SMALL-FIELD FLYING 2012/06
The Man Who Kicks Rocks
I'm referring to my friend and regular contributor, John Krouse. Just when you might think he has found all of the gems under the rocks in the field, he turns up another one.
In this case, it is a modest-performance RTF free-flight catapult glider called the Airglider 40, from High Quality Design. The model has carbon-fiber outlines covered with a lightweight fabric. It's durable, but slightly on the heavy side if gliding duration is your primary goal.
Not unlike Ron Sims, John is a modeler who can see the gem of another airplane lurking inside a stock RTF model. You may recall that John has shared with us several models where he uses only throttle control. That method of control is perfect for the Airglider 40.
Airglider 40 — conversion and setup
The Airglider 40 is suitable for flying in a little wind. The model will fly slowly or can be punched if that is your desire.
Install a motor on the nose and a micro receiver for throttle control in the ballast box, and you have a durable climb-and-glide model with no building required. To power the Airglider, John used a ParkZone Micro P-51 motor and gearbox. To provide throttle control, he added a Plantraco 900 MHz receiver along with a 130 mAh LiPo cell.
Glue two cardstock manual trim tabs to the stabilizer and the result is a 16-inch span model that will climb with authority, followed by nice cruising glides. You hit the throttle and do it again until your battery runs out or you get tired. Not bad, John.
This is a wrap for now. I hope your flying season is going well. Why not share a few photos for us to enjoy? Contact information is in the Sources listing.
Sources
- SMALL 2012 — Bobby Moran
- Pat's Custom Models
(505) 296-4511 www.patscustom-models.com
- Zeke's Park Scale Models
[email protected] www.parkscalemodels.com/shop
- Paul Bradley
10201 Scarlet Oak Dr. Independence, KY 41051 [email protected] www.parmodels.com
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
