RC Jets
Jim Hiller, 6090 Downs Rd., Champion OH 44481
The best part of flying with jet modelers is the people—from the manufacturers to the pilots. We share our ideas, tricks, and general knowledge freely, although we won't admit that a quiet competition exists to build and fly the trickest, prettiest, and best-performing model on the field. Most of my jet education has come from the free exchange of information with fellow modelers.
If you have an interest in ducted-fan or jet modeling, come on out to a jet fly this summer and join the crowd. They are a blast!
Jets vary from tricked-out custom sport models all the way through to some of the best scale models in the world, yet they are all flown regularly—more often for sport than for competition.
Jet models have a reputation for being unforgiving when it comes to pilot technique, maintenance, tune-up, and quality of construction. There is little room for error in these areas; things happen too fast to allow for a mistake.
Once in a while, though, someone does it right, builds a unique model that truly stands out, then flies it well for years. That magic combination of pilot and airplane, and the accomplishment it represents, is respected by all modelers. One of these duos is Charlie Lines and his F-14 Tomcat.
Charlie showed up at the Heart of Ohio jet meet last year with his F-14 Tomcat and continued to earn the respect of all who watched him fly—and many of us stopped to enjoy his performance.
We have seen many Tomcats come and go throughout the years, but few have grown old gracefully. Charlie figured it out, and his model is aging with style.
Charlie built his F-14 from the Yellow Aircraft kit. It features scale landing gear and the wing features the variable-sweep function, just as on the full-scale aircraft.
It's unique in modeling to see the wing move from the straightforward position to a fully swept position, resembling a delta-winged aircraft.
This Tomcat's features are worth discussing; they display the complexity of such a project.
Variable-sweep wing and structure
- The variable-sweep function is attained with a worm-screw actuator, with travel limited by limit switches at either end of travel.
- The wing pivots on two large pins attached at the wing spar.
- All flight loads are handled by a robust spar carry-through located in the fuselage. It's slightly heavy in appearance, but it has to be to handle the weight of a large twin-engine ducted-fan model.
- This structure and the actuators can be seen when the top hatch is removed for fueling the aircraft.
Landing gear and power
- The scale landing gear and wheels add to the general nature of the Tomcat. They are Yellow Aircraft's scale units for the kit, which feature scale appearance, shock struts, and retract operation.
- Charlie's F-14 is a rather large model, powered by two Dynamax ducted-fan engines, and he operates them in an excellent manner.
- Charlie runs both engines with reliability in mind, and it shows in his maintenance schedules.
- Charlie's tune-up of the engines for flight is conservative. He doesn't try to get the most from the engines by tweaking the needle valves; instead, he runs the engines slightly rich, leaving a solid smoke trail.
A similar new model is here. Crow Aviation, Inc.'s (CAI's) F-100 Super Sabre prototype is nearing test flights as this is being written.
This kit is a fully molded scale model, complete with everything the serious modeler could want—even those features that the serious scale modeler would want.
This model is big; it's designed for a minimum 27 pounds of thrust but is truly made for the larger 30+ pound-thrust turbines. (Look out JBT; it's time to make some more Olympus turbines.)
The F-100 is expected to cost approximately $6,000.
CAI F-100 kit features
This kit features all the things we have come to expect from Scotty Baldwin and the crew at CAI: retracts, wheels and tires, brakes, and heavy-duty shock struts are included.
The things most modelers consider optional are standard in this kit. However, only Scotty could create the neat features that truly catch the essence of an F-100 Super Sabre.
When you approach an F-100, you see a full cockpit with a whole pilot—and you see it all well, because the canopy is open; this is a fully operational unit.
Other notable features:
- The refueling probe is included, fully molded in one piece.
- The pitot tube is included; it extends way beyond the nose inlet and slides off, retained with a pivot lock when installed.
- The F-100's drooped landing lights are represented.
- Full-scale F-100s have tailhooks, and so does this model.
- The huge speed brake is 8 x 8 inches, complete with internal stiffeners and two 3/8-inch-diameter air cylinders to open it.
- Scale turkey feathers on the tailpipe and rudder hinges that extend forward into the fin, just as on the full-scale aircraft.
A particularly clever detail is the parachute braking system:
- The parachute is located underneath the aircraft but is attached at the base of the fin.
- The parachute lines are routed in a groove in the aft end of the fuselage, with stainless-steel covers over the top of the grooves to keep the parachute lines in place until the parachute pulls them out.
If you have ever seen the full-scale F-100's braking-parachute system, you will appreciate how complex this is.
Big models drink a great deal of Jet-A, and this jet carries the fuel—206 ounces—on board between the 10-ounce hopper tank and two 95-ounce saddle tanks.
Check out the F-100 Super Sabre at the Crow Aviation, Inc. Website: www.crowaviation.com
Handbuilt turbines in the United States
There is a movement growing among modelers who want to not only try turbine models, but to try these aircraft with turbines they have built themselves. Many of these fliers have constructed one in the last year.
At this time, AMA does not have guidelines to deal with this issue because we are still gaining experience in manufactured turbines and the unique issues they bring up. This movement will come, and I suspect these modelers will organize and present some recommendations to the AMA for approval of their homebuilt turbines.
Please keep in mind that at this time, AMA can only allow approved factory-manufactured turbines to be operated and flown at AMA-sanctioned events.
The worldwide growth of homebuilt turbines is incredible, with many quality kits available for the turbine itself and electronic control packs with sophisticated turbine-control features.
The standards of some of these kit manufacturers seem quite high; they put a strong emphasis on the turbine wheel design, material, production methods, and quality inspections.
This has been a nemesis to the development of the miniature turbine, but now some of the kit manufacturers in Europe have addressed the issue as seriously as any of the complete turbine manufacturers have.
I hope to see everyone soon at the jet meets.
As the crew told me, "Don't make no smokin' holes; they need to check out this trick nose-gear/wheel-well cover on my new Razor." Ian
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
