side rubber cone
will fit from 1/2” prop nuts to 5” spinners.
o
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:02 pm Page 72
74 MODEL AVIATION
while going extremely slow, it will try to
stall but can recover with approximately an
eight-foot loss in altitude. I have flown in
winds up to 4-5 mph and not noticed their
effects. This is a stable aircraft.
I really like the Gee Bee. It is a greatlooking
Scale model. It is fast and goes
around a pylon turn with such authority that
it seems like a much bigger airplane. This is
not a beginner’s aircraft, and it does require
some aileron experience to fly; however, it is
honest-flying and will bring many smiles as
it roars (well, some imagination is required)
on a low pass over the runway. I highly
recommend the Gee Bee. MA
Manufacturer:
Fan-Tastic Models
3204 Johnson Rd.
Southlake TX 76092
[email protected]
www.fan-tasticmodels.com
Price: $109.95 delivered
Specifications:
Wingspan: 31 inches
Wing area: 165 square inches
Length: 21 inches
Recommended weight: 12.0 ounces
Model’s ready-to-fly weight: 12.5 ounces
with battery
Power used: GWS IPS Twin A RXC 7.2-volt
electric motor
Radio recommended: At least three channels
for aileron (coupled rudder), elevator, motor
with microreceiver and microservos
Radio used: Futaba 8U transmitter, GWS
R4P receiver, GWS microservos, 10-amp
Great Planes ESC
Materials in kit: Foam (for structure) and
plastic (for parts)—extremely complete
Needed to finish model: Sharp modeling
knife and sandpaper; foam-safe
cyanoacrylate, epoxy, and RC/56; bright red
foam-safe spray paint and black trim tape;
Scotch double-stick tape; Scotch Crystal
Clear tape for hinges
Needed to fly model: Radio equipment, motor
battery, GWS 10 x 8 propeller
Products used in review:
Futaba 8U Super Series radio system, 10-amp
ESC:
Great Planes Model Distributors
Box 9021
Champaign IL 61822
(217) 398-8970
www.futaba-rc.com/
Motor, receiver, microservos, propeller:
GWS USA, LLC.
3401 Airport Dr.
Torrance CA 90505
(310) 891-3393 or toll-free 886-FLYGWS4
([886] 359-4974)
Fax: (310) 891-3313
[email protected]
www.gws.com.tw
Just call and ask for
cowlings, wheelpants or
floats from Carl Goldberg
Models, Midwest Products,
Global Hobbies, Great
Planes Manufacturing, Pica
Products and many more.
Most cowlings are
seamless.
Call for
Price
List
or
visit
us
on the
internet!
Make it last
with fiberglass.
We have a large selection
of one piece, epoxy
resin cowlings and
wheel pants.
Stan’s Fiber Tech
2575 Jackson, Riverside, CA 92503
909-352-4758 • www.stansfibertech.com
NEED LASER CUT PARTS
OR CAD WORK FOR THAT
DREAM SHIP?
We can work from your drawing, your sketch
or your idea. Top quality materials and 25
years of experience assure you of a Top
Notch job. Call today to arrange for a quote
or eMail your requirements.
Top Notch Products Company
P.O.Box 1051
Goodletsville, TN 37070
Phone 615-310-5371
eMail [email protected]
07sig3.QXD 4/27/04 9:05 am Page 74
Tom Sullivan
P r o d u c t R e v i e w
E-mail: [email protected]
Great Planes Lancair ES ARF
Pros:
• Comes out of the box 90% prebuilt.
• All parts are precovered/prepainted.
• Fiberglass fuselage comes with
formers and windows preinstalled.
• All hardware is provided (including
wheels and tank).
• Two-piece, plug-in stabilizer is
included.
• Color scheme replicates full-scale
Lancair, allowing this model to be
used in AMA Fun Scale competition.
• This model is International
Miniature Aircraft Association-legal.
Cons:
• Quality of finish could have been
better. The covering had a fair
amount of wrinkles and was not
ironed down in several places, and
there were more scratches/scrapes on
the fuselage than there should have
been. (The review model was a
preproduction kit, so it is hoped that
this will not be the case with
production Lancairs.)
• For CG reasons, the radio
installation is tricky.
• Using stamped marks on the
fuselage resulted in a misalignment
between the engine and cowling.
Photos by the author
WITHOUT A DOUBT, some of the
sleekest and most popular home-built
aircraft these days are those designed by
Lancair International, Inc. All the aircraft
in the Lancair lineup have everything
needed to be a winner: beautiful lines,
speed, and practicality.
It used to be that if you wanted to build
an RC version of the Lancair, you only
had a couple of options: build one of the
large versions similar to those used for
quarter-scale air racing or scratch-build
your own. Because of the fuselage’s
complex curves, no kit was available for
the average RC pilot—until Great Planes
introduced its Lancair ES.
First Impressions: When I opened the
Lancair’s box, the most obvious thing I
noticed was the nicely finished fiberglass
fuselage. Although it isn’t long, the curves
of the cockpit area give a big, open space
in which even the biggest hands can work.
The fuselage, cowl, wheel pants, and
winglets are fiberglass. The wing halves,
the stabilizer halves, and all control
Great Planes used a color scheme from a full-scale Lancair, making this kit a good choice for AMA RC Fun Scale.
The review Lancair ES tracked well on takeoff, and the O.S. 91 four-stroke engine had
more than enough power to pull it through the air.
76 MODEL AVIATION
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:03 pm Page 76
July 2004 77
surfaces are precovered with MonoKote
iron-on covering. Carefully examining the
finish revealed quite a few wrinkles in the
covering (which were easy to handle with
an iron or heat gun) and several
scratches/scrapes in the paint. Once I
stepped back a foot or two, I was hardpressed
to see any of the scratches so I
didn’t worry about them.
A complete hardware package is
provided. Everything else is included with
the kit except glue (cyanoacrylate and
epoxy), the radio, and the engine. Each
part is high-quality and, as you’ll see
throughout the review, none of this
hardware needed to be replaced.
Rounding out the kit are a few decals and
a 42-page, well-illustrated instruction
manual.
Construction: Assembly starts with the
wing—specifically, attaching the ailerons
and flaps. All control surfaces utilize
cyanoacrylate-type hinges, and all hinge
slots are precut, making this quick to do.
Servo installation is next. Each wing
half requires two servos: one for aileron
and one for flaps. In the case of the
aileron servos, the wing is so thin toward
the end that custom plastic hatches are
provided. These hatches stick out from
the surface of the wing a bit, giving the
extra room needed to cover the servo.
The only unusual step is to
permanently epoxy the aileron servos to
the hatches. Pay attention to each servo’s
orientation. (The aileron servos need to
turn in opposite directions, and the flap
servos need to turn in the same direction.)
You need two 24-inch servo extensions
for the aileron servos and two 12-inch
extensions for the flap servos. The leads
were easy to pull through the wing using
the preinstalled threads.
Let’s look at joining the wing halves. I
glued two plywood spars together to form
a larger, more substantial spar. Be sure to
test the fit of the spar into each wing half.
Touch-and-gos and landings are a breeze with the flaps deployed. The Lancair had no
tendency to snap or tip-stall, even close to stall speeds.
Lancair comes covered, painted. Fuselage, wheel pants, wingtips
are fiberglass. Wing, stabilizer are balsa and plywood.
Using flaps will quickly slow the model down. When full flaps are
dialed in, it pokes around the sky with good control.
This is a fast machine under full throttle. It is fully aerobatic and looks awesome when
brought in for a high-speed pass directly over the runway.
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:03 pm Page 77
This kit required a bit of sanding, not only
to allow the spar to be inserted, but to
shorten it enough so that the wings mate
properly. After the fit was right, I joined
everything with 30-minute epoxy.
To finish the wings I added the control
hardware, epoxied on the winglets, and
glued on a plywood piece which stiffened
the area around the wing-hold-down bolts.
The first step in the fuselage
construction is to cut the three holes
toward the back where the pushrods exit.
In the manual, this step mentions two
ways: using progressively larger drill bits
or using a small grinding bit with a
Dremel-type rotary tool. I chose to use the
drill-bit method, but now I advise against
it. No matter how careful you are, the
paint and fiberglass will chip using even
the sharpest drill bit.
To finish the wings I inserted the
pushrod guide tubes through these holes,
snaked them through the fuselage, and
then cut the pushrods to length.
The stabilizer is next to be assembled,
and it can be built as a fixed unit or as
removable halves; I chose the removable
route. The stabilizer halves slide onto an
aluminum tube and a carbon-fiber
antirotation tube. I secured each half by
drilling and tapping into the aluminum
tube, and then fastening everything with
two screws.
Attaching the rudder and elevator
halves was done using the same
cyanoacrylate-type hinge material I used
in the wing assembly. Again, all slots were
precut, making this step quick.
At this point construction moves up to
the underside of the fuselage, in the wingsaddle
area. You must attach two plywood
pieces inside the fuselage—one at the
front of the saddle and one at the rear.
These are removable pieces that are held
in with screws that attach to hardwood
blocks, which you must epoxy in place.
These formers require a bit of sanding to
match to the curve of the fuselage.
Next I mounted the engine. I chose a
power plant that I’ve used in several
reviews: the O.S. FS-91 four-stroke.
Regardless of how it’s mounted, the 91’s
cylinder head will stick out of the cowl, so
I mounted it inverted to hide it from view
when the model is sitting in the pit area.
(The manual shows the installation of a
.61 two-stroke with a Top Flite muffler.
That installation does not require the cowl
to be cut out, but it does require the
bottom of the fuselage to be cut out so that
a cooling duct can be installed. Regardless
of the path you choose, you’re going to
end up cutting away something for proper
engine cooling.)
Once that step was finished, I
assembled the fuel tank and slid it into
position. I like to use a three-line system
and incorporated the Du-Bro Fill It
Fueling System into the tank. When I
chose this route, two of the lines were the
standard carburetor feed (with a clunk)
and the vent/pressure line; the third was
similar to the carburetor feed (also with a
clunk) and was used to fill and empty the
tank.
I installed the landing gear, which was
fairly straightforward. The two main gear
attach to preinstalled hardwood plates on
the bottom of the wing. The steerable nose
gear is mounted in place with the supplied
hardware, and then holes are drilled into
the firewall for the steering pushrod (and
the throttle pushrod).
The manual would have had me attach
the nose-wheel fairings, wheel, and wheel
pants. That was easy enough, but in
hindsight I would have preferred to attach
those pieces before I mounted the nose
gear to the fuselage.
Now for the big step: radio installation,
which is normally straightforward. Not so
in this case. The Lancair’s short fuselage
means that weight distribution is key to
getting the correct CG balance. To do this,
Great Planes has chosen some unique
steps.
The battery and receiver are attached to
a plywood tray subassembly with rubber
bands. This subassembly is slid into
position, under the pushrods, and held in
place by a couple of screws. Then I
plugged in all the servos, extensions, and
Y harnesses. I reattached the two formers,
which went in the front and rear of the
saddle area, and I made sure to feed the
78 MODEL AVIATION
Tru-Turn now offers 2 Spinners made to fit the new ARF P-51’s from Hangar 9.
A 3-1/2” P-51 Spinner for the .60 P-51 ARF and a 5” P-51 Spinner for the 77”,
1.50 P-51 ARF – Available in 2, 3 & 4-blade prop slots!
The 3-1/2” is available in our “120-Slot” for your 4-stroke. The 5” is also
available in our “Menz Cut” for your euro props up to 28” diameter!
Browse our website to see these new items today! Use our Adapter
Finder™ online to find the right Adapter Kit for your engine, then:
See your Hobby Dealer or contact Tru-Turn direct!
281-479-9600 www.tru-turn.com
Made in the U.S.A.
by Romco Manufacturing, Inc.
100 West First Street, Deer Park, Texas 77536
PRECISION MODEL PRODUCTS
P-51 SPINNERS FOR YOUR
HANGAR-9 ARF Tru-Turn makes 11
sizes of P-51 Spinners
to suit your needs!
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:04 pm Page 78
80 MODEL AVIATION
pushrods through them. Finally I mounted
the servo tray and attached the servos.
You might remember that I referred to
the inside of the fuselage as cavernous.
It’s amazing how quickly this changed
into constricting.
After all the pushrods were attached to
the servos, I fitted the cowl and mounted
it on the fuselage. The cowl fits on a
premade step around the firewall, which
is small and has zero room for
adjustment.
Because the engine was mounted
beforehand using stamped markings on
the firewall as a reference, whether
everything lines up or not is a gamble by
the time you’re to this step. I followed the
markings and ended up with the engine
misaligned to the right and up a bit. In
hindsight, when it came time to mount
the engine, I should have mounted it so
that it fit the cowling properly, regardless
of what the stamped firewall markings
showed.
Flying: After a good night’s charge and
going over all the details at the last
minute, it was finally time to fly the
Lancair. Because of the short fuselage, I
was able to transport it fully assembled in
a minivan (my Honda Odyssey) after I
removed the two rear seats.
With it fueled up and with a range
check completed, I applied the starter and
the engine came to life. (If you use a
similar engine in an inverted position,
make sure that the glow-plug ignitor will
clear the nose gear. I didn’t catch this
until it was too late and had to wire up a
remote glow-plug attachment point.)
Taxiing was not a problem with the
Lancair. Maneuvering was no problem
with the model’s tricycle landing gear,
and even taking it through our uneven
field was easy.
Lining up into the wind, I slowly
applied the throttle, and the takeoff run
was underway. The Lancair accelerated
rapidly and tracked straight down the
runway. Liftoff was smooth, and it was
soon apparent that it had plenty of power
from the 91 four-stroke.
After a few trim passes and a couple
minutes to get used to the airplane, it was
time for some low photo passes. The
Lancair was predicable, smooth, and
quick. With the photos out of the way, it
was time to see what the model could do.
The Lancair was a rocket under full
throttle, with tons of speed and great
performance. Aerobatics were not a
problem; loops, snaps, rolls, etc. were
done with authority.
Slowing the Lancair down without
flaps was difficult. By design, it is so
sleek that it doesn’t like to go slow.
However, I dialed in the flaps and the
story changed. The large flaps slowed it
down quickly. With full flaps, it was
almost like throwing out a parachute.
Now the Lancair is a pussycat and flies
easily at one-third of its full speed.
Landings were easy, and I recommend
using flaps during them. Not only does it
slow the Lancair down, but the extra lift
gives you the ability to come in at a
shallower angle and still have good
control.
The Lancair is a great-looking kit and a
lot of fun to fly. Although I did point out
a couple of problems, they are minor, and
any experienced pilot can easily build a
great-flying model. There’s nothing about
the kit that disappoints; I’m extremely
happy with it, and this one will be a
keeper! MA
Manufacturer/distributor:
Great Planes Model Distributors
Box 9021
Champaign IL 61822
(217) 398-8970
www.greatplanes.com/airplanes/gpma134
7.html
Street price: $280
Specifications:
Wingspan: 79.75 inches
Wing area: 690 square inches
Length: 52 inches
Weight recommended: 8.5-9.0 pounds
Review model’s weight (ready to fly):
8.75 pounds
Engine recommended: .61-.75 two-stroke
or 91 four-stroke
Engine used: O.S. FS-91 four-stroke
Radio recommended: Five-channel, seven
servos
Radio used: JR 8103 transmitter,
receiver, and seven Expert 571 hightorque
servos
Materials used in construction: Fiberglass
(fuselage, cowl, wheel pants), balsa and
plywood (built-up wing), solid balsa
(control surfaces)
Products used in review:
JR 8103 radio system:
Horizon Hobby Distributors
4105 Fieldstone Rd.
Champaign IL 61822
www.horizonhobby.com
O.S. FS-91 four-stroke engine:
Great Planes Distributors
Box 9021
Champaign IL 61826
www.osengines.com
Fill It Fueling System:
Du-Bro Products
Box 815
Wauconda IL 60084
www.dubro.com
14 x 8 Master Airscrew propeller:
Windsor Propeller Co., Inc.
Box 250
Rancho Cordova CA 95741
www.masterairscrew.com
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:04 pm Page 80
Edition: Model Aviation - 2004/07
Page Numbers: 69,70,72,74,76,77,78,80
David Adams
P r o d u c t R e v i e w
E-mail: [email protected]
Fan-Tastic Models Gee Bee
R-1 Super Sportster
Pros:
• Unique-looking Scale model has a
personality all its own.
• Looks great in the air and on the
ground; will draw envious stares from
others!
• Excellent high- and low-speed flying
qualities.
• Kit is carefully engineered for light
weight with emphasis on strength
where needed.
• Outstanding engineering on landing
gear.
• Exceptional molding of parts with
nice surface detail, prejoined fuselage
halves.
• All necessary parts for finishing the
model are included.
Cons:
• Kit price; however, it is a gorgeous
airplane.
• Wheels rub on inside of wheel pants.
THE GEE BEE R-1 Super Sportster has one
of the most unique airplane shapes in history.
With a fat fuselage wrapped around a huge
radial engine, a red-and-white color scheme,
a canopy barely big enough for a head to fit
into, practically no vertical fin, and large
wheel pants, it is a shape that is not easily
forgotten.
It also brings up fears and images in most
pilots’ minds of an airplane bouncing around
the sky in a barely controlled fashion. Several
years ago Delmar Benjamin made a replica
of the Gee Bee and has been flying it in air
shows. I have been lucky to have seen it in
action. To watch his Gee Bee do knife-edge
flight brought new light to the airplane’s
abilities.
This model flies as if Delmar Benjamin
were at the stick. From the first moment of
taxi to the end of a flight, the Gee Bee has
impeccable handling characteristics.
However, it is not a beginner’s aircraft; you
should be particularly comfortable
controlling a model with ailerons. You can
preview the model in flight and the
instruction manual on the manufacturer’s
Web site.
The kit consists of several molded foam
pieces that have a nice, hard, slick finish. The
fuselage and rudder halves are joined at the
factory and the wings are pretrimmed, but
there is still a moderate amount of assembly
to be done. I am impressed with the obvious
thought and engineering that went into
making the model light and strong enough to
withstand flight and landing loads. The
landing gear is especially well done.
I recommend that the builder read and
understand the instructions before
constructing any model. Following them
exactly makes things much easier. I was
distracted by an exciting television show and
glued the landing-gear-holder parts assembly
to the wings approximately 1⁄4 inch from the
right spot. I had to make changes in
mounting the servos as a result. The
instruction manual’s approach is easier than
my messed-up method, so pay attention.
Concerns and Modifications: The molded
parts’ fit and finish are great; however, the
edges of the wingtips and edges of the
horizontal tail did need sanding on the
bottom of the surfaces to remove a slightly
concave molding shape.
Be careful when marking and cutting the
vacuum-formed parts. I don’t like vacuumformed
components, so I approach them with
caution and misgivings and usually don’t get
them to fit all that well.
In this case I had reservations about the
wing fillets, but I copied the cutting lines in
This airplane is beautiful. It is only when you see the relatively huge antenna wire
extending from the aft fuselage that the scale becomes apparent.
The Gee Bee in its element, with the pilot
grimacing as G forces build. The model’s
looks and flight are amazing.
July 2004 69
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:01 pm Page 69
70 MODEL AVIATION
Photos by the author
the instructions as closely as I could,
including the odd shape on the front of the
fillet. Later I learned that they were a perfect
match to the fuselage and wing, and the
funny shape wrapped around the wing LE
perfectly.
Sanding a notch in the wing LE to accept
a round spar was time consuming and
tedious. Take your time and let the
sandpaper, which is wrapped around a
dowel, do the cutting for you. The spar fit
nicely; it was slightly smaller than the wing
thickness.
The landing gear is a unique structure
which uses vacuum-formed parts and
wire struts to form a rigid inner structure
about which a decorative foam wheel
pant is glued. The vacuum-formed parts
have to be cut out so that each landinggear
leg gets a left and a right piece. A
good way to see how much plastic to cut
off is to place it in the foam wheel shell
and remove any plastic that would
The Gee Bee hurtles by with the big radial thundering.
The airplane required little stick correction during the first and
subsequent takeoffs. Low-speed flight is nice.
You can see the servo installation, including coupled rudderaileron
servos on the left. Elevator servo is on the right.
Carefully cut and fit with its mate along with the inner liner, the
wheel assembly is strong and trouble free.
The foam and plastic parts form a lightweight structure that contributes to the Gee
Bee’s excellent flying qualities. The parts fit beautifully.
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:01 pm Page 70
interfere with the foam halves bonding.
Do be careful making the landing gear,
and make a left-wing and a right-wing
assembly. It is easy to make two left-wing
assemblies. (Don’t ask.)
The provided wheels are too big for the
space in the wheel pants. I mounted them in
my Unimat and turned the rubber down
slightly, keeping the basic shape the same. I
did that until the wheels turned freely in the
pants.
The rudder is hinged on one side by a
molded-in foam hinge. The other side would
have shown a big gap, but I carefully
removed the foam by sanding until the rudder
“nested” into the fuselage and vertical tail,
and I installed a paper “gap cover.” Take
your time and this will look great.
As I mentioned earlier, I mislocated the
landing-gear-holder parts when gluing them
on the lower surface of the wing. As a result,
I had to mount my servos differently. Instead
of mounting them on a thin plywood plate as
instructed, I had to mount the servos directly
to the wing foam. This has not proven to be a
problem, but it would have been easier if I
had been more alert.
Notice that all radio gear is mounted to
the wing, which is permanently glued to the
fuselage. The wings are small enough
compared to the fuselage that this is not a
problem in transportation.
Paper painting masks are provided to help
give the nice, curved red-paint edges. They
are to be attached to the foam with doublestick
tape to protect the unpainted white foam
areas. The instructions note that some of the
smooth surface might be removed if the tape
is too tacky.
I used the painting masks as a guide to
mark the paint lines on the foam and used
regular masking tape to mask the edges. This
worked well and protected the model’s finish.
I painted the wings, fuselage, wing fillets,
landing-gear assemblies, and cowl separately
before installation.
Radio Equipment: No radio equipment is
provided, so I use my Futaba 8U transmitter.
To achieve the lightest weight, I use a GWS
R4P receiver and GWS microservos. The
ESC I had available was a Great Planes 10-
amp unit. I also use eight-cell packs of 280
mAh NiMH batteries, which I had in the
battery box, instead of the suggested Ni-Cds.
Those substitutions have worked well,
and my model is only .5-ounce heavier than
the suggested weight. I plan on putting a
dual-conversion receiver in the Gee Bee so I
can fly it at my flying field without worrying
about frequency conflicts.
Flying: Since this model is indoor/outdoor
rated, I waited until we had a morning with
an extremely light wind, as noted in the
instruction manual. I had performed a
thorough preflight of the airplane and
checked control throws and CG location. I set
the control throws per the instructions. My
model’s CG came out exactly where desired,
with no additional weight needed.
Since I had watched the Gee Bee fly
indoors on the Fan-Tastic Models Web site, I
felt good about the upcoming flight but was
still anxious because of tales I had heard
about model Gee Bees. I taxied it around a
bit, and the airplane seemed to be nicely
responsive on the ground.
Pointing the model’s nose into the wind, I
slowly added power, ready to feed in rudder
as needed. The Gee Bee tracked straight, and
the tail came off the ground after a few feet.
After roughly 20 feet, with a bit of upelevator
fed in, the airplane lifted off gently.
The climb rate was rapid since I wanted
altitude on the first flight for trimming, and
the Gee Bee was much faster than my Lite
Stik airplanes. It needed a little up-elevator
and right aileron trim to fly straight and level.
The airplane flew like a racing airplane,
but with no bad tendencies. It was groovy
and looked great in the air when it came
around in a racing turn. I tried a roll and was
rewarded with a barrel roll. The loop I made
was shaped better, but remember that this is
not an aerobatic airplane.
The model slowed nicely during the
landing, responding to power settings and
elevator and settling in as any other airplane
would to a nice landing with the smallest
bounce. Landings on grass are more of an
arresting-hook type of landing; the Gee Bee
does not roll on grass.
I have flown the airplane many times and
have learned that if you try to maneuver it
All In One
Power Panel
(PAC-MF-0502)
FIELD EQUIPMENT
$44.99
$44.99
Come with a Built-in field charger, never
miss as day’s flying because of low
batteries.This Power Panel Functions as a
regular power panel and as a field charger
for your Tx (9.6V), Rx (4.8V or 6.0 V) and
glow starter (1.2V).
Digital peak-detection, pulse-current
charger for Rx (4.8V and 6.0V)
Charges NiCd and Ni-Mh batteries.
Portable
Super Starter
(PAM-1002PP)
Small size, light weight,
big torque.
Its surprising power comes from our
unique 3:1 gear drive. The Super Starter is
easy to handle with one hand and yet it will
start engines up to 2.2 cu. In. (depending
on battery packs and state of charge). The
oversized aluminum cup and double ended
rubber cone will comfortably drive
everything from prop nuts to 5” spinners.
PAM-1002PP Super Starter with battery
holder and 2 x 7.2V 1500 mAh battery
packs, factory assembled.
Only $89.99
(For 3000 mAh batteries,
add $30.00)
Field Box
& Combo
Super Starter
Small size but high torque.
(PAM-1002B)
• Two drawer
field box
• 12v 7 amp
maintenancefree
battery
• 12v 500 mAh
charger w/LED
• Super Starter
• Standard
power panel
• Electric fuel
pump
• Glow starter
w/charger
• Glow Plug
wrench
Field Box
Combo
$139.99
• Two drawer
• Fully
assembled
• Painted and
fuel proof
• Adjustable
cradle
• Removable
power
compartment
Field Box
$39.99
This light weight Starter has a comfortable
size that fits very well in one hand.
The 3:1 geared reduction design for starting
engines up to 1.8 cu. in.
The big cup and double side rubber cone
will fit from 1/2” prop nuts to 5” spinners.
o
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:02 pm Page 72
74 MODEL AVIATION
while going extremely slow, it will try to
stall but can recover with approximately an
eight-foot loss in altitude. I have flown in
winds up to 4-5 mph and not noticed their
effects. This is a stable aircraft.
I really like the Gee Bee. It is a greatlooking
Scale model. It is fast and goes
around a pylon turn with such authority that
it seems like a much bigger airplane. This is
not a beginner’s aircraft, and it does require
some aileron experience to fly; however, it is
honest-flying and will bring many smiles as
it roars (well, some imagination is required)
on a low pass over the runway. I highly
recommend the Gee Bee. MA
Manufacturer:
Fan-Tastic Models
3204 Johnson Rd.
Southlake TX 76092
[email protected]
www.fan-tasticmodels.com
Price: $109.95 delivered
Specifications:
Wingspan: 31 inches
Wing area: 165 square inches
Length: 21 inches
Recommended weight: 12.0 ounces
Model’s ready-to-fly weight: 12.5 ounces
with battery
Power used: GWS IPS Twin A RXC 7.2-volt
electric motor
Radio recommended: At least three channels
for aileron (coupled rudder), elevator, motor
with microreceiver and microservos
Radio used: Futaba 8U transmitter, GWS
R4P receiver, GWS microservos, 10-amp
Great Planes ESC
Materials in kit: Foam (for structure) and
plastic (for parts)—extremely complete
Needed to finish model: Sharp modeling
knife and sandpaper; foam-safe
cyanoacrylate, epoxy, and RC/56; bright red
foam-safe spray paint and black trim tape;
Scotch double-stick tape; Scotch Crystal
Clear tape for hinges
Needed to fly model: Radio equipment, motor
battery, GWS 10 x 8 propeller
Products used in review:
Futaba 8U Super Series radio system, 10-amp
ESC:
Great Planes Model Distributors
Box 9021
Champaign IL 61822
(217) 398-8970
www.futaba-rc.com/
Motor, receiver, microservos, propeller:
GWS USA, LLC.
3401 Airport Dr.
Torrance CA 90505
(310) 891-3393 or toll-free 886-FLYGWS4
([886] 359-4974)
Fax: (310) 891-3313
[email protected]
www.gws.com.tw
Just call and ask for
cowlings, wheelpants or
floats from Carl Goldberg
Models, Midwest Products,
Global Hobbies, Great
Planes Manufacturing, Pica
Products and many more.
Most cowlings are
seamless.
Call for
Price
List
or
visit
us
on the
internet!
Make it last
with fiberglass.
We have a large selection
of one piece, epoxy
resin cowlings and
wheel pants.
Stan’s Fiber Tech
2575 Jackson, Riverside, CA 92503
909-352-4758 • www.stansfibertech.com
NEED LASER CUT PARTS
OR CAD WORK FOR THAT
DREAM SHIP?
We can work from your drawing, your sketch
or your idea. Top quality materials and 25
years of experience assure you of a Top
Notch job. Call today to arrange for a quote
or eMail your requirements.
Top Notch Products Company
P.O.Box 1051
Goodletsville, TN 37070
Phone 615-310-5371
eMail [email protected]
07sig3.QXD 4/27/04 9:05 am Page 74
Tom Sullivan
P r o d u c t R e v i e w
E-mail: [email protected]
Great Planes Lancair ES ARF
Pros:
• Comes out of the box 90% prebuilt.
• All parts are precovered/prepainted.
• Fiberglass fuselage comes with
formers and windows preinstalled.
• All hardware is provided (including
wheels and tank).
• Two-piece, plug-in stabilizer is
included.
• Color scheme replicates full-scale
Lancair, allowing this model to be
used in AMA Fun Scale competition.
• This model is International
Miniature Aircraft Association-legal.
Cons:
• Quality of finish could have been
better. The covering had a fair
amount of wrinkles and was not
ironed down in several places, and
there were more scratches/scrapes on
the fuselage than there should have
been. (The review model was a
preproduction kit, so it is hoped that
this will not be the case with
production Lancairs.)
• For CG reasons, the radio
installation is tricky.
• Using stamped marks on the
fuselage resulted in a misalignment
between the engine and cowling.
Photos by the author
WITHOUT A DOUBT, some of the
sleekest and most popular home-built
aircraft these days are those designed by
Lancair International, Inc. All the aircraft
in the Lancair lineup have everything
needed to be a winner: beautiful lines,
speed, and practicality.
It used to be that if you wanted to build
an RC version of the Lancair, you only
had a couple of options: build one of the
large versions similar to those used for
quarter-scale air racing or scratch-build
your own. Because of the fuselage’s
complex curves, no kit was available for
the average RC pilot—until Great Planes
introduced its Lancair ES.
First Impressions: When I opened the
Lancair’s box, the most obvious thing I
noticed was the nicely finished fiberglass
fuselage. Although it isn’t long, the curves
of the cockpit area give a big, open space
in which even the biggest hands can work.
The fuselage, cowl, wheel pants, and
winglets are fiberglass. The wing halves,
the stabilizer halves, and all control
Great Planes used a color scheme from a full-scale Lancair, making this kit a good choice for AMA RC Fun Scale.
The review Lancair ES tracked well on takeoff, and the O.S. 91 four-stroke engine had
more than enough power to pull it through the air.
76 MODEL AVIATION
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:03 pm Page 76
July 2004 77
surfaces are precovered with MonoKote
iron-on covering. Carefully examining the
finish revealed quite a few wrinkles in the
covering (which were easy to handle with
an iron or heat gun) and several
scratches/scrapes in the paint. Once I
stepped back a foot or two, I was hardpressed
to see any of the scratches so I
didn’t worry about them.
A complete hardware package is
provided. Everything else is included with
the kit except glue (cyanoacrylate and
epoxy), the radio, and the engine. Each
part is high-quality and, as you’ll see
throughout the review, none of this
hardware needed to be replaced.
Rounding out the kit are a few decals and
a 42-page, well-illustrated instruction
manual.
Construction: Assembly starts with the
wing—specifically, attaching the ailerons
and flaps. All control surfaces utilize
cyanoacrylate-type hinges, and all hinge
slots are precut, making this quick to do.
Servo installation is next. Each wing
half requires two servos: one for aileron
and one for flaps. In the case of the
aileron servos, the wing is so thin toward
the end that custom plastic hatches are
provided. These hatches stick out from
the surface of the wing a bit, giving the
extra room needed to cover the servo.
The only unusual step is to
permanently epoxy the aileron servos to
the hatches. Pay attention to each servo’s
orientation. (The aileron servos need to
turn in opposite directions, and the flap
servos need to turn in the same direction.)
You need two 24-inch servo extensions
for the aileron servos and two 12-inch
extensions for the flap servos. The leads
were easy to pull through the wing using
the preinstalled threads.
Let’s look at joining the wing halves. I
glued two plywood spars together to form
a larger, more substantial spar. Be sure to
test the fit of the spar into each wing half.
Touch-and-gos and landings are a breeze with the flaps deployed. The Lancair had no
tendency to snap or tip-stall, even close to stall speeds.
Lancair comes covered, painted. Fuselage, wheel pants, wingtips
are fiberglass. Wing, stabilizer are balsa and plywood.
Using flaps will quickly slow the model down. When full flaps are
dialed in, it pokes around the sky with good control.
This is a fast machine under full throttle. It is fully aerobatic and looks awesome when
brought in for a high-speed pass directly over the runway.
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:03 pm Page 77
This kit required a bit of sanding, not only
to allow the spar to be inserted, but to
shorten it enough so that the wings mate
properly. After the fit was right, I joined
everything with 30-minute epoxy.
To finish the wings I added the control
hardware, epoxied on the winglets, and
glued on a plywood piece which stiffened
the area around the wing-hold-down bolts.
The first step in the fuselage
construction is to cut the three holes
toward the back where the pushrods exit.
In the manual, this step mentions two
ways: using progressively larger drill bits
or using a small grinding bit with a
Dremel-type rotary tool. I chose to use the
drill-bit method, but now I advise against
it. No matter how careful you are, the
paint and fiberglass will chip using even
the sharpest drill bit.
To finish the wings I inserted the
pushrod guide tubes through these holes,
snaked them through the fuselage, and
then cut the pushrods to length.
The stabilizer is next to be assembled,
and it can be built as a fixed unit or as
removable halves; I chose the removable
route. The stabilizer halves slide onto an
aluminum tube and a carbon-fiber
antirotation tube. I secured each half by
drilling and tapping into the aluminum
tube, and then fastening everything with
two screws.
Attaching the rudder and elevator
halves was done using the same
cyanoacrylate-type hinge material I used
in the wing assembly. Again, all slots were
precut, making this step quick.
At this point construction moves up to
the underside of the fuselage, in the wingsaddle
area. You must attach two plywood
pieces inside the fuselage—one at the
front of the saddle and one at the rear.
These are removable pieces that are held
in with screws that attach to hardwood
blocks, which you must epoxy in place.
These formers require a bit of sanding to
match to the curve of the fuselage.
Next I mounted the engine. I chose a
power plant that I’ve used in several
reviews: the O.S. FS-91 four-stroke.
Regardless of how it’s mounted, the 91’s
cylinder head will stick out of the cowl, so
I mounted it inverted to hide it from view
when the model is sitting in the pit area.
(The manual shows the installation of a
.61 two-stroke with a Top Flite muffler.
That installation does not require the cowl
to be cut out, but it does require the
bottom of the fuselage to be cut out so that
a cooling duct can be installed. Regardless
of the path you choose, you’re going to
end up cutting away something for proper
engine cooling.)
Once that step was finished, I
assembled the fuel tank and slid it into
position. I like to use a three-line system
and incorporated the Du-Bro Fill It
Fueling System into the tank. When I
chose this route, two of the lines were the
standard carburetor feed (with a clunk)
and the vent/pressure line; the third was
similar to the carburetor feed (also with a
clunk) and was used to fill and empty the
tank.
I installed the landing gear, which was
fairly straightforward. The two main gear
attach to preinstalled hardwood plates on
the bottom of the wing. The steerable nose
gear is mounted in place with the supplied
hardware, and then holes are drilled into
the firewall for the steering pushrod (and
the throttle pushrod).
The manual would have had me attach
the nose-wheel fairings, wheel, and wheel
pants. That was easy enough, but in
hindsight I would have preferred to attach
those pieces before I mounted the nose
gear to the fuselage.
Now for the big step: radio installation,
which is normally straightforward. Not so
in this case. The Lancair’s short fuselage
means that weight distribution is key to
getting the correct CG balance. To do this,
Great Planes has chosen some unique
steps.
The battery and receiver are attached to
a plywood tray subassembly with rubber
bands. This subassembly is slid into
position, under the pushrods, and held in
place by a couple of screws. Then I
plugged in all the servos, extensions, and
Y harnesses. I reattached the two formers,
which went in the front and rear of the
saddle area, and I made sure to feed the
78 MODEL AVIATION
Tru-Turn now offers 2 Spinners made to fit the new ARF P-51’s from Hangar 9.
A 3-1/2” P-51 Spinner for the .60 P-51 ARF and a 5” P-51 Spinner for the 77”,
1.50 P-51 ARF – Available in 2, 3 & 4-blade prop slots!
The 3-1/2” is available in our “120-Slot” for your 4-stroke. The 5” is also
available in our “Menz Cut” for your euro props up to 28” diameter!
Browse our website to see these new items today! Use our Adapter
Finder™ online to find the right Adapter Kit for your engine, then:
See your Hobby Dealer or contact Tru-Turn direct!
281-479-9600 www.tru-turn.com
Made in the U.S.A.
by Romco Manufacturing, Inc.
100 West First Street, Deer Park, Texas 77536
PRECISION MODEL PRODUCTS
P-51 SPINNERS FOR YOUR
HANGAR-9 ARF Tru-Turn makes 11
sizes of P-51 Spinners
to suit your needs!
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:04 pm Page 78
80 MODEL AVIATION
pushrods through them. Finally I mounted
the servo tray and attached the servos.
You might remember that I referred to
the inside of the fuselage as cavernous.
It’s amazing how quickly this changed
into constricting.
After all the pushrods were attached to
the servos, I fitted the cowl and mounted
it on the fuselage. The cowl fits on a
premade step around the firewall, which
is small and has zero room for
adjustment.
Because the engine was mounted
beforehand using stamped markings on
the firewall as a reference, whether
everything lines up or not is a gamble by
the time you’re to this step. I followed the
markings and ended up with the engine
misaligned to the right and up a bit. In
hindsight, when it came time to mount
the engine, I should have mounted it so
that it fit the cowling properly, regardless
of what the stamped firewall markings
showed.
Flying: After a good night’s charge and
going over all the details at the last
minute, it was finally time to fly the
Lancair. Because of the short fuselage, I
was able to transport it fully assembled in
a minivan (my Honda Odyssey) after I
removed the two rear seats.
With it fueled up and with a range
check completed, I applied the starter and
the engine came to life. (If you use a
similar engine in an inverted position,
make sure that the glow-plug ignitor will
clear the nose gear. I didn’t catch this
until it was too late and had to wire up a
remote glow-plug attachment point.)
Taxiing was not a problem with the
Lancair. Maneuvering was no problem
with the model’s tricycle landing gear,
and even taking it through our uneven
field was easy.
Lining up into the wind, I slowly
applied the throttle, and the takeoff run
was underway. The Lancair accelerated
rapidly and tracked straight down the
runway. Liftoff was smooth, and it was
soon apparent that it had plenty of power
from the 91 four-stroke.
After a few trim passes and a couple
minutes to get used to the airplane, it was
time for some low photo passes. The
Lancair was predicable, smooth, and
quick. With the photos out of the way, it
was time to see what the model could do.
The Lancair was a rocket under full
throttle, with tons of speed and great
performance. Aerobatics were not a
problem; loops, snaps, rolls, etc. were
done with authority.
Slowing the Lancair down without
flaps was difficult. By design, it is so
sleek that it doesn’t like to go slow.
However, I dialed in the flaps and the
story changed. The large flaps slowed it
down quickly. With full flaps, it was
almost like throwing out a parachute.
Now the Lancair is a pussycat and flies
easily at one-third of its full speed.
Landings were easy, and I recommend
using flaps during them. Not only does it
slow the Lancair down, but the extra lift
gives you the ability to come in at a
shallower angle and still have good
control.
The Lancair is a great-looking kit and a
lot of fun to fly. Although I did point out
a couple of problems, they are minor, and
any experienced pilot can easily build a
great-flying model. There’s nothing about
the kit that disappoints; I’m extremely
happy with it, and this one will be a
keeper! MA
Manufacturer/distributor:
Great Planes Model Distributors
Box 9021
Champaign IL 61822
(217) 398-8970
www.greatplanes.com/airplanes/gpma134
7.html
Street price: $280
Specifications:
Wingspan: 79.75 inches
Wing area: 690 square inches
Length: 52 inches
Weight recommended: 8.5-9.0 pounds
Review model’s weight (ready to fly):
8.75 pounds
Engine recommended: .61-.75 two-stroke
or 91 four-stroke
Engine used: O.S. FS-91 four-stroke
Radio recommended: Five-channel, seven
servos
Radio used: JR 8103 transmitter,
receiver, and seven Expert 571 hightorque
servos
Materials used in construction: Fiberglass
(fuselage, cowl, wheel pants), balsa and
plywood (built-up wing), solid balsa
(control surfaces)
Products used in review:
JR 8103 radio system:
Horizon Hobby Distributors
4105 Fieldstone Rd.
Champaign IL 61822
www.horizonhobby.com
O.S. FS-91 four-stroke engine:
Great Planes Distributors
Box 9021
Champaign IL 61826
www.osengines.com
Fill It Fueling System:
Du-Bro Products
Box 815
Wauconda IL 60084
www.dubro.com
14 x 8 Master Airscrew propeller:
Windsor Propeller Co., Inc.
Box 250
Rancho Cordova CA 95741
www.masterairscrew.com
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:04 pm Page 80
Edition: Model Aviation - 2004/07
Page Numbers: 69,70,72,74,76,77,78,80
David Adams
P r o d u c t R e v i e w
E-mail: [email protected]
Fan-Tastic Models Gee Bee
R-1 Super Sportster
Pros:
• Unique-looking Scale model has a
personality all its own.
• Looks great in the air and on the
ground; will draw envious stares from
others!
• Excellent high- and low-speed flying
qualities.
• Kit is carefully engineered for light
weight with emphasis on strength
where needed.
• Outstanding engineering on landing
gear.
• Exceptional molding of parts with
nice surface detail, prejoined fuselage
halves.
• All necessary parts for finishing the
model are included.
Cons:
• Kit price; however, it is a gorgeous
airplane.
• Wheels rub on inside of wheel pants.
THE GEE BEE R-1 Super Sportster has one
of the most unique airplane shapes in history.
With a fat fuselage wrapped around a huge
radial engine, a red-and-white color scheme,
a canopy barely big enough for a head to fit
into, practically no vertical fin, and large
wheel pants, it is a shape that is not easily
forgotten.
It also brings up fears and images in most
pilots’ minds of an airplane bouncing around
the sky in a barely controlled fashion. Several
years ago Delmar Benjamin made a replica
of the Gee Bee and has been flying it in air
shows. I have been lucky to have seen it in
action. To watch his Gee Bee do knife-edge
flight brought new light to the airplane’s
abilities.
This model flies as if Delmar Benjamin
were at the stick. From the first moment of
taxi to the end of a flight, the Gee Bee has
impeccable handling characteristics.
However, it is not a beginner’s aircraft; you
should be particularly comfortable
controlling a model with ailerons. You can
preview the model in flight and the
instruction manual on the manufacturer’s
Web site.
The kit consists of several molded foam
pieces that have a nice, hard, slick finish. The
fuselage and rudder halves are joined at the
factory and the wings are pretrimmed, but
there is still a moderate amount of assembly
to be done. I am impressed with the obvious
thought and engineering that went into
making the model light and strong enough to
withstand flight and landing loads. The
landing gear is especially well done.
I recommend that the builder read and
understand the instructions before
constructing any model. Following them
exactly makes things much easier. I was
distracted by an exciting television show and
glued the landing-gear-holder parts assembly
to the wings approximately 1⁄4 inch from the
right spot. I had to make changes in
mounting the servos as a result. The
instruction manual’s approach is easier than
my messed-up method, so pay attention.
Concerns and Modifications: The molded
parts’ fit and finish are great; however, the
edges of the wingtips and edges of the
horizontal tail did need sanding on the
bottom of the surfaces to remove a slightly
concave molding shape.
Be careful when marking and cutting the
vacuum-formed parts. I don’t like vacuumformed
components, so I approach them with
caution and misgivings and usually don’t get
them to fit all that well.
In this case I had reservations about the
wing fillets, but I copied the cutting lines in
This airplane is beautiful. It is only when you see the relatively huge antenna wire
extending from the aft fuselage that the scale becomes apparent.
The Gee Bee in its element, with the pilot
grimacing as G forces build. The model’s
looks and flight are amazing.
July 2004 69
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:01 pm Page 69
70 MODEL AVIATION
Photos by the author
the instructions as closely as I could,
including the odd shape on the front of the
fillet. Later I learned that they were a perfect
match to the fuselage and wing, and the
funny shape wrapped around the wing LE
perfectly.
Sanding a notch in the wing LE to accept
a round spar was time consuming and
tedious. Take your time and let the
sandpaper, which is wrapped around a
dowel, do the cutting for you. The spar fit
nicely; it was slightly smaller than the wing
thickness.
The landing gear is a unique structure
which uses vacuum-formed parts and
wire struts to form a rigid inner structure
about which a decorative foam wheel
pant is glued. The vacuum-formed parts
have to be cut out so that each landinggear
leg gets a left and a right piece. A
good way to see how much plastic to cut
off is to place it in the foam wheel shell
and remove any plastic that would
The Gee Bee hurtles by with the big radial thundering.
The airplane required little stick correction during the first and
subsequent takeoffs. Low-speed flight is nice.
You can see the servo installation, including coupled rudderaileron
servos on the left. Elevator servo is on the right.
Carefully cut and fit with its mate along with the inner liner, the
wheel assembly is strong and trouble free.
The foam and plastic parts form a lightweight structure that contributes to the Gee
Bee’s excellent flying qualities. The parts fit beautifully.
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:01 pm Page 70
interfere with the foam halves bonding.
Do be careful making the landing gear,
and make a left-wing and a right-wing
assembly. It is easy to make two left-wing
assemblies. (Don’t ask.)
The provided wheels are too big for the
space in the wheel pants. I mounted them in
my Unimat and turned the rubber down
slightly, keeping the basic shape the same. I
did that until the wheels turned freely in the
pants.
The rudder is hinged on one side by a
molded-in foam hinge. The other side would
have shown a big gap, but I carefully
removed the foam by sanding until the rudder
“nested” into the fuselage and vertical tail,
and I installed a paper “gap cover.” Take
your time and this will look great.
As I mentioned earlier, I mislocated the
landing-gear-holder parts when gluing them
on the lower surface of the wing. As a result,
I had to mount my servos differently. Instead
of mounting them on a thin plywood plate as
instructed, I had to mount the servos directly
to the wing foam. This has not proven to be a
problem, but it would have been easier if I
had been more alert.
Notice that all radio gear is mounted to
the wing, which is permanently glued to the
fuselage. The wings are small enough
compared to the fuselage that this is not a
problem in transportation.
Paper painting masks are provided to help
give the nice, curved red-paint edges. They
are to be attached to the foam with doublestick
tape to protect the unpainted white foam
areas. The instructions note that some of the
smooth surface might be removed if the tape
is too tacky.
I used the painting masks as a guide to
mark the paint lines on the foam and used
regular masking tape to mask the edges. This
worked well and protected the model’s finish.
I painted the wings, fuselage, wing fillets,
landing-gear assemblies, and cowl separately
before installation.
Radio Equipment: No radio equipment is
provided, so I use my Futaba 8U transmitter.
To achieve the lightest weight, I use a GWS
R4P receiver and GWS microservos. The
ESC I had available was a Great Planes 10-
amp unit. I also use eight-cell packs of 280
mAh NiMH batteries, which I had in the
battery box, instead of the suggested Ni-Cds.
Those substitutions have worked well,
and my model is only .5-ounce heavier than
the suggested weight. I plan on putting a
dual-conversion receiver in the Gee Bee so I
can fly it at my flying field without worrying
about frequency conflicts.
Flying: Since this model is indoor/outdoor
rated, I waited until we had a morning with
an extremely light wind, as noted in the
instruction manual. I had performed a
thorough preflight of the airplane and
checked control throws and CG location. I set
the control throws per the instructions. My
model’s CG came out exactly where desired,
with no additional weight needed.
Since I had watched the Gee Bee fly
indoors on the Fan-Tastic Models Web site, I
felt good about the upcoming flight but was
still anxious because of tales I had heard
about model Gee Bees. I taxied it around a
bit, and the airplane seemed to be nicely
responsive on the ground.
Pointing the model’s nose into the wind, I
slowly added power, ready to feed in rudder
as needed. The Gee Bee tracked straight, and
the tail came off the ground after a few feet.
After roughly 20 feet, with a bit of upelevator
fed in, the airplane lifted off gently.
The climb rate was rapid since I wanted
altitude on the first flight for trimming, and
the Gee Bee was much faster than my Lite
Stik airplanes. It needed a little up-elevator
and right aileron trim to fly straight and level.
The airplane flew like a racing airplane,
but with no bad tendencies. It was groovy
and looked great in the air when it came
around in a racing turn. I tried a roll and was
rewarded with a barrel roll. The loop I made
was shaped better, but remember that this is
not an aerobatic airplane.
The model slowed nicely during the
landing, responding to power settings and
elevator and settling in as any other airplane
would to a nice landing with the smallest
bounce. Landings on grass are more of an
arresting-hook type of landing; the Gee Bee
does not roll on grass.
I have flown the airplane many times and
have learned that if you try to maneuver it
All In One
Power Panel
(PAC-MF-0502)
FIELD EQUIPMENT
$44.99
$44.99
Come with a Built-in field charger, never
miss as day’s flying because of low
batteries.This Power Panel Functions as a
regular power panel and as a field charger
for your Tx (9.6V), Rx (4.8V or 6.0 V) and
glow starter (1.2V).
Digital peak-detection, pulse-current
charger for Rx (4.8V and 6.0V)
Charges NiCd and Ni-Mh batteries.
Portable
Super Starter
(PAM-1002PP)
Small size, light weight,
big torque.
Its surprising power comes from our
unique 3:1 gear drive. The Super Starter is
easy to handle with one hand and yet it will
start engines up to 2.2 cu. In. (depending
on battery packs and state of charge). The
oversized aluminum cup and double ended
rubber cone will comfortably drive
everything from prop nuts to 5” spinners.
PAM-1002PP Super Starter with battery
holder and 2 x 7.2V 1500 mAh battery
packs, factory assembled.
Only $89.99
(For 3000 mAh batteries,
add $30.00)
Field Box
& Combo
Super Starter
Small size but high torque.
(PAM-1002B)
• Two drawer
field box
• 12v 7 amp
maintenancefree
battery
• 12v 500 mAh
charger w/LED
• Super Starter
• Standard
power panel
• Electric fuel
pump
• Glow starter
w/charger
• Glow Plug
wrench
Field Box
Combo
$139.99
• Two drawer
• Fully
assembled
• Painted and
fuel proof
• Adjustable
cradle
• Removable
power
compartment
Field Box
$39.99
This light weight Starter has a comfortable
size that fits very well in one hand.
The 3:1 geared reduction design for starting
engines up to 1.8 cu. in.
The big cup and double side rubber cone
will fit from 1/2” prop nuts to 5” spinners.
o
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:02 pm Page 72
74 MODEL AVIATION
while going extremely slow, it will try to
stall but can recover with approximately an
eight-foot loss in altitude. I have flown in
winds up to 4-5 mph and not noticed their
effects. This is a stable aircraft.
I really like the Gee Bee. It is a greatlooking
Scale model. It is fast and goes
around a pylon turn with such authority that
it seems like a much bigger airplane. This is
not a beginner’s aircraft, and it does require
some aileron experience to fly; however, it is
honest-flying and will bring many smiles as
it roars (well, some imagination is required)
on a low pass over the runway. I highly
recommend the Gee Bee. MA
Manufacturer:
Fan-Tastic Models
3204 Johnson Rd.
Southlake TX 76092
[email protected]
www.fan-tasticmodels.com
Price: $109.95 delivered
Specifications:
Wingspan: 31 inches
Wing area: 165 square inches
Length: 21 inches
Recommended weight: 12.0 ounces
Model’s ready-to-fly weight: 12.5 ounces
with battery
Power used: GWS IPS Twin A RXC 7.2-volt
electric motor
Radio recommended: At least three channels
for aileron (coupled rudder), elevator, motor
with microreceiver and microservos
Radio used: Futaba 8U transmitter, GWS
R4P receiver, GWS microservos, 10-amp
Great Planes ESC
Materials in kit: Foam (for structure) and
plastic (for parts)—extremely complete
Needed to finish model: Sharp modeling
knife and sandpaper; foam-safe
cyanoacrylate, epoxy, and RC/56; bright red
foam-safe spray paint and black trim tape;
Scotch double-stick tape; Scotch Crystal
Clear tape for hinges
Needed to fly model: Radio equipment, motor
battery, GWS 10 x 8 propeller
Products used in review:
Futaba 8U Super Series radio system, 10-amp
ESC:
Great Planes Model Distributors
Box 9021
Champaign IL 61822
(217) 398-8970
www.futaba-rc.com/
Motor, receiver, microservos, propeller:
GWS USA, LLC.
3401 Airport Dr.
Torrance CA 90505
(310) 891-3393 or toll-free 886-FLYGWS4
([886] 359-4974)
Fax: (310) 891-3313
[email protected]
www.gws.com.tw
Just call and ask for
cowlings, wheelpants or
floats from Carl Goldberg
Models, Midwest Products,
Global Hobbies, Great
Planes Manufacturing, Pica
Products and many more.
Most cowlings are
seamless.
Call for
Price
List
or
visit
us
on the
internet!
Make it last
with fiberglass.
We have a large selection
of one piece, epoxy
resin cowlings and
wheel pants.
Stan’s Fiber Tech
2575 Jackson, Riverside, CA 92503
909-352-4758 • www.stansfibertech.com
NEED LASER CUT PARTS
OR CAD WORK FOR THAT
DREAM SHIP?
We can work from your drawing, your sketch
or your idea. Top quality materials and 25
years of experience assure you of a Top
Notch job. Call today to arrange for a quote
or eMail your requirements.
Top Notch Products Company
P.O.Box 1051
Goodletsville, TN 37070
Phone 615-310-5371
eMail [email protected]
07sig3.QXD 4/27/04 9:05 am Page 74
Tom Sullivan
P r o d u c t R e v i e w
E-mail: [email protected]
Great Planes Lancair ES ARF
Pros:
• Comes out of the box 90% prebuilt.
• All parts are precovered/prepainted.
• Fiberglass fuselage comes with
formers and windows preinstalled.
• All hardware is provided (including
wheels and tank).
• Two-piece, plug-in stabilizer is
included.
• Color scheme replicates full-scale
Lancair, allowing this model to be
used in AMA Fun Scale competition.
• This model is International
Miniature Aircraft Association-legal.
Cons:
• Quality of finish could have been
better. The covering had a fair
amount of wrinkles and was not
ironed down in several places, and
there were more scratches/scrapes on
the fuselage than there should have
been. (The review model was a
preproduction kit, so it is hoped that
this will not be the case with
production Lancairs.)
• For CG reasons, the radio
installation is tricky.
• Using stamped marks on the
fuselage resulted in a misalignment
between the engine and cowling.
Photos by the author
WITHOUT A DOUBT, some of the
sleekest and most popular home-built
aircraft these days are those designed by
Lancair International, Inc. All the aircraft
in the Lancair lineup have everything
needed to be a winner: beautiful lines,
speed, and practicality.
It used to be that if you wanted to build
an RC version of the Lancair, you only
had a couple of options: build one of the
large versions similar to those used for
quarter-scale air racing or scratch-build
your own. Because of the fuselage’s
complex curves, no kit was available for
the average RC pilot—until Great Planes
introduced its Lancair ES.
First Impressions: When I opened the
Lancair’s box, the most obvious thing I
noticed was the nicely finished fiberglass
fuselage. Although it isn’t long, the curves
of the cockpit area give a big, open space
in which even the biggest hands can work.
The fuselage, cowl, wheel pants, and
winglets are fiberglass. The wing halves,
the stabilizer halves, and all control
Great Planes used a color scheme from a full-scale Lancair, making this kit a good choice for AMA RC Fun Scale.
The review Lancair ES tracked well on takeoff, and the O.S. 91 four-stroke engine had
more than enough power to pull it through the air.
76 MODEL AVIATION
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:03 pm Page 76
July 2004 77
surfaces are precovered with MonoKote
iron-on covering. Carefully examining the
finish revealed quite a few wrinkles in the
covering (which were easy to handle with
an iron or heat gun) and several
scratches/scrapes in the paint. Once I
stepped back a foot or two, I was hardpressed
to see any of the scratches so I
didn’t worry about them.
A complete hardware package is
provided. Everything else is included with
the kit except glue (cyanoacrylate and
epoxy), the radio, and the engine. Each
part is high-quality and, as you’ll see
throughout the review, none of this
hardware needed to be replaced.
Rounding out the kit are a few decals and
a 42-page, well-illustrated instruction
manual.
Construction: Assembly starts with the
wing—specifically, attaching the ailerons
and flaps. All control surfaces utilize
cyanoacrylate-type hinges, and all hinge
slots are precut, making this quick to do.
Servo installation is next. Each wing
half requires two servos: one for aileron
and one for flaps. In the case of the
aileron servos, the wing is so thin toward
the end that custom plastic hatches are
provided. These hatches stick out from
the surface of the wing a bit, giving the
extra room needed to cover the servo.
The only unusual step is to
permanently epoxy the aileron servos to
the hatches. Pay attention to each servo’s
orientation. (The aileron servos need to
turn in opposite directions, and the flap
servos need to turn in the same direction.)
You need two 24-inch servo extensions
for the aileron servos and two 12-inch
extensions for the flap servos. The leads
were easy to pull through the wing using
the preinstalled threads.
Let’s look at joining the wing halves. I
glued two plywood spars together to form
a larger, more substantial spar. Be sure to
test the fit of the spar into each wing half.
Touch-and-gos and landings are a breeze with the flaps deployed. The Lancair had no
tendency to snap or tip-stall, even close to stall speeds.
Lancair comes covered, painted. Fuselage, wheel pants, wingtips
are fiberglass. Wing, stabilizer are balsa and plywood.
Using flaps will quickly slow the model down. When full flaps are
dialed in, it pokes around the sky with good control.
This is a fast machine under full throttle. It is fully aerobatic and looks awesome when
brought in for a high-speed pass directly over the runway.
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:03 pm Page 77
This kit required a bit of sanding, not only
to allow the spar to be inserted, but to
shorten it enough so that the wings mate
properly. After the fit was right, I joined
everything with 30-minute epoxy.
To finish the wings I added the control
hardware, epoxied on the winglets, and
glued on a plywood piece which stiffened
the area around the wing-hold-down bolts.
The first step in the fuselage
construction is to cut the three holes
toward the back where the pushrods exit.
In the manual, this step mentions two
ways: using progressively larger drill bits
or using a small grinding bit with a
Dremel-type rotary tool. I chose to use the
drill-bit method, but now I advise against
it. No matter how careful you are, the
paint and fiberglass will chip using even
the sharpest drill bit.
To finish the wings I inserted the
pushrod guide tubes through these holes,
snaked them through the fuselage, and
then cut the pushrods to length.
The stabilizer is next to be assembled,
and it can be built as a fixed unit or as
removable halves; I chose the removable
route. The stabilizer halves slide onto an
aluminum tube and a carbon-fiber
antirotation tube. I secured each half by
drilling and tapping into the aluminum
tube, and then fastening everything with
two screws.
Attaching the rudder and elevator
halves was done using the same
cyanoacrylate-type hinge material I used
in the wing assembly. Again, all slots were
precut, making this step quick.
At this point construction moves up to
the underside of the fuselage, in the wingsaddle
area. You must attach two plywood
pieces inside the fuselage—one at the
front of the saddle and one at the rear.
These are removable pieces that are held
in with screws that attach to hardwood
blocks, which you must epoxy in place.
These formers require a bit of sanding to
match to the curve of the fuselage.
Next I mounted the engine. I chose a
power plant that I’ve used in several
reviews: the O.S. FS-91 four-stroke.
Regardless of how it’s mounted, the 91’s
cylinder head will stick out of the cowl, so
I mounted it inverted to hide it from view
when the model is sitting in the pit area.
(The manual shows the installation of a
.61 two-stroke with a Top Flite muffler.
That installation does not require the cowl
to be cut out, but it does require the
bottom of the fuselage to be cut out so that
a cooling duct can be installed. Regardless
of the path you choose, you’re going to
end up cutting away something for proper
engine cooling.)
Once that step was finished, I
assembled the fuel tank and slid it into
position. I like to use a three-line system
and incorporated the Du-Bro Fill It
Fueling System into the tank. When I
chose this route, two of the lines were the
standard carburetor feed (with a clunk)
and the vent/pressure line; the third was
similar to the carburetor feed (also with a
clunk) and was used to fill and empty the
tank.
I installed the landing gear, which was
fairly straightforward. The two main gear
attach to preinstalled hardwood plates on
the bottom of the wing. The steerable nose
gear is mounted in place with the supplied
hardware, and then holes are drilled into
the firewall for the steering pushrod (and
the throttle pushrod).
The manual would have had me attach
the nose-wheel fairings, wheel, and wheel
pants. That was easy enough, but in
hindsight I would have preferred to attach
those pieces before I mounted the nose
gear to the fuselage.
Now for the big step: radio installation,
which is normally straightforward. Not so
in this case. The Lancair’s short fuselage
means that weight distribution is key to
getting the correct CG balance. To do this,
Great Planes has chosen some unique
steps.
The battery and receiver are attached to
a plywood tray subassembly with rubber
bands. This subassembly is slid into
position, under the pushrods, and held in
place by a couple of screws. Then I
plugged in all the servos, extensions, and
Y harnesses. I reattached the two formers,
which went in the front and rear of the
saddle area, and I made sure to feed the
78 MODEL AVIATION
Tru-Turn now offers 2 Spinners made to fit the new ARF P-51’s from Hangar 9.
A 3-1/2” P-51 Spinner for the .60 P-51 ARF and a 5” P-51 Spinner for the 77”,
1.50 P-51 ARF – Available in 2, 3 & 4-blade prop slots!
The 3-1/2” is available in our “120-Slot” for your 4-stroke. The 5” is also
available in our “Menz Cut” for your euro props up to 28” diameter!
Browse our website to see these new items today! Use our Adapter
Finder™ online to find the right Adapter Kit for your engine, then:
See your Hobby Dealer or contact Tru-Turn direct!
281-479-9600 www.tru-turn.com
Made in the U.S.A.
by Romco Manufacturing, Inc.
100 West First Street, Deer Park, Texas 77536
PRECISION MODEL PRODUCTS
P-51 SPINNERS FOR YOUR
HANGAR-9 ARF Tru-Turn makes 11
sizes of P-51 Spinners
to suit your needs!
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:04 pm Page 78
80 MODEL AVIATION
pushrods through them. Finally I mounted
the servo tray and attached the servos.
You might remember that I referred to
the inside of the fuselage as cavernous.
It’s amazing how quickly this changed
into constricting.
After all the pushrods were attached to
the servos, I fitted the cowl and mounted
it on the fuselage. The cowl fits on a
premade step around the firewall, which
is small and has zero room for
adjustment.
Because the engine was mounted
beforehand using stamped markings on
the firewall as a reference, whether
everything lines up or not is a gamble by
the time you’re to this step. I followed the
markings and ended up with the engine
misaligned to the right and up a bit. In
hindsight, when it came time to mount
the engine, I should have mounted it so
that it fit the cowling properly, regardless
of what the stamped firewall markings
showed.
Flying: After a good night’s charge and
going over all the details at the last
minute, it was finally time to fly the
Lancair. Because of the short fuselage, I
was able to transport it fully assembled in
a minivan (my Honda Odyssey) after I
removed the two rear seats.
With it fueled up and with a range
check completed, I applied the starter and
the engine came to life. (If you use a
similar engine in an inverted position,
make sure that the glow-plug ignitor will
clear the nose gear. I didn’t catch this
until it was too late and had to wire up a
remote glow-plug attachment point.)
Taxiing was not a problem with the
Lancair. Maneuvering was no problem
with the model’s tricycle landing gear,
and even taking it through our uneven
field was easy.
Lining up into the wind, I slowly
applied the throttle, and the takeoff run
was underway. The Lancair accelerated
rapidly and tracked straight down the
runway. Liftoff was smooth, and it was
soon apparent that it had plenty of power
from the 91 four-stroke.
After a few trim passes and a couple
minutes to get used to the airplane, it was
time for some low photo passes. The
Lancair was predicable, smooth, and
quick. With the photos out of the way, it
was time to see what the model could do.
The Lancair was a rocket under full
throttle, with tons of speed and great
performance. Aerobatics were not a
problem; loops, snaps, rolls, etc. were
done with authority.
Slowing the Lancair down without
flaps was difficult. By design, it is so
sleek that it doesn’t like to go slow.
However, I dialed in the flaps and the
story changed. The large flaps slowed it
down quickly. With full flaps, it was
almost like throwing out a parachute.
Now the Lancair is a pussycat and flies
easily at one-third of its full speed.
Landings were easy, and I recommend
using flaps during them. Not only does it
slow the Lancair down, but the extra lift
gives you the ability to come in at a
shallower angle and still have good
control.
The Lancair is a great-looking kit and a
lot of fun to fly. Although I did point out
a couple of problems, they are minor, and
any experienced pilot can easily build a
great-flying model. There’s nothing about
the kit that disappoints; I’m extremely
happy with it, and this one will be a
keeper! MA
Manufacturer/distributor:
Great Planes Model Distributors
Box 9021
Champaign IL 61822
(217) 398-8970
www.greatplanes.com/airplanes/gpma134
7.html
Street price: $280
Specifications:
Wingspan: 79.75 inches
Wing area: 690 square inches
Length: 52 inches
Weight recommended: 8.5-9.0 pounds
Review model’s weight (ready to fly):
8.75 pounds
Engine recommended: .61-.75 two-stroke
or 91 four-stroke
Engine used: O.S. FS-91 four-stroke
Radio recommended: Five-channel, seven
servos
Radio used: JR 8103 transmitter,
receiver, and seven Expert 571 hightorque
servos
Materials used in construction: Fiberglass
(fuselage, cowl, wheel pants), balsa and
plywood (built-up wing), solid balsa
(control surfaces)
Products used in review:
JR 8103 radio system:
Horizon Hobby Distributors
4105 Fieldstone Rd.
Champaign IL 61822
www.horizonhobby.com
O.S. FS-91 four-stroke engine:
Great Planes Distributors
Box 9021
Champaign IL 61826
www.osengines.com
Fill It Fueling System:
Du-Bro Products
Box 815
Wauconda IL 60084
www.dubro.com
14 x 8 Master Airscrew propeller:
Windsor Propeller Co., Inc.
Box 250
Rancho Cordova CA 95741
www.masterairscrew.com
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:04 pm Page 80
Edition: Model Aviation - 2004/07
Page Numbers: 69,70,72,74,76,77,78,80
David Adams
P r o d u c t R e v i e w
E-mail: [email protected]
Fan-Tastic Models Gee Bee
R-1 Super Sportster
Pros:
• Unique-looking Scale model has a
personality all its own.
• Looks great in the air and on the
ground; will draw envious stares from
others!
• Excellent high- and low-speed flying
qualities.
• Kit is carefully engineered for light
weight with emphasis on strength
where needed.
• Outstanding engineering on landing
gear.
• Exceptional molding of parts with
nice surface detail, prejoined fuselage
halves.
• All necessary parts for finishing the
model are included.
Cons:
• Kit price; however, it is a gorgeous
airplane.
• Wheels rub on inside of wheel pants.
THE GEE BEE R-1 Super Sportster has one
of the most unique airplane shapes in history.
With a fat fuselage wrapped around a huge
radial engine, a red-and-white color scheme,
a canopy barely big enough for a head to fit
into, practically no vertical fin, and large
wheel pants, it is a shape that is not easily
forgotten.
It also brings up fears and images in most
pilots’ minds of an airplane bouncing around
the sky in a barely controlled fashion. Several
years ago Delmar Benjamin made a replica
of the Gee Bee and has been flying it in air
shows. I have been lucky to have seen it in
action. To watch his Gee Bee do knife-edge
flight brought new light to the airplane’s
abilities.
This model flies as if Delmar Benjamin
were at the stick. From the first moment of
taxi to the end of a flight, the Gee Bee has
impeccable handling characteristics.
However, it is not a beginner’s aircraft; you
should be particularly comfortable
controlling a model with ailerons. You can
preview the model in flight and the
instruction manual on the manufacturer’s
Web site.
The kit consists of several molded foam
pieces that have a nice, hard, slick finish. The
fuselage and rudder halves are joined at the
factory and the wings are pretrimmed, but
there is still a moderate amount of assembly
to be done. I am impressed with the obvious
thought and engineering that went into
making the model light and strong enough to
withstand flight and landing loads. The
landing gear is especially well done.
I recommend that the builder read and
understand the instructions before
constructing any model. Following them
exactly makes things much easier. I was
distracted by an exciting television show and
glued the landing-gear-holder parts assembly
to the wings approximately 1⁄4 inch from the
right spot. I had to make changes in
mounting the servos as a result. The
instruction manual’s approach is easier than
my messed-up method, so pay attention.
Concerns and Modifications: The molded
parts’ fit and finish are great; however, the
edges of the wingtips and edges of the
horizontal tail did need sanding on the
bottom of the surfaces to remove a slightly
concave molding shape.
Be careful when marking and cutting the
vacuum-formed parts. I don’t like vacuumformed
components, so I approach them with
caution and misgivings and usually don’t get
them to fit all that well.
In this case I had reservations about the
wing fillets, but I copied the cutting lines in
This airplane is beautiful. It is only when you see the relatively huge antenna wire
extending from the aft fuselage that the scale becomes apparent.
The Gee Bee in its element, with the pilot
grimacing as G forces build. The model’s
looks and flight are amazing.
July 2004 69
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:01 pm Page 69
70 MODEL AVIATION
Photos by the author
the instructions as closely as I could,
including the odd shape on the front of the
fillet. Later I learned that they were a perfect
match to the fuselage and wing, and the
funny shape wrapped around the wing LE
perfectly.
Sanding a notch in the wing LE to accept
a round spar was time consuming and
tedious. Take your time and let the
sandpaper, which is wrapped around a
dowel, do the cutting for you. The spar fit
nicely; it was slightly smaller than the wing
thickness.
The landing gear is a unique structure
which uses vacuum-formed parts and
wire struts to form a rigid inner structure
about which a decorative foam wheel
pant is glued. The vacuum-formed parts
have to be cut out so that each landinggear
leg gets a left and a right piece. A
good way to see how much plastic to cut
off is to place it in the foam wheel shell
and remove any plastic that would
The Gee Bee hurtles by with the big radial thundering.
The airplane required little stick correction during the first and
subsequent takeoffs. Low-speed flight is nice.
You can see the servo installation, including coupled rudderaileron
servos on the left. Elevator servo is on the right.
Carefully cut and fit with its mate along with the inner liner, the
wheel assembly is strong and trouble free.
The foam and plastic parts form a lightweight structure that contributes to the Gee
Bee’s excellent flying qualities. The parts fit beautifully.
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:01 pm Page 70
interfere with the foam halves bonding.
Do be careful making the landing gear,
and make a left-wing and a right-wing
assembly. It is easy to make two left-wing
assemblies. (Don’t ask.)
The provided wheels are too big for the
space in the wheel pants. I mounted them in
my Unimat and turned the rubber down
slightly, keeping the basic shape the same. I
did that until the wheels turned freely in the
pants.
The rudder is hinged on one side by a
molded-in foam hinge. The other side would
have shown a big gap, but I carefully
removed the foam by sanding until the rudder
“nested” into the fuselage and vertical tail,
and I installed a paper “gap cover.” Take
your time and this will look great.
As I mentioned earlier, I mislocated the
landing-gear-holder parts when gluing them
on the lower surface of the wing. As a result,
I had to mount my servos differently. Instead
of mounting them on a thin plywood plate as
instructed, I had to mount the servos directly
to the wing foam. This has not proven to be a
problem, but it would have been easier if I
had been more alert.
Notice that all radio gear is mounted to
the wing, which is permanently glued to the
fuselage. The wings are small enough
compared to the fuselage that this is not a
problem in transportation.
Paper painting masks are provided to help
give the nice, curved red-paint edges. They
are to be attached to the foam with doublestick
tape to protect the unpainted white foam
areas. The instructions note that some of the
smooth surface might be removed if the tape
is too tacky.
I used the painting masks as a guide to
mark the paint lines on the foam and used
regular masking tape to mask the edges. This
worked well and protected the model’s finish.
I painted the wings, fuselage, wing fillets,
landing-gear assemblies, and cowl separately
before installation.
Radio Equipment: No radio equipment is
provided, so I use my Futaba 8U transmitter.
To achieve the lightest weight, I use a GWS
R4P receiver and GWS microservos. The
ESC I had available was a Great Planes 10-
amp unit. I also use eight-cell packs of 280
mAh NiMH batteries, which I had in the
battery box, instead of the suggested Ni-Cds.
Those substitutions have worked well,
and my model is only .5-ounce heavier than
the suggested weight. I plan on putting a
dual-conversion receiver in the Gee Bee so I
can fly it at my flying field without worrying
about frequency conflicts.
Flying: Since this model is indoor/outdoor
rated, I waited until we had a morning with
an extremely light wind, as noted in the
instruction manual. I had performed a
thorough preflight of the airplane and
checked control throws and CG location. I set
the control throws per the instructions. My
model’s CG came out exactly where desired,
with no additional weight needed.
Since I had watched the Gee Bee fly
indoors on the Fan-Tastic Models Web site, I
felt good about the upcoming flight but was
still anxious because of tales I had heard
about model Gee Bees. I taxied it around a
bit, and the airplane seemed to be nicely
responsive on the ground.
Pointing the model’s nose into the wind, I
slowly added power, ready to feed in rudder
as needed. The Gee Bee tracked straight, and
the tail came off the ground after a few feet.
After roughly 20 feet, with a bit of upelevator
fed in, the airplane lifted off gently.
The climb rate was rapid since I wanted
altitude on the first flight for trimming, and
the Gee Bee was much faster than my Lite
Stik airplanes. It needed a little up-elevator
and right aileron trim to fly straight and level.
The airplane flew like a racing airplane,
but with no bad tendencies. It was groovy
and looked great in the air when it came
around in a racing turn. I tried a roll and was
rewarded with a barrel roll. The loop I made
was shaped better, but remember that this is
not an aerobatic airplane.
The model slowed nicely during the
landing, responding to power settings and
elevator and settling in as any other airplane
would to a nice landing with the smallest
bounce. Landings on grass are more of an
arresting-hook type of landing; the Gee Bee
does not roll on grass.
I have flown the airplane many times and
have learned that if you try to maneuver it
All In One
Power Panel
(PAC-MF-0502)
FIELD EQUIPMENT
$44.99
$44.99
Come with a Built-in field charger, never
miss as day’s flying because of low
batteries.This Power Panel Functions as a
regular power panel and as a field charger
for your Tx (9.6V), Rx (4.8V or 6.0 V) and
glow starter (1.2V).
Digital peak-detection, pulse-current
charger for Rx (4.8V and 6.0V)
Charges NiCd and Ni-Mh batteries.
Portable
Super Starter
(PAM-1002PP)
Small size, light weight,
big torque.
Its surprising power comes from our
unique 3:1 gear drive. The Super Starter is
easy to handle with one hand and yet it will
start engines up to 2.2 cu. In. (depending
on battery packs and state of charge). The
oversized aluminum cup and double ended
rubber cone will comfortably drive
everything from prop nuts to 5” spinners.
PAM-1002PP Super Starter with battery
holder and 2 x 7.2V 1500 mAh battery
packs, factory assembled.
Only $89.99
(For 3000 mAh batteries,
add $30.00)
Field Box
& Combo
Super Starter
Small size but high torque.
(PAM-1002B)
• Two drawer
field box
• 12v 7 amp
maintenancefree
battery
• 12v 500 mAh
charger w/LED
• Super Starter
• Standard
power panel
• Electric fuel
pump
• Glow starter
w/charger
• Glow Plug
wrench
Field Box
Combo
$139.99
• Two drawer
• Fully
assembled
• Painted and
fuel proof
• Adjustable
cradle
• Removable
power
compartment
Field Box
$39.99
This light weight Starter has a comfortable
size that fits very well in one hand.
The 3:1 geared reduction design for starting
engines up to 1.8 cu. in.
The big cup and double side rubber cone
will fit from 1/2” prop nuts to 5” spinners.
o
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:02 pm Page 72
74 MODEL AVIATION
while going extremely slow, it will try to
stall but can recover with approximately an
eight-foot loss in altitude. I have flown in
winds up to 4-5 mph and not noticed their
effects. This is a stable aircraft.
I really like the Gee Bee. It is a greatlooking
Scale model. It is fast and goes
around a pylon turn with such authority that
it seems like a much bigger airplane. This is
not a beginner’s aircraft, and it does require
some aileron experience to fly; however, it is
honest-flying and will bring many smiles as
it roars (well, some imagination is required)
on a low pass over the runway. I highly
recommend the Gee Bee. MA
Manufacturer:
Fan-Tastic Models
3204 Johnson Rd.
Southlake TX 76092
[email protected]
www.fan-tasticmodels.com
Price: $109.95 delivered
Specifications:
Wingspan: 31 inches
Wing area: 165 square inches
Length: 21 inches
Recommended weight: 12.0 ounces
Model’s ready-to-fly weight: 12.5 ounces
with battery
Power used: GWS IPS Twin A RXC 7.2-volt
electric motor
Radio recommended: At least three channels
for aileron (coupled rudder), elevator, motor
with microreceiver and microservos
Radio used: Futaba 8U transmitter, GWS
R4P receiver, GWS microservos, 10-amp
Great Planes ESC
Materials in kit: Foam (for structure) and
plastic (for parts)—extremely complete
Needed to finish model: Sharp modeling
knife and sandpaper; foam-safe
cyanoacrylate, epoxy, and RC/56; bright red
foam-safe spray paint and black trim tape;
Scotch double-stick tape; Scotch Crystal
Clear tape for hinges
Needed to fly model: Radio equipment, motor
battery, GWS 10 x 8 propeller
Products used in review:
Futaba 8U Super Series radio system, 10-amp
ESC:
Great Planes Model Distributors
Box 9021
Champaign IL 61822
(217) 398-8970
www.futaba-rc.com/
Motor, receiver, microservos, propeller:
GWS USA, LLC.
3401 Airport Dr.
Torrance CA 90505
(310) 891-3393 or toll-free 886-FLYGWS4
([886] 359-4974)
Fax: (310) 891-3313
[email protected]
www.gws.com.tw
Just call and ask for
cowlings, wheelpants or
floats from Carl Goldberg
Models, Midwest Products,
Global Hobbies, Great
Planes Manufacturing, Pica
Products and many more.
Most cowlings are
seamless.
Call for
Price
List
or
visit
us
on the
internet!
Make it last
with fiberglass.
We have a large selection
of one piece, epoxy
resin cowlings and
wheel pants.
Stan’s Fiber Tech
2575 Jackson, Riverside, CA 92503
909-352-4758 • www.stansfibertech.com
NEED LASER CUT PARTS
OR CAD WORK FOR THAT
DREAM SHIP?
We can work from your drawing, your sketch
or your idea. Top quality materials and 25
years of experience assure you of a Top
Notch job. Call today to arrange for a quote
or eMail your requirements.
Top Notch Products Company
P.O.Box 1051
Goodletsville, TN 37070
Phone 615-310-5371
eMail [email protected]
07sig3.QXD 4/27/04 9:05 am Page 74
Tom Sullivan
P r o d u c t R e v i e w
E-mail: [email protected]
Great Planes Lancair ES ARF
Pros:
• Comes out of the box 90% prebuilt.
• All parts are precovered/prepainted.
• Fiberglass fuselage comes with
formers and windows preinstalled.
• All hardware is provided (including
wheels and tank).
• Two-piece, plug-in stabilizer is
included.
• Color scheme replicates full-scale
Lancair, allowing this model to be
used in AMA Fun Scale competition.
• This model is International
Miniature Aircraft Association-legal.
Cons:
• Quality of finish could have been
better. The covering had a fair
amount of wrinkles and was not
ironed down in several places, and
there were more scratches/scrapes on
the fuselage than there should have
been. (The review model was a
preproduction kit, so it is hoped that
this will not be the case with
production Lancairs.)
• For CG reasons, the radio
installation is tricky.
• Using stamped marks on the
fuselage resulted in a misalignment
between the engine and cowling.
Photos by the author
WITHOUT A DOUBT, some of the
sleekest and most popular home-built
aircraft these days are those designed by
Lancair International, Inc. All the aircraft
in the Lancair lineup have everything
needed to be a winner: beautiful lines,
speed, and practicality.
It used to be that if you wanted to build
an RC version of the Lancair, you only
had a couple of options: build one of the
large versions similar to those used for
quarter-scale air racing or scratch-build
your own. Because of the fuselage’s
complex curves, no kit was available for
the average RC pilot—until Great Planes
introduced its Lancair ES.
First Impressions: When I opened the
Lancair’s box, the most obvious thing I
noticed was the nicely finished fiberglass
fuselage. Although it isn’t long, the curves
of the cockpit area give a big, open space
in which even the biggest hands can work.
The fuselage, cowl, wheel pants, and
winglets are fiberglass. The wing halves,
the stabilizer halves, and all control
Great Planes used a color scheme from a full-scale Lancair, making this kit a good choice for AMA RC Fun Scale.
The review Lancair ES tracked well on takeoff, and the O.S. 91 four-stroke engine had
more than enough power to pull it through the air.
76 MODEL AVIATION
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:03 pm Page 76
July 2004 77
surfaces are precovered with MonoKote
iron-on covering. Carefully examining the
finish revealed quite a few wrinkles in the
covering (which were easy to handle with
an iron or heat gun) and several
scratches/scrapes in the paint. Once I
stepped back a foot or two, I was hardpressed
to see any of the scratches so I
didn’t worry about them.
A complete hardware package is
provided. Everything else is included with
the kit except glue (cyanoacrylate and
epoxy), the radio, and the engine. Each
part is high-quality and, as you’ll see
throughout the review, none of this
hardware needed to be replaced.
Rounding out the kit are a few decals and
a 42-page, well-illustrated instruction
manual.
Construction: Assembly starts with the
wing—specifically, attaching the ailerons
and flaps. All control surfaces utilize
cyanoacrylate-type hinges, and all hinge
slots are precut, making this quick to do.
Servo installation is next. Each wing
half requires two servos: one for aileron
and one for flaps. In the case of the
aileron servos, the wing is so thin toward
the end that custom plastic hatches are
provided. These hatches stick out from
the surface of the wing a bit, giving the
extra room needed to cover the servo.
The only unusual step is to
permanently epoxy the aileron servos to
the hatches. Pay attention to each servo’s
orientation. (The aileron servos need to
turn in opposite directions, and the flap
servos need to turn in the same direction.)
You need two 24-inch servo extensions
for the aileron servos and two 12-inch
extensions for the flap servos. The leads
were easy to pull through the wing using
the preinstalled threads.
Let’s look at joining the wing halves. I
glued two plywood spars together to form
a larger, more substantial spar. Be sure to
test the fit of the spar into each wing half.
Touch-and-gos and landings are a breeze with the flaps deployed. The Lancair had no
tendency to snap or tip-stall, even close to stall speeds.
Lancair comes covered, painted. Fuselage, wheel pants, wingtips
are fiberglass. Wing, stabilizer are balsa and plywood.
Using flaps will quickly slow the model down. When full flaps are
dialed in, it pokes around the sky with good control.
This is a fast machine under full throttle. It is fully aerobatic and looks awesome when
brought in for a high-speed pass directly over the runway.
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:03 pm Page 77
This kit required a bit of sanding, not only
to allow the spar to be inserted, but to
shorten it enough so that the wings mate
properly. After the fit was right, I joined
everything with 30-minute epoxy.
To finish the wings I added the control
hardware, epoxied on the winglets, and
glued on a plywood piece which stiffened
the area around the wing-hold-down bolts.
The first step in the fuselage
construction is to cut the three holes
toward the back where the pushrods exit.
In the manual, this step mentions two
ways: using progressively larger drill bits
or using a small grinding bit with a
Dremel-type rotary tool. I chose to use the
drill-bit method, but now I advise against
it. No matter how careful you are, the
paint and fiberglass will chip using even
the sharpest drill bit.
To finish the wings I inserted the
pushrod guide tubes through these holes,
snaked them through the fuselage, and
then cut the pushrods to length.
The stabilizer is next to be assembled,
and it can be built as a fixed unit or as
removable halves; I chose the removable
route. The stabilizer halves slide onto an
aluminum tube and a carbon-fiber
antirotation tube. I secured each half by
drilling and tapping into the aluminum
tube, and then fastening everything with
two screws.
Attaching the rudder and elevator
halves was done using the same
cyanoacrylate-type hinge material I used
in the wing assembly. Again, all slots were
precut, making this step quick.
At this point construction moves up to
the underside of the fuselage, in the wingsaddle
area. You must attach two plywood
pieces inside the fuselage—one at the
front of the saddle and one at the rear.
These are removable pieces that are held
in with screws that attach to hardwood
blocks, which you must epoxy in place.
These formers require a bit of sanding to
match to the curve of the fuselage.
Next I mounted the engine. I chose a
power plant that I’ve used in several
reviews: the O.S. FS-91 four-stroke.
Regardless of how it’s mounted, the 91’s
cylinder head will stick out of the cowl, so
I mounted it inverted to hide it from view
when the model is sitting in the pit area.
(The manual shows the installation of a
.61 two-stroke with a Top Flite muffler.
That installation does not require the cowl
to be cut out, but it does require the
bottom of the fuselage to be cut out so that
a cooling duct can be installed. Regardless
of the path you choose, you’re going to
end up cutting away something for proper
engine cooling.)
Once that step was finished, I
assembled the fuel tank and slid it into
position. I like to use a three-line system
and incorporated the Du-Bro Fill It
Fueling System into the tank. When I
chose this route, two of the lines were the
standard carburetor feed (with a clunk)
and the vent/pressure line; the third was
similar to the carburetor feed (also with a
clunk) and was used to fill and empty the
tank.
I installed the landing gear, which was
fairly straightforward. The two main gear
attach to preinstalled hardwood plates on
the bottom of the wing. The steerable nose
gear is mounted in place with the supplied
hardware, and then holes are drilled into
the firewall for the steering pushrod (and
the throttle pushrod).
The manual would have had me attach
the nose-wheel fairings, wheel, and wheel
pants. That was easy enough, but in
hindsight I would have preferred to attach
those pieces before I mounted the nose
gear to the fuselage.
Now for the big step: radio installation,
which is normally straightforward. Not so
in this case. The Lancair’s short fuselage
means that weight distribution is key to
getting the correct CG balance. To do this,
Great Planes has chosen some unique
steps.
The battery and receiver are attached to
a plywood tray subassembly with rubber
bands. This subassembly is slid into
position, under the pushrods, and held in
place by a couple of screws. Then I
plugged in all the servos, extensions, and
Y harnesses. I reattached the two formers,
which went in the front and rear of the
saddle area, and I made sure to feed the
78 MODEL AVIATION
Tru-Turn now offers 2 Spinners made to fit the new ARF P-51’s from Hangar 9.
A 3-1/2” P-51 Spinner for the .60 P-51 ARF and a 5” P-51 Spinner for the 77”,
1.50 P-51 ARF – Available in 2, 3 & 4-blade prop slots!
The 3-1/2” is available in our “120-Slot” for your 4-stroke. The 5” is also
available in our “Menz Cut” for your euro props up to 28” diameter!
Browse our website to see these new items today! Use our Adapter
Finder™ online to find the right Adapter Kit for your engine, then:
See your Hobby Dealer or contact Tru-Turn direct!
281-479-9600 www.tru-turn.com
Made in the U.S.A.
by Romco Manufacturing, Inc.
100 West First Street, Deer Park, Texas 77536
PRECISION MODEL PRODUCTS
P-51 SPINNERS FOR YOUR
HANGAR-9 ARF Tru-Turn makes 11
sizes of P-51 Spinners
to suit your needs!
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:04 pm Page 78
80 MODEL AVIATION
pushrods through them. Finally I mounted
the servo tray and attached the servos.
You might remember that I referred to
the inside of the fuselage as cavernous.
It’s amazing how quickly this changed
into constricting.
After all the pushrods were attached to
the servos, I fitted the cowl and mounted
it on the fuselage. The cowl fits on a
premade step around the firewall, which
is small and has zero room for
adjustment.
Because the engine was mounted
beforehand using stamped markings on
the firewall as a reference, whether
everything lines up or not is a gamble by
the time you’re to this step. I followed the
markings and ended up with the engine
misaligned to the right and up a bit. In
hindsight, when it came time to mount
the engine, I should have mounted it so
that it fit the cowling properly, regardless
of what the stamped firewall markings
showed.
Flying: After a good night’s charge and
going over all the details at the last
minute, it was finally time to fly the
Lancair. Because of the short fuselage, I
was able to transport it fully assembled in
a minivan (my Honda Odyssey) after I
removed the two rear seats.
With it fueled up and with a range
check completed, I applied the starter and
the engine came to life. (If you use a
similar engine in an inverted position,
make sure that the glow-plug ignitor will
clear the nose gear. I didn’t catch this
until it was too late and had to wire up a
remote glow-plug attachment point.)
Taxiing was not a problem with the
Lancair. Maneuvering was no problem
with the model’s tricycle landing gear,
and even taking it through our uneven
field was easy.
Lining up into the wind, I slowly
applied the throttle, and the takeoff run
was underway. The Lancair accelerated
rapidly and tracked straight down the
runway. Liftoff was smooth, and it was
soon apparent that it had plenty of power
from the 91 four-stroke.
After a few trim passes and a couple
minutes to get used to the airplane, it was
time for some low photo passes. The
Lancair was predicable, smooth, and
quick. With the photos out of the way, it
was time to see what the model could do.
The Lancair was a rocket under full
throttle, with tons of speed and great
performance. Aerobatics were not a
problem; loops, snaps, rolls, etc. were
done with authority.
Slowing the Lancair down without
flaps was difficult. By design, it is so
sleek that it doesn’t like to go slow.
However, I dialed in the flaps and the
story changed. The large flaps slowed it
down quickly. With full flaps, it was
almost like throwing out a parachute.
Now the Lancair is a pussycat and flies
easily at one-third of its full speed.
Landings were easy, and I recommend
using flaps during them. Not only does it
slow the Lancair down, but the extra lift
gives you the ability to come in at a
shallower angle and still have good
control.
The Lancair is a great-looking kit and a
lot of fun to fly. Although I did point out
a couple of problems, they are minor, and
any experienced pilot can easily build a
great-flying model. There’s nothing about
the kit that disappoints; I’m extremely
happy with it, and this one will be a
keeper! MA
Manufacturer/distributor:
Great Planes Model Distributors
Box 9021
Champaign IL 61822
(217) 398-8970
www.greatplanes.com/airplanes/gpma134
7.html
Street price: $280
Specifications:
Wingspan: 79.75 inches
Wing area: 690 square inches
Length: 52 inches
Weight recommended: 8.5-9.0 pounds
Review model’s weight (ready to fly):
8.75 pounds
Engine recommended: .61-.75 two-stroke
or 91 four-stroke
Engine used: O.S. FS-91 four-stroke
Radio recommended: Five-channel, seven
servos
Radio used: JR 8103 transmitter,
receiver, and seven Expert 571 hightorque
servos
Materials used in construction: Fiberglass
(fuselage, cowl, wheel pants), balsa and
plywood (built-up wing), solid balsa
(control surfaces)
Products used in review:
JR 8103 radio system:
Horizon Hobby Distributors
4105 Fieldstone Rd.
Champaign IL 61822
www.horizonhobby.com
O.S. FS-91 four-stroke engine:
Great Planes Distributors
Box 9021
Champaign IL 61826
www.osengines.com
Fill It Fueling System:
Du-Bro Products
Box 815
Wauconda IL 60084
www.dubro.com
14 x 8 Master Airscrew propeller:
Windsor Propeller Co., Inc.
Box 250
Rancho Cordova CA 95741
www.masterairscrew.com
07sig3.QXD 4/23/04 1:04 pm Page 80