Radio Control Giants — 2007/12
Sal Calvagna [[email protected]]
Yellow Aircraft International's Republic P-47 and Mitsubishi A6M Zero
As we head into the end of the year, I want to take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy and healthy holiday season.
There is a great deal available for those who enjoy larger models. If you like to build, you can start with a set of plans; if building is out of the question, you can purchase an ARF model and assemble an RC giant in short order. While plans-built and ARF models represent the two extremes, you can also start somewhere in the middle with a kit that has many assemblies already completed. One company that immediately comes to mind is Yellow Aircraft International. The company has been manufacturing propeller and jet aircraft since 1988 and is known for high-quality, excellent-flying models.
Well-known designer Bert Baker conceived two of the most famous and easily recognizable World War II fighters on opposing sides: the Republic P-47 and the Mitsubishi A6M5 Zero. Yellow Aircraft International manufactures prized semi-kits of both aircraft.
Both models come with a one-piece fiberglass fuselage with integral vertical fin, panel lines, and scale details molded in. The firewall and formers are preinstalled. The wing panels, horizontal stabilizers, elevators, ailerons, and rudder are balsa-covered, presheeted foam cores. The split flap, wheel well, and servo openings are premanufactured, which saves the modeler considerable building time while assuring straight, true surfaces.
The deluxe Zero kit contains a one-piece cowl, belly pan, pilot seat, cockpit insert, control stick, radio antenna, main-gear doors, fiberglass wingtips, and exhaust stacks. The two-piece canopy and canopy frame are notable accessories: the canopy comes smooth and clear, with a separate manufactured fiberglass frame to install over it for a scale appearance.
The Zero spans 80 inches, which makes it IMAA (International Miniature Aircraft Association)-legal. Recommended power includes a 1.80 Moki glow or Zenoah G-38 gas engine. The model's all-up weight is about 21–26 pounds.
The P-47 includes all the Zero's features with the addition of oil-cooler doors and prebalanced ailerons. Optional accessories for both models include retractable landing gear, static scale propellers, machined-aluminum spinners, custom wheels, drop tanks, and more. Both are outstanding fliers—predictable and stable throughout the flight envelope. For more information about these models and other offerings from Yellow Aircraft International, please visit their website.
The photos include two fine Yellow Aircraft models taken at the August 2007 Scale Masters Qualifier held in Eastport, New York. Sixteen-year-old Jesse Russell of Dudley, Massachusetts, was the youngest competitor; Jesse is shown with his Zenoah G-45-powered Yellow Aircraft P-47 Razorback. He is a member of the Woodstock RC Flyers in Woodstock, Connecticut, and has been flying RC for the past 10 years. Great flying, Jesse! The photo-pass shot is of a Yellow Zero belonging to Ron Preston of Huntington Station, New York. A Zenoah G-38 powers that model.
Ziroli Plans Turbinator
One of the fastest-growing segments in RC is turbine-powered jets. Turbines have come a long way since the early days of handheld compressor start-ups: the new turbine engines are user-friendly and there's a wide variety of jet models from which to choose, including easy-to-fly jet trainers.
Nick Ziroli Plans offers a sport-jet Turbinator available as plans or in kit form from kit-cutter manufacturers. The Turbinator incorporates tried-and-true aerodynamic features and a graceful fuselage with sleek contours. The model's 72-inch wingspan is well matched to today's small turbines and electric ducted-fan units.
The Turbinator uses true balsa-and-hardwood building methods. It has a 72-inch wingspan and an 80-inch fuselage. With 1,130 square inches of wing area, the model has an all-up weight of about 20–22 pounds. The Turbinator was designed for a 12– to 16–pound-thrust turbine and requires six channels to include retracts and flaps. Plans and accessories are available directly from Nick Ziroli Plans.
Balsa USA 1/4-scale Spad 13
The Spad build continues. One photo illustrates the forward-fuselage cheek aircraft-grade plywood sheeting installation; the cutouts are where the exhaust manifolds exit the fuselage. The plywood cheek is cleanly die-cut, as are all the parts in this kit. Please stay tuned for more progress on this famous World War I fighter.
Spad was originally Société Provisoire des Aéroplanes Deperdussin. The company manufactured well-known prewar aircraft. Louis Blériot took over the failing company in 1914 but wanted to retain the Spad initials, so he renamed it Société pour L'Aviation et ses Dérivés.
The Spad XIII did not handle well at low speeds because the thin airfoil of its nondihedral wings stalled abruptly; however, it possessed a much higher climb and dive rate than the Sopwith Camel or Fokker D.VII. The aircraft also had a stable gun platform and could take its share of punishment from enemy fire. More than 8,000 were produced, with approximately 890 going to the American squadrons. Famous American pilot Eddie Rickenbacker flew to fame in the Spad.
Nieuport 17
One photo shows Mike Gross's newly finished Balsa USA 1/4-scale Nieuport 17.
The full-scale airplane was a sesquiplane, where the lower wing is less than half the area of the upper wing. The lower winglet was installed to support the outer V-struts. The Nieuport 17 had a tendency to disintegrate in flight because of poor construction of the lower wing; it had only a single spar, which was a structural weakness. Despite that, it enjoyed an excellent rate of climb and exceptional maneuverability.
The Nieuport 17 was slightly larger than its forerunner, the Nieuport 11, and accommodated the larger 110- and later 130-horsepower rotary engines.
Again, have a wonderful, happy, and healthy holiday season. See you next month. MA
Sources
- Yellow Aircraft International
(781) 935-9868 www.yellowaircraft.com
- Nick Ziroli Plans
(631) 467-4765 www.ziroliplans.com
- Balsa USA
(906) 863-6421 www.balsausa.com
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
