Author: Sal Calvagna
Edition: Model Aviation - 2012/02
Page Numbers: 97,98,99
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Radio Control Giants — 2012/02

Welcome back

WELCOME BACK! Model Airplane News (MA) magazine will be making some changes in 2012 to its format and look. As a result, the "RC Giants" column will run bimonthly. The column will still feel the same because I write about products and services that are designed for larger models and feature outstanding Giant Scale models and the modelers who build and fly them.

In this issue, there are two outstanding electric-powered civilian models and two large gas-powered World War II fighters. Enjoy!

A DC-3 from Paris White's Model Airplane News plans

Jeff Weisend, from Carson City, Nevada, built this 1/10-scale DC-3 from Paris White’s Model Airplane News plans. The model spans 114 inches and is powered by a pair of Dualsky brushless motors. It can fly on either a 2S or 3S lithium battery pack, although the latter supplies more power.

Jeff’s decision for scale size was based on what would fit into his Subaru Forester. To cut down on weight, contest-grade balsa was used throughout construction. During the build, every effort was made to reduce the model’s weight without compromising structural integrity.

Ready-to-fly weight, including the battery packs, was a mere 7¼ pounds. The DC-3 is covered with Coverite Microlite and finished with Rust-Oleum spray paint for the plastics.

One of the main issues during construction was the lack of ready-to-use, scale landing gear. Because there were no commercial DC-3 or military C-47 retractable landing gear available in this scale, Jeff fabricated them himself. This was his first attempt to make a scale set of gear. He made them modular so they can be easily disassembled for maintenance or repair.

"With its 10-ounce wing loading, the model is quite easy to fly. The tail comes up quickly during takeoff rolls, and landings with the flaps deployed are very slow," Jeff stated. "As a fellow club member observed though, the model looks better in the air from a distance, as one can see the effect on the plane of the slightest breath of wind."

With the three-cell pack, flight duration is about 15 minutes. Jeff belongs to the Sierra Sagebrush Flyers and points out that the club’s field has a 5,100-foot elevation.

The Douglas DC-3 revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s and became one of the most significant aircraft ever made. More than 16,000 were eventually produced, and as of December 2010 — the aircraft’s 75th anniversary — DC-3s were still flying around the world.

American Airlines began passenger service using the DC-3 on June 26, 1936. General Dwight D. Eisenhower, future president of the United States, stated that the military version, the C-47 Skytrain, was one of the four most important weapons of World War II.

Ryan STA (Black Horse Models)

Alfred Fusco and Marty Ludwin of Fairfield County, Connecticut, brought a 90-inch wingspan Black Horse Models Ryan STA ARF to the District 1 International Miniature Aircraft Association (IMAA) Mini-Fest. The model is powered by a Scorpion outrunner electric motor paired with a Castle Creations 100-amp speed controller. The system runs on a 10-cell Hyperion 6500s battery pack. The Ryan STA also includes a sound system that simulates engine noise.

The aircraft is constructed from balsa and light plywood and is finished in Oracover film covering. For more information on this great-looking ARF, please visit the American Pioneer Hobbies website (listed in Sources).

One of the Golden Age of Aviation favorites, the Ryan Aeronautical Company built the first Ryan S-T (Sport-Trainer) in 1934, powered by a 95-horsepower engine. The fuselage was made from alloy rings covered with Alclad metal sheet. The wings were a welded steel-tube structure consisting of solid spruce spar beams and alloy wing ribs; they were bolted to the bottom side of the fuselage and covered with fabric. The wings supported the landing gear, the outer wing panels, and all the bracing wire trusses.

Following the success of the S-T, Ryan installed a larger 125-horsepower engine and changed the designator to STA, which meant S-T Aerobatic. Eventually, a 150-horsepower engine was fitted to the STA Special. Many variants were produced; some for export, but most were used for training in the U.S. Army Air Corps during WWII. More than 1,500 of all variants and types were produced.

P-51 Mustang and Focke-Wulf Fw 190 (Composite-ARF and Airworld)

Stephen Perlbinder from Manhattan, New York, and Don Spinoso from Teaneck, New Jersey, teamed up on two projects: a FiberClassics (now Composite-ARF) P-51 Mustang and an Airworld Focke-Wulf Fw 190.

  • The P-51 is powered by a 3W-85 two-stroke gas engine.
  • The Fw 190 uses an impressive Moki 215, a five-cylinder, four-stroke radial engine.
  • Both models are roughly 1/4 scale: the Fw 190 spans 102 inches and the Mustang spans 100 inches.

Both models feature prominent panel and hinge lines, rivets, and fasteners prebuilt into the fiberglass molds. Canopies on both aircraft slide to the rear, allowing a clear view of their detailed cockpits. Cockpit kits and instrumentation are available online from Aerocockpit (see Sources) — they offer full cockpit kits and many accessories.

The P-51 uses Sierra Precision landing gear and is painted with WarbirdColors paint. The Fw 190 was recently completed and is in operational testing before final painting and finishing. For more information about the Composite-ARF Mustang and the Fw 190, visit the companies' websites listed in Sources. Both models fly brilliantly; however, the sound of the Moki radial on the Fw 190 is music to the ears!

Both models represent two of the finest fighters built by Germany and the United States during WWII. Although each had strengths and weaknesses, the outcome often came down to the quality and experience of the pilots flying these high-performance aircraft.

Don Spinoso is the owner of Wide World of Hobbies in Teaneck, New Jersey, so if you're in the area, stop in and say hello.

Final notes

That's all for this month. Don't be shy — send in a photo of your latest RC Giant creation and I will be happy to feature it in an upcoming column. See you again in April! MA

Sources

Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.