Product Spotlight - 201209

BUG! REVIEWS
The Duratrax VW Baja Bug is an
offi cially licensed, 1/10-scale replica of
its namesake. It is ready to run and
includes a 2.4 GHz radio system.
The Bug requires batteries for the
vehicle, a transmitter, as well as charger.
The Duratrax Onyx NiMH 7.2-volt
2000 mAh battery or 7.4-volt LiPo
is recommended for the car. Four AA
batteries power the transmitter.
Available in four different colors—
yellow, red, white/blue, and white/
black—you are sure to fi nd one you’ll
like. The basic specifi cations include
a length of 18.2 inches, width of 9.5
inches, height of 8.7 inches, and it
weighs 3 pounds.
If you are worried about bashing
the Bug (a term commonly used to
describe pushing the limits of your
vehicle), fear not. The VW Baja
Bug is waterproof and includes free
replacement of any Stress-Tech part
that breaks during the fi rst year that
you own it!
A quick look through the parts guide
shows the warranty covers 26 different
parts, including the front bumper,
chassis, and suspension arms. The
vehicle and radio come with a 90-day
warranty to cover any defects.
Armed with a couple of the
recommended NiMh batteries, it was
time to see what the Bug could do.
With a few minor trim adjustments, we
had the Bug driving straight and the
throttle responsive.
The suspension handles hazards
found on and off road, as well as an
occasional jump. Keep in mind, our
primary interest are things that fl y
through the air, so the VW Baja Bug
has to get airborne!
After a few runs on the batteries,
we broke out our Pocket Radar and
found its top speed was 18 mph on
a hard surface. Because the vehicle is
powered by a 19T brushed motor and
a NiMh battery, the performance is
roughly what we expected.
Switching to a LiPo battery would
certainly up the speed slightly and
increase the runtime without the need
for any modifi cations. The Sprint 2
ESC includes a low-voltage cutoff,
making it LiPo friendly. With the
2000 mAh battery you can expect
approximately eight minutes of
runtime.
The only modifi cation we made to
the Bug was to switch out the supplied
body clips and battery tray retainer
pin with 90° angled body clips, making
them much easier to remove for
battery changes.
The Duratrax VW Baja Bug is sure
to satisfy Volkswagen fans and would
make a good starter truck for anyone
looking for a surface vehicle that is
ready to go right out of the box with a
good warranty and parts availability.
We found out the hard way that if
you give RC pilots the chance to drive
it, you might just have to play “punch
buggy” to get the transmitter back!
Hobbico: Box 9021, Champaign IL
61826; Tel.: (800) 637-7660; website:
www.duratrax.com
FLIGHT TRAINING
FOR HELI PILOTS
MA readers should be familiar with
Dave Scott who has written several
training articles in the past few years.
Dave runs the 1st U.S. R/C Flight
School and has been providing RC
instruction for 25 years!
Having attended Dave’s school, we
know that he developed a system he
refers to as crawl-walk-run, ensuring
that pilots learn the fundamentals and
can build on them.
To supplement the training, and for
those who cannot attend his school in
Michigan, Dave has developed several
manuals for pilots with different
interests and skill levels. We are excited
to see that Dave has added Heli Flight
Training to his lineup of instruction
manuals.
The manual is broken into three
parts and Dave recommends pilots
fi rst study it and employ what they
have learned on an RC fl ight simulator
before transitioning to actual fl ight.
Section I (Setup and Ground School)
describes techniques to optimize your
helicopter’s handling to promote easier
learning and introduce new pilots to
basic helicopter control techniques.
Section II (Primary Flight Training)
applies the timeless crawl-walk-run
approach to learning to fl y in order
to produce maximum results in the
shortest amount of time possible.
Section III (Basic and Intermediate
Aerobatics) constructs a foundation of
basic aerobatic maneuver components
that, when brought together, make it
possible to perform many popular 3-D
stunts.
The Heli Flight Training manual
includes a plethora of illustrations and
diagrams to support the lessons being
taught, making instruction clear and
concise. You can see more of what the
manual includes, including its table
of contents, on the 1st U.S. R/C Flight
School website.
We are looking forward to putting
Dave’s manual to the test this winter in
conjunction with the fl ight simulator
and an indoor micro helicopter. By the
time the weather improves, we should
be ready to transition the lessons to a
larger, outdoor heli.
1st U.S. R/C Flight School, Box 212
Shawano WI 54166; Tel.: (715) 853-
1003; website: www.rc ightschool.com
POWERMATCH REVIEWS
For anyone who fl ies electricpowered
aircraft, a wattmeter is
a must to ensure that your power
system and battery are all performing
within their recommended parameters.
The price you pay for one—$44.99
for the PowerMatch—is well worth
it to prevent damaging a motor, ESC,
or battery. It is also handy to use to
determine the best propeller for your
application.
The ElectriFly PowerMatch power
meter also incorporates a balancer for
LiPo batteries that discharges highvoltage
cells to match low-voltage cells
with an accuracy of 10 mV per cell.
The balancing port supports
ElectriFly-style balancing plugs and
the included balancing board supports
FlightPower and Thunder Power plugs.
PowerMatch is compatible with LiPo,
LiFe, Li-Ion, NiCd, and NiMH batteries
with auto detection and works in three
different modes.
Battery Checker Mode recognizes the
number of cells in a pack and measures
cell and pack voltages. Cell Balancer
Mode balances lithium battery packs
from two to seven cells, and the Power
Checker Mode can display measured
power, current, battery voltage, and used
capacity while under loads up to 80
amps instantaneously.
PowerMatch is equipped with Deans
Ultra Plugs on input and output. It
also has a built-in radio battery jack for
checking the voltage on receiver packs.
The Power Meter includes a detailed,
15-page manual that provides photos
and detailed instructions so that users
can easily understand its features.
If you are in the market for a
wattmeter, the ElectriFly PowerMatch
Power Meter will provide you with the
data you need with the added benefi t
of a balancer built in that supports
many of the popular battery brands.
Hobbico: Box 9021, Champaign IL
61826; Tel.: (800) 637-7660; Website:
www.electri y.com
The 9-gram WOT (without
transmitter) version of the Ares
Nano-Micro Stick 75 is 100% factory
assembled and ready to be fl own right
out of the box. A two-in-one receiver/
ESC control unit, 30 mAh 1S 3.7-volt
LiPo, and DC USB charger are included
in the box.
This slow and easy 12.4-inch
wingspan fl ier is ready to bind and
link to any compatible Ares 2.4 GHz
transmitter, and fl ies great in smaller
indoor spaces. The durable, lightweight
construction means the modeler doesn’t
have to worry about damage from lessthan-
perfect landings.
Available through HobbyTown USA,
the Ares Nano-Micro Stick 75 WOT is
great for the modeler who may already
own an RTF Ares Ultra-Micro Trainer
100 or RTF Nano-Micro Stick 75, and
would like to purchase another airplane
without the
expense of a new
transmitter.
The original Stuka kit appeared
in the 1960 Model Airplane News
Annual, advertised as one of the most
“spectacular Scale-Stunt aircraft ever
designed.” A unique feature was its
Polliwog airfoil. With the constant
wing taper from root to tip, the Stuka
performed a range of maneuvers
beautifully.
The kit allows the use of a full-depth
spar with tabs on both the spar and
each rib, to allow the wing to be built in
one piece “fl at” on the building board,
because building the wing straight was
an issue for the modelers of the 1960s.
A pleasure to build and fl y, the BMJR
Stuka is true to the original design
except for some construction changes to
allow laser-cutting technology.
Duel Eyewear is a line of sunglasses
designed for outdoor experiences. The
eyewear has a discreet magnifi cation
area molded into the lower portion
of the lenses to help improve your
vision of hard-to-read items such as cell
phones.
Designed to complement active,
sports-oriented lifestyles, Duel
Eyewear features an eight-base lens
curvature for an optimum wraparound
fi t. The lenses are made from
shatterproof and scratch-resistant
polycarbonate, with 100% UVA, UVB,
and UVC protection. The Optimized
Magnifi cation Zone (OMZ) reduces
distortion and fatigue, and is available
in +1.5, +2.0, or +2.5 spot diopters.
The Duel line of sunglasses is available
in smoke (gray), which is excellent for
bright, sunny days, and in a warmer
brown color that is great for highlighting
different contrasts.
The full-scale Millenium Master
is a homebuilt aircraft featuring a
slick, modern-looking profi le, with
notable cruising speeds, outstanding
performance, and excellent visibility.
Flyzone’s new Millenium Master
captures the full-scale aircraft’s looks
and comes either transmitter ready
(Tx-R) or receiver ready (Rx-R).
Constructed from AeroCell foam
with a factory-applied trim scheme,
the Millenium Master features a large
hatch that attaches magnetically. The
roomy battery compartment is able to
accept a variety of battery packs. Each
aileron has a dedicated servo for positive
control, and allows mixing options for
experienced pilots.
In the air, the model delivers smooth
fl ights and impressive speed. On the
ground, the tricycle landing gear and
steerable nose wheel give excellent
maneuverability and handling.
The Tx-R model comes with all
components installed. Using a 2.4 GHz
SLT receiver compatible with AnyLink,
your own transmitter will fly this model.
The Rx-R version allows you to choose
your own receiver and battery. The
brushless motor, ESC, and micro servos
are preinstalled.
Horizon Hobby’s new Revolution
Carbon Fiber Main Helicopter Blades
help the heli flier maximize precision,
balance, and power. Constructed from
cross-woven carbon fiber, the Revolution
blades have lateral and torsional strength
necessary to bring the most aggressive
responses possible.
Each set of blades is weight matched
and balanced. Sizes range from 323mm
up to 710mm, and are available for both
flybarred and flybarrless helicopters.
Scorpion’s small-range motor
series has introduced the new S-18
series, designed in Germany by “mfly
modellmotoren,” the most popular and
successful slow-flying motors made for
indoor competition.
The lightest contest motor to turn a
9-inch propeller with high efficiency,
the F3P S-1804 motor is made from
high-quality aluminum alloy, with gold
electroplated
parts. The
stators are
made with
0.2mm
laminations
and are
epoxy coated
to prevent
shorts. The
magnets used in Scorpion motors are
custom manufactured to withstand high
temperatures.
Scorpion 18mm motors come with
2mm lightweight male bullet-style
connectors already attached and include
a complete hardware kit. They are built
to last, with a two-year warranty against
defects in materials or workmanship.
Micro-Mark is proud to announce two
new products to its line of space-saving
organizers.
The Bench Apron is a heavy-duty
canvas apron suspended from a
telescoping steel rod. It attaches to the
workbench with a reversible bracket
that’s included. The 38 pockets in the
apron hold a variety of tools. Its overall
size is 18 inches wide by 22 inches
high. When not in use, the apron can
be pushed back and out of the way.
Installation just takes minutes.
The Benchtop Organizer fits perfectly
at the back of your workbench or can
hang on the wall. Made of nicely finished
wood, it features pockets, bins, and
drawers that can hold tools, accessories,
rotary bits, glue, small parts, etc. A rod
for holding wires, ribbon, string, or
solder spools is also included. At
18 x 51/2 x 71/2, the Benchtop Organizer
is a great complement to any work area.
Multiplex is pleased to introduce
the upgraded and updated Easy Star II.
Based on the original and popular Easy
Star, this quick-to-build and easy-to-fly
model offers larger internal space, more
payload capability, and optional ailerons.
Designed to accept powerful brushless
motors, the Easy Star II is versatile and
durable and will surely impress both
the beginner and advanced pilot. The
prefabricated and colorful parts are
made from ELAPOR foam and no
painting is required.
Easy Star II features a folding
propeller to reduce drag in the glider
mode, as well as an easily detachable tail
to make for easy transport to the field.
The motor is mounted above the wings
to provide safety and durability.
The model flies well with a 3S 1600-
2500 mAh battery, and can be flown
with elevator/rudder and motor control.
A 200-watt 28mm inrunner motor, and
mini 6S receiver, as well as a 17- to 27-
amp speed controller, are recommended.