114 MODEL AVIATION
Building season means different things to different modelers
Small-Field Flying Paul Bradley | [email protected]
Also included in this column:
• New Pat Tritle kits from
Manzano Laser Works
• Sky Greenawalt’s Acme
Aircraft Company offers new
kits
THE BUILDING SEASON is upon us.
Based on the cover date of this issue, we
are nearing the end of the calendar year and
are into the traditional building season.
know that I have gone that route on more
than one occasion in recent years.
Although the ARF choices of today are
getting a lot of attention, I’ve seen some
excellent kits for those of us who also like to
build a model from the ground up (pun
intended). Converting a group of parts or
blank sheets of our chosen building material
into a nice-looking and -flying small-field
model is satisfying.
The main issue is having the time to
devote to such projects. It might be argued
by those who are fairly new to the hobby
that know-how is also a consideration when
starting a build-it-yourself project.
Fortunately technology available to the kit
developer today has done wonders for
making those two factors less of an issue.
Laser-cut parts have moved the build-ityourself
model to a totally new plateau. The
parts are quite accurate and can take
advantage of advanced design approaches
which allow the components to be quickly
assembled into properly aligned, strong,
light structures. This makes the process of
assembling the basic structures of a model
go quickly.
The underlying design of the model
structure also makes it possible for people
with little or no building experience to
achieve great results from the start,
especially when supported by the
comprehensive building manuals that many
of today’s build-it-yourself kits include.
With this in mind I want to discuss
several excellent build-it-yourself kits that
are fairly new on the market.
I have had the great pleasure of showcasing
a number of the models designed by Pat
Tritle. His many different aircraft are being
Manzano Laser Works is offering some of Pat Tritle’s larger versions of his designs,
including this 44-inch-wingspan Tiger Moth.
The lightweight, efficient structure of the author’s Tritle Tiger
Moth makes it a good small-field flyer.
With a 48-inch wingspan, this is another larger-size small-field
offering from Pat Tritle.
These days the building season can mean
different things to different modelers. For
some it represents an opportunity to launch
a nice build-it-yourself model. Others will
use the time to assemble the already-built
components of a highly prefabricated
model. Either way, the time represented by
the winter months is a great period for
adding one or more new models to our
small-field-flying hangar.
With so many good prefabricated or
ARF kits available, it is only natural that the
modeling press tends to give that type of
product more print space. Quality offerings
combined with the demands of life taking
away from precious building time have led
to a strong following of ARF models. I
12sig4.QXD 10/25/06 11:39 AM Page 114offered as quality build-it-yourself kits by
manufacturers such as Dare Design and
Dumas Models. Both companies have done a
nice job of bringing Pat’s prolific and
creative work to those of us who like to
build parts-based kits and who can devote
some time to the project.
Pat is such a productive designer that the
mainstream kit manufacturers can’t always
fit all of his models into their kit lines. I’m
happy to report that when that started
happening this year, another door opened up
in the form of Charlie Bice of Manzano
Laser Works.
You may recall that I mentioned
Manzano Laser Works as a source of the
nice Peter Rake designs. As it turns out,
Charlie and Pat live in the same general part
of the country. It was only natural that
Manzano Laser Works would pick up the
ball and run with the Tritle designs that did
not find a home with the other kit
manufacturers.
The result is an excellent lineup of short kits. They contain the
full-size plans, all laser-cut parts, and plastic parts if applicable. The
builder supplies strip wood, piano wire, wheels, covering, and other
hardware.
I want to discuss two models that represent a new trend: a largersize
model that works well in the small-field venue. The secret is
keeping the airplane lightweight while increasing the overall size.
The bigger sizes are nice from a flying-quality point of view and for
being able to view the model in flight.
Shown is a 44-inch Tiger Moth. Pat has a smaller version but is
now offering one in a larger size. Take a look at the photos to see
his prototype. What makes it so special is its flying weight: a scant
19 ounces or less, depending on the battery and motor choice.
The 44-inch wingspan translates into 570 square inches of wing
area. Talk about a floater! The wing loading is only 4.8 ounces per
square foot.
The model in the photo is using an E-flite 920-rpm-per-volt Park
400 outrunner motor powering an APC 11 x 5.5E propeller. Its
energy comes from a 2100 mAh two-cell Li-Poly battery pack. It
features aileron, rudder, elevator, and throttle control functions.
This leads me to a discussion about structural design for our
models. Pat Tritle’s aircraft are designed for
electric power. We normally associate
electric power with quiet operation. That is
certainly true, but another important factor
for electric power is no vibration. This is
huge when it comes to designing a
lightweight model. You don’t need nearly as
much structure to keep things together in
flight.
To help illustrate this point I have
included a picture of my version of Pat’s 44-
inch Tiger Moth under construction. (I fell in
love with the model and bought one of the
kits.) It is similar to a large rubber-powered
FF airplane. The structure may look frail to
someone who has only built models for
internal-combustion power, but it is quite
strong. It does not carry around unnecessary
material, making it efficient.
By way of contrast I direct you to the
October 2006 Flying Models. That issue
contained a nice construction article for a .20
four-stroke, glow-powered Tiger Moth with
the same 44-inch wingspan. The model is
well designed and flies well on the .20 fourstroke
(a great glow-power source).
Its structural design is dramatically
different and yields a flying weight of 46
December 2006 115
This 48-inch-wingspan Beech D-18 is one of Sky Greenawalt’s Acme Aircraft Company
kits. It is lightweight and suitable for small-field flying.
Sky Greenawalt displays his lightweight, 80-inch-wingspan B-24
intended for GWS IPS electric power.
The author’s Herr/Sig Aqua-Star was intended for glow power but has proven to be a
great model for flying off the water using electric power.
12sig4.QXD 10/25/06 11:39 AM Page 115ounces. That is more than twice the weight
of Pat’s design. Depending on your smallfield
venue, both models may be suitable, but
the lighter one will certainly be more
comfortable to fly in a small space.
Following the trend of the larger Tiger
Moth, Pat has developed a 48-inch-span
version of his recognizable mid-20th-century
general-aviation design. I can’t mention the
specific company name and aircraft model
number because of design and imagelicensing
issues from the full-scale-airplane
manufacturer.
I’m sure you will recognize the model
shown. This mess with aircraft manufacturers
now demanding licensing fees from the
modeling industry is an issue that I won’t go
into here, but it sure makes me lose respect for
the leadership of the full-scale-aviation
industry.
The 48-inch general aviation aircraft has a
wing area of 312 square inches and a flying
weight of 12.7 ounces. This is another
excellent, efficient, lightweight structural
design that lets a larger model fly comfortably
in the small-field venue.
Power for the model is a Hacker A20
turning a 10 x 3.8 APC Slow Flyer propeller
on two 1320 mAh cells.
As does the Tiger Moth, this model utilizes
all four flight controls. My only problem with
it is its siren song saying “add me to your
build list.” That list is far too long, but I fear I
am likely to succumb. If you are feeling as
tempted as I have been, you will find contact
information at the end of the column.
I want to stay with the theme of larger,
lightweight small-field models slightly longer.
In addition to the kits offered by Manzano
Laser Works, we are fortunate to have another
innovative designer in our midst who is doing
bigger-model designs that are suitable for
small fields. Schuyler “Sky” Greenawalt is
doing business as Acme Aircraft Company.
He has several nice laser-cut kits available.
Look at the photos to see his elegant Beech
D-18. At 48 inches in wingspan, it works well
in a small-field environment. As does Pat
Tritle, Sky renders models that have
lightweight but strong, efficient structures.
The Acme Beech D-18 has a wing area of
275 square inches with a flying weight of 20
ounces or less depending on landing-gear
options. Using two of the smaller brushless
motors, such as the Himax 2208 or 2212, and
a three-cell 1320 mAh Li-Poly battery pack,
the model has excellent flying characteristics.
It is set up with ailerons, elevator,
rudders, and throttle. You can even install
retracts for some real scale-flying
enjoyment. The 20-ounce flying weight
includes retracts. (Okay, I confess that one
of these kits is in my building queue as
well.) Please see the contact information at
the end of the column.
Just to give you an idea of what the
creative designer can produce, I have
included a picture of Sky with his inprogress,
lightweight, 80-inch-wingspan B-
24. This model is intended to be powered
by four GWS IPS motor/gearboxes. That is
four Lite Stik power systems flying an 80-
inch-span scale World War II bomber!
The B-24 weighs a mere 11 ounces. Talk
about light! Sky uses silkspan and model dope
as the covering.
As a comparison, go back to the
September 2006 MA and review the nice B-24
presented by Frank Baker as a construction
article. Frank’s 82-inch-span model is nearly
the same size as Sky’s aircraft. Frank’s is
powered with four .10 glow engines and
weighs 6 pounds. These models represent two
successful aircraft with a different design
approach based on the choice of power.
Don’t you just love the range of
possibilities we enjoy in this hobby? I do hope
Sky will release the B-24 as a kit when he gets
it all sorted out. If he does, you can bet that
my stash is likely to grow by one more.
A Summer-Flying Flashback: Before
wrapping up this installment, I want to share
one more laser-cut, build-it-yourself model.
This is not a new offering, but one that
deserves consideration.
In the pictures you will see my Herr/Sig
Aqua-Star seaplane. The model is intended for
glow power, but my water venue is better
suited to electric.
For the photo I left the cowl off so you
could see the motor installation. My choice of
power is the AXI 2208-34 outrunner turning a
7 x 5 APC electric propeller and a three-cell
1320 mAh Li-Poly battery pack.
This is a lovely-flying model and worthy
of your consideration if you are looking for a
good airplane to fly off water in 2007. I have
enjoyed mine during the past summer flying
season. The kit is available from Sig
Manufacturing.
This brings us to the close of the column.
With all of the new projects in progress out
there, please don’t forget to send me a few
pictures so we can all enjoy your efforts. I can
be reached via regular mail at 32238
Spinnaker Run, Magnolia TX 77354, or via Email.
MA
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/12
Page Numbers: 114,115,116
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/12
Page Numbers: 114,115,116
114 MODEL AVIATION
Building season means different things to different modelers
Small-Field Flying Paul Bradley | [email protected]
Also included in this column:
• New Pat Tritle kits from
Manzano Laser Works
• Sky Greenawalt’s Acme
Aircraft Company offers new
kits
THE BUILDING SEASON is upon us.
Based on the cover date of this issue, we
are nearing the end of the calendar year and
are into the traditional building season.
know that I have gone that route on more
than one occasion in recent years.
Although the ARF choices of today are
getting a lot of attention, I’ve seen some
excellent kits for those of us who also like to
build a model from the ground up (pun
intended). Converting a group of parts or
blank sheets of our chosen building material
into a nice-looking and -flying small-field
model is satisfying.
The main issue is having the time to
devote to such projects. It might be argued
by those who are fairly new to the hobby
that know-how is also a consideration when
starting a build-it-yourself project.
Fortunately technology available to the kit
developer today has done wonders for
making those two factors less of an issue.
Laser-cut parts have moved the build-ityourself
model to a totally new plateau. The
parts are quite accurate and can take
advantage of advanced design approaches
which allow the components to be quickly
assembled into properly aligned, strong,
light structures. This makes the process of
assembling the basic structures of a model
go quickly.
The underlying design of the model
structure also makes it possible for people
with little or no building experience to
achieve great results from the start,
especially when supported by the
comprehensive building manuals that many
of today’s build-it-yourself kits include.
With this in mind I want to discuss
several excellent build-it-yourself kits that
are fairly new on the market.
I have had the great pleasure of showcasing
a number of the models designed by Pat
Tritle. His many different aircraft are being
Manzano Laser Works is offering some of Pat Tritle’s larger versions of his designs,
including this 44-inch-wingspan Tiger Moth.
The lightweight, efficient structure of the author’s Tritle Tiger
Moth makes it a good small-field flyer.
With a 48-inch wingspan, this is another larger-size small-field
offering from Pat Tritle.
These days the building season can mean
different things to different modelers. For
some it represents an opportunity to launch
a nice build-it-yourself model. Others will
use the time to assemble the already-built
components of a highly prefabricated
model. Either way, the time represented by
the winter months is a great period for
adding one or more new models to our
small-field-flying hangar.
With so many good prefabricated or
ARF kits available, it is only natural that the
modeling press tends to give that type of
product more print space. Quality offerings
combined with the demands of life taking
away from precious building time have led
to a strong following of ARF models. I
12sig4.QXD 10/25/06 11:39 AM Page 114offered as quality build-it-yourself kits by
manufacturers such as Dare Design and
Dumas Models. Both companies have done a
nice job of bringing Pat’s prolific and
creative work to those of us who like to
build parts-based kits and who can devote
some time to the project.
Pat is such a productive designer that the
mainstream kit manufacturers can’t always
fit all of his models into their kit lines. I’m
happy to report that when that started
happening this year, another door opened up
in the form of Charlie Bice of Manzano
Laser Works.
You may recall that I mentioned
Manzano Laser Works as a source of the
nice Peter Rake designs. As it turns out,
Charlie and Pat live in the same general part
of the country. It was only natural that
Manzano Laser Works would pick up the
ball and run with the Tritle designs that did
not find a home with the other kit
manufacturers.
The result is an excellent lineup of short kits. They contain the
full-size plans, all laser-cut parts, and plastic parts if applicable. The
builder supplies strip wood, piano wire, wheels, covering, and other
hardware.
I want to discuss two models that represent a new trend: a largersize
model that works well in the small-field venue. The secret is
keeping the airplane lightweight while increasing the overall size.
The bigger sizes are nice from a flying-quality point of view and for
being able to view the model in flight.
Shown is a 44-inch Tiger Moth. Pat has a smaller version but is
now offering one in a larger size. Take a look at the photos to see
his prototype. What makes it so special is its flying weight: a scant
19 ounces or less, depending on the battery and motor choice.
The 44-inch wingspan translates into 570 square inches of wing
area. Talk about a floater! The wing loading is only 4.8 ounces per
square foot.
The model in the photo is using an E-flite 920-rpm-per-volt Park
400 outrunner motor powering an APC 11 x 5.5E propeller. Its
energy comes from a 2100 mAh two-cell Li-Poly battery pack. It
features aileron, rudder, elevator, and throttle control functions.
This leads me to a discussion about structural design for our
models. Pat Tritle’s aircraft are designed for
electric power. We normally associate
electric power with quiet operation. That is
certainly true, but another important factor
for electric power is no vibration. This is
huge when it comes to designing a
lightweight model. You don’t need nearly as
much structure to keep things together in
flight.
To help illustrate this point I have
included a picture of my version of Pat’s 44-
inch Tiger Moth under construction. (I fell in
love with the model and bought one of the
kits.) It is similar to a large rubber-powered
FF airplane. The structure may look frail to
someone who has only built models for
internal-combustion power, but it is quite
strong. It does not carry around unnecessary
material, making it efficient.
By way of contrast I direct you to the
October 2006 Flying Models. That issue
contained a nice construction article for a .20
four-stroke, glow-powered Tiger Moth with
the same 44-inch wingspan. The model is
well designed and flies well on the .20 fourstroke
(a great glow-power source).
Its structural design is dramatically
different and yields a flying weight of 46
December 2006 115
This 48-inch-wingspan Beech D-18 is one of Sky Greenawalt’s Acme Aircraft Company
kits. It is lightweight and suitable for small-field flying.
Sky Greenawalt displays his lightweight, 80-inch-wingspan B-24
intended for GWS IPS electric power.
The author’s Herr/Sig Aqua-Star was intended for glow power but has proven to be a
great model for flying off the water using electric power.
12sig4.QXD 10/25/06 11:39 AM Page 115ounces. That is more than twice the weight
of Pat’s design. Depending on your smallfield
venue, both models may be suitable, but
the lighter one will certainly be more
comfortable to fly in a small space.
Following the trend of the larger Tiger
Moth, Pat has developed a 48-inch-span
version of his recognizable mid-20th-century
general-aviation design. I can’t mention the
specific company name and aircraft model
number because of design and imagelicensing
issues from the full-scale-airplane
manufacturer.
I’m sure you will recognize the model
shown. This mess with aircraft manufacturers
now demanding licensing fees from the
modeling industry is an issue that I won’t go
into here, but it sure makes me lose respect for
the leadership of the full-scale-aviation
industry.
The 48-inch general aviation aircraft has a
wing area of 312 square inches and a flying
weight of 12.7 ounces. This is another
excellent, efficient, lightweight structural
design that lets a larger model fly comfortably
in the small-field venue.
Power for the model is a Hacker A20
turning a 10 x 3.8 APC Slow Flyer propeller
on two 1320 mAh cells.
As does the Tiger Moth, this model utilizes
all four flight controls. My only problem with
it is its siren song saying “add me to your
build list.” That list is far too long, but I fear I
am likely to succumb. If you are feeling as
tempted as I have been, you will find contact
information at the end of the column.
I want to stay with the theme of larger,
lightweight small-field models slightly longer.
In addition to the kits offered by Manzano
Laser Works, we are fortunate to have another
innovative designer in our midst who is doing
bigger-model designs that are suitable for
small fields. Schuyler “Sky” Greenawalt is
doing business as Acme Aircraft Company.
He has several nice laser-cut kits available.
Look at the photos to see his elegant Beech
D-18. At 48 inches in wingspan, it works well
in a small-field environment. As does Pat
Tritle, Sky renders models that have
lightweight but strong, efficient structures.
The Acme Beech D-18 has a wing area of
275 square inches with a flying weight of 20
ounces or less depending on landing-gear
options. Using two of the smaller brushless
motors, such as the Himax 2208 or 2212, and
a three-cell 1320 mAh Li-Poly battery pack,
the model has excellent flying characteristics.
It is set up with ailerons, elevator,
rudders, and throttle. You can even install
retracts for some real scale-flying
enjoyment. The 20-ounce flying weight
includes retracts. (Okay, I confess that one
of these kits is in my building queue as
well.) Please see the contact information at
the end of the column.
Just to give you an idea of what the
creative designer can produce, I have
included a picture of Sky with his inprogress,
lightweight, 80-inch-wingspan B-
24. This model is intended to be powered
by four GWS IPS motor/gearboxes. That is
four Lite Stik power systems flying an 80-
inch-span scale World War II bomber!
The B-24 weighs a mere 11 ounces. Talk
about light! Sky uses silkspan and model dope
as the covering.
As a comparison, go back to the
September 2006 MA and review the nice B-24
presented by Frank Baker as a construction
article. Frank’s 82-inch-span model is nearly
the same size as Sky’s aircraft. Frank’s is
powered with four .10 glow engines and
weighs 6 pounds. These models represent two
successful aircraft with a different design
approach based on the choice of power.
Don’t you just love the range of
possibilities we enjoy in this hobby? I do hope
Sky will release the B-24 as a kit when he gets
it all sorted out. If he does, you can bet that
my stash is likely to grow by one more.
A Summer-Flying Flashback: Before
wrapping up this installment, I want to share
one more laser-cut, build-it-yourself model.
This is not a new offering, but one that
deserves consideration.
In the pictures you will see my Herr/Sig
Aqua-Star seaplane. The model is intended for
glow power, but my water venue is better
suited to electric.
For the photo I left the cowl off so you
could see the motor installation. My choice of
power is the AXI 2208-34 outrunner turning a
7 x 5 APC electric propeller and a three-cell
1320 mAh Li-Poly battery pack.
This is a lovely-flying model and worthy
of your consideration if you are looking for a
good airplane to fly off water in 2007. I have
enjoyed mine during the past summer flying
season. The kit is available from Sig
Manufacturing.
This brings us to the close of the column.
With all of the new projects in progress out
there, please don’t forget to send me a few
pictures so we can all enjoy your efforts. I can
be reached via regular mail at 32238
Spinnaker Run, Magnolia TX 77354, or via Email.
MA
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/12
Page Numbers: 114,115,116
114 MODEL AVIATION
Building season means different things to different modelers
Small-Field Flying Paul Bradley | [email protected]
Also included in this column:
• New Pat Tritle kits from
Manzano Laser Works
• Sky Greenawalt’s Acme
Aircraft Company offers new
kits
THE BUILDING SEASON is upon us.
Based on the cover date of this issue, we
are nearing the end of the calendar year and
are into the traditional building season.
know that I have gone that route on more
than one occasion in recent years.
Although the ARF choices of today are
getting a lot of attention, I’ve seen some
excellent kits for those of us who also like to
build a model from the ground up (pun
intended). Converting a group of parts or
blank sheets of our chosen building material
into a nice-looking and -flying small-field
model is satisfying.
The main issue is having the time to
devote to such projects. It might be argued
by those who are fairly new to the hobby
that know-how is also a consideration when
starting a build-it-yourself project.
Fortunately technology available to the kit
developer today has done wonders for
making those two factors less of an issue.
Laser-cut parts have moved the build-ityourself
model to a totally new plateau. The
parts are quite accurate and can take
advantage of advanced design approaches
which allow the components to be quickly
assembled into properly aligned, strong,
light structures. This makes the process of
assembling the basic structures of a model
go quickly.
The underlying design of the model
structure also makes it possible for people
with little or no building experience to
achieve great results from the start,
especially when supported by the
comprehensive building manuals that many
of today’s build-it-yourself kits include.
With this in mind I want to discuss
several excellent build-it-yourself kits that
are fairly new on the market.
I have had the great pleasure of showcasing
a number of the models designed by Pat
Tritle. His many different aircraft are being
Manzano Laser Works is offering some of Pat Tritle’s larger versions of his designs,
including this 44-inch-wingspan Tiger Moth.
The lightweight, efficient structure of the author’s Tritle Tiger
Moth makes it a good small-field flyer.
With a 48-inch wingspan, this is another larger-size small-field
offering from Pat Tritle.
These days the building season can mean
different things to different modelers. For
some it represents an opportunity to launch
a nice build-it-yourself model. Others will
use the time to assemble the already-built
components of a highly prefabricated
model. Either way, the time represented by
the winter months is a great period for
adding one or more new models to our
small-field-flying hangar.
With so many good prefabricated or
ARF kits available, it is only natural that the
modeling press tends to give that type of
product more print space. Quality offerings
combined with the demands of life taking
away from precious building time have led
to a strong following of ARF models. I
12sig4.QXD 10/25/06 11:39 AM Page 114offered as quality build-it-yourself kits by
manufacturers such as Dare Design and
Dumas Models. Both companies have done a
nice job of bringing Pat’s prolific and
creative work to those of us who like to
build parts-based kits and who can devote
some time to the project.
Pat is such a productive designer that the
mainstream kit manufacturers can’t always
fit all of his models into their kit lines. I’m
happy to report that when that started
happening this year, another door opened up
in the form of Charlie Bice of Manzano
Laser Works.
You may recall that I mentioned
Manzano Laser Works as a source of the
nice Peter Rake designs. As it turns out,
Charlie and Pat live in the same general part
of the country. It was only natural that
Manzano Laser Works would pick up the
ball and run with the Tritle designs that did
not find a home with the other kit
manufacturers.
The result is an excellent lineup of short kits. They contain the
full-size plans, all laser-cut parts, and plastic parts if applicable. The
builder supplies strip wood, piano wire, wheels, covering, and other
hardware.
I want to discuss two models that represent a new trend: a largersize
model that works well in the small-field venue. The secret is
keeping the airplane lightweight while increasing the overall size.
The bigger sizes are nice from a flying-quality point of view and for
being able to view the model in flight.
Shown is a 44-inch Tiger Moth. Pat has a smaller version but is
now offering one in a larger size. Take a look at the photos to see
his prototype. What makes it so special is its flying weight: a scant
19 ounces or less, depending on the battery and motor choice.
The 44-inch wingspan translates into 570 square inches of wing
area. Talk about a floater! The wing loading is only 4.8 ounces per
square foot.
The model in the photo is using an E-flite 920-rpm-per-volt Park
400 outrunner motor powering an APC 11 x 5.5E propeller. Its
energy comes from a 2100 mAh two-cell Li-Poly battery pack. It
features aileron, rudder, elevator, and throttle control functions.
This leads me to a discussion about structural design for our
models. Pat Tritle’s aircraft are designed for
electric power. We normally associate
electric power with quiet operation. That is
certainly true, but another important factor
for electric power is no vibration. This is
huge when it comes to designing a
lightweight model. You don’t need nearly as
much structure to keep things together in
flight.
To help illustrate this point I have
included a picture of my version of Pat’s 44-
inch Tiger Moth under construction. (I fell in
love with the model and bought one of the
kits.) It is similar to a large rubber-powered
FF airplane. The structure may look frail to
someone who has only built models for
internal-combustion power, but it is quite
strong. It does not carry around unnecessary
material, making it efficient.
By way of contrast I direct you to the
October 2006 Flying Models. That issue
contained a nice construction article for a .20
four-stroke, glow-powered Tiger Moth with
the same 44-inch wingspan. The model is
well designed and flies well on the .20 fourstroke
(a great glow-power source).
Its structural design is dramatically
different and yields a flying weight of 46
December 2006 115
This 48-inch-wingspan Beech D-18 is one of Sky Greenawalt’s Acme Aircraft Company
kits. It is lightweight and suitable for small-field flying.
Sky Greenawalt displays his lightweight, 80-inch-wingspan B-24
intended for GWS IPS electric power.
The author’s Herr/Sig Aqua-Star was intended for glow power but has proven to be a
great model for flying off the water using electric power.
12sig4.QXD 10/25/06 11:39 AM Page 115ounces. That is more than twice the weight
of Pat’s design. Depending on your smallfield
venue, both models may be suitable, but
the lighter one will certainly be more
comfortable to fly in a small space.
Following the trend of the larger Tiger
Moth, Pat has developed a 48-inch-span
version of his recognizable mid-20th-century
general-aviation design. I can’t mention the
specific company name and aircraft model
number because of design and imagelicensing
issues from the full-scale-airplane
manufacturer.
I’m sure you will recognize the model
shown. This mess with aircraft manufacturers
now demanding licensing fees from the
modeling industry is an issue that I won’t go
into here, but it sure makes me lose respect for
the leadership of the full-scale-aviation
industry.
The 48-inch general aviation aircraft has a
wing area of 312 square inches and a flying
weight of 12.7 ounces. This is another
excellent, efficient, lightweight structural
design that lets a larger model fly comfortably
in the small-field venue.
Power for the model is a Hacker A20
turning a 10 x 3.8 APC Slow Flyer propeller
on two 1320 mAh cells.
As does the Tiger Moth, this model utilizes
all four flight controls. My only problem with
it is its siren song saying “add me to your
build list.” That list is far too long, but I fear I
am likely to succumb. If you are feeling as
tempted as I have been, you will find contact
information at the end of the column.
I want to stay with the theme of larger,
lightweight small-field models slightly longer.
In addition to the kits offered by Manzano
Laser Works, we are fortunate to have another
innovative designer in our midst who is doing
bigger-model designs that are suitable for
small fields. Schuyler “Sky” Greenawalt is
doing business as Acme Aircraft Company.
He has several nice laser-cut kits available.
Look at the photos to see his elegant Beech
D-18. At 48 inches in wingspan, it works well
in a small-field environment. As does Pat
Tritle, Sky renders models that have
lightweight but strong, efficient structures.
The Acme Beech D-18 has a wing area of
275 square inches with a flying weight of 20
ounces or less depending on landing-gear
options. Using two of the smaller brushless
motors, such as the Himax 2208 or 2212, and
a three-cell 1320 mAh Li-Poly battery pack,
the model has excellent flying characteristics.
It is set up with ailerons, elevator,
rudders, and throttle. You can even install
retracts for some real scale-flying
enjoyment. The 20-ounce flying weight
includes retracts. (Okay, I confess that one
of these kits is in my building queue as
well.) Please see the contact information at
the end of the column.
Just to give you an idea of what the
creative designer can produce, I have
included a picture of Sky with his inprogress,
lightweight, 80-inch-wingspan B-
24. This model is intended to be powered
by four GWS IPS motor/gearboxes. That is
four Lite Stik power systems flying an 80-
inch-span scale World War II bomber!
The B-24 weighs a mere 11 ounces. Talk
about light! Sky uses silkspan and model dope
as the covering.
As a comparison, go back to the
September 2006 MA and review the nice B-24
presented by Frank Baker as a construction
article. Frank’s 82-inch-span model is nearly
the same size as Sky’s aircraft. Frank’s is
powered with four .10 glow engines and
weighs 6 pounds. These models represent two
successful aircraft with a different design
approach based on the choice of power.
Don’t you just love the range of
possibilities we enjoy in this hobby? I do hope
Sky will release the B-24 as a kit when he gets
it all sorted out. If he does, you can bet that
my stash is likely to grow by one more.
A Summer-Flying Flashback: Before
wrapping up this installment, I want to share
one more laser-cut, build-it-yourself model.
This is not a new offering, but one that
deserves consideration.
In the pictures you will see my Herr/Sig
Aqua-Star seaplane. The model is intended for
glow power, but my water venue is better
suited to electric.
For the photo I left the cowl off so you
could see the motor installation. My choice of
power is the AXI 2208-34 outrunner turning a
7 x 5 APC electric propeller and a three-cell
1320 mAh Li-Poly battery pack.
This is a lovely-flying model and worthy
of your consideration if you are looking for a
good airplane to fly off water in 2007. I have
enjoyed mine during the past summer flying
season. The kit is available from Sig
Manufacturing.
This brings us to the close of the column.
With all of the new projects in progress out
there, please don’t forget to send me a few
pictures so we can all enjoy your efforts. I can
be reached via regular mail at 32238
Spinnaker Run, Magnolia TX 77354, or via Email.
MA
