RC Scale
Stan Alexander [[email protected]]
Pete McDermott's fantastic D.H.9A
I'll cover two extremes this month: the Piper Cub kit and one of the best FAI Scale models in competition today: Pete McDermott's Airco (de Havilland) D.H.9A.
The D.H.9A's wing spans more than 9 feet, and it is powered by a Laser 300 V-Twin engine. The model weighs exactly 33 pounds (14.97 kilograms); 15 kilograms is the weight limit for the F4C class.
Plans for this aircraft are not available; Pete doesn't usually release those plans. Many who build from scratch don't have formal plans like those you can purchase.
The wheels are made from carbon-fiber sticks, and molded material is used for the rims. The tires are made from foam with liquid vinyl poured into a form, and then the air is removed to make a vacuum to complete the tire. Pete made six sets of tires and wheels, because he thought the model would go through several per contest.
The louvers in the front of the engine are functional with the changes in engine temperature. Most of the external braces, struts, wires, turnbuckles, and other scale details are also operational.
There is aluminum on the cowling where metal was used on the full-scale aircraft. All other parts of the model function as on the full-scale prototype, such as the ailerons, rudder, and elevator that work with pull-pull functions to the servos linked to the stick; pedals in the cockpit; and a bomb drop.
Pete has a scratch-built masterpiece. This was his first year competing with it in F4C class at the Scale World Championships in Poland. He finished in fourth place behind reigning champion Andreas Luthi, Max Merckenschlager, and Petr Tax.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
