Worth a Closer Look
Tiger 400 ARF
The Tiger 400 ARF is Carl Goldberg Products' airplane for the pilot who is ready for a step above electric trainers. Shrinking the larger Tiger 2's low-wing tail-dragger configuration, the Tiger 400's long tail moment, shallow dihedral, and clean airfoil make for a smooth aerobatic model. Loops and rolls are clean and precise, and inverted flight is easy and stable.
The kit includes a complete hardware package:
- Propeller
- Spinner
- Wheels
- 400-size motor
- Gear drive
The Tiger 400 is preassembled from machined and laser-cut wood and comes precovered. Its built-up wing and fuselage help keep it lightweight for longer flights and better performance.
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 39 inches
- Wing area: 297 square inches
- Ready-to-fly weight: 500 grams
Requires a battery pack and a four-channel radio system with four microservos.
Retail price: $99.99
Carl Goldberg Products Box 818, Oakwood, GA 30566 Tel.: (678) 450-0085 Web site: www.carlgoldbergproducts.com
Fuji BT-64EI Engine
With its electronic ignition system, Fuji developed the BT-64EI with an Automatic Timing Module (ATM) and a spring starter — an important consideration for weight-conscious fliers.
The ATM controller box is vibrationproof and moistureproof. The BT-64EI includes:
- Walbro carburetor
- Direct linkage throttle setup
- Insulating plate
- Regulating pump
- Champion spark plug
Specifications:
- Weight (with muffler): 4.74 lb
- Displacement: 63.1 cc
- Practical rpm range: 1,300–7,200 rpm
- Horsepower: 5.7 hp at 9,000 rpm
Street price: $539.99
Great Planes Model Distributors Box 9021, Champaign, IL 61826 Tel.: (800) 682-8948 Web site: www.fujiengines.com
BVM Bombs and EZ-DROP System
Delivering an inert weapon (practice bomb) on a simulated ground target from a high-angle dive can be challenging and great fun, especially if you are competing against your buddies for accuracy. Dropping bombs has been done in Scale competition to some degree, but by relatively few RC pilots.
Bob Violett Models developed components to make bomb dropping accessible: inexpensive, repairable, and easy to install and use. The company offers a complete "bomb for fun" system. (These are not pyrotechnic devices.)
Bomb kit details:
- Construction: vacuum-formed halves with a balsa keel and formers, laser-cut Poly Ply tail fins, and a foam-filled nose cone
- Size: 2.5 inches in diameter, 11 inches long
- Weight: 2.5 ounces each
- Durability: Can survive a 150+ mph impact on hard turf (not pavement); typically only paint scratches after many practice drops
- Assembly time: About 30 minutes per bomb (paint optional)
- Recommended paint: Tamiya dark-green colors; primer aft section and fluorescent orange/red/yellow nose for visibility
Pylons and release system:
- Many BVM jets have pylon kits available that include the air-operated EZ-DROP bomb-release mechanism
- BVM offers a quick-to-assemble pair of pylons for the KingCat (no paint required); these sizes may be adaptable to other models
Notes:
- Intended for fairly experienced pilots
- Be careful where you drop the bombs; they are lightweight and use a rubber stopper to blunt off-target impacts
- Extra rubber stoppers are available
Prices:
- Bomb kit (pair): $52.95
- Complete KingCat pylon package (includes EZ-DROPs, air valves with a laser-cut servo mount, pylons with all hardware): $148.50
- Expandable foam (required for bomb noses), 16 oz: $12.30
Bob Violett Models, Inc. 3481 SR 419, Winter Springs, FL 32708 Tel.: (407) 327-6333 Web site: www.bvmjets.com
Li'l Rascal ARF
Sig's new Li'l Rascal ARF takes park flying to a whole new level. With a tiny 29.75-inch wingspan and a Speed 180 geared electric motor, this model is compact enough to take when you have a minute or two — lunchtime, a coffee break, or early morning — to squeeze in a quick flight.
The Li'l Rascal builds fast — in as few as two to three hours — thanks to a low parts count, a one-piece preassembled wing, and a factory-installed motor/gearbox. The sturdy all-balsa/plywood construction makes it light yet capable of handling rough landings. This built-up wood construction is hand-assembled and comes precovered with iron-on Oracover in Sig's classic Rascal motif, available in red/white and blue/white.
Flight characteristics:
- Suitable for small areas and moderate wind conditions
- Full aerobatic maneuvers (loops, barrel rolls, etc.) possible with typical rudder/elevator inputs
- Extremely stable and easy to fly
- Typical run times: 10 minutes or longer with good throttle management; at least six minutes of spirited flight is typical
Specifications:
- Wing area: 134 square inches
- Flying weight: 8.5–9.5 ounces (depending on battery choice); test model weighed 8.9 ounces
- Power: Included Speed 180 motor with 2.9:1 gearbox
To finish the kit you will need:
- Cyanoacrylate (CA) glue
- Seven-cell battery (300 mAh NiMH recommended)
- Typical three-channel micro radio system with two microservos
- Note: A GWS Nano system was used with the review model
Street price: $153.99
Sig Manufacturing Co., Inc. Box 520, Montezuma, IA 50171 Tel.: (641) 623-0215 Web site: www.sigmfg.com
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
