Jackpot
It is one thing to test a model in isolation and get to know how it flies, but at a recent gathering of Bill Winter and his friends I was privileged to fly at least 15 different airplanes before taking Jackpot up, and this comparison might help you to prepare to fly this model. Even though we RCers fly our models through a control system which, unfortunately, does not provide sensory "feedback" from varying air pressures and perspectives from the cockpit, Jackpot provides strong feedback through its visual cues. Of all the models that I flew that day, Jackpot was the most rock-stable of all. It is a completely forgiving and insensitive airplane, just like a well-designed trainer, yet it provides a great platform from which to explore advanced areas of flight. If you can fly any trainer you can fly Jackpot, and Jackpot will do so much more.
Osprey
Osprey may look somewhat like a trainer in that it has a high wing and tricycle landing gear; it is a more efficient aircraft than your average model and therefore it requires some experience and skill to fly it to its fullest capability. Osprey is aerodynamically clean, hence it is faster than a trainer. It also has a higher lift-to-drag ratio than a typical model; for the inexperienced, that could lead to difficulty on landing. While the skill level required to fly Osprey with confidence is above novice and well into intermediate, if you are qualified the performance rewards are definitely there. Osprey is light on the touch and fully responsive. All standard maneuvers can be done. It is fully inverted rated, is capable of extended soaring, and its short coupling can remind one of birdlike efficency. We fly along a rolling ridge. With an upslope breeze Osprey is capable of extended flight. It is bouyant in the wind. In a gusty wind, Bill Winter has surfed the sky with this model.
Ascender
THE NAMESAKE of the Ascender is the World War II Curtiss canard experimental fighter - an exciting design that never made it to production. Understanding of tail-first design has come a long way since the unique Curtiss fighter, with the XB-70 Valkyrie, the SAAB jet fighters, and Rutan's work. The QED model design (March 1996 Model Aviation) proved that the canard configuration had much to offer in stability without giving up anything in performance. Bill Winter's first delta canard, the Javelin (September 1997 RC Modeler), was developed for me and the way I like to fly - fast. In becoming familiar with the superb low-speed characteristics of a delta-wing-plus-canard configuration through the Javelin, Bill designed a second delta canard for the way he flies: a model that has sport-type speed and good, solid handling characteristics.
Soft Touch
Have you wished for a big airplane, but put it off because of the perceived negatives? Big airplanes fly far better than smaller ones, but do they intimidate you? Have you been spending your time building that special Scale model, and not flying? And need to brush-up? Or do you have a big "hangar queen" that you fly sparingly for fear of damage? Do you want something simple, big, easier and safer to fly than Sunday trainers? If so, consider this prospectus for the Soft Touch:
Duster
Preliminary specifications were discussed for a new .40-powered model with outstanding low-speed characteristics, with flight characteristics similar to the designer's classic Rookie of the early 1960s. It seemed logical to couple the design parameters of the Rookie with the long-nosed styling of a crop duster-thus the Duster. This model does not "push the envelope" with brute power and speed. Duster combines the more-realistic side of model performance with above-average aerobatic capability. The flight-test series showed that the Duster met or exceeded the design expectations, with solid performance in the moderate-to-low velocity areas, while not compromising the top end.
