Indholdsfortegnelse for September/October 2025 i Model Airplane News

Gear Guide: Time to Make Room in Your Hangar! Let’s face it—RC pilots are equal parts aviator and collector. One plane? That’s just a warm-up. Whether it’s chasing speed with the latest jet, weathering a vintage warbird, or tricking out a sport plane with floats, there’s always room for one more. And the real fun? Picking out all the goodies to go with it—motors, servos, batteries, transmitters … yes, please! Of course, our obsession doesn’t stop with the planes: chargers, tools, spare parts, and batteries turn every hobby room into a miniature aviation command center. The RC pilot motto? Fly it, tweak it, upgrade it, repeat! That’s where this handy gear guide comes in. We’ve sorted the best gear picks by airplane type: scale planes, jets, good ol’ classic kits,…

Dayton, Ohio is the home of the sprawling Museum of the United States Air Force—a mecca for aviation enthusiasts. The museum opens its doors to nearly a million visitors per year. This venue has been used for numerous RC events in the past, and Michael Kranitz thought the time was ripe for a premier scale helicopter event on the premises. His vision was to draw together members of the hobby, the full-scale helicopter industry, and the museum visiting public on a grand scale. Enter HeliStorm! ON THE FLIGHTLINE The first ever iteration of HeliStorm drew over 100 pilot registrations with more than 150 scale helicopters, many of which were of the large and impressive variety. The quality and workmanship of these machines would not be out of place on a…

Hangar 9 OV-10 Bronco As a scaled-down but still giant-scale alternative to Hangar 9’s popular 30cc version, this 20cc model has a wingspan of 84 inches. This ARF is compatible with popular 20cc gas engines and equivalent electric power systems to make it more practical and affordable for a wider range of pilots to own and fly. It even comes with retractable landing gear! And how cool is the CAL FIRE paint scheme? ChiefAircraft.com $1,700 Seagull Models Bowers Fly Baby Bursting with character and scale details, this 69-inch version of the ’60s homebuilt icon is sure to turn heads on the flightline. Designed for gas, glow or electric power, the Fly Baby makes for the perfect introduction to scale flying. This built-up ARF comes with a fixed undercarriage, a big…

Brodak Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a Scout This large but lightweight park flyer is a 1/6.4-scale stunner featuring a 50-inch wingspan and an overall length of 40 1/8 inches. This kit includes laser-cut parts from contest balsa and ply, full-size plans, instructions, pre-bent wire components, pre-cut metal tubes for the removable wings for easy transport, vac-formed wheel covers, and best of all, a photo disc with assembly photos of the prototype. With a wing loading of just 5 ounces per square foot, it’s a very stable flier. The model requires a 450 brushless outrunner power system and radio gear. Brodak.com $200 Old School Model Works Barracuda Designed around the current E2K grassroots club racing rules, the 3-channel Barracuda also makes a fantastic everyday sport plane with its wide flight envelope. Innovative…

BadAss Brushless Motors Built from the finest materials available, BadAss carries a full range of brushless motors for your next RC project. These electric motors have set the industry standard for power, quality and performance that discerning modelers will appreciate. These premium-grade motors will bring out the full flying potential of any model aircraft! Innov8tiveDesigns.com $30 to $300 BadAss Electric Props These wood props are designed specifically for use with electric power systems. They are lightweight, provide efficient performance, and look great on the front of any aircraft! Props all the way up to 30 inches are available. Innov8tiveDesigns.com $6 to $70 BadAss LiPos BadAss has added 35C and 45C constant-rated 7000 and 9000mAh packs to their already extensive LiPo lineup. BadAss premium-grade batteries have real capacities, true C-ratings, and…

So, you think you're an RC airplane pro? Well, let’s find out! This totally unscientific, yet highly accurate, skill assessment will determine where you stand in the RC airplane universe. Simply add up your points as you go, and we’ll tell you exactly how much of a legend (or newbie) you are. You’ve bought your first RC plane +1 points Your plane is currently held together with more glue than actual foam +1 point You’ve run after a flyaway plane like it’s your lost dog +1 point You’ve flown in moderate wind without your plane doing cartwheels +3 point You can take off and land without a heart attack +3 points You’ve convinced your family that RC flying is a “cheap” hobby +4 points You’ve tried an aerobatic maneuver on…

F5F HELLCAT Lou DiMarco, Lancaster, Pennsylvania This model started life as a Hangar 9 ARF with a full makeover inspired by a F6F on display at the Naval Air Station Museum in Cape May, New Jersey. Lou cut flaps into the wing, added scale wheels and tires and a scratch-built cockpit with seat belts and a pilot figure. After sanding the UltraCote, Lou added multiple coats of paint and weathering. Panel lines using a silver Sharpie pen and canopy glue rivets are the finishing touches. The result is stunning! 1/2A FANTRAINER Carlos Forero, Bogota, Columbia We love it when our readers submit models built from our articles and plans, and this was Inspired by a MAN article from 1990. Carlos built the Fantrainer with the suggested Cox .051 glow engine…

E-flite Turbo Timber SWS 2.0m BNF Basic E-flite Timber models have become some of the most popular and best-selling RC aircraft of all time. Known for their friendly handling, STOL capabilities, and sporty flight performance, they’re some of the best all-around fun-to-fly models for a wide range of pilots. This BNF Basic version is equipped with six factory-installed servos, a 4S to 6S compatible Spektrum Avian motor and Smart ESC, plus an 8-channel receiver with AS3X and SAFE Select technologies. ChiefAircraft.com $900 Seagull Models Magic Bird EF1 Racer Experience high-speed electric excitement with the 46-inch-span Magic Bird EF1 Racer 40E PNP! Designed for EF1-class pylon racing competitions, this fully built-up, versatile aircraft also excels at sport aerobatics. Assembly is easy and requires no glue, and an electric power system and…

Callie Graphics Decals & Stencils Get graphics and stencils for just about every warbird, bomber, fighter jet, and civilian aircraft out there. Don’t see what you’re looking for? Then contact Callie for custom work. Shown is the P-38 “Thoughts of Midnight Graphics Set,” but there are more than 30 high-quality sets available just for P-38s! This is why the pros turn to Callie Graphics to make their RC airplane standout on the flightline. Callie-Graphics.com Prices vary Du-Bro Low Bounce Tires Over the years, more of these low-bounce captive air wheels have flown than any other wheels on the market! The wall thickness is consistent throughout the wheel, giving you a balanced tire. They come with sporty nylon metallic hubs and work well on grass and paved runways. Available with 1/8-…

DRILLING VENT HOLES When assembling a built-up wood model, I find it helps to drill vent holes where iron-on covering is applied over a sealed assembly, such as control surfaces. This allows changes in temperature and pressure to equalize, and it minimizes bubbling of the iron-on film. This is especially helpful in the South during the warm summer months. Ben Fisher, Atlanta, Georgia MIX IT RIGHT I use small mixing cups to get the proper ratio when mixing two-part epoxy glue or paint, but the graduated markings on the cups can be hard to see. Simply use a fine-line Sharpie or similar and mark the cup, then put it on a light surface or a paper towel. The marks will show clearly and you can get your mix ratios correct!…

It starts innocently enough: just you and your first RC plane, flying loops, crashing a little, patching it up, and flying again. But then it happens: somehow one turns into two … then five … then 10. Suddenly, your garage looks like a miniature airbase. Jets? Yes. Warbirds? Absolutely. A float plane for that one weekend at the lake? Of course. And let’s not forget the gear! Each plane needs just the right motor, servos, batteries, and a transmitter that feels juuuust right. And the accessories? Oh, they multiply faster than you can say “fireproof LiPo charging box.” Chargers, batteries, tools, props, extra screws you’ll definitely lose—it’s all part of the fun! Enter the Model Airplane News annual Gear Guide. Whether you’re into EDF jets, trusty trainers, retro kits, or…

Pilot-RC Elster Jet FC1 3D This 2.2-meter performer features extremely lightweight, full composite construction especially designed for outstanding 3D performance. Field setup can be done in seconds, thanks to the quick releases on the wing halves and the single elevator bolt accessed from the side—no tools required! It’s intended for a 80-140N turbine for normal sport flying or a 160-180N turbine for 3D vector flight. BananaHobby.com $4,299 CARF-Models Viper Jet Mk II Now made in brand new molds, this improved version of the popular Viper Jet has a new, much more efficient and easier turbine installation, a shiny new Kevlar fuel tank, and gear mounts in the wings and fuselage that are perfectly adjusted to the optional Electron ER40 gear. Of course, just as always, it’s almost-ready-to fly and comes…

RC Flight School Training Manuals Have your flight skills stalled out? Pick up one of these training manuals! Each book in this series serves as a complete flight training system, with detailed illustrations and matching control stick positions to guide fliers step-by-step through each phase of becoming a better pilot. These guides will ensure that the habits learned during your simulator practice translate into greater success at the flying field! RCFlightSchool.com Prices start at $15 Aero-Pac Scale Documentation If you’re building a scale competition model (or just love making your model look like the real thing!), you need an Aero-Pac. Each set has all the documentation you’ll need to accurately reproduce that particular airframe’s details, right down to the rivets, panel lines, and screws. Close-up detail photos of nomenclature make…