RC Sport Flyer Jan 2013 (Vol 18-01) by RC Flyer News

Carbon Cub SS Build Part I World’s Most In-Depth RC Aircraft Magazine

See The Action @

PIII F3F Racer

Visalia Fall Soaring Festival 2012

2Warbirds Tested We Fly the FlyZone® & E-flite Corsairs

get Our Exclusive Review

UMX Carbon Cub SS look at What AS3X Delivers in this little bush plane

january 2013

USA & Canada $6.49

rc-sf.com

VISIT

CLICK

CALL

Your Local Retailer

horizonhobby.com

1.800.338.4639

SERIOUS FUN.™

©2013 Horizon Hobby, Inc. DSMX, PowerSafe, X-Plus, Serious Fun 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. US 7,391,320. 38326

An Obsession with Excellence From pioneering the sport of 3D aerobatics to shaping the future of RC aircraft design, Quique Somenzini is one of the most influential forces in the world of model aviation. This stunning DX18QQ Limited Edition transmitter, of which only 2,000 have been made, is one more testament to his relentless pursuit of excellence. Exclusive DX18QQ Features In addition to the unparalleled capabilities all DX18 transmitters possess, the DX18QQ comes equipped with exclusive software features and ergonomics shaped by Quique’s decades of RC experience and know-how. – “Roll” between telemetry, monitor and main screens without entering the Settings menu – Switch between Function List and System Settings menus without powering off the transmitter – Program mixes of less than 10% can adjust in 0.5% increments – 6-servo wing setup – Canard options (1- and 2-servo rudder) are available under tail type when the elevon wing type is selected – Origin mixing – Sound menu that lets you activate or inhibit specific DX18QQ sounds – Assign five Airplane flight modes to any two switches – Expanded selection of avatar choices for model memory identification – Assign in-flight aircraft gain adjustment to one of the side levers, the right knob or one of the auxiliary trim switches – Pitch curve for Airplane models with variable pitch props – Program the throttle trim to function as a 3-position switch for turbine engine starts

Included DX18QQ Limited Edition accessories: – AR12120 12-Channel DSMX® PowerSafe™ Receiver – XP8000 X-Plus™ 8 Channel Expansion Module – 2S 2600mAh Li-Po Transmitter Battery – Certificate of Authenticity personally signed by Quique – DX18QQ Sol de Mayo Transmitter Case – DX18QQ Microfiber Display Screen Cloth – Orange Anodized Spektrum™ Flashlight – DX18QQ Special Edition DVD – Engraved DX18QQ Dog Tag (when you email spektrum@horizonhobby.com) – Optional 34mm Orange Anodized Stick Ends – DX18QQ Decal Sheet – DX18QQ Neckstrap – DX18QQ SD Card – DX18QQ Hat

Don’t miss your opportunity to own one of these precision flight instruments. Go to spektrumrc.com right now for complete details and to find the participating Spektrum retailer near you.

“I’m very excited about this transmitter. You’re going to love its elegant style and exclusive features as much as I do.”

Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s helis and planes need a

BiG @$$ BeC inTRodUCinG

Talon 90 esC BEC: 20 amp peak with 9 amps continuous output. ESC: 6S max input. 90 amp ESC. Applications: Ideal for powering motor and servos in 500, 550 and sport 600 helis, and 6S aerobatic ships too. Full Castle programmable function set.* NOW SHIPPING!

Scan for more info on Talon ESCs

*Castle USB Link sold separately.

Jeti a ESPRIT s u l e d mo

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DEPARTMENTS

BUILD

10 14 96 97

leading edge Hot Products advertiser index Mystery airplane

Dallaire Sportster fuselage part ii Get step-by-step building tips for this classic airplane from one of the best modelers you’ll find anywhere. By Jeff Troy

Cockpits Part I Bring your airplane’s cockpit to life by learning how Rob does the ultra scale cockpits for his models. By Rob Caso

pg 48

See how our AeroWorks Carbon Cub SS stacks up against the full-scale CubCrafters’ Cub.

Plan

pg 88

Carbon Cub SS Learn why the AeroWorks Carbon Cub SS is a great model for sport flying, glider aerotowing and even 3D. By Wil Byers

L-19 Bird Dog When you see this plan you’ll want to build the very famous Cessna. By Wendell Hostetler

photos

curtiss jn-4 Jenny Take a look at how a master builder creates a one-of-akind vintage biplane. By Jerry Smith

Get ready to race when you take control of the new PIII F3F machine.

event

2012 Fall Soaring festival See why this event has become the contest to attend for glider pilots the world over. By Jon Barnes

RC SPORT FLYER — january 2013

pg 22 Get a look at all the action at the 2012 Fall Soaring Festival.

January 2013 reviews

UMX Carbon Cub SS Discover why this E-Flight ultramicro Cub flies like a much larger airplane because of AS3X. By RC-SF Staff

f4u-Ai corsair BNF Retract the gear on this F4U-AI to get ready for serious warbird action. By Wil Byers

Predator III We show you why the PIII F3F glider has the potential to make you a winner. By Wil Byers

F4U Corsair RTF Take flight with this F4U to see how you can win your RC battles with this fighter. By Anthony Richards

You will have air superiority at the controls of this fighter. PG 74

PG 82 Get into the action when you fly this great little warbird! Follow us at twitter @rcsportflyer

RC-SF.COM

Editor in Chief: Assistant Editors:

Wil Byers

wil@rc-sf.com

Tara Swanson

assted@rc-sf.com

Bess Byers, Claire Schilperoort Don Porten, Anthony Richards

subscribe @ RC-SF.com for only $24.95

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Zhe Meng

Photography:

Wil Byers Bess Byers

Graphic Designers:

Zhe Meng Bess Byers Shi Yuang

graphics@rc-sf.com

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bookkeeper@kionapublishing.com

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Contributing Editors: Don Bailey, Rob Caso, Gene Cope, Daniel Holman, Mike Hoffmeister, Richard Kuns, Bob McGowan, Joe Nave, Vincenzo Pedrelli, Steve Rojecki, Gary Ritchie, Mike Shellim, Jerry Smith, Jeff Troy, James VanWinkle 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 8-4, 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 — january 2013

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web@kionapublishing.com

Office Assistant:

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Printed in the USA

WORLD FAMOUS PATTERN SUPPLIER

CENTRAL HOBBIES

www.centralhobbies.com Information (406) 259-9004 Mon-Sat: 10-6 Closed Sunday Orders only 1-800-723-5937 Fax (406) 259-4744 Prices subject to change • Shipping additional

YS DZ175 Sport

YS FZ115 Sport

YS FZ140 Sport

$788.29

$397.35

$459.97

This is the sport version of the 175 • 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

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.

Displacement Bore Stroke Weight

28.87cc 34mm 31.8mm 960 g

AW225 2.25”diameter Light weight aluminum wheel w/axle inserts: 3,3.5,4mm Wt/pair, oz. 0.78 $16.00

AW250 2.5” diameter Light weight aluminum wheel w/axle inserts: 3,3.5,4mm Wt/pair, oz. 1.27 $17.50

AW275 2.75” diameter Light weight aluminum wheel w/axle inserts: 3,3.5,4mm Wt/pair, oz. 1.52 $20.00

Features • Dual Modulation Spectrum System* (DMSS) is an innovative 2.4GHz transmission protocol developed exclusively by JR that offers high-speed response and high resistance against RF noise. • 2.4GHz Technology • Full Telemetry Features with Rx Voltage Standard; optional telemetry sensors available. • 6 Channels and 3 model types: Airplane, Helicopter and Sailplane • Excellent input with dial-read LCD display and usability • 20 Model Memory plus the bonus of a micro SD card slot so that you can easily backup your aircraft settings for virtually unlimited possibilities including future firmware and software update capabilities. •Throttle curve and pitch curve mixing is possible that a smooth curve can be set to add more points. • Sophisticated programming for full telemetry features. • Manual Switch Selection can be set. • Ultra lightweight (including battery) realized 660g For hand Launch Glider is the perfect radio. • 4-AA battery (not included) type power saving technology. • DMSS technology is not compatible with JR DSM or Spektrum DSM2 or DSMX equipment.

SULLIVAN SKYLITE LIGHT WEIGHT WHEELS SUL874

WHEELS SKYLITE TRD 2-1/4” .66oz

$ 9.39

SUL875

WHEELS SKYLITE 2-1/2”

.65oz

$12.46

SUL876

WHEELS SKYLITE 2-3/4”

1.02oz

$13.44

SUL877

WHEELS SKYLITE 3”

1.17oz

$10.45

SUL879

WHEELS SKYLITE 3-1/2” (1)

2.26oz

$10.60

SUL881

WHEELS SKYLITE 4”

3.25oz

$11.96

SUL882

WHEELS SKYLITE 4-1/2”

4.96oz

$11.55

SUL883

WHEELS SKYLITE 5”

5.51oz

$11.57

23cc 32.0mm 29.0mm 890g

JR XG6 6CH DMSS TRANSMITTER W/RG631B RX $229.99

MPI MAXX TIRES AW200 2” diameter Light weight auminum wheels w/axle inserts: 3,3.5,4mm Wt/pair, oz. 0.78 $14.50

18.73cc 30.4mm 25.8mm 730g

packaged & priced individually

Check our website all your RC needs. January 2013

WIL BYERS

rom cover to cover this month’s issue was an absolute blast to make come together. This is the stuff that keeps my juices flowing and assembling content into magazines for you. When issues like this happen I get like Pavlov’s dog, slobbering all over myself, hoping and praying that you see the magazine the way I do. So now, let’s see what you think. As always, give me your honest feedback, good or bad. From the feedback we’ve been getting, the last few issues have been a real successes. For example, it is pretty inspiring when an antenna engineer sends you a Facebook post to say he liked the radio range test report. We’re hoping to be able to test other radios and give you the results of their performance as well. It just might ease people’s minds about their system’s performance. We’re also going to continue our build series by both Jeff Troy and Rob Caso. They seem to be filling a niche in the hobby for information on how to build and detail airplanes. While you may not be a scratch or kit builder, the techniques they present will certainly give you repair skills. What’s Old Is Sometimes New I got an e-mail from a reader a few months ago. He told me that sometimes our kit reviews are a bit dated or done by other magazines first. He is absolutely right! Let me explain why. You see sometimes we don’t get the ARF, BNF and kit airplanes, gliders and helicopters at the same time that the other magazines get them. When we get them first we endeavor to review the models as quickly as possible to make sure the information we provide is timely. Alternatively, there are times when we can’t possibly publish a review of an airplane in what some might consider a timely fashion. That said, while we might review a model that has been announced as much as six or even nine months earlier, we would not review it if we did not think you would benefit from the information we present. Then too, it might be that going forward we’ll review what we find to be superb-flying airplanes, even if they are from eBay or such. Think of it this way—you can sometimes find outstanding buys online or at one of the forums. Just because the model design is not the latest and greatest does not mean it will not provide hours of enjoyment. In brief, RC-SF is here to dig out information about airplanes, engines, motors, servos, batteries and on and on. The vintage need not matter. The Change We’ll also be publishing more glider content, just as we’ve done in this issue with the Fall Soaring Festival and the PIII review. I know that many of our readers have requested more glider and sailplane content, so we’re going to do it. Unfortunately, those pages aren’t very well supported by advertisers, which means we need more subscribers to pay for them. Consequently, if you or your friends like to read what is happening in the glider community in something more than an online format, please subscribe. A subscription is only $24.95 a year. Please know that every dollar counts in this business of publishing hardcopy because paper is getting more expensive every day, as is ink, shipping, postage, distribution and so on. If you’ve been reading this magazine for any length of time, you’ll know that I’m a rabid glider/sailplane enthusiast. Not surprisingly then, I want to keep this facet of the hobby in the forefront of modelers everywhere—it just turns me on. Additionally, we’re going to be focusing on some of the technical aspect of the hobby that get often overlooked. We’re endeavoring to get to some battery manufacturers to show you how the make batteries and why. We’re also going to focus our attentions on motor and engine manufacturers to help you understand what makes one product better than another. I know I’m excited to research and detail some of the new breeds of servos and receivers. This is especially so when I see what built-in telemetry systems do. This is some of the most innovative technology I’ve seen to date. And, when an 80-year-old pilot calls to tell me he thinks telemetry is helping, I can’t help but think how it will benefit those pilots who are really pushing the outside of the envelope with their models. It is a wonderful paradigm shift in the hobby. Next Month In our February issue, we will offer Part II of the radio series, which will tell you what the telemetry features offer. So see—we are going forward with some change. Until then, get your gear up and locked.

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 — january 2013

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

Win the Battle of the Breezes

The NEW Ultra Micro Series Spitfire Mk IX with AS3X® Technology You won’t have to worry about wind ruining your fun with this little Spitfire. It’s the world’s first ultra micro warbird with the advanced AS3X (Artificial Stabilization – 3 aXis) System. The AS3X System uses a sophisticated 3-axis MEMS sensor and exclusive flight control software to smooth out the effects of wind and turbulence. While other ultra micros are getting tossed about, you’ll feel like you’re flying a finelytuned, giant scale model.

This fantastic flight performance is accompanied by a level of detail rarely seen in a Spitfire this size. Molded panel lines, gun and exhaust details, 4-bladed prop; you get it all. Even the trim scheme is that of a Spitfire flown by famed World War II ace, Gabby Gabreski. Go to parkzone.com right now to learn more about this groundbreaking little warbird

Wingspan: Length: Weight: Motor: Receiver: Battery: Charger: Transmitter:

15.9 in (403mm) 13.5 in (343mm) 1.65 oz (46.8 g) 8.5mm Brushed (installed) ParkZone® DSM2®/DSMX® Receiver/ESC/AS3X unit (installed) 1S 3.7V 150mAh 25C Li-Po (included) 1S DC Li-Po (included) 4+ Channel DSM2/DSMX required (sold separately)

BNF (PKZU2180) Authentic Gabby Gabreski Trim Scheme

Realistic 4-Bladed Propeller

VISIT

Your Local Retailer

CLICK

horizonhobby.com

©2012 Horizon Hobby, Inc. ParkZone, AS3X, DSM2, just fly. and the Horizon Hobby logo are trademarks or registerd 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. 35212.2

CALL

1.800.338.4639

SERIOUS FUN.™

100cc Carbon Cub 168” WINGSPAN

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NEW ARF

Bravata

112” WINGSPAN 30cc Gas Float Ready!

LIGHT SERIES

Sport Cub S2 110” WINGSPAN 50cc Gas

Freestyle 260 52” WINGSPAN Electric

Cessna 195

35cc Extra 300 Wing Span: 78”

79” WINGSPAN 30cc Gas

Weight: 13-15 lbs Engine: 35cc-45cc Gas

Engine: 1.60-2.20 Glow

90” WINGSPAN 1.80 Glow to 30cc Gas

$499.95 PLUS S&H

50cc Pitts Python ARF

YAK 54 .90-1.20

86” WINGSPAN 50cc Gas

70” WINGSPAN 1725 SQ. IN. WING AREA

72” WINGSPAN

$379.95

P-51D Mustang

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50cc ,100cc, 150cc Extra 300

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540T ARF

Edge 540 30cc, 50cc & 100cc 150cc Coming Soon!

60” WINGSPAN

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50cc , 75cc, 100cc & 150cc 84” WINGSPAN $629.95 PLUS S&H

30cc Extra 300 & Edge 540

96” WINGSPAN

$795.95

74” WINGSPAN 30cc Gas 1.60-1.80 Glow

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104” WINGSPAN

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122” WINGSPAN $1895.95

YAK 54

50cc, 85cc, 100cc, 150cc

88” WINGSPAN

106” WINGSPAN

$699.95

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Ultimate 20-300

50cc 100cc 150cc 30cc Coming Soon 68” WINGSPAN $699.95 PLUS S&H

84” WINGSPAN

94” WINGSPAN

$1195.95 $2195.95 PLUS S&H

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.46 & .61 Profile Extra 260

100cc Yak 55M 108” WINGSPAN

48” & 56” WINGSPAN

NEW PRODUCTS!

50cc Yak 55M 86” WINGSPAN 50cc Gas

Mustang P-51D Gunfighter 86” WINGSPAN 50cc Gas

Gas, Glow & Electric Ready!

Mustang P-51B 86” WINGSPAN 50cc Gas

VISIT OUR ONLINE STORE Be sure to visit our website for all your shopping needs.

www.aero-works.net

.60-.90 Extra 260, 300 & Yak 54 Cessna LC-126

90” WINGSPAN 30cc Gas & 1.80 Glow Float Ready!

CheckMate 70” WINGSPAN 50cc Gas

303-371- 4222

Email: info@aero-works.net 4903 Nome Street • Denver, CO 80239

Aeroworks 50cc Checkmate ARF-QB

AeroWorks 4903 Nome Street Denver, CO 80239 Phone: 303-371-4222 aero-works.net

endal Simpson has been dazzling air show crowds for years with his full-scale Checkmate aerobatic biplane, and now you too can own this amazing aerobatic performer! Aeroworks has captured the impressive scale lines and beautiful color scheme with the 50-cc Checkmate ARF-QB (Quick Build). Featuring a 70-in. wingspan, the Checkmate is large enough to provide

EVO 10-cc Gas Engine

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

as pilots looking to power their .46- to .60size models with an engine that is both inexpensive to operate but extremely easy to tune, look no further! The Evolution 10GX engine is one of the smallest gas two-stroke

Specifications Bore

0.94 in. (24 mm)

Displacement

0.59 in.3 (9.83 cc)

Output

1.68 hp @ 16,400 rpm

RPM Range

2300–18,000

Weight

22.0 oz (627 g)

Price

$199.99 (EVOE10GX)

RC SPORT FLYER — january 2013

great visibility and amazing performance with a 50-cc gas engine. Aeroworks has been given exclusive rights to produce the 50-cc Checkmate and is extremely excited to bring this amazing airplane to the modeling community. Typical QB quality can be seen throughout the airplane, from its genuine SAE hardware package to the turnbuckle-style pushrods. • Accurate covering scheme is reproduced with genuine Ultracote™ • Top and bottom wings are easily removable and allow for quick field assembly • Removable top hatch allows for instant access to the inside of the fuselage without removing the bottom wing

Specifications Wingspan

Top: 70 in. Bottom: 68 in.

Wing Area

1525 in.2

Length

64 in.

Weight

16.5–18 lb

Engine

60–60-cc gas

Radio

6-channel +

Price

$799.95

• The 7075 painted aluminum landing gear provides a strong landing platform that any pilot will appreciate

engines available, and it fits into traditional mounting spaces so there is no special installation necessary. This 10-cc engine is extremely small for a gasoline engine and allows modelers who love gasoline power to experience the ease of tuning. Traditional nitromethane fuel systems are far more costly to operate and leave a great deal more exhaust residue on the model. The 10GX not only offers performance and savings but is also very lightweight and perfect for many applications. • Gasoline engine lowers operating costs as much as 90% • Standard 40- to 60-size beam mount allows for traditional mounting • Light weight means better performance • Uses a 5% oil mixture with gasoline for less mess at the end of the day • 4.8–8.4-V ignition case is half the size of traditional ignition cases for more

mounting options • Exceptionally broad torque range supports propeller sizes from 11 x 7 up to 13 x 8 • Supplied with fuel tubing and filters that handle gasoline and the high operating temperatures of a gasoline engine

HOT PRODUCTS

Blade 550 X Pro Series Kit

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

550-class helicopter on the market backed one hundred percent by Horizon Hobby and designed by the Blade experts. Needed to complete: six-channel transmitter and receiver, flybarless control, battery/charger and servos.

he Blade 550 X Pro Kit helicopter is the first professional-level kit designed from nose to tail blades for professional pilots. The 550 X heli is an incredible, flybarless and 3D machine capable of effortless IMAC 3D and graceful aerobatics. Pilots can save space and flight weight with a seven-channel DSMX receiver combined with BeastX 3-axis MEMS stabilization. The 550 X model is the only

Great Planes Proud Bird EF1 Sport Racer ARF

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

esigned by respected pylon racer Jim Allen, the Great Planes Proud Bird EF1 is both a competitive EF1 class racer as well as a great everyday sport plane. With the looks of a speed demon, the Proud Bird is capable

of speeds of 100+ mph when equipped with the recommended racing power system. But take heed—the Proud Bird requires advanced flying skills and is not suitable for beginner or intermediate pilots and should be flown only at an approved AMA flying site. Not into pylon racing? No problem. The Proud Bird handles exceptionally well with sport aerobatics on command. Assembly is quick and easy with a low parts count, and a fiberglass cowl and wheel pants add quality enhancement to the all-wood airframe. A magnetically installed canopy affords easy access to a large

Specifications Main Rotor Diameter

49 in. (1245 mm)

Tail Rotor Diameter

9.45 in. (240 mm)

Length

44.5 in. (1130 mm)

Height

14.8 in. (375 mm)

Width

8.62 in. (219 mm)

Weight

7.39–7.72 lb (3.35–3.50 kg)

Motor

1360-Kv brushless outrunner

Battery

6S 5000–6000-mAh 30C LiPo (required)

Servos

3 cyclic, 1 tail (required)

Price

$639.99 (BLH5525)

Specifications Wingspan

51.9 in. (1319 mm)

Wing Area

388 in.² (25 dm²)

Wing Loading

18–21 oz/ft² (55–64 g/ dm²)

Length

40 in. (1015 mm)

Weight

3.0–3.5 lb (1360–1590 g)

Battery

11.1–14.8-volt 2200–2600-mAh LiPo (required)

Price

$149.99 (GPMA1260)

battery compartment. The Proud Bird can be equipped with an O.S.® or RimFire™ motor, and with an all-white finish, modelers are free to create their own custom trim scheme. Needed to complete: four-channel radio with three micro servos, brushless motor, ESC and battery.

RC-SF.COM

Hangar 9 Meridian 10-cc ARF

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

he Hangar 9® Meridian 10-cc ARF aircraft embodies the pure joy of what RC sport flying is about. From its long fuselage and stylishly shaped tail surfaces to the super

stability of its generously proportioned constant-chord wing, every feature ties together into a perfect, next-level sport airplane with forgiving manners that appeal to the veteran RC pilot as much as the novice who wants a comfortable second airplane. Modern construction makes this airplane exceptionally lightweight without sacrificing strength. In addition, its functional flaps add a level of capability that complements

Specifications Wingspan

69.0 in. (175 cm)

Wing Area

880 in.2 (56.8 dm2)

Length

55.5 in. (140 cm)

Weight

7.0–8.0 lb (3.2–3.7 kg)

Radio

5+ channels (required)

Battery

14.8-V 4S 4000-mAh LiPo (required)

Price

$229.99 (HAN5015)

the ease and grace in which this low-wing model performs sport aerobatics and smooth landings. • Designed to fit the Evolution® 10-cc gas engine • Tricycle landing gear • Covered in genuine UltraCote® • Needed to complete: radio system and servos, engine, muffler and propeller

Jeti LET Model ASH 31 Mi (ARF) Super Scale

Esprit Model 1240 Clearmont St NE, Unit 12 Palm Bay, FL 32905 Phone: 321-729-4287 espritmodel.com

his is one of the best 1/3 scale versions of the ASH 31 from LET Model we have ever seen! You have almost no building left to do on this ARF; simply install your radio gear and enjoy. You’ll need to install up to four servos in each composite wing. The wing and fuselage both have pre-installed wiring harnesses that include multi-pin connectors for fast, troublefree setup at the field. The elevator servo fits cleanly inside the vertical fin in its own fiberglass tray. The Let Model is well known throughout Europe for their excellent craftsmanship. Many of the “custom” details like the tow release in the nose, the scale retractable landing gear with working doors, tail wheel, the full cockpit with instrument panels and the canopy with scale-like hatch latches and sliding vents have already been pre-finished for you. With supplied outboard plug-in wing panels and amazing spring-loaded lock you will be in the

RC SPORT FLYER — january 2013

air in matter of minutes. Designed with the intermediate pilot in mind, the ASH 31 is a joy to fly. It thermals well and is fun on the slopes as well. It lands in remarkably small areas due to the generous flaps and spoilers. With its fiberglass fuselage and carbon fiberreinforced, hollow-molded wings, the 1/3 scale ASH 31 can handle a full day of soaring as well as complete aerobatic routines. The careful use of composites creates a good light structure that will hold its shape for a long time. • Control surfaces: Ailerons, Elevator, Rudder, Flaps and Spoilers • Live hinges on the wings and stabilizer • Pre-installed retractable landing gear with working doors, tail wheel and tow hook • Two-piece, pre-finished wings with installed wiring for servos, easily removed for transport • Wings with built-in retention system

Specifications Wingspan

277.5 in. (7050 mm)

Wing Area

2092 in.2 (135 dm2)

Wing Loading

36–39.5 oz/ft2 (111–120 g/dm2)

Length

94 in. (2385 mm)

Weight

33–36 lb (15–16.3 kg)

Price

$5690.00 (Sailplane) $6065.00 (SLS Ready)

• Elegant gel-coated fiberglass fuselage with decals already applied • Hollow-molded rudder and horizontal stabilizer • Scale cockpit frame with canopy latch, dashboard and molded seat • Optional SLS 22 electric UP & GO unit

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Jeti AFC Anti-Spark Connectors

Esprit Model 1240 Clearmont St NE, Unit 12 Palm Bay, FL 32905 Phone: 321-729-4287 espritmodel.com

eti Model AFC connectors eliminate the flashes often witnessed when connecting controllers and battery packs. Available in 4-mm, 5.5-mm and 8-mm variants, the female plug sports a SMD resistor that does away with the usual flashes that occur during connection and that can harm the surface of both the male and female plug. The sets contain two male connectors, a usual female and an AFC female connector together with red and black shrink wrap. Replace your existing connectors or install inline between your existing connector and speed controller for eliminating connecting flash spark.

Free RealFlight 6.5 Update Available Now

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

he first free update for RealFlight 6.5 is available for download on the RealFlight website and offers owners a chance to fly the Gaui X7—a very popular 700-class heli and a personal favorite of Bobby Watts. It’s at the top of the Gaui lineup for size and 3D

Jeti Duplex EX Esprit Model R11 EPC 2.4-GHz 1240 Clearmont St NE, Receiver w/ Unit 12 Palm Bay, FL 32905 Telemetry

Phone: 321-729-4287 espritmodel.com

his revolutionary, fully digital, 2.4-GHz and frequency-hopping radio system is fully designed and manufactured by Jeti Model in the Czech Republic. Every receiver comes with a programmable failsafe and digital telemetry. One of the most attractive Follow us at twitter @rcsportflyer

4 mm (75 A) 5.5 mm (150 A) 8 mm (300 A)

Single: $8.00 5-pair: $34.00 Single: $10.00 5-pair: $43.00 Single: $16.00 5-pair: $70.00

performance and is a natural for showcasing every bit of RealFlight’s sophistication and realism. Together, they’re a perfect combination for enjoying adrenaline-fueled, boundarypushing flying! RealFlight makes it easy for owners to keep their copy of RealFlight 6.5 current. An option in the software’s launcher enables RealFlight to search for and download updates automatically every time it’s opened.

features of the Duplex 2.4-GHz line of products is the full integration with all Duplex telemetry sensors. You can easily observe up to 40 different parameters in real time directly on the transmitter. Or, by using the JetiBox

Profi (sold separately), you can see your data in parallel mode giving you and your copilot valuable real-time information.

Specifications Channels

Modulation

2.4 GHz w/ Telemetry

Range

Full range

Voltage

3.2–8.4 V (2S Li-poly)

Dimensions

48 x 23 x 10 mm

Weight

15 g

Price

$105.00

Stock #

JETIR11EPCUS RC-SF.COM

Shulman Aviation Electric Em~Brakes

Shulman Aviation 845 Waterway Place Longwood, FL 32750 Phone: 407-255-8525 shulmanaviation.com

he Em~Brake System is replacing and reshaping the traditional pneumatic braking system. Shulman Aviation’s Em~Brakes eliminate the need of any additional pressurized air tanks operated by an expensive high torque servo, or complicated program module. This will enable the consumer to have an easy installation and better control on the distance of landing without adding a lot of flying weight. The Em~Brake system operates on an input voltage of 7.2–30 V. It can plug directly into the aircraft battery or use an external battery. Brakes are available in a variety of wheel diameter and axle diameter sizes. • Larger brake unit diameter provides enhanced braking power and a quicker, more reliable brake release.

Jeti DC-16 FCC Certification Completion

Jeti Duplex 2.4GHz Receiver PPM Output

Esprit Model 1240 Clearmont St NE, Unit 12 Palm Bay, FL 32905 Phone: 321-729-4287 espritmodel.com

he Duplex line of R11, R9, R7, R6, R6i and R5/5i receivers have very elegant solutions

RC SPORT FLYER — january 2013

• Brake adjustments are easy to make by turning the screws on the hub clockwise to increase power, or counter clockwise to reduce power. • The control box plugs into an auxiliary port on the receiver. The leads from the wheel brakes connect to the control box, and the battery connects using a JST connector. • The “smart” controller will shut down the brake after one minute and automatically reset it to its normal function to protect the magnetic coil and conserve battery power. • The axle and metal hub, made from high intensity pure steel, are machined as one unit with the highest grade C-N-C machines. • Double ball bearings on the axles eliminate any unnecessary drag or binding. • The tires are constructed of the same rubber that automobile tires are made of, improving traction for landing and taxiing on the tarmac.

n November 30, 2012, the Federal Communication Commission and Industry Canada, granted Equipment Authorization (FCC) and a Certificate of Acceptance (IC) to Jeti USA (Esprit Model Inc.) for the Duplex DC-16 Radio System. Congratulations on this achievement, Jeti USA! In the words of a Jeti customer, “Without a doubt, the DC-16 is the finest radio now on the market from a quality of construction and programming perspective. There’s virtually no plastic anywhere. The quality of machining, the precision of the stick assemblies,

the size of the display is truly outstanding, and the ease, simplicity, flexibility, power and elegance of the programming is second to none.”

for PPM signal output. This feature is mostly used by helicopter pilots for the Flybarless units. Duplex 2.4-GHz receivers can be

switched from standard channel servo output mode to PPM and Telemetry Out using the JetiBox Programmer Unit.

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MRC/ SuperBrain Instinct 965 AC/DC Quick Charger

Model Rectifier Corporation 80 Newfield Avenue Edison, NJ 08837 Phone: 732-225-2100 modelrectifier.com

he MRC/Superbrain Instinct 965 AC/DC Quick Charger provides AC/DC versatility. There is no need for an external power supply, and you can select the charge rate from 0.10 up to 5.00 amps in .10 increments. The Quick

MRC/Infiniti The “Hoot”

Model Rectifier Corporation 80 Newfield Avenue Edison, NJ 08837 Phone: 732-225-2100 modelrectifier.com

RC’s The “Hoot” is fun to fly, right side up or upside down. The electronic control switch provides easy inverted flight, and the surface switch lets you scoot along the floor. You can run it along a ceiling inverted or land and run like a car on smooth surfaces.

SKS Gathering of Eagles 2012

SKS Video Productions 85 Pine Rd Abbottstown, PA 17301 Phone: 717-259-7193 sksvideo.com

atch all the action you missed or remember at Gathering of Eagles 2012 on this DVD. The annual memorial warbird event is dedicated to the memory of Dino DiGiorgio Sr. and is held at the Georgia Model Aviators club near Ball Ground, Georgia. Pilots came from up and down the U.S. East Coast and parts of Canada to attend this warbird event featuring mostly World War I and World War II aircraft. Featured pilots and aircraft include: Pedro Sanchez’s B- 25, Richard Smith’s BF 109, Gary Mills’ radial-engine-powered F4u Corsair, Keith Goff’s Jenny, John Romeo’s F8F Bearcat, Gale Thrones’ D7, Forest Morris’ JU 87 Stuka, Wayne Fussell’s P47, Gerhard Ullmann’s P- 40 and PJ Ash’s MD-5.

Charger charges up to three-cell Lithium (LiPo, Li-ion, LiFe) and one-to-eight-cell NiCd/ NiMh batteries. It automatically detects the number of cells. You can also use the free downloadable software to monitor and graph your battery’s performance and potential. • • • • •

Easy three-button operation Built-in Accutec Lithium balancing Easy-to-read, blue backlit LCD Assorted connectors included Easy Plug-and-Play technology

Price $64.98 Stock # RB965

Even better, three users can fly at the same time. The “Hoot” includes a 3.7-V rechargeable LiPo that you can charge using your transmitter or the USB port on your computer (cable included). • • • • •

Three-way frequency mode switch Metal frame and durable design On/off switch for heli nose light Blades for inverted flight Infrared control with up to 40 ft of range • Available in silver, yellow or red. Price $44.98 Stock # 79003

Runtime 96 min. Price $19.95

Jeti Custom Voice Announcements

Esprit Model 1240 Clearmont St NE, Unit 12 Palm Bay, FL 32905 Phone: 321-729-4287 espritmodel.com

oices and audio samples are generated using online Text-To-Speech engines. All files are free for general use; distribution and modifications are allowed. If you are going to use these samples in your own application or want to create other additional sound files, please refer to the websites and terms of use of these generators. Read file on your DC-16 sd card is \Voice\ Voices.txt Language: CZ, Generator: acapela-box.com, Voice: Eliska Language: EN, Generator: ivona.com/en/ recordings, Voice: eight choices Language: DE, Generator: ivona.com/en/ recordings, Voice: Marlene or Hans Language: FR, Generator: ivona.com/en/ recordings, Voice: Celine or Mathieu RC-SF.COM

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AirBorne Models 50-cc Commander

AirBorne Models 2403 Research Drive Livermore, CA 94550 Phone: 925-371-0922 airborne-models.com

Specifications Wingspan

85 in.

Weight

18.7 lb

Engine

50-cc gas (required)

Radio

4 channels (required)

Servos

6 high torque (required)

Price

$799.99

Stock #

A331

AirBorne Models 50-cc Paulistinha P-56

he World Models introduces the 50-cc Commander, a class pattern plane with a splashy, multicolored paint scheme. A 50-cc gas engine is required before you can take flight. You’ll also need a four-channel radio with six high-torque servos. The 50-cc Commander will be available the first week of January.

AirBorne Models 2403 Research Drive Livermore, CA 94550 Phone: 925-371-0922 airborne-models.com

Specifications

he Wings Maker introduces a Brazilian beauty, the 50-cc Paulistinha P-56. A 50-cc gas engine is required before you can take flight. You’ll also need a four-channel radio with six high-torque servos.

AirBorne Models 50-cc Piper Cub

AirBorne Models 2403 Research Drive Livermore, CA 94550 Phone: 925-371-0922 airborne-models.com

Specifications Wingspan

118 in.

Weight

18.5 lb

Engine

50-cc gas (required)

Radio

4 channels (required)

Servos

6 high torque (required)

Price

$599.99

Stock #

A037

RC SPORT FLYER — january 2013

he World Models introduces the new 50-cc Piper Cub. A 50-cc gas engine is required before you can take flight. You’ll also need a four-channel radio with six high-torque servos.

Wingspan

118 in.

Weight

18.5 lb

Engine

50-cc gas (required)

Radio

4 channels (required)

Servos

6 high torque (required)

Price

$649.99

Stock #

GA065

February 9-10 Champaign, IL

hobbico-efest.com

BY Jon Barnes

2012 Fall Soaring Festival It’s All About Time Aloft and Spot Landings

entral Valley Radio Control (CVRC) club was formed back in the early ‘60s by a group of pilots that were flying radio-controlled airplanes, but with their emphasis on sailplanes. As time went on, some CVRC pilots started participating in sailplane contests held throughout California. With their taste for competition came the desire to host an event at their local site. The questions were, however, what time of the year should it be held, and what should it be called? After some debate, the founding pilots decided to hold their contest in the autumn. One member suggested calling this new contest the “Fall Soaring Festival,” and the name stuck. It has now gone on for so many years that the club’s site has been moved to different locations several times throughout the decades. It is, however, still just a short distance outside the agricultural city of Visalia, California, which is located in the sun-drenched San Joaquin Valley. 22

RC SPORT FLYER — january 2013

Sunday AM Arrival Because I planned to attend the festival for only one day, I wanted to arrive Sunday—the day of the finals— in time to observe the pilots’ preflight meeting, scheduled for 8:30 a.m. The five-hour commute to the event site from our home in northern California necessitated a 3:00 a.m. departure. When visiting a site that is new to me, I usually like to perform reconnaissance of the immediate locale before actually getting to the field. My daughter and I therefore drove completely around the CVRC field in search of the entrance. When we did finally turn onto the entrance road that leads to the site, the abundance of sailplanes circling ahead told us that we had missed the pilots’ meeting. As we rolled our dusty Saturn wagon up and over the irrigation levee and veered into the parking lot, we were a little surprised by the view in front of us. As clichéd as it may sound, the CVRC flying site exists as a veritable soaring

2012 Fall Soaring Festival

Getting a good launch is about tensioning the winch line, giving the glider a good throw and then managing the climb angle to release altitude.

Mike Lee is a topnotch competitor, and he knows how to give his model a good launch. As you can see in this photo he is putting his body into the launch.

Here one of the team Futaba pilots scans the sky to see what other gliders are doing relative to lift so that he can fly his model for the task time.

Pilots use different techniques to get their models to maximum altitude. In this case the pilot is correcting the direction of tow with ailerons and rudder.

The gliders are almost all built of composite materials and made as hollow molded parts. Note the trailing edge preset prior to the winch launch.

RC-SF.COM

oasis in the middle of an agricultural desert brought to life by irrigation. The crisply manicured grass is green and plentiful. As we found it, the majority of the site was covered by recreational vehicles, campers, tents and EZ Up tents, all neatly arranged in rows facing the winch lines and landing zones. The entire site was filled with pilots chatting it up and visiting with one another. It was a huge network of RC soaring enthusiasts sharing their gliding experiences and learning from each other how to better their gliders and skills. It was an impressive gathering that gave you a sense of what gliders and sailplanes are about.

My Disclosure I must confess that I had yet to experience firsthand the thrills and challenges offered by a glider thermal duration contest. Though I have flown consumer-level gliders, my interest thus far has been in the area of electric-powered aircraft. I candidly offer up this as a confession of sorts, letting you know that I do not claim to walk the walk or even talk the talk that is unique to a sailplane competition. So, please pardon me as I describe the event. I was more in the role of photo-documenting the final rounds on Sunday. For those of you like me who have yet to experience this type of contest, I will The Xplorer 4000 is a popular competition machine because it has light wing loading, a strong wing and good airfoil for searching for lift.

offer a quick and dirty explanation of the competition and how scores are calculated. The Team Each entrant in a thermal duration contest is a team of two: the pilot and the caller. The caller “manages” the flight, not only keeping track of the glider’s time aloft but acting as the pilot’s spotter. The caller’s job is to spot rising air (lift) for the pilot, who primarily has his/her gaze fixed the aircraft. The caller also serves to help the pilot keep the model away from sinking air as well as from the winch lines on its way to the landing zone. Thermal Duration A typical competition comprises several flight rounds. The CVRC Fall Festival had a total of seven rounds, four flown on Saturday and the remaining three on Sunday. The first round of each day was assigned a target duration of five minutes, with The Xplorer 4000 has a 4.0-m wingspan and 1344 in.2 of wing area, and it weighs only 77 oz ready for competition.

RC SPORT FLYER — january 2013

2012 Fall Soaring Festival

This shows you what a competition winch looks like. The line runs from the winch out to turnaround and then back to the glider.

all other rounds for the day being ten minutes. The timer starts a stopwatch to monitor the flight’s duration the moment the sailplane releases from the winch line towing it. He stops the watch the moment the aircraft touches the ground. A perfect flight is one that is the exact duration of the round’s assigned time. If the pilot flies their glider longer or shorter than the designated time, they lose one point for every second late or early. Note that the landing is a little more complicated than just getting it back to terra firma. Designated landing zones consisting of a series of concentric circles are set up. If the pilots guide their gliders to the inner circle they score the maximum points. If a model misses the landing zone entirely, a score of zero points

is awarded. Sliding the model past a designated safety line, hitting someone with the model or flipping the model results in a zero score. Every flight begins at the winch lines. The launch styles used by the pilots are as varied as the gliders. Some pilots let the winch do its work uninterrupted, and others furiously modulate the control pedal heavily. While photographing the launches, I would think it was safe to drop the camera and rest, but then the contest director would call another group of competitors to the launch area. That would put me back to work shooting photos and monitoring the pilot’s flight. It is a busy time at the winches, with many gliders readied, launched and then flown for the round’s predeterminded task times.

This Xplorer is turning onto its final approach with its flaps down to slow it for the spot landing that it must make to score points.

This is an excellent example of a thermal moving through the area as a dust devil makes the thermal visible to all.

Great Weather According to Bill Malvey, one of five Futaba-sponsored factory pilots in attendance this year, the weather and flight conditions at this year’s event were “absolutely stellar.” Temperatures were a balmy 80 degrees, winds were light and there was good lift as well as limited downwind landing conditions. Bill has attended this event almost every year since 1992, and like many others, views it as the West Coast event to attend each year. It is worth noting that oftentimes pilots come to compete in the Fall Soaring Festival from other countries, including Europe, South America and Australia. While not a world championship event, it has developed a reputation that tempts pilots to compete in it.

The skeg on the nose is used to keep the glider from sliding once the model hits the target (a circle at Visalia) on the ground.

RC-SF.COM

Pilots Have Their Eyes Fixed On the Sky The classes of competition at the 2012 CVRC Fall Festival were: Open, Two Meter, RES (Rudder, Elevator, Spoiler),Woody, Youth (under 18) and Gray (over 62). A separate, nonsanctioned man-on-man Altitude Limited Electric Soaring (ALES) contest was held on Friday, with sponsors supplying several prizes to the winners of that event. A thermal duration contest is about flying one’s glider in search of rising air, getting the duration time needed for the task and then landing the model as near as possible to the center of the landing target. Open Class Bill’s teammate Edgar Vera managed a third-place win in the Open Class. However, the top spot on the podium in Open went to Horizon Hobby-sponsored pilot Ben Clerx of the Harbor Soaring Society, 26

RC SPORT FLYER — january 2013

with a final score of 3722 points. While the total points available for this class were 3775, the total spread from first place to tenth place in Open was a mere 39 points. This emphasizes just how close the competition for the top spots was at the 2012 contest. Although Ben won the Open Class, his first round on Saturday ended with a zero score due to a flipped glider on landing. Several perfect landings on subsequent flights on Saturday helped him claw his way back into a top ten place by the end of day. By the final round on Saturday, Bob McGowan had established a comfortable hold on first place and figured that he need only hit one out of three twenty-five point landings to claim the victory. Unfortunately, he missed his first two, leaving the window open for wouldbe challengers. Heading into the final round on Sunday, Ben Clerx trailed Bob

McGowan by only four points. With good lift dominating and only occasional sink conditions passing through on Sunday, the final round was ultimately decided by a landing competition. Bob McGowan’s final landing on Sunday was a fifteen pointer, giving him a silver position. Ben, however, managed his third twenty-five point landing for the day, giving him gold. The five top standings in Open shuffled during the final round on Sunday. Futaba-sponsored pilot Edgar Vera took the bronze, while Arthur Markiewicz garnered fourth and Steven Garland fifth. Two Meter In the Two-Meter Class, blueshirt-clad Team Horizon pilot Larry Jolly nailed landing after landing and had a solid lock on first place heading into the final round. Round seven, however, saw him unable to get his glider into the needed lift to make its duration time. Not only

2012 Fall Soaring Festival

This is an example of the type of model that is flown in the rudder, elevator and spoiler (RES) class. It uses very high-tech construction to keep weight down.

As you can see in this photo, oftentimes gliders must share the same airspace as they circle in thermals climbing to a high altitude.

Models must be set up properly in order to avoid giving up any energy to the air, which will rob the model of air time.

The task of the competition is to fly the glider for a specified duration and then land it as close to the task time as possible.

The landing zone can sometimes get very crowded with gliders as their task times come to end. The pilot must not go over or under it.

RC-SF.COM

The approaches to the spot landing target can be very steep, so the gliders must use flaps to keep their speed under control.

Look at the down elevator control being used to get this model to the landing zone and into the spot landing zone.

This Supra glider is hitting the center of the spot landing zone, which will reward the pilot the most points for the landing task.

Here you see another example of the spot landing that pilots often need to make to get the best score. Look at the down elevator throw.

This RES glider is using spoilers to control its rate of descent and to get it to the spot landing target, which is just in front of the pilot.

RC SPORT FLYER â&#x20AC;&#x201D; january 2013

did he subsequently sink from first place, but he fell completely off the podium to sixth place in the class. Bob McGowan took advantage of the opportunity offered and clinched a first-place finish, with Tom Brightbill and Thomas Culmsee finishing second and third respectively. Bob and Tom were the only two pilots to make all of their times in the Two Meter Class. It is worth noting that Bob McGowan first attended his first Fall Soaring Festival event in 1980. Since then he has only missed a few FSF competitions. He commented that he really looks forward to attending this event every year, as it allows him to spend quality time with his soaring friends and do what they all love during these special weekends.

2012 Fall Soaring Festival

Thermal Duration (TD) competition is a two-man job: pilot and timer/spotter. The timer keeps track of the model’s time aloft once it is released from the tow line, but he will also spot other gliders, thermals and winch lines for the pilot. The pilots are typically totally focusing their attentions on what the glider is doing in lift or on its landing approach.

RES Though Larry had first place in the Two Meter Class slip through his fingers, he did claim the top spot in the RES Class, finishing with 3731 points. Michael Reagan took second place in the class, while Gary Ellington grabbed third. ALES The relatively new ALES Class (modified) was flown on Saturday and Sunday. As Ben Clerx remarked, this event’s man-on-man format is preferred and popular with many sailplane pilots. It does not require contest winches and can be flown from smaller fields. This has the potential to give the world of competitive RC soaring a real boost, given the oft-encountered difficulty of obtaining flying sites. CVRC Club member Joe Nave took top honors in the ALES Class, with Larry Jolly coming in 22 points behind him to claim second. Follow us at twitter @rcsportflyer

Women Fly Too A total of 203 pilots flew in the various classes during this year’s Fall Festival. While by all appearances this hobby is male dominated, several females participated as pilots and callers. Katie Taylor, a relatively new sailplane enthusiast, attended the Fall Festival for the first time with her husband Dory. Katie competed in both the Two Meter and Woody classes. Though she finished 21st in the Two Meter Class and 14th in the Woody Class and several times had to make “the walk of shame” to retrieve her aircraft from the surrounding dirt fields due to coming up short on her model’s landing approach, Katie said that she enjoyed herself so much “you will have to chain me down to keep me away next year!” Dressed in a tie-dyed T-shirt and blue jeans, Katie was probably the only one in attendance sporting clothing that perfectly matched one of her aircraft. Katie’s Spirit Elite

is quite interesting visually, as it is covered in tie-dye doped Habotai silk, a finishing technique that Katie is happy to share with any who ask. 90-Year-Old Competitor Other notable participants included the ageless and dapper Colonel Robert Thacker, well into his 90s. It is always a pleasure to run into him and see that he is still actively participating and competing in events. The ever-present smile adorning the Colonel’s face was mirrored by the vast majority of attendees and participants. The Visalia Fall Soaring Festival is indeed all about hanging out with friends! Raffle Another demonstration of the absolute pervasive friendliness at this event was the raffle ticket sellers “gifting” my daughter a string of raffle tickets in exchange for the single dollar that she had to spend on them. RC-SF.COM

2012 Fall Soaring Festival Look at how the spoilers are up on this RES glider to get it down and into the spot landing zoneâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; they will bring the model down in a hurry and on target.

But then, who can resist a cute and bubbly eight-year-old dressed in cowboy boots and a skirt? Wrap Up All scoring and tabulation took place onsite and in real time at a computer located in the site pavilion. While the Contest Director Phill Hill and his wife tirelessly huddled over the PC triple-checking the results for accuracy, event volunteer Al Strahm raffled off a seemingly endless supply of sailplane-related products,

accessories and building supplies, which were donated by event sponsors. Before Al could build his raffling momentum to a finale and call out the winners of the grand prizes, a Spektrum DX8 donated by Horizon Hobby and a ready-to-fly Explorer 3.5 donated by Soaring USA, CVRC Club Officer Claude McCullough interrupted him to allow Phil Hill to announce the class winners and hand out plaques and trophies. Once all the winners had enjoyed their welldeserved moment in the spotlight,

the raffle again took center stage. Al Strahm was absolutely stunned when his young assistant pulled the final ticket out of the drum and he found out that he was the winner of the RTF Explorer. Steve George, winch line coordinator for the Fall Festival for more years than he cares to remember, summed up the heart and soul of the festival when he said that the Visalia Fall Soaring Festival is a huge social gathering wrapped around a little competition.

SPONSORS / RAFFLE DONORS This photo says it all about flying TD gliders. It is an artful form of model aviation that has pilots focused on their glider, the sky and what is happening in it.

Soaring USA Horizon Hobby Skip Miller Models CST-The Composites Store M & M Glider Tech CPTI Vinyl Graphics

Event Results Rcsoaring.com

RC SPORT FLYER â&#x20AC;&#x201D; january 2013

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Whether you’re outfitting a new model, upgrading your brushed setup or converting from glow to electric power, you’ll find the perfect outrunner brushless motor for your application in the large ElectriFly RimFire lineup. Even better, you’ll enjoy high-end performance without paying high prices. Reliable, long-lasting and virtually maintenance-free, RimFire motors all feature machined aluminum end bells, double-shielded bearings and high-strength Neodymium magnets. Unlike some manufacturers, ElectriFly also includes male and female presoldered, gold-plated bullet connectors — allowing easy, “plug and play” use with ElectriFly ESCs — plus motor mount, prop adapter, and in some sizes, a prop saver too. Top-of-the-line brushless power can fit into any modeler’s budget. Just look for the RimFire name, and pay less for the best.

electrifly.com / 115x

By Jeff Troy

Dallaire Sportster Fuselage Part II It’s Easy. It’s Fun. It’s Rewarding. It’s Yours!

he Dallaire Sportster is a 108-in., old-timer design. This majestic model is kitted by Shive Specialties and sold exclusively through Penn Valley Hobby Center in Lansdale, Pennsylvania (pennvalleyhobbycenter.com). Framing the basic fuselage box and upper-rear section was shown in the December 2012 issue of RC Sport Flyer. Construction continues now. You’ve already located the holes for the engine mounting bolts and installed blind nuts on the underside of the hardwood mounting rails. With the engine still mounted, hold the balsa nose block in front of the engine and make a rough outline of where the block must be relieved. A scroll saw is the best tool for roughcutting the block, but if you don’t have a scroll saw, a handheld keyhole saw blade in a No. 2 or No. 5 handle from Excel Hobby Blades will do nicely. After you’ve cut a rough path in the block to clear the front end of the engine, hold the block tightly

against the nose of the fuselage and draw more exacting outlines on the block. Your targets are the thrust washer, needle valve, high-end and low-end adjustment needles, carburetor intake and throttle arm, and anything else that might rest within the confines of the nose

block. Do the same for the balsa top block, rough-trimming it to clear the cylinder head, exhaust stack and muffler. Remove the blocks and use “sanding shapes” or files to produce smooth, flowing recesses around all those lines you drew on the blocks. Sanding shapes can be made from

2 In the previous installment, the engine mounting holes were marked and drilled. Du-Bro 8-32 blind nuts were pressed into the wood, and the engine should still be seated on the hardwood rails. Relieve the balsa nose block to clear the front of the engine, and use Perma-Grit tools in various shapes or sandpaper wrapped around dowels to create smooth, flowing lines for all recesses around the engine.

RC SPORT FLYER — january 2013

Use T-pins (right) or small drills to locate the needle valve, highor low-end needles and any other parts of the engine that will need to be reached from the outside of the engine compartment. After finding the correct locations, drill through the pinholes with appropriately sized bits to clear the screwdrivers you will eventually use to turn the needles.

Dallaire Sportster Fuselage Part II

4 Remove the engine and use a rattail file to clean the holes that will be used to access the engine’s needle valve in the balsa blocks. This take just a minute to do but will help you much when you are tuning the engine at the airfield.

The landing gear mounting plates were prepared in the last installment. Epoxy them into the fuselage assembly and use the Du-Bro nylon lugs from the Dallaire kit to secure the 1/8-in. wire gear legs to the mounting plates. Use masking tape to hold the legs together until you’re ready to solder them.

6 Don’t rush to glue in all the bottom formers. Install only the F2 former (ahead of the front landing gear plate), then fit the twopiece spruce stringer that you made when you spliced the four fuselage longerons. Run the stringer from F2 to the tailpost and use masking tape to hold it in the center notch in F2. Now install the rest of the bottom formers, using the stringer to ensure that the notches will be centered and all the stringers that follow will align.

a variety of materials or purchased from Perma-Grit. Perma-Grit tools are an assortment of brazed, tungsten-steel sanders in various shapes that include flat, square, angled and round tools in different grits and sizes. Perma-Grit tools are more costly than sandpaper, but the brazed tungsten surface cuts like a bandit and lasts almost indefinitely. Each of these Perma-Grit tools is an exceptional value in the long run. If you prefer making your own sanding shapes, it isn’t difficult. Get a roll of adhesive-backed sandpaper, made by Great Planes in three different grits for the Easy-Touch Follow us at twitter @rcsportflyer

The center stringer is the only one of the lot that runs full-length from F2 to the tail. Starting with the center stringer, install all seven stringers. Four of the balsa stringers end at the last former, and the other two run out of length roughly three inches ahead of the tail post.

Bar Sanders. Use pieces of 1/4-in. plywood for the flat shapes and different sizes of wooden dowels for the rounds. Cut and stick the sandpaper over the wood, and you’ll have your shapes. Really big rounds for the inside edges of cowls can be made by attaching the sandpaper to glass jars or cans. Sticking sandpaper to small spruce sticks is perfect for sanding the stringer and spar notches into formers and ribs. You’ll have fun making and using different sanding shapes in your shop, but you’ll probably like Perma-Grit tools even more. Use five-minute epoxy or gap-

filling CA to attach the balsa nose block and top block to the front of the fuselage. Holes through the nose block will be needed for accessing the needle valve and any other adjustment needles. Identifying the holes’ locations by eye isn’t difficult, but neither is it an exact science. I’ve learned that the easiest method of locating the holes is poking around with a large T-pin. Use the eyeball technique to get a rough idea of where the needle hole should be drilled, then pass a T-pin through the nose block at that location. Note where the pin hits—or doesn’t hit— the knob of the needle valve. Adjust RC-SF.COM

8 Basic outline completed and standing on its legs, the classic shape of the Dallaire Sportster’s fuselage is finally coming into its own. This airplane has a lot of charisma and should have you solidly hooked on building it by now. As I’ve preached before, building from a kit and plans is lots of fun. You just can’t get this type of experience assemblying an ARF.

the pin travel as necessary to hit the needle dead center, and that’s it. You’ve found your sweet spot, so remove the engine and use an 1/8in. drill to enlarge the pin hole and provide a pilot hole for a round file to clean it up. The T-pin method will get the hole locations identified quickly, and finishing the holes requires no more than enlarging them to a diameter that will allow the correct tool to pass. A needle valve generally has a slot-type head, so open the hole with a 1/4-in. round file so a smallto-medium screwdriver can pass

K&S Engineering offers all the right metal for your hobby needs. I get 1/8-in. brass tubes in the bulk box, although you can buy individual 12-in. and 36-in. lengths in nearly any hobby shop. You’ll need two lengths of tubing to serve as fuel-line extensions from the tank area to the engine compartment. K&S has a tube cutter and spring-type tube benders. Du-Products sells arm-and-roller-type benders for 1/8-in. and 5/32-in. tubes.

through and turn the needle. Don’t be tempted to use a drill, because it will not cut as clean a path as a file. Further, ripped wood makes ugly finished edges. You prepared a pair of 1/4-in. plywood landing gear mounting plates in the last installment. They should be mounted now, and the job can be done with 5-minute, 12-minute, 15-minute or 30-minute epoxy. I find the 12- or 15-minute variety satisfactory. The plates come into contact with both sides of the fuselage and are also butted against two of the bulkheads. That represents

plenty of surface area for a good grab by the adhesive. After the epoxy has cured on the mounting plates, use the Du-Bro nylon straps in the Dallaire kit to secure the fore and aft landing gear wires to the plates. It will be nice if the gears don’t flop around while you finish constructing the fuselage, so hold them together with a couple of wraps of masking tape just above the axle bend. Installing the lower formers and stringers is next, but don’t be tempted to glue everything in and take what you get. Instead, install only

10 Cut the tubing to fit and use a hobby knife to gently trim any burrs from the inside lip of the tubes at each end. Use a file to remove any burrs from the outer surface of the tubes.

RC SPORT FLYER — january 2013

This image shows the tubes installed. I could have mounted the tank in the bay behind the firewall, but that would not have been practical. The hardwood engine mounts would have been dramatically weakened, and creating a hatch with the windshield over that bay presented too many access problems. The extension tubes resolve all the issues.

Dallaire Sportster Fuselage Part II

12 Soft copper wire from Sig Manufacturing comes in handy, especially during soldering tasks. Silver solder and flux are available from several sources. Stay-Clean solder and flux are shown here. Remember, you must have a clean part if you want the solder to bond properly to the metal. Stay-Clean is a good product, and does not go bad sitting around in your workshop.

the forward former F2, and rest—do not glue—the spruce bottom stringer in the center notch of former F2 with the tail end of the stringer running all the way to the fuselage sides’ joined tail posts. Use the center stringer as a guide when you install the remaining lower formers, one at a time from F3 rearward. Keeping the center stringer straight as you glue each former into position will ensure that all of the notches in the formers will align correctly and that the six balsa stringers that follow will run straight and true from F2 to the rear of the fuselage. The deck area—the forward

A good mechanical bond is imperative for ensuring the best possible solder joint. File the areas of the gear legs that will be soldered together, then use that Sig Copper Wire to wrap the gear legs together. The Dallaire’s gear wires are 1/8-in. in diameter, so you can take your pick of an iron or a torch to do the soldering work. I used my Trak-Power TK-950 Soldering Station from Hobbico.

fuselage just ahead of the cabin— will be sheeted with 1/16-in. balsa. Under the deck would normally be the ideal place to install the fuel tank, but this airplane presents a few problems with that location. First, there isn’t quite enough depth for the tank to rest above the engine mount assembly. Next, the windshield will overhang the deck too far to make an access hatch practical. Finally, the idea of a permanently installed tank with no way of removing it for maintenance or replacement is unacceptable. My solution was to install the tank in the first fuselage bay, just behind the windshield posts. I didn’t trust the fuel line enough

to run it unsupported through the F2 firewall and F3 bulkheads, so I opted for two 1/8-in.-diameter brass tubes to carry the fuel from the tank bay to the engine compartment. K&S Engineering sells all the brass tubing an RC modeler could ever need in 12-in. and 36-in. lengths and every practical diameter for modeling uses. I keep a bulk pack of 1/8 x 12-in. brass tubes on hand, primarily because it’s the size I use most. Working brass tubing is easy with a tube cutter from K&S and tubing benders from Du-Bro Products. Use a long drill to go through the F2 and F3 bulkheads, then cut the tubing to the correct length. Make the tubes long

14 Solder looks a lot better when it’s filed neatly before cleaning and painting. You must always clean any solder areas thoroughly with lacquer thinner or acetone to remove any chemical residue that could later corrode the metal gear legs.

Solder a 5/32-in. O.D. brass tube over each axle to serve as a wheel bearing, then trim the axles to the correct length. This is one case where a rotary tool is required, and it’s even better when it’s turning a Tuff-Grind fiberglass-impregnated cutoff wheel and mandrel set from House of Balsa. RC-SF.COM

enough to be accessible in the engine compartment and inside of the fuselage. In the case of the Dallaire, I made slight downward bends in the feed tube to the carburetor and the overflow tube. These bends are primarily there to allow me the access I need to remove or replace the fuel line. One important thing to remember is that the fuel line can tear easily if it catches on a burr. After you’ve cut the brass tubes to the correct lengths, be sure to clean the inside rims of the tubes with a No. 11 hobby blade to fully open the holes and remove any burrs. You should also smooth around the outsides of the rims with a fine file. No burrs,

no problems. Install the tubes with quick-setting epoxy. The two gear legs that were temporarily taped together should be soldered now. The gear legs are only 1/8-in. in diameter, so solder will do an adequate job of holding the wires together if you’ve prepared the joints correctly. A good mechanical bond is important, and the best way I know to get that is to wrap the wires together with copper wire from Sig Manufacturing Company. Wrap the gear wires tightly, but not so tightly that the wraps prevent the solder and flux from penetrating. Squeeze a few drops of flux into the wrappings and solder the landing gear wires together. I use silver solder for

most non-electrical soldering tasks, and depending upon the diameter of the wire I am working, I do my silver soldering with a portable Craftsman torch or the Trak-Power TK-950 Soldering Station, which is sold by Hobbico. The soldering station comes with two interchangeable tips, and its temperature range is fully adjustable. When the soldering task is done, use a flat file to smooth the soldered area. I chose a pair of Du-Bro 4.5-in. Big Wheels (#45RV) for my Dallaire Sportster. The hubs are meant to fit over 5/32-in. wire, but the Sportster’s axles are only 1/8 in. After the gear wires are soldered together, you can add two lengths of 1/8-in. I.D. brass

16 Drill the spruce bottom stringer for the tail gear wire and use a hobby knife to bevel the inside edge of the hole to match the radius of the bend in the wire. Then you will use epoxy resin to secure the wire to the stringer. You might consider hardening the wood with CA glue before you glue in the tail wire.

The fuselage deck in front of the cabin area is sheeted with 1/16-in. balsa. Templates are provided in the manual, but you can’t see the cut lines if you place the sheeting on top of the template. You could cut the template out and lay it over the sheet, although extending the lines on the paper is easier and will preserve the manual.

18 Lay the sheeting over the template and draw the lines on the sheet. Two identical pieces are glued together to form the deck, so lay one piece over the other. When you cut on the lines, you’ll be cutting both pieces at once, which will assure they are identical parts that will fit your model well.

RC SPORT FLYER — january 2013

Fuel-proof the engine compartment area and the bottom of the chin block. Several products are good here, including slow-setting epoxy or finishing resin. I chose Z-Poxy resin from Pacer Technologies—the ZAP people. Use the resin to attach the chin block to the fuselage, and pin it in position until the resin cures.

Dallaire Sportster Fuselage Part II

20 Fit the deck sheeting behind the top block and ahead of the cabin area. Trim for a perfect fit, then use resin to fuel-proof the underside of the deck sheeting and inside the fuselage under the deck sheeting.

The longerons are spruce, so pins are out for holding the sheeting in place on the model while the glue dries. Instead, use masking tape wrapped around the airframe to hold the sheeting over the fuselage until the resin cures.

22 Rough-cut the front-end blocks with a Zona saw. Don’t worry about pretty, just hack away the excess balsa, leaving at least 1/8 to1/4 in. of wiggle room. I’d say that a sharp saw will make the best cut, so get a new blade if your’s is worn.

tubing to act as spacers between the wheel hubs and the axles. The tubing has a 5/32-in. O.D. so it works perfectly to fill the gap and prevent wobbly wheels, and it also acts in the capacity of a bearing to provide smoother rotation of the wheel. I used silver solder to secure the tubing, then added an inner wheel collar, the Du-Bro wheel and an outer collar to determine the length of the tubing. The common hacksaw will do for cutting the tubing and axle to the correct length, but you will be far happier if you use a rotary tool and a Tuff-Grind fiberglassimpregnated cutoff wheel from Don and Sue Dombrowsky at House of Balsa. The Tuff-Grind is available by itself or in a combination package Follow us at twitter @rcsportflyer

Use a razor plane to bring the blocks closer to their final form. Always try to cut with the direction of the grain. Cross-grain planing is possible, but you’ll need to work with shorter strokes and shallower cuts to prevent the plane from catching and damaging the wood.

with a sturdy mandrel. After you’ve cut the excess axle/ tube lengths away, use the Tuff-Grind or a needle file to create flats in the brass tubing for the set screws in the wheel collars. Between the screwtrapping flats and a drop or two of blue thread locker on the set screws, you won’t ever have to worry about wheel collars coming loose again. Two legs are good, but three are better. The Dallaire Sportster is a taildragger, and you’ll want to address that tail wheel wire. The 5/32-in. tail wheel wire is inserted into a 5/32in. diameter hole that you must drill through the spruce bottom stringer. The fit will be tight, although you can ease that slightly with an 1/8-in. round file. Insert the wire in the hole

and you will see that the flat of the wire does not fit snugly against the stringer. That’s because of the radius of the bend in the wire. This is easily fixed by trimming a slight bevel into the rearward lip of the hole in the spruce. If you relieve the lip to follow the radius of the bend, the end of the wire will slip nicely down into the hole and the flat of the tail wheel wire will lay flat against the stringer. The Dallaire manual includes a template for cutting the deck sheeting, but if you want to use the template effectively, you must draw extended pencil lines at all the cut locations on the template. Without the extensions, you won’t be able to see the cut lines when you place the balsa sheeting over the template. RC-SF.COM

24 I love my Perma-Grit tools, and once you start using them, so will you. I use the 80-grit tool for most of my rough shaping. The flat Perma-Grit tool is shown here on the left, and another just like it is permanently fixed under one of my ADC Tee-Bar aluminum sanders.

The rough-shaping stage complete, the Dallaire’s nose area is now ready for finishing touches and final sanding. You’ll want to compare sides to make certain your model gets sanded uniformly from side to side, so step back and have a look from time to time.

26 Use the razor plane to cut the beginnings of a graceful radius on those 1/2-in. square top stringers. Follow the plane with 150-grit sandpaper on a bar sander.

Extend the lines, draw the lines onto the wood, stack two pieces of wood together and cut them both at once to make two identical parts. If you’ve read any of my previous installments that addressed sheeting, you’ve learned that sheeting should be fitted, joined and sanded before it is installed on the model. Such is the case with the deck sheeting. Butt the two cut sheets together over a piece of parchment paper or other adhesive barrier, and join the parts with a few drops of thin CA wicked into the seam. Sand the joined sheeting smooth to prepare it for installation. Mix a generous batch of slowsetting epoxy or finishing resin. Fully coat the insides of the engine compartment and the inside surface 40

RC SPORT FLYER — january 2013

Keep the stringers square where they meet the rear of the wing saddle, but gradually take them down to a quarter-round radius where they end at the stabilizer saddle.

of the fuselage chin block. There are few adhesives tougher than this, so make sure that the mating surfaces of the chin block and fuselage are coated, then pin the chin block in position under the fuselage. Unless you’ve really nailed it, the adhesive should still be workable. Coat the inside surface of the deck sheeting, and if you feel compelled, coat the inside of the fuselage under the deck sheeting as well. Lay the sheeting down over the deck area and hold it securely with strips of masking tape until the resin or epoxy cures. Fuel-proofing under the deck doesn’t serve much purpose in this case, but I did it anyway. I enjoy being progressive in my modeling techniques, but I guess I’ll always be a throwback in certain areas. Those

K&S brass tubes will carry the fuel through the deck area, and they are not likely to leak along their lengths. Fuel-proofing under the deck buys you nothing. Use the Zona saw to make quick work of trimming the excess bulk from the fuselage blocks. Don’t try to cut to the mating lines, but allow yourself 1/8-in. or so of fudge factor. Use a razor plane to take the blocks down farther, then finish shaping them with coarse Perma-Grit flat tools or coarse sandpaper on an Easy Touch bar sander. One of my favorite flat sanding tools is a hybrid. I used contact cement to attach a flat Perma-Grit sander to the bottom of a Tee-Bar Sander from Applied Design Corporation (ADC). Shape the upper rear section of

Dallaire Sportster Fuselage Part II

28 Four filler pieces must be created from 3/16-in. balsa sheet where the landing gear legs exit the fuselage sides. Cut and sand the forward and upper edges to the correct angles, then press the part against the gear leg to make a marking dimple. Use a 3/16-in. round file to cut the path for the gear leg.

Put the filler piece back in position and cut its bottom edge approximately 1/8-in. oversize. Sand the edge at an angle to match the stringer, and check the fit. Sand and check until it fits perfectly, and then attach the filler piece with medium CA.

are trimmed to flow into the fuselage sides and maintain a pleasant curve. When the time comes to cover your model, you won’t want the covering material to slip over a baremetal gear wire with nowhere to grab. That scenario would produce an ugly tear in the covering very quickly. Add four filler pieces made from 18in. or 3/32-in. balsa to surround the gear holes and provide grab areas for the covering. Cut one piece of balsa slightly oversize, sanding the top and forward edges to match the angles of the lower longeron and the F2 bulkhead. Press the filler piece against the landing gear wire to create a dimple that marks its location. Use a round file to cut a notch at the dimple for the landing gear, then put the filler piece back into position. The lower edge of the filler piece will need to be trimmed to match the angle of the balsa stringer it will rest against. Make that cut on an angle so the filler piece wedges into position, fitting 29 tightly between the stringers and When the four filler pieces are sanded, the model’s covering material will have a place to bond solidly instead of hanging F2. Repeat the loosely around a naked leg. Be here for the February issue, when I procedure for the install the servo trays, run the pushrod guide tubes and prepare the the fuselage by sanding the uprights and top stringers to match the angle of the sides. Finish by putting a nice “round” on those big, half-inch square balsa top stringers, but be sure the leave them square where they contact the rear of the wind saddle area. The trick is to flow the stringers gradually from square at the saddle to round at the tail. Hold the bar sander at an approximate 45-degree angle to your work and smooth the bottom stringers into the bottom formers. The angle will help prevent catching the sander on the formers and breaking or chipping them. The formers all slightly overhang the fuselage sides, so be sure that they

fuselage for covering.

remaining three filler pieces. That’s it for this installment. The Sig Spacewalker II and Dynaflite Super Decathlon wing panels will be constructed in the next phase of the series, and the fuselages for those two models—and the Ziroli Fokker triplane—will follow. Before that, however, the next installment will bring you the completion of the Dallaire Sportster fuselage. I’ll fit and install the servo rails, run the pushrod guide tubes and handle all those little items that prepare a fuselage of this size for the covering process. Many of the techniques I describe in this “Building Model Airplanes” series for RC Sport Flyer have been demonstrated in previous installments. If you are enjoying the series and find your building skills improving from the information presented, please consider having back issues on hand for reference— just in case you want a refresher or have missed something along the way. Back issues can be ordered from the publisher, and subscriptions to the magazine are available at $24.95 for 12 issues. Building model airplanes is fun, and there’s no feeling 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.

RC-SF.COM

By Rob Caso

Cockpits Part I Put Realism Into Any Model Aircraft. It’s Easy!

I laid out my 1/6-scale Storch’s instrument panel in CAD using photos for reference before starting its build. I later simply scaled this down for my 1/12 model. You’ll find CAD is great for this type of building.

RC SPORT FLYER — january 2013

Cockpits Part I

ockpits. They are usually the first thing done on a plastic model and the last thing on an RC flying scale model. Why is this? I think the appropriate word here is procrastination or perhaps maybe trepidation. The cockpit is either the first or second area of the model viewed by observers—it’s where they would be sitting if they were the pilot. One would think that, given its prominence, a cockpit would be the focal point of a scale modeler’s effort. Unfortunately, adding cockpit detail is oftentimes almost an afterthought and plays second fiddle to exterior detail or solving functional issues, yet it should be what we live for as scale modelers. The Top Gun (the premiere scale event in the U.S., which is held in Lakeland, Florida each spring—May 1–5, 2013) rules state that the models must have a pilot. If cockpits

aren’t graded, why do I need a pilot? Although rarely officially counted for scale points, a good cockpit facilitates a higher score due to the enhanced realism factor of the airplane on the ground and in the air. The message here is that graded or not, cockpits count and may potentially affect scoring in a contest. In view of all these factors, I am all over the cockpit at the beginning of a model build, not the end. As a practical matter, an assessment must first be made as to how serious of an effort is intended or warranted. I like my scale Sunday foam fliers to be neat and accurate, but the most I have generally done with their cockpits is adding a pilot, an instrument panel and maybe a gunsight—whatever can be easily seen in a casual glance at the model. Alternatively, a self-designed model has the advantage of one being

able to lay the groundwork for the cockpit at the outset by designing all the RC stuff to go somewhere besides in the cockpit. In large-scale models this gets easier, even when building a kit model. So, the extent and level of detail that you’ll want to put into your model depend on what the model will be used for and how much of the cockpit area is viewable. You’ll want to ask yourself, how serious are you?

Concept and Mock up

If a full- or three-quarters cockpit is contemplated, it is usually best to make the cockpit as a model within a model. Some designs such as WWI aircraft don’t really permit this; however a number of mainstream aircraft do, such as WWII aircraft and many jets. This concept also facilitates the ability to remove the entire cockpit from the model—perhaps

Rt Side Wall

Bulkhead

Fwd

Leftt Side Wall

Bulkhead

Fwd You can lay out side panels similarly using your CAD. It will have simple shapes that you’ll want to scale to fit the model you are detailing. The nice thing about using CAD is that you can print the working drawings.

RC-SF.COM

sections. Perhaps these panels can be permanently affixed—every airplane is different, so think ahead. With the final mock-up done and fitted to the model, it’s game time.

Layout

With the possible exception of some civilian and jet aircraft, many full-scale cockpits look like the manufacturer simply took shovels full of instruments, boxes, wires and switches and dumped them in everywhere they would fit. It makes it hard to see the forest with all those trees in the way. Compounding this issue is that usually I’m lucky if I have decent photographs of the cockpit I’m going to model, much less isometric diagrams and dimensions. Plus, good shots of the aircraft’s side panels and what’s behind the seat are sometimes very tough to find. I like to snipe the Internet for photos and drawings, but plastic models can offer

6.125

Here is an exploded drawing of a cockpit tub parts. Always work off the center and draw in references for large components, such as the seat. The red lines are my reference lines.

through the wing saddle—but the main reason here is to avoid the hassle of working on the proverbial “ship in a bottle.” Start by making a mock-up of a cockpit tub using cardboard, and then simply transfer the resulting templates to wood. Two of the latter may have to be made as the first is usually pretty rough. Go for accuracy on the second and, if it’s very close, this can be the canvas to which all the detail is added. Now make provisions to attach it to the model. I like pins and magnets, but I have also used screws and bosses that use blind nuts. An accurate tub will establish the boundaries outside of which no details should stray. If the subject has only vertical sides lining the cockpit area, plasticfaced 1/64-in. plywood can be used to hide the model’s internal structure without encroaching too much on the internal area of the cockpit. A good idea here is to make these separate. Then they get installed first to the inside of the model, perhaps with magnets, with the balance of the tub going in last and which comprises the aft, floor and forward 44

RC SPORT FLYER — january 2013

Instrument Panel

Stick Consol Left Side Panel

Right Side Panel

I created this drawing for my Hobby Lobby distributed Eurofighter. It was similarly laid out in 2D before any cutting of wood and parts began. Note that you can duplicate parts quickly in CAD too.

Cockpits Part I

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Apply to face of F2 When you look at this CAD drawing you can see how easy it is to make multiple circles, rectangles, etc. It is also very useful to annotate your drawings as well, so that when you are working from them they detail what step is next in the build.

a lot of information also. You must, however, be cognizant of version issues and restored aircraft with modern systems installed. The key to a good cockpit is getting things proportionately correct. A good way to do this is to have a scale pilot handy. This will force you to make the required equipment—levers, seats, consoles, boxes, quadrants, etc.—in proportion

to the pilot. I may not know the exact full-scale length of the throttle handle, but I do know that my model’s handle must fit the scale pilot’s hands. From there, take this or similar dimensions to proportion the rest of the equipment. Also, it must all make sense. Throttles in full-scale airplanes are generally within easy reach of the pilot, so the model’s must be also.

This is a rough mock-up of a cockpit tub, which I’ve made of cardboard and plywood. The finished tub was cut and test fitted to the model’s interior before the detailing was added. Follow us at twitter @rcsportflyer

Continue from here by laying out the various components on the tub, side panels and instrument panel by drawing squares and circles. I use computer aided design (CAD) software for this, but paper and pencil will work. What is needed to start building is a two-dimensional representation of where everything will go, and in the scale size. Each box or circle will represent a piece

Plastic model parts will offer you a wealth of three-dimensional information. You can then use that information to build parts for your model, which will be scaled to the dimensions required by your aircraft. RC-SF.COM

Cockpits Part I

This is a photo showing the finished cockpit in my Storch. This model was built to 1/6 scale, which is a popular size, so many cockpit components are commercially available, including pilots.

of equipment for which a threedimensional component will be made. For complex jobs, I start with the instrument panel since it’s the most familiar. If commercially available scale instruments are to be used, use the dimensions of them, keeping in mind that many scale instruments often are a bit larger or smaller than they really would be. Consequently, when laying them out on a crowded instrument panel, you can run out of room to fit them all quickly.

Preliminary Details

While it’s okay to start some of the component details, it is best to first concentrate on where all this stuff is going to fit. Back to the instrument panel, many feature a separate panel in the center for the more important instruments. Further still, this panel is sometimes raised and therefore should be modeled separately. Consoles or side panels are rarely flat, and many have raised or angled sub-panels to cant the instrument so that the pilot can do his thing with them comfortably. These are the first items to be modeled. Additionally, there is usually some visible aircraft structure behind the equipment in this area, which should be modeled before any such equipment is attached. Right and left consoles may also have internal structures, curved sheet metal sections or tubes to guide wires and 46

RC SPORT FLYER — january 2013

This is a photo I got of the Collings Foundation’s impeccably restored Storch. When you can get photos like this one it makes building a cockpit to scale and replicating parts much easier.

cables. It depends on the subject, but all this should go on the tub first. And then there is the floor, of which you’ll discover you can rarely get find photos. For example, I know that Storchs (which I’ve modeled) had a plywood floor, sometimes painted, sometimes not. Other aircraft had no floor at all. So, do your homework and plan for modeling these idiosyncrasies at the beginning of the process, not the end. If it really cannot be determined what was there, do something that makes sense

based upon photos of other period aircraft. If it looks right, nobody is going to challenge it. After the tub fits the model and has the appropriate infrastructure, it should be painted the appropriate scale color and then weathered. You’ll make a last test fit and then it’s onto the nitty gritty details. In next month’s issue I’ll get into those details, so look to the February 2013 issue for Part II of this build article.

This is an instrument panel I was building. On it you see the raised center section, which is plywood faced with plastic and laser-engraved nomenclature. Laser cutters are good to have in your workshop. They have come down in price too, so consider one.

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By Wil Byers

Carbon Cub SS Take Control Of This Cub For Short Takeoffs and Landings, PLUS more!

im Richmond’s CubCrafters company of Yakima, WA turned building the iconic Piper Super Cub airplanes into a very successful business. The company he started in 1980 had its focus on doing modifications to Cubs. Over the years, Jim’s Cub modifications morphed into CubCrafters building FAA certified Cubs of their own. It now builds the CubCrafter brand of Cubs for aviation enthusiasts around the world—ones that are loved by sport, commercial and bush pilots. Now Jim’s CubCrafters Company employs about 100 people in a 40,000-square-foot facility. It builds branded Cubs that weigh just 1320 pounds ready to fly, which puts them into the 2004 approved Light Sport 48

RC SPORT FLYER — january 2013

Aircraft (LSA) class—an FAA class for those with Sport Pilot certification. These lightweight aircraft are much adored by pilots because of the LSA’s user-friendly regulations—daytime flight, 1320 pounds maximum weight, speed limit and two seats. Note that CubCrafters’ Cubs are powered by engines that have between 100 and 180 horsepower. CubCrafters’ Cubs are top-of-line aircraft that sell for between $170 and $220K. Their new 180-hp Carbon Cub SS provides the shortest takeoff, fastest climb rate and shortest landing of any aircraft in its class.

AeroWorks® Carbon Cub SS

For significantly less than

$170,000 you too can now own a Carbon Cub SS. The AeroWorks company introduced their version of the Carbon Cub SS in 2012. It sports a 168-in. wingspan (40% scale) and is powered by a DA-100- to 120-size engine. The DA-120 I’m using in mine turns a 29 x 12 propeller and flies the Cub with authority, even letting it do knife-edge loops. I purchased my Carbon Cub for $2195 plus shipping and handling. If you buy one you will discover that it comes shipped in two extremely durable boxes that will protect it against almost any form of shipper abuse. Ours came out of the box in perfect condition. While you’ll discover that the AeroWorks Carbon Cub SS is capable

AeroWorks Carbon Cub SS

Here you get a good scale-size representation of what the AeroWorks Carbon Cub SS looks like next to the fullscale airplane. We shot this photo at the CubCrafters factory in Yakima, WA. Their airplanes are works of art!

of 3D performance I bought mine primarily to use as a sport flyer and for aerotowing large-scale gliders—a tow release will be installed after this build and flight report is complete. What you’ll find in the AeroWorks Carbon Cub SS almost-ready-to-

fly (ARF) kit is a extremely well built airframe, parts and hardware. AeroWorks owner Rocco has designed his airplane to withstand the rigors of all types of piloting, including 3D, and to provide you with a good service life.

Kit Contents

• Airframe Fuselage, wings, empennage • Landing Gear Metal w/ struts • Hardware Gas tank, engine standoffs, struts

Your 40%-scale Carbon Cub SS will come covered and ready for hardware installation. Its color scheme matches exactly that of the full-scale airplane.

Here are some of the items that we recommend you purchase from AeroWorks. You should at a minimum buy the Safety Clips for the servo lead connections.

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When your Carbon Cub SS is ready to fly it will have the same color scheme as that of the full-scale aircraft, including the numbers. It makes an attractive flyer.

• Wing Joiner Carbon Fiber • Wheels AeroWorks 8.2x3.2 • Cockpit Instrument panel • Windshield Molded sheet clear vinyl • Cowl 2-part fiberglass • Tailwheel Sprung w/ wheel • Instructions DVD w/ extensive photos and details

Needed to Complete • Engine DA-120 w ignition • Exhaust MTW RE3 tuned pipes

• • • • • • •

• Propeller Falcon 29x10 • Spinner AeroWorks Carbon Fiber Transmitter Hitec Aurora 9 Servos 8 Hitec 7950 TH (480 oz-in. torque) Receiver Hitec Aurora 9 Power Management PowerBox RRS (optional) Safety Clips (3) Aeroworks packages Fuel Fuel Dot, tubing Power Ignition (A123), (2) Fromeco 7.4-volt 4500-mAh for PowerBox supply.

The hardware package provides you with the engine standoffs, fuel tank, support wires for the tail surfaces, clevises, etc. and the instruction manul on DVD.

AeroWorks includes the patterns for mounting the engine, tuned pipe formers, ZipTies and even an incidence gauge that you will use to set up the controls.

The airplane’s wings come covered, with pull strings installed. They are used to pull the servo leads through the wing. I used a heat gun to tighten the covering.

The struts are very high quality, as is the carbon fiber wing joiner rod. Even the support hardware is extremely good quality.

RC SPORT FLYER — january 2013

Assembly

The manual that AeroWorks provides with their Carbon Cub SS comes on one DVD. To say it is extensive would be an understatement. This is probably the best documented assembly manual you’ll find for any ARF airplane. Nearly ever step of the assembly has a photo to show you how a professional would build their airplane. So, use it! It will make your build much easier. I started my model’s assembly by using a heat gun to tighten the covering material where needed. I recommend the typical method of applying heat and using a cotton cloth to press the covering down onto the sheeting or wood surface below. Next you’ll want to install the servos in the wings. The factory has

AeroWorks Carbon Cub SS This is the landing gear package that you get with the Carbon Cub SS. It is a working gear, so it will take the abuse of hard landings if they should happen.

The tires that come with the Cub are 8.2 x 3.2 rubber, with aluminum wheels and plastic hub caps. Note that the tires have the word AEROWORKS molded in too.

The horizontal tail feathers come covered, ready for servos and hinged. The rudder comes hinged too. You also get a nice tailwheel and incidence meter.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m powering my Cub with a DA-120 gas-powered engine, with RE3 pipes because it starts easily, delivers lots of power and will provide a long service life.

I got this shot of my Carbon Cub SS in front of the service hangar at CubCrafters. Look at the huge tundra tires on the Carbon Cub SS behind mine in the hangar! Follow us at twitter @rcsportflyer

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Look at the attention to detail given to the motor box by AeroWorks. It is reinforced with triangle stock and the parts are keyed to each other ...

The fiberglass engine cowl comes painted in the same color scheme as that of the full-scale airplane, including carbon fiber look and air intake ports.

You can see in this photo that the cowl is a two-part piece. The fit and finish of the two halves are superb, and they are reinforced with plywood as needed.

I mounted the engine’s ignition system under the motor box hatch. The hatch is held in place with four screws, so it provides easy access for you when needed.

This shows you how I mounted the throttle servo and how the RE3 pipes are fitted to the header pipes. This is an extremely easy engine installation.

The kit’s engine standoff will position the DA-120 engine perfectly with respect to the front of the cowl. My model is using a Falcon 29 x 10 carbon fiber propeller.

installed pull strings in the wings for you to get the servo leads through the wings to the roots. I used Hitec RCD 7950TH servos throughout for this model because when powered by 7.4 V they deliver 480 oz-in. of torque—my model will not lack for control power, no matter how I fly it. Note that the pushrods provided in the kit are superb quality, so they are easy to install and get properly set to the right lengths. The same applies to the metal control horns for the ailerons and flaps. The next step in my build was attaching the landing gear and tail wheel. That got the fuselage up off the ground so that I could install the motor and servos in the fuselage easily. The gear goes together easily 52

RC SPORT FLYER — january 2013

This is not the tank that comes with the AeroWorks Cub, but I wanted to use a larger one because of using my model for towing. It sits over the center of gravity of the Cub too.

If you opt to use two servos for rudder control this is what the install will look like. I’m going to use one instead because the Hitec 7950THs deliver 480 oz-in. of torque.

AeroWorks Carbon Cub SS My Cub is fitted with a 2500mAh A123 battery pack for ignition power. I positioned it where the gas tank would normally go because of my Cub’s tank modification.

I wanted to use a PowerBox RRS system for power management in my model as a way to provide steady, even voltage and current to all of its servos.

For control of the airplane it is equipped with Hitec HS7950TH servos throughout because they deliver 480 ozin. of torque and have great deadband performance.

The tailwheel system that comes with the Cub is a very strong, durable part, including the rubber tire and wheel. It will provide excellent ground handling.

and then just bolts to the aircraft— use thread locker! The motor box on the Carbon Cub SS is very well made, with triangular stock gusseting and an interlocking tab system for the wood parts. It will not come apart! The aluminum standoffs that are included in the kit package let you install the motor for near-perfect positioning of the propeller’s backplate relative to the cowling. My model is fitted with a Desert Aircraft DA-120 engine, which is fitted with MTW RE3 tuned pipes. You’ll want to be sure to buy the

pipe extensions from DA so that the pipes exit the fuselage at the proper position as is designed into the fuselage by AeroWorks. The ignition system was installed under the motor box access. As you can see in the accompanying photos it is a clean install. Also, the throttle servo installs in the bottom of the motor box. There is nothing special about it, other than making the linkage the proper length. Note that I’m using a Du-Bro Products 50-oz gas tank, so I’ve positioned it in

The hardware that comes from AeroWorks in the kit is very high quality and strong. You’ll find it is easy to install and fit to the servos and the airplane’s control surfaces.

The finished Carbon Cub SS from spinner to tailwheel is a very attractive airplane that copies the full-scale airplane almost exactly. I especially like the ease of assembly this model offers.

RC-SF.COM

AeroWorks Carbon Cub SS

Specifications

Take a look at the wingspan on the AeroWorks Carbon Cub SS against that of the full-scale airplane! This model is going to be fun to fly and use as an aerotow tug.

the fuselage under the wing rather than forward on the instrument panel. Consequently, the A123 ignition battery was installed where the tank would have been. The rudder comes pre-hinged, so you only need glue it into the vertical fin with Gorrilla Glue®. The kit offers the option of using two rudder servos, but since my model is using the 7950TH servos I’m only installing one, which will still provide plenty of torque for all but possibly knife-edge loops—even then I think these are plenty strong to give good rudder authority. The rudder uses a pull-pull cable systems, so you’ll need to make up the cables. Be certain to crimp them well as per the instructions. You’ll install the servos in the elevators much like you did in the wings. It is a straightforward assembly. I do suggest you be certain to harden all the servo screw holes with cyanoacrylate glue. I’ve fitted my Carbon Cub SS with a PowerBox RRS system. I’m doing so to provide clean, steady, regulated power to all the servos. The PowerBox is getting voltage and current from two Fromeco 7.4-V 4500-mAh packs. I’m going to control the Cub with an Hitec RCD Aurora 9 transmitter, so I’m fitting the model with an Optima 9 receiver, which will 54

RC SPORT FLYER — january 2013

then marry to the PowerBox system. That is it for this month’s build report. There is nothing special about the build that an average modeler could not do—even a beginner could build this airplane with help from an experience modeler. It, however, is not a beginner’s model. Next month I’ll explain how I set up the control system, balanced the model and tested the motor. If the weather will cooperate I’ll give you a flight report too. See you then, or just drop by the shop:-).

Wingspan

168 in.

Wing area

3864 in.2

Fuselage length w/o spinner

104 in. (rudder to front of cowl)

Fuselage length

110 in. (rudder to front of spinner)

Weight

39 lb as built

Cowl width

13.5 in.

Rudder height

w/ tail wheel 24.75 in.

Engine

100- to 120-cc gas

Exhaust

MTW RE3

Spinner size

4.5 in.

Propeller

Falcon 29x10 carbon

Transmitter

6-channel min (Hitec Aurora 9 used)

Receiver

Optima 9

Servos

(7) Hitec 7950TH (1) 5685MH

Power management

PowerBox RRS

Rx power

(2) Fromeco 7.4 4500-mAh

Ignition

(1) A123 LiFe 2500-mAh

Wheels

8.25 in.

Price

$2195

This is not the model. It is the full-scale Carbon Cub SS being flown above the Yakima Valley in Washington state. Notice the vortex generators on the wing.

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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

start your adventure here

Explore the great outdoors. • Comes with floats and fixed landing gear • Lots of scale details, including working navigation and landing lights, replica radial engine and more Wingspan: 59.5 in (1510 mm)

• Ailerons and flaps feature drop hinges and authentic corrugation • Fly the DHC-2 Beaver Tx-R with your transmitter and Tactic AnyLink; a Ready-To-Fly version is also available ™

BY RC-SF Staff

L-19 Bird Dog T A Low-And-Slow Forward Air Controller (FAC) Bird

he United States Army needed an aircraft that could direct artillery fire and perform liaison duties. They also wanted one that was all metal, which would provide longer service life as well as increased durability. They found their design specifications in the Cessna 305A, a modified Cessna 170—which the U.S. Army named the L-19 Bird Dog. With its spacious windows, side-by-side tandem seating, strutbraced wing, single engine power and lightweight build, the L-19 became an excellent observation aircraft and forward spotter during the Korean War. When the 1960s rolled around, the L-19 was redesignated the O-1 Bird Dog. It was then used in Vietnam by both the United States Air Force (USAF) and the South Vietnamese Air Force (SVAF). Unlike the O-2 Skymaster or the OV-10 Bronco that would replace the O-1, the Bird Dog was feared more by the Viet Cong (they nicknamed it Old Lady) than its replacements because it was far quieter and pilots could see out of the rear of the aircraft, which gave it an advantage in spotting enemy ground forces. It is worth noting that during the Vietnam War some 469 O-1 aircraft were lost to all causes. It was especially vulnerable to surface-

Full-Scale Specifications Top speed

130 mph (209 km/h)

Wingspan

36 ft (11 m)

Length

25 ft 9 in. (7.85 m)

First flight

1949

Manufacturer

Cessna

Plan Price

$48.50 plus S&H

Designer Wendell Hostetler’s Plans 545 Jerome Drive Orrville, OH 44667. Phone/Fax: (330) 682-8896 e-mail: whplans@aol.com hostetlersplans.com

RC SPORT FLYER — january 2013

L19 Bird Dog to-air missiles. After retiring from the USAF in 1974, the L-19/O-1 Bird Dogs were sold to private pilots and museums.

Some made their way to the Royal Canadian Air Cadets as tugs for towing Schweizer 2-33A gliders, which the Canadians used in their

glider instruction program. The Bird Dog also saw service with the Thai, Pakistani, Chilean, Austrian and other air forces.

RC-SF.COM

BY Jerry Smith

Building the Curtiss JN-4 Jenny A Masterfully Crafted Biplane that Replicates an American Classic

tarting out on a scale project such as the Curtiss Jenny requires inquisitiveness, inspiration, the will to succeed, determination, perseverance, goalsetting and above all, the building skills to do it. Keith Goff of McDonough, Georgia had these in mind when he examined a set of old plans of the Curtiss Jenny by Ray Killingsworth. The Jenny was not an easy airplane to replicate with its complicated detailing of wire, brass, engine parts and covering. Even so, Keith tackled the project. He spent many hours building it, but as you can see the final outcome was well worth his efforts … The Jenny, like other airplanes of the 1920s, was limited largely to training, hauling the mail and entertaining at air shows. The real work of the “Golden Age” of American aviation was mostly being done, quietly and reliably, by the sturdy De Havilland DH-4. Of the JN aircraft series, the JN-4 was the first to be affectionately called Jenny—a phonetic blending of the letters JN. Recently, I sat down with Keith to get some the details of his airplane and its build. Here is what he said about his Jenny. “The Jenny has been a big inspiration to me for many years with all the wires, brass, fabric and wire wheels. I wanted to build one for years, and when I saw the plans by Ray Killlingsworth they really inspired me. I started building Support wires run from the control horns on the elevators to their trailing edges to integrate the forces that move the controls, which relieves the exceptional torque at the leading edges. The same was true on the rudder, because of its size, and the bottom surface. All fittings were handmade.

RC SPORT FLYER — january 2013

The Jenny flies slow and has very large control surfaces. It replicates the full-scale aircraft in almost every detail. You feel like you are watching a piece of American aviation history fly past when it is in the air.

Building the Curtiss JN-4 Jenny At first glance you would not know this was a model aircraft. The level of detail on Keith’s Curtiss Jenny is exceptional. This is a “Top Gun” quality aircraft in every respect, from the instruments to the engine and the pilots.

Looking at the model, you get the feeling that any minute the pilot is going to start selling rides in his airplane. Keith even built the wire wheels. He is not only a great craftsman but a very good pilot as well.

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about a year ago and wasn’t satisfied with what his generic plans had to offer. I started adding more detail and became obsessed with wanting the Jenny to look as real as possible. Of course the real attraction on the Jenny is its engine. And that is where I began more research by looking at pictures of the full-size Jenny and all the detail the engine had to offer. It was built strictly by eyeballing it, looking at pictures of the OX-5 engine and measuring certain features to get an idea of size. It was the most The panels on the forward part of the fuselage are made of 1/32-in. plywood. The louvers and detail were glued in place and painted with Varathane® color and Krylon paint. Note the cockpit combing and the neat stitching with eyelets and cord.

The radiator was built from balsa and then covered in 1/32-in. plywood, which was then painted. Looking through the grill you can see the G-62 engine that powers Keith’s Jenny. Even the propeller nut is scale.

With the cowl removed, you can see the Jenny is powered by a G-62 on ignition, with spring starter. The fuel tank and throttle servo are visible too. Keith decided on ignition for smoother running and better idling.

The wheels are almost 8 in. in diameter and are handmade. The rims were built from PVC pipe, and the spokes are .040 aviation safety wire while the tires are made of automotive heater tubing.

Keith has spent lots of time engineering and constructing a fixture to make the wheels for the gear. Notice all the detailing on the landing gear struts. The weathering in the legs is something you must see.

RC SPORT FLYER — january 2013

Building the Curtiss JN-4 Jenny The covering on the Jenny is Sig Coverall. It has three coats of Varathane Sanding Sealer, which gives it a matte finish. Varathane is water soluble, not smelly like dope and gives the Coverall an antique look.

It is impossible to see in the air, but the Jenny has its covering rib stitched the full length of the wing chord for all the ribs. The roundels on the wing and fuselage were painted with Krylon too.`

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On its landing approach, you would never know this is a model aircraft if you were not at the airfield watching it come down. Keith’s Jenny uses over 150 in. of wire bracing.

Keith Goff and his two sons Ryan and Sean give me a thumbs up after the Jenny’s tenth successful flight. This is a model that is a true joy to watch making its way around the patch.

RC SPORT FLYER — january 2013

Building the Curtiss JN-4 Jenny

The king post on top of the wing ties the leading edge to the trailing edge and augments the linear support. The ailerons are supported in the same fashion as the tail surface’s wires.

time-consuming work on the Jenny. Most everything on the airframe is hand built, including the wire wheels. The Jenny is a work in progress, and when you think you have it done, it’s isn’t. There is more I want to do to it, but now that I have it flying, that will come more slowly. It has been a very rewarding project for me.” The OX-5 engine crowns Keith’s achievement. It is certainly an attraction for modelers. The O-5 was built strictly by eyeballing pictures and online resources. Keith started

A foothold and wing walk area are just part of the many dead-on scale details that Keith built into his model. Graphics were painted using off-the-shelf Krylon® paint. The forward door, with its louvers, is functional.

by building one cylinder. Once he was satisfied with it he replicated his work for the rest of them. The cylinders were made from PVC pipe caps, the rocker arms from Styrene sheet plastic and the valve springs were purchased from a hardware store. The wires, tubing and small fastening hardware were made in his shop. Note the welded-together exhaust pipe. He used epoxy for the joint, but before it hardened he imprinted small marks with a toothpick. When painted it looks like

a welded joint. Keith’s incredible craftsmanship on the Jenny is now modeled as a piece of the “Golden Age” of American Aviation history. That era was responsible for introducing aviation to the general public, which played a huge role in making airplane flight what it is today. Keith’s Jenny just completed its tenth flight and will be flown at future events and shows for all to see. I truly hope you can see it in action. It is a joy to watch in flight.

All the flying and landing wires were terminated with Sullivan 4-40 clevises because of the expense of turnbuckles. Plenty of thread-locking compound was used throughout to guard against loosening from vibration.

RC-SF.COM

21cc PUNCH

17cc Footprint The NEW Saito™ FG-21 Gas Engine There are a lot of advantages to going with gas, like cleaner operation and cheaper fuel. But Saito 4-stroke gas engines give modelers more; namely some of the most impressive power-to-weight ratios in their class. The new FG-21 is no exception. Based on the groundbreaking Saito FG-20, it packs 21cc’s of power into a 15cc case. Accompanying the extra displacement is a more efficient carburetor, updated exhaust valve seats and, of course, the sweet 4-stroke sound Saito engines are famous for. Put some punch into your next 1.20-size flying experience. Get to saitoengines.com right now to learn more about the amazing FG-21.

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RC SPORT FLYER — january 2013

The ALL-NEW One-Stop JR Helis Shop

Horizon Hobby is excited to announce the opening of the JR® Helis website. Your source for all things JR, you’ll be able to find all the premium JR parts and accessories to support your JR heli. Radio systems, servos, gyro systems and more can all be found at competitive prices. Look here for information on the latest JR heli products, links to JR Japan’s own English site and YouTube channel and manuals for your JR heli with full parts explosions. In fact, the parts explosions enable you to click directly through to the parts pages to simplify your search. Support for your JR heli like never before, see it now at www.jrhelis.com.

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©2012 Horizonus Hobby, JR, Serious Fun and the Horizon Hobby logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Horizon Hobby, Inc. Follow at Inc. twitter @rcsportflyer JR is exclusively distributed by Horizon Hobby, Inc. JRradios.com 39469

SERIOUS FUN.™ RC-SF.COM

BY RC-SF Staff

This little Carbon Cub SS is definitely a fun model to fly, just like its full-scale cousin must be for pilots everywhere.

UMX Carbon Cub SS BNF The Highest Performance Light-Sport Plane is Now Your UMX

Even though it is just an ultra-micro airplane the E-flite Carbon Cub SS has the good looks and color scheme of the full-scale airplane.

RC SPORT FLYER â&#x20AC;&#x201D; january 2013

E-flite® UMX Carbon Cub SS BNF

ne of the most iconic aircraft in aviation history, the Piper J-3 Cub has lasted through generations of aviation change in its 75-year lifetime. Beginning production as the Taylor E-2 Cub in 1930, funded by William T. Piper, the aircraft was built to be affordable to inspire The battery hatch of the Cub is built into the bottom, interest in aviation. By which makes for quick and easy battery changes, so you can get lots of airtime with this model. 1940, over 3,000 J-3 Cubs had been built, with The Carbon Cub SS is a lightmany to follow in subsequent years. sport variant of the Cub, built of Then in the early 1980s modern light-weight carbon fiber, CubCrafters began restoring and wood, steel tubing and getting making modifications to Piper Cubs. power from a 180-hp CC340 pistonOver the next 30 years CubCrafters powered engine. For its class, the would gain a worldwide reputation Carbon Cub SS has the shortest for Cub modifications. And, with takeoff, shortest landing and fastest subsequent assistance from the FAA, climb rate of any airplane in its CubCrafters of Yakima, Washington class. Because of this, the Carbon would start to produce their own Cub SS is quickly becoming a bush certified “Cubs.” They include the pilot’s dream airplane. Capable of Sport Cub, Top Cub and Carbon Cub climbing 2100 feet per minute from SS models.

The E-flite UMX Carbon Cub SS with AS3X uses linear servos to give it exception control response, even if you are flying it outside in a light breeze.

sea level, and with a cruise airspeed of 138 mph, the Carbon Cub SS mates performance with a modern, trustworthy airframe and state-ofthe-art cockpit.

The Kit

The E-flite UMX Carbon Cub SS Bind-N-Fly (BNF) comes in a goodlooking box, protected by dense styrofoam inserts. The kit box keeps the model safe and secure during shipping, but with its built-in handle

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it also doubles as a functional carrying case. The model comes preassembled and wired. Your UMX Carbon Cub SS will arrive ready built to bind to a DSM2/ DSMX radio transmitter. The aircraft comes painted in the scheme of the full-scale Carbon Cub SS in attractive silver and red. E-flite includes a 2S 7.4-volt 180-mAh LiPo battery pack and the Celectra 2S DC LiPo charger. you need do is charge the battery, bind the aircraft to your transmitter, check the control throws for proper travel directions and the airplane will be ready to fly!

Your E-flite Carbon Cub SS will come ready to fly. You can adjust the control linkages by bending the control pushrod wire, but ours needed zero adjustments.

Just breaking ground for takeoff, the Carbon Cub SS looks like the full-scale airplane, but it costs much, much less and may be just as much fun to fly.

All The Carbon Cub SS has ailerons, flaps, elevator, rudder, motor control and AS3X, so you can have lots of fun flying it like a much larger model.

Kit Contents

• Airframe Pre-built foam wings and fuselage • Servos (3) 2.3-g performance linear long throw, (2) 2.3-g linear long throw offset

Flying away from you, the little UMX Carbon Cub SS has the great looks and color scheme of the full-scale Carbon Cub SS.

RC SPORT FLYER — january 2013

Notice that your Carbon Cub SS will come with landing light and navigation lights installed as small, lower power consumption LEDs.

E-flite® UMX Carbon Cub SS BNF

The model is capable of aerobatics because it has generous control throws and plenty of power to pull it through the air.

• Motor E-flite BL180 2500-Kv outrunner • Receiver Spektrum 6-channel Ultra Micro AS3X DSMX2/DSMX w/ ESC • Battery E-flite 2S 7.4-volt 180-mAh 20C LiPo • Charger E-flite Celectra 2S 7.4-Volt DC LiPo Balancing

When you put the flaps down you’ll need to have your transmitter programmed with a 40% flap-to-elevator mix.

Needed To Complete • Transmitter DSMX2/DSMX Full Range

In Flight

E-flite’s AS3X system is amazing to say the least! It makes flying an ultra-micro airplane such as the UMX Carbon Cub SS feel like a much larger model. You must experience this control system to understand

just how effective it is at stabilizing the airplane against turbulence and wind gusts. We performed our flight tests of the UMX Carbon Cub SS outside. The day was cold and overcast, with a very slight breeze of only a couple miles an hour. The battery was charged on the way to the airfield. At the airfield, once the model was powered we

You can see the control throws of both the left and right ailerons. There is plenty of control authority.

RC-SF.COM

performed a quick control check, and then positioned the model on the runway. Applying about 25 percent throttle had the little Cub in the air and climbing. Full throttle climbs are impressive for a little model of this size. At the mighty altitude of about 25 ft we tested the airplane’s stall characteristics. It does them going straight ahead, but with a pretty good stall break. You’ll definitely want to apply power and ease back on the elevator control to recover. Once recovery starts you can pull back on the throttle and once again enjoy the control response of AS3X in action. You can roll your little model, loop it, do spins and even fly it upside down, although inverted flight was not written into the design specification, so be prepared to control it with down elevator added. What truly impressed us about this model was how “big” it feels in the air. Even when our Carbon Cub SS experienced some wind gust it handled well. You’ll be amazed at how responsive it is too. We won’t go as far as to say it feels like a 1/4-scale Cub, but we will tell you it does not feel like other ultra-micro-sized models we’ve flown. One thing you will discover about your E-flite UMX Carbon Cub SS is that when you put in full flaps it will want to pitch up. We recommend you program into your transmitter a flap-to-elevator compensation mix

to alleviate this tendency to pitch-up when flaps are applied. The manual recommends a 40 percent mix ratio. Finally, the UMX Carbon Cub SS will deliver you hours of enjoyment flying it either indoors or out. You will have a wonderful time doing touch-and-go landings with it. You may also want to consider adding the tow release to it and towing the new E-flite UMX ASK-21 glider too. It will give you and your friends a new

Our Carbon Cub SS takes off into the bush with a couple of hunters on board. It will definitely be making an off-field landing ;-)

dimension in RC flying you have yet to experience. So, point your browser at e-fliterc. com to see why the UMX Carbon Cub SS is making RC bush piloting fun.

Assembly You don’t have to lift a tool to assemble this little airplane. E-flite pre-builds and wires the UMX Carbon Cub SS to be ready to go right out of the box! However, there are a couple options that you can add to your Carbon Cub, like

a tow plate and floats. The tow plate aligns and screws down onto the bracket on top of the fuselage. The floats are easily installed by removing the fixed landing gear and snapping the floats in their place on the bottom of the fuselage. Center of Gravity

1.06 in. back of the leading edge of the wing at root.

RC SPORT FLYER — january 2013

Control Throws Set as per the manual

E-fliteÂŽ UMX Carbon Cub SS BNF

Specifications Wingspan

24 in. (610 mm)

Length

15.7 in. (398 mm)

Weight

3.17 oz (90 g)

Servos

(3) 2.3-g performance linear long throw, (2) 2.3-g linear long throw offset

Propeller

E-flite 5x2.75 electric

Motor

E-flite BL180 2500-Kv brushless outrunner

Receiver

Spektrum 6-channel Ultra Micro AS3X DSMX2/DSMX w/ ESC

Transmitter

DSMX/DSMX2

Battery

E-flite 2S 7.4-V 180-mAh 20C LiPo

Charger

E-flite Celectra 2S 7.4-volt DC LiPo balancing

Price

$169.99

Distributor This shows the full-scale Carbon Cub SS, which is built in Yakima, WA, out for a flight near its homebase. The mountain in the background is Mt. Rainer, the highest mountain in the lower 48 states.

Horizon Hobby, Inc. 4105 Fieldstone Road Champaign, IL 61822 Phone: 800-338-4639 horizonhobby.com

This photo gives you a good look at the landing light and the left wingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s red navigation light. So you can do a bit of night flying with your Carbon Cub SS if you dare to give it a try.

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BY Anthony Richards

Returning back to base after a sortie, the Flyzone® F4U Corsair has its retracts down, ready for a full stop landing. You’ll love how this model flies and lands. It has that fighter feel to it.

F4U Corsair RTF Fly it with Pappy Boyington’s Black Sheep Squadron

The 12 x 6 propeller mated with the brushless motor gives the Flyzone Corsair incredible climb and cruise speeds. We painted yellow tips onto the propeller for added visibility.

RC SPORT FLYER — january 2013

Flyzone™ F4U Corsair RTF In this version of Maj. Gregory “Pappy” Boyington’s F4U Corsair “Lucybelle,” the model arrives in an attractive two-tone blue camouflage, with pilot.

he legendary Vought of supply heroism. F4U Corsair is a World and troop Boyington led the squadron until War II fighter aircraft, famed transport ships he was shot down and captured by for its action in the Pacific Theatre and destroyed scores of buildings, the Imperial Japanese on January 3 against the Imperial Japanese Army as well as many other victories. The of 1944. Not, however, before he Air Service. Originally too difficult original unit produced nine fighter flew over Rabaul and scored his to land on aircraft carriers because aces with 97 air-to-air kills confirmed. 26th aerial kill in a melee. Captured of the aircraft’s lengthy nose and They were awarded the Presidential and interned by the Japanese until tendency to bounce on landing, Unit Citation for their extraordinary the war’s end in September of 1945, the Corsair first saw combat with United States Marine Corps (USMC) units, but from land-based airstrips. Eventually, later models would be built with design corrections that gave the United States Navy (USN) a Corsair that could operate from carriers. However, by then the Corsair had made its mark on USMC history. It would Everything you need to get your Corsair flying comes The Corsair comes with the rudder and elevator become immortalized in the kit box. With most of the assembly done servos installed. Note the elevator linkage arrives already, you’ll be ready to fly it in no time! disconnected and must be fastened. by the Marines that flew them. One squadron in particular brought fame to the Corsair, the Marines of VMF-214 The Black Sheep. Formed in August of 1943, by Flying Tigers veteran Major Gregory “Pappy” Boyington, the squadron began with Boyington and 27 other men flying borrowed aircraft. At the controls of the F4U, the Black Sheep destroyed or The scale tail wheel is controlled by the rudder servo. The pre-installed Tactic TR624 receiver uses the damaged 203 enemy It adds to the scale appearance. Notice the shock AnyLink® system and requires no binding process. system setup for those hard landings. Simply plug and play. aircraft, sank a number Follow us at twitter @rcsportflyer

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Boyington returned to the United States and was awarded the Medal of Honor and Navy Cross for his actions over Rabaul. Today, the Black Sheep still fly for the USMC, sporting new AV-8B Harrier II vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) jump jets. Though decades have passed since the Corsair flew for the Marine Corps, the Harriers of VMF-214 wear the unit insignia of the black shield of illegitimacy, the bar sinister, black ram,

The powerful 35-36-920-KV brushless motor delivers excellent performance to this Corsair. With that faux radial cover, you’d almost think it was a real radial!

twelve stars and the gull-winged silhouette of the Corsair at the top. Now you too can feel the same sensation of confidence and strength when you pilot the FlyZone F4U Corsair. The aircraft has plenty of rudder authority for knife-edge passes and photo flybys. Here in a topside pass the Corsair shows off the wing rib details and planform.

The wing comes with navigation lights and the aileron servo with Y-harness leads installed. Look at the details molded into the styrofoam!

RC SPORT FLYER — january 2013

The Kit

Flyzone’s F4U Corsair ready-tofly (RTF) aircraft comes excellently presented and packaged in its kit box. Packaged between cardboard spacers and encased in bubble wrap, the individual airframe components will arrive at your doorstep without a scratch. Each piece is built of tough AeroCell foam. It comes with detailed markings that give it the full-scale look pilots expect in a warbird. With pre-installed rotating retracts and bright LED navigation lights, the Flyzone Corsair is ready for any dawn-to-dusk sortie. Though the major pieces of the aircraft Pre-installed components make the Flyzone Corsair are already assembled, super easy to assemble. Even the leads feature labels you’ll need to attach the tell you which plugs go where in the receiver.

Flyzoneâ&#x201E;˘ F4U Corsair RTF

In addition to looking like a fighter aircraft, the Flyzone Corsair has fighter agility and maneuverability too ...

When youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re flying in the fading light of dusk, the bright LED navigation lights help you maintain orientation with the model.

Like all propeller-driven aircraft, the P-factor must be compensated for with a little rudder input to keep the warbird running straight down the centerline during takeoff.

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the wings and tail surfaces to the fuselage to complete the airframe. It won’t take you too long either. So you’ll want to put the battery on its charger and then start assembling. By the time you finish, the Corsair’s LiPo battery should be nearly fully charged.

What You Get

• Airframe Fuselage, wings, horizontal and vertical stabilizers • Motor Flyzone 35-36-920-Kv brushless • Speed controller Flyzone 40-amp

• Propeller Flyzone 12x6 • Battery Flyzone 3S 11.1-V 2100-mAh 20C LiPo • Transmitter Tactic TTX600 6-channel SLT 2.4GHz • Receiver Tactic TR624 6-channel SLT 2.4GHz • Servos (5) Micro • Charger ElectriFly 3S LiPo Smart Charger • Hardware Hook-n-loop fastener, pre-

installed retracts, pilot, decals applied.

Needed To Complete Philips Screwdriver

In Flight

The FlyZone Corsair park flyer is a real treat to fly. The handling and performance are well within an intermediate pilot’s capabilities. On takeoff, you’ll want to apply about 50% right rudder to keep it centered down the strip. As you apply power and get it up to airspeed you’ll be able to back off the right rudder control. P-factor is evident in this

This photo shows you why the F4U Corsair is so popular with modelers—that gull wing and big radial engine up front.

Out of the ground effect and landing gear up, the Corsair accelerates well, and climbs well too.

The markings are a very close match to those worn on Pappy Boyington of the Black Sheep’s squadron during World War II.

The retracts’ deployment do not affect the pitch of the Corsair, making for smooth flight transitions.

RC SPORT FLYER — january 2013

Flyzone™ F4U Corsair RTF model as you apply throttle—like most propeller-driven aircraft—and a little right aileron is needed to counter it and keep the wings level as it accelerates down the runway. Once airborne and out of the ground effect, the aircraft climbs easily—ours did with just half throttle. The retracts work well, and there is no noticeable pitch change in the aircraft from gear down to gear

up. Boy, does it look good in the air. With lots of power from its outrunner motor, the Corsair can punch through maneuvers like the real deal. Rolls and other mild aerobatics are easily executed. On top of that, the aircraft stalls well, which means it is not a hard stall and it does not drop a wing. If you shove the throttle way up, this model will take off for the sky. There is

plenty of rudder authority too, so I found you can kind of do knife-edge passes. Giving the crowd the topside for photos is easy though. You can fly this model upside down too, but you’ll want to add quite a bit of down elevator control. Landing the Corsair is easy. The aircraft’s retracts perform flawlessly, and again not causing a pitch change as they come out. You’ll discover

The retracts come installed in the wings. They give the Flyzone Corsair improved flight performance when the retracts and doors are closed.

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Flyzone™ F4U Corsair RTF

Assembly The Corsair goes together fast and easy. With so much already assembled and wired, you only need to fasten a few pieces and screws to have it ready to fly. Beginning at the empennage, the horizontal stabilizer and elevators slide on to the tail of the aircraft over the mount on the fuselage. Before mounting, the linkage arm for the elevator servo must be pulled out of the tail enough to link to the elevator’s control horn’s outermost hole. Once linked, mount the stabilizer with the provided screw and secure the linkage arm to the elevator servo, making sure that the elevator control surfaces are aligned to their neutral position on the stabilizer. Next you’ll need to mount the vertical stabilizer and rudder to the empennage. Align the vertical stab to the hole in the top of the tail. There is a rudder actuator wire on the fuselage that a gap in the rudder will slide over so that it operates jointly with the tail wheel. Slide the vertical stab into the fuselage and mount with the provided screw. Next you’ll feed the wing light and aileron leads through a hole in the bottom of the fuselage to prepare the wing for mounting to the fuselage. Connect the leads to the receiver ports according to the manual’s instructions. Discerning what lead is what is super easy as each lead is labeled with a tag that tells you what it belongs to and where it goes. that this model gets into ground effect and then just glides in nicely as you pull the throttle all the way back. It does not have flaps, but you don’t need them because the model will slow down nicely. As the model slows down and starts dropping its tail it loses rudder authority, so stick the tail wheel down with a bit of up elevator control so that the tail wheel will take over directional control. All-in-all, the Flyzone F4U Corsair brings its historical character to life when you are at its controls. It is no wonder that Marines in the

Next you’ll be ready to slip on the propeller and its adaptor over the motor shaft and tighten the propeller adaptor nut with a wrench until it is tight. Then slip over the plastic scale hub on the threaded shaft for protection against abrasion and for a scale appearance. Once all of that is done, mount the wing to the fuselage with one of the larger of the screws in the kit. You’ll then need to test the retracts while supporting the airplane during their operation. With the model assembled and readied for flight, the gear must be dropped to check the aircraft’s center of balance. You’ll want to charge the battery and connect it to the receiver. Thanks to the AnyLink system, the Tactic transmitter can then be turned on and linked to the powered receiver, which happens almost immediately. Operate the two-position switch at the top left of the transmitter (flip it towards you) to lower the gear. Once down, check to make sure the gear and wheels align well and the doors are operate correctly. Next flip the aircraft over and using both hands, hold the aircraft with a finger on either wing about 2-7/8-in. (73-mm) inboard of the leading edge on the wing bend joint. The aircraft should balance. If it does, you’re ready to go fly it! If it doesn’t, you’ll need to move some components in the nose or the fuselage forward or back to get the necessary balance.

Second World War fell in love with this major combat aircraft. Its sturdy, well-armed and durable airframe just did the job.

Evaluation

If I had to say one thing about this airplane it would be that it is a very enjoyable airplane to fly. Moreover, the Corsair is just a good-looking airplane in the air. It gives you that sense of flying a historic aircraft and being part of the squadron. It was also very affordable and assembles quickly. Plus, it is noticed at the airfield. I give it high marks.

Specifications Wingspan

48.5 in. (1230 mm)

Wing area

426 in.2 (27.4 dm2)

Length

38.5 in. (980 mm)

Weight

3 lb (1360 g)

Servos

(5) Micro

Propeller

Flyzone 12x6

Motor

Flyzone 35-36-920-Kv brushless

Speed controller

Flyzone 40-amp ESC

Receiver

Tactic TR624 6-channel SLT 2.4-GHz

Transmitter

Tactic TTX600 6-channel SLT 2.4-GHz

Battery

Flyzone 3S 11.1-V 2100-mAh 20C LiPo

Charger

ElectriFly 3S LiPo Smart Charger

Price

$229.98 towerhobbies.com

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

When you land your Corsair you’ll want to get the tailwheel on the ground as airspeed slows. Then use the wheel for directional control and steering.

RC SPORT FLYER — january 2013

BY Wil Byers

F4U-A1 Corsair BNF Fly This Iconic Marine Corps Warbird Just About Anywhere

n the bloody air battles of the Pacific Theater during World War II, U.S. naval aviators scored victory after victory against Japanese pilots with the iconic gull-winged F4U Corsair. Developed in response to a U.S. Navy request for a twinor single-engined fighter capable of stall speeds no higher than 70 knots and that carried four machine guns, Chance Vought built the large XF4U-1. It had the largest and most powerful engine, the 1805-hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp radial,

I used my Spektrum DX18 to control my Corsair, but all you really need is five control channels if you are using the retracts.

Your ParkZone Corsair F4U-AI is copied after the aircraft flown by the Jolly Rogers flight squadron, which was formed in 1943.

RC SPORT FLYER â&#x20AC;&#x201D; january 2013

ParkZone F4U-A1 Corsair BNF

In your bind-n-fly kit you are going to get everything you need to fly this model with the exception of a radio transmitter.

You’ll be happy to know that all the radio gear is factory installed. You simply plug the model together and it will be ready to fly.

outstanding Marine Corps fighter. the largest propeller and the largest Famed World War II aces like wing for a fighter aircraft at that Major Gregory “Pappy” Boyington time. First flight and subsequent trial of VMF-214 Black Sheep squadron, flights would show that the XF4U-1 Lieutenant Commander Ira Kepford design was capable of an impressive and Captain Thomas Blackburn flew climb rate and airspeed. It became F4U Corsairs. Under Lieutenant the first single-engined U.S. fighter to Commander Blackburn the VF-17 exceed 400 mph. Those flights would also result in design changes that would shape the prototype into the sleek Corsair fighter beloved by its pilots. Once in the field, the Corsair performed considerably better than the existing Grumman F6F Hellcat but proved to be a challenge for Navy pilots when landing it We opted to put the E-flite electric-powered retracts aboard aircraft carriers. in our model. You’ll want to use a Dremel tool with a The noticeably long cut-off wheel to cut the struts to the proper length. nose on the Corsair reduced visibility for Navy pilots when lining up to land on the carriers, and the landing gear made the F4U bounce on landing, which gave it a very limited service life with the USN. It was with the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) and their operation from landbased airfields that the The electric retracts are very nice. As they retract into Corsair truly found its the wing they rotate 90 degrees so they fit neatly into home and became an the wheel wells. Follow us at twitter @rcsportflyer

Jolly Rogers was formed January 1, 1943. They prevailed in combat at the controls of their F4U Corsairs. The Corsair was particularly favored for ground attack roles where it carried out many successful assaults using high-explosive bombs, napalm tanks and high velocity

Here you see how the electric retracts make for a clean installation on the F4U. And, you can see why you must cut the strut to the proper length.

The control linkages all come with safety retainers and are set to the proper length, so you won’t spend much time getting the radio programmed properly. RC-SF.COM

aircraft rockets (HVARs). At the end of WWII, the Corsair accounted for 44 percent of the total fighter sorties flown by the USN and USMC as well as 70 percent of the total bombs dropped by U.S. fighter aircraft throughout the war. The Corsair even earned an overall kill/loss ratio of 11:1. The tail wheel is sprung to soften bumpy landings. The F4U would later Note how well done all the control linkages are for go on to serve bravely both the elevator and rudder. in the Korean War and with allied forces including the Royal Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force and the French Navy. A few civilians would purchase F4Us and either modify them for air racing or perform stunts on the air show circuit.

You even get a skull and crossbones decal on the well-made engine cowling. This model is powered by a ParkZone 15-size motor too.

ParkZone Kit

The Corsair offers you a fourchannel control airplane: elevator, rudder, ailerons, motor. However, there is the option for adding flaps. You can also install the E-flite electric-powered retracts, which I found to work extremely well. They also clean up the model’s inflight Your ParkZone F4U-1A Corsair comes with Lt JG Kepford in the cockpit, the meatballs that he scored, and decals—nicely detailed.

The drop tanks, retractable landing gear and mock radial engine in the cowl make this a good representation of the real Corsair.

RC SPORT FLYER — january 2013

ParkZone F4U-A1 Corsair BNF You will be pleased with how well this model flies and the power that the 15-size motor delivers. It makes for great strafing runs too.

At a price of just $269.99 for the BNF version, this little model is a superb warbird, especially with drop tanks and retracts.

You can do aerobatics with the Corsair, but it is much more of a scale warbird flyer than an aerobat.

RC-SF.COM

Assembly

As with all ParkZone aircraft, assembly is very straightforward and quick. The manual provides step-by-step instructions with graphics that accurately illustrate the written directions and provide a quick reference guide to where parts and pieces go. I started by mounting the wing to the fuselage. If you’re going to be making use of the optional flaps or retracts, you’ll want to install those before installing the wing. We’ve opted not to include either in our build. The leads from the factory-installed servos for the ailerons run out from the center of the wing and comfortably plug into the receiver. From there, the wing has two plastic guide pins in the center of the front of the wing that easily slide into the plate holes on the fuselage. Once that’s done, align the rear of the wing to the fuselage and mount with the pair of 3x25-mm screws. You’ll find that the optional gear retracts are extremely easy to install. You’ll remove the fixed landing gear. Pre-fit the gear so that you can get the proper measurements for cutting the legs. Then you simply screw them into place and connect the servo lead to the Y-harness. Once the gear is mounted you’ll want to add the landing gear strut covers that hinge to their respective sides (both doors can fit on either side, but are assigned one or the other to give an authentic appearance). I unscrewed the base plate to give myself enough room to snap the door hinges down safely without having to use extra force to counter the plate blocking some access. Both were easy to aerodynamics, which will give the model a bit more speed in the air and additional air time because of the reduced drag on the airplane. The Corsair comes with drop tanks, decals and pilot. The model also has factory-installed servos. While you are assemblying the model you’ll need to charge the battery, but that is pretty much it for the control systems. The battery hatch is foam, with a small tab to make it easy to remove. Also, all the linkages are incuded in the kit. Finally, you will need at least a six-channel radio to fly this model if you opt for the flaps and retracts.

Kit Includes

• Airframe Fuselage, wings, empennage, cowling, fixed landing gear, optional gear doors • Accessories Decals, hardware, drop tanks • Motor ParkZone 15 outrunner, 950-Kv • Speed controller E-Flite 30-amp Pro SB Brushless • Propeller ParkZone 9.5x7.5 • Receiver Spektrum AR600 DSM2/DSMX 86

RC SPORT FLYER — january 2013

mount and shouldn’t require much force to clamp into place. Once those are on, you’ll place the axle collars over the strut and lock them into place with the 3x10mm setscrews. Assembled, the retractable landing gear will be firmly fixed to the wing and ready to work to clean up the bottom of the wing. All that you’ll have left to do is install the horizontal stabilizer, which will go just as smoothly as installing the wing, if not more easily. All I had to do was align the two stabilzer pieces with the rear of the fuselage and slide them in. Locking posts on the rear of the stabilizers makes for easy alignment once it is mounted to the fuselage. The control horn for the elevators aligns well with the protruding linkage arm and clevis, which makes it very easy to mate the linkage to the control surface. The Corsair’s center of gravity position is documented in the manual to be 2.25-in. (57-mm) back from the leading edge of the wing at the fuselage with the battery pushed forward in the fuselage all the way. It is recommended to balance the aircraft inverted, which is how I did it, and it works well. There are decals provided to add further detail to the mid-war three-tone camouflage that is pre-painted on the Corsair’s airframe. You have the option of applying decals that give your Corsair historical markings for either Jolly Rogers aces Lt. Cmdr. Ira Kepford or Capt. Thomas Blackburn. Overall, the parts fit well together, and assembly of the Corsair is quite quick and easy. You should find it enjoyable to build.

• Servos (4) ParkZone SV80 long lead • Battery ParkZone 2200-mAh 11.1-volt 3-cell 25C LiPo • Charger ParkZone 2–3-cell DC LiPo Balancing

Needed to Complete Transmitter Spektrum / JR DSM2/DSMX

In Flight

I topped off the charge on my Corsair’s 2200-mAh battery on the way to the airfield, as I always do. So, when I got there I performed a quick radio range check as well as a control check. Be sure to do this because you’d be surprised how many airplanes are crashed because the ailerons are run backwards or such. This is the voice of experience talking to you. You’ll find that you must add a bit of right rudder during the model’s take-off roll because it wants to turn left due to P factor. I was using about 25 percent rudder as I applied throttle. I did not find that it wanted to roll to the left badly though. Once the model broke ground, I sucked up the retracts and then the

fun really started. This airplane has plenty of power for steep climbs and for fast strafing runs—on the cameraman in my case. You can do rolls and even fly the model inverted, but as you’d expect this is much more of a warbird flyer than an aerobatic machine. It is super fun to do big carving turns with it, getting a good topside look at the Corsair as it flies by. Landing the Corsair is actually a very fun part of flying this airplane. It is a blast to watch the landing gear come out. Then you can set it up for a nice, even low-power approach to

ParkZone F4U-A1 Corsair BNF Gear down and locked, the Corsair sets up on its final approach for landing. You’ll pull the throttle back to 10% and fly it on the deck

Control Throws Control Throws

High Rate (Up/Down) Low Rate (Up/Down)

Ailerons

18 mm

13 mm

Elevator

20 mm

16 mm

Rudder

27 mm

20 mm

If you keep the tail and airspeed up it will give you good ground handling. Once the tailwheel is down you’ll want to plant it and use the tailwheel for steering.

Specifications

the airstrip. I recommend you keep about 10 percent power on until your Corsair is nearing the runway. Then you can simply pull the power back all the way and let the model settle into ground effect. Be careful not to have the tail too high when the mains touch down, but if they do just pull back on the elevator enough to keep the airplane from going over on its nose. We flew it off pavement, but the wheels will certainly let it fly off grass too. The tail wheel is quite effective once you have the airplane on the ground; until then you’ll need to use rudder as well. Follow us at twitter @rcsportflyer

Assessment

You can’t beat this model for sheer fun of flying. It is a classy little warbird that will give you hours and hours of fun flying. It builds quickly and easily. Priced at $269.99, it is a good value as well, especially when you consider it is a BNF.

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

Wingspan

44 in. (1120 mm)

Length

36 in. (915 mm)

Weight

43.4–46.6 oz. (1230–1320 g)

Propellor

ParkZone 9.5x7.5

Motor

ParkZone 15 outrunner, 950 Kv

Receiver

Spektrum AR600 2.4-GHz DSM2/DSMX

Speed Controller

E-Flite 30-amp Pro SB Brushless

Servos

(4) ParkZone SV80 long lead 3-wire

Battery

ParkZone 2200-mAh 11.1-volt 3-cell 25C LiPo

Charger

ParkZone 2-3 cell DC LiPo Balancing

Price

$269.99 RC-SF.COM

BY Wil Byers

Predator III Get F3F Race Ready With This Slope Machine

f you like high-powered, adrenalinpumping slope soaring, or just a glider with high performance, you must consider the all-composite, V-tailed, Chinese-made PIII F3F racer as an option for your next glider buy. You’ll discover that this 117-in.wingspan glider has lots going for it, not the least of which is affordability. When I first saw what the PIII

RC SPORT FLYER — january 2013

offered and the claims of excellent penetration and high-speed action, I wanted to know more. I wanted to know if this was a glider that I could take to the slope to fly in big winds of 30 mph and more. I wanted a machine that, even without its ballast bay being filled, I could enjoy flying at my favorite slopes: Eagle and Kiona Buttes. Because the winds at these

slopes can often blows in excess of 20 mph, and having flown in winds up to 86-mph (I’m bragging, make no doubt about it), I wanted a machine that would be enjoyable in low wind speeds but would get the adrenalin surging through my veins—because there is nothing like big winds and big lift to give you an RC piloting experience the likes of which there

OLE RC Predator III is no other. Looking at its specifications online and the reviews posted on message boards, it seemed like a model that would meet my wants in a new slope soarer and possibly for F3F racing.

What You Get

• Fuselage Molded composite • Wings Molded composite— fiberglass & carbon fiber • V-tail Molded composite • Servo Covers Fiberglass • Wing Joiner Carbon Fiber w/ ballast tubes • Ballast Carbon Tube • Accessories Plywood servo frames & tray • Hardware Pushrods w/ clevises

The kit includes everything you need except for the wing servos and those for the ruddervators. You can even get it with an electric-power fuselage.

I had my model built using MKS DS6125 and DS6188 servos. These servos are strong and have excellent deadband and tight gear lash!

The V-tails just slide onto carbon fiber joiner rods. You’ll find that the control horns on them are easy to connect to the carbon fiber pushrods too.

This is how you’ll install the servos and the receiver. The four-cell NiMH pack is up front with a ballast tube behind the servos.

Needed to Complete

• Servos (4) MKS DS6125, (2) MKS DS6188 • Connectors (2) Multiplex 6-pin plug • Battery 4-cell HydriMax 2000-mAh NiMH • Transmitter Spektrum DX-18 (or 6-channel min) • Receiver Spektrum AR9020

In Flight

After my PIII was built, I wanted to wait for a good stiff wind to really test its performance and wring it out to see how it performed. The day of the test flight the wind at Eagle Butte was blowing between 25 and 30 mph, steady. The temperature, however, was only about 42 degrees F. Once the model was assembled and checked for proper control throw directions I carried it slope side by the fuselage just forward of

the wing. I let the glider weathervane into the wind to keeps its wings level. Walking over the lip of the hill and down about 10 yards, I held the model up over my head to try to feel how it was trimmed in pitch. It felt pretty good. So, with an aggressive throw forward and down the slope at about a five degree angle I launched the model. It went straight out, but with me holding ever so slight an amount of down elevator control to keep it penetrating against the

Left: Notice the deflection in the left aileron versus the one on the right. You’ll want about twice the amount of up as down to avoid adverse yawing. Follow us at twitter @rcsportflyer

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wind. I noticed immediately that this model—as I have it set up— has excellent roll control as well as pitch control. So, I walked backwards to the top of the hill. There I wanted to really feel out the glider, so I stepped on the “gas.” Let me tell you this model has plenty of penetration ability. It immediately jumps onto “step” and will accelerate against the wind. You’ll want to be smooth on the elevator because it is sensitive in pitch control. I found that the roll control is exceptional. As I have it set up, I did not experience any adverse yawing even at high speed. Note that I like to lead my turns with rudder control though. When I applied rudder I did not notice any pitching up or down either, as can be the case with some

V-tail aircraft if they are not set up properly. Rather, the model delivered what I consider to be excellent coordination between ailerons and rudder. I would add, that I did not fly the model with coupled ailerons to rudder because I prefer rudder control with my left thumb. Dropping the model over the backside of the top of the hill at about 150 feet, I found that it penetrated against the compression layer super well too. Again, I would add, however, that you’ll want to be gentle on the elevator control because the glider is sensitive in pitch. You may even want to add a dual-rate control for those times when

The builder installed the six-pin connectors into the root, so wing-to-fuselage connections are easy. Note the carbon wing joiner—strong.

The MKS DS6125s drive the flaps. Be sure to pre-set the servo arm positions for their respective controls before you install them in the wings.

I used the MKS DS6125s for the ailerons too. These are super servos that give my PIII a very tight control feel in the air—I LIKE THEM!

I made a two-by-two series pack out of some HydriMax 2000-mAh NiMH cells. I’m using copper solder wick as the conductor between cells.

RC SPORT FLYER — january 2013

you want to relax on the control sticks. I prefer my gliders to be responsive and agile both out in front of the slope and on the back side where you need maneuverability during landing or just playing in the backside “lift” zone, so typically I like aggressive control throws. You’ll find that your PIII will deliver huge loops and will carry its energy up the front sides well. Down the backside of the loops it

OLE RC Predator III If you let the glider weathervane in your hand you can get a feel for its pitch trim even before you throw it into the lift.

The wind is blowing about 30 mph, so I’m readying to give the model a good throw. You must make certain you do not sidearm throw!

Notice that even though I threw the model with its nose down at about five degrees, once it is airborne it is flying away level.

In this 30-mph wind the PIII starts to climb almost immediately. It has excellent penetration so it flies away from the hill easily.

Even without ballast loaded into the PIII it has excellent penetration into the wind. The glide angle is very flat too, which gives it “legs!”

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Assembly Okay, so here is the deal on the build of my Predator III—I had it built for me. I know I should have done it myself, but my builder did a professional job and I got it built while I was working on other projects. Here is what I can tell you about the build of this glider though: the plywood servo frames that come with the model work very well with the MKS servos. You’ll want to glue them in with a long-setting epoxy as a way to get a strong bond between the wood and the carbon fiber of the wing skins. Then it will just be a matter of screwing the servos into the frames. You will, of course, need to make servo extensions and solder them to the six-pin Multiplex type connectors at the root of the wing. You’ll do this for both the ailerons and the flap servos’ connections. Also, be certain to pre-set the wing servos such that they are properly positioned for their respective control surfaces, both flaps and ailerons. Note that the control arms for the surfaces are on the top side of the wing, which is nice in terms of having covers that hide the servo arms and the control horns completely. For this model we used the MKS DS6125 servos because they deliver

plenty of torque—66.6.5 oz-in at 4.8 volts. The plywood servo tray is a near-perfect fit for the fuselage and the MKS DS168 (47.o oz-in.) servos that drive the ruddervators. It was glued in place with 30-minute epoxy. It also provides a good fit for both the Spektrum AR 9020 receiver and the two-by-two 22000-mAh battery pack. Note that the pushrods that drive the ruddervators cross in the fuselage so that the V-tail provides the proper directions for both rudder and elevator control. It works well. To balance the model, I only needed to add about an ounce of weight to the nose. If you use a smaller battery pack I would expect this to change, but our 2000-mAh pick fits okay. Also, note that the Spektrum receiver’s two satellites are positioned so that one is up front next to the battery and the other is placed just behind the canopy opening. Again, this works well, as I flew the model out pretty much to the limits of my visibility and had no loss of control.

will definitely build energy. You can use that energy to do rolls and so on with the model, but you’ll want to coordinate the rolls with elevator to keep them going straight; but then, that is to be expected. As I have my model set up, when I drop the flaps its nose still tends to rise. I’m going to need to do some further programming to get it flying hands off the controls when I add flaps. That said, I will tell you that if you put the flaps down on this glider in the wind I test-flew it in, it will fly backwards. You can use this to

advantage if, for example, the model is landing long, but I recommend you suck them up before touching down, which will save on servo gears. Also, you’ll want maintain a bit of airspeed for maneuvering in the landing zone.

You’ll find the PIII is very responsive in both roll and pitch. It will turn hard without stalling, which makes it good for F3F racing where you’ll roll hard and pull elevator.

I found that the GM08/6.8 airfoil penetrates very well, even in the 30-mph wind during this cold, fall afternoon, so it will cover lots of sky quickly.

RC SPORT FLYER — january 2013

Assessment

While this glider is not Czech quality, it is certainly a good-quality model. What you’ll find are a few small surface imperfections. Overall the build quality is good and the composite work appears to be well made. If you can live with a few very

Control Throws Control Throws

Down

Ailerons

7/16 in.

3/16 in.

Elevator

3/16 in.

Flaps

5 degrees

80 degrees

E-to-F compensation

≈ 1/8 in.

Center of Gravity Back from the leading edge of the wing at the root 120 mm.

Even diving it 300 feet below the lip of the hill was fun. And, by the time the model had made one circle of the valley it was back up to hill height.

OLE RC Predator III minor cosmetic issues you will get a glider that performs very well but is priced such that you can own a couple for next yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s race season. My assessment would be to start getting ready for the next International Slope Races at Davenport, California by buying, building and flying a PIII.

What I found is that the yellow color scheme shows up well against the overcast sky, which is excellent if you are going to be ranging it out searching for lift.

This photo shows you that the PIII has just a bit of dihedral molded into its wing, which helps with stability in the turns.

Specifications Wingspan

117 in.

Length

57.7 in.

Weight

85 oz

Wing Area

6.44 ft2

Aspect Ratio

14.76

Construction

Hollow molded composite

Airfoil

GM08/6.8

Tailplane Section NACA 009 Controls

Ailerons, ruddervators, flaps

Transmitter

Spektrum DX18

Receiver

Spektrum AR9020

Battery

HydiMax 4-cell 2000 mAh

Ballast

Yes

Options

Electric fuselage

Price

â&#x2030;&#x2C6;$890 plus S&H

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Explore Inner Space

The NEW ParkZone® Ultra Micro Series Mini Vapor® Slow Flyer With a wingspan of only 8.7 inches and a flying weight of just under a third of an ounce, the ParkZone Mini Vapor is the perfect size for navigating indoor spaces that might be a bit too tight for other ultra micros. Its compact presence and precise, 3-channel DSM2®/DSMX® control make it possible to deftly maneuver around furniture, light fixtures and other obstacles without bumping into a thing. Even if you do, the Mini Vapor will fly away from most mishaps unscathed because of its slow speed and miniscule mass. Get to parkzone.com right now to learn more about the amazing little Mini Vapor and find the ParkZone retailer near you. Wingspan: Length: Weight: Motor: Battery: Receiver: Charger: Transmitter:

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