SAFESTART
David McCormick of Dave’s R/C Electronics has released SafeStart, a small, easy-to-install device designed to prevent the accidental start of an electric model’s motor.
SafeStart connects the ESC and the receiver’s throttle channel, preventing any throttle output to the ESC until the device is armed. Simply plug one lead into the receiver’s throttle channel and the other lead into the ESC. The receiver lead is clearly marked for easy identification. SafeStart works with brushed and brushless ESCs and motors.
How it works
- Arm by pressing and holding the push-button switch for three seconds. When activated, the SafeStart LEDs turn from red to green and the device sends the radio’s throttle inputs to the ESC, providing full control of the motor.
- If the transmitter’s throttle stick is not in the off position, the orange LED in the push-button will rapidly blink. Moving the throttle to the off position turns the LED solid red, indicating it is in safe mode.
- In flight, SafeStart monitors the throttle channel for a valid signal. If the transmitter signal is lost (for example, if you forget and turn the transmitter off before disconnecting the flight battery), SafeStart instantly sends a signal to the ESC to shut off the motor.
- The LED push button provides a clear mode indicator and allows easy arming and disarming.
Notes and availability
We haven’t flight-tested SafeStart on an airplane, but a demonstration at the Toledo R/C Expo showed all advertised features working. SafeStart sells for $35 and can be purchased directly from Dave’s R/C Electronics.
Manufacturer
Dave’s R/C Electronics 11382 BackValley Road Soddy Daisy, TN 37379 Tel: (423) 544-1657 Website: www.davesrce.com
THE BLUE MAX AIRMEN, VOLUME 4
This volume includes 140 photographs (six in color), 14 color profiles of aircraft, and 112 pages of text. The book profiles four celebrated German aces of World War I; Rudolf Berthold receives the most space, reflecting his higher tally of aerial victories.
The stories of Leffers, Dossenbach, and Berr are also well documented. All three ultimately perished during the war. A chilling quote by Albert Dossenbach provides a glimpse of the toll the war took on pilots:
“Every one of us has to go sooner or later. We scouting pilots are all doomed to death. I’d only like to know who will be the next of us.” Dossenbach, an ace with 15 aerial victories, leaped from his burning Fokker and fell to his death within weeks of making those remarks.
Author Lance J. Bronnenkant and Aeronaut Books have done thorough research, and the material is logically laid out for quick reference. Each aviator’s life is profiled under headings such as “The Man” and “The Aircraft,” accompanied by many photos and color profiles that illustrate the machines and insignia they flew.
Each profile contains:
- A brief overview of military service with significant dates, units, and awards in chronological order.
- A victory list documenting the date, enemy aircraft downed, and details on location, unit, and crew where applicable.
The book concludes with a complete list of all aviators awarded the Blue Max, errata and addenda for previous volumes, and an index. It is an excellent resource for readers interested in German aces of World War I and for scale modelers seeking documentation.
Aeronaut Books: 82936 Plymouth Drive Indio, CA 92203 Tel: (408) 398-1980 Website: www.aeronautbooks.com
ANZANI "Y" ENGINE KIT
Retro RC offers a faithful 1/12-scale “dummy” reproduction of the Anzani “Y” three-cylinder engine (produced by Alessandro Anzani between 1905 and 1915). The engine powered aircraft such as the Blériot XI and the Eastbourne Monoplane.
Kit details
- Scale: 1/12
- Parts: More than 170 pieces (laser-cut wood, aluminum, steel rod, plastic tubing)
- Assembly: Cylinder heads are assembled quickly by stacking numbered parts; more delicate work is required for pushrods, rocker arms, and crankcase nuts.
- Springs: Provisions are included to wind the rocker-arm springs from soft copper wire.
- Realism: When assembled and painted, the dummy motor looks realistic and serves well as scale detail or nose weight.
- Motor accommodation: The crankcase has a hollow interior to slide over and conceal small brushless motors.
- Stand: A laser-cut engine stand is included to display the finished model.
This tiny dummy motor makes a great addition to vintage 1/12-scale models or as a display piece for a desk or mantle. The Anzani “Y” Engine Kit is available from Retro RC and sells for $39.98.
Retro RC Box 193 Keego Harbor, MI 48320 Tel: (248) 212-9666 Website: www.retrorc.us.com
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
