102 MODEL AVIATION
Quique will join fellow Oxai co-partners
Giichi Naruke, Wolfgang Matt, Roland Matt,
and Mr. Suzuki.
They believe this combination of worldcompetition-
level expertise and experience
will provide the best possible designs for
future top-performing F3A aircraft for their
customers. You can access Quique’s Web site
or call (937) 629-0339 for more information.
On the topic of Oxai, Troy Newman has
been building and flying the new Oxai
version of the Astral-XX. This Astral-XXc, or
XX custom version, is produced by Oxai RC
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Aerobatics Eric Henderson
Also included in this column:
• Quique and Oxai are
getting together
• The Oxai version of the
Astral
• X-treme Composite’s
Bryan Hebert-designed
Shinden
News about YS parts availability
Troy Newman’s new Oxai RC Astral-XXc features the YS 1.70DZ engine and has a
flying weight of 9 pounds, 15 ounces.
FOR ALL YOU YS engine fans out there,
YS parts and service has a new address and
phone number. Richard Verano sent me the
information about the recent move. The new
contact information is YS Parts and Service,
1370 Porter Dr., Minden NV 89423; Tel.:
(775) 267-9252; Fax: (775) 267-9690.
Richard added that the company has
received a large shipment of new parts. They
are ready for your “winter service” requests.
Quique Somenzini’s Web site (www.somen
zini.com) had an announcement that he will
be cooperating with Oxai starting in 2007.
The powerful YS DZ sports the latest Hatori 821 muffler and
822 header, which provide a quiet and smooth sound.
Inside the Astral-XXc, which uses a new JR synthesized receiver,
are dual carbon-fiber elevator pushrods and sheathed pull-pull
rudder wires.
Quique Somenzini, left, adds his
considerable experience and design skills
to the Oxai worldwide team.
05sig4.QXD 3/26/07 10:02 AM Page 102
Troy is using the new canard-style landing
gear from Japan. It has a good look and is
different from what is on most models out
there. This landing gear is not standard, but the
upgrade gives an already sleek model a classy
look.
Out of the crate the bare-framed Astral-
XXc weighs 2,120 grams (4 pounds, 11
ounces). It is extremely light when you
consider that it is painted and no iron-on
covering is used. When complete, the model’s
ready-to-fly weight is less than the FAI 5-
kilogram (11-pound) limit, at 4,536 grams (9
pounds, 15 ounces).
Troy’s airplane is equipped with the new
YS 1.70DZ and a YS engine mount. The
May 2007 103
Brian Clemmons proudly displays his new composite Shinden by Bryan Hebert.
under license from Naruke Hobby Japan. It is
almost identical to the XX Plus that Sean
McMurtry flew at the 2006 Nats.
The Astral-XXc is constructed as an
almost all-wood model. There are some
molded parts, such as the canopy that is a
composite component. Sean McMurtry’s
model, built by Naruke Hobby, came with a
clear canopy.
From a design standpoint, the Astral-XXc
differs slightly in the tail from the Astral-XX
Plus. Giichi Naruke’s personal model sported
a 6° anhedral stabilizer. The Oxai version
employs a similar configuration but has an 8°
anhedral stabilizer.
The Oxai Models version was produced to
meet the exacting standards of Giichi Naruke,
who is a two-time F3A World Champion. The
model comes completely built and painted.
Since this is not a composite molded airplane,
each model is hand-built using accurate
fixture-assembly techniques.
There are no mold-related seams to detract
from the Astral-XXc’s finish and quality. It is
a wood model that is fiberglassed and handpainted/
airbrushed. The wood substructure
produces an extremely stiff end product,
unlike many fiberglass fuselages.
The primary benefit is that the airplane does
not twist during high-G maneuvers and does
not distort inward when you handle the
assembled model or “squeeze” the fuselage
sides.
Light-plywood formers and balsa sheeting
form the primary fuselage structure. A bellypan
mounting area is built in as part of the
wing.
The belly pan attaches with two one-touch
buttons up near the firewall. The pan needs
only two pins at the rear of the wing to hold it
in place because it has a unique tongue-ingroove
system that aligns and retains it in
place for its entire length.
That means it cannot readily come loose,
even under sustained engine vibration. Wear
is virtually eliminated because the physical
attachment is spread over a large surface area.
A one-piece wing on this model makes for an
extremely stiff and lightweight airframe.
Hatori 821 muffler and 822 header provide a
quiet and smooth sound.
Guidance is via JR equipment that
consists of a 10X transmitter, two 9411SA
servos for the ailerons, an 8611 servo for the
rudder, an 8411SA servo on the elevator, and
a lightweight digital 3421SA servo for the
throttle. (The SA suffix indicates nylon gears
for tighter centering.)
A new JR synthesized R2000 receiver and
a JR 2300 mAh, 4.8-volt NiMH battery pack
provide radio link and the power. Central
Hobbies hardware is employed throughout; it
includes such items as Tettra fuel fittings,
MK clevis links, and aluminum control horns.
The Astral-XXc’s initial tests went
extremely well. It flew right off the assembly
board with almost no trim changes. A half
turn on the factory-set stabilizer adjuster was
needed to remove a bit of elevator flight trim.
No other trim changes have been made to the
model.
The CG location is exactly as specified by
the factory, and the model has no rudder-toknife-
edge couple-correction mixes
anywhere. During knife-edge flight the
rudder can be used as an elevator to perform a
loop anytime you feel like doing one. This
leads to rolling loops and rolling circles
having a more balanced feel between the
elevator and rudder inputs that are needed to
keep the nose pointing in the right direction.
A small amount of down-elevator was
mixed to activate when the low throttle
setting was selected during a long down-line.
This keeps the model diving in a straight line
as the airspeed increases during the dive.
Troy believes that his aircraft has the
best fit and finish of any model out there
except perhaps the higher-priced Japanese
custom/personal version. To find out more
about the Astral, contact Sam Johnson at
(480) 664-1560 or via the Web site at www.
oxai.us.
In the same category of what we might call
big-league RC Aerobatics (Pattern) airplanes
is a report on a previously featured master
builder—Bryan Hebert—who has been busy
in the post-Katrina era in central Louisiana.
Brian Clemmons sent in a photo of Bryan’s
latest design: the Shinden.
104 MODEL AVIATION
It is manufactured by Xtreme Composite
and imported by Bob Violett (www.bvm
props.com). This particular model was
one of the first batch of five imported,
and Brian was thrilled with the quality of
fit and the finish.
It’s a bit confusing to write about two
guys with same first name, even if they are
spelled different. Brian and Bryan live in
Louisiana, and their families are close
friends. Their daughters both played music
and competitive sports together. These two
dads have been building and flying together
for more than the last 19 years.
Brian Clemmons, in the photo, has seen
every Pattern model that Bryan Hebert has
ever designed and built. He considers the
new Shinden to be the best ever. Brian
claims that it has revived his competitive
juices and has fast become his favorite
airplane to fly.
The Shinden was designed to use all the
available state-of-the-art power plants
available, including high-end electric power
systems and the YS 1.60DZ/1.70DZ engines.
The two friends are using the YS 1.60DZ.
One of their favorite maneuvers is the
horizontal figure eight with intrinsic half
rolls (a tough aerobatic trick). It is part of the
P07 FAI sequence, emphasizing the fact that
the Shinden is designed for the more
complex patterns flown in competition
today.
Brian feels that only a handful of
airframes are capable of credibly performing
this level of aerobatics in competition. The
Shinden is one of the latest.
It has a wingspan of 78 inches and a total
wing area of 1,024 square inches. It features
a molded composite fuselage, wings, and
stabilizers. All the control surfaces are
molded with centerline hinging. This
prevents any unwanted built-in control offset
that comes with molded top hinges.
The molded wing fairings reduce
turbulence at the wing root. The Shinden has
adjustable stabilizers, and all the controlhorn
locations are predrilled. The model
comes with a clear canopy and several
painted-in-the-mold optional finishes. There
is an all-white version for the individual
touch you might want to apply.
Brian’s personal version of this airplane
has color scheme #1. His “kit” had the
following component weights: wing panels,
450 grams each; stabilizer halves, 140 grams
each; and fuselage, less landing gear and
firewall (includes canopy), 2,520 grams. It is
reasonable to expect a 10-pound, 8-ounce,
weight, ready to fly.
X-treme Composite has the molds and
rights to produce the all-composite version
of the Shinden. Mike Hester of Custom
Airframes of America (www.customair
frames.com) will soon be producing a
wood laser-cut version as a kit. He will be
using composite canopies, chin, and nose
pieces laid up by Raiko Potter.
For the pilot who finds composite
airplanes to be a bit expensive or those who
want to build and own a wood masterpiece,
this may be the way to go. If you are
interested in the Shinden, contact David
Shulman at BVM Props at (407) 327-9944
or Mike Hester at Custom Airframes for
future kit availability. MA