This is the type of crowd to expect at the Toledo R/C Expo each
year. As the old saying goes, the early bird gets the best deals.
It mIght be cold where you are, but as I write this in early
October it’s still in the mid-80s in Nashville, Tennessee. It’s time to
think about new projects and get them underway for the next flying
season or contest season.
Building a model can give you a great deal of pride and
accomplishment. To get it right can also lead to a great deal of
frustration and cause you to lose interest in a project.
I could easily start four airplanes at the same time, but to what
end? Would I ever finish any of them? I doubt it—maybe one.
To observe the state of model building, I’ll point out one local
field. I was there last week, and a few modelers were looking at one
of my aircraft.
Many had never seen a model of that particular airplane and
asked whose ARF it was. When I told them that it was a practice
model to get some stick time on, they just looked at me.
I had built it from an old Great Planes kit. It’s a Trainer 60 with
tricycle gear and a symmetrical airfoil—a great-flying model. What
surprised the other people at the field was that I had actually
constructed it.
Also included in this column:
• PA-11 project update—what’s
next?
• Chuck Snyder’s Japanese Tony
• Plan now to attend events in
2011
• New models from Manzano
Laser Works
• A book about the Ki-84
“Frank”
• Don Smith plans from Larry
Katona
Get going on that winter project!
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Scale Stan Alexander
Chuck’s Ki-61 sits on the taxiway in preparation for taking to the skies. It features inner
gear doors, antenna, tank drop, and the typical retracts and flaps.
Left: Chuck and Betty Snyder of Cincinnati OH with their Ki-61,
getting ready for another flight at the AMA Nationals.
Below: Chuck’s Ki-61 in flight on another mission. As was the fullscale
Messerschmitt Bf 109, the original Ki-61 was powered by a
licensed Daimler-Benz DB-601 engine.
January 2011 97
01sig4x.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 11/22/10 8:24 AM Page 97
98 MODEL AVIATION
Above: Orest Drobey of Manitoba,
Canada, scratch-built this Spartan
Executive, which was on display at the
Toledo R/C Expo. You can see some of
the best examples of scratch-building
there.
One observer asked where I bought the
stripes for the model. I told him that cut I
them from MonoKote using a straightedge,
X-Acto knife, and tape measure.
The next build-along I’ll present here is of
one of my favorite old home-builts. I’ve
seen it at air shows in years past, including
the Experimental Aircraft Association’s
Oshkosh AirVenture in Wisconsin.
Old aeromodelers and pilots would call
the aircraft a “two-holer,” meaning that it
will hold, or lift for that matter, only a pilot
and passenger. Do you care to guess what it
is?
I have been detailing the Piper PA-11,
and while I’m finishing it and putting in test
flights, I’ve been looking at new subjects to
bring to these pages. As I’ve mentioned, the
AMA has thousands of plans sets for sale,
and constructing a model from plans is what
it’s all about to many Scale modelers.
My idea for the PA-11 was to build a
Scale aircraft that needed neither special
tools nor a fully equipped shop. It started as
a simple Goldberg Piper J-3 Cub. Next
month I’ll start on the new model and
include some photos of the PA-11.
Around Scale: Chuck Snyder is a longtime
modeler who is new to RC Scale. He has
represented the US at World Championships
for CL Scale. Welcome aboard!
Chuck’s model at the 2010 Scale
Nationals was a Kawasaki Ki-61 Hein
This Yellow Aircraft Curtiss
P-40E was constructed from
a foam-and-fiberglass kit.
There is still lots to do to
complete it.
01sig4x.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 11/22/10 8:26 AM Page 98
January 2011 99
(“flying swallow” in Japanese). The Allied
code name for the Ki-61 was the “Tony.”
Chuck built his model from Don Smith
plans, using wood and fiberglass. It spans 86
inches and is covered with Klass Kote paint.
His Japanese Army fighter is powered by
a SuperTigre 2500 engine with onboard
glow and features drop tanks and the usual
flaps and retracts. Unfortunately the Hein
crashed late in the competition.
Upcoming Events: The 2011 Toledo R/C
Expo will take place April 1-3 at the
SeaGate Centre in Toledo, Ohio. Admission
is $8 per day per person.
The mountain of hobby “stuff,” as my
wife calls it, that you can find there is
amazing. I’ve been saving my Toledo stash
for roughly nine months, so I’ll be ready for
the vendors. They usually offer discounts or
special show prices, so you can get some
great deals.
There is also an auction and the other
events within the event going on throughout
the weekend. If you’ve never been, it’s a
treat that you shouldn’t miss.
But be prepared; if you do see something
you want at the show, buy it then and haul it
back or arrange storage. You might return
later to get something and it will be gone.
Ask me how I know!
The Toledo Expo is a great place to see
all new products from manufacturers and get
deep discounts on fuel, balsa, kits, and
almost anything else you need or want for
that new Scale project.
The 2011 AMA RC and CL Scale
National Championships will take place July
1-3. Mark your calendars now! The
Nationals is held at the AMA’s International
Aeromodeling Center in Muncie, Indiana.
The event continues to grow, with
competition categories for competitors of all
experience levels. They range from Fun
Scale, for modelers with little or no
experience, to Designer Scale, for those who
draw their own plans and build their models
from scratch.
The weather at the last few Nationals has
been great, as has the company, friends,
families, and National Association of Scale
Aeromodelers banquet.
Judging from what I’ve been told, the
Scale Nationals and all other events at the
AMA site will be using 2.4 GHz radios in
2011. This has been in the works for
sometime.
Going to all 2.4 GHz radio systems will
allow more sites to be used at the same time
instead of having to extend the dates for the
entire Nationals by a week. This technology
is the wave of the future, and many large
events have already adopted this technical
advancement.
On the Web: Manzano Laser Works has
released not one, but four new laser-cut kits.
They are slightly larger than the normal-size
kits by Peter Rake of Great Britain, who is a
prolific designer. He comes up with great
scale fliers that have enough detail to satisfy
most aeromodelers. And you do have to
build the models; they are not ARFs.
The first offering is the classic Pietenpol
Air Camper, spanning 58 inches. It was
designed to be powered by a 250-watt motor
with a three-cell Li-Poly battery.
The company’s second release is the
Martinsyde Elephant, which has a wingspan
of 50 inches. The full-scale aircraft was
designed in 1915 as a single-seat
observation and spotter for Great Britain.
Third is the Fournier RF-4 motor glider
that spans 60 inches. Recommended power
is a TowerPro 2409-18 motor with a threecell,
1300 mAh Li-Poly battery.
The fourth release from Manzano Laser
Works, and my favorite, is the WACO
YMF. It is available as a short kit that
includes plans, plastic cowl, dummy radial,
wheel pants, and laser-cut parts. You
provide the stringers, wing spars, and sticks.
Recommended power for the YMF is an
AXI 4120 motor with a 4S 5000 mAh Li-
Poly battery.
Bookshelf: Nakajima Ki-84 a/b Hayate in
Japanese Army Air Force Service by
Richard M. Bueschel is published by
Schiffer Books. This 61-page volume covers
the second in the series of aircraft (including
the Ki-27, Ki-43, and Ki-100) that Nakajima
produced for the Japanese Army. The
company was prolific in aircraft production
from 1917 until World War II.
The Ki-84 “Frank” was similar to many
Japanese fighters. It was modern in many
respects but backward in regards to pilot
protection.
The low-wing, radial-engined fighter
presents good opportunities for
aeromodelers to reproduce retracts, flaps,
dual-wing drop tanks, and bombs mounted
on pylons just outside of the main gear.
The book features 85 black-and-white
photos; modelers can use approximately 50
of them. There are no color side views of
different color schemes, scale drawings, or
three-views. And some of the photos are
extremely grainy.
However, if you need to add to your
collection of photos of the Ki-84, you can
do so with this book. It was on sale for
$13.46 in Squadron’s October flyer, so
check it out!
At some point these publishers should
realize that it’s mostly aeromodelers who
buy their books. These companies should
work toward a common goal of including
some sort of color documentation, accurate
scale drawings, and a good selection of
photos. There are only a few sometimes
worn or damaged photos of numerous older
aircraft, although those can be helpful at
times.
New Products: This item is not new, but it
ties in with my book review. In 2008 Don
Smith retired and sold his plans business to
Larry Katona of Precision Cut Kits. Don had
drawn many large plans sets, mostly for
WW II models.
Don produced the Ki-84 Hayate with an
88-inch wingspan. The cowling, canopy,
and wood-and-fiberglass kit were available
from Precision Cut Kits for $527 at the time
of this writing, but you need to add the
retractable landing gear to the cost. MA
Sources:
Toledo R/C Expo
www.toledoshow.com
Manzano Laser Works
(505) 286-2640
www.manzanolaser.com
Squadron
(877) 414-0434
www.squadron.com
Precision Cut Kits
(609) 538-1388
www.precisioncutkits.com
National Association of Scale Aeromodelers
www.nasascale.org
Call Toll Free:
888-829-4060
7414 Burton Drive, Liberty Twp, OH 45044
All Aero-Pac’s are $15.95 + $5.50 s&h for the fi rst, $1.50 each additional.
• Each Aero-Pac is devoted to a single airframe.
• The documentation comes on a cd-rom and is
viewable in any modern Mac/Win web browser.
• Includes 8-point walk-around, exterior & interior
details, enhanced close-ups, and a 3-view!
• All wording (n-numbers, nomenclature, etc.) are
shot close-up and head-on for easier duplication.
See samples of all of our Aero-Pacs
online at airbornemedia.com
Scale Documentation
for the Digital Age.
Grumman FM-2 Wildcat
SCAN THIS WITH YOUR
SMARTPHONE FOR MORE!
TIRED OF PAYING
$1.29 FOR 6 SCREWS?
Our 4-40x1/2 socket
caps sell for $4.35/100
for alloy steel, or
$6.65/100 stainless, or $7.50/50 aluminum.
For fair prices on sensible quantities of the fasteners
you need for model building, call, write or
fax for our free catalog!
Micro Fasteners 800-892-6917
24 Cokesbury Rd., Suite 2 908-236-8120
Lebanon, NJ 08833 fax 908-236-8721
e-mail: [email protected] Internet: http://microfasteners.com
01sig4x.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 11/22/10 8:28 AM Page 99
Edition: Model Aviation - 2011/01
Page Numbers: 97,98,99
Edition: Model Aviation - 2011/01
Page Numbers: 97,98,99
This is the type of crowd to expect at the Toledo R/C Expo each
year. As the old saying goes, the early bird gets the best deals.
It mIght be cold where you are, but as I write this in early
October it’s still in the mid-80s in Nashville, Tennessee. It’s time to
think about new projects and get them underway for the next flying
season or contest season.
Building a model can give you a great deal of pride and
accomplishment. To get it right can also lead to a great deal of
frustration and cause you to lose interest in a project.
I could easily start four airplanes at the same time, but to what
end? Would I ever finish any of them? I doubt it—maybe one.
To observe the state of model building, I’ll point out one local
field. I was there last week, and a few modelers were looking at one
of my aircraft.
Many had never seen a model of that particular airplane and
asked whose ARF it was. When I told them that it was a practice
model to get some stick time on, they just looked at me.
I had built it from an old Great Planes kit. It’s a Trainer 60 with
tricycle gear and a symmetrical airfoil—a great-flying model. What
surprised the other people at the field was that I had actually
constructed it.
Also included in this column:
• PA-11 project update—what’s
next?
• Chuck Snyder’s Japanese Tony
• Plan now to attend events in
2011
• New models from Manzano
Laser Works
• A book about the Ki-84
“Frank”
• Don Smith plans from Larry
Katona
Get going on that winter project!
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Scale Stan Alexander
Chuck’s Ki-61 sits on the taxiway in preparation for taking to the skies. It features inner
gear doors, antenna, tank drop, and the typical retracts and flaps.
Left: Chuck and Betty Snyder of Cincinnati OH with their Ki-61,
getting ready for another flight at the AMA Nationals.
Below: Chuck’s Ki-61 in flight on another mission. As was the fullscale
Messerschmitt Bf 109, the original Ki-61 was powered by a
licensed Daimler-Benz DB-601 engine.
January 2011 97
01sig4x.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 11/22/10 8:24 AM Page 97
98 MODEL AVIATION
Above: Orest Drobey of Manitoba,
Canada, scratch-built this Spartan
Executive, which was on display at the
Toledo R/C Expo. You can see some of
the best examples of scratch-building
there.
One observer asked where I bought the
stripes for the model. I told him that cut I
them from MonoKote using a straightedge,
X-Acto knife, and tape measure.
The next build-along I’ll present here is of
one of my favorite old home-builts. I’ve
seen it at air shows in years past, including
the Experimental Aircraft Association’s
Oshkosh AirVenture in Wisconsin.
Old aeromodelers and pilots would call
the aircraft a “two-holer,” meaning that it
will hold, or lift for that matter, only a pilot
and passenger. Do you care to guess what it
is?
I have been detailing the Piper PA-11,
and while I’m finishing it and putting in test
flights, I’ve been looking at new subjects to
bring to these pages. As I’ve mentioned, the
AMA has thousands of plans sets for sale,
and constructing a model from plans is what
it’s all about to many Scale modelers.
My idea for the PA-11 was to build a
Scale aircraft that needed neither special
tools nor a fully equipped shop. It started as
a simple Goldberg Piper J-3 Cub. Next
month I’ll start on the new model and
include some photos of the PA-11.
Around Scale: Chuck Snyder is a longtime
modeler who is new to RC Scale. He has
represented the US at World Championships
for CL Scale. Welcome aboard!
Chuck’s model at the 2010 Scale
Nationals was a Kawasaki Ki-61 Hein
This Yellow Aircraft Curtiss
P-40E was constructed from
a foam-and-fiberglass kit.
There is still lots to do to
complete it.
01sig4x.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 11/22/10 8:26 AM Page 98
January 2011 99
(“flying swallow” in Japanese). The Allied
code name for the Ki-61 was the “Tony.”
Chuck built his model from Don Smith
plans, using wood and fiberglass. It spans 86
inches and is covered with Klass Kote paint.
His Japanese Army fighter is powered by
a SuperTigre 2500 engine with onboard
glow and features drop tanks and the usual
flaps and retracts. Unfortunately the Hein
crashed late in the competition.
Upcoming Events: The 2011 Toledo R/C
Expo will take place April 1-3 at the
SeaGate Centre in Toledo, Ohio. Admission
is $8 per day per person.
The mountain of hobby “stuff,” as my
wife calls it, that you can find there is
amazing. I’ve been saving my Toledo stash
for roughly nine months, so I’ll be ready for
the vendors. They usually offer discounts or
special show prices, so you can get some
great deals.
There is also an auction and the other
events within the event going on throughout
the weekend. If you’ve never been, it’s a
treat that you shouldn’t miss.
But be prepared; if you do see something
you want at the show, buy it then and haul it
back or arrange storage. You might return
later to get something and it will be gone.
Ask me how I know!
The Toledo Expo is a great place to see
all new products from manufacturers and get
deep discounts on fuel, balsa, kits, and
almost anything else you need or want for
that new Scale project.
The 2011 AMA RC and CL Scale
National Championships will take place July
1-3. Mark your calendars now! The
Nationals is held at the AMA’s International
Aeromodeling Center in Muncie, Indiana.
The event continues to grow, with
competition categories for competitors of all
experience levels. They range from Fun
Scale, for modelers with little or no
experience, to Designer Scale, for those who
draw their own plans and build their models
from scratch.
The weather at the last few Nationals has
been great, as has the company, friends,
families, and National Association of Scale
Aeromodelers banquet.
Judging from what I’ve been told, the
Scale Nationals and all other events at the
AMA site will be using 2.4 GHz radios in
2011. This has been in the works for
sometime.
Going to all 2.4 GHz radio systems will
allow more sites to be used at the same time
instead of having to extend the dates for the
entire Nationals by a week. This technology
is the wave of the future, and many large
events have already adopted this technical
advancement.
On the Web: Manzano Laser Works has
released not one, but four new laser-cut kits.
They are slightly larger than the normal-size
kits by Peter Rake of Great Britain, who is a
prolific designer. He comes up with great
scale fliers that have enough detail to satisfy
most aeromodelers. And you do have to
build the models; they are not ARFs.
The first offering is the classic Pietenpol
Air Camper, spanning 58 inches. It was
designed to be powered by a 250-watt motor
with a three-cell Li-Poly battery.
The company’s second release is the
Martinsyde Elephant, which has a wingspan
of 50 inches. The full-scale aircraft was
designed in 1915 as a single-seat
observation and spotter for Great Britain.
Third is the Fournier RF-4 motor glider
that spans 60 inches. Recommended power
is a TowerPro 2409-18 motor with a threecell,
1300 mAh Li-Poly battery.
The fourth release from Manzano Laser
Works, and my favorite, is the WACO
YMF. It is available as a short kit that
includes plans, plastic cowl, dummy radial,
wheel pants, and laser-cut parts. You
provide the stringers, wing spars, and sticks.
Recommended power for the YMF is an
AXI 4120 motor with a 4S 5000 mAh Li-
Poly battery.
Bookshelf: Nakajima Ki-84 a/b Hayate in
Japanese Army Air Force Service by
Richard M. Bueschel is published by
Schiffer Books. This 61-page volume covers
the second in the series of aircraft (including
the Ki-27, Ki-43, and Ki-100) that Nakajima
produced for the Japanese Army. The
company was prolific in aircraft production
from 1917 until World War II.
The Ki-84 “Frank” was similar to many
Japanese fighters. It was modern in many
respects but backward in regards to pilot
protection.
The low-wing, radial-engined fighter
presents good opportunities for
aeromodelers to reproduce retracts, flaps,
dual-wing drop tanks, and bombs mounted
on pylons just outside of the main gear.
The book features 85 black-and-white
photos; modelers can use approximately 50
of them. There are no color side views of
different color schemes, scale drawings, or
three-views. And some of the photos are
extremely grainy.
However, if you need to add to your
collection of photos of the Ki-84, you can
do so with this book. It was on sale for
$13.46 in Squadron’s October flyer, so
check it out!
At some point these publishers should
realize that it’s mostly aeromodelers who
buy their books. These companies should
work toward a common goal of including
some sort of color documentation, accurate
scale drawings, and a good selection of
photos. There are only a few sometimes
worn or damaged photos of numerous older
aircraft, although those can be helpful at
times.
New Products: This item is not new, but it
ties in with my book review. In 2008 Don
Smith retired and sold his plans business to
Larry Katona of Precision Cut Kits. Don had
drawn many large plans sets, mostly for
WW II models.
Don produced the Ki-84 Hayate with an
88-inch wingspan. The cowling, canopy,
and wood-and-fiberglass kit were available
from Precision Cut Kits for $527 at the time
of this writing, but you need to add the
retractable landing gear to the cost. MA
Sources:
Toledo R/C Expo
www.toledoshow.com
Manzano Laser Works
(505) 286-2640
www.manzanolaser.com
Squadron
(877) 414-0434
www.squadron.com
Precision Cut Kits
(609) 538-1388
www.precisioncutkits.com
National Association of Scale Aeromodelers
www.nasascale.org
Call Toll Free:
888-829-4060
7414 Burton Drive, Liberty Twp, OH 45044
All Aero-Pac’s are $15.95 + $5.50 s&h for the fi rst, $1.50 each additional.
• Each Aero-Pac is devoted to a single airframe.
• The documentation comes on a cd-rom and is
viewable in any modern Mac/Win web browser.
• Includes 8-point walk-around, exterior & interior
details, enhanced close-ups, and a 3-view!
• All wording (n-numbers, nomenclature, etc.) are
shot close-up and head-on for easier duplication.
See samples of all of our Aero-Pacs
online at airbornemedia.com
Scale Documentation
for the Digital Age.
Grumman FM-2 Wildcat
SCAN THIS WITH YOUR
SMARTPHONE FOR MORE!
TIRED OF PAYING
$1.29 FOR 6 SCREWS?
Our 4-40x1/2 socket
caps sell for $4.35/100
for alloy steel, or
$6.65/100 stainless, or $7.50/50 aluminum.
For fair prices on sensible quantities of the fasteners
you need for model building, call, write or
fax for our free catalog!
Micro Fasteners 800-892-6917
24 Cokesbury Rd., Suite 2 908-236-8120
Lebanon, NJ 08833 fax 908-236-8721
e-mail: [email protected] Internet: http://microfasteners.com
01sig4x.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 11/22/10 8:28 AM Page 99
Edition: Model Aviation - 2011/01
Page Numbers: 97,98,99
This is the type of crowd to expect at the Toledo R/C Expo each
year. As the old saying goes, the early bird gets the best deals.
It mIght be cold where you are, but as I write this in early
October it’s still in the mid-80s in Nashville, Tennessee. It’s time to
think about new projects and get them underway for the next flying
season or contest season.
Building a model can give you a great deal of pride and
accomplishment. To get it right can also lead to a great deal of
frustration and cause you to lose interest in a project.
I could easily start four airplanes at the same time, but to what
end? Would I ever finish any of them? I doubt it—maybe one.
To observe the state of model building, I’ll point out one local
field. I was there last week, and a few modelers were looking at one
of my aircraft.
Many had never seen a model of that particular airplane and
asked whose ARF it was. When I told them that it was a practice
model to get some stick time on, they just looked at me.
I had built it from an old Great Planes kit. It’s a Trainer 60 with
tricycle gear and a symmetrical airfoil—a great-flying model. What
surprised the other people at the field was that I had actually
constructed it.
Also included in this column:
• PA-11 project update—what’s
next?
• Chuck Snyder’s Japanese Tony
• Plan now to attend events in
2011
• New models from Manzano
Laser Works
• A book about the Ki-84
“Frank”
• Don Smith plans from Larry
Katona
Get going on that winter project!
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Scale Stan Alexander
Chuck’s Ki-61 sits on the taxiway in preparation for taking to the skies. It features inner
gear doors, antenna, tank drop, and the typical retracts and flaps.
Left: Chuck and Betty Snyder of Cincinnati OH with their Ki-61,
getting ready for another flight at the AMA Nationals.
Below: Chuck’s Ki-61 in flight on another mission. As was the fullscale
Messerschmitt Bf 109, the original Ki-61 was powered by a
licensed Daimler-Benz DB-601 engine.
January 2011 97
01sig4x.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 11/22/10 8:24 AM Page 97
98 MODEL AVIATION
Above: Orest Drobey of Manitoba,
Canada, scratch-built this Spartan
Executive, which was on display at the
Toledo R/C Expo. You can see some of
the best examples of scratch-building
there.
One observer asked where I bought the
stripes for the model. I told him that cut I
them from MonoKote using a straightedge,
X-Acto knife, and tape measure.
The next build-along I’ll present here is of
one of my favorite old home-builts. I’ve
seen it at air shows in years past, including
the Experimental Aircraft Association’s
Oshkosh AirVenture in Wisconsin.
Old aeromodelers and pilots would call
the aircraft a “two-holer,” meaning that it
will hold, or lift for that matter, only a pilot
and passenger. Do you care to guess what it
is?
I have been detailing the Piper PA-11,
and while I’m finishing it and putting in test
flights, I’ve been looking at new subjects to
bring to these pages. As I’ve mentioned, the
AMA has thousands of plans sets for sale,
and constructing a model from plans is what
it’s all about to many Scale modelers.
My idea for the PA-11 was to build a
Scale aircraft that needed neither special
tools nor a fully equipped shop. It started as
a simple Goldberg Piper J-3 Cub. Next
month I’ll start on the new model and
include some photos of the PA-11.
Around Scale: Chuck Snyder is a longtime
modeler who is new to RC Scale. He has
represented the US at World Championships
for CL Scale. Welcome aboard!
Chuck’s model at the 2010 Scale
Nationals was a Kawasaki Ki-61 Hein
This Yellow Aircraft Curtiss
P-40E was constructed from
a foam-and-fiberglass kit.
There is still lots to do to
complete it.
01sig4x.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 11/22/10 8:26 AM Page 98
January 2011 99
(“flying swallow” in Japanese). The Allied
code name for the Ki-61 was the “Tony.”
Chuck built his model from Don Smith
plans, using wood and fiberglass. It spans 86
inches and is covered with Klass Kote paint.
His Japanese Army fighter is powered by
a SuperTigre 2500 engine with onboard
glow and features drop tanks and the usual
flaps and retracts. Unfortunately the Hein
crashed late in the competition.
Upcoming Events: The 2011 Toledo R/C
Expo will take place April 1-3 at the
SeaGate Centre in Toledo, Ohio. Admission
is $8 per day per person.
The mountain of hobby “stuff,” as my
wife calls it, that you can find there is
amazing. I’ve been saving my Toledo stash
for roughly nine months, so I’ll be ready for
the vendors. They usually offer discounts or
special show prices, so you can get some
great deals.
There is also an auction and the other
events within the event going on throughout
the weekend. If you’ve never been, it’s a
treat that you shouldn’t miss.
But be prepared; if you do see something
you want at the show, buy it then and haul it
back or arrange storage. You might return
later to get something and it will be gone.
Ask me how I know!
The Toledo Expo is a great place to see
all new products from manufacturers and get
deep discounts on fuel, balsa, kits, and
almost anything else you need or want for
that new Scale project.
The 2011 AMA RC and CL Scale
National Championships will take place July
1-3. Mark your calendars now! The
Nationals is held at the AMA’s International
Aeromodeling Center in Muncie, Indiana.
The event continues to grow, with
competition categories for competitors of all
experience levels. They range from Fun
Scale, for modelers with little or no
experience, to Designer Scale, for those who
draw their own plans and build their models
from scratch.
The weather at the last few Nationals has
been great, as has the company, friends,
families, and National Association of Scale
Aeromodelers banquet.
Judging from what I’ve been told, the
Scale Nationals and all other events at the
AMA site will be using 2.4 GHz radios in
2011. This has been in the works for
sometime.
Going to all 2.4 GHz radio systems will
allow more sites to be used at the same time
instead of having to extend the dates for the
entire Nationals by a week. This technology
is the wave of the future, and many large
events have already adopted this technical
advancement.
On the Web: Manzano Laser Works has
released not one, but four new laser-cut kits.
They are slightly larger than the normal-size
kits by Peter Rake of Great Britain, who is a
prolific designer. He comes up with great
scale fliers that have enough detail to satisfy
most aeromodelers. And you do have to
build the models; they are not ARFs.
The first offering is the classic Pietenpol
Air Camper, spanning 58 inches. It was
designed to be powered by a 250-watt motor
with a three-cell Li-Poly battery.
The company’s second release is the
Martinsyde Elephant, which has a wingspan
of 50 inches. The full-scale aircraft was
designed in 1915 as a single-seat
observation and spotter for Great Britain.
Third is the Fournier RF-4 motor glider
that spans 60 inches. Recommended power
is a TowerPro 2409-18 motor with a threecell,
1300 mAh Li-Poly battery.
The fourth release from Manzano Laser
Works, and my favorite, is the WACO
YMF. It is available as a short kit that
includes plans, plastic cowl, dummy radial,
wheel pants, and laser-cut parts. You
provide the stringers, wing spars, and sticks.
Recommended power for the YMF is an
AXI 4120 motor with a 4S 5000 mAh Li-
Poly battery.
Bookshelf: Nakajima Ki-84 a/b Hayate in
Japanese Army Air Force Service by
Richard M. Bueschel is published by
Schiffer Books. This 61-page volume covers
the second in the series of aircraft (including
the Ki-27, Ki-43, and Ki-100) that Nakajima
produced for the Japanese Army. The
company was prolific in aircraft production
from 1917 until World War II.
The Ki-84 “Frank” was similar to many
Japanese fighters. It was modern in many
respects but backward in regards to pilot
protection.
The low-wing, radial-engined fighter
presents good opportunities for
aeromodelers to reproduce retracts, flaps,
dual-wing drop tanks, and bombs mounted
on pylons just outside of the main gear.
The book features 85 black-and-white
photos; modelers can use approximately 50
of them. There are no color side views of
different color schemes, scale drawings, or
three-views. And some of the photos are
extremely grainy.
However, if you need to add to your
collection of photos of the Ki-84, you can
do so with this book. It was on sale for
$13.46 in Squadron’s October flyer, so
check it out!
At some point these publishers should
realize that it’s mostly aeromodelers who
buy their books. These companies should
work toward a common goal of including
some sort of color documentation, accurate
scale drawings, and a good selection of
photos. There are only a few sometimes
worn or damaged photos of numerous older
aircraft, although those can be helpful at
times.
New Products: This item is not new, but it
ties in with my book review. In 2008 Don
Smith retired and sold his plans business to
Larry Katona of Precision Cut Kits. Don had
drawn many large plans sets, mostly for
WW II models.
Don produced the Ki-84 Hayate with an
88-inch wingspan. The cowling, canopy,
and wood-and-fiberglass kit were available
from Precision Cut Kits for $527 at the time
of this writing, but you need to add the
retractable landing gear to the cost. MA
Sources:
Toledo R/C Expo
www.toledoshow.com
Manzano Laser Works
(505) 286-2640
www.manzanolaser.com
Squadron
(877) 414-0434
www.squadron.com
Precision Cut Kits
(609) 538-1388
www.precisioncutkits.com
National Association of Scale Aeromodelers
www.nasascale.org
Call Toll Free:
888-829-4060
7414 Burton Drive, Liberty Twp, OH 45044
All Aero-Pac’s are $15.95 + $5.50 s&h for the fi rst, $1.50 each additional.
• Each Aero-Pac is devoted to a single airframe.
• The documentation comes on a cd-rom and is
viewable in any modern Mac/Win web browser.
• Includes 8-point walk-around, exterior & interior
details, enhanced close-ups, and a 3-view!
• All wording (n-numbers, nomenclature, etc.) are
shot close-up and head-on for easier duplication.
See samples of all of our Aero-Pacs
online at airbornemedia.com
Scale Documentation
for the Digital Age.
Grumman FM-2 Wildcat
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