Desperado
An unusual RC model - no question - but it's an excellent flier as those several who have built and flown it will attest, possessing neutral stability that is sought by experienced pilots. For .19 - .40 engines. Many of you know, especially those who have built and flown Simitars and Astrons, that it has been my practice to avoid conventional aircraft. The Astron .40 project (November 1978 RCM) could be recognized as the X-Wing fighter right out of "Star Wars." It was different, and it was a whole lot of fun. It was natural that the follow-on "Battle Star Galactica" Viper-type craft would be very interesting. The Desperado is the result.
Simitar XV
THOUGH there are many "real neat" looking aircraft with eye appeal, the flying wing undoubtedly creates the greatest fascination and attention. I am sure of this because what happens at the flying field goes like this: When you arrive at the field the pits are bustling with normal activities related to flying conventional ships. Spectators are sitting in cars paying casual attention to flight activities and stirring a bit in the event of a good crash! However, when you crank up and take off your flying wing, other fliers come over and truthfully say "I never thought it would fly!" The spectators react by getting out of their comfortable seats, paying very close attention and comment with disbelief and wonderment.
Firewall Finesse
Most fiberglass fuselages come either with the firewall installed or with the installation left to the builder. Pre-installed firewalls may require blocking or shimming to provide proper spacing between the spinner and fuselage. A fuselage that comes without the firewall in place can easily be adapted to fit your engine if you use a technique that will assure proper alignment. Here's how.
Dirt Stripper
This RC sport job with three-channel control, for rudder, elevator, and engine, operates nicely out of rougher-than-normal flying fields. With .19 power, it has lively performance; with a .40 it's a hot-dogger.
Ghoulies and Beasties
HISTORY was made when the second annual International Modeler Show, held at the Pasadena Center in Pasadena, CA, on January 6th and 7th 1979, played host to the first Indoor RC contest. Many different types of models were flown; most by electric power, some by CO2, one by rubber power. There were blimps, winged aircraft, and one entry that was a combination of both. There were four categories of competition: Electric, CO2, Rubber and Lighter Than Air (electric). Duration was judged in the first three and distance for the fourth category. All aircraft were required to have a wing loading of less than 4 oz. (sq. ft.) and all fliers were required to demonstrate flying proficiency on January 4th to qualify for flying at the show on the 6th and 7th. The photos show the majority of aircraft flown in this first contest of its kind. Practically all entries flew successfully, which indicates that many design approaches are possible. Furthermore, all used off-the-shelf stock items (motors, batteries, etc.), which means that the success can be duplicated by many other modelers. Therefore, the stage is set for a whole new area of model flying to open up.
