14 M ODEL AVIATION
Worth a Closer Look
In each installment of “Worth a Closer Look” we do our
best to bring you new and exciting products from our industry.
These write-ups are not press releases, but are actually
minireviews written by the Model Aviation staff. In each
instance the product or service is actually built, tested, flown,
used, etc. to give you a firsthand account of how it performs.
We have found some of these items on our own, but many
have been brought to our attention from outside sources. If you
have a product or service that you feel might be “worth a
closer look,” contact Model Aviation Aeromodeling Editor
Bob Hunt at (610) 614-1747, or send an E-mail to
[email protected].
Triton DC Peak Charger
Great Planes has a
new charger
marketed under
its ElectriFly
brand. As
do many
chargers,
the Triton
DC can
charge Ni-
Cds and
NiMH
batteries
with peakdetection
technology,
as well as discharge and cycle,
and features fully adjustable current
rates. But unlike other chargers, this unit can
handle up to 24 Ni-Cd and NiMH cell packs, can be used
with Lithium-Ion and lead-acid batteries, and much more!
The Triton works with anything from small park flyers to
large Scale Electrics, transmitter and receiver batteries, field
batteries, and even RC-car batteries. It can charge packs
consisting of one to 24 Ni-Cd or NiMH cells, one to four
Lithium-Ion cells, or six-, 12-, and 24-volt lead-acid batteries.
On the front panel is a large, two-line, 32-character LCD
(Liquid Crystal Display) screen that is easy to read and displays
a great deal of information that is designed for easy, logical
access.
Up to 10 different battery configurations can be stored for
instant, easy recall and charger setup. It also features adjustable
peak-detection sensitivity and recalls data for up to 10 full
cycles.
State-of-the-art programming combines simplicity and
sophistication; it’s super simple (especially with the dial
feature) to scroll through the menus.
An optional battery-temperature monitor allows modelers to
safely and accurately charge heat-sensitive Lithium-Ion and
NiMH batteries.
The Triton utilizes safety and protection features, including
visual and audible warning messages, overload and reverse
polarity protection, and more.
The ElectriFly Triton DC Peak Charger retails for $199.99.
Great Planes Model Distributors: Box 9021, Champaign IL
61826-9021; Tel.: (800) 682-8948; Web site:
www.electrifly.com
Roadkill Piper Cub
DJ Aerotech
has created a niche
in the backyardflyer
market with
its Roadkill
models. The
company just
introduced a new
addition: the Piper
J-3. The J-3 is a
profile/stand-off
scale design. All
parts are laser-cut
from high-quality
balsa. There are also a few plywood parts to add strength in critical
areas. All this gives you is a fast-building kit that flies quite well.
An experienced builder should be able to finish the J-3 in one
or two evenings. The kit comes complete with laser-cut wood
parts, pushrod linkages, landing-gear parts, and, most important,
an electric motor (with capacitor) and propeller. The builder need
only provide a radio, battery, Battery Eliminator Circuit/Electronic
Speed Control, glue, and a little time to build.
We have estimated the flying speed of these docile machines at
10-15 mph at half throttle. Using a NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride)
battery pack, you should easily have four- to eight-minute flying
sessions.
Piper J-3 specifications: wingspan, 29 inches; wing area, 121
square inches; and ready-to-fly weight, 3.5 ounces.
DJ Aerotech: 719 Fisk St., Piqua OH 45356; Tel.: (937) 773-
6772; Web site: www.djaerotech.com
Aerobird RTF
Building on the super-simple Flight-Track control system that
has introduced many to the world of Radio Control (RC) flying,
the HobbyZone Aerobird adds the ability to control pitch as well
as direction and power. This fully proportional three-channel
control system opens the door for all kinds of exciting new
maneuvers, such as steep turns and loops, and will pave the way
for making the transition to larger RC airplanes.
The Aerobird’s foam wing and molded fuselage can be
assembled in just a few minutes. Almost everything needed to get
the model in the air is included, such as a single-stick transmitter,
rechargeable battery pack, and a 120-volt DC fast charger which
plugs into your car’s 12-volt accessory jack. An easy-to-follow
manual and instructional video are included. All that’s needed is
eight AA batteries for the transmitter.
Aerobird specifications: wingspan, 42 inches; weight with
battery, 16.1 ounces; flight time, 15 minutes.
The Aerobird RTF has a street price of $179.99.
Horizon Hobby Distributors: 4105 Fieldstone Rd., Champaign
IL 61822; Tel.: (800) 338-4639; Web site: www.horizonhobby.com
January 2003 15
Evolution .45
The new Evolution .45 is more
than just another engine; it
incorporates an innovative
combination of propeller and
engine technology specifically
designed for the beginner.
Each Evolution engine is
test run and tuned at
the factory, so a novice
can easily get the
engine running right out
of the box. There’s no
break-in period and no fiddling with the
carburetor settings; just gas up and go.
The engine uses a specially designed,
three-blade propeller that provides superb climb
performance and slower level-flight speeds at high
power settings. It’s quieter too—nearly 4 db quieter
than a typical 10 x 6 two-blade propeller.
The carburetor settings are limited to prevent relatively new
pilots from making tuning mistakes. The rear needle valve provides
safe, easy adjustments, and the glow plug tilts away from the
propeller, making starts safer by canting the glow driver away from
the spinning propeller.
If that weren’t enough, the engine also has a unique crankshaft
flywheel that improves engine idle by preserving momentum at low
throttle settings.
The Evolution .45 has a street price of $79.99.
Horizon Hobby Distributors: 4105 Fieldstone Rd., Champaign
IL 61822; Tel.: (800) 338-4639; Web site: www.horizonhobby.com
Irvine .39 ABC Engines
If you
compare the
engine sizes
available today
to what was
considered
“standard” a
few years ago,
you’ll notice
that we
commonly fly
displacements
that were
unheard of
back then. For
instance, most
displacements
were in even
numbers such
as .20, .40,
.60, .90, etc.
Now it’s common to have a .36, a .46, a .48, or a .61.
Now Sig has a new displacement—the .39—to throw in the
mix. It has two new engines in its Irvine line: the .39 Aero ABC
and the .39 Heli ABC.
Normally when the displacement is increased, you gain a few
hundred rpm.
Using stateof-
the-art
engineering
and
metallurgy,
these new
.39s create
more power
than a
conventional
.40, yet they
have sizes
and weights
comparable
to some .30s.
The Aero
.39 tips the
horsepower scale at 1.3 bhp at 18,000 rpm and weighs only 13.5
ounces with muffler. The Heli .39 has even more horsepower
(1.4 bhp at 18,000 rpm), yet weighs less than 11 ounces ready to
mount in most 30-size helicopters. These numbers may not mean
much by themselves, but you’ll begin to see the difference if you
compare them to a typical .40 (1.2 bhp at 17,000 rpm, weighing
18.1 ounces with muffler).
Both .39s utilize an ABC piston/cylinder assembly, dual ball
bearings supporting the crankshaft, quick linear throttle
response, an easy-to-adjust twin needle carburetor, and a highly
effective twin-chamber muffler to keep noise levels down
(aircraft version).
If you’re needing a bit more power in your 30- to 40-size
airplane or helicopter, these Irvine engines might be the ticket.
The Aero .39 retails for $205.98, and the Heli .39 retails for
$290.98.
Sig Manufacturing Co., Inc.: Box 520, Montezuma IA 50171-
0520; Tel.: (641) 623-0215; Fax: (641) 623-3922; Web site:
www.sigmfg.com
Old Timer
Ahhh, the
good ol’ days of
carefree flying:
piloting a nofrills
styled
model that didn’t
cost an arm and a
leg to buy or
build. Just you
and your airplane
on a lazy afternoon.
If you remember what those days were all about and want to
recapture them, Great Planes has a new model that will take you
there: the Old Timer. It has a clean, nostalgic profile of sport kits
from the past but is upgraded with today’s technology.
The all-wood parts are CAD-designed to interlock precisely,
creating a strong, accurate airframe. The wing builds flat on the
board in three easy sections and then is assembled.
Because there are no ailerons, the Old Timer requires only three
radio channels. Its large dimensions make it easy to track in the
sky, and it is still small enough to fit into most automobiles for
transporting.
Stylish covers encase the wire landing gear to enhance the
airplane’s looks. The ABS wheel pants speed assembly by
eliminating tedious shaping work.
Old Timer specifications: wingspan, 73 inches; wing area, 735
square inches; and weight, 5-6 pounds. It has a street price of
$119.95.
Great Planes Model Distributors: Box 9021, Champaign IL
61826-9021; Tel.: (800) 682-8948; Web site: www.hobbico.com MA
