Indholdsfortegnelse for March 2022 i Model Airplane News

FIRST-CLASS FLIERS It’s hard to believe, but Gerry Yarrish and I have a combined 60+ years as Model Airplane News editors. That’s a long time! Over the past three decades, we have seen some remarkable works of RC modeling art. In this issue, we decided to feature six of the very best scale warbirds we have come across. Th is was no small task! Needless to say, we’ve seen a lot of amazing scale RC fighters and bombers. So after a fair amount of research and deliberation, we made our picks based on ultra-high craftsmanship, attention to detail, and historical accuracy. We hope you enjoy our picks as much as we enjoyed picking them out. These aircraft—and their builders—are truly first class! LIFTOFF: HOW TO’S FOR BEGINNERS AND PROS In…

After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, from November 18 to 21, 2021 the Brazilian Air Model Confederation held its Scale Championship event. With 75 registered pilots in 11 classes, it was the biggest turnout of all time. In fact, it was a huge comeback for us after a long time, to celebrate above all, life. The host club, the Limeira Air Modelers Association, did a wonderful job. Our Scale Championship mimics Top Gun rules, with some small variations, especially on static judging. This is under development and some changes are expected for next year. This year we used FAI format for F4H and F4C and held Master, Pro, Sport Heli, Sport Prop, and Sport Jet in Top Gun-like format. Competition was fierce, and the 20- to 25-knot winds…

Almost everyone’s first trainer had only one servo that was attached to both ailerons. As model designs progressed, we started flying sport airplanes that had two aileron servos (one servo per control surface). Many people use a Y-harness to connect the aileron servos to the receiver plugged into the receiver’s aileron port. While this works great for smaller models, it’s not recommended for giant-scale aircraft. In fact, I would not recommend using Y-harnesses on any model larger than a .40-size glow airplane, and the reason is quite simple: when flying aerobatics, your airplane may not roll axially when aileron input is applied. If this is the case, aileron differential is needed and you can’t adjust the throws of Y-harnessed servos separately. For differential control throw, the aileron that goes up…

Weighing in at 65 pounds, Mike’s 1/9-scale B-17 was built from a WingSpan kit. An impressive project, it has a wingspan of 138 inches, and the fuselage is 99 inches long. Electric-powered, the model is equipped with four Hacker A60 electric motors and speed controls, along with four Thunder Power 4S 7700mAh LiPo batteries in two 8S circuits. Each circuit draws about 5500 watts at full throttle and turns a Master Airscrew 16x10 3-blade propeller. Using traditional wood construction, Mike’s Flying Fortress required 6,000 man-hours (over a five year period) to complete. It is finished with fiberglass and resin with some 250,000(!) rub-on rivets and fasteners applied to its surface. The B-17 features independent brakes and differential motor thrust to better contend with windy conditions.…

No stranger to scale competition, Dave Wigley designed and built a 1/5-scale Westland Wyvern from his own design and it was published in Model Airplane News as a construction article (plan X0508A). Featuring traditional balsa and plywood construction, Dave’s Wyvern has a fiberglass and resin finish and is powered by a modified BME 100cc gas engine with a custom-made prop extension. The power system spins a Mejzlik 24x12 3-blade prop, and a second freewheeling propeller attached to the engine spins in the airflow. Entered in the 2019 Masters Class, the 100-inch-span warbird earned 98.333 points from the static judges, and Dave flew it using his Spektrum DX18 to first place in the class. Dave also won the coveted Mr. Top Gun title with this aircraft from 2010 to 2012.…

If you’re new to model airplanes, there are some basic terms and definitions you need to know. The three main assemblies are: the fuselage, the wing, and the tail components. THE WING The wing produces lift and it consists of several parts and subassemblies. These parts include: Leading edge (LE): The very front edge of the wing. It is rounded to allow the air to flow easily over both the top and bottom surfaces. Trailing edge (TE): The tapered, mostaft edge of the wing. It is much more shapely and smaller than the leading edge to help the air passing over and under the wing to come back together with a minimum of drag or turbulence. Ribs: In wooden built-up airplanes, ribs give the wing its cross-section shape. This shape…

SHOWCASING WHAT YOU BUILD & FLY | EMAIL ENTRIES TO: MAN@AIRAGE.COM PILOT PROJECT OF THE MONTH Built from the Balsa USA kit, this 1/4-scale triplane is covered in Solartex with Rustoleum paint and Callie Graphics vinyl markings. It’s powered by a Zenoah G-26 and Xoar Axial 18x6 prop and has functional pull-pull controls on the tail and faux cables on the top wing. It also has a functional spring-loaded tail skid and bungee suspension on the main gear. It’s finished with an Aces of Iron pilot and Balsa USA gun kit. Matt notes that the plane has a FRSky redundancy bus with two A123 batteries, two switches, dual receivers, and a Tech-Aero IBEC on the ignition—a setup that has been reliable in all his large gas models. FIRECRACKER TJ Vieira,…

Designed in the late 1980s by Walter Extra, the Extra 300 series of airplanes allowed U.S. pilots to finally be competitive in international unlimited aerobatic competition. The 300 series was a follow-up to the popular Extra 260, featuring more horsepower and a lighter airframe using composite construction techniques. The Extra 330 features a wider chord rudder and larger elevator than the original Extra 300 for increased aerobatic performance and a more powerful Lycoming engine that increased the output to 330 HP. The Extra 330 with its near fighter plane performance is rated for a whopping 10Gs! Designed for both precision aerobatics and 3D throw-down style flying, the Seagull Extra 330LX is a fully built-up model featuring balsa wood and light-ply construction. The Version 2 release bolsters critical areas by reenforcing…

The 2019 winner of the coveted Mr. Top Gun title, Peter Goldsmith placed first in the Expert class with his BAE Hawk 100. Built from a Tomahawk Aviation composite kit, the static judges awarded Peter’s BAE Hawk a near perfect score of 99 points, earning him the High Static award for the class. The huge all-composite BAE Hawk has a span of 112.2 inches and is 145.67 inches long. Peter powers his amazing jet with a KingTech 210 turbine engine and controls it with his Spektrum DX20, Spektrum PowerSafe receiver, and Spektrum 6300 servos. Beautifully detailed and weathered, the Hawk 100 weighs 48.2 pounds and is painted in the color scheme of Hawk Mk 127 from the No. 76 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force.…

Placing second in the 2012 Team Scale Class at Top Gun, Mike Selby also earned the High Static award with a score of 99.423 for the class. Mike chose to build the Grumman A-6 Intruder because it formed the backbone of the U.S. Navy’s interdiction/attack missions and was a key player during the Vietnam era. From a proportion and planform standpoint, the A-6 makes a near perfect RC model, and Mike fabricated all the molds, formed all the composite parts and built nearly everything else for his 1/5-scale jet. With a 10-foot-span, Mike powered his 55-pound A-6E with a single B300F turbine, which seemed just about perfect for scale performance. Mike’s Intruder showed a level of realistic skin representation that you would be hard pressed to tell from the real…

Many model trainer airplanes are easy to build and fly, and they afford a great opportunity to get into the RC hobby. Instead of spending weeks or months assembling your first plane, you’ll be able to get into the air in an hour or less! Today’s trainers are so stable and easy to fly that with just a little help from an experienced RC pilot, you’ll be able to solo very quickly. But before you buy your first plane and head to the flying field, here’s some must-know info to help prepare you to earn your RC wings.…

Over the years, we’ve received a lot of questions on how to perform snap rolls. Often, newcomers confuse the upright snap roll with the control inputs for some very similar maneuvers, which I will discuss later on in this column. After reading this article, not only will you have a better idea of how to perform this aerobatic move, but you’ll also know how to set up your model using a computer radio. Let’s get down to business! FIRST THINGS FIRST I can’t stress enough that your success in properly performing this maneuver relies not only on your flying skills, but also on your aircraft’s setup. To fly a snap roll, you do not need to have 40-degree control surface deflection on all surfaces. While the control throws that are…

If you are serious about the hardware you use with your RC aircraft, Sullivan Products is the place to go. I have used Gold-N-Clevises for many years and have never had one fail. These tempered steel clevises are the strongest I have found and they are manufactured with precision threads. They also feature an interlocking collar, welded, and a steel retaining clip to prevent accidental opening. Designed for all sizes of RC aircraft, they are available in 2-56, 4-40, 2mm and 3mm thread sizes, and they also come brass or tin plated for easy soldering. Shown here are the S528 4-40 clevises and retaining clips priced at $12.78 (bulk 12 pack), and the S524 Clevis Tool ($3.07), available separately. (Retaining clips also available separately.) Sullivan also has other items in…

One of the great features that make giant-scale airplanes so popular is the bulletproof, user-friendly nature of the Walbro carburetors that most gas engines are equipped with. Once a gas engine is adjusted, its carburetor won’t need to be tweaked further for most of, if not the entire, flying season. However, to maintain optimum engine operation, you should do some basic engine maintenance and cleaning. There are a few things that can affect the performance of your Walbro carburetor and these include dirty unfiltered fuel, debris ingested at the flying field, and water, which can cause internal corrosion. No matter the cause, whenever you see obvious dirt or mud in your carburetor or if you notice a distinct decline in your engine’s performance, the first thing you should do is…

A very impressive performer, Mike Fetyko has flown his beautifully detailed Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bomber at Pacific Aviation Museum’s annual Biggest Little Airshow in Hawaii, on Ford Island in Pearl Harbor, as well as at Top Gun. Built from Jerry Bates plans, Michael’s 1/4-scale dive bomber has a 124-inch wingspan, is 100 inches long and weighs in at 90 pounds. Powered by a Moki 300cc radial gas engine turning a 32x18 propeller, the Dauntless is equipped with Scale Sierra retractable landing gear, has a detailed cockpit interior using Dynamic Balsa parts and is controlled by a Futaba 18MZ radio system. The Dauntless features dive flaps and spoilers and multiple functional bomb drop mechanisms.…

Talk about realism! You simply can’t tell whether this is an RC model or a full-size jet. Here you see Graeme Mears’ F-16C Aggressor landing on the Lakeland Linder Airport taxiway. Graeme won first place in the 2010 Team Scale Class as well as the High Static Score for the class. Built from a ScaleJet.com kit, Graeme’s 1⁄5-scale F-16C is dressed out in an Aggressor paint scheme and he powered his jet with a powerful AMT Olympus turbine engine. His Fighting Falcon/Viper spans 80 inches and weighs in at 58 pounds without fuel load. Graeme’s F-16C is the third Falcon he has built and it’s completely detailed inside and out. To push it over the top, Graeme included two functional (and programmable) display screens inside the cockpit. The radar screen…

When you’re learning to fly, you can’t go wrong with a tricycle gear (nose-wheel-equipped) high-wing model. Many trainers are even equipped with flight stabilization, which helps to “smooth” the plane’s flight—even in light winds!—and help with takeoffs and landings. There are many well-designed, easy-to-build and easy-to-fly model airplanes from which to choose. Consider your personal preferences and skill level before purchasing your first model. There’s an old saying that goes, “To be a winner, do as winners do.” Check with your local fliers and find out what models they started with. READY TO FLY Ready-to-fly (RTF) models are just that: aircraft that come with everything needed to get in the air, from the plane to the radio to the battery and even a charger. These planes usually come with their…

Every September on the weekend after Labor Day, the Mid-Hudson Radio Control Society hosts their annual WW I Jamboree at the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome near Red Hook and Kingston, New York. For decades, this event has drawn contestants from around the country and from Canada, with many supporters from the Kingston Radio Control Modellers in Ontario, Canada. Unfortunately, for past two years Canadians have been unable to attend the Jamboree due to international COVID-19 restrictions. With the U.S. border still closed this past September, our club decided to host its own WW I Jamboree event at our club field. “Rhinebeck North” follows the same format as the original Rhinebeck WW I RC Jamboree along with plenty of open flying for scale and semi-scale WW I vintage models as well as…