Innehållsförteckning för January 2023 från Model Airplane News

SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS In this issue we take a close look at a detailed scale model of the plane made famous by Charles Lindbergh. The full-size, high-wing monoplane hangs from the Smithsonian’s ceiling in Washington, D.C. The builder, Chris Beehler, was allowed to view the original full-size plane up close when it was lowered from the ceiling for cleaning. Talk about “Lucky Lindy,” we think Chris is pretty lucky, too! Built from famed designer Nick Ziroli plans, this beauty is powered by a nine-cylinder radial engine and has details all the way down to its scale inclinometer! BUILDERS’ SPECIAL ISSUE For almost a century (94 years and counting!), Model Airplane News has supplied builders and pilots with top-quality construction plans. Interested in building a sport aerobat or a scale…

Looking at the real Midget Mustang, or more accurately, the Long Midget, would lead you to think that it was a rather contemporary design say, 15 or so years old. It’s lean, trim, and slippery like a “personal” airplane should be with all metal construction and very quick on relatively low horsepower. Fact is that the original was designed and built nearly 75 years ago, in 1948 by David Long, a Piper Design Engineer. Long modified his airplane, originally named “P-Shooter,” and cleaned it up with a new canopy and wheel pants and renamed it “Midget Mustang.” It was raced frequently in the early ’50s, and its Continental C85 could propel it comfortably, if not always competitively! Over the years the design has been revised, and various people/companies have tried…

The Tomahawk Aviation Futura 2.5-meter turbine jet is one of the smoothest, fastest sport jets I’ve ever had the chance to fly. It was designed by an aeronautical engineer who works for British Aerospace, and I was honored to be asked to fly one because it’s way out of my price range (and it burns close to 5 gallons of fuel per flight!). Lucky for the rest of us, FMS has a licensed copy that they released as an 80mm electric ducted fan (EDF) model at a much more modest price point. Constructed of injection-molded EPO foam, it’s painted in a nicely contrasting color scheme, similar to what is available on the larger turbine version. Molded plastic parts are used generously where additional strength is desired. The Futura I received…

Keith Davis of Fenderbean R/C brought this beautiful F-14 Tomcat. Keith’s 100-inch-long Cat is built from a Sky Master ARF and has a 105-inch wingspan when the wings are swept forward for takeoff and landing. Keith is the North America dealer for Xicoy turbines, and the Tomcat uses a pair of Xicoy 180s that are derated to 166 newtons. As you would imagine on an aircraft such as this, the radio setup is extremely complicated. Keith uses a Futaba 18MZradio system and S.Bus servos. The flexibility of programmable S.Bus servos is what makes his setup possible with the number of channels he has. I have to think that the hardest part of flying this beast is getting the courage to flip the switch to fold back the wings and watch…

P-38 LIGHTNING Randy Johnston, Timnath, Colorado Randy scratch-built this gorgeous P-38 using Ziroli plans. He finished it in the “Scat III” scheme that was flown by Lt. Robin Olds during WW II in the European theater and included the appropriate invasion stripes. Lt. Olds was a triple ace, achieving 17 aerial victories. Randy finished his model using Warbird Colors paints and Callie Graphics markings. The 114-inch-span Lightning weighs in at 40 pounds. A pair of Desert Aircraft 60cc engines provides power and the landing gear and brakes are from Sierra Giant Scale. Randy says he spent three years building the model that became his “COVID project.” CESSNA 337 SKYMASTER HYBRID Bob Shadroui, Pinellas Park, Florida Bob’s Skymaster is an ARF from Seagull Models. The Skymaster is one of a few…

Finding a LiPo battery for your RC plane or heli can be daunting. Everyone wants a battery that not only lasts but has great performance. I recently tested Liperior batteries from a relatively new company, RCBattery.com, that I believe use the latest technology at a reasonable price. I tested a 4S 2200mAh 60C, 4S 2200mAh Pro 75C, 5S 4000mAh 40C, 6S 2200mAh 45C, and 6S 5000mAh 65C packs. These batteries included either an XT60 or and XT90 connector and cost from $24 to $75. I used a variety of planes and helicopters to test them out. I am pretty hard on LiPo packs, and I expect quite a bit out of them regardless of the cost. When you first pull out the Liperior LiPos from the packaging, they look fantastic.…

One of the most iconic aircraft of all time, Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis resides in the Smithsonian, hanging from the ceiling in the place of honor called the Milestones of Flight gallery. Custom-built by Ryan Aircraft Company, it is officially known as the Ryan NYP (New York to Paris). The nickname “Spirit of St. Louis” was derived from Lindbergh’s financial backers at the St. Louis Racquet Club in his then hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. Most aviation enthusiasts probably know that on May 20th, 1927, Lindbergh took off from Garden City on Long Island, New York and flew 33 ½ hours solo across the Atlantic, landing in Paris, France—the first nonstop solo flight across the ocean. Chris Beehler of Long Valley, New Jersey, built a beautiful recreation of…

I’ve seen this young man flying the snot out of his JMP Jets composite Viper Jet. This is Maddox Bradford from Acworth, Georgia and at only 13 years old, he is quickly becoming a rather accomplished pilot. I sat down and spoke with him and found out he’s all about RC, especially jets, and he intends to pursue a career in aviation maintenance. I happen to know that my experience modeling directly contributed to my success in the Navy as an Aviation Electronics Technician. Like most of the youngsters we meet at events, Maddox is well-spoken, smart and a great pilot; he makes me think the future of aviation is going to be in good hands. Embry-Riddle would be proud to have this young man.…

MANAGE BATTERY STRAPS The Velcro straps that hold batteries in place in foam models often get twisted and tangled together. To fix this, cut small pieces of Velcro and attach it the sides of the fuselage aligned with the battery straps. When you unstrap the battery, simply attach each battery strap to the Velcro you attached to the fuselage. This will keep the straps open and ready to install the next battery without the aggravation of the straps getting tied together before the battery is inserted. Mark Radcliff, St. Mary’s, West Virginia KEEP IT STILL Dive weight bags are available at dive shops and online sources in several sizes. I find that the 1, 2, and 5-pound bags sizes are the most useful. They conform to any surface, so they…

I designed the Midget Mustang because I heard one of the local clubs was racing .25-powered models and I dropped in to check out the activity. Interestingly enough, the two models that seemed to dominate the pits were two of my old designs kitted by House of Balsa: the T-6 Texan and P-51 Mustang. Flattered by the popularity of the designs, I started thinking, ”How about a .25 powered model of an actual Goodyear/Midget class racer? Maybe a Minnow, Shoestring, Rivets, or Midget Mustang? That’s it, a Midget Mustang!” I fondly remembered building a Monogram kit as a kid, converting it to control-line, and stuffing a Cox .020 in the nose. Never flew it though; too pretty, too much time invested, too few flying skills! My files yielded a fairly…

LiPo batteries power everything from diminutive ultra-micro airplanes to massive electric ducted-fan jets and giant-scale helicopters, but are you giving our packs the love they deserve? A few simple steps will get the best performance out of your battery packs while ensuring they last as long as possible. Considering the investment most of us have in batteries, it’s worth knowing how to make them endure. WHAT’S IN A C RATING? Before we get into specifics, let’s discuss C-ratings for a moment. A C-rating is an expression of battery capacity or some factor thereof. A 5,000mAh battery that is rated at 50C can theoretically sustain a discharge rate of 250 amps (5000 x 50 = 250,000/1,000). C-rating is essentially a measure of the internal resistance of the battery; exceed that rating…

Greg Alderman of Daleville, Indiana brought his new T-One Models A-10. The big Warthog is 1/7 scale and is powered by a pair of Jet Central Rabbit (100-newton) engines, each producing 22 pounds of thrust. The engines seem to be a perfect match because the plane has plenty of power yet looks and sounds very scale. Greg’s A-10 is 90-inches long and has a wingspan of 99-inches and is flown with a Jeti DS-24 radio system.…