RC Sport Flyer Sept 2012 (Vol 17-07) by RC Flyer News

RC SPORT FLYER MAGAZINE

SEFF SUPPLEMENT INSIDE!

World’s Most In-Depth RC Aircraft Magazine

WE TAKE FLIGHT IN THE NEW HANGAR 9 CHRISTEN EAGLE II P 20+ EXCITING NEW PRODUCTS P ARCUS SAILPLANE REPORT

WE TAKE FLIGHT IN THE NEW CHRISTEN EAGLE II

SEPTEMBER 2012 VOLUME 17 ISSUE 07

20+ EXCITING NEW PRODUCTS

ARCUS SAILPLANE REPORT SEPTEMBER 2012

USA & CANADA $6.49

RC-SF.COM

LEARN HOW TO USE HITEC’S SERVO PROGRAMMER

TAKE OUR READERS’ SURVEY

Plus:

Making Molds Piper Pacer Plan Super Cub Build LIKE RC SPORT FLYER @ FACEBOOK

TRU spektrumrc.com

ÂŠ2012 Horizon Hobby, Inc. The Horizon Hobby logo is a trademark of Horizon Hobby, Inc. The Spektrum trademark is used with permission of Bachmann Industries, Inc. US 7,391,320. Other patents pending. 38263.1

UTH Some just can’t handle it.

The truth is:

It’s understandable. When you first hear everything it’s capable of, the Spektrum™ DX18 transmitter does sound a little too good to be true. But it isn’t.

– The DX18 does offer up to 18 fully-proportional channels. – The DX18 does not need extra equipment to work with receivers of more than 10 channels.

– The DX18 does let you adjust every parameter of every servo for all 18 channels. – The DX18 does have a built-in sequencer and servo balancer. – The DX18 does have world-class airplane, helicopter and sailplane software. – The DX18 will transform how you fly. Anyone who says otherwise is trying to sell you something else. Get to your nearest Spektrum retailer and see for yourself. The DX18 truly is everything we say it is and more.

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1.800.338.4639

SERIOUS FUN.™

IMPRESSIVE POWER

PEACE OF MIND

“Starts and idles like a dream. Throttle transitions are crisp and without hesitation. I think we have a winner here.” – Dino DiGiorgio, Top Gun Winner

ZPENGINES.COM

NEW ZP ELECTRONIC IGNITION ENGINES Dino DiGiorgio doesn’t build models. He builds masterpieces. For him, dependability and ease of use are as important as power when choosing an engine. That’s why he had no trouble trusting this beautiful Focke-Wulf to a new ZP Platinum 62cc engine. ZP engines are built using the same core components as the Zenoah™ magneto engines he and other scale masters have relied on for years.

HORIZON HOBBY

One of the best features of a ZP engine is one you won’t find in the box—the unbeatable service of Horizon Hobby product support. You’ll probably never need it, but knowing the best team of product support pros in the business has your back is just another reason ZP engines are one of the greatest values in RC.

What sets ZP engines apart is an advanced electronic ignition system that makes them incredibly easy to start and operate. It also eliminates the weight of magnetos and a bulky PTO shaft. This, along with their abundance of torque, is why ZP engines are able to deliver remarkable power-to-weight performance using a variety of props. The new era of gas engine simplicity and power is here. Get to ZPENGINES.COM right now to learn all about it.

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1.800.338.4639

© 2012 Horizon Hobby, Inc. The ZP logo and the Horizon Hobby logo are trademarks of Horizon Hobby, Inc. Zenoah is a registered trademark of Husqvarna Zenoah Co. Ltd. Corporation and is used with permission. 36550.1

SERIOUS FUN.™

Rob Caso gives you a step-by-step approach on how to make molds for scale airplanes. Pg 42.

Christen Eagle II ARF Test Report Page 84

RC SPORT FLYER â&#x20AC;&#x201D; SEPTEMBER 2012

See how to use the Hitec RCD HFP-25 servo programmer to make setting up your airplanes easier and faster. Pg 78.

DEPARTMENTS 10

LEADING EDGE

HOT PRODUCTS

104

ADVERTISER INDEX

105

MYSTERY AIRPLANE

BUILD

WORLD MODELS CUB Get the inside dope on how to hop up your 1/3-scale Cub for DA-100 2-cylinder-engine power. By James VanWinkle

WINGS, PART 5 See how Jeff puts the finishing touches on building his Super Sportster wings. By Jeff Troy

SCALE Learn how easy it is to make molds for scale parts in this step-by-step building article. By Rob Caso

SEPTEMBER 2012

PLAN

PIPER PACER Here is a 1/3-scale airplane that will make you want to start clearing your building bench immediately. By Wendell Hostetler

HOW TO

PIMP YOUR APPRENTICE If you want to change the look of your generic model, here is a way to make it stand out from the crowd. By Bob Mitchell

68 CARPET TAPE

Discover how many uses there are for carpet tape around your workbench and shop. By Jerry Smith

Get an inside look on why the TG-3A makes an excellent scale glider for aerotowing.

PG 58

FEATURE

ARCUS 20-M SAILPLANE Jochen explains why the new ARCUS sailplane is the new 20-M 2-place high performance sailplane. By Jochen Ewald SCHWEIZER TG-3A We give you an inside look at what it was like to build the Schweizer TG-3A scale glider. By Martin C. Zeller

HOP UP

HANGAR 9 EXTRA 300 This article provides the basics of how to convert this model from a 2-cylinder engine to a 4-cylinder. By Duane Sides

REVIEWS

HITEC HFP-25 We show you why this programmer simplifies transmitter setup. By Wil Byers

CHRISTEN EAGLE II See why Hangar 9â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new biplane is an attractive sport airplane. By Wil Byers

BP BATTERY CHARGERS Find out why these chargers may be a super buy for you. By James VanWinkle

SZD-45 OGAR Look at why this glider makes for some long and high flights. By Gene Cope

RC-SF.COM

Editor in Chief:

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Tara Swanson

wil@rc-sf.com assted@rc-sf.com

Bess Byers, Claire Schilperoort Don Porten

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RC Sport Flyer (ISSN: 1941-3467) is published monthly for $24.95 per year by Kiona Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 4250, W. Richland, WA 99353-4004. Periodicals postage paid at Richland, WA and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to RC Sport Flyer, P.O. Box 4250, W. Richland, WA 99353-4004. Office: (509) 967-0831 Hours: M–Th 8-5, Closed Fri, Sat & Sun. Subscriptions: kionasubscribe.com Toll Free (Orders Only) (866) 967-0831 Editor/Ads/Design: (509) 967-0832 E-mail: subscriptions@kionapublishing.com Fax Number: (509) 967-2400 Ask for RC Sport Flyer at your local hobby shop! Hobby Shop Orders (800) 558-1544 ext. 818 www.retailers.kalmbach.com

Hobby Shop distribution by: Kalmbach Publishing Co. (800) 558-1544 ext. 818 Subscriptions: USA and possessions and Canada: $24.95 per year, $54.95 overseas. Washington residents add 8.3% sales tax. Single copies $6.49 plus $3.50 S&H U.S. All payments must be in U.S. funds. Visa, Mastercard, Amex, and Discover accepted. Send to: RC Sport Flyer – Circulation, P.O. Box 4250, W. Richland, WA 99353-4004. Please allow eight weeks for change of address. Contributions: Articles and photographs are welcome, but cannot be considered unless guaranteed exclusive. When requested we will endeavor to return all materials in good condition if accompanied by return postage. RC Sport Flyer assumes no responsibility for loss of or damage to editorial contributions received. Any material accepted is subject to possible revision at the discretion of the publisher. Publisher assumes no responsibility for accuracy of content. Opinions of contributing authors do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. RC Sport Flyer will retain author’s rights, title to and interest in the editorial contributions as described above in both print and electronic media unless prior arrangement has been made in writing. Payment for editorial materials will be made at our current rate. Submission of editorial material to RC Sport Flyer expresses a warranty by the author that such material is in no way an infringement upon the rights of others. The contents of this magazine may not be reprinted traditionally or electronically without permission of the publisher.

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

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Contributing Editors: Don Bailey, Rob Caso, Gene Cope, Daniel Holman, Mike Hoffmeister, Marcus Hubbard, Richard Kuns, Bob McGowan, Joe Nave, Steve Rojecki, Gary Ritchie, Richard Tacklind, Jeff Troy, James VanWinkle

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Printed in the USA

WIL BYERS

his month’s issue features our annual, exclusive 36-page Southeast Electric Flight Festival (SEFF) supplement. It was designed and laid out to give you a feel for what pilots and spectators see and do at this mega event in Americus, Georgia. What I enjoy about creating the supplement is reliving the event. The supplement gives me a chance to sort through hundreds of photos and recount the action that took place at Hodges Airfield. As I pull it together on the computer I also enjoy recalling the friends that I’ve made over the years and get to see at SEFF. As a matter of fact, SEFF is the one event every year where I totally unwind, shoot a ton of photos, eat some outstanding food and talk to the pilots/builders that come to share in the SEFF experience. As I contemplated the content of this Leading Edge article I was pretty awestruck by how successful this event has become. What impresses me most is how in sync The Fayette Flyers of Georgia club members are at making this annual event a good time for all who attend. You see, they don’t just put on a typical club contest. Rather, they go at this like an annual project, with its success measured by the fun had by attendees. What I will say about SEFF is that you must see it in action to appreciate the fantastic organization and preparation that make it just seem to happen, and to happen well. Surprisingly, The Fayette Flyers has hosted this event now for the last 11 years, and they are planning to do so again in 2013. So, peruse the supplement to discover what you would likely see if you attend The Fayette Flyers of Georgia’s event in 2013. TG-3A At the risk of being redundant, I’ve got to tell you that I love getting glider and sailplane content! So when the article about Martin Zeller’s TG-3A glider arrived I was quite pleased for the opportunity to share its story with you. Martin’s 1/4-scale glider is a copy of the Army Air Corps 1941 glider, which was used to train pilots for flying the cargo- and troop-carrying WACO CG-4A glider in WWII. Martin’s glider is a model that was built from a set of plans. It was done in the color scheme of a semi-retired glider that resides in a museum. If you too enjoy RC gliders and sailplanes you must give Martin’s article a good read. You’ll probably delight in his project as much as I have. Jochen Ewald Also for you sailplane enthusiasts, I’ve included a superb article written and photographed by my late friend Jochen Ewald. Jochen was a special individual when it came to gliders and sailplanes! You see, he had flown about every glider that was in flyable condition in Germany. He reviewed full-scale sailplanes and gliders for many of the manufacturers in Europe, so he was extremely knowledgable about how they should fly and handle—as well as how they could be expected to fly in competition. Jochen was also involved in testing and evaluating these aircraft. Unfortunately, Jochen lost his battle with lung cancer some months ago. Consequently, I’ve been sitting on some of the articles that he submitted before his passing. However, I know he would want me to share his final articles with you. Therefore, we’re including his report on the Arcus sailplane, which by the way is now available as a large-scale RC sailplane from either Icare-RC.com or from SoaringUSA.com. I think Jochen’s article on the Arcus sailplane is absolutely one of his best. And, while it isn’t about a model, this article does underscore how we as modelers truly do emulate the full-scale aircraft in our model airplanes. Piper Pacer By the way, if you are like me and love the designs of the past, you’ll want to turn the page to the plan we’re presenting in this month’s issue. It is Wendell Hostetler’s design of the wonderful Piper Pacer plan. See you here next month!

APC Competition propellers for the intermediate and

advanced sport ﬂyer as well as the competition community. Over 400 pitch/diameters available ranging from slow-ﬂyer electric to High performance Giant Scale Racers.

Visit the APC Prop Website for product selection and detailed information on product design and features.

LANDING PRODUCTS All propellers are in stock and overnight delivery is available. Proudly made in the USA

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

1222 Harter Ave., Woodland, CA 95776 (530) 661-0399 est. 1989 by Mr. Fred Burgdorf

No Better Friend. No Greater Foe. The NEW ParkZone® F4U-1A Corsair Few fighters in the Pacific theater of World War II were as feared or loved as the F4U Corsair. Capable of speeds in excess of 400 mph, it left a ghostly howl in its wake that earned it the name “Whistling Death” among enemy troops. For those under its protection, though, there was no sweeter sound on earth. The ParkZone® F4U-1A Corsair is a fitting tribute to this warbird icon that’s a blast to fly. Most of its details, including the paint scheme, are already applied for you. A set of bolt-on drop tanks and two

extra sets of decals are included. In the air, its potent 15-size, 950Kv brushless motor will deliver all the power you need for high-speed strafing runs and spirited sport aerobatics. For a truly spectacular Corsair experience, add the optional flaps and retracts (see insets below). All you need are two extra servos, a set of E-flite® retracts and a spare hour or two. When you’re done, you’ll have a fantastic flying Corsair that looks as good as many models that take days or weeks to build. Get to parkzone.com right now to see the F4U-1A Corsair in action. Wingspan: Length: Weight: Motor: Speed Control: Servos: Transmitter: Receiver: Battery: Charger:

Optional Retracts – Requires E-flite 10–15 90-Deg Rotating Retracts (EFLG120), sold separately.

Optional Flaps – Requires two ParkZone SV80 servos (PKZ1081), sold separately.

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44.0 in (1120mm) 36.0 in (915mm) 43.4 oz (1230 g) 15-size, 950Kv BL outrunner (installed) E-flite® 30A Pro Switch-Mode BEC (installed) 4 sub-micro (installed) 4+ Channel (6+ channel with flaps and retracts) (sold separately) Spektrum™ AR600 DSM2®/DSMX® (installed on BNF only) 3S 11.1V 2200mAh 25C Li-Po (included with BNF only) 2S–3S DC Li-Po balancing fast charger (included with BNF only)

BNF (PKZU6080) PNP (PKZU6075)

CLICK

horizonhobby.com

©2012 Horizon Hobby, Inc. ParkZone, E-flite, DSM2, just fly. and the Horizon Hobby logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Horizon Hobby, Inc. DSMX is a trademark of Horizon Hobby, Inc., registered in the U.S. US D578,146. US 7,898,130. PRC ZL 200720069025.2. Other patents pending. 36036.1

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1.800.338.4639

SERIOUS FUN™.

To the Horizon . . . and Beyond!

Of course, complete 3D freedom is just part of the story. Phoenix V4.0 also gives you: » Over 175 Accurately Modeled Aircraft » Free Aircraft and Flying Site Updates » Gorgeous Photo-Panoramic Flying Sites » Internet/LAN Multiplayer with Voice Chat » Realistic Engine Sounds » Support for TrackIR™ and NVIDIA® 3D Vision™ software

NEW Phoenix V4.0 RC Professional Flight Simulation with

The Phoenix RC flight simulation has always had stunning visuals and some of the most accurate physics available in any desktop simulator. With version 4.0, it takes virtual RC flight to new heights with the InfinityScape 3D terrain generator. No longer are you confined to the limits of a map. InfinityScape lets you fly beyond the horizon over beautiful, ever-changing 3D terrain that you create and control. And you can take it all in from thrilling in-cockpit or chase camera views. Even if you stick with the default view on the flying field, you’ll have a blast changing InfinityScape settings to see what kind of exciting environments it creates around you. No two are ever alike and you can save your favorites.

The Only RC Flight Sim Available with a Functional Spektrum™ DSMX® DX5e Transmitter

See for yourself just how immersive a professional RC flight simulation can be.

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SERIOUS FUN.™

©2012 Horizon Hobby, Inc. The Horizon Hobby logo is a trademark of Horizon Hobby, Inc. DSMX is a trademark of Horizon Hobby, Inc., registered in the U.S. The Spektrum trademark is used with permission of Bachmann Industries, Inc. PhoenixRC and the PhoenixRC logo are registered trademarks of Runtime Games Ltd. Exclusively distributed by Horizon Hobby, Inc. NVIDIA® and 3D Vision™ are trademarks or registered trademarks of NVIDIA Corporation. TrackIR™ is a trademark of NaturalPoint, Inc. 36370.1

YS DZ175 Sport

YS FZ115 Sport

YS FZ140 Sport

$788.29

$397.35

$459.97

Developed for serious aerobatics competition and just won the world championships. • Crankcase supercharging system • Direct inject system • Conventional fuel pump adjustment • High hprsepower output with long service life

New regulator design for ease of operation. Proven fuel injection system for a more consistent run.Ring sealed crankshaft to increase crankcase boost for more power. Same mounting pattern as YS110FZ-S Displacement 18.73cc Bore 30.4mm Stroke 25.8mm Weight 730g

TETTRa WHEElS WHITE NYLON WHEEL 55MM 0.52oz WHITE NYLON WHEEL 60MM 0.58oz WHITE NYLON WHEEL 65MM 0.64oz TAIL WHEEL 25MM 0.1oz SPARE TIRE TAIL WHEEL SPONGE SPARE TIRE 45MM 0.05oz SPARE TIRE 50MM 0.05oz SPARE TIRE 55 MM 0.3oz SPARE TIRE 60MMM 0.4oz SPARE TIRE 65MM 0.4oz SPARE TIRE 70MM 0.5oz

$9.95 $10.95 $11.95 $5.95 $2.89 $3.97 $4.36 $6.97 $5.79 $5.99 $8.39

Sullivan SKYliTE liGHT WEiGHT WHEElS SUL874 SUL875 SUL876 SUL877 SUL879 SUL881 SUL882 SUL883

WHEELS SKYLITE TRD 2-1/4”.66oz WHEELS SKYLITE 2-1/2” .65oz WHEELS SKYLITE 2-3/4” 1.02oz WHEELS SKYLITE 3” 1.17oz WHEELS SKYLITE 3-1/2” (1) 2.26oz WHEELS SKYLITE 4” 3.25oz WHEELS SKYLITE 4-1/2” 4.96oz WHEELS SKYLITE 5” 5.51oz

TETTRa laRGE FuEl FilTER TETTRa 4106 $5.49

Displacement 23cc Bore 32.0mm Stroke 29.0mm Weight 890g

TETTRa “CRanK” TanKS

White NyLONOR DuRaLumiNum TET1131 TET1141 TET1151 TET1172 TET11720 TET11830 TET11840 TET11850 TET11860 TET11870 TET1188

This engine is very easy to operate with smooth running characteristics and the ability to run well on fuel in a variety of nitro percentages. But we still recommend YS 20/20 fuel for best results. Fits the same area as the 1.20.

Clunk tanks designed to keep fuel flowing at every angle in flight.

packaged & priced individually

$ 9.39 $12.46 $13.44 $10.45 $10.60 $11.96 $11.55 $11.57

TETTRa TYpE l nipplE WiTH FlanGE TET4216 $10.49

TET4029 TET4030 TET4031 TET4032 TET4033 TET4034 TET4035 TET4043 TET4050 TET4055

CRANK TANK 230CC CRANK TANK 260CC CRANK TANK 300CC CRANK TANK 350CC CRANK TANK 400CC CRANK TANK 460CC CRANK TANK 580CC CRANK TANK 160CC CRANK TANK 500CC CRANK TANK 720CC

8OZ 9OZ 11OZ 12 OZ 14 OZ 16 OZ 20 OZ 5.5 OZ 17.5 OZ 25 OZ

$11.39 $11.95 $12.99 $14.97 $16.68 $17.19 $18.76 $10.99 $17.95 $18.99

Hitec HS8360TH, HS8370TH and HS-8380TH Servos

Hitec RCD 12115 Paine St Poway, CA 92064 Phone: 858-748-6948 hitecrcd.com

he high resolution and response of our new HS-83XX series of servos bring the “wow” factor to your plane, heli and car. Designed with an efficient coreless motor, the industry’s leading titanium gear train and 7.4-volt capability, our ultra performance servos provide impressive precision. They are truly the trifecta of servo perfection with the HS-8360TH offering accelerated speed, the HS-8370TH providing Model swift strength and the HSHS-8360TH 8380TH delivering revolutionary HS-8370TH force. The rapid-fire response and decisive action of each servo HS-8380TH elevate your hobby to an entirely

Futaba GY430 Series Gyros

Futaba 3002 N Apollo Dr, Ste. 1 Champaign, IL 61822 Phone: 217-398-0007 futaba-rc.com

ingle axis gyro control takes a quantum leap forward. The GY430 Series single axis gyros are easy to use and set up. Compact and lightweight, each has a three-pin male connector and a trimmer that limits servo travel and gain adjustment. Dip switches select gyro direction and mode, and green and red LEDs clearly display information. Plus, they’re all S.Bus and S.Bus2 capable. The Futaba GY430 Series gyros will be available late August. • A thick can design resists distortion • Three high-quality bearings • Rigid and secure rear mounting design • Shortened motor length for easy installation in short cowls • A stainless steel prop shaft • A back plate, prop shaft and gold-plated female plugs.

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

new level, whether you are tearing it up with your 1/10- to 1/8-scale off-road vehicle, flying high with your giant-scale aircraft or crack rolling with your 600- to 700-size electric- or

Speed @ 6 V

Torque @ 6 V

0.08

181 oz-in.

0.07

0.12

250 oz-in.

0.10

0.17

403 oz-in.

0.14

gas-powered helicopter. Prepare to be blown away! Price: $149.99

Speed @ 7.4 V Torque @ 7.4 V

Dimensions

Weight

Part #

222 oz-in.

1.57 x 0.79 x 1.50 in.

2.33 oz

38360

319 oz-in.

1.57 x 0.79 x 1.50 in.

2.33 oz

38370

486 oz-in.

1.57 x 0.79 x 1.50 in.

2.33 oz

38380

FUTM0780: GY430 Heading Hold Helicopter Gyro • For RC helicopter rudder control and ideal for use in RC boats as well FUTM0782: GYA430 Aircraft Single Servo Gyro • Controls elevator or rudder functions—a must for aerobats and scale models FUTM0784: GYA431 Aircraft Dual Servo Gyro • For dual aileron or dual elevator control, with analog or digital servos

Specifications Size

20.5 x 20.5 x 11 mm

Weight

3.5 g

Price

$79.99

FUTM0786: GYC430 Car Drift Gyro • Put Futaba innovation to work controlling the steering on your drift car

HOT PRODUCTS

Ares Gamma 370 RTF and RFR

Ares Phone: 402-434-5385 ares-rc.com

he Ares™ Gamma 370 offers stability and durability perfect for first-time pilots while also delivering smooth and capable flight performance experienced sport flyers will enjoy. The advanced EPO foam airframe design is not only lightweight, durable and easy to repair, it also arrives factory assembled and nearly ready to fly right out of the box so you can be flying at a local park, schoolyard or flying field in no time at all. The Gamma 370 is available in RTF (ReadyTo-Fly) and RFR (Ready-For-Receiver) versions that include a factory-installed 370-motorequipped power system, ESC and 9-gram sub-micro servos. The RFR version is ready for you to install a receiver compatible with your favorite transmitter while the RTF version includes everything needed to fly right out of

the box. From AA batteries for the six-channel 2.4-GHz transmitter and a six-channel receiver to the 1000-mAh 2S 7.4-V LiPo battery, DC balancing charger and AC adapter, there’s nothing extra to buy. Whether you’re a first-time pilot looking for a great trainer or an experienced pilot looking for a fantastic sport flyer, there’s no better choice and no better value than the Gamma 370! • Incredibly smooth and stable flight performance that’s perfect for sport flying or learning how to fly • Advanced EPO foam airframe design and construction that’s lightweight, durable and easy to repair • Factory-installed power system, ESC and separate nine-gram sub-micro servos • Standard-size six-channel 2.4-GHz transmitter and installed six-channel receiver (RTF version only) • Lightweight 1000-mAh 2S 7.4-V LiPo battery, DC balancing charger and AC adapter (RTF version only)

• Larger than typical micro and mini class models for better visibility and handling in light wind conditions • Steerable tailwheel for improved ground handling and easier takeoffs from smooth surfaces • 370-motor-equipped power system and optional-use prop saver to help protect the propeller and gearbox • Optional aileron-equipped wing set for full four-channel control and aerobatic capability without modifications • Ready for easy installation of the optional brushless power system that includes mount, motor and ESC

Specifications Wingspan

38.6 in. (980 mm)

Length

30.6 in. (775 mm)

Weight (w/ battery)

16 oz (455 g)

Battery

1000-mAh 2S 7.4 V LiPo (included w/ RTC only)

Transmitter

6-channel 2.4-GHz (included w/ RTC only)

Servos

Two

Price

$129.99 for RTF (#AZS1200) $79.99 for RFR (#AZS1202)

RC-SF.COM

Great Planes 35-CC Rear Exhaust Gas Engine

Great Planes P.O. Box 9021 Champaign, IL 61821 Phone: 800-637-7660 greatplanes.com

he DLE-35RA engine features a rear exhaust, which is perfect for a tuned pipe setup. It also includes a newly designed piston with re-engineered skirt for less piston weight, resulting in such advantages as awesome throttle response, more power and longer engine life. Producing 400 more rpm than the DLE-30, the DLE-35RA comes with engine standoffs, electronic ignition, spark plug and muffler. The DLE-35RA will be available late August.

battery and propeller. Includes: Electronic ignition, muffler, spark plug, engine standoffs, integrated choke rod guide and rear-mounted carb.

Specifications Displacement

34.9 cc (2.13 in.3)

Bore

1.5 in. (38.5 mm)

Stroke

1.17 in. (30 mm)

Weight

2.77 lb (1.26 kg)

RPM Range

1500–8500 rpm

Output

4.1 hp @ 8500 rpm

Price

$349.99 (DLEG0435)

Requires: Unleaded gasoline, oil, ignition

Specifications Great Planes 55-CC Rear Exhaust Gas Engine

Great Planes P.O. Box 9021 Champaign, IL 61821 Phone: 800-637-7660 greatplanes.com

LE takes 50-cc performance to a new level with the rear exhaust DLE-55RA. Everything about this engine screams performance, from the piston skirt—designed to be lightweight for quick throttle response and tons of power—to the rear exhaust that lets you easily install a tuned pipe in your aircraft. The 55-RA provides 100 more rpm than the standard DLE-55. It includes engines standoffs, electronic ignition, spark plug and Pitts-style muffler. The DLE-55RA will be available late August.

Horizon Grob Tutor T1 52-72 ARF

Horizon Hobby 4105 Fieldstone Road Champaign, IL 61822 Phone: 217-352-1913 Horizonhobby.com

esigned with the intermediate/advanced sport flyer in mind, the Grob Tutor T1 52-72 is an easy-to-fly and quick-to-assemble

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

Displacement

55.6 cc (3.39 in.3)

Bore

1.77 in. (45 mm)

Stroke

1.38 in. (35 mm)

Weight

3.74 lb (1.7 kg)

RPM Range

1500–8500 rpm

Output

5.5 hp @ 8500 rpm

Price

$419.99 (DLEG0455)

Requires: Unleaded gasoline, oil, ignition battery and propeller. Includes: Electronic ignition, muffler, spark plug, engine standoffs, integrated choke rod guide and rearmounted carb.

semi-scale airplane. The airframe is conventionally built using balsa/plywood to make it stronger than the average ARF, yet keep the plane light. Price: $264.99 (SEA144)

HOT PRODUCTS

Specifications Great Planes 60-CC Twin Gas Engine

Great Planes P.O. Box 9021 Champaign, IL 61821 Phone: 800-637-7660 greatplanes.com

f you’re looking for smooth, consistent performance in a 60-cc engine, look no further. The DLE 60-Twin delivers! Its twin, opposed cylinders provide very smooth operation while keeping weight low and producing the power your airplane requires. Electronic ignition, spark plug and Pittsstyle mufflers are included.

Flyzone Calypso EP Glider

Great Planes P.O. Box 9021 Champaign, IL 61821 Phone: 800-637-7660 greatplanes.com

he new, four-to-five channel Flyzone Calypso EP Glider excels as a pilot’s first electric-powered sailplane. Experienced glider pilots will also enjoy its wide range of soaring performance and can elect to use the flap option (requiring a linkage set sold separately) for advanced thermal chasing. Two versions of the Calypso are available: fully equipped Ready-to-Fly (RTF) and Transmitter-Ready (TxR™), with an installed SLT™ receiver that can be controlled with AnyLink™ using almost any RC transmitter. Both include a factory-installed brushless power system and take only a screwdriver for final assembly. Made of durable AeroCell™ foam, the Calypso features a two-piece wing that comes apart easily for transport. The model has independent aileron servos that allow control mixing. The tail assembles and aligns by tightening just one screw. Enjoy easy hand launches and long flight times with brushless power, and take advantage of the wheel and skid plates for grass for runway landings.

Displacement

61 cc (3.72 in.3)

Bore

1.42 in. (36 mm)

Stroke

1.18 in. (30 mm)

Weight

4.37 lb (1.98 kg)

RPM Range

1400–8500 rpm

Output

5.5 hp @ 8500 rpm

Price

$549.99 (DLEG0060) Requires: Unleaded gasoline, oil, ignition battery and propellers. Includes: Electronic ignition, mufflers (two), spark plugs (two) and engine standoffs.

• Brushless power system is factory installed • Very low overall parts count—just five main pieces • Two-piece wing removes easily for transport • No glue required • Large on-board compartment accepts a variety of batteries • Bold green and black trim scheme stands out in high altitudes • Includes landing wheel plus nose and tail skid plates

Calypso RTF • Offers “all-in-one” convenience • Includes: Tactic™ four-channel TTX400 2.4-GHz radio, brushless power system with outrunner motor and 18-amp ESC, 11.1-volt 15C 1300-mAh LiPo battery, balancing charger and four AA batteries

• Requires: Nothing • Price: $249.99 (FLZA3000) Calypso Tx-R™ • The Transmitter-Ready model lets pilots fly with their favorite transmitter • Includes: Brushless power system with outrunner motor and 18-amp ESC, receiver compatible with AnyLink™, four micro servos, 11.1-volt 15C 1300-mAh LiPo battery and balancing charger • Requires: AnyLink and compatible fourto-five channel transmitter, or a Tactic™ 2.4-GHz transmitter with SLT™ • Price: $199.99 (FLZA3002)

Specifications Wingspan

73 in. (1855 mm)

Wing Area

526 in.² (33.9 dm²)

Length

47 in. (1195 mm)

RTF Weight

29 oz (820 g)

• Durable AeroCell™ foam construction

RC-SF.COM

ElectriFly Balanced LiPo Battery Packs

Great Planes P.O. Box 9021 Champaign, IL 61821 Phone: 800-637-7660 greatplanes.com

lectriFly® LiPo batteries offer more variety than ever before—and more value for the price. The new 1S pack is ideal for micro planes, and all 2–3S LiPos feature a Deans® connector and balancing plug. The balancing connector ensures that each cell can be charged to the 4.2-volt maximum. ElectriFly stands behind its batteries with a limited oneyear Free Replacement Guarantee, so you can use any of these packs with confidence. • Lighter and more compact than ever before—and with higher discharge rates • Introducing a 1S LiPo pack for micro aircraft with a common 1S connector and no balancing plug • 2–3S packs include a Deans® Micro or Ultra Plug® connector, plus an ElectriFly balancing connector • Leads feature multi-strand copper wire and

Great Planes Phazer EDF Jet ARF

Great Planes P.O. Box 9021 Champaign, IL 61821 Phone: 800-637-7660 greatplanes.com

he Great Planes Phazer Electric Ducted Fan Jet ARF can travel the length of a football field in just over two seconds. A brushless motor and ducted fan unit combine to deliver exceptional acceleration, and with its delta wing design, the Phazer assembles as fast as it flies. Built-up from lightweight balsa and ply, the wing halves slide together onto a joiner tube and attach to the fiberglass fuselage easily. The delta design requires only two servos. The included HyperFlow™ ducted fan unit with Ammo™ 3790-kV brushless motor installs easily and produces impressive thrust and airspeed. Flight-ready quickly and capable of incredible speed and performance, the Phazer Electric Ducted Fan ARF will satisfy your need for speed! • Fiberglass fuselage and tail fin featuring

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

silicone insulation • All packs are shrink wrapped in red and protected by the ElectriFly guarantee LiPo 1S 3.7 V 140 mAh 20C (GPMP0760): $3.99 LiPo 2S 7.4 V 600 mAh 25C (GPMP0820): $9.99 LiPo 3S 11.1 V 600 mAh 25C (GPMP0821): $15.99 LiPo 3S 11.1 V 850 mAh 25C (GPMP0826): $17.99 LiPo 3S 11.1 V 1000 mAh 30C (GPMP0830): $19.99 LiPo 2S 7.4 V 1200 mAh 30C (GPMP0835): $16.99 LiPo 3S 11.1 V 1200 mAh 30C (GPMP0836): $21.99 LiPo 3S 11.1 V 1300 mAh 30C (GPMP0840): $22.99 LiPo 3S 11.1 V 1500 mAh 30C (GPMP0845): $24.99 LiPo 3S 11.1V 1600mAh 30C

molded-in inlets and exhaust tube • Factory-applied trim scheme features MonoKote® film; decals are included for creating a sport or military look • Magnetically attached canopy doubles as a battery hatch for easy installation of LiPos and radio gear • May be hand-launched or with the included bungee. Fuselage and wing skids help the model track straight and protect linkages during landings

(GPMP0850): $26.99 LiPo 3S 11.1V 1800mAh 30C (GPMP0855): $27.99 LiPo 3S 11.1V 2200mAh 30C (GPMP0861): $29.99 LiPo 4S 14.8V 2200mAh 30C (GPMP0862): $42.99 LiPo 2S 7.4V 3200mAh 25C (GPMP0870): $34.99 LiPo 3S 11.1V 3200mAh 25C (GPMP0871): $44.99

Specifications Wingspan

23 in. (585 mm)

Wing Area

224 in.² (14.4 dm²)

Wing Loading

19.3–20.2 oz/ft² (59–62 g/dm²)

Length

30 in. (760 mm)

Weight

30–31.5 oz (850–895 g)

Price

$179.99 (GPMA1802)

HOT PRODUCTS

Flyzone Micro Nieuport 17 WWI Tx-R

Great Planes P.O. Box 9021 Champaign, IL 61821 Phone: 800-637-7660 greatplanes.com

like a replica engine, pilot, machine gun and authentic WWI trim • A rechargeable 3.7-V 140-mAh LiPo flight battery provides the power • A cordless DC LiPo charger and five AA batteries are also included • Requires AnyLink and compatible threeplus channel transmitter

Specifications

The Invader is a sport-body, single rotor, fixed pitch design setup that is stable for experienced pilots yet reactive enough to be fun. This helicopter will challenge you and will make your FPV experience fun and exciting. The grips, see-saw and swash plate are precision-machined metal, providing precise control. It’s the perfect first-time single rotor FPV setup for experienced pilots looking for a helicopter they can fly outdoors. It is a ready-to-fly model too, so it comes built and tested from the factory. Just remove it from the box, charge the flight battery with the included LiPo AC balancing charger, install eight AA batteries (sold separately) into the

Specifications

Wingspan

15.3 in. (388.6 mm)

Length

12.5 in. (317.5 mm)

Weight

1.16 oz (33 g)

Price

$79.99 (FLZA2042)

he French-made Nieuport 17 helped the Allies gain air superiority over Europe during World War I. Flyzone returns this celebrated fighter to the skies as a microsized RC replica. This Nieuport park flyer flies smooth and steady, and with all the scale details, you’ll think you’re piloting a battleready biplane! Even better, you can fly the Nieuport with your favorite transmitter and AnyLink. • Comes preassembled out of the box and equipped with an SLT receiver, LiPo flight battery, cordless DC charger and AA batteries • Arrives decked out with military touches

Hubsan FPV Invader Single Rotor Fixed Pitch EP RTF Helicopter

Hobby People 18480 Bandilier Circle Fountain Valley, CA 92708 Phone: 714-963-9881 Hobbypeople.net

eal FPV (First Person View) technology puts you in the cockpit, and Hubsan makes FPV easy! The on-board camera feeds live video back to the first-rate radio with built-in video screen so you can fly from the helicopter’s point of view.

Length

13.5 in. (342 mm)

Main Rotor Diameter

13.25 in. (338 mm)

Weight

7 oz (200g)

Battery

2S LiPo

Radio

4 channels w/ 4-n-1 mixcontroller, ESC and yaw gyro

Servos

3.7 g

Motor

180 main motor and N30 tail motor

(#193125)

controller and enter the world of FPV flying! • Machined aluminum blade grips, see-saw, head and swashplate • 2.4-GHz controller with 350–1050 ft (100–300 m) range • 5.8-GHz video transfer with 175–350 ft (50–100 m) range • 5-MP camera

RC-SF.COM

Hubsan Mfg FPV Spy Hawk

Hobby People 18480 Bandilier Circle Fountain Valley, CA 92708 Phone: 714-963-9881 Hobbypeople.net

eal FPV (First Person View) technology puts you in the cockpit, and Hubsan makes FPV easy! The on-board camera feeds live video back to the radio with built-in video screen so you can fly from the airplane’s point of view.

Hubsan’s Spy Hawk is a great way to get flying with FPV technology. This park-flyersized EPO aircraft is easy to fly, complete with brushless motor and four-channel control. Just plug the wings together, glue on the tail, charge the batteries and fly FPV! You can get the FPV Spy Hawk two ways— basic and deluxe. The basic setup is the complete RTF airplane complete with camera installed. Of course it includes Hubsan’s high quality controller/video screen. The deluxe setup has the addition of on-board recording so you can review your flight, and it also includes autopilot. Let go of the controls, and

Specifications Wingspan

843 mm

Weight

180 g

Length

617 mm

Motor

C1404 brushless

Battery

7.4-volt 459-mAh 2S LiPo

Radio

Four-channel control with ESC

Flight Time

~30 min

the Spy Hawk will level out for you! • 2.4-GHz controller with 500-m range • 5.8-GHz video transfer with 400-m range • 5-MP camera Basic Version (#193101) FPV Spy Hawk Basic Deluxe Version (#193103) FPV Spy Hawk with Autopilot & Recording

Hubsan Mfg FPV Westland Lynx Co-Axial RTF Helicopter

Hobby People 18480 Bandilier Circle Fountain Valley, CA 92708 Phone: 714-963-9881 Hobbypeople.net

cale realism with FPV technology puts you in the cockpit! The on-board camera feeds live video back to the radio with built-in video screen so you can fly from the helicopter’s point of view.

The Westland Lynx helicopter is a scalebody, dual rotor setup that is super stable due in part to its very high quality rotor system. The grips, see-saw and swash plate are precision-machined metal, providing precise control. It’s the perfect dual rotor setup for an FPV system that looks great and flies even better. It is a ready-to-fly model too. Just remove it from the box, charge the flight battery with the included LiPo AC balancing charger, install eight AA batteries (sold separately) into the controller and enter the world of FPV flying!

Specifications Length

13.5 in. (342 mm)

Main Rotor Diameter

13.25 in. (338 mm)

Weight

7 oz (200g)

Battery

2S LiPo

Radio

4 channels with 4-n-1 mix-controller, ESC and yaw gyro

Servos

3.7 g

Motor

Co-axial (dual rotor) with dual 130 motors (#193121)

• Machined aluminum blade grips, see-saw, head and swashplate • 2.4-GHz controller with 350–1050 ft (100–300 m) range • 5.8-GHz video transfer with 175–350 ft (50–100 m) range

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

HOT PRODUCTS

Hobby Hangar PS-36 Seaplane Kit

Hobby angar Hobby Hangar 4651 Babcock St NE Unit 18 Ste. 315 Palm Bay, FL 32905 Phone: 321-728-0486 hobbyhangar.com

obby Hangar is pleased to announce the PS-36 Seaplane (Product # HGR360) construction kit. The model was designed by Rich Uravitch and represents a scaleddown version of the very popular Pondside/ Pondhopper classic designs. The complete kit features laser- or CNC-cut wood parts, full-size plans, assembly instructions and a hardware

package. Designed with the beginner in mind, the PS-36 is both easy to build and fun to fly, making it an ideal transition model for fliers with only ARF experience. It provides the means to actually build your own model from a kit and uses trainer design parameters to ensure a high probability of successful flight, even for the newcomer. Along with a fourchannel radio system, an inexpensive power system, adhesives and covering material, basic building and flying skills are required. Although designed for off-water operation, the PS-36 features removable wing tip floats to allow takeoffs and landing from typical grass fields.

Specifications

• A thick can design resists distortion • Three high-quality bearings

Wingspan

35.9 in.

Wing Area

216 in.2

Wing Loading

11.3 oz/ft2

Length

27.9 in.

Weight

17–19 oz

Engine

E-Max CF2812 (1935 kV) or equivalent

Propeller

7 x 5 APC

Battery

3S 1300-mAh LiPo

ESC

20 A

Radio

Four channels

Current (at max power)

13 amps

Rpm

15,800

Output

135 W

Price

$54.99 (HGR360)

• Rigid and secure rear mounting design • Shortened motor length for easy installation in short cowls • A stainless steel prop shaft • A back plate, prop shaft and gold-plated female plugs #OSMG9525 OMA3820-1200 Motor (.25 size) Street: $74.99 #OSMG9550 OMA5025-375 Motor (.50 size) Street: $129.99

Top Flite Mini Contender

Great Planes P.O. Box 9021 Champaign, IL 61821 Phone: 800-637-7660 greatplanes.com

• All-wood construction, factory-covered in MonoKote® film • Performs well using economical electronics • Easy-access, magnetically attached hatch • An ABS cowl adds signature Contender looks • Steerable nose gear • Pre-hinged ailerons, each with its own servo

Specifications Wingspan

36 in. (915 mm)

Length

34.5 in. (875 mm)

Weight

27–30 oz (765–850 g)

Price

$129.99 (TOPA1025)

ike the original Contender (which debuted over 40 years ago), the Mini Contender boasts an ultra-thick airfoil, giving it an ultrawide flight envelope. The Mini Contender is just as adept at slow and steady flight as it is at wild, full-throttle aerobatics. Thousands of pilots honed their piloting skills flying the original Contender, and this smaller-size version continues the Top Flite tradition. Conventional construction and a one-piece wing make for easy assembly. Modelers won’t have to spend a lot to equip this model with compact electronics for performing thrilling maneuvers. RC-SF.COM

Mountain Models MercurE

T Mountain Models® 2935 N Lynndale Dr Appleton, WI 54914 Phone: 920-840-6036 MountainModels.com

he MercurE™ Micro is a small model designed to bring back that nostalgic feeling of yesteryear in an indoor electric package. Taking inspiration from the original Mercury, the 32-in. MercurE is a superlightweight, nostalgic and relaxingly smoothflying airplane. The MercurE Micro was designed using a

Specifications Wingspan

31.6 in.

Wing Area

153 in.2

Wing Loading

4.6–5.1 oz/ft2

Length

20.6 in.

Weight

4.9–5.4 oz

Engine

D1811-2000 outrunner

Price

$54.99

state-of-the-art 3D CAD package to allow for exceptional interlocking parts design and fit. 3D design also allows us to provide clearer assembly images without having to use photos. Built from self-jigging, interlocking laser-cut balsa and plywood parts, the MercurE Micro is like a 3D jigsaw puzzle with instructions. Although not needed for building, fullsize plans are included for reference. If the instructions are read beforehand and followed during the build, the MercurE Micro can be built up and ready to fly in only a few evenings.

Horizon Shoestring 7591 ARF

Horizon Hobby 4105 Fieldstone Road Champaign, IL 61822 Phone: 217-352-1913 Horizonhobby.com

uilt with top-quality balsa and plywood, the Shoestring 75-91 ARF offers great looks and top flight performance. Featuring an eyecatching trim scheme, two pilot figures and a colorful scale decal sheet, it’s perfect for the intermediate-to-advanced sport pilot. Price: $289.99 (SEA143)

Great Planes® RealFlight 6 Update

Great Planes P.O. Box 9021 Champaign, IL 61821 Phone: 800-637-7660 greatplanes.com

he F4U is not only one of the most famous fighters in history, at one time it was one of the most numerous as well. Factories turned out over 12,000 F4Us in just 11 years—a rate of almost three per day! This update gives you the new Top Flight® giant-scale Gold Edition ARF version of the “Bent Wing” bird to fly. The look is real, and the details are right

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

everywhere you look, from the trademark wing and authentic split flaps to molded-in panel lines and a replica radial engine. And the performance? It’s a faithful match to the

model’s and everything you’d expect it to be, once again proving the gap between simulation and reality is bridged only from realflight.com.

HOT PRODUCTS

Mountain Models Spook-E Micro

T Mountain Models® 2935 N Lynndale Dr Appleton, WI 54914 Phone: 920-840-6036 MountainModels.com

he Spook-E™ Micro is a micro model designed with influences from the famous Spook, a classic vintage airplane, to bring back the nostalgic feeling of yesteryear in an indoor electric package. The 23.5-in Spook-E Micro is super easy to build and easy enough for a beginner to learn how to fly, with some help. The Spook-E Micro was designed using a

Specifications Wingspan

23.5 in.

Wing Area

100 in.2

Wing Loading

2.6 oz/ft2

Length

15.7 in.

Weight

1.8 oz

Price

$39.00

state-of-the-art 3D CAD package to allow for exceptional interlocking parts design and fit. 3D design also allows us to provide clearer assembly images without having to use photos. Built from self-jigging, interlocking laser-cut balsa and plywood parts, the Spook-E Micro is like a 3D jigsaw puzzle with instructions, including full-size plans. The Spook-E Micro can be built up and ready to fly in only a few evenings. The Spook-E is designed to accept the popular ParkZone Ultra-Micro electronics.

Mountain Models PeregrinE Micro

T Mountain Models® 2935 N Lynndale Dr Appleton, WI 54914 Phone: 920-840-6036 MountainModels.com

he PeregrinE™ Micro is a micro model designed to bring back the nostalgic feeling of yesteryear in an indoor electric package. Taking inspiration from many different airplanes of the past, the 23.7-in. PeregrinE is a super easy-to-fly, lightweight and nostalgic indoor electric-powered RC

Specifications Wingspan

23.7 in.

Wing Area

100 in.2

Wing Loading

2.6 oz/ft2

Length

18.4 in.

Weight

1.8 oz

Price

$39.00

airplane. The PeregrinE Micro is easy enough for learning how to fly and has a trike gear setup to keep things simple. The PeregrinE Micro was designed using a state-of-the-art 3D CAD package to allow for exceptional interlocking parts design and fit. 3D design also allows us to provide clearer assembly images without having to use photos. Built from self-jigging, interlocking lasercut balsa and plywood parts, the PeregrinE Micro is like a 3D jigsaw puzzle with instructions, including full-size plans. The PeregrinE Micro can be built up and ready to fly in only a few evenings. The PeregrinE is designed to accept the popular ParkZone Ultra-Micro electronics.

RC-SF.COM

Hitec SkyScout New Airplane Line

Hitec RCD 12115 Paine St Poway, CA 92064 Phone: 858-748-6948 hitecrcd.com

ombining the durability of a Multiplex preassembled airframe with the precision of Hitec electronics, the SkyScout is the perfect airplane for both beginner and experienced pilots. It features a protected, top-mounted and powerful outrunner motor along with rudder and elevator controls and optional ailerons. With gentle gliding characteristics and an easy-to-transport design, the SkyScout will become your favorite spunky flyer. The SkyScout is available in three unique

ED Automatic Design and Optimization for Airfoils

Evolution Designs evolutiondesigns.eu

and convenient packages as well as a kit version. The R2GO comes “Ready to Go” with everything you need, including a Hitec Lite four-channel radio. The H2GO is our “Hitec to Go” version, which is installed with all the necessary electronics and requires just a Hitec transmitter to link up and go. The P2GO package is pre-installed with the servos, motor and speed control and needs only the receiver, transmitter and motor battery to plug in and go. Pick your favorite and take to the blue skies with your very own Hitec SkyScout!

Specifications Wingspan

54.5 in.

Wing Area

372 in.2

Wing Loading

5.47 oz/ft 2

Length

38.6 in.

Weight

24.5 oz

SkyScout R2GO (#13207): $249.99 SkyScout H2GO (#13209): $219.99 SkyScout P2GO (#13210): $164.99 SkyScout Kit (#13211): $79.99

volution Designs is happy to announce that EDGAR (Evolution Designs’ Genetic Algorithm, Real-coded) has been released to the public. EDGAR is a program dedicated

to the airfoil’s design and optimization. Its engine is based on an advanced evolutionary algorithm, working in a multi-objective search fashion. Extensively tested with large aircraft manufacturers and many designs, EDGAR will aid those who normally do not have access to the sophisticated methods employed in commercial aircraft design and nevertheless endeavor in aircraft design. Nowadays large RC gliders aren’t considered models but in fact slightly smaller gliders, and a tool like EDGAR is indispensable to those who wish to enhance performance of their gliders. • Intuitive and user-friendly GUI • Real-time solution display, processing and analyzing • Full post-processing capability

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

HOT PRODUCTS

Revolution Carbon Fiber Main Blades

Horizon Hobby 4105 Fieldstone Road Champaign, IL 61822 Phone: 217-352-1913 Horizonhobby.com

ap your helicopter’s true potential with new Revolution™ carbon fiber main blades. Pushing the limits of 3D helicopter performance requires more than power. You need precision and balance too. Revolution blades help you maximize both. Constructed of cross-woven carbon fiber, these blades have the lateral and torsional strength necessary to translate your helicopter’s power into the

Item #

Size

Price

RVOB032500 (FB) RVOB032550 (FBL)

325 mm

$36.99

RVOB043000 (FB) RVOB043050 (FBL)

430 mm

$58.99

RVOB052000 (FB) RVOB052050 (FBL)

520 mm

$67.99

RVOB055000 (FB) RVOB055050 (FBL)

550 mm

$77.99

RVOB060000 (FB) RVOB060050 (FBL)

600 mm

$87.99

RVOB069000 (FB) RVOB069050 (FBL)

690 mm

$114.99

RVOB071000 (FB) RVOB071050 (FBL)

710 mm

$119.99

most aggressive response possible. And each set is weight matched and balanced so you experience a sense of precision that’s second to none. Sizes range from 325–710 mm and are available for both flybar (FB) and flybarless (FBL) helicopters.

RC-SF.COM

1815 South Research Loop Tucson, Arizona 85710 Phone: (520) 722-0607 E-mail: info@desertaircraft.com Web Site: desertaircraft.com

DA-200

Price $2795

Displacement: 12.20 cin (200 cc) Output: 19 hp Weight: 10.95 lb (4.95 kilos) Length: 9.625 in. (244 mm) Warranty: Two Years

DA-150

Price $1395

Displacement: 9.15 ci (150 cc) Output: 16.5 hp Weight: 7.96 lb (3.61 kilos) Length: 7.67 in. (195 mm) Warranty: Three year

DA-100L

Price $999

Displacement: 6.10 ci (100 cc) Output: 9.8 hp Weight: 5.57 lb (2.53 kilos) Length: 6.5 in. (162.5 mm) Warranty: Three year

DA-50-R

Price $595

Displacement: 3.05 ci (50 cc) Output: 5.0 hp Weight: 2.94 lb (1.33 kilos) Length: 6.7 (170 mm) Warranty: Three year

DA-170

Price $1695

Displacement: 10.48 ci (171.8 cc) Output: 18 hp Weight: 8.05 lb (3.56 kilos) Length: 7.67 in. (195 mm) Warranty: Three year

DA-120

Price $1199

Displacement: 7.4 ci (121 cc) Output: 11 hp Weight: 4.95 lb (2.25 kilos) Length: 6.25 in. (159 mm) Warranty: Three year

DA-85

Price $795

Displacement: 5.24 ci (85.9 cc) Output: 8.5 hp Weight: 4.3 lb (1.95 kilos) Length: 5.9 in. (150 mm) Warranty: Three year

bladehelis.com

Head of

ITS ClaSS 300X

130X

MCPX2

THE NEW BLADE 130 X BNF ®

If big heli performance in a sub-micro package is what you’re after, don’t mess around. Go straight to the head of the class with the new Blade® 130 X. Its combination of power, precision and convenient Bind-N-Fly® technology is without equal among 100-class machines. Equipped with a 6730Kv brushless motor and shaft-driven tail, it will eagerly perform piro flips, tic tocs, hurricanes and more, but with the stability of a heli several times its size. This marvelous balance of agility and stability is made possible by the proven AS3X® (Artificial Stabilization – 3 aXis) Flybarless System. Using a 3-axis MEMS sensor and exclusive flight control software, this system is able to make the 130 X feel like a much bigger, finely-tuned heli in flight. Whether this is your second CP heli or you’re a 3D pro, this sense of precision will let you push your limits, indoors or out, with confidence and control.

LENGTH: HEIGHT: FLYING WEIGHT: ROTOR DIAMETER: MAIN MOTOR: RECEIVER: CYCLIC SERVOS: TAIL SERVO: BATTERY: CHARGER:

12.0 in. (305mm) 4.80 in. (122mm) 3.80 oz (107 g) 12.8 in (325mm) 6730Kv brushless inrunner, installed DSM2®/DSMX® receiver/ESC/AS3X sensor unit, installed Spektrum™ 2.9 gram linear long-throw, installed Spektrum 2.9 gram linear performance, installed 2S 7.4V 300mAh 35C Li-Po, included E-flite® Celectra™ 2S 7.4V DC Li-Po with AC adapter, included

Requires a 6+ channel computer DSM2/DSMX transmitter, sold separately

BLH3780

Get to bladehelis.com right now to see the Blade 130 X in action.

VISIT

Your Local Retailer

CLICK

horizonhobby.com

CALL

1.800.338.4639

© 2012 Horizon Hobby, Inc. Blade, Bind-N-Fly, AS3X, E-flite, Celectra, DSM2 and the Horizon Hobby logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Horizon Hobby, Inc. DSMX is a trademark of Horizon Hobby, Inc., registered in the U.S. US 7,898,130. US D578,146. PRC ZL 200720069025.2. Other patents pending. www.bladehelis.com 37078.1

SERIOUS FUN.™

By James VanWinkle

THE WORLD MODELS SUPER CUB

™

1/3-SCALE CUB WITH POWER TO SPARE In the air this model is an absolute joy to fly. Its performance with DA100 power is beyond any Super Cub you might buy or fly! WOW is the word I have for this model.

he World Models™ has a respected reputation for providing awesome flying airplanes that are priced very competitively. Their 1/3-scale Super Cub is no exception. The Super Cub is a sport-scale version of the fullscale Piper PA-18 two-seat airplane, which was introduced in 1949. There were more than 9000 full-scale Piper Super Cubs built. Even today, various manufacturers are still selling their own brand of Super Cub. Cubs are commonly found pulling banners, towing sailplanes and flying into harsh environments as bush planes, thanks to their high-lift wing and rugged design. Even though the full-scale Piper Cub’s heritage goes back to the 1930s, my new Super Cub from The World Models includes the addition of an electrical system, flaps and a powerful gas-powered engine. My Super Cub model also got a lot of upgrades that complement the great stock design. I was inspired to make these changes from a fellow RC pilot and IMAC (International Miniature Aircraft Club) competitor, Cody Wilson. He flies The World Models 1/3-scale Super Cub in Freestyle and recently won first place doing so. Cody absolutely loves his Super Cub, and he upgraded his model to turn it into a competent Freestyle machine. Thanks to his help via email and some time spent scouring the forums at TeamFlyingCircus.com, I followed his lead. It is worth noting that Cody is now flying The World Models clipped-wing Cub as well.

IN THE AIR

Let me start off by saying, wow! My new Super Cub is an absolutely 28

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

phenomenal flyer. Powered by a DA-100 up front, the airplane leaps into the air with just a few feet of take-off roll. It does not need full throttle power to do so, either. In fact, about half throttle is all that is needed to take off and then perform a good climb. Cubs are known to have ground looping problems, but this model exhibits none whatsoever. It does pull to the left slightly when the throttle is advanced quickly. I did not want to offset the motor box of the Super Cub to counteract the left yawing tendency, because having a motor box offset only works properly at one point in the power curve. To keep my model flying straight, I

mixed some rudder control with the throttle in my transmitter. Then, as the throttle is advanced, the rudder moves slightly to the right in a linear fashion. Only a few percent control mix is needed, which I set to max out at about 5% total throw. The pattern guys often use this same method, and it is a better solution than offsetting the motor box. Like a big trainer, the Super Cub will fly easily with your hands off the controls—tracking straight across the sky. The wings have a slight amount of dihedral built into them to help keep the Cub’s wings level. Stalls are simple with the nose dropping some and a bit of a wing drop, but not enough to worry about. The airplane points nose down and is flying again

THE WORLD MODELS™ SUPER CUB within a second or two with only a few feet of altitude loss. The Super Cub performs great rolls and wonderful loops with plenty of power to spare. I found that the loops can be flown extremely tightly without stalling the wing. I saw this mentioned in a forum and had to find out for myself, and sure enough, it is a fact. Rolls are big and definitely not axial, although with some piloting they can be pretty close to straight. The Super Cub is not a pattern machine, so big, wide rolls are to be expected, and more importantly, they look right in the sky. The airplane will fly most aerobatic maneuvers. It is certainly not a 3D machine, but it hovers easily, performs 4-point rolls and executes knife-edge flight (with ease and without any altitude loss),

Cubans and more. Inverted flight is such a no brainer that it nearly flies hands off when upside down. Flat spins, particularly the upright kind, are simply amazing. The airplane spins very well, and with some added throttle and cross ailerons it will flatten out and turn very quickly, gently losing altitude. It reminds me of maple seeds that fall from the trees and then spin like a helicopter as they gently make their way earthward. To stop the Cub’s spin you just add power and opposite rudder, and the Super Cub will fly away straight in seconds. The wing struts are functional, which means they are needed as support elements. This is important to know. After one of my Cub’s flights I noticed while taxiing it back to the ramp that a strut was hanging loose.

The supplied hardware had departed on one strut at the wing attach point after a hard day of flying. The screws just backed out and dropped away, which could have turned out badly! Ironically, I received an e-mail when I got home suggesting I replace the hardware because it seemed a bit loose. I suggest you do good preflight inspections, keeping an eye on the hardware. Also be sure to secure the screws and bolts where needed with thread locker compound. My fix was to buy new hardware and drill holes in the screws so they could be safety wired in place. A huge plus of the Super Cub is its flaps. This model makes excellent use of them, with a ton of flap available. They can be configured to travel nearly 90 degrees, which will add a huge amount of lift and drag.

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The California branch of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is prominently displayed on the tail as a nod to the young men and women serving our country as volunteers in CAP.

The flaps work best at slow speeds, and the airplane doesn’t balloon when they are deployed. I use a three-position switch to control my Cub’s flaps, and also added a deployment time delay, so when the control switch is thrown they deploy quite slowly. This is very helpful in managing the airplane’s airspeed as the flaps come down. When they are deployed to about 30 degrees, they provide good lift and yet slow the model down well. Discussing slow flight leads us to landings. The Super Cub does not want to land unless it is very slow. The lift from those huge wings keeps the model airborne until the power is completely at idle, and it settles very gently onto the runway. My first landings had some bounce, which I attributed to the landing gear’s rubber bands being overly tight. The following flights were much softer because I didn’t wrap the bands as tightly. Also, the model’s tail wheel provides excellent ground handling. Obviously, flight times will vary with different sizes of gas tanks and power plants. Fitted with a DA-100 engine and the 32-oz Fiji water30

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

bottle gas tank, my Cub delivers 15-minute flights, even with my putting it through some pretty heavy aerobatics. So I could monitor the gas level, I placed the fuel tank at the Cub’s center of gravity where it is quite visible during taxiing.

ON FINAL

The project was a total,

The red-and-white color scheme looks wonderful against the blue sky. It is almost impossible to lose orientation with this big bird.

100-percent success. The Super Cub is a superb flyer! Let me emphasize that again to drive it home. It has no bad habits. Ground handling is excellent. In the air it is unbelievable. My first thought is to compare it to a trainer, but it actually flies better than a trainer because of its size and landing speed. What an awesome airplane!

THE WORLD MODELS™ SUPER CUB

ASSEMBLY When I opened the kit box I realized the model is huge. The kit comes as an ARF with plenty of extras, such as the pre-hinged ailerons, rudder and elevator halves. The World Models™ includes an extensive hardware package, including a gas tank and a large-scale pilot. The airplane is covered in ToughLon®, which is a trademark of The World Models designs. You can build the model as a stock kit, but I wanted to build it to take a sustained aerodynamic beating, so I decided to do some customization and upgrading. The Super Cub build is very straightforward for those with experience in building ARF-type airplanes. No special assembly is required, and no special tools are needed. The instructions are short, so additional text would be helpful for less experienced builders. Because I upgraded the model, I used the instructions as a general guide and to ensure I didn’t miss any steps. My first upgrade was to change the power from an 80-cc single-cylinder to a 100-cc twin-cylinder engine. This modification required splitting the cowl because the 100-cc engine’s cylinders must stick out on each side. The full-scale Piper Cub has cylinders horizontally opposed and exposed outside the cowl, so

this is no big deal for the Super Cub, even though the full-scale aircraft technically has the engine completely housed inside the cowling. Locating the position of the engine is a snap, thanks to marks on the firewall showing where the shaft must exit the cowl, and a large cross pattern to help locate where mounting screws should be installed. You may need to cut the firewall for ignition wires and so forth. Do so now. With the engine mounted, the cowling can be cut to fit the engine. The World Models kit includes an extra transparent cowl, which you can use as a pattern for laying out where the cylinders must exit the fiberglass cowl. Splitting the cowl was new to me, so I spent a lot of time researching what other builders have done. It turns out that this process is actually very easy if you use a pull-saw. Once I determined where to split the cowl, I added blue painter’s tape and drew a line over the place to cut. It was then a matter of placing the cowling on the work bench and gently making pull cuts. Starting at the point where the propeller shaft exits the cowl, I used the saw to slice through the cowl all the way down one side. The other side was cut the same way, and within minutes the cowl was in two parts. From there I used a Dremel® tool, fitted with

The firewall comes from the factory marked and ready for engine installation. The model includes vertical and horizontal markings, which help with alignment.

This is how I installed the engine in my Super Cub. At this point it is ready for the cowl’s addition as the next part of the build.

A transparent cowl template is supplied with the kit. I used it as a pattern for locating holes in the cowl for the mufflers and the cylinder heads of the DA-100.

The cowl was split with a saw, and then wood strips were added with blind nuts so the two halves could be joined once the motor was installed.

The two halves are joined and fastened with screws. I cut holes in the cowl for the cylinders and exhaust pipes.

This is the razor saw I used to split the canopy. It is definitely worth buying if you plan to do any cutting like I had to do!

4a RC-SF.COM

This is how the cowl looks after installation. The fit is perfect. This photo was taken after six flights, and so far the cowling is holding up very well.

After the first few flights, I was glad I could remove the top of the cowl. The Cub suffered a broken engine bolt, which can be seen in the upper left. The standoff fell off but was contained in the cowl. I replaced the bolts with stainless steel and larger washers as a way to spread the load out along the firewall.

Cooling air easily passes through the cowl to the DA-100’s cylinders. My guess is this will be the coolest this engine has ever run because it has always been buried inside the cowls of my other airplanes, which have mostly been pulling airplanes around the sunny, hot skies of Phoenix, AZ.

This is the inside of the fuselage before the structure was stiffened with the addition of the wooden parts. It is pretty basic, but note the angled plywood former coming between the two landing gear bottom plates as a way to add strength to this area.

a cutting wheel and sanding disk, to make the holes for the cylinder heads and propeller shaft. Wood strips were bonded to the inside of the cowl in places where the cowl halves met—extending equal distance above and below the cut. The two halves were then taped together, and holes were drilled in the wood. I added blind nuts to secure the cowling in place at the critical support points. I saw a fuel tank made from a water bottle in a model recently, which I thought would work well in the Cub. After a little research I found such a tank at PSP Manufacturing, as well as some engine standoffs. Their tank kit is for a 32-oz tank Fiji water bottle. You’ll like that it goes together in minutes. I also appreciate that my Super Cub now has a gas tank I can easily see into to check the fuel level, the clunk’s location and the line stiffness. Next I opted to redo the landing gear. I could not resist the opportunity to upgrade the landing gear to a scale set made custom by the great people at cublandinggear.com. Jim and Tom sent a set custom-made for this airplane, which they manufactured in less than a week. It came primed gray and ready for the color of my choice. They stock most standard sizes, though they will

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

This was the design I built for the Super Cub as a way to tie the front and back landing gear supports together. The Cub comes with a plywood strip installed, but it is significantly stronger with the supports tied together and braced against the side walls with these parts.

11 All the wooden parts are now glued in place, and this part of the airplane is much sturdier than before. The landing gear is not likely to rip out the fuselage, even during a hard landing. If it does, I have much bigger problems to face than just the gear.

make special gear as needed. You’ll find their gear is very reasonably priced. The gear articulates and functions just like that of the full-scale Cub’s. Rubber bands are used to keep the gear axles together while allowing it to flex to absorb the bumps.Also, you’ll want to outfit the gear with new wheels to give the airplane a scale look. The wheels that come in the kit are large and adequate for the Cub. However, they are not fat and round like Cub wheels, so I replaced them with Du Bro 1/3-scale Cub wheel and tires. I felt that the landing gear’s attach points in the airplane should be stiffened to withstand rough landings. Unfortunately, there was an angled support bulkhead between the two attach points for the gear, making it a challenge to properly connect the two supports. Lucky for me, two local craftsmen helped. John Cederquist (a well-known wood sculptor/artist) and Paul Casselman helped me manufacture the needed parts that stiffened the area without having to cut into the model. The result was a model that can withstand rough landings without the gear possibly ripping out the bottom of the airplane. The supplied tail wheel is outstanding quality and will survive the roughest

THE WORLD MODELS™ SUPER CUB of landings. Tail wheels are one of those things that don’t seem like a huge deal, but they are often a failure point in large-scale models, so a good tail wheel is absolutely essential. The kit includes two springs that attach to the rudder to steer the tail wheel. The springs are stiff enough to drive the tail wheel, but I added some safety wire to ensure they wouldn’t come loose. The pushrods from the kit are adequate for the 85-cc-powered version, although the rods are made of thin wire and can flex under heavy loadings. Because I wanted to push this model to the extremes, I opted to change out the pushrods and control horns. Chief Aircraft sells carbon fiber rods as well as very strong pushrod ends. They attach to Chief’s aftermarket control horns and ball links. Making custom pushrods was new to me, but it was simple. You’ll want to make sure they are cut to the correct length and that the ends are glued in properly. It was so easy that I even decided to make the tail’s support structure out of carbon fiber rods. The plans call for wires, but I wanted quick release rods instead, and the carbon fiber rods were a perfect solution. To guarantee the rods fit correctly, I placed the servos in their respective positions and attached the metal rod ends. I measured from the servos’ rod ends to control horn rod ends, and then cut the carbon fiber to fit between the two ends. Once they are cut to length, you’ll want to roughen the carbon fiber rod with sand paper and the inside of the rod end where the adhesive will contact

the parts. Then wipe the parts with alcohol to clean away any dust. Let the parts dry for a few minutes before gluing them in place. A perfect adhesive for this job is JB Weld, which is available at any hardware store. It dries quickly and forms an extremely strong bond. A final note on this part of the build is to wear a dust mask and gloves when cutting carbon fiber to protect your lungs from carbon dust and your fingers from sharp edges. The World Models Super Cub has its wings held in place with screws. They run through the wing and screw into the wing rods. I didn’t like this method because one wing must always have the wing rods installed. The wingspan is about 65 inches per wing, and I did not want to have two feet of wing rod hanging out the end of the wing panel. Instead, I added a blind nut to the inside of the wing where it meets the fuselage. Then I fastened the wing to the airplane with a nylon bolt that enters from inside the fuselage. It required widening the wire hole used as a servo extension pass-through so the blind nut would fit properly. Now it works perfectly and is more like the wing attach on other airplanes. As the build neared completion, I contemplated what color scheme to use. I wanted a unique scheme that would complement the custom design. After a long search, I found a really cool Civil Air Patrol color scheme. Brad, of Bad Brad Graphics, made a set to match that of the Civil Air Patrol. Brad works real magic with graphics for any airplane, and his focus is entirely on RC models.

The rails added to the gear plates make a great spot to place the power sources. These packs are from Fromeco Scale Avionics. They do not need a regulator since they are A123 type batteries. One set powers the engine ignition, with the other two tying into a switch for the receiver as a way to provide redundancy.

The tank is fixed in position with tie wraps and hook-nloop material. The throttle and choke servos are shown in place next to the tank, with the receiver positioned behind the tank. I chose not to add the scale pilot as a way to give me a clear view of the tank’s fuel level.

The switches and the fuel dot are installed in the side of the airplane. The receiver switch is the dual switch, with each switch independent of the other and powered by its own A123 battery. Each switch side has two leads that plug into various receiver slots to ensure plenty of power reaches the servos.

This photo shows the landing gear before I painted it. It was installed by a trial-n-fitin-place process. Once I had it properly fitted, I installed and painted it.

The landing gear gets bolted in place. The gear articulates, with the number of band turns determining how much shock absorption is provided.

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The stock tires will work just fine; however, DuBro’s 1/3-scale Cub tires are absolutely perfect for this model. It was really no contest for looks!

My Cub’s pushrods were fabricated out of carbon fiber rod and rod ends that are sold by Chief Aircraft. They are super strong and without slop.

I used JB Weld® to glue the rod ends onto the carbon fiber rods. You must properly prep the rods and rod ends for a strong bond.

This tail wheel assembly is very strong. I added safety wire to ensure the springs would stay in place during any kind of taxiing, takeoff or landing.

The rest of the build was straightforward. The fuselage has a ton of room for fitting your radio equipment. A tray is supplied for the radio components, though you’ll want to look at the photos of where I placed my model’s radio equipment. I put the gas tank at the airplane’s center of gravity (CG) position instead of farther forward. Consequently, my airplane does not get a CG shift as the gas is consumed, as it would if the tank were up front. Note that the model’s CG is roughly one-third of the way back from the leading edge of the wing at the wing root. Somehow my model’s CG was spot on, even with the DA-100 up front. Finally, I recommend you minimize the number of servo extensions you use in this model, or any model for that matter. Connections can be a place of high resistance in the circuit, which will lessen the power available to the servos. Also, at connections your model’s radio system can pick up stray signals from a poorly insulated ignition system. So, keep your model’s ignition system away from its receiver and any servos or wire extensions when possible. Electronic ignitions have come a long way over the years, but they can still generate interference if the model is not set up properly. Control Throws (adjust throws as preferred) Elevator +/- 1.75 in. Rudder +/- 2.00 in. Ailerons +/- 1.50 in. Flaps 2.00 in. down

Why wouldn’t you fly in inverted on the maiden flight? No reason not to when the airplane flies this well. Do it high first though!

Center of Gravity 6.0 in. from leading edge at wing root Final Coming in at nearly 30 pounds, there is nothing this airplane cannot do well. Even with normal control throws it is a great flyer. If, however, you add more throw to its controls you will find it is an outstanding performer. The Super Cub is an excellent airplane as it comes stock out of the kit box.

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

With the modifications I made, it is an absolutely phenomenal flyer. It is a perfect fit for someone new to gas-powered airplanes or for veteran pilots who want to slow things down and just relax at the controls. Plus, it’s a great buy. The next modification I plan to make to this model is a tow release for towing sailplanes. I may even add a low release so the Cub can tow a banner. I’ll end by saying, I give this model a big two thumbs up!

THE WORLD MODELS™ SUPER CUB

Suppliers AirBorne Models 2403 Research Drive Livermore, California 94550 Phone: 925-371-0922 airborne-models.com Desert Aircraft 1815 South Research Loop Tucson, Arizona 85710 Phone: 520-722-0607 desertaircraft.com Horizon Hobby 4105 Fieldstone Road Champaign, IL 61822 Phone: 800-338-4639 horizonhobby.com Tower Hobbies PO Box 9078 Champaign, IL 61826-9078 Phone: 800-637-6050 towerhobbies.com The first takeoff was nothing to worry about because the Super Cub is a gentle giant from start to finish. Takeoff speeds are around 10 mph at most!

Flying away from the camera, the Cub reveals its tail’s carbon fiber supports forming a structural box around the entire empennage.

Specifications Wingspan

115 in.

Fuselage Length

91 in.

Wing Area

2821 in.2

RTF Weight

28.5 lb (29.75 lb as flown)

Model #

A186SR

Retail Price

$799.99

As Flown Transmitter

Futaba® 12 FGH 2.4-GHz

Receiver

Futaba® 2.4-GHz 14-channel R6014HS

Servos

JR® 8611A (7), JR® ST126MG (2) used for throttle and choke servo

Switch

Fromeco Scale Avionics Wolverine dual switch Fromeco Scale Avionics Badger switch for ignition

Battery

Fromeco Scale Avionics 2300-mAh A123 LiFe with on board balancing (3). Two for redundancy on receiver and one for ignition

Regulator

Not required with LiFe (A123) batteries

Engine

Desert Aircraft DA-100

Propeller

XOAR 24×7 Wood

Fromeco Scale Avionics LLC Phone: (503) 766-3261 fromeco.org Chief Aircraft Grants Pass Airport - 1301 Brookside Blvd. Grants Pass, OR 97526 Phone: 800-447-3408 chiefaircraft.com PSP Manufacturing 420 Carol Lane Ossian, IN 46777 Phone: 260-622-6566 pspmfg.com Cub Landing Gear 21655 S Cloudview Drive Oregon City, OR 97045 Phone: 503-655-3243 cublandinggear.com Bad Brad Graphics Phone: 262-377-3944 badbradgraphics.com Super Cub thread by Cody Wilson teamflyingcircus.com/forum/f7/super-cubdoes-again-6398/

Coming in for a landing, the Super Cub is hard to distinguish from a full-scale airplane thanks to the nice scale touches and the scale airspeeds at touchdown.

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BY Jeff Troy

WINGS, PART 5 MY SUPER SPORTSTER’S WINGS COME TOGETHER

he project on my workbench right now is constructing the wing for the Great Planes® Super Sportster 60. The Sportster is just one of five airplanes that I’m building for the camera, and like the other four, it’s a superb kit with a number of opportunities to pass along a few techniques that may interest and enlighten you. My build series is ongoing, and each installment picks up where one of the previous installments left off. Space and common sense prevent the reiteration of each previously covered instructional, so if you missed any earlier segments and would like to catch up, please contact the RC Sport Flyer office 36

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

Here are the four completed gear-carrying ribs. The plywood support plates are secured with five-minute epoxy, and notches have been cut to fit the gear blocks without any slop.

to order back issues. If you don’t already subscribe, you might even want to consider it. The current rate is an entire year—12 issues—for just $24.95 postpaid. You’ve already seen how I handled the undercamber wing of the Shive Specialties Dallaire Sportster and the three semi-symmetrical wings of the Nick Ziroli Fokker Dr.1. The Dallaire had no ailerons, and the upper Dr.1 had barn door ailerons. New twists for the Super Sportster 60 wing will include a blocked-up trailing edge, hardwood landing blocks and strip ailerons.

This wing is neither difficult nor time consuming to construct, but like every part of every model you will ever build, each step should be handled carefully and in the order specified in the instruction manual. The Super Sportster 60 gives you the choice of conventional landing gear (two main gears and a tail wheel) or tricycle gear (two main gears and a nose gear), and your choice affects the location of the landing gear blocks in the wing. If you choose the conventional option, commonly referred to as a “taildragger,” the blocks will mount

WINGS, PART 5 under the wing ahead of the main spar. If the tricycle gear option is chosen, the blocks are installed behind the main spar. Locations for both choices are clearly shown on the plans. Two ribs on each side of the wing carry the blocks, and notches in the ribs for the landing gear blocks must be cut. Producing the kit with the notches uncut allows you to make the correct cutouts for the gear of your choice. I chose the tricycle gear version of the model because the other four models in my series are all, coincidentally, taildraggers. The landing gear blocks will be reinforced by plywood plates that surround the blocks on three sides and are secured to each of the four affected wing ribs with epoxy. Make your gear choice, then mark the appropriate location of the landing gear blocks on the four ribs. Check the fit of the landing gear blocks in the plywood plates, and if necessary, enlarge the notches to accommodate the blocks. Lay the plates over the ribs and use them as templates to make the appropriate notches in the ribs. There isn’t much problem of sheer separation between the ribs and plates, so using a slow-setting epoxy won’t really buy you much in the way of added security. Five-minute epoxy will do this job quickly and efficiently, but be absolutely certain that you attach each plate to the correct face of each rib. The plates mount on the

root sides of the two inboard ribs and tip sides of the two outboard ribs. When framing a wing, it’s a common practice to pin down the trailing edge, fit a few ribs against it and use the ribs to locate the main spar. Then the main spar is pinned down. Because the trailing edge of the Sportster will be shimmed (blocked up or raised), construction of wing frame begins with pinning down the main spar instead. You want your model’s wing to be absolutely straight, so line up and pin the spar at the root and tip, then lay a metal straightedge against it while you add a few pins along the length of the spar. The straightedge ensures that the spar is dead straight, which is imperative for a warp- and wave-free wing. The spar comes notched to ensure the precise location of each rib, and the ribs are dry fitted next, which means that you place them without using any adhesive. Note that if you’ve chosen the tricycle gear

Slip the ribs into position over the spar, noting that two of the notches need to be relieved to accommodate the plywood plates on the gear-carrying ribs.

version of the airplane, the notches in the spar must be slightly modified for the gear-block-carrying ribs to accommodate the plywood plates. There is an extra length of 3/4 x 1-in. balsa in the kit, and this is used to shim the trailing edge at the correct height. Use the tails of the ribs to place the balsa shim, then pin the shim down over the plan. Lay a piece of Great Planes Plans Protector over the shim and pin the trailing edge down over the shim and against the rib tails. Before applying thin cyanoacrylate (CA) glue to each of these joints, note that the tails are slightly taller than the trailing edge. Be sure that the tails of the ribs extend equally above and below beyond the height of the trailing edge, and use a small triangle to get

Constructing the Super Sportster 60 wing frame begins with pinning down the main spar. Use a heavy metal straightedge to ensure that the spar is dead straight.

Shim the trailing edge, center the rib tails on the trailing edge and secure each rib to the spar and trailing edge with thin CA. Add the leading edge and top spar, centering the leading edge against the nose of each rib. Thin CA is the ticket. RC-SF.COM

Use my edge-of-the-bench sanding technique to achieve or maintain a dead-straight result as you sand a slight bevel on the edge of the leading edge sheet.

Add the cap strips. Cut each one oversize and glue it at the forward end, then use the bar sander to fit the rearward end before gluing it at the tail.

each rib standing at a perfect right angle to the workbench. Check each rib at the trailing edge, one at a time, and secure it to the spar and trailing edge with thin CA. Add the upper spar, then the leading edge, centering the leading edge over the nose of each rib to overhang equidistantly top and bottom. I usually prepare wing sheeting before installing it on one of my models, but the Sportster’s construction allows the sheeting to be added in sections without detriment. Because of its advantage of added work time, use gap-filling CA to secure the narrow trailing edge sheet, placing it carefully and using 38

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

Use thin CA to secure the forward edge of the leading edge sheet. After the CA cures, use your palms to gradually draw the sheeting rearward and flatten it down against the wing frame. When it can be held flat against the upper spar without cracking, apply gapfilling CA along the spar and hold the sheeting down until it cures. Use a heavy straightedge between your palms and the sheet to help produce a wave-free joint.

Add the trailing edge sheet and the center section sheeting, and the top side of the panel is complete. Turn the wing upside down and run a bead of thin CA along each joint where the sheeting meets the ribs, using gentle finger pressure where necessary to ensure that the sheeting is tight to the ribs.

your hands to apply pressure along the sheet as the adhesive cures. The leading edge sheet is next, and it’s helpful to sand a slight bevel on one edge of the sheet so it can mate properly with the leading edge of the wing. Use my edge-of-thebench technique to ensure that the sheeting remains straight and no waves are sanded into it. Holding the rear of the sheet upward to conform to the angle of the ribs, snug the sheeting over the noses of the ribs and against the leading edge, and apply a line of thin CA along the length of the joint. When the adhesive has cured thoroughly, use a wiping motion of

your palms to gently press the rear of the sheet back and downward, just a little at a time, until the sheet can contact the ribs along its entire length without cracking. Apply gapfilling CA along the spar and use the palm motion again as you draw the sheet down flat over the spar. When the sheet is down, it’s a good idea to lay a heavy metal straightedge over the sheet at the spar location, then use a wiping motion over the straightedge to ensure that there are no waves along the length of the sheet as the adhesive cures. Glue the two pieces of center section sheeting together and sand them flat. True the edges, then place

WINGS, PART 5

Fifteen-minute epoxy and clamps are good insurance for sturdy joints between the main landing gear blocks and the shorter support blocks. Examine the instructions carefully and be sure to orient the blocks correctly.

Use 15-minute epoxy to secure the landing gear blocks in the wing frame. The clamp ensures that the support block fits tightly against the plywood plate, providing maximum integrity for the gear wire.

the sheet over the center section between the leading edge sheeting and trailing edge sheeting. Snug one edge against the trailing edge sheet, then use a straightedge to guide your hobby knife as you trim away the excess wood so it can fit against the leading edge sheet. When the center sheet fits correctly, run a bead of gap-filling CA along the rear edge of the sheet and apply another bead of CA over the spar, then install the center sheet, using that same flowing palm motion to keep the sheet flat as the adhesive cures. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t worry about the ribs; the sheet will be glued to the ribs when the wing is turned over. Add the cap strips by cutting

Use your hobby knife to cut a slight radius in each landing gear block, allowing for the radius of the 90-degree bend in the wire gear.

Whether you choose tricycle or conventional gear, the sheet is different but the technique is the same. Use pressure to make an indentation of the landing gear block in the wing sheeting. The indentation shows you where to cut the sheeting away to fit around the block.

each one slightly oversize, truing one end and gluing it over the spar and against the rear of the leading edge sheeting, making sure that each cap strip, except the outboard strip, is centered over the rib. The cap strip on the outboard rib should be flush with the outer edge of the rib. Now position your bar sander parallel to the trailing edge sheeting, and bring it up against the tail of the cap strip. Working slowly and fitting constantly as you go, sand the tail of each cap strip to fit perfectly over the rib and against the forward edge of the trailing edge sheet. When it fits, apply a bit of gap-filling CA over the rear of the rib and press the cap strip into position.

The top side of the wing is done, so flip the wing over and run a bead of thin CA along each of the unglued joints between the ribs and sheeting. The sheeting should contact the ribs, so use a little finger pressure over any gaps you find as you apply the adhesive. Now pin the wing down inverted, again with the trailing edge resting flat over the pinned-down balsa shim. Prepare the landing gear by gluing the support block to the main block. Note that the support block is oriented so that it is on the opposite side of the groove in the main block, and with the groove in the support block facing the long end of the main block. This joint makes a strong case RC-SF.COM

The center section has been installed for my tricycle gear installation, and the bits of filler wood around the block have been sanded smooth.

Use your razor plane to rough-cut the leading edge before finishing it with coarse sandpaper on the bar sander.

Wing tips have been added, followed by the tip fillers and tip supports I’ve cut from 1/4-in. balsa scrap.

The Super Sportster’s two wing panels will join over an angled center rib. Mark the center line of this rib with a a soft pencil or a finepoint marker.

for slow-setting epoxy, so I chose Bob Smith Industries’ 15-minute formula. Use a clamp on this joint to ensure a tight fit is maintained throughout the cure. When the epoxy has cured, follow the groove in the support block to drill a 5/32-in. hole for the main gear upward through the main block. There is a slight radius on the gear wire at each of the 90-degree bends, so use your hobby knife to cut a slight angle in the groove to accommodate the radius of the wire. Fit the prepared gear block into the notched, plywood-supported ribs and check their fit. Trim if necessary, then install the blocks with slow setting epoxy. Remember that the only glue 40

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

that holds parts together is the glue between the parts. Glue that doesn’t connect two parts only adds weight, not strength, so use rubbing alcohol on a paper towel to wipe away any excess epoxy that doesn’t need to become a permanent part of your airplane. If you chose the tricycle gear option, add the trailing edge sheet, the leading edge sheet and the cap strips, then glue the two center section sheets together. If you chose the taildragger, add the trailing edge sheet and prepare the two center section sheets. Working with the leading edge sheet for the taildragger or the center sheeting for the trike, dry-fit the sheet and apply some extra pressure over the sheet

where it comes into contact with the landing gear block. The objective here is to make an indentation of the block in the back face of the sheet, and this indentation shows you where you must cut the sheet to fit over the block. Trim the leading edge sheet or center sheet to fit the block, then install it with gap-filling CA. Sand the ends of the wing panel flat, then add the wing tip, centering it along the outboard rib. Cut the trailing edge fillers and tip supports from scrap 1/4-in. balsa and glue them over the tip with thin or gap-filling CA. Rough shape the leading edge with a razor plane, then use coarse sandpaper on the bar sander to bring the leading edge and tip fillers to their proper contours. Now build the

WINGS, PART 5

Trace the airfoil onto the center rib, then cut the rib out slightly oversize.

Pin the tips down to the work surface and pin or weight the center section over the dihedral shim. Measure the leading and trailing edges to ensure that they are equidistant from the work surface.

opposite panel, being no less than absolutely certain that you will end up with one right and one left panel, not two lefts or rights. The panels are joined against an angled center rib. Mark the center of the joining rib with a pencil or a thin marker, then center it over the root of one wing panel and trace the airfoil onto the center rib. Cut the center rib approximately 1/8-in. oversize around the airfoil outline. The wing dihedral is set by raising the center of the wing by 1-1/4 in. as the panels are joined upside down. Make a 1-1/4-in.-high shim from scrap balsa and pin it to the work surface. Cover the shim with Plans Protector and butt the two panels against each other at the root ends, checking

The correct dihedral angle of the wing is achieved by blocking the center section 1-1/4-in. above the work surface. Cut a balsa scrap to 1-1/4 in., pin it to the bench and cover it with Great Planes Plans Protector.

Cut a V-groove for the aileron linkage into the linkage blocks and clean them up with a 1/4-in. round or rat-tail file.

their orientation to maintain straight alignment of their leading and trailing edges as they temporarily rest on the shim. Mix at least one ounce of 30-minute epoxy, and use an epoxy brush to apply it over the face of one root rib and the matching face of the angled center rib. Pin the center rib to the root rib, angling the pins in from the edge of the center rib so they do not obstruct the opposite panel from mating. Now apply epoxy to the other side of the center rib and the root rib of the opposite wing panel, and bring the two together. Align the panels carefully at the leading and trailing edges, and add a few more pins to secure the second panel.

Set the joined panels down on the work surface with the center rib centered over the 1-1/4-in. shim, and pin or weight both panels at the tips to ensure that the panels are positioned correctly as the epoxy cures. Check the center joint for a tight fit and pin or weight the center section down so it captures the true 1-1/4-in. dimension of the shim under its center. Use a ruler to confirm that the center of the leading edge and center of the trailing edge are equidistant above the workbench, then pick a good movie and get out of the workshop for the nightâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;30minute epoxy should cure for no less than eight hours. With the fresh energy that only comes from a new day, pop the wing RC-SF.COM

Use the round or rat-tail file to cut travel channels into the blocks for the linkage.

Use the blocks as templates for the travel channels at the trailing edge of the wing. Cut the channels with the file, then secure the blocks with five-minute epoxy.

from your makeshift jig and check it for trueness. Give the center joint a rough sanding, being very careful to prevent gouging the balsa at the top side of the center section as you sand the center rib to match the airfoil. Prepare the aileron linkage blocks and use a 1/4-in. round or rat-tail file to relieve the blocks so the linkage can travel. Apply a dab of Vaseline® Petroleum Jelly where the aileron linkages exit their carriers tubes, then glue the linkage carrier tubes into the block with five-minute epoxy. When the epoxy has cured, hold the blocks against the trailing edge of the wing and cut matching travel slots in the trailing edge with the round file, then glue the blocks onto the trailing edge with five-minute epoxy. 42

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

Apply a dab of Vaseline Petroleum Jelly at the exits for the aileron linkage in the carrier tubes, then install the tubes into the linkage blocks with five-minute epoxy. Pin the blocks down to the work surface so that the linkage will set in a straight line.

When sanding near the wing tips, use a strip or two of masking tape to prevent sanding unwanted depressions into areas that should remain unaffected.

Fit the ailerons against the trailing edge and mark where they must be cut to fit between the linkage blocks and wing tips. Cut them to length and mark the location of the aileron linkage on each aileron. Drill the holes and cut the channels for the linkage, then check the fit once again. Remember to allow adequate clearance at each end for covering material. The last thing you want is a too-tight aileron. I like a gap of at least 1/16-in. on each side prior to covering or painting. Hinging has been previously covered, so mark the positions of the hinges and use the Great Planes Slot Machine to cut the hinge slots. You’ll pay a few bucks for this tool, but if you hate the hinging process as much

as I do, you’ll quickly find it to be one of your most treasured modeling purchases. When the slots are cut, use the razor plane to rough-cut the V-bevel into the leading edge of each aileron, then finish them up with the bar sander. Switch to medium paper on the bar sander and go over the entire wing and both ailerons. Two more wings remain to be constructed in my Building Model Airplanes series—one for the Dynaflite® Super Decathlon and the other for the Sig Spacewalker II. Then, of course, there are five fuselages to be built, engines, motors, cowls, landing gear, radio systems and linkages to install, all kinds of finishing methods and materials to

WINGS, PART 5

Cut the strip ailerons to fit between the aileron linkage blocks and wing tips, cut the ailerons to their correct length and mark the linkage locations on the ailerons. Drill the holes and cut the channels for the linkage, then mark the wing and ailerons for hinge locations.

demonstrate and a seemingly endless stream of extra touches that can be used to dress up any project from sport-hack to contest-level scale. Stay with me, please, and you’ll eventually get most everything I have. Building model airplanes is fun and rewarding, and there’s no feeling

I used CA hinges for my Super Sportster 60, and I used a combination of the Du-Bro Hinge Slotting Kit and the Great Planes Slot Machine to cut the hinge slots. Both of these fine tools are must-have items for the well-equipped workshop, and I don’t often recommend specific products unless they are outstanding.

more rewarding than stepping back from an ongoing project, looking at what you’ve accomplished and mulling over the “you” that’s become a built-in part of the model. This is art, my friends, and your skills are surely developing.

My Great Planes Super Sportster 60 wing is now complete and ready for final sanding before being fitted to the still-to-be-constructed fuselage. Stay with me, my friends. There are two more sets of wings and five fuselages ahead of me, along with engines, motors, covering, painting, radio installation and so much more.

References Bob Smith Industries, Inc. 8060 Morro Road Atascadero, CA 93422 Phone: 805-466-1717 Great Planes P.O. Box 9021 Champaign, IL 61821 Phone: 800-637-7660 greatplanes.com

RC-SF.COM

BY Robert J. Caso

SCALE MOLD MAKING

hen I exhibited my Halberstadt CL.II at the Toledo Weak Signals show this year, a number of people asked how I did the fiberglass cowl. Since I do a lot of my own designing, out of necessity I have become somewhat proficient at making molded parts. Mold making is not particularly difficult, but it is time consuming, and the materials are expensive. On the other hand, one can’t simply order a CL.II cowl from Walmart, so a serious scale effort usually requires some mold making. If you want to try it, start with something easy like a cowling, which is usually a two-part mold (two halves). For the CL.II, I was able to get by with a single-part mold, and these are a lot easier to make, although they do have their idiosyncrasies. Most molds are done in halves, as one-piece molds are good only for very shallow parts. I have also done three-piece molds (two halves and a nose piece), which have the ability of reproducing detail on three sides, but these are somewhat complex to make. Mold making is one of those disciplines that once done, really takes the fear out of doing more. My goal here is to get you over that initial “hump.” Also note that there are a number of decent books and articles both in print and online, and an internet search will yield quite a comprehensive list. Although most of what has been published on the subject does not involve scale model airplanes, the techniques are interchangeable. 44

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

Mold making starts with the plug. A framework is built, and polyurethane foam blocks fill in the skeleton for this single-part mold. The blocks are then sanded down to the formers. Be careful not to sand into the former.

Two-ounce glass cloth has been applied with polyester resin, sanded and then filled with two-part autobody filler. The lip for the cockpit surround was challenging to finish.

THE “PLUG”

A “plug” is nothing more than a 1:1, three-dimensional object of what you want to reproduce as a fiberglass part—the mold is fabricated around the plug. Okay, I will really scare you off here by saying that all the work is in the plug, and you will either destroy it getting it out of the mold or throw it away two years from now when cleaning out your shop. There are a couple of rules when making plugs, the primary being that there cannot

be any undercuts or protrusions that would act to lock either the plug or the ensuing part in the mold. A great example here is a cowl from a Waco having those beautiful, teardropshaped rocker cover blisters around its circumference. In this particular

SCALE case, it would be better to make a mold for the basic shape of the cowl and then either vacuum-form or mold the individual blisters and apply them separately. It is important that the plug be somewhat rigid. If you start with a hollow plug such as an existing cowl, this should be braced internally with balsa or plaster. Another thing to remember is that any detail, defect or other surface irregularity on the plug will be faithfully reproduced in the mold. While I generally use polyurethane foam sanded down to a skeleton framework and glassed, a plug can be made from anything as long as it can be surfaced properly The plug is primed with autobody primer, wet sanded smooth and then waxed with parting and stand up to the process. I have wax. used vacuum-formed plastic parts in concert with glassed foam, shaped pieces of hardened two-part filler, where all the time is—finishing the finishing a scale model. The surface of balsa, plywood and even shaped plug so that its surfaces are smooth the plug must be perfect. Next, apply pieces of a wax candle. It only has and shiny. The first step here is repeated coats of spray can auto to last through the mold-making coating the plug with a two-part primer and wet sand them down. Pin process; that’s it. For the CL.II, I drew autobody filler, which is then sanded holes or other minor irregularities the outlines in CAD and laser cut back to the glass surface. Avoid can be fixed with a single-part glazing an interlocking skeleton framework sanding through the glass, and treat putty, sanded down and re-primed. from balsa, but all of this could have this process as you would when You know you’re done when the been done by hand. The open sections of the framework were then filled with blocks of polyurethane foam epoxied in. Don’t use an “air dry” adhesive for this application, as it will take forever to cure. Also, glue the blocks only to the base of the plug to avoid having adhesive ooze to the surface. You don’t really Here the plug has been mounted to a MonoKote-covered, lite-ply base and the perimeter partitioning added. Being lazy, I used clay for the curved section. need much glue to begin with—just enough to hold it together. You can then easily shape the foam with a sanding block down to the balsa frames. A layer of two-ounce fiberglass is applied to the plug with polyester autobody resin. Since this adds very little thickness to the plug, I generally don’t bother tolerancing I divided the plug for my DH2’s nacelle in half After applying about four to five layers of cloth, the plug’s framework for to make a two-part mold. Note the perimeter I built up the mold’s thickness with a matrix of the glass. partitioning. chopped glass strands and gelcoat. Simply pour this The next part is mixture over the partially built mold. RC-SF.COM

surface is smooth and the primer exhibits sheen. The process here is the same, no matter how many mold stages you are doing. I used to paint my plugs, but I have found that the polyester gelcoat used for the mold surface sometimes reacts with the paint. So, it is better to leave the plug in primer.

THE MOLD

Once the plug is done, you are only halfway there, but the mold is a lot easier to make than the plug. Determining how many mold sections you need (one, two or three parts) depends on the shape of the plug and how much detail you want in the part. A 360-degree plug with protrusions (such as a canopy or blister) will automatically need to be at least two parts, with the partition centered directly on the protrusion or 90 degrees away. A two-part mold is more work because the plug must be partitioned to yield two mold halves, and provisions must be made to properly locate the halves temporarily during the part-making process. The mold for my Mosquito cowl is a good example of this, having exhaust fairings on each side, 180 degrees from each other. Here, I partitioned the mold in the center of the plug, 90 degrees from each fairing. Since each mold half is done individually, I formed circular locating tabs in the first mold flange with a drill before laying up the other side. Don’t make them too deep and don’t forget to apply wax and PVA release agent before laying up the other side, but more on this later. To partition the plug, a MonoKote®-covered, lite-ply perimeter frame may be applied on center to block off the mold half to be laid up last, or the plug may be carefully cut in half. The latter procedure makes mating the resulting mold halves later somewhat difficult, so I prefer the “in situ” partitioning. Gaps between the perimeter frame may be filled with modeling clay, and you can use a ply scraper 46

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

Voila! The single-part plug and the mold for my CL.II have separated cleanly, and there is little cleanup to do on the mold. I usually belt sand the edges of the mold flange to neaten things up.

to blend in and remove excess clay. I also block off the edges of the frame to keep the schmutz where I want it. Once the mold is partitioned and edged, a special mold release wax is applied a few times and buffed off. It is important that the plug have a good coat of wax, since the polyester resin will not stick too well to MonoKote. Next, brush or spray on a single coat of water-based PVA mold release agent. For the actual mold surface, you have two choices in polyester—regular gelcoat or tooling gelcoat. The latter is made specifically for mold applications, cures to a much harder surface and is a lot more expensive. Unless you are doing The resulting fiberglass/slow-set epoxy part for the CL.II. Note the crisp edge of the cockpit—once opened, this area provides a proper shape and mount for the combing.

a number of parts from the mold, regular gelcoat works fine. Start by painting on an initial coat of gelcoat and let it gel up. Then go immediately to 3/4-ounce glass cloth, using more gelcoat as the matrix, and then to multiple layers of two-ounce cloth. Once the mold is about 1/16-in. thick or so, go to progressively heavier cloths, or simply continue with multiple layers of two-ounce cloth. From here, use autobody polyester

SCALE resin (instead of the expensive gelcoat) and cloth to build up the mold’s thickness, which must be about 10 times thicker than the part it is going to produce. Alternatively, I like to use a “witch’s brew” of chopped fiberglass strands and either gelcoat or resin, which Supplies needed to make the plug for the mold Fiber Glast supplies just about everything needed for is then poured onto the include Bondo polyester autobody resin and Evercoat mold making—like this gallon can of white gelcoat mold half. This builds up two-part filler. and chopped fiberglass strands. This can be a messy process, so cover everything! thickness quickly, and the glass strands will hold it all together. That this stuff will run everywhere is another reason I like to partition off the edges of my mold halves. One rule to follow in all this is to avoid bubbles, which ruin the mold surface and weaken the mold structure. The other side requires the same procedure, except for the introduction of the locating tabs into the initial half mentioned above. Note, however, that the ply partition used for the first half must be removed and the exposed mold flange waxed, PVA’d and edged with a new partition. A good idea is to apply a hard wax wedge (from a candle!) at a couple of places on the mold flange to enable the mold halves to be separated with a putty knife or screwdriver. A secret, never-before-seen shot of my CL.II amidst final assembly. Only the forward

THE MOMENT OF TRUTH

Although I have done a lot of this, at this point there’s always a nagging little gremlin on my shoulder whispering in my ear, “This ain’t going to work.” Nevertheless, I have never had a mold fail, and if you follow the rules, neither will you. Splitting the mold is easy; extricating the plug from the second half is usually not. The worst that can happen is that you can’t get the plug out and you will have to destroy it. A solution here is to soak the mold in hot water for at least half an hour. The water, the heat and the mold’s expansion are usually enough to set the plug free. Before using the mold, give it a good wet sanding with 600 and then 1000 paper. If you have any

section of the glass part represents the cowl and is removable for access to the flight battery and motor.

imperfections, fill these with more gelcoat after roughing the surface.

MAKING A PART

After all this, you still have to make a part from the mold. Apply a few coats of mold release wax, buffing off each, and then apply the PVA. Place a bolt of two-ounce cloth in the mold and mark its edges against the mold’s edge to size the cloth. At least three layers of cloth should be used, depending on the size of the part—larger parts require more layers and/or heavier cloth, and don’t forget about stress areas where you’ll need more layers of cloth. I like West Systems epoxy for the part, and again depending on the part’s size, you may need to use either a slow-

or fast-setting hardener. I also add some micro-balloons to the mix to make the part easier to sand and to give the resin some body. There is no question that this is an involved process, but it is certainly one that is easily learned and applied. Molded fiberglass parts are significantly more accurate and stronger than plastic, so if you are a serious scale modeler, this is a required skill set to develop. This article only scratches the surface of what is a very comprehensive subject, and I recommend reading, searching the internet and discussing your projects with suppliers. If you have questions, you can reach me at rcaso916@aol.com.

RC-SF.COM

BY the late Jochen Ewald

ARCUS THE NEW 20-METER STAR

hen Schempp-Hirth presented their Janus 35 years ago—the very first serial-built, fiber-composite flapped two-seater sailplane with an 18.2-meter wingspan—the famous glider factory at Kirchheim/Teck (south of Stuttgart) started a new era in soaring. Two-seater, highperformance flying and competitions had gone into “sleep mode” since the open two-seater class racing was abandoned at the world championships during the 1950s. With the introduction of Janus, it became attractive again, and soon other manufacturers also presented highperformance composite (GRP) twoseater sailplanes, and pilots started asking for a new two-seater class in 48

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

sailplane competitions. This class was introduced with a 20-meter wingspan limit as a way to make it club friendly. In 1979, the Janus C appeared, built using the new carbon fiber materials that stretched the length to a 20-meter wingspan and also reduced its weight. In 1993 Schempp-Hirth presented the Duo Discus, which although it had no flaps, set a new standard in this class. Schempp-Hirth engineers, ever inventive, continued to work on a new, flapped-wing concept to enhance the performance level in this class. Just in time for the Aero Exposition 2009, they introduced the prototype of the new Arcus. I was then invited to fly the Arcus at the Hahnweide airfield.

For the Arcus’s wing, the designers chose to use an airfoil developed at the laminar wind tunnel in Stuttgart by Dr. Werner Würz, which was adapted to the new glider’s specifications. Jan Himisch and Professor Karl-Heinz Horstmann (the ‘H’ of the HQ-airfoils) worked together to optimize the wing shape, and Professor Mark Maughmer (USA) designed the winglets. The joint venture led to the actual shape of the Arcus wing, in which six different airfoils take care of optimal airflow everywhere. An important feature, especially for such a curved wing, was the aero-elasticity. In no case did the aircraft show a tendency to flutter, even at speeds somewhat above the Arcus’ velocity never exceed (Vne).

ARCUS— THE NEW 20-M STAR

The wing design of the Arcus uses airfoils that were developed at the laminar wind tunnel in Stuttgart Germany by Dr. Werner Würz.

Jan Himisch and Professor Karl-Heinz Horstmann (the ‘H’ of the HQ-airfoils) worked together to optimize the wing shape.

Professor Mark Maughmer, of the USA, designed the winglets for the Arcus, which add to the optimization of the sailplane’s wing.

RC-SF.COM

The fuselage of the Arcus T is the same as what we know from the Duo Discus XLT, except for the flaps’ systems. Also, the fuselage employs two automatic “Hähnle”type connections for flaperon and airbrakes, plus the torsional connection for the 95-liter water ballast tank in each wing. Note that the Schempp-Hirth airbrakes on the upper surface of each wing are designed following a new philosophy. Although they are relatively narrow, they use three blades to open high. By doing this, they deliver a high braking effect, but without destroying too much lift, which increases approach speed. The lightweight outer wingtips are inserted with their tube spars until their spring-loaded bolts snap in. The flaperon sections on these outer wings interconnect automatically 50

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

by flat tongues. During downward movement they remain nearly in neutral position to reduce the aileron drag. The vertical fin contains an 11-liter water ballast tank with its valve interconnected to the wing’s water ballast valves, which then compensates for the nose-heavy moment of the wing tanks when they are filled, and for the rear pilot. The tailplane is rigged using the HähnleSystem with automatic connection. As with all the Schempp-Hirth gliders, the canopy opens to the right side and, in an emergency, is unlocked by the normal closing lever. It will then fly off with the right hinges breaking off. For our flight, with Bernd Weber and me in the cockpit, some fuel and eight liters of water ballast in the rear tank, the aircraft had a 690-

kg (1518 lb) take-off weight, which gave it a wing loading of 44 kg/ m2 and a center of gravity slightly behind the wings’ central position. This prototype is equipped with a small skid underneath the belly instead of the usual small nose wheel. With a relatively high loading on the tailwheel, the risk of nodding its nose down during braking is minimal, so the small skid, which produces less drag, serves well enough to protect the belly in case you really must brake the sailplane hard. The conventional nose wheel is available as an option. In the Arcus’ cockpit, SchemppHirth pilots will feel immediately at home. The instrument mushroom, which can be swung up for easy access (and emergency exit), and the handles besides the rear panel make entering the cockpit easy. The Arcus

ARCUSâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; THE NEW 20-M STAR The control forces and the performance of the Arcus make it feel like a smaller 15-meter sailplane to the pilot.

The Oehler system with Solo 2350 engine is used only for sustaining flight and not for takeoff and climbing to altitude.

RC-SF.COM

The molds are quite complex and costly to fabricate. Here you see the spar being laminated into the lower wing surface.

The instrumentation for the Arcus can be quite complex, including even IFR systems, GPS and radios of your choosing—you decide how much to spend ...

Getting in and out of the carbon/Kevlar reinforced rear cockpit is quiet easy thanks to a good design and handholds that give you the leverage needed.

The front cockpit’s instrument tree folds up and out of the way for the pilot to climb in and out of the Arcus, which is a superb new feature.

T has eight trailing edge positions, S, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, L and +L. The bowlike dihedral of the wing gives the wingtips a lot of ground clearance. Although the wing loading was quite high, the Arcus T took off very early in the ground roll. From the moment it was in flight, it gave me the impression of flying a lightweight single-seater sailplane. Its comfort, good cockpit

ventilation and view through the large canopy as well as the easy, harmonic controls resulted in a feeling of “wellness“ during flight. When entering a thermal with the flaps set to one or two, the glider reports the position of the best climb clearly and makes centering as easy as in a lightweight single seater. With the flaps pulled back to L, it climbs well even at speeds below 90 km/h

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

with a 30-degree bank, and at about 95 km/h with 45 degrees, still keeping its handy feeling. It simply does not feel like flying a 44 kg/m2-wing-loading sailplane. After centering it in a thermal, I also tried the +L flap position. The roll rate was clearly slower in this position, and I needed to add opposite aileron control to keep the yaw string centered. But I liked this flap position; it enabled me to thermal the Arcus T like a vintage glider—flat, slow (below 85 km/h) and obviously efficient. I found the aileron control was unnecessary in the L and +L positions when I let it sideslip a bit into the circle. The slip-roll moment compensated for the loss of lift at the inner wing, and I could even let it thermal, hands off! The roll rate with the flaps set to one was only 3.7 seconds, at two 4.1 seconds for the 45-degree bank change at 110 km/h, at L 5.1 seconds at 105 km/h and at +L six seconds. I also tried it with the flaps at zero at 110 km/h, and found that the roll rate was, at 4.3 seconds, slightly slower than in one. The reason for this

ARCUS— THE NEW 20-M STAR

Here we are happily cruising at 120 knots. The sink rate is about 150 feet per minute. As you can see, the instrument panel is very easy to read, including the GPS.

might be a laminar flow separation below the fully up deflected aileron. Normally the laminar airflow sticks until it is turbolated by a turbolator tape near the center of the flaperons to avoid separation bubbles. The control harmony with the flaps set to two appears optimal at about 105 km/h; at slower speeds a bit more rudder is required. Stall behavior of the new two seater is gentle. With the flaps set to zero, the controls start feeling mushy below the indicated 85 km/h. Below 81 km/h buffeting warns and the ASI indication drops because the pitot tube in front of the vertical fin is hit by the vortexes from the wing root. Pulling the stick farther back

All the connections for the controls are done automatically, including the wingtips, which plug into the main wing panel as shown here, so rigging the sailplane is easy.

results in staggering, which first can be controlled by careful rudder use. With the control stick farther back the wing drops, which is immediately stopped by easing the stick forward and applying opposite rudder. Opening the airbrakes increases the minimum airspeed by five km/h and stabilizes the staggering stall. For landing in the calm wind conditions, I set the flaps to L and approached at 95 km/h. If it is turbulent, flaps at two and about 100 km/h (plus half windspeed) is recommended. The airbrakes are A generous amount of carbon fiber throughout the sailplane’s structure keeps the weight of the aircraft quite low.

The spoilers are a new design—triple gate type. They are extremely effective at braking the sailplane without killing too much lift.

The large wingtip ground clearance and the robust, well-suspended main wheel make grass airfield landings easy and safe and minimize damage to the airframe.

RC-SF.COM

This photo shows you the unique design of the wing of the new Arcus, which has been optimized for high-performance, tow-place flying.

really efficient, and their height lets you put the nose down without the airspeed increasing much. The Arcus is the first really new design in the 20-meter twoseater class in a long time. With its wings employing the latest technology it should be difficult to beat in competitions. Its gentle flying characteristics and its singleseater handling qualities—which are quite similar to those of a 15- and 18-meter glider—give its pilots real fun. The large wingtip ground clearance and the robust, wellsuspended main wheel make field landings easy and safe and minimize damage. The engineering and production crew of Schempp-Hirth launched a great new glider in the Arcus. It is clearly the “ultimate benchmark” in the 20-meter two-seater class!

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

The Solo engine uses a five-bladed propeller to provide thrust for the sustainer engine shown here. The engine is relatively quiet for its type because of the propeller’s design.

ARCUS— THE NEW 20-M STAR

ARCUS 1/3-SCALE COMPOSITE SAILPLANE. FLY FAST! FLY LOW! While the full-scale Arcus is going to cost you somewhere north of $170,000 dollars, there is an option that will provide just as much fun. Maybe even more if you enjoy the thrill of flying sailplanes from the ground. It is the new H Model 1/3-scale Arcus. This new machine is built by the a company that specializes in the best RC sailplanes money can buy. What you get in the Arcus is an all-composite machine that simulates the full-scale sailplane almost to the letter, even in terms of flying and pilot feel. However, the Arcus model will cost only a small fraction of the price of a full-scale sailplane. If you’d like to see this model in flight, point your browser at youtube.com/ Specifications

watch?v=iXNCXfSVK74. If you want to know where to buy this model on the west side of the Atlantic ocean, point your browser at http://icare-rc.com/arcus_8m. htm. Or contact: Icare/Icarus 890 d’Anjou Boucherville, QC J4B-5E4 Canada Phone: 405-449-9094 icare-rc.com

Option

Wingspan

6.6 m

Length

2.9 m

Wing area

174 dm2

Maximum all-up mass

17–20 kg

Range of wing loading 90-110g/dm2

Complete interior, including: Instruments—set Interior Instruments—set Water ballast tanks—5 kg Wheel disc brake Scale fuselage repaint Signal fluorescent painting

I captured this shot of the Arcus banking hard to the right above the Tech in Kirchheim, Germany, which is near the Schempp-Hirth factory.

Controls Ailerons, tip ailerons, elevator, rudder, flaps, air brake, air tow, retractable gear, water ballast tanks, wheel brake.

Technical Data Wingspan

20 m (65 ft 7.4 in.)

Wing area

15.6 m2 (167.9 ft2)

Aspect ratio

25.64

Length

8.73 m (28 ft 7.7 in.)

Empty weight

485 kg (1069 lb)

Equipped empty weight

500 kg (1102 lb)

Max. take-off weight

800 kg (1764 lb)

Wing loading

36–51.3 kg/m2

Water ballast wings

190 liters

Water ballast vertical fin

11 liters

Performance data published after calibration Vne

280 km/h (151 kt)

Sustainer drive

Oehler system with Solo 2350

Manufacturer Schempp-Hirth Flugzeugbau GmbH Krebenstraße 25 73230 Kirchheim / Teck Germany schempp-hirth.com

RC-SF.COM

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BY Martin C. Zeller

SCHWEIZER TG-3A A QUARTER-SCALE VINTAGE SAILPLANE

he name Schweizer is synonymous with gliders, Elmira, New York and the famous soaring site at Harris Hill where the Schweizer factory was located. Ernie and Paul Schweizer are famous for building many full-scale gliders and sailplanes, but they were model builders in the beginning. Paul A. Schweizer published a wonderful memoir, Soaring Through the 20th Century (available at cumulussoaring.com), in which he describes

This is the full-scale TG-3A that is now shown in the U.S. Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio. I followed this gliderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s color scheme for my model.

how he and Ernie developed an early interest in aviation in general, which developed into a specific interest in gliding. Model kits were not available to Paul and Ernie as boys, so they became scratch builders. Their source of balsa was reclaimed insulation, used in those times in ice cream

This full-scale TG-2 is a restoration project done by Steve Noyes. The TG-2 had some minor design deficiencies. Due to a shortage of materials during the war, the war department specified that the next generation, TG-3, be redesigned to correct the deficiencies and employ all-wood wing construction.

The quarter-scale TG-3A looks very scale both in flight and on the ground. The gliders flies extremely well and would make for a good aircraft for pilots wanting to get into aerotowing.

RC SPORT FLYER â&#x20AC;&#x201D; SEPTEMBER 2012

SCHWEIZER TG-3A

trucks. Interestingly, they started their first business as a balsa wood supplier for model builders—small world, right? The brothers’ entry into fullscale sailplane fabrication was via the Schweizer Metal Aircraft Company, which was incorporated in 1939. However, they’d already built their first glider in 1930. In 1941, the Army Air Corps began an aggressive glider training program. The U.S. Army Air Corps

(USAAC) selected the TG-2, a variant of an existing Schweizer SGS 2-8, for evaluation. The TG-2 was in fact the first training glider delivered to the military. It was followed by the TG-3A, one of many military glider trainers used during WWII. It entered service in 1942 with a delivery of 110 units. It was used to train pilots for the cargo- and troop-carrying WACO CG-4A. Trainees received approximately six hours of dual instruction prior to transitioning to

the CG-4A. So the Schweizers’ TG3A vintage sailplane holds a unique place in aviation history. The construction of the TG3A was quite conventional, with a fuselage of the typical welded tube type. The wing spars and ribs, empennage and turtle deck were fabricated from wood. Good spruce for the spars wasn’t available because of the war, so they had to settle for fir and poplar for the laminations. The design improvements in the 3A RC-SF.COM

The quarter-scale TG-3A is easy to scratch build. The design configuration is easy to reproduce, and the canopy is fabricated from clear plastic sheet stock, so no vacuum-forming is necessary.

Here you can see that the cockpit is simple to fabricate. You’ll need to find some instruments, but other than that you can fabricate everything without complication. It just requires a bit of time and patience.

The TG-3A is a very docile in the air. Even though it is not a highperformance glider, it does very well on the tow and in thermals. A takeoff dolly eliminates the need to support the wing tip and minimizes the potential of dragging a tip on tow.

The TG-3A is captured here prior to release from a third-scale Cub, which is used for the tow plane. The size of the glider is nearly as big as the Cub, so it is easy to see in the air. With its color scheme you can see well even at high altitude.

included a repositioned wing for improved instructor visibility. Also, rudder and elevator trim tabs were added to assist in holding position in multiple tow situations. Because of the TG-3A’s special place in aviation history, I’ve wanted to build an RC model of it for years. As with most modelers, I have progressed through several types of aircraft models and settled in on mostly quarter-scale projects. My interests include WWI and Golden Age aircraft, with a recent offshoot into vintage gliders. As a result, I’ve started a fleet of Schweizer vintage gliders, the most recent a TG-3A. The genesis 60

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

of the project was an article in the November 1980 issue of Model Airplane News magazine that featured plans for a fifth-scale TG-3A designed by Jack Hiner. After a quick phone call to Jack, I had permission to develop a quarter-scale project based on his original plans. Then I researched the aircraft, which included an Internet search and collecting photographs. I located a TG-3A undergoing restoration by John Bogacki in Bakersfield, California. He provided a wealth of information concerning the cockpit details and even provided copies of TG-3A manuals. My TG-3A project required only minor structural material changes

from that of Jack’s fifth-scale model, which were due to the increased size of the aircraft. The drawings were then sent to Bob Laserve, who digitized them and laser cut the parts into a short kit package. The model employs straightforward balsa and plywood construction. The wings are built up with balsa ribs and cap strips as well as a sheeted leading edge. Barn door spoilers are used, which are very effective at killing lift when the model is in flight. The model required three 15-foot rolls of silver Coverite® fabric to cover. The TG-3A at the Wright Patterson Air force Museum in Dayton, Ohio incorporates this

SCHWEIZER TG-3A

Because of the glider’s light wing loading, when the spoilers are deployed it’s easy to plan and make a good approach.

color scheme, which was the color requested by the USAAC. The wingspan of my quarter-scale model is 164 inches, placing it in the fourmeter category. Its ready-to-fly weight is 15.6 pounds, which yields a wing loading of 16.5 ounces per square foot.

Since this model has proven to be a very successful glider, I have decided to increase its scale in a next generation model. The new design will included cable-operated ailerons, top and bottom spoilers, lighting and rib stitching. The spar

carry-through in the cockpit will be accurately represented, and the steel tube cockpit structure will also be featured. Happy landings!

Specifications Manufacture

Scratch built

Wingspan

164 in.

Chord

15 in.

Wing Area

2100 in.2

Length

85.5 in.

Weight

15.6 lb

Wing Loading

16.5 oz/ft2

Airfoil

NACA 4412 at root, 4414 at tip

Transmitter

Futaba 14MZ 2.4-GHz

Receiver

Futaba R6014FS

Servos

Futaba S5101

Battery

3400-mAh NiMH

My TG follows the tug extremely well. All I need to do as the ground-based pilot is keep the wings level, maintain a steady flight attitude and follow with rudder control.

Here I am showing off my quarter-scale, scratch-built glider. I wanted to do it like the Schweizers did. I’m extremely happy with how this glider flies.

The TG-3A was used to train pilots for the cargo- and troop-carrying WACO CG-4A, which could carry 13 troops and their equipment. This glider was used in WWII.

RC-SF.COM

BY Duane Sides

HANGAR 9 EXTRA 300 HOP UP GIVING IT FOUR-CYLINDER POWER

had been powering an Aeroworks 33%-scale Ultimate Bipe with a very powerful four-cylinder engine. The engine proved to be too much weight for the Bipe, so I decided to take it out of the Bipe and put it in another model. I had been shopping around for another airplane at this point in time, preferably an IMAC design, when I saw the Hangar 9 Extra 300 was

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

This is my Hangar 9 Extra 300 after it got an engine upgrade to a fourcylinder power plant I had around my shop. It was a fun modification.

Even though I’m not smiling in this photo I really like the modifications that we made to my Extra 300!

HANGAR 9 EXTRA 300 HOP UP

The stock Extra 300 is typically powered by a DA-120. I wanted to use a four-cylinder engine that I had from another model.

The tank and control system install stayed pretty much the same as it would have in the stock airplane.

The only difference you can see with my Extra is that it has four pipes sticking out of the cowl instead of two. And it makes a great sound!

RC-SF.COM

I opted to use a Mejzlik three-blade 25x12S carbon fiber propeller to marry with my model’s new engine.

introduced to the market. It seemed the perfect pick for the Bipe’s old motor. I talked to a friend of mine, master builder Stan La Point, about my project, and he agreed to do the retrofit for the engine in the Extra 300. So, it was purchased and away Stan went. When Stan got into the retrofit

My Hangar 9 Extra 300 is a bit heavier than that of the stock model, but it delivers great IMAC performance.

he discovered that about 2-1/4 inches of the front firewall needed to be removed. Then the whole firewall area and front end had to be reinforced with triangle stock, dowel pins, screws and fiberglass. Stan also reinforced the main fuselage with cross members to handle the torque of the new engine. Stan also put a baffle inside the top of the cowl to duct air over the rear cylinders of the engine. The new engine and the modifications added a little weight to the Extra 300’s airframe but not enough to hurt the performance of the new airplane. The final weight of the Hangar 9 Extra 300 with the four-

The new motor doesn’t quite deliver full-on 3D performance, but I fly mostly IMAC-type maneuvers.

I love the look of this airplane in the air, and the sound of the new engine is simply music to my ears.

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

HANGAR 9 EXTRA 300 HOP UP

cylinder engine installed was 29â&#x20AC;&#x201C;30 pounds. The re-powered airplane is all I could hope for. The sound of that powerful four-cylinder engine is especially nice too. Note that the airplane does not have all-out 3D power, but that isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a problem for me because I mostly fly IMAC.

Turning onto final, I love the look, feel and sound of my modified Hangar 9 Extra 300, with its new four-cylinder and three-blade propeller engine pulling it through the air.

BY Wendell Hostetler

THIRD-SCALE PIPER TRI-PACER 115 INCHES OF CLASSIC DESIGN THAT YOU CAN BUILD

he PA-20 Pacer and PA-22 Tri-Pacer are cute, fun-to-fly, full-scale and four-place aircraft. They were built as strut-braced, high-wing light airplanes, meant to introduce the masses to the fun and thrill of flying. The Pacer was a variant of the four-place version of the two-place PA-17 Vagabond. It utilized a steel tube fuselage as well as an aluminumframed wing. The airplane was covered in fabric. Piper introduced the PA-22 Tri-Pacer to the public in 1953 as a way to get more people flying. It had improved cross-wind ground-handling

RC SPORT FLYER â&#x20AC;&#x201D; SEPTEMBER 2012

by way of a nosewheel. The Tri-Pacer offered more power too, with 150and 160-horsepower engines. The tricycle gear became so popular that the PA-22 Tri-Pacer outsold the Pacer by a ratio of six to one.

Full-Scale Specifications Wingspan

29 ft 3 in.

Wing Area

147.5 ft2

Length

20 ft 6 in.

Airfoil

Clark Y

Maximum Speed

141 mph

Cruise Speed

134 mph

THIRD-SCALE PIPER TRI-PACER

Plan Now you can build a 1/3-scale Tri-Pacer using Wendell Hostetler’s plans. The plans include two sheets, which are super high quality. You can likely get a laser-cut pack from one of Wendell’s sources as well. So, check out this plan and then give Wendell a call.

Plan Specifications Scale

33 percent

Wingspan

115 in.

Wing Area

2282 in.2

Weight

28—30 lb

Length

81.6 in.

Power

2.4 to 4 in.3

Source Wendell Hostetler’s Plans 545 Jerome Dr Orrville, OH 44667 Phone: 330-682-8896 hostetlersplans.com

RC-SF.COM

BY Bob Mitchell

PIMP YOUR APPRENTICE HOW TO PERSONALIZE YOUR ARF My Apprentice got pimped out so that it stands out from all the other Apprentices at the airfield.

y flying club is in love with the E-Flite® Apprentice almost-ready-to-fly (ARF) trainer. As president of the Country Squire Modelers, I seemed destined to discover what all the infatuation was about. It is, indeed, an excellent aircraft, a perfect high-wing trainer and a big, slow, stable and reliable floater. It has one major flaw, and that is, everyone has one! Buying the “full house” package is probably the best value, but I chose the plug-and-play version, which required a receiver, transmitter and LiPo battery pack. My mission, and you may deem it ego-driven, is to fly an Apprentice that is distinguishable from the flock floating around our airfield. I’m a sports car collector, and I know part of the passion is not driving the generic vehicles that surround me, but being different. Modifying, personalizing and most importantly improving an ARF is a very worthwhile skill-set. The techniques I’m about to share are pertinent to any of the popular foamies that proliferate in your hobby shop. Beyond beautification, some modifications will improve some of the weak points of this popular airplane, but I’m not about to fix 68

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

what ain’t broke—yet. I am aware of some of the minor complaints my pals have expressed, and I’ll try to mention them, even if they have not befallen me personally. Any ARF should be carefully examined before flight, with a “never assume” mindset.

Some modelers habitually remove all linkages and connectors, simply replacing them all with bespoke hardware. E-Flite is known for quality, well-supported components, but some of the early Apprentices had plastic motor bell housings, which

These are the products that you’ll need to buy to paint your airplane. There is enough product here to do a few airplanes, so it is an inexpensive modification.

PIMP YOUR APPRENTICE

Start by masking off the model. I use the blue painter’s tape for this and it works very well. It has low tack so it will not tear up the foam when you remove the tape.

At this point my model is nearly ready for the first coat of paint. I like to use Krylon brand for the body paint. You can use whatever, but make sure it does not attack the foam.

were not optimal. I believe the newer housings are metal. Should E-Flite have installed the (more expensive) Power 15 motor? If you bounce the nose of your airplane, bending the motor shaft, the Power 15 is a smart alternative, as it’s very easy to swap same-mounting holes. Though you’ll then need a bigger electronic speed controller (ESC). Early instruction manuals did not depict epoxying the wing halves together, nor did beefy posts for wing mounts exist. My model, which included excellent illustrated instructions, also included this step, as well as substantial post mounts. One might also consider adding a few layers of heat-shrink tubing to soften the “bounce” of main landing gear legs. More critical, especially if you

You’ll remove the existing decals. I adhered mine to a sheet of glass as a way to save them for later on in the process of painting and redesign.

Notice that I masked off the propeller prior to painting the body color. The Krylon paint did soften the foam a bit as you can see in this photo, so I recommend using Tamiya instead.

perform takeoffs on grass strips, is to replace the wheels. I chose Du-Bro #275SL Super-lite 2-3/4-in. wheels. The hub hole diameter matches the wire gear, so this is also a simple swap. The front gear, however, is shaped for a smaller tire. Chucking a threaded bolt and nut of the same diameter as the hub into my drill press, I gently pressed a coarse file into one side of the tread, abrading enough rubber to clear the gear offset. I’m sure an electric drill would work as well as a makeshift lathe. I filed a “flat” into the music wire axles where the wheel collars attached. To conclude the mechanical modification options: some have considered replacing rubber band wing attachments with nylon bolts, but there are advantages to the old-

fashioned method—in a crash, they will with luck snap, absorbing the wing’s impact. You’ll need to buy #64 rubber bands, or you can use Super Cub bands. Let’s proceed with the make-over. As good as this airplane is, to me the graphics are not beautiful. Admittedly, this is not a Top Gun contestant, it’s a foam trainer, but the grey/black/ red stickers, in conjunction with the “Apprentice” text, really do not appeal. I removed all the corporate logos and trimmed off the protruding parts of the Apprentice logos, leaving the smooth swoop of the fuselage stripes. I removed the text on the wing as well. I peeled off the four black, self-adhesive cockpit window pieces, which are very thin and want desperately to adhere to themselves RC-SF.COM

and each other. To minimize this self-destruction, I adhered them to a sheet of glass, orienting them so I’d remember how they were positioned on the cabin. Those pesky windows further adhere to the fuselage by four gummy clear tapes, which leave a lot of residue behind. Goo Gone® will remove the glue, but be aware—it can remove fresh paint too. Or, use a “rubber cement pickup,” a cube of beige rubber, used in pre-computer days by graphic designers to herd rubber cement excess on artwork. Don’t look for this at the Apple Store—they’ll laugh at you! As the photos depict, the rest of this adventure involved judicious, sequential masking and painting. The worst aspect was that the foam does

not like paint, and taping over painted areas will undoubtedly result in the tape removing the paint. I tried blue low-tack painter’s tape, but that was useless on the wing and fuselage, except where there was a sticker or no paint. I was successful on the tail feathers, as they are made from a different foam material. I rooted around and found a roll of virtually useless, really low-tack white tape, with which I had some success. The secret to multiple-color painting of foamies is not to tape over painted areas, and to sequence your painting with that aim in mind. I performed several touch-ups by spraying some of the appropriate color into a cup and applying it with a cotton swab. After epoxying the wing halves

together, I masked the entire bottom of the wing with tape and newspaper, later cutting out square openings in the paper mask in order to paint orange and black “visibility” patches. I like the Krylon® Fusion aerosol spray paints on foam, but I was successful with orange and black Tamiya® for Plastics spray paint, which did not eat the foam, as many spray paints do. Despite my success with Krylon Fusion paints, I do believe it attacked the insert foam sheet with air holes at the fuselage bottom, not so much to destroy it as to roughen the surface. You may want to mask your model’s and just leave it white. I masked the propeller rather than remove it and masked other areas of the fuselage. I used Scotch® 3M® #471

At this point I’ve removed the decals and masking tape. It left the white of the foam showing. Notice the windscreen has the foam raised a bit from the Krylon paint.

You can use striping tape to add detail to your model. It will go around corners well, so you can pretty much create any paint scheme you want ...

I used some newspaper to mask off the tips of the elevator. Again, I recommend using blue painter’s tape to avoid pulling the foam up when you remove it.

It takes about three minutes to paint the center section of the elevator. Be sure to apply thin coats of paint to avoid runs. You’ll need to apply a couple to cover the foam.

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

PIMP YOUR APPRENTICE

The tips of the elevator got sprayed red. I use the same process of applying painter’s tape, masking the area with newspaper and then applying the paint.

If you have any places that need cleaning after the masking tape is removed you can use Goo Gone®. It works well when you use it on a paper towel.

You may need to do some light sanding in places to clean up the edges of the paint where it met with the masking tape. Go gently here so you do not go through the foam.

Here is what the vertical fin looks like all masked off and painted. As you can see, there is an area that I masked for the fin’s new design.

Because I wanted the rudder to be painted a different color, I masked it separately from the vertical fin. Then I sprayed with the red.

Once the trim mask is removed from the rudder this is what the vertical fin and rudder look like. It is definitely a change from the stock Apprentice.

RC-SF.COM

You’ll use the same techniques for the wing tips and wing. Again, I’m using trim tape and masking the wing with painter’s tape and newspaper. It’s easy.

The Krylon red paint did soften the wing tips foam some too. Again, I recommend that you use a water-based spray paint that does not have any ketones.

I’m removing the masking from the fuselage, which leaves the white of the foam showing through. It makes for an attractive contrast between the blue and white.

Using a razor blade and then cutting on glass will let you get very straight and clean lines for your airplane’s new plastic hinges, which are made from vinyl tape.

This is how I installed the new hinges on the elevator of my repainted Apprentice. Be sure to fold the elevator down so that the tape extends in the hinge line.

I used some packing tape on the root of the wing to reinforce it where the rubber bands will run over the top and fasten it to the fuselage.

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

PIMP YOUR APPRENTICE Plastic Tape in a 1/8-in. width to add all the decorative striping. I adhered a strip of it below and parallel to the fuselage side stickers, the elevator and tail and wingtips, all parallel to the remaining stickers. Painting the fuselage was easy, as it was all blue, but do remember to mask where paint can get onto the electronic parts. Also, protect your lungs! When I removed all the masking and stickers, I marveled at how much I improved the look of this popular, little airplane. Painting the propeller tips yellow was less successful—I should have primed the tips with gray or white primer. The yellow (it is the least opaque hue) required several coats, and I hope I didn’t unbalance the propeller with all that paint. The spinner tip just pops off, so it’s easy to paint and re-attach. Leaving the graphic stickers as stencils worked well on the wing and tail. I applied the blue 3M tape parallel to these shapes, masked off the underneath

of the tail and sprayed the blue paint. After that dried overnight, I gingerly applied low-tack tape to protect the blue, peeled back the masking on the tips and applied the red. You can draw very light pencil guidelines to determine your design, which can be erased later with an artist’s kneaded eraser. Buy one at the art store where you get the anachronistic rubber cement pickup. This masking and re-masking process can be fairly time consuming, but it is so exciting to peel back the accumulated tape and and newsprint and reveal the fruits of your labor. It is truly well worth the effort. And you’ll never mistake your ARF for your friends’, either on the ground or airborne. Personalizing your airplane adds uniqueness, increases visibility and therefore safety and provides a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment that turns your ARF into artwork.

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References Horizon Hobby 4105 Fieldstone Road Champaign, IL 61822 Phone: 217-352-1913 Horizonhobby.com Tamiya America, Inc. 36 Discovery #200 Irvine, CA 92618 Phone: 800-Tamiya-a Tamiyausa.com Scotch Brands Scotchbrand.com

RC-SF.COM

BY Jerry Smith

CARPET TAPE

The “picker” really comes in handy for placing screws in hard-toreach, tight places where your fingers will not fit. You merely need to give the picker a slight twist to start and release the screw. You will find many uses for this handy, simple tool during problematic tasks.

aving built and flown models for years, I have run across many useful model building tips and ideas. During my 30 years as a contributing editor to RC Modeler Magazine I found lots of ways to make my builds easier and eliminate the frustration that can come from building RC airplanes. Some of the ideas were good, and some were

TACK TO THE RESCUE

With carpet tape, you can make a simple tool to pick up small parts. I call it a “picker.” Cut off a small piece of the tape, remove the paper and wrap it around the end of a small dowel or stick. The tape is very tacky. When the end loses its tack, lift and move the tape to an unused spot and you are ready for more picking. This little tool has helped me many times to pick up and place small parts.

bad. An idea that is truly useful and really works is what I’m looking for, and that’s the kind of idea I plan to pass along to you. I have probably forgotten more than I know at this point; however, there is a need for good, useable, up-to-date suggestions that deal with the current generation of RC airplanes, helicopters and gliders. Some of the old tried-and-

true building techniques still work, and well. The best building tips seem always to come by way of a modeler’s ingenuity. More often than not these inspirations arise when the modeler tries to solve a nagging building or assembly problem. It seems there is always a better way to build, and actually a lot of better ways … A good example is the way we secure the airplane’s radio system’s servo lead connectors together with shrink tubing, dental floss, rubber bands, tape or some of the fancy servo lead connector clips available. They all do a good job for their intended purpose. This how-to article deals specifically with carpet tape and how it can help make building your models go more easily in the workshop. Let’s begin with describing carpet tape. It is a very thin membrane tape used to hold down carpet in homes or to keep a carpet or rug from Carpet tape can be used to “safety” servo lead connectors so they don’t come apart. Dental floss, shrink tubing, plastic tie wraps and rubber bands or clips can be used as well. However, for carpet tape you should clean the connectors with alcohol before applying the tape. The tape will work well, and it is very lightweight.

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

CARPET TAPE

Inside the radio compartment of some builder’s airplanes you’ll see a huge mess of wires. You can clean up your airplane by using a bit of carpet tape. Cut small pieces of carpet tape but leave the paper on one side. Use the tape to secure the wires to the side of the fuselage. Your model will be clean and neat inside, and there will be more useable room in the fuselage.

Locating and mounting control horns can be troublesome, but carpet tape makes it easy. Just place a small piece of carpet tape on the bottom of a horn and trim around the tape’s edges. Then you can easily mount and remove the horn. I generally use a drill press to match drill the mounting holes before mounting the horns to the surfaces. The tape will hold the horns in place while drilling. Do not remove the tape when installing the control horn for an even stronger bond.

Here is a great idea for installing cowls. Temporarily fasten the cowl in place with carpet tape. Place carpet tape on the back side of the spinner’s backplate and install it on the motor shaft along with the propeller, spinner and propeller nut. Then pull the cowl against the spinner’s backplate and tape, centering it with the spinner. The tape will hold the cowl perfectly in place while you drill the mounting holes. Use cardboard to shim the distance between the cowl and spinner if desired. You will need tape on both sides of the cardboard if so. See my article on mounting cowls in the March/April issue of this magazine.

RC-SF.COM

CARPET TAPE

Small pieces of carpet tape work well as labels. However, you must leave the protective paper on one side. Note that an organized workshop will save you time during any build, and knowing what is in a particular box or what servo goes to what control can be a great help. When a container is empty and needs to be relabeled, just pull the paper off and replace it with a new label.

When cutting parts for a build, you can duplicate them easily by using carpet tape to hold the parts together. After the parts are cut and sanded they can be taken apart quite easily. You can be much more accurate with carpet tape.

How many times have you tried to tighten a propeller nut on your model’s electric motor and the whole shaft turned? Maddening, huh? Especially if you have a spinner in place, with no way to hold the shaft, this is a problem. A very simple solution is to apply two small pieces of carpet tape on the front side of the propeller shaft as shown. It works every time!

Small electronic components such as receivers, electronic speed controllers and small servos installed in the fuselage on electricpowered aircraft can be safely held in place with carpet tape. You can remove them easily too. I wouldn’t recommend this for glow- or gas-powered models due to vibration, but it would work well in a glider or small electric. Just make certain the mounting surfaces are smooth and dust free.

sliding underfoot. It is very tacky and thin—0.012 inches thick with its paper backing removed. It is available with paper on one or both sides. The carpet tape I’ve been using has been in my building supplies for some time, and it has paper on one side only. You can purchase carpet tape at Home Depot® or Lowes® building supply stores. A 75-ft roll will cost you less than $10 and will most likely last you the rest of your model-building life. The tape I have was made by Manco, Inc. from Avon, Ohio. You will also 76

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

find it at the Home Depot under the name of Rhino Grip®. The retailers change suppliers often, so just ask for carpet tape if you can’t remember the name; it is very common. The photos in this article will provide you with 10 great suggestions for using carpet tape in your workshop. These are just a starting place for ways to use carpet tape. There are many more, so think “outside the box.” I use these techniques all the time when building and have found them very valuable.

Depending on how often you build or assemble an almost-ready-tofly model, your use of the tape will vary. I guarantee you will discover more uses for this tape than I detail in this article, so add some to your workshop’s stock. Now, follow along with my pictorial for how to use carpet tape. One technique might just make your build much, much easier, which can only put a big smile on your face. Like Larry the Cable Guy says, “Git er’ done!”

Wulf Hunter The NEW Spitfire Mk IX

The year was 1941. Focke-Wulf 190s were savaging RAF patrols over France. Britain needed a new fighter, and fast. The answer was the Spitfire Mk IX which, in the hands of British ace Johnnie Johnson, proved to be more than a match for this deadly threat and one of the greatest fighters of World War II. From 1941 through the end of the war Johnson scored 38 victories, many of them in the Mk IX and many of them against 190s. The new ParkZone® Spitfire Mk IX is a fitting tribute to this landmark warbird and its most famous pilot. It comes out of the box with the paint scheme and markings of the plane flown by Johnnie Johnson and

boasts the thrilling performance of a 15-size, 950Kv brushless outrunner. Other scale touches include a painted pilot figure, 20mm wing cannons, radiator scoops, engine exhausts and more. You even have the option of adding E-flite® electric retracts (EFLG100 – sold separately). No other Spitfire model offers so much performance and detail in so little time. Get to ParkZone.com right now to see it in action..

Wingspan: Length: Weight: Motor: Speed Control: Servos: Transmitter: Receiver: Battery: Charger:

43.2 in (1100mm) 37.3 in (950mm) 41.1 oz (1170 g) 15-size, 950Kv BL Outrunner (installed) E-flite® 30A Pro Switch-Mode BEC (installed) 4 sub-micro (installed) 4-channel (5-channel with retracts) (sold separately) Spektrum™ AR600 DSM2™/DSMX® (installed on BNF only) 3S 11.1V 2200mAh 25C Li-Po (included with BNF only) 2S – 3S DC Li-Po balancing fast charger (included with BNF only)

BNF (PKZ5780) PNP (PKZ5775) Accepts E-flite Electric Retracts (EFLG100 – Sold Separately)

VISIT

Your Local Retailer

CLICK

horizonhobby.com

CALL

1.800.338.4639

©2012 Horizon Hobby, Inc. ParkZone, E-flite, just fly., DSM2, DSMX and the Horizon Hobby logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Horizon Hobby, Inc. The Spektrum trademark is used with permission of Bachmann Industries, Inc. All other trademarks, service marks or logos are property of their respective owners. PRC ZL 200920061135.3. Other patents pending. 33913.1

SERIOUS FUN.™

BY Wil Byers

HITEC HFP-25 GET CENTERED QUICKLY AND EASILY

ver the years I’ve learned to pay special attention to the set-up details of my models with regards to their control systems, whether it be for a glider, an airplane or a helicopter. One of the details that modelers often overlook is setting the center positions on their model’s servos relative to the control surfaces’ neutral position and the sub trims of their transmitter. To make setups even easier and less time consuming, Hitec RCD sells the new HFP-25 servo programmer. It allows you to reprogram your servos’ center positions so that you no longer need to use sub trimming and other functions in the transmitter to get them set properly. This is the control package that I’m going to use in my new model: Aurora 9, Optima receiver and 7954 servos. The HFP-25 will let me pre-program the servos before I program the transmitter.

WHAT CENTER IS

Let’s begin by explaining what a servo’s center is with respect to the electrical signals that control the servo. All Hitec servos require a 3- to 5-volt peak-to-peak square wave pulse for their pulse data. On the other hand, Hitec digital servos require a 0.8- to 5-volt peak-topeak square wave pulse. While the servo’s pulse duration runs from 900 micro seconds (µS) to 2100 µS, its center position is 1500 µS. Full travel clockwise or counter clockwise would be 600 µS off the center position of 1500 µS. Note that the pulse’s refresh rate is done at 50 Hz or 20 millisecond intervals. Note too that most Hitec servos can be powered by a DC source that ranges from 4.8 to 6.0 volts, with their later Programming the servos is almost stupid easy. You’ll need to install the batteries in the programmer. Plug in the servo and then step through the program menus.

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

HITEC HFP-25 models accepting the 7.2 volts from a 2-cell LiPo pack.

WHAT IT DOES

The new HFP-25 lets you program your servos to a custom setting of your choice. Additionally you can test any brand of transmitter for the pulse sent to the receiver and any servo for voltage and proper movement. It is super easy to do too.

FUNCTIONS

• Reset servo to factory default • Select high or low resolution • Protect servo motor from overload current • Set the dead bandwidth • Set the direction of rotation (clockwise or counter clockwise) • Slow or speed up the rotation speed • Turn on a fail-safe setting • Set end, neutral or fail-safe points • Measure receiver pulses to the servos • Measure receiver voltage to the servos • Automatic servo movement test • Manual servo movement procedure

QUICK HOW TO

The HFP-25 is extremely easy to

use. Note, however, that I found the logic somewhat confusing at first, but if you actually read the manual you won’t! It is this easy. Start by charging the battery pack. You’ll need to remove the battery from the HFP-25 to charge it. It is a four-cell 1300mAh NiMH pack, so you can charge it with your Hitec charger, or any

At 1500 µS the servo is in its center position. Full travel is 600 µS off center plus or minus, so at 900 µS the servo is its full counter clockwise position.

other brand for that matter. Next, plug the servo into the servo port on the right side of the programmer. Then turn on the unit. The unit will likely boot up in Manual mode. In this mode, moving the dial in the upper right corner of the programmer will change

The HFP-25 has many program options. In Manual model you can test the servos travel by just turning the knob in the upper right corner plus or minus.

RC-SF.COM

HITEC HFP-25

the pulse durations and move the servo throughout its travel (a lower number moves the servo counter clockwise and a higher number on the display moves it clockwise). My unit runs from 899 to 2105. Pressing the UP/L will step the programmer forward through the functions, while pressing the DN/R will move it backwards. Once you’ve entered a function that you want to change, simply press the INPUT key. For example, if you want to reset a servo to the factory default you would do the following: 1. Press the UP/L or DN/R keys until the LCD display shows the words “->Program Reset.” 2. Press the INPUT key. The unit will show the words “up<->down” on its display. 3. Press the UP/L and DN/R keys to reset the servo to factory defaults. The HFP-25 will display “Reset Success”. It will then return to the function of “->Program Reset.” Programming dead bandwidth is somewhat different, so I’ll explain it too. Dead bandwidth is the the number of pulse durations in micro seconds, at the servo’s center position, required to make a change in the servo’s output. The lower the number, the quicker the response to control inputs typically. To program dead band, do the following: 1. Press the UP/L or DN/R key until 80

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

3. 4.

5. 6.

the display shows “->Program DB Width.” Press the INPUT key. My Hitec HS-7954SH shows a dead band of 1:9 on the display, which means its dead band is set to the tightest tolerance (factory setting). Press the M key to change the setting to the value of nine. Rotate the Adjust knob to move the value between 1 and 9 (for HS-7945SH). A value of 1 relates to 3 µS, while a value of 16 (some servos) would relate to 48 µS. Press the M key to store the setting in the servo. Press the INPUT key to return the programmer to the function menu.

WHY

The reason I’m using the HFP25 is to program the servos in my 1/3-scale Fox, which is running Hitec HS-7954SH servos pretty much throughout. I set the model’s servos’ centers, end points and dead bands. This is super nice because my transmitter’s sub trims will all be set to zero when my model leaves the workshop. Of course there might be some tweaking at the airfield because of changes in temperature. However, I will not have large sub trim values for the airplane in the transmitter to get its servos centers set as they are needed. The same applies for

the end points, which is a smart way to set them up so they cannot be overdriven by the transmitter/ receiver control system during setup or at the airfield. The bottom line is that the HFP25 cleans up the setup of the model’s programming in the transmitter. This would of course be before you program the transmitter for your model’s set-up configuration, e.g. glider/sailplane, helicopter or airplane.

BUY

You can purchase an HFP-25 Digital Servo Field Programmer and Tester at towerhobbies.com. It is only $69.99, which is a bargain when you consider that this unit will give your model a competitive edge at the airfield. It will also give you peace of mind to know that you’ve done the optimal job of setting up your model. While it may not be needed for every model you fly, it will certainly come in handy for models you have invested a lot of time and money in buying and building.

Distributor Hitec RCD 12115 Paine Street Poway, CA 92064 Phone: 858-748-6948 hitecrcd.com

Reader Survey Help Us Help You!

You, our readers, come first in the magazine business, and we want to know how to serve you better. Please complete the following anonymous survey so we can provide you with the magazine that fits your content needs. To take the survey, please fill out the form and send it to us at RC Sport Flyer, P.O. Box 4250, West Richland, WA 99352. Alternately, you can answer the survey at surveymonkey.com/ s/7C978QL. Thank you!

1. How many years have you been flying model airplanes? □ a. Less than a year □ b. 1–2 years □ c. 3–5 years □ d. More than 5 years 2. How many models do you own and fly? □ a. None □ b. 1–2 □ c. 3–5 □ d. 6–10 □ e. More than 10 3. What type of models do you fly? □ a. Airplanes □ b. Gliders □ c. Helicopters 4. Which is your preferred model construction type? □ a. Scratchbuilt □ b. Kit-built □ c. Almost Ready to Fly (ARF) □ d. Ready to Fly (RTF) 5. What transmitter/receiver system you use in your models? □ a. Futaba □ b. Graupner □ c. Hitec

□ d. Jeti □ e. JR □ f. Spektrum □ g. Other (please specify): 6. What brands do you like to buy? □ a. AeroWorks □ b. BP Hobbies □ c. Desert Aircraft □ d. Hitec □ e. Hobbico/Great Planes □ f. Hobby People □ g. Hobby Zone □ h. Horizon Hobby □ i. Icare RC □ j. Mountain Models □ k. Soaring USA □ l. Troy Built Models □ m. Other (please specify): 7. Where do you buy most of your models/supplies? □ a. Hobby shop □ b. Internet □ c. Other (please specify): 8. What type of flying do you like best? □ a. Airplane - 3D □ b. Airplane - Electrics □ c. Airplane - IMAC □ d. Airplane - Scale □ e. Airplane - Sport

□ f. Glider - Scale □ g. Glider - Slope □ h. Glider - Thermal duration □ i. Helicopter - 3D □ j. Helicopter - Scale □ k. Jets/Turbines - Scale □ l. Jets/Turbines - Sport 9. Do you belong to the AMA? □ a. Yes □ b. No 10. Are you a model aviation competitor? □ a. Yes □ b. No 11. How many events do you attend per year? □ a. None □ b. 1–2 □ c. 3–5 □ d. 6–10 □ e. More than 10 12. To which aviation magazine(s) do you currently subscribe? □ a. Flyer Models □ b. Flyer RC □ c. Model Airplane News □ d. RC Sport Flyer □ e. Other (please specify):

benefits you most? □ a. Event coverage □ b. How-to/Build □ c. Press releases □ d. Tests/Reports □ e. Other (please specify): 14. What digital reader(s) do you own? □ a. iPad □ b. Nexus 7 □ c. Kindle Fire □ d. Other (please specify): 15. Would you read RC Sport Flyer on a tablet? □ a. Yes □ b. No 16. Which category below includes your age? □ a. 17 or younger □ b. 18–20 □ c. 21–29 □ d. 30–39 □ e. 40–49 □ f. 50–59 □ g. 60–69 □ h. 70 or older 17. What is your gender? □ a. Female □ b. Male

13. Which part of RC Sport Flyer

ACE RC GT5

3-Axis Flybarless Gyro System w/Touch Pad

For easy, instant and incredibly stable flybarless flight! • A touch-pad makes programming the GT5 easy, with no need for a computer • The high-resolution backlit OLED display is easy to read, even in bright sunlight • Completely self-contained inside a machined aluminum case with excellent heat dissipation • Takes advantage of advanced MEMS sensor technology • Loaded with features at an affordable price — the GT5 is a great value!

Shown actual size.

™ ®

Airshow Center

The NEW ParkZone® Habu 2 Bind-N-Fly® Basic Take to the skies with a ParkZone Habu 2 jet and you are airshow center. Its striking Thunderbirds trim scheme and exhilarating performance are sure to draw a crowd wherever you fly. The phenomenal output of its E-flite® 15BL, 3200Kv brushless motor and Delta-V® fan unit delivers enough excess thrust for high-speed knife edge passes, crisp aileron rolls and zooming vertical maneuvers. When you throttle back, the Habu 2’s wide flight envelope and forgiving slow speed handling make it easy to punctuate your performances with a picture-perfect landing every time.

Wingspan: 36.3 in (920mm) Length: 43.3 in (1100mm) Weight: 51.8 oz (1470 g) Motor: E-flite® 15BL DF, 3200v brushless outrunner motor (installed) Fan Unit: E-flite® Delta-V 15 69mm fan unit (installed) Speed Control: E-flite® 60A Pro Switch-Mode BEC (installed) Servos: (installed) Receiver: Spektrum™ AR600 DSM2®/DSMX® (installed) Requires a full-range 4+ channel DSM2/DSMX aircraft transmitter (6+ channel with flaps and retracts), 4S 3000–3500mAh 30C Li-Po battery pack and charger, all sold separately.

BNF Basic (PKZ7150)

For the ultimate Habu 2 experience, add the optional flaps and E-flite electric retracts. The model has been designed to make installing both options quick and easy, and its Spektrum™ AR600 receiver has all the channels you’ll need. Get to parkzone.com right now to see this exciting new EDF in action. *Product shown with optional flaps. Servos for flaps (PKZ1081) sold separately.

VISIT

Your Local Retailer

Optional Retracts – Requires E-flite 10-15 Size Tricycle Electric Retracts (EFLG110), sold separately.

CLICK

horizonhobby.com

©2012 Horizon Hobby, Inc. ParkZone, Bind-N-Fly, E-flite, Delta-V, DSM2, just fly. and the Horizon Hobby logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Horizon Hobby, Inc. The Spektrum trademark is used with permission of Bachmann Industries, Inc. All other trademarks, service marks and logos are property of their respective owners. Patents pending. 35182.1

CALL

Optional Flaps– Requires two ParkZone SV80 servos (PKZ1081), sold separately.

1.800.338.4639

SERIOUS FUN.™

BY Wil Byers

CHRISTEN EAGLE II 90 ARF HANGAR 9’S BEAUTIFULLY DONE BIPLANE

he full-scale Christen Eagle is a colorful, high-performance biplane. The Eagle was developed and designed by Frank Christensen as an unlimited class aerobatic aircraft in the late 1970s. Its design was based on the famous Pitts Special. Frank wanted it to be a competition airplane, as well as serve as a trainer and cross country aircraft. More than one thousand of these aircraft have been built, flown and competed. The original twoseater was reworked to become a single-seater. It was then flown by Charlie Hillard, Tom Poberezny and Gene Soucy as The Eagles show team.

FULL-SCALE SPECIFICATIONS:

Wingspan 19 ft 11 in. Length 18 feet 6 in. Height 6 ft 6 in. Weight 1050 lb Engine 200 hp Lycoming AEI0-360 Speed 184 mph Range 350 miles Service ceiling 25,000 ft

HANGAR 9

The Hangar 9 Christen Eagle II has the same classy color scheme as the full-scale aircraft. It also has the performance that intermediate and advanced pilots will absolutely want to feel at their fingertips. As Hangar 9 says, “If you’re a sport flyer ready for more advanced planes or an aerobatic pro looking for a fun, sport scale model, the Christen Eagle II 90 has what you’re after.” The one thing that the Hangar 9 airplane has going for it over that of the full-scale airplane is that it’s an almost-ready-to-fly machine, which means you don’t have to build it from scratch. Also, with a price of just $329.99 at hangar-9.com, it is affordable for almost any modeler’s budget. My Christen Eagle II came very well packaged against shipping damage. The model arrives covered in the color scheme of the full-scale aircraft. The fuselage is made of the now typical laser-cut plywood and balsa parts, with a well-made plywood

The color scheme of the Christen Eagle II is unmistakable both on the ground and in the air. You’ll find this model super easy to see when it is in flight.

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

motor box. Even the canopy is completed, with spring-loaded latches at the lower back of the frame that lock it in position on the fuselage. This is a nice feature, but know that you must get the pins aligned with the holes in the fuselage to lock the canopy in place properly—it takes some getting used to. The landing gear is plenty strong for this model, and it includes fiberglass wheel pants and plastic fuselage fairings. The fiberglass cowl is plenty strong too. You can’t see under the covering of the model to examine the wings’ construction, but from what I can see, this airplane’s flying surfaces are done exceedingly well.

KIT CONTENTS

Fuselage with hatch Wing set with struts Wing transport frames Wing tube set Empennage Canopy Fiberglass cowling & wheel pants Wheels with tail wheel assembly

This is a model that you can go out to the airfield and have a boatload of fun flying. But it will also impress the spectators when you fly it through some aerobatics.

CHRISTEN EAGLE II 90 ARF There is a ton of room inside the fuselage for the servos, batteries, switch and radio receiver. The servo tray comes ready for the servos to drop in.

The Power 90 motor in combination with the Castle Creations HV 80 speed controller makes plenty of power to pull this airplane!

Hardware package with pushrods Motor mount Spinner

ASSEMBLY

Even if you are a rank beginner you could assemble this ARF. However, if needed Hangar-9 supplies an excellent 35-page manual that will take you step-by-

Installing the servos could not be easier because they fasten to the servo covers that come factory prefabricated. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to secure the connections.

Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll even get the linkages and pushrods in the hardware package that comes in the Hangar 9 kit. It is a very complete ARF.

RC-SF.COM

Look at the design lines of this airplane. It just shouts out performance and fun to fly, which it is—rest assured!

step through the build— you can download a PDF file of the manual at hangar-9.com. Like I said, this model is not difficult to assemble and install the control systems. You will, however, need to either follow the directions carefully or have built a number of Hangar 9 aircraft previously. Here is what I had to do. The elevator and rudder control rods come pre-installed. Also, the holes in the wings for the servos come precut, so you only need to mount the servos in their respective wells. While the control surfaces come slotted for the cyanoacrylatetype hinges, you must glue the hinges in place. You’ll find that the horizontal stabilizer and rudder assemblies mount neatly in the slots in the fuselage, with no adjustment required relative to the airframe. The control horns must be screwed to the control surfaces too, but that only takes a few minutes and the hardware is quite good. The upper wing cabane struts will test your patience a little with respect to starting the 3-mm screws and 86

Your Hangar 9 Christen Eagle II comes with top and bottom wing ailerons. The interconnect is a metal pushrod, which works very well.

The top wing of your model will fasten to this cabane system. It is easy to assemble and to attach the top wing to it.

You’ll need to screw the control horns to the control surfaces, as well as attache the clevises to the pushrods. Be sure to use the rubber safety clips.

The airplane’s wheel pants are made of sturdy fiberglass that resists damage during hard landings. The fuselage fairings are plastic.

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

CHRISTEN EAGLE II 90 ARF

Installing the landing gear could not be easier. You will need to know righty tighty, lefty loosy though. I recommend you use some LocTite® on the screws as well.

washer, which must go under the front turtle deck. The E-flite® Power 90 motor mount gets bolted to the firewall with 3.5-mm sockethead machine screws and blind nuts. So you’ll want to be sure to use blue threadlock on the bolts. The ARF package includes an excellent plywood template for mounting the motor. You can use it for mounting The two E-flite 4.8-volt, 4000-mAh 30C battery packs fit on this tray. It is held in the fuselage with two either a four-cycle engine screws at the rear. There is LOTS of power here. or the Power 90 motor that I used. The manual calls for an optional Hangar 9 2-3/4 in. aluminum spinner and 100 x 1.5-mm outrunner adaptor. The spinner mount hole on the Power 90 motor is 4 mm, but the mount screw on the spinner is 5 x 30 mm. The provided mount screw on the spinner is too short to attach the spinner, so it requires a longer 5 x 40 mm bolt. The adaptor can be drilled and tapped for 5 mm if the proper equipment is available. I decided to give the people at Horizon product support a call to see what they

The axels for the landing gear simply bolt to the legs. The wheel collars will space the wheel in the proper position in the wheel pant. Again, use LocTite.

This is how the battery packs look installed in the airplane. The hexhead screws that hold the tray in the airplane are not shown in this photo.

RC-SF.COM

You’ll want to apply the power gradually while adding a touch of right rudder. Then let the tail come up. Continue to build airspeed before you pull this airplane off the ground gently and gradually.

recommend. They suggested I use the white spinner that came with the aircraft, and ream it for the 10-mm motor adaptor. That did the trick! I had to add a filler block to the cowling mounts on the airframe to bring them flush with the fuselage frame because they appeared to have been flipped 180 degrees during the factory install. It was not a big deal to fix. A Castle Creations Phoenix ICE 2 HV 80-amp electronic speed controller (ESC) was mounted to the side of the motor box with industrial doubled-sided tape and a plastic tie wrap. The HV 80 is not a BEC, so a JR four-cell 1100-mAh battery is used for receiver and servo power. It is held in place with Velcro® and a strap.

Two 4000-mAh 4S LiPo batteries that are wired in series provide the motor power. The packs are mounted to the plywood battery tray with Velcro, while the tray is secured into the airframe with two cap screws. Adjusting the model’s center of gravity is about all you’ll need to do to ready this model for flight.

CENTER OF GRAVITY

I set my model’s CG at 5-1/4 in. back from the top wing’s leading edge. You may want to move it back some after you’ve flown it a few times, but go gradually to avoid having a tail-heavy airplane that will leave your model very hard to control. Move it back a quarter inch at a time or something similar.

Start off by making a few passes at the runway to feel out the airspeed you’ll want to land this airplane at. Do not pull the nose up too high. Rather, fly it onto the runway with just a little power.

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

You’ll have a blast doing some low, high-speed passes with this little airplane. The E-flite Power 90 motor makes real power, which you can use for rapid climbs to altitude while rolling the machine!

CONTROL THROWS High Rate

Expo Low Rate

Expo

+/- 7/8 in.

33%

+/- 19/32 in.

42%

Elevator +/- 1-3/8 in. 30%

+/- 1 in.

42%

Rudder

1-3/8 in.

45%

Aileron

1-7/8 in.

35%

FLIGHT REPORT

By any measure I’m an intermediate pilot when it comes to powered airplanes. However, in my mind, I’m Quique Somenzini when I’m at the controls. The point is, I’m having fun flying airplanes no matter what kind or my skill level. So, for me to fly my Christen Eagle I needed to “amp up” my concentration and focus on flying this model smoothly off the

Even at 50-percent power this model flies fairly fast. I had a good time setting it up in close for my photographer to capture some pictures for you.

CHRISTEN EAGLE II 90 ARF runway, flying the pattern, doing some modest maneuvers and landing just as smoothly. I’ll tell you about my flight soon, but first let me tell you that I’ve seen the Christen Eagle flown by David Payne. David is a team Horizon pilot. He can make this model fly like you would not believe. I’ve seen him put this little baby into knife-edge flight and then run it the length of the runway. He flies it upside down like it was right side up. You’d swear he was going to land it on the top wing before he pushes in the down elevator control to fly it to a speck going pretty much straight up. I would not call the Eagle a 3D machine, but you can even force it into some 3D-type performance. What I see in this model is an airplane that just flat out delivers some really great performance for the sport and aerobatics pilots. Now here is what I found at the controls: You’ll start by plugging the batteries’ plug into a series harness, but only after the receiver is powered, the throttle is set to low and the transmitter is linked to the receiver. This prevents accidentally arming the speed controller, even though it has a safety circuit to protect it. I checked the airplane’s controls for proper direction and travel. Then I taxied the model onto the runway and to the far end. With it pointing into the wind I applied power, but did not add enough right rudder. The model promptly turned left into the grass. The next takeoff roll was much better. This time I applied the power gradually while adding the proper amount of right rudder. The model gained speed and I let its tail come up. Then I let it build airspeed before I gently pulled back on the elevator. Even so, once it was in the air I leveled the model off and let it build a bit more speed to avoid tip stalling it. Once I felt it was at a safe airspeed I pulled the nose up, added more power and climbed the model at about 45 degrees. Let me tell you, this model has

power. It climbed pretty rapidly to about 200 feet where I leveled it off and relaxed on the sticks. I was absolutely surprised that the model needed no trim at the center of gravity postion I had it set to. Then it was time to try a roll. WOW! This airplane rolls super well. I truly just let it fly around its axis. It did so in a hurry. Then it was fun doing some highspeed passes for my camera man. I gotta tell you I was pretty excited to bring this model down low and blast down the runway. You’ll find that it loops well, and it will fly upside down with very little down elevator control required.

What you must know is that you do not want to pull the nose of this airplane up on landing. Rather, pull the power back to about 10 percent and let it fly to the runway. Once the model is in ground effect you can pull the power back and ease back on the elevator. You’ll be pleasantly surprised how well this model will land. Remember, once on the ground use that elevator to keep it stuck there.

CONCLUSION

This is one fun machine to fly. It is not a beginner’s model, but then, it wasn’t designed to be. Get one.

Specifications

Distributor Horizon Hobby 4105 Fieldstone Road Champaign, IL 61822 Phone: 217-352-1913 Horizonhobby.com

Wingspan

54.0 in.

Length

50.8 in.

Wing Area

878 in.2

Top Wing

446 in.2

Bottom Wing

432 in.2

Weight

8.5–10.0 lb RTF

Motor

E-fite Power 90, 325 Kv

Transmitter

JR 11X

Receiver

Spektrum AR8000 2.4-GHz

Servos

(4) Spektrum DS821digitals

Propeller

APC 17x8 E

Spinner

2.75 in.

ESC

Castle Creations 80-amp Phoenix ICE 2 HV 80

Battery

(2) E-flite 40000-mAh 4S 30C LiPo

Price

$399.99

RC-SF.COM

Maxx Products is your complete source for Electric Airplane Accessories

Mounts - Heatsink or plain mounts for beam mount Fit 20, 28, and 36 mm motors.

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Spinners - 29, 38, 44 and 50mm lightweight polished aluminum spinners - Fit 2 to 5mm motor shafts.

Gearboxes - Assorted planetary and offset gearboxes to fit a variety of motors. Tools - Universal Pinion Puller. Universal Extracting Tool

1570 Switch - This simple switch temporarily disconnects BEC power to the radio system between flights.

• Micro wire (32AWG) extensions, Y-harness, switch harness for small electric airplanes, • Full line of Himax Brushless motors and gear motors, • Full line of ferrite motors and high performance cobalt & neodymium motors, Micro servos, micro receivers, and battery packs. Visit Our Website to See the Complete Line!

Get The Most For Your Hobby Dollar, Visit Your Local Hobby Shop!

Wheels - Light weight wheels with strong hubs Sizes: 1.25”, 1.5”, 2”, 2.5”, and 3.00”

Exclusive Distributor

MAXX Products International, Inc. 815 Oakwood Rd., Unit D, Lake Zurich, IL 60047, USA Ph: 847-438-2233 Fax: 847-438-2898

www.maxxprod.com

THE JUG

MAKE A BIG IMPRESSION

NEW Hangar 9 P-47D-40 Thunderbolt ®

Few subjects are as magnificent in giant-scale as the mighty P-47D Thunderbolt (aka The Jug). Its big, round-cowl nose, stout airframe and wide stance landing gear make for an imposing presence on any flight line. Now you can experience the thrill of flying a giant-scale Jug without having to spend months at a workbench to do so. The new Hangar 9 P-47D-40 Thunderbolt 30cc ARF comes covered with an authentic UltraCote trim scheme. It also includes a huge list of additional details like functional flaps, wing guns, a dummy radial engine and a painted fiberglass cowl with hidden mounting screws. Three different sets of decals give you your choice of markings. You even have the option of adding extra scale details like a full-depth cockpit, Robart retracts and a retractable tail wheel, all of which are sold separately. ®

The model’s trim scheme is inspired by two P-47Ds from the Tennessee Museum of Aviation that still fly today.

SPECIFICATIONS | HAN4485 Wingspan Length Wing Area Weight Engine

81.5 in (2.1 m) 71.0 in (1.8 m) 1165 sq in (75.1 sq dm) 16.0–19.0 lb (7.30–8.60 kg) 1.60–2.10 2-stroke glow, 1.80–2.20 4-stroke glow, 26–40cc gas Electric Motor Power 160 Transmitter 6+ channel with 8 servos & Servos (7 servos if electric power) (1 extra servo for retracts)

Putting together a big, beautiful scale warbird really doesn’t get much easier than this. Get to Hangar-9.com right now for complete details and to find the Hangar 9 retailer near you.

Get to Hangar-9.com right now for complete details.

VISIT

Your Local Retailer

CLICK

horizonhobby.com

CALL

1.800.338.4639

SERIOUS FUN.

™

BY James VanWinkle

BP HOBBIES CHARGER CHARGING BATTERY PACKS MADE EASY! Once the charge is complete the charger will announce and show on the backlit LCD display the word “FULL,” which means that the pack has completed a charge without any errors.

P Hobbies offers a complete set of chargers and power supplies for any battery system application. I was able to get my hands on three of their most economical products to do some testing. From a power supply to two chargers, these products can handle the needs of most modelers for a price that is right. Even though they are inexpensive compared with other chargers, these products still offer high quality. The electronic components of the BP chargers come wrapped in a well-made anodized aluminum. They also employ easy-toread backlit LED screens and come with some good quality charging cables. Let’s take a look at what is available from BP Hobbies.

A12 POWER SUPPLY

BP’s A12 power supply is designed to deliver 12 volts direct current at 150 watts of regulated power. It mates well with the BP (or other) chargers though its female banana plug connections. The unit delivers 12 amps to your charger, which means it will let you do pretty fast charging, either for single or multiple battery packs. Its small footprint means it doesn’t take up much space on the work bench either.

BP Hobbies A12 power supply is ready to run right out of the box. The blue anodized case gives it a professional look. All pertinent operation data is on the case, so it is easy to see the capabilities without digging through manuals.

Features • • • • • • •

Over current protection Short circuit protection on output Internal cooling fan for optimal temperature control Universal AC voltage input range though a detachable AC power cord Chassis mount, rocker power switch Power on LED indicator Color-coded banana jacks

Specifications

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

Input voltage

90–265 V AC

Output voltage

12.0 V DC

Output current

12.5 amps

Power

150 watts

Efficiency

Up to 87%

Price (BPHobbies)

$ 39.95

BP HOBBIES CHARGER A built-in balance port provides a nononsense battery connection without requiring additional adapter boards. If the pack comes with a balance plug, just attach it to the balance port and it is ready to charge.

The 410B charger utilizes a switch to pick either LiPo or LiFe battery type. Why the switch? Because the voltages of the packs are slightly different, and selecting the wrong battery can cause damage.

The 410B is shown here in action charging a LiFe battery pack. The display cycles through the pertinent charge information, which at this moment is pack voltage.

410B CHARGERY POWER CHARGER

The 410B charger is a superb, economical fit for charging 2- to 4-cell LiPo and LiFe battery packs. With extremely easy-to-follow instructions, the charger can be used within minutes of taking it out of the box. The power source to use with the 410B ranges from the Chargery series power supplies to anything that provides between 12–18 volts DC, such as a car battery. To safeguard a car’s battery from being drained below car-starting capacity, the 410B automatically cuts off if the source voltage drops to 10 volts or less. And, if the the charger’s input polarity is detected as being reversed, the charger will not turn on. The built-in balance port allows for a clean setup without having to use external balance boards while charging. The balancer is designed to accommodate 2- to 4-cell battery The power supply connects to the 410B battery charger as it charges one of the BP 6.6-volt 20C 850-mAh LiFe packs. Notice how I have the balance leads plugged right into the charger.

RC-SF.COM

packs, and even includes two 2-cell balance ports to accommodate a set of batteries that are wired in series. The on-screen menus are easy to follow, which lets first-time users to get up to speed on its operation within minutes. Displays are backlit, and the monitor screen provides a host of information that includes each cell’s individual voltage, total voltage, difference between battery cells and percent of charge capacity.

The charger will annuciate that the pack has reached a full charger as well as display this message on its LCD screen.

As you can see the 410B charger uses only three buttons for programming and initiating a charge. It is super easy to use!

Features • • • • • • •

LiPo- and LiFe-compatible by slider switch Built-in balance port Charges up to 4S at 10 amps Intelligent cooling fan for internal temps over 40°C Input power monitor to protect input power source Reverse polarity protection LCD backlit display

Specifications Input voltage

10–18 V DC

Charge current

up to 12.5 amps

Discharge current

<500 mA

Balancing current

<500 mA

Balance precision

<10 mV

Display resolution

1 mV

Detection precision

5 mV

Price (BPHobbies)

$29.95

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

The BP 650B charger here shows the battery type as LF (LiFe), which you can select with the menu buttons under the display. The balance port is attached to a board and offers a variety of balancing types.

BP HOBBIES CHARGER

Here is how your charger might come out of the package. The 650B is ready to use immediately, and it includes a temperature sensor as standard equipment for monitoring battery status.

In display mode, the 650B indicates the charge mode. Then it cycles through the various charge status information, which is written on the unit in the order of the arrows located just outside the display screen.

One the nice features of this inexpensive charger is that it comes with balancing board that plugs into the side of the charger in the event your pack does not interface with the 650B model.

Features • • • • • • •

information is cycled showing the various status information depending on the menu selected. It is a great charger at a wonderful price.

650B CHARGERY POWER CHARGER

This charger will power up just about anything from a single-cell to a 6-cell LiPo and LiFe battery pack. It also has the capability to charge from 1- to 15-cell NiMH or NiCd packs, with the option of charging lead acid batteries. It is very intuitive to use— similar to the 410B, with mostly the same menus—but with the added screens for the additional cell counts and increased battery type. Input power for the 650B can range from 11–18 volts DC. With the addition of a temperature sensor, the charger can monitor temperature, so it can stop the charge if a potential problem arises in the charge cycle. The balance adapter boards plug in near the charge cables, and multiple battery balance port adapters are available from BP Hobbies. The screens are backlit and

Accepts multiple adapter boards for balanced charge Charges LiPo up to 6S at max 5 amps Charges 1–15 cells of NiCd and NiMH and 2–20 V lead acid batteries Intelligent cooling fan for internal temps over 40°C Input power monitor to protect input power source Reverse polarity protection LCD backlit display

Specifications Battery type

LiPo, LiFe, NiMH/ NiCd and Lead Acid

Input voltage

10–18 V DC

Charge current

up to 5 amps

Discharge current

<300 mA

Balancing current

<300 mA

Balance precision

<10 mV

Display resolution

1 mV

Detection precision

5 mV

Price (BPHobbies)

$ 44.95

CONCLUSION

BP Hobbies offers great products at affordable prices, and the power supply and chargers really hit the mark with quality and performance. RC-SF.COM

BP HOBBIES CHARGER

Here you see the screen that is used for setting the balance parameters. You can pretty much learn how to use this charger by following the screen prompts.

The word dISC means that the battery is either not connected proper, has been disconnected or that there is a bad cell in the pack, which will show as an open circuit.

This is telling you that the charger is doing a check on the LiPo pack to make certain that the setting are right for charging a LiPo battery pack safely.

The same applies here. However, in this case the charger is checking a NiCd pack to determine the number of cells it will charge. The unit uses peak crossover detection for NiCds.

The power supply and battery chargers will charge just about any battery pack or type a modeler could possibly want, and they will do so without damaging your pocketbook very much. These components are easy to use, even though BPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s instructions are included and manuals are also available online at the BP Hobbies website. Compare their products and read what users say about them, and then add them to your hobby inventory.

Distributor BP Hobbies LLC 140 Ethel Road West, Suite J Piscataway, NJ 08854 Phone: 732-287-3933 bphobbies.com

RC SPORT FLYER â&#x20AC;&#x201D; SEPTEMBER 2012

And, again, this shows that the 650B is checking a lead acid battery pack before it begins the charge cycle.

BY Gene Cope

THE WINGS MAKER SZD-45 OGAR FLY THIS SCALE MOTOR GLIDER FOR HOURS OF FUN

he full-scale, self-launching Ogar first flew in 1973. The Ogar features sailplane-type rigging, good soaring capability and staggered side-by-side two-place seating. Additionally, the Ogar utilizes a Hoffmann two-blade pusherpropeller power system. Its landing gear is semi-retractable, and approach control is by top and bottom wing surface airbrakes. The U.S. version is powered with the dual ignition, turbocharged, Revmaster® engine. The SZD-45 Ogar from The Wings Maker is available in two configurations. One is a kit that you assemble and then install the motor, servos and such. The other is a preassembled combo with servos and motor already installed. The latter is the version that will be covered here, with a 28/30 (1015 Kv) outrunner motor and four micro servos that come already installed in the aircraft. As a minimum, use a 25amp continuous-current electronic

speed controller (ESC), a 1800-mAh battery and a four-channel receiver to complete the flight system.

IN FLIGHT

On its maiden flight, and with its flight controls set to neutral, the Ogar flew right out of my hand straight and level. It then proceeded to climb at about 45 degrees, without even a hint of stalling. At altitude I leveled the airplane and pulled the power back. The blade folded and the model started to glide. The glider’s control surfaces provide more than ample response, so you’ll find that it maneuvers well. When motor power is applied the control response is crisp but not violent or prone to excess. Once the glider is at altitude and the motor is turned off, you’ll

want to trim the Ogar’s elevator for soaring flight. My Ogar setup required about half the transmitter’s up elevator trim to give it a good lift-over-drag (L/D) glide. After a few flights, I replaced the 2100-mAh battery with a 1800-mAh battery. Making that change moved the center of gravity (CG) back another quarter of an inch from where the manual stated it should be on the

Hook a thermal and the Ogar will climb out well. Just power up to altitude and then shut off the motor for some nice, relaxed soaring.

These are all the components that come in the SZD-45 combo kit. You won’t need to buy much of anything except a battery pack.

RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

THE WINGS MAKER SZD-45 OGAR wing. At the new CG setting, the Ogar climbed under full power at a steady 30 degrees, and when the motor stopped no up trim was required for soaring, which made for a cleaner aircraft. Also, with the 1800-mAh battery the model is lighter weight, so the Ogar The wings and carbon wing rod come protected in a very soars better too. nicely made wing bag. A foam divider protects the wings from each other when they are in the bag. I like that it has a Furthermore, the handle too—a great addition to the kit! Ogar flies at a lower airspeed for soaring, with its flight controls being smoother but still providing more than adequate control. What I like about this model is

When the lift is light, doing flybys on the slope is truly a fun experience, with the glider in close, going slow and flying smoothly.

With the wings mounted on the fuselage, you’ll sight on the horizontal stabilizer to determine if it is parallel to the wing before gluing it in place.

A receiver, ESC and battery are all that is required to complete the flight pack. I used an AR7000 receiver, 40-amp ESC and 2100-mAh LiPo for mine.

that the Ogar’s design lines makes it easy to discern at a distance, which is great when you’re flying it in a thermal. Landings are smooth with the Ogar gliding in, wings level, almost landing itself. The full-scale SZD-45 has wingtip wheeled pogos that keep its wingtips off the ground and provide maneuvering ability. The Wings Maker has provided a cradle to keep the Ogar’s wings level during take off. Because of its small wheels, however, the launching cradle requires a fairly smooth surface to roll off, so I suggest you use it for takeoffs from pavement. If the pavement is too rough, the wheels will not roll well, which will cause it to nose over. This is a very enjoyable aircraft to fly because it has a pilot feel that is smooth and steady, but it also has plenty of power and control

You’ll use the hook tool provided in the kit to pull the rubber band through the fuselage. It then fastens to the opposite wing.

RC-SF.COM

response to make it an outstanding aircraft.

DEBRIEF

This almost-toalmost-to-fly glider is made so you can have it flyable in just a few hours. With its low wing loading and stable flying characteristics, this scale model of a motor glider is a dream to fly. Also, it is a design that will be

The elevatorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s servo lead routes through the vertical fin and boom. The tab on the vertical fin makes a strong mount for the horizontal stabilizer.

The motor is a pusher type. It comes installed in the glider. In this photo the right wing is being fastened into place.

The launching cradle is useful for supporting the fuselage while assembling the airframe at the field and for testing the motor.

recognized as something totally different at the airfield, which may just leave other pilots a little envious. If the purpose for this model from The Wings Maker is to make flying fun, this is one scale aircraft that has real, true value for you.

Even though this photo was taken in early spring when it was still quite cold outside, I was able to work a thermal that was drifting up the slope. My friend, David Lake, did the duty of being my maiden flight test pilot. The model did not disappoint either of us.

Check out that folding propeller. It works extremely well. When folded it creates very little drag, so the model can soar for hours.

100

RC SPORT FLYER â&#x20AC;&#x201D; SEPTEMBER 2012

THE WINGS MAKER SZD-45 OGAR

ASSEMBLY When you open your Ogar’s kit box you will see a beautiful wing bag. It holds the wings, their carbon wing rod joiner and a foam divider that keeps the aileron control horns of each wing from damaging the other wing. Below a cardboard box divider are the fuselage and horizontal stabilizer. They come with the servos installed. It is a very complete kit. Once all the parts are unpacked, only a few assembly steps are required to get the model flying. For example, you’ll want to add the fiberglass tape that has been provided to the ailerons, rudder and elevator hinge lines to give those control surfaces added strength. The Ogar is a “plain Jane” aircraft; however, The Wing Maker has detailed its Ogar after a colorful, full-scale SZD-45 design. On the model, this color scheme definitely moves the glider out of the plain category. I would recommend that you add the vinyl decals before assembling the airframe to ease their application. Once that step is complete you’ll want to fit the wings to the fuselage. They will slide onto a carbon rod spar that runs through

the fuselage. You will then align the horizontal stabilizer so that it is parallel to the wings. Be sure to dry-fit the horizontal stabilizer to the vertical fin before using epoxy to glue it into position. Note that the elevator servo wire routs down through the vertical fin and then through the boom. A pull string is provided for this purpose. Once the horizontal stabilizer is squared to the wings, the wires are in place and the fit is good, you can glue it in place. Setup The kit includes a three-prong plug that mates to the electronic speed controller. However, you must solder the leads from the plug to the brushless motor’s wires. It is quite simple if you have a bit of experience using a soldering iron. The model uses a 40-amp ESC and a 2100-mAh battery. You’ll want to mount the model’s radio receiver and connect the servos’ leads as per your radio systems instructions. I fitted my Ogar with a

Spektrum® AR 7000 seven-channel 2.4-GHz receiver. The last step in assembly is to mount the battery in the fuselage for the correct CG at 2.56 in. (65 mm) back from the leading edge of the wing at the fuselage. In the case of my model, I used an E-flite® 3S, 11.1-volt, 2100-mAh pack, which worked well. My Orgar gets commands from a Specktrum DX8 transmitter. I set it up to provide differential aileron input at 50 percent. So, my Ogar has the following: Control Throws Ailerons

3/4 in. up 3/8 in. down

Elevator

1/2 in.up

1/2 in. down

Rudder

1-1/2 in.

Exponential

40% for all controls

Specifications Wingspan

98.5 in.

Wing area

667 in.2

Length

45 in.

Weight

≈2.9 lb

Wing loading

10.36 oz/ft2

Transmitter

Spektrum DX8

Receiver

AR7000

Motor

World Models

ESC

World Models

Battery

E-flite 3S 2100-mAh

Price

$219.99

Once I hit the power, the Ogar started to climb immediately. It is not an F5B machine, but it will certainly get to soaring altitude easily.

Distributor

You can certainly classify the Ogar as a scale glider with this color scheme, which was used on the full-scale SZD-45.

The Wings Maker 4749 K Bennett Dr Livermore, CA 94551 Phone: 925-371-0933 thewingsmaker.com

References Wikipedia.com

RC-SF.COM

101

PHOENIX ICE2 HV SERIES

Available in 40, 60, 80, 120 and 160 amp capacities. Up to 12S max. Great for extreme plane and heli performance.

ACE RC

ttamerica.com

JR Radio

jrradios.com

Airborne Models

airborne-models.com

102

Maxx Products

maxxprod.com

APC Propellers

apcprops.com

Micro Fasteners

microfasteners.com

Blade

bladehelis.com

27, 82, 107

OLE RC

olerc.com

BP Hobbies

bphobbies.com

Parkzone

parkzone.com

Bob Smith Industries

bsi-inc.com

Pheonix Flight Sim

horizonhobby.com

Castle Creations

castlecreations.com

103

RTL Fasteners

rtlfasteners.com

Central Hobbies

centralhobbies.com

Smart-Fly

smart-fly.com

Desert Aircraft

desertaircraft.com

Soaring USA

soaringusa.com

Eagle Tree

eagletreesystems.com

Spektrum

spektrumrc.com

2,3

Futaba

futaba-rc.com

105

Tactic Radio

tacticrc.com

Hangar 9

hangar-9.com

ThunderPower

thunderpowerrc.com

Hitec RCD

hitecrcd.com

TruTurn

tru-turn.com

Horizon Hobby

horizonhobby.com

4, 12, 83

Zenoah

zpengines.com

Jeti USA

jetiusa.com

11, 77, 83

5 108 73 4

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RC SPORT FLYER — SEPTEMBER 2012

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Give us the name of the airplane to WIN! SUBMISSION INFORMATION Please e-mail your response to support@rc-sf.com or mail a letter to Kiona Publishing ATTN: RC-SF 17-07 Contest P.O. Box 4250 W Richland, WA 99353 Submissions must be received by 11/20/2012

The 6J. Blazing Speed. Red-hot Value. With a frame rate of 6.8ms, the Futaba 6J is a hot buy for response speed alone. But add 6J value, and things only get hotter. It’s priced to make high-end features affordable: electronic swash ring and 4 swash types for helis, 5-point throttle and pitch curves for helis and airplanes and a variable rate knob, 15-model memory and more for good measure. Programming is easy, too, and you can navigate it forward and backward. ™

Get today’s hottest deal in 6-channels: Futaba 6J.

futaba-rc.com/102r © 2011 Hobbico®, Inc. All rights reserved. 3137278 The Futaba® logo and name are registered trademarks of Futaba Corporation. Futaba is distributed by Great Planes Model Distributors®, Champaign, IL, 61826, U.S.A.

300 X

The Blade 300 X BLADE EXPERTISE + BEASTX FLYBARLESS PRECISION The Blade heli development team has decades of combined RC heli experience. If anyone knows what awesome performance looks and feels like, they do. This expertise, along with the precision of BeastX™ flybarless technology, is what brings out the 3D animal in the amazing Blade® 300 X. The 300 X comes out of the box completely assembled and equipped with an E-flite® 320H, 4500Kv brushless motor and a high-output 3S 30C Li-Po battery. Complementing this power is the precision of a Spektrum™ AR7200BX Flybarless Control System. Its built-in BeastX technology delivers a perfect balance of agility and stability that everyone from new CCPM pilots to 3D pros will love. The 300X has even been flight tested and had the rotors balanced at the factory so you don’t have to. Simply charge the battery, bind the receiver to your DSM2®/DSMX® transmitter and fly. Get to bladehelis.com right now for complete details on this incredible Bind-N-Fly® heli experience.

Specifications: Length: 20.1 in (510mm) Height: 7.7 in (195mm) Flying Weight: 17.3 oz (491 g) Rotor Diameter: 21.7 in (550mm) Main Motor: E-flite® 320H 4500Kv brushless, installed On-Board Electronics: Spektrum AR7200BX 7-Channel DSM2/DSMX Flybarless Control System with Integrated BeastX Technology, installed Battery: E-flite 3S 11.1V 1350mAh 30C Li-Po, included Charger: DC Li-Po balancing, included

VISIT

Your Local Retailer

CLICK

horizonhobby.com

CALL

1.800.338.4639

SERIOUS FUN.™

© 2012 Horizon Hobby, Inc. Blade, E-flite, Bind-N-Fly, DSM2 and the Horizon Hobby logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Horizon Hobby, Inc. DSMX is a trademark of Horizon Hobby, Inc., registered in the U.S. The Spektrum trademark is used with permission of Bachmann Industries, Inc. BeastX is a trademark of Markus Schaack and is used with permission. The Spektrum AR7200BX employs technology exclusively licensed to Horizon Hobby, Inc. from freakware GmbH. U.S. 7,391,320. Other Patents Pending. www.bladehelis.com 36439.1