Author: Paul Bradley
Edition: Model Aviation - 2013/02
Page Numbers: 83,84,85
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Small-field flying and foam board go together

When building models for small flying sites, two factors are most important: light weight and durability. Light weight allows for slower flying speeds, and durability matters because there is a higher chance of hitting objects when flying in a confined space.

Foam board has become a popular material for lightweight models that can take some punishment. It is inexpensive, readily available, and comes in colors or white sheets that are easy to decorate with markers or light spray paint. Foam-board models lend themselves to creative finishes and practical, robust construction.

Bill Welle’s Sparky

Longtime modeler Bill Welle of Nokomis, Florida, has built many balsa models and is also exploring foam board as a primary construction material. He sent a photo of his enlarged Ed Lidgard–designed Sparky. Bill’s version has a 48-inch wingspan and is made from 3/16-inch foam board. The model is powered by a Turnigy 2820 outrunner motor (Hobby King) and uses a 2-cell 1300 mAh LiPo pack.

The original Sparky was a rubber-powered free-flight model; Bill’s enlarged foam-board version is a nicely flying radio-control model. Bill has also built an autogyro wing for the Sparky using foam board, and that configuration reportedly flies very well.

Ike Medina and Ron Rizzo

Ike Medina and Ron Rizzo of the Florence, Arizona, area are also benefiting from foam-board construction. They appreciate the low cost, color variety, and the satisfaction of designing their own models. One of their aircraft has a 30.5-inch wingspan, weighs 17.6 ounces, uses a 2212/6 motor (RC Hot Deals), and requires a 3-cell 1100 mAh LiPo battery pack.

ParkZone Ultra Micro P-51

Shortly after its introduction, the ParkZone Ultra Micro P-51 became a popular subject for modeler-applied markings and appearance modifications.

Angelo Manatas of Skokie, Illinois, sent a photo of his nicely re-marked Ultra Micro P-51. He replaced the factory markings with those of the full-scale Detroit Miss P-51 Mustang, added landing gear covers, and replaced the solid foam canopy with a clear plastic unit from Park Flyer Plastics. The dressed-up Ultra Micro P-51 looks sharp.

Bob Aberle Continues to Design

MA columnist and technical editor Bob Aberle is a prolific model airplane designer and builder. One of his latest offerings is a reduced-size, 100-square-inch version of the Kiel Kraft Outlaw. The model has a flying weight of 5.1 ounces and is powered by an E-flite Park 180 motor with a 2-cell 450 mAh LiPo battery pack. Bob reduced the size and converted the gear to a taildragger layout instead of the original tricycle gear. He reports that the model is a nice flier. Full-size plans are available by subscribing to RC Micro World.

Carl Hock’s 1961 Septalette

In the October 2012 column, photos from the 2012 Small Model Airplane Lovers' League (SMALL) event included Carl Hock and his two Septalette models. The design first appeared in a 1961 issue of Grid Leaks. The original was for 1/2A glow power and single-channel radios. Carl redrew the plans in CAD for both glow and electric power, with control supplied by modern multichannel radios.

Both updated plans are available for free download from the author’s website. See the Sources section for the link to the downloadable plans.

This concludes the column. As always, let me know what you are doing in the world of small-field flying.

Sources

Contact

Paul Bradley 10201 Scarlett Oak Dr. Independence, KY 41051 [email protected] www.parmodels.com

Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.