RC Sport Flyer Apr 2013 (Vol 18-04) by RC Flyer News

Puts You in the Me 309 Cockpit. pg 54 Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Most In-Depth RC Aircraft Magazine

Get on the Wing with the New Mini SkyFun Plus How to Cover Undercambered Wings New AT-6 SNJ Plan

Learn How This WWII Spitfire Mk IX Gives You Control With AS3X

UMX Technology Makes This ASK-21 Feel & Fly Like A Larger Model. See why! april 2013

USA & Canada $6.49

rc-sf.com

mSR

mQX

S l l i k S r u . o S i y l e n e h p de r a Sh h Bla wit ®

mSR

. r e pts all perfectly o c i ion g to helxed pitch heli oorpatnyone lookaitnh for

120 S

p”intermediate, afil “next step”ofse the blade p e t S ay of Blade them the ideour skills. Cho t x arr ake ge y e m an ity that m o challen o n r f e l t i “ Then choos ty and stab pitch helis pportunities. r u o t level of flighto?f dynamic aogiBlilade collectoivfefuture flight o y tovance to the neelixs offer a blennedxt level, looskatnd abundance o i h to ad e hel d the pitch elelil eyon ediat ready y. Fixed b m d t r h n h e a t b n s flig g hob p of i lh your lineu oaxia his excitin e to take c g n Say my d i e in t tand tim aster at outs step n it’s ®

d e xt ith an . Wh Alrea r your ne l heli nce w a o e i i f r x d e a p o suite m a c , flying ex p fro g u n e i t v a r mo frust , not a fun

path m r u yo .co Find dehelis bla

>> VISIT

CLICK

horizonhobby.com 40461

CALL

1.800.338.4639

SERIOUS FUN ®

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.

Fuel Accessorie s Fuel Systems Fuel Pumps Fuel Fil ters

ESPRIT model

www.ESPRITMODEL.com

(1) 321-729-4287

DEPARTMENTS

Event

how to

10 12 80 81

leading edge Hot Products advertiser index Mystery airplane

Arizona Electric flight fest 2013 See how gray skies highlighted aircraft colors and pilots’ dedication. By Anthony Richards

Aerobatics part 1 Dive into the exciting world of 3D, IMAC and extreme aerobatics. By Daniel Holman

pg 42 Learn about extreme aerobatics and develop your skills with this pilot’s tips.

pg 60

This fantastic little glider matches the looks and capabilities of its full-scale cousin. BUILD

SpaceWalker II Wing Part 2 Frame, sheet and finish the Spacewalker II wings with these step-by-step instructions. By Jeff Troy

plan

Covering undercamber Learn the art of covering and finishing a WWI model’s undercambered wings. By Rob Caso RC SPORT FLYER — april 2013

North American AT-6/SNJ Dick tells you how he customized this e-powered foamy. You can too! By Dick Sarpolus

April 2013

reviews

hacker me 309 Enjoy the superb, stable flight of this unusual scale World War II fighter model. By Steve Rojecki

UMX ask-21 bnf This ultra-micro glider gives you large-scale feel, and you can fly it almost anywhere. By Wil Byers

powerbox igyro srs Program your fixed-wing aircraft for smooth flight with this sophisticated gyro system. By Staff

pg 54 70

pg 22

UMX Spitfire MK IX BNF Excellent control response and iconic good looks make this model one for your hangar. By Staff

mini skyfun rft Read why this Skyartec flying wing foamy is easy to assemble and a blast to fly. By Anthony Richards

pg 76 Follow us on 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

Art Director:

Zhe Meng

Photography:

Wil Byers Bess Byers

Graphic Designers:

Zhe Meng Bess Byers Shi Yuang

graphics@rc-sf.com

Webmaster Contact: Office Manager/Circulation:

Staci Fogler

bookkeeper@kionapublishing.com

YinZi Cui

Circulation:

Mike Werner

Marketing:

Wil Byers, YinZi Cui wil@rc-sf.com ads@rc-sf.com

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 — april 2013

Chang Liang

web@kionapublishing.com

Office Assistant:

graphics@rc-sf.com

Printed in the USA

100cc Carbon Cub 168” WINGSPAN

VISIT US ON FACEBOOK

NEW ARF

Bravata

LIGHT SERIES

112” WINGSPAN 30cc Gas Float Ready!

Sport Cub S2 110” WINGSPAN 50cc Gas

Freestyle 260 52” WINGSPAN Electric

Cessna LC-126

35cc Extra 300

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

Wing Span: 78” Weight: 13-15 lbs

79” WINGSPAN 30cc Gas

Engine: 35cc-45cc Gas Engine: 1.60-2.20 Glow

$499.95 PLUS S&H

50cc Pitts Python ARF

YAK 54 .90-1.20

Cessna 195 90” WINGSPAN 1.80 Glow to 30cc Gas

86” WINGSPAN 50cc Gas

70” WINGSPAN 1725 SQ. IN. WING AREA

72” WINGSPAN

$379.95

P-51D Mustang

PLUS S&H

$729.95

50cc ,100cc, 150cc Extra 300

PLUS S&H

$699.95 $1099.95 $1995.95

.46-.61 EDGE

Extra 260

$189.95

540T ARF

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

60” WINGSPAN

PLUS S&H

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

PLUS S&H

104” WINGSPAN

$949.95 PLUS S&H

122” WINGSPAN $1895.95

YAK 54

50cc, 85cc, 100cc, 150cc

88” WINGSPAN

106” WINGSPAN

$699.95

$1049.95

PLUS S&H

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

PLUS S&H

.46 & .61 Profile Extra 260

100cc Yak 55M 108” WINGSPAN

48” & 56” WINGSPAN

NEW PRODUCTS!

30cc Ultimate 20-300 60” WINGSPAN 30cc Gas

50cc Yak 55M 86” WINGSPAN 50cc Gas

.60-.90 Extra 260, 300 & Yak 54 Gas, Glow & Electric Ready!

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

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

www.aero-works.net

Mustang P-51B 86” WINGSPAN 50cc Gas

CheckMate 70” WINGSPAN 50cc Gas

303-371- 4222

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

WIL BYERS

t has been happening for the last 18 years, wondering what to write in this Leading Edge column. Funny thing is that sometimes I struggle with what I’m going to say, while other times the words just shoot out of my fingertips into the word processor. Fortunately, having just attended a couple of RC trade shows, and pulling together this issue, make this an easy piece to write. WRAM 2013 I got home from the WRAM trade show in New Jersey on Monday about 6:30 a.m. Reflecting on the event, I must say it is turning into one of the premier shows in the U.S. I’ll have to look back at my registrations, but I think I’ve been doing that show for about 15 years. WRAM is now at a new venue in the Meadow Lands, having moved from the Westchester County Center. The move absolutely revitalized the show. One of the things that makes WRAM stand out among RC shows is the model displays. Some of the best model builders in the U.S. compete for the judges’ scores at WRAM. We get to see the likes of models such as Dave Wigley’s stunning Bristol Beaufighter! What his model and others entered at the show shouted out to me is, there are still great craftsmen and builders in America. The builders just need a reason and an outlet to show their abilities in the community. I guess that’s what competition is about. Unless you attend events like Top Gun, however, you don’t get to see aircraft of this caliber very often. Models like these still get my attention and respect. How about you? Reviews Doing reviews has been an integral part of publishing this magazine since its inception in 1994. Our challenge is that we must inevitably tell the readers why they should buy an airplane, glider, helicopter, radio, etc. Obviously, we don’t buy but a very few of the products that we review. Nevertheless it is our job as a publisher to be as fair and honest about the products we test as possible. Sometimes I feel like I’m drinking from a fire hose with respect to getting so many truly great products to test, which isn’t bad if you are as thirsty for this stuff as I am. It just seems that the hobby products coming our way are just getting better and better, with some “blowing the doors off” the RC gear of the past. I mean, it is hard to imagine I even stuck with the hobby when you consider the gear I started with, compared with what the industry is pumping out today. Fortunately, over the last few months I’ve had the opportunity to fly a number of very good airplanes. In this issue, I was able to fly the Mini Skyfun, the UMX ASK-21 and the UMX Spitfire. For sheer fun factor, the Hobby People Mini Skyfun put a smile on my face from ear to ear. It is a kick in the pants to push the throttle up and watch it race around the sky getting power from its outrunner pusher motor. Talk about a good way to get out to the airfield, have some fun and cut the tension from one’s day. It will do it for you too! So, give our report a read to see if it is an option for you too. If you are a warbird guy but want an airplane that is easy to haul around, examine the Ultra Micro Spitfire Mk IX from ParkZone. This little, 15.9-in.-wingspan warbird flies like a much larger airplane due to its AS3X stabilization system. Truly, you will not believe the big-airplane control feel of this model. It is amazing to fly both indoors, and even outdoors when the wind is light. Glider guiders, you are definitely going to want to read our review of the fun-to-fly 33.9-in.-wingspan ASK-21 scale glider. I had the opportunity to slope soar it for about 20 minutes at Kiona Butte in Washington State. Believe me when I tell you this is a model glider that lives up to its full-scale reputation for exceptional, pilot-friendly flying. I think you’ll like some of our photos of the model too. So, check it out. Toledo Edition Next month’s edition (May) is our Toledo special edition. You’ll not want to miss it, as it is always filled with new releases and content guaranteed to point you in the right direction for the upcoming flying season. Until then, push some molecules under a wing or two. I hope to see you at WEAK Signals. wil@rc-sf.com.

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 — april 2013

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

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

SULLIVAN SKYLITE LIGHT WEIGHT WHEELS

TETTRA WHEELS WHITE NYLONOR DURALUMINUM TET1131

WHITE NYLON WHEEL 55MM

0.52oz $9.95

TET1141

WHITE NYLON WHEEL 60MM

0.58oz $10.95

TET1151

WHITE NYLON WHEEL 65MM

0.64oz $11.95

TET1172

TAIL WHEEL

25MM 0.1oz $5.95

TET11720 SPARE TIRE TAIL WHEEL SPONGE

$2.89

TET11830 SPARE TIRE

45MM 0.05oz $3.97

TET11840 SPARE TIRE

50MM 0.05oz $4.36

TET11850 SPARE TIRE

55 MM 0.3oz

$6.97

TET11860 SPARE TIRE

60MMM 0.4oz

$5.79

TET11870 SPARE TIRE

65MM

0.4oz $5.99

TET1188

70MM

0.5oz $8.39

SPARE TIRE

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 23cc Bore 32.0mm Stroke 29.0mm Weight 890g

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

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

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 packaged & priced individually

packaged & priced individually

JR XG8 DMSS 2.4GHZ 8CH TELEMETRY RADIO SYSTEM BLACK EDITION $489.99 Standard XG8 System Includes: • RG831B 8Ch DMSS 2.4GHz Receiver • RA01T Remote Antenna/ Telemetry Module • Li-Fe 6.4V, 1400 mAh 2S Transmitter Battery Pack • NEC-A912 JR 9.0V Power Adapter • Bind Plug *DMSS technology is not compatible with JR DSM or Spektrum DSM2 or DSMX equipment.

DMSS (Dual Modulation Spectrum System) RAO1T Full range telemetry antenna/remote receiver 2.4GHz JR DMSS system with Internal Antenna for receive and Telemetry transmit Length: 1.10 in (28mm) Width: 1.06 in (27mm) Height: 0.22 in (5.5mm) Weight: 0.14 in (4 g) $42.99

Servo Driver/Tester Use with analog and digital servos or ESC’s without Tx. Compatible with Airtronics, Futaba, JR, Hitec and Specktrum radios. Use a 4 or 5 cell battery pack or power from your receiver. 4 modes: Manual, Center, Sweep ,and Exercise. Easy to use. $29.95

March 2013 RC Sport Flyer

Flyzone P-38 Lightning Micro Warbird

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

he P-38 Lightning was one of the most distinctive single-seat fighters of World War II. America’s top scoring aces flew the Lightning, and now you can fly it too! Twin counter-rotating, three-blade propellers powered by a LiPo battery give this model impressive speed and handling. Because it’s a micro, the Lightning is easy to transport, easy to fly indoors or out and is a great value. Every detail has been included to make this micro just as realistic as a giant-scale warbird. The trim scheme is authentic, a molded plastic nose piece holds realistic guns and a painted pilot figure makes your plane as realistic as possible. RTFs come with everything you need to fly. The Tx-R version includes all of the great

Flyzone Tidewater EP Seaplane

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

he Tidewater™ makes an outstanding first float plane, offering simplicity and performance that appeal to every adventurous pilot. It assembles quickly, with no gluing required. The brushless power system provides plenty of muscle for easy takeoffs—from water, short grass or by hand—and exciting sport aerobatics. When it’s time to land, just point the plane into the wind, reduce speed and keep the wings level … it almost lands itself. For all-in-one convenience, Flyzone offers a complete, ready-to-fly (RTF) version. Or, modelers can choose the Tidewater Tx-R Prime, add their own favorite battery and charger and use any transmitter that features SLT or is compatible with Tactic AnyLink. Available mid March.

RC SPORT FLYER — april 2013

features of the RTF without the radio system you may already have. The Tx-R is ready to link to any SLT transmitter or any transmitter with AnyLink. Get a Micro P-38 Lightning and experience the power that won the war today. • Available in RTF and Tx-R Prime configurations. • Twin counter-rotating propellers. • Nose cone allows easy access to your battery for charging. • Factory-finished military trim scheme. • Steerable nose wheel and removable landing gear.

• Durable, factory-built AeroCell airframe screws together for fast, easy assembly without gluing. • Specially contoured fuselage, plug-in floats, and water rudder provide excellent handling while taxiing on water. • Wingtip floats are designed for superior water handling and install quickly without requiring any tools or screws. • RTF includes Tactic TTX404 2.4-GHz radio, 3S LiPo battery, charger and AA batteries

Specifications Wingspan

21 in. (535 mm)

Length

16 in. (406 mm)

Battery

3.7-V 250-mAh LiPo

Radio

4-channel w/ SLT or AnyLink (required for Tx-R)

Price

$139.99 for RTF (FLZA2310) $129.99 for Tx-R (FLZA2312)

Specifications Wingspan

41.5 in. (1055 mm)

Length

36 in. (915 mm)

Weight

30–32 oz (850–905 g)

Servos

4 micro

Price

$259.99 for RTF (FLZA3330) $169.99 for Tx-R (FLZA3332)

HOT PRODUCTS

Flyzone Tiger Moth Bipe

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

odeled after Geoffrey de Havilland’s DH 82 Tiger Moth, this Flyzone biplane is right at home in a backyard, at a park or even inside a gymnasium. Lots of molded-in

details, along with an authentic trim scheme and two pilot figures, add to the model’s realistic appearance. Flight characteristics are smooth and steady, with power supplied by an included ElectriFly 140-mAh LiPo battery. There are two versions to choose from—the all-in-one RTF and the transmitter-ready model that can be flown with any transmitter with SLT or one compatible with AnyLink. The RTF is available in late February, the Tx-R in late March.

Specifications Wingspan

15.1 in. (385 mm)

Length

12.9 in. (327 mm)

Weight

28–29 lb (12.7–13.2 kg)

Radio

3-channel w/ SLT or AnyLink (required for Tx-R)

Price

$99.99 for RTF (FLZA2060) $89.99 for Tx-R (FLZA2062)

• Foam construction

• • • •

Great Planes Cirrus SR-22

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

esigned to look and perform just like the original, this scale Cirrus SR-22 is a faithful model and a fun flyer all in one! A molded fiberglass fuselage gives the SR-22 a highly realistic and detailed look. Wing and tail surfaces are all wood assembly precovered in MonoKote® for light weight and great looks! Plus, you get to decide how you

want to fly. Install a glow engine for authentic looks and sound or a LiPo-powered electric for convenience and power. Whatever you choose, Great Planes has done the heavy lifting for you—ailerons, flaps and rudder are prehinged, the wings are removable for easy transportation and stabilizer halves can be quickly and easily installed on self-aligning tubes. With the quick and easy assembly of the Cirrus SR-22 you will get into the air quickly and easily allowing you to enjoy the great scale features sooner. The plane is finished in an authentic Cirrus trim scheme and includes running and landing lights. The Cirrus is a great aircraft with plenty of scale details and flight characteristics that will please onlookers and flyers alike. • Easy assembly

Molded-in details Authentic trim scheme Two pilot figures included ElectriFly 140-mAh LiPo flight battery included

Specifications Wingspan

69 in. (1753 mm)

Wing area

493 in.² (31.8 dm²)

Wing loading

35–39 oz/ft² (107–119 g/dm²)

Length

47.75 in. (1213 mm)

Weight

7.5–8.25 lb (3400– 3740 g)

Radio

6 channels (required)

Engine

2-stroke .46–.55 in.3 (7.5– 8.9-cc) glow engine OR Brushless electric (42-60-480 motor recommended)

Stock #

GPMA1363

• Sleek fiberglass fuselage • Wooden wing and tail structures • Large removable canopy allows easy access to radio gear and battery • Functioning navigation and landing lights • Prehinged ailerons, flaps and rudder • Accepts glow or electric engines • Machined and polished aluminum spinner Follow us on twitter @rcsportflyer

RC-SF.COM

Heli-Max Blackhawk Scale Helicopter

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

t’s easy to make a model that looks like a Blackhawk, but it’s much more difficult to make a model that performs like one. HeliMax was up for the challenge and designed this scale model of the Sikorsky® Blackhawk to resemble the original in every feature.

Specifications Rotor diameter

12.8 in. (325 mm)

Battery

7.4-V LiPo

Stock #

RTF: HMXE0838 Tx-R: HMXE0839

Axis Gyro for flight patterns that really push the envelope. The Blackhawk has style, speed, control and power to match the original. The Heli-Max Blackhawk is a sure-fire win for even the most exacting hobby enthusiast. Get one and get ready for serious flying fun!

The scale details of this heli make it authentic from the rotor to the landing gear. In between there are incredible scale details including sliding cabin doors, LED lighting and a totally authentic trim scheme. This helicopter isn’t just about looks, though. It includes a four-blade rotor with a collective pitch head, a torque tube-driven tail with variable pitch tail rotor and TAGS—Three

E-flite L-13 Blanik 4.2-m ARF

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

or intermediate sailplane pilots, the E-flite® 1/4-scale L-13 Blanik 4.2-m sailplane provides scale accuracy in both looks and flight characteristics in a unique, standout trim scheme. The replica of this internationally recognized sailplane comes with plenty of scale details, including a hinged canopy and an authentic Red Bull trim scheme from the world-famous Flying Bulls. Additionally, the foam wings not only provide strength but also a more accurate representation of the fullscale airfoil. Fiberglass construction provides strength and rigidity to the fuselage, while consumer-focused features make this plane easy to operate and maintain. This great-flying plane is ideal for the sailplane and aerotow pilots as well as slope soarers. • Authentic aerobatic performance • Fiberglass fuselage delivers strength and rigidity • Official Red Bull scheme provides striking

RC SPORT FLYER — april 2013

visual contrast • Operational landing flaps for slower landings and speed versatility • Hinged scale canopy for easy access • Spacious cockpit area allows clutter-free radio installation • Fully balsa-sheeted, foam-core wings and tail with carbon fiber joiners • Factory-finished, sealed hinging on the ailerons and flaps • Long-lasting, genuine UltraCote® covering • High-quality hardware package included • Optional electric spoilers (EFL491009, sold separately)

• Brushless powered for mastering the most demanding stunts • Reinforced, molded airframe to accommodate brushless motor power • Features an individual controller and servos to maximize performance and simplify maintenance • Extended tail boom for improved tail authority • Dependable, responsive motor-driven tail rotor • Ideal for indoor and outdoor flying • RTF includes a TTX610 six-channel 2.4-GHz transmitter

Specifications Wingspan

165 in. (4.2 m)

Length

85.5 in. (2.2 m)

Weight

22 lb (10 kg)

Radio

5-channel minimum

Servo

(6) standard hightorque, (2) mini (required)

Price

$999.99 (EFL4910)

HOT PRODUCTS

Specifications O.S. GT15HZ Gasoline/ Petrol Engine

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

t’s perfect for sport, 3D and scale flying, but that’s just part of what makes the GT15HZ great. Size makes it an easy fit in most .90-size helicopters. It also offers a pumped carb, superb fuel economy and smooth, powerful operation without constant adjustments. • Compact — fits most .90-size helis with only minor modifications • Offers outstanding fuel economy • O.S./Walbro®-developed pumper carb ensures consistent performance • IG-05 Ignition Module created for helis

Heli-Max Axe 100 SS Heli

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

eli-Max has combined Axe 100 CP agility with an aggressive brushless power system to create the Axe 100 SS (Super Sport Brushless). It has the same performanceproven flybarless collective-pitch head and TAGS

features a straight plug cap for easy installation. Compatible with a wide

• Ideal for indoor and outdoor flying • RTF includes a TTX610 sixchannel 2.4-GHz transmitter

three-axis gyro found in the CP, but expands the performance possibilities with a number of updates. A 14,750-Kv brushless outrunner motor and brushless 10-A controller boost power. Other enhancements include an extended tail boom as well as a new frame and new rotor blades. It’s perfect for the pilot who wants to push the limits, and it’s available as an all-in-one RTF with radio or in a Tx-R version. Follow us on twitter @rcsportflyer

Displacement

0.912 in.3 (14.95 cc)

Bore

1.091 in. (27.7 mm)

Stroke

0.976 in. (24.8 mm)

Practical RPM

2000–16,000

Output

2.76 hp @ 14,000 rpm

Engine weight

26.4 oz (748 g)

Price

$479.99 for engine only (OSMG1915) $629.99 for engine w/ PowerBoost Pipe (OSMG1916)

range of voltages (4.8–8.4 V) and battery chemistries • Available alone or with a PowerBoost Pipe. PowerBoost Pipe (OSMG2890) and optional E-4051 muffler (OSMG2878) are also available separately.

Secraft Fuel Jug Refueling Cap

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

ecraft’s Refueling Cap V2 is the perfect accessory for every fuel system. This anodized, aluminum-bodied cap offers great resistance to corrosion caused by excess fuel. Its positive-locking quick release mechanism helps ensure safe transport by limiting escaping fumes, as well as reducing spillage. The best part of Secraft’s Refueling Cap is the built-in nozzle for easy fuel distribution. Available in two colors, blue and red. Price: $38.00

Specifications Rotor diameter

9.5 in. (242 mm)

Length

10.4 in. (264 mm)

Weight w/o battery

1.7 oz (48 g)

Battery

3.7-V 400-mAh LiPo

Stock #

RTF: HMXE0824 Tx-R: HMXE0825 RC-SF.COM

Hangar 9 Horizon Hobby Composite QQ 4105 Fieldstone Road Yak 54 2.6-m ARF Champaign, IL 61822

Phone: 217-352-1913 Horizonhobby.com

esigned by Quique Somenzini, the QQ Yak 54 2.6-m Composite is the first competition-level Yak 54 plane on the market in this class to be constructed of composite material. The Yak model is lightweight, highly durable and maintains its high-quality look over time. In addition, the Yak 54 plane has several aerodynamic improvements, including

center pivot hinges that deliver great control throw and eliminate the need for differentials as well as the annoying whistling sound typically associated with aerobatic composite planes. The plane also features soft mounts for 100- to 120-cc engines and mufflers, reducing vibration and noise and making it more accessible to flying fields with noise restrictions. • All-composite construction provides a light and strong airframe to suit the demands of modern unlimited pilots • Center-pivot hinges allow extreme control deflections and quiet operation • Engine soft mount reduces vibration, noise

Specifications Wingspan

102 in. (2600 mm)

Wing area

2000 in.2 (130 dm2)

Wing loading

32.3 oz/ft2 (98.6 g/dm2)

Length

94.5 in. (2400 m)

Weight

28–29 lb (12.7–13.2 kg)

Radio

8-channel minimum

Servo

(7) standard hightorque, (1) high-speed standard

Engine

100- to 120-cc gas 2-stroke

Price

$1699.99 (HAN5200)

and fatigue to the airframe • Painted-in-the-mold three-color scheme designed by Mirco Pecorari of Aircraft Studio Design • Easy access and installation of canisters, tuned pipes or standard mufflers • Engine dome provides convenient access to throttle servo and electronic ignition • Designed around the DA 100- to 120-cc gas engines • High-quality hardware and control linkage geometry designed for maximum deflection of control surfaces • Optional side force generators available

The World Models Foam Model Hinges

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

irBorne Models introduces new hinges designed specifically for foam models. Made from plastic, the hinges ensure safe and smooth operation of control surfaces. Stock # PL4115050 Price $2.00 for 6 sets

RC SPORT FLYER — april 2013

Jeti Transmitter Trim Sticks G-Trim

-trim transmitter sticks offer a great solution to the frustrating problems of trying to

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

handle the four-button trim configuration on the DC-16. With quick mounting and no modifications needed to your radio, these simultaneous two- axis trim sticks make trimming fun. G-Trim sticks are made of black anodized aluminum and sold as a pair. Price: $53.00

HOT PRODUCTS

Secraft Fuel Pump Systems

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

n a world of over four billion people, there are bound to be several different methods to perform the same task. With a Secraft fuel pump, you can choose the perfect option to fit your needs. The Secraft Fuel Pump V2 is the most basic of their fuel pump line. Driven by your hand starter, this pump has a full metal body, a handy lever for toggling between forward or reverse pumping and an ergonomic design that fits perfectly in the palm of your hand. Secraft offers both a high speed version for direct-drive starters and a low speed version for gear-driven starters. Both versions are available in red, blue or black. The pump rate is around 900–1300 ml/min, and the pump works with glow, nitro, alcohol, synthetic and mineral oil, gas or diesel fuel. The Fuel Pump SE V2 offers the same full metal body as well as the ability to mount it right on to your Jerry Can fuel container. With a built-in pump and attachment for a battery

Top Flite Giant Scale Spitfire ARF

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

pitfires are the most iconic aircraft Britain has ever produced. They aren’t just planes; they are symbols of the stubborn resistance the British put up against the Nazi war machine. Now, Top Flite is adding England’s most famous fighter to its line of exactingly detailed giant-scale models. The Giant Scale Spitfire is designed to look and perform just like the original. An expertly hand-crafted balsa and plywood airframe design makes the plane light and strong. The model features many scale details that perfectly reflect the machines that stopped the Luftwaffe cold—a detailed cockpit, fiberglass cowl, air scoops, landing gear covers and even removable cannons! Plus, the plane is covered by a flat MonoKote trim scheme that perfectly reflects period aircraft. There are Follow us on twitter @rcsportflyer

pack, this pump allows for quick and easy fueling. If you use nitromethane or glow fuels, the “nitro” version is the right fit. All other fuels (synthetic and mineral oils, gas or diesel fuel) work in the “non-nitro” version. Both versions are available in red or blue. The pump tate is around 1500–1700 ml/min. If neither of those options fits your style, try the Secraft Fuel Pump SE. This all-metal fuel pump comes complete with a built-in pump and battery compartment. The battery compartment is for safe LiPo battery handling. Its sleek design attaches perfectly to your Jerry Can fuel container. Unfortunately, this pump only works with smoke oil, synthetic and mineral oil, gas and diesel fuels. The pump is available in red or blue, and the pumping rate is around 1500–1700 ml/min. Battery not included. Fuel Pump V2 High speed: $110.00 Low speed: $120.00 Fuel Pump SE V2 Non-nitro: $100.00 Nitro: $100.00 Fuel Pump SE w/ filter only: $135.00 w/ filter and cap fitting system: $170.00

also matte finish decals that let you customize your aircraft the way you want. The largest portion of construction is already done, leaving comparatively few steps to completion. Just assemble the plane, drop in a 50- to 55-cc gas engine, install Robart retracts and add electronics, and this Spitfire will be ready to hunt some FW-190s!

detail • Removable cannons for easy and safe transport • Scale trim scheme with matte finish decals • Prehinged ailerons, flaps and elevators • Machined and painted aluminum spinner • Requires radio with servos, 50- to 55-cc gas engine and retractable landing gear

• Easy assembly • Handcrafted balsa and plywood airframe • Fiberglass cowl with exhaust manifold

Price $759.99 Stock # TOPA0708

RC-SF.COM

Flyzone Eraze Brushless Electric Airplane

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

nap its magnetic rudder in place, and assembly is done. Install a flight pack, and it’s flight-ready just as fast. Finger holes in the foam fuselage provide a good grip for quick hand launches. Push the throttle wide open, and the installed brushless power system pushes the Eraze to aerobatic stunts and allout flying in a heartbeat. • Super-tough, ultralight and factory-finished AeroCell foam fuselage • Arrives with a brushless motor, 12-A ESC, SLT 2.4GHz receiver and

Tactic TTX850 8-Channel SLT Radio

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

he TTX850 could easily be the only radio a pilot would need to fly an entire fleet of helis and fixed wing aircraft. It’s a quantum leap forward in sophistication from simple four-channel systems, as well as a solid investment and superb value for the pilot. Push buttons and straightforward menus offer easy access to a wide range of air and heli functions. A large, backlit graphing LCD with adjustable contrast maximizes visibility, while generous memory holds setups for fast retrieval and major convenience. SLT reliability also makes it a natural choice for use with Tx-R aircraft.

• Airplane and heli software • Easy, push-button navigation and simple, straightforward menus • Four programmable mixes and eight factory-set mixes • Quad-bearing gimbals • Adjustable stick length and tension • User-selectable switch/function assignments • Reversing, endpoint adjustment (EPA) and sub-trim (all channels) • Digital trims with slow/fast adjustment (ch 1–4) • Dual rates and exponential (ail, ele and rud) • Wireless trainer system w/channel selection • 2.4-GHz receiver w/ SLT and pushbutton linking • Charge jack for optional NiCd and NiMH packs • Rotating, folding antenna • Low-battery alarm and multiple timers • Flight phase settings Stock # TACJ2850

RC SPORT FLYER — april 2013

Specifications Wingspan

18.1 in. (460 mm)

Length

19.3 in (489 mm)

Weight

6.2 oz (176 g) for RTF 6.2–6.8 oz (176–193 g) for Tx-R Prime

Price

$149.99 for RTF (FLZA3340) $99.99 for Tx-R (FLZA3342)

two micro servos already installed • RTF version includes a Tactic TTX404 2.4GHz radio, 7.4-V LiPo battery, charger and AA batteries • Tx-R Prime version requires AnyLink and a compatible four-channel radio with elevon mixing or four-channel radio with elevon mixing and SLT, LiPo battery and charger

Tactic Servos

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

xpertly engineered Tactic servos deliver the speed, torque and precision needed for optimal results in a wide variety of applications. When size and weight must be kept to a minimum, there’s the compact, 0.32-oz (9-g) TSX5 Micro, measuring only 0.9 x 0.48 x 1.07 in. (22.9 x 12.0 x 27.3 mm). At the opposite extreme, Tactic offers the TSX65 High-Voltage Ultra-Torque Digital Metal Gear, which puts out over 180 oz-in (13 kg-cm) of torque at 7.4 V. Nearly a dozen Tactic servo options allow you to match your needs to the letter. Select from analog or digital styles, plastic or metal gears and options with ball bearings and coreless motors. Gain total control and total confidence with Tactic servos. • All mounting hardware included • Servos feature a universal connector compatible with all major radio brands • 1-year limited warranty

HOT PRODUCTS

Flyzone Hadron Vectored Thrust Flying Wing

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

ith nearly all of their flying surfaces horizontal by design, flying wings are limited when it comes to yaw authority. The Flyzone Hadron stretches the envelope

Flyzone Mini Switch

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

he Mini Switch lets you change between a low-wing and a high-wing mounting quickly and easily. Its compact size makes it easy to transport to and from the flight park without disassembling the plane. The Mini Switch RTF includes a 2.4-GHz radio

to include knife edge, violent spinning maneuvers and extreme aerobatics. How? Credit the large fin, plus a vectored thrust unit that allows the Hadron’s experienced pilot to tilt the motor and redirect the thrust—giving the model greater maneuvering potential in addition to exciting speed! • Engineered to fly knife edge and execute other maneuvers beyond the scope of most flying wings • Constructed of durable AeroCell foam, with ABS and carbon fiber parts • Large hatch allows easy access to your battery for charging • Factory finished in a high-tech military look

so you can be airborne in minutes. There’s also a Tx-R Prime version you can fly with your battery, AnyLink and transmitter. Experience the more flexible and fun way to fly today with

Specifications Wingspan

33.5 in. (850 mm)

Length

33.5 in. (850 mm)

Price

$259.99 for RTF (FLZA3610) $169.99 for Tx-R (FLZA3612)

with preapplied color graphics • Available in RTF and Tx-R Prime configurations, both with 35-40-2200kV brushless motor and 40A brushless ESC included • Tx-R Prime requires AnyLink and compatible six-channel computerized transmitter or six-channel computerized transmitter with SLT, 3S–4S (11.1–14.8 V) LiPo battery and compatible charger

Specifications Wingspan

Low-wing: 31 in. (785 mm) High-wing: 34 in. (865 mm)

Length

32.5 in. (825 mm)

Weight

20.4–21.2 oz (580–600 g)

Battery

3.7-V 250-mAh LiPo

Radio

4-channel w/ SLT or AnyLink (required for Tx-R)

Price

$219.99 for RTF (FLZA3320) $149.99 for Tx-R (FLZA3322)

the Flyzone Mini Switch. • Super-tough, ultralight and factory-finished AeroCell foam fuselage • Includes all necessary parts for a high-wing and a low-wing version • Both arrive with a brushless motor, ESC, SLT 2.4-GHz receiver and four micro servos already installed • RTF includes Tactic TTX404 2.4-GHz radio, 3S LiPo battery, charger and AA batteries • Tx-R Prime lets you fly with your favorite transmitter and use the battery and charger of your choice.

RC-SF.COM

HOT PRODUCTS rotor blades are also hinged at the hub so they will give in the event of a blade strike.

Blade CX4 RTF Heli

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

• Completely built and flight ready with everything you need to fly

ith the Blade® CX4 helicopter, learning to fly is fun, not frustrating. The self-stabilizing characteristics of its coaxial, counter-rotating blades make hovering easy. So easy in fact, you’ll look like a pro after just a few flights. Besides being incredibly stable, the CX4 model is a little bigger than most coaxial helis in its class. It also comes with smart durability features that help you relax and fly with confidence. This includes things like shock-absorbing landing gear and rubbercoated leading edges on the rotor blades. The

E-Flite Carbon-Z Splendor BNF Basic with AS3X Technology

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

he E-flite® Carbon-Z™ Splendor BNF Basic monoplane represents a pinnacle of performance and aerobatic versatility. F3A World Champion Quique Somenzini envisioned the Carbon-Z Splendor plane to deliver everything the modern world of precision flying has to offer, with not just

Specifications Main rotor diameter

18.1 in. (460 mm)

Length

19.7 in. (500 mm)

Weight

14.6 oz (414 g)

Radio

4 channels

ESC

3-in-1 ESCs/mixer/ heading hold gyro unit

Battery

E-flite® 3S 11.1-V 800mAh 30C LiPo

Price

$229.99 (BLH2100)

• Soft-mounted shock absorbing landing gear • Sleek two-piece body with LED running lights • Includes an extra set of rotor blades (upper and lower)

the ability to perform elegant F3A sequence aerobatics, but extreme 3D stunts just as well. In conjunction with the benefits of rigid Carbon-Z construction in the wings and fuselage, groundbreaking AS3X® technology built right into the included Spektrum AR635 receiver makes it possible for you to experience unparalleled stability and a flight envelope wider than ever before possible. Best of all, you can have the ultimate aerobatic flight experience in less time than it takes to charge the battery. • Easy to complete, bolt-on final assembly • Fully hinged control surfaces with control

Specifications Wingspan

54.5 in. (1384 mm)

Wing area

645 in.2 (41.5 dm2)

Length

56.8 in. (1443 mm)

Weight

5.5 lb (2.5 kg)

Engine

50-size brushless outrunner

Radio

AR635 6-channel AS3X receiver

Servos

(4) 26-gram digital metal gear mini servos

Price

$419.99 (EFL10250) links installed • Brilliantly finished, original Mirco Pecorari trim scheme • Plug-in wings and stabilizers • Modern cockpit details and pilot bust installed • Needed to complete: full-range 5+ channel DSM2®/DSMX® transmitter with adjustable dual rates and exponential, 6S 22.2-V 3200-mAh 30C LiPo flight battery and charger.

RC SPORT FLYER — april 2013

™

Transmitter-Ready aircraft made for add-on sales. You select the right mix of product for your store. Modelers pick accessory items based on experience and preference. Everyone wants choices. That’s the reason for Tx-R Prime. All Tx-R Prime aircraft come with an SLT receiver installed. They’re ready to fly using virtually any transmitter that has SLT or an AnyLink adapter. Customers add their own battery and charger — and that’s what makes Tx-R Prime so attractive. ™

For customers who need them, Tx-R Prime lets you add on high-end batteries and fast, multi-function chargers…profitbuilders that offer more value for the dedicated hobbyist. Just check the side of Tx-R Prime model packages for a list of specific recommendations. Tx-R Prime is designed with you — and your repeat aircraft customers — in mind. For more information, call your Great Planes sales representative today at 1-800-637-7660.

Now, well-equipped pilots don’t have to buy completer items they won’t use. And Tx-R Prime’s lower price point holds down your inventory costs, too.

Flyzone Acro-Wot MkII

Flyzone Select Scale F4U Corsair

Great Planes Gee Bee

gpdealer.com

BY Anthony Richards

Arizona Electric Flight Festival 2013 A Little Sun, A Little Rain; A Lot Of Fun, I’d Go Again

was excited to cover my first RC event, the ninth annual Arizona Electric Flight Festival (AEFF). Hosted by the Arizona Model Aviators club, AEFF is held at the Superstition Airpark east of Mesa and near the southern foothills of the Goldfield Mountains. This year’s dates fell between Thursday, January 24 and Sunday, January 27. Within the boundaries of the Usery Mountain Regional Park, Pass Mountain and

Rick Huerta’s Windrider 737-700 adds muchneeded color to the muggy skies over Mesa, AZ. Rick is a captain for Southwest Airlines.

RC SPORT FLYER — april 2013

the desert flora provide a beautiful backdrop for AEFF, especially when the hot Sonoran sun is out. However, when I arrived at the airpark on Saturday morning, it was far from hot and sunny.

The Event

I traveled from my hotel to the airpark with Shawn Spiker and the Hitec RCD team Saturday morning to see some pilots and airplanes

hopefully staying active despite the downpour. As we pulled into Superstition Airpark, a 3D helicopter was slicing up the air with lightningfast maneuvers—doing so for a larger crowd than we anticipated, considering the weather conditions. Once through the gate, I was impressed with the turnout for the day. From one end of the tables (covered, I should add) to the other were pilots and aircraft of just about

A very wet Senior Telemaster Plus belonging to Jim Varley takes off to show that rain can’t stop the passionate pilot from making the most of his day.

Arizona Electric Flight Festival 2013

Kyle Dahl pulls into the vertical with his outstanding Mikado Logo 700 XXtreme 3D helicopter. The mighty Scorpion 4525 520-Kv brushless motor turns the 65-in. Edge 713-mm rotors that generate tremendous power.

Ryan Archerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Composite-ARF Extra sits on its table, waiting for the weather to lift. Under the cowl is a powerful Hacker A80-10 6000-W brushless motor that is powered by a 10S 37-V LiPo battery pack.

When the wet weather was passing through, many of the attendees found cover, but as soon as it cleared up the airstrip came alive with people and planes again.

RC-SF.COM

every kind. At the entrance was a pair of enormous Extras that matched size with performance. The first was Ryan Archer’s custom-trimmed Extra from Composite-ARF, sporting a Hacker A80-10 brushless motor that turned a Mejzlik carbon fiber 26x15 propeller. A little farther down the row was Todd Bridge’s Hangar 9® 35%-scale Extra 260 Almost-Ready-to-Fly (ARF model). Dominating with a 105-in. wingspan and a Hacker A100-10

8800-W brushless motor, this yellow monster would prove to be one of the most exciting aircraft for me to see fly. There was a gaggle of electric ducted fan (EDF) aircraft that would participate in the more dangerous acts of the show, warbirds of nearly every scale and era, International Miniature Aircraft Club (iMac) airplanes and even a few slow fliers on the tables and the wet ground. Next to them were their pilots and

Young Ryan Wheless shares the pilot box with his father Jeff who is launching Ryan’s Twisted Hobbies Extra Slick for another aerobatic flight out over the desert. The Slick requires a 3S 11.1-V battery pack to power this 24-oz EPP through the air.

Jim DuColi walks back to the pits after his Cub’s landing gear detached on landing. This was just one of the numerous accidents that pilots faced on Sunday. Fortunately, it would be an easy fix.

RC SPORT FLYER — april 2013

fans, keeping merry. Back towards the entrance, a barbecue was set up to cook hot dogs and hamburgers. A few aerobatics aircraft and some warbirds flew, but they did so in the rain. There were more airplanes on tables than in the air that day. Regardless, the display was satisfying. Sunday proved to be much more interesting. Scattered showers and mostly cloudy conditions kept the warmth at bay, but blue skies could

Arizona Electric Flight Festival 2013

A beautiful Top Flite P-51D Mustang 60 ARF electric-conversion taxies out ahead of a second Mustang for a hopeful formation flight. This Mustang sported excellent scale detail with visible gauges in the cockpit as well as the radio stack behind the seat.

The Top Flite Mustang just couldn’t maintain a positive nose attitude on takeoff and ended up cartwheeling through the rough dirt just off the edge of the runway.

With Brandon at the controls, the Extra 300L rolls around the desert sky, keeping low to the ground and lifting spirits during its performance.

When the weather cleared up, most pilots shared the skies to allow everyone to get their flying fix in while they could. Todd stands his Extra on its tail while Larry Ayotte’s AirField F4E EDF makes another low pass on the airstrip. The mighty Hacker A100-10 8800-W brushless motor hangs Todd’s Extra in the air with ease.

Matt Sylvester slows down his AirField T28 Trojan 1450mm 2.4-GHz RTF for a soft landing after flying with a number of other warbirds in an impromptu gaggle flight. It featured electric retracts, LED lights and a pilot figure in the cockpit.

HiTec pilot Brandon Chitty takes off with his 54-in. Extra 300L to entertain Saturday’s crowd. Brandon really put on an impressive show with this little performer!

A crisp knife-edge pass by Todd Bridges’ Hangar 9 35% Extra 260 ARF made heads turn. This 98-in.-long beast kept all of us on the edges of our seats.

RC-SF.COM

A number of skilled aerobatic pilots attended the event. Kevin Paine launched his 3D Hobby Shop 65-in. Vyper ARF on Saturday afternoon for some stunt flying before the rain came again. Kevin’s Vyper swung a XOAR 18x10 propeller from a Motorfly DM-4320 400-Kv brushless motor.

Warbirds of all sizes graced the flight line and were flown by pilots of all skill levels at AEFF. A little “Butcher Bird” Receiver-Ready Flyzone® Focke-Wulf FW-190 survived a few sorties even amidst a flock of Allied fighters. The Flyzone 190 comes with electric retracts and split flaps for scale functionality.

Another Top Flite electric-conversion ARF, this time a gorgeous 60-size P-47D Thunderbolt, rolls down the runway to prepare for takeoff. There is a tremendous amount of detail in this aircraft, from the eight machine guns in the wings to the scale flaps and retractable gear.

Flying solo, Craig Bolibruck commands his Hyperion P-51 40e ARF low and slow down the field. Craig’s Mustang is sporting the colors of Capt. Frank Birtciel’s “Miss Velma.” A powerful Gens Ace 6S 22.2-V 4000-mAh LiPo battery turned the Motorfly DM-4320 400-Kv brushless motor under the cowl.

This sinister-looking Dynam RC Messerschmitt ME-262 1500-mm ARF didn’t fly in the time I was there, but it captured my attention with its attractive scale detail. A pair of 3500-Kv brushless motors powered the twin 70mm composite five-blade fans.

RC SPORT FLYER — april 2013

This 33.5-in.-wingspan Blitz RC F-22 Raptor V3 kit EDF gave the event a scale aircraft that reflected the image of modern military aviation. A 2850-Kv brushless motor drives the 70-mm fan to give this Raptor plenty of power for aggressive flight maneuvers.

Arizona Electric Flight Festival 2013 be spotted if I looked hard enough. Also, the rain was less than it was on Saturday, so I was feeling optimistic about what Sunday would hold. I hitched a ride to the airfield with a fellow spectator named Mike Cross. When the two of us arrived at Superstition Airpark, we had no trouble finding parking because most of the vendors had left. It seemed

to be a bit more alive than the day before too. Airplane flying greeted us as we walked into the pits. That was where I met one of the most talented young pilots I’ve yet to know. It was nine-year-old Ryan Wheless. He flew his Twisted Hobbies’ 32in. EPP Extra Slick, and did so with authority and precision. His sporty flying and impressive maneuvers got

oohs and aahs from the onlookers. Along with Ryan and his Extra Slick, his father Jeff brought along their SIG® Four Star 40 ARF that featured an Angry Bird pilot figurine. The Four Star 40 was a father/son short kit build. It flew quite well too. The most interesting of the aircraft I found at the show was Larry Ayotte’s Airfield F4E 70-mm EDF

Eli Wagoner maneuvers his Blue Sky RC Spider-Quad ARF quad-copter for a better angle to shoot his father’s quad-copter. Eli’s Spider-Quad has the mounting plate for the GoPro camera on the front of it, and is using it well.

A beautiful SebArt Mythos S 125E 71-in. ARF got a lot of attention for its unique design and attractive scheme. The Mythos S 125E sports a 71-in. wingspan and weighs 9.7 lb. It belongs to Aero-Model Manager Mike Donovan. Follow us on twitter @rcsportflyer

RC-SF.COM

RTF model. Originally arriving in the colors of the USN fighter squadron attached to the USS Constellation that flight-decked F-4 Phantom IIs, the kit also came with gawky fixed landing gear. Larry didn’t like it, so he custom-mounted a tricycle gear system that was kept as flush to the fuselage as possible without taking away the scale appearance of an F-4 while the model was in flight, but also providing for runway takeoff and landing capabilities that came with the kit. He cleverly disguised the nose

gear in a mock camera mount on the nose and removed the forward gun that was part of the stock kit to mimic the reconnaissance version of the Phantom II. Larry’s F-4 was custom painted— on top of his other modifications— to bear the colors that his father’s United States Air Force (USAF) F-4 wore during his service in the Vietnam War. It was incredible to get to see this aircraft both up close and darting through the air. Larry even ordered a second cockpit to add the

weapons officer to the back seat. At noon the talented Kyle Dahl performed his 3D helicopter routine with his Mikado Logo 700 XXtreme. Rocketing it through the air and tic-tocking on a dime, Kyle threw his Logo 700 through its paces like the pro he is. Near the end of the day, Todd Bridges flew his Hangar 9 35% Extra 260 through a fast-paced and very impressive 3D routine. It was fascinating to watch this large RC

Larry’s F4E skirts low across the tarmac just before touching down after another successful flight. Notice the low-profile landing gear in the nose and forward of the engine exhaust that he replaced the stock gear with.

Looking down the intake you can see the 70-mm fan unit that can power the High End Technology (HET) ME-163 EDF ARF up to 160 MPH. A unique model that made an appearance at the event was the Crimson HET ME-163, modeled after the Second World War Messerschmitt rocket-powered glider. Like the full-scale “Komet,” this ME163 took off from the runway under its own power from a specially built dolly.

RC SPORT FLYER — april 2013

Arizona Electric Flight Festival 2013 Extra rolling, looping, knife-edging and even hanging it on the propeller. It gives you an appreciation for the tremendous talent it takes to fly with such precision. Todd’s and Kyle’s demonstrations were the highlights of Sunday’s show for me. As the Arizona Electric Flight Festival came to a close, I sneaked over to the far western side of the runway to where the first-person view (FPV) and multi-rotor/quadcopters were flying. Jim Wagoner and

his son Eli were both buzzing around with their Blue Sky RC Spider-Quad ARF copters. Weighing only 24 oz, these little helis could carry a GoPro® Hero sport camera and film the other’s flying from any angle, as seen on Eli’s Spider-Quad. What made these quad-copters unique to me was their custom control boards. The first main board is manufactured by Blue Sky RC, while an additional board connected on top is provided from a

Nintendo Wii remote! Meeting the Wagoners and touring a bit of Mesa with Mike before heading back to the hotel made for a perfect close to a good weekend event. It proved that even if it rains in the desert, RC pilots will still fly and have fun. I’m looking forward to attending the 10th anniversary Arizona Electric Flight Festival in 2014.

Pilots watch with a careful eye as a SebArt Pilatus PC-21 50E ARF makes a pass over the runway before attempting an emergency landing. Notice that the nose gear is not deployed with the mains.

RC-SF.COM

By Jeff Troy

Sig Mfg. Co. Spacewalker II Wing, Part 2

Start Building Today — It’s Easy & Fun

2 These wing subassemblies were prepared in the previous installment of “Building Model Airplanes.” Check out that installment of my building series in the March 2013 issue of RC Sport Flyer.

he Spacewalker II is a quarterscale model of the full-scale airplane flown by the former owners of Sig Manufacturing Company in Montezuma, Iowa. The model has a wingspan of 84 in. It is designed for two- or fourstroke glow-fuel power, although my Spacewalker II will be modified to accept an electric motor power system. Constructing the Spacewalker II wing isn’t difficult. In fact, the kit is so well engineered that the top sides of the panels can be brought to completion in approximately four to six hours. I chose Bob Smith Industries (BSI) Insta-Cure+ gap-filling CA for most of the wing’s construction steps. BSI Insta-Cure thin CA and Maxi-Cure extra thick CA were used when their thinner or thicker viscosities presented an advantage. My workspace is somewhat limited, so I cut the wing plans into two sections, one for the left wing panel and one for right. The work surface is a solid-core door, over which I taped the lefthand plans, allowing enough room on both sides and in front of the plans to cut, sand or otherwise prepare the various parts for installation into the left wing

RC SPORT FLYER — april 2013

Cross-pinning is a technique that lets you hold parts tightly against the work surface without splitting or weakening them. Use the crosspinning method to lay down the Spacewalker II’s laminated-spruce main spar over the plans.

panel. Protect the planes with an adhesive barrier such as waxed paper, Great Planes Plan Protector, parchment paper or the clear plastic backing sheets from most aeromodeling covering films. Note that cyanoacrylate (CA) adhesives bond to waxed paper and can attach to plastic films when used too generously. So if your budget allows, parchment paper is an ideal barrier for building with CA. I chose waxed paper for its advantages of simplicity, cost and convenience. Whatever barrier you choose, now is the time to lay it over your plans and tape it down, pulling out any wrinkles to ensure that the wing panel builds flat and true. Low-tack tapes don’t stick well to waxed paper, so if it is your choice, be sure to use a good masking tape to hold it down. Framing the wing panel begins with laying the lower spruce main spar over the plans. Don’t risk splitting or weakening the spar by driving pins through it. Instead, hold the spar tightly to the work surface by cross-pinning. Cross-pinning is driving two pins into the work surface in an “X” pattern, trapping the spar or other part underneath the pins.

The ribs are installed next, and each rib should be set at 90 degrees to the work surface as it gets glued to the main spar. Use a 90-degree square. Working from right to left or left to right, install each rib. Glue them in place with gap-filling CA and a quick shot of CA accelerator. The Spacewalker kit provides a die-cut Lite-Ply dihedral gauge for setting the correct angle of the center rib. Be sure to use it so that the wing panels join at the proper dihedral angle, with no gaps anywhere between the center ribs. The upper spruce spar and balsa turbulator spar are next, followed by the upper and lower rear spars. No special instruction is needed here, but I’d bet that by now, you have come to appreciate that slight radius you’ve sanded into the spar edges where they fit into the rib notches. The edges of most balsa sheets are not straight, but rather slightly curved. This will become evident if you hold the sheet up to your eye and sight down its edge. Wide sheets must be trimmed straight with a hobby knife or sanding tools, but the Spacewalker II’s trailing edge sheet is narrow enough to be pulled into alignment as it is installed. The tails of the wing ribs don’t extend all the

Sig Mfg. Co. Spacewalker II Wing, Part 2

4 Poorly installed ribs cause all kinds of problems, from unequal distances between rib bays to varying airfoil depths. Help keep the wing true by using a square or triangle to ensure ribs are installed at 90 degrees to the work surface. The Sig kit’s gauge will set the root rib at its required dihedral angle.

Using a square or triangle when installing the trailing edge sheeting will help true the sheet and keep the trailing edge of the wing uniform. That way when you look down the length of the wing it will be straight, which means the model will fly straight and true as well. So, take a few extra minutes to put quality into your build.

6 Just stab the sheer web with your hobby knife at the correct location. Use the stab wound as the mark, then continue the slice over a Hobbico cutting mat. Trial fit the web between the ribs, then trim, if necessary, with a bar sander.

way to the trailing edge of the wing, so when you install the trailing edge top sheet, you should use a triangle to position the sheet correctly and ensure it runs straight and true. You’ll find it easiest to start at one of the middle ribs and work your way out to both sides, one rib at a time. Thin CA is a good choice for the trailer edge sheeting because it will wick into and along the joint between the sheeting and each rib. Sheer webs are more than just additional pieces that designers add to models to make them more complex. Their true purpose is to tie the upper and lower spars together, preventing them from separating—a condition that would surely cause the wing to fail. Sheer webs are usually provided slightly oversized in model kits and must be trimmed to Follow us on twitter @rcsportflyer

Use plenty of adhesive on the sheer webs; this isn’t the place for poor glue joints. Prevent smearing the glue on the sides of the ribs by using your thumb and fingers to gently bow the sheer web while fitting it between the ribs and against the upper and lower spars.

fit correctly between each bay. You could measure, mark and cut, or do it faster this way: Hold the sheer web over the bay, aligning one side of the web with a rib. Use your hobby knife and stick the tip of its blade into the web at the location of the opposite rib. Move the web, with the blade still inserted, to your cutting surface and cut the web at the knife mark. Now trial-fit the web between the ribs, trimming if necessary with a Great Planes Easy-Touch Bar Sander or ADC Tee-Bar. Glue the web to the upper and lower spars between the ribs. This is not a good place for failed glue joints, so use plenty of adhesive when installing the webs. Apply the adhesive to the face of the web where it will contact the upper and lower spars, and to the sides of the

web where they will contact the ribs. One dilemma you might encounter is preventing the adhesive from wiping off the web as it passes along the sides of the ribs during installation. The solution is easy. Just use your thumb and two fingers to put a slight bend into the web as you slip it into position between the ribs. Remove your thumb, and the web will straighten; then you can hold it tightly against the spars until the adhesive cures. The leading edge of the Spacewalker II wing is a two-piece affair. The sub-leading edge is an 1/8-in.-wide sheet that fits flat over the nose of the ribs, then after the wing’s top and bottom sheeting has been applied, the leading edge cap is glued over the sub leading edge and the whole arrangement is sanded to RC-SF.COM

8 The sub leading edge must be shaped to match the curvature of the wing ribs. Use a razor plane to take the sheet down to approximately 1/16 in. of the ribs. Then finish the shaping with coarse sandpaper on a Tee Bar aluminum sander. Always hold the plane and sander at approximately 45 degrees to the work to help prevent snagging the tools and damaging the model’s structure.

match a provided gauge. I’ll cover that in the next installment, but for now, you’ll have to install the sub leading edge. Like the upper trailing edge sheet from a few paragraphs back, the sub leading edge will not be perfectly straight. Sig has allowed for this by providing a slightly wider sheet than necessary to fit over the noses of the ribs; it’s actually oversized by almost 3/16 in. Starting at the center, use thin CA to attach the sub leading edge to the nose of one rib. Center the sheet so that an equidistant measurement of wood overextends the nose of the rib on its upper and lower edge, and do your best to keep

The Spacewalker’s finished sub leading edge is perfectly flush to the edges the ribs and perfectly matches their contour after sanding. Such a fit ensures a wave-free installation of the upper and lower wing sheeting.

the sheet relatively straight so that neither end gets too close to the work surface. Next, center the sheet of the rib at the wing’s tip end, again applying thin CA to attach the sheet to the nose of the rib. Now do the same for the sheet at the root end. One at a time, attach the sheet to each of the remaining ribs along the entire span of the wing panel. The upper and lower edges of the sub leading edge must be sanded and trimmed to match the curvature of the ribs. This is done by rough-cutting with a hobby knife and following up with an aluminum bar sander. I prefer using a razor plane to do the rough shaping. With the blade of your razor

plane set for a shallow cut, slowly take down the upper edge of the sub leading edge sheet to within 1/16 in. of the upper edge of the ribs. Work slowly to prevent cutting too deeply into the sheet, which would ultimately cause dips in the upper wing sheeting. Finish the sub leading edge with the Easy-Touch or Tee-Bar sander, always keeping a sheet of 80- to 100-grit adhesive-backed sandpaper mounted for rough shaping tasks. When you’re satisfied that the edge of the sheet conforms to the curvature of the ribs, you can prepare the upper sheeting for installation. Before that, however, you can install the small filler pieces over the upper

10 The upper spar is at a depth that is slightly below the upper edges of the wing ribs. This procedure helps correct the spar’s installation while also preventing any possible creases in the cap strips at the spar locations. The small gaps over the spar between the notch edges are filled with 3/32-in. sticks, then sanded flush with the tops of the ribs.

RC SPORT FLYER — april 2013

Any bowing in the upper leading edge sheeting must be trued before the sheet can be installed. Use my “edge of the workbench” sanding technique that I explain in this article to do the job. It’s an easy process that you’ll want to follow in a step-by-step fashion. It produces nice, straight edges.

Sig Mfg. Co. Spacewalker II Wing, Part 2

12 After gluing the sheet along the length of the upper turbulator spar, flip the wing up and off the bench and apply extra-thick, slowsetting CA along the upper edges of the ribs and sub leading edge sheeting. Slow-setting adhesive gives you plenty of working time.

spar between the edges of the rib notches. Get them in with gap-filling CA, then use the bar sander to sand the filler pieces flush with the tops of the ribs. Be careful; you must sand only the filler pieces and not the edge of the ribs. You do not want to change the shape of the airfoil by sanding into the ribs. The upper wing sheet covers the wing ribs from the forward turbulator spar to the sub leading edge. It covers only half of the turbulator spar and will overextend the sub leading edge by approximately 1/2 in. Just like the trailing edge and sub leading edge sheets, the 2-1/2-in.-wide upper sheeting will be slightly bowed. You

Working one or two bays at a time, spray a quick shot of accelerator on the sheeting and pull the front of the sheeting forward and down over the edge of the sub leading edge. Hold it firmly against the sub leading edge for two or three seconds while the adhesive cures, then quickly move on to the next bay. The accelerator will increase the “kick” time of the CA glue significantly.

will see how much as soon it is placed over the spar for a check fit. Because its width is too great for the sheet to be pulled straight without warping the wing’s framework, the edge of the sheet must be trimmed straight. Use my “edge of the bench” sanding technique to true the sheet. Align the straightest edge of the sheet with the edge of your workbench with the curve extending over the edge of the bench, not short of the edge. Hold the bar sander upright against the side of the bench at one end of the sheet. Push the edge of the sheet up against the sander, which will perfectly align the end of the sheet with the edge of

the bench. Use a fingertip to hold that edge of the sheet in position while you repeat the process at the opposite end of the sheet. Then, both ends of the sheet will align with the edge of the bench with the unwanted portion of the sheet hanging in the breeze. With a fresh sheet of coarse sandpaper on the bar sander, hold the sheet down tightly and sand the edge of the sheet until the bar sander comes into contact with the edge of your workbench. Don’t allow the sheet to shift position while you sand, but if it does, repeat the aligning process at both ends of the sheet to get a fresh start. The edges of my solid-core door work surface are

14 When fitting cap strips, cut the strip approximately 1/8 in. oversize, then sand one end to 90 degrees. Use gap-filling CA to install the cap strip into the wing panel’s structure at the trailing edge. Don’t worry about the cap strip rising up over the rib ahead of the airfoil’s high point; that’s all part of the plan.

With the cap strip glued in position, use the bar sander to trim the forward edge of the strip to fit snugly against the forward sheeting. Work slowly, repeatedly pressing down on the cap strip and checking the fit until you’ve sanded away the right amount of wood. When the fit is correct, apply gap-filling CA over the edge of the rib and press and hold the cap strip down over the rib until the CA cures. RC-SF.COM

Sig Mfg. Co. Spacewalker II Wing, Part 2 at perfect 90-degree angles to the work surface, so when the sanding process goes down far enough for the sander to contact the edge of the work surface, I just use that beautiful 90-degree edge to produce a perfect 90-degree edge on the part being sanded. The result is a 90-degree edge and a perfectly straight part. If you’re quick, gap-filling CA will give you enough time to get the upper wing sheeting started. If you’re new to model building and need to work slowly, use extrathick CA for this step. Run a bead of adhesive along the forward half of the top of the turbulator spar, then lay the sanded and trued edge of the upper sheeting over the spar. Don’t cover the turbulator spar, but lay down the sheeting so that it covers approximately one half of the width of the spar along its entire length. As the adhesive cures, apply pressure to the sheet, using both hands in massage style to smoothly but firmly press the sheet against the spar. When the adhesive has cured, lift the wing panel from the work surface with the leading edge up. Raise the forward edge of the leading edge sheeting while you dribble a bead of extra-thick CA over the top edge of each rib under the sheeting. You will also apply a bead of glue over the upper edge of the sub leading edge—this can be regular gap-filling or extra-thick CA. Pull the sheeting forward and against the sub

leading edge, using quick shots of accelerator to secure the sheet to the sub leading edge along its length, then quickly lay the wing back down on the bench and firmly press the sheeting over the ribs. Again, use a massage-style motion of both hands to ensure that the sheeting stays in solid contact with the ribs along its entire length. Continue massagepressing until you’re sure that the adhesive is fully cured, then another 60 seconds for good measure. Continue following the instruction manual to install the aileron spars, then get ready to cut and fit the cap strips. The Spacewalker II wing is a constant-chord component, so all of the cap strips from the root to the inner edge of the aileron rib will be the same length. Cut one cap strip approximately 1/8-in. oversize, then use that piece as a guide to cutting the remaining pieces. Lightly sand one end of the cap strip to 90 degrees, then apply gap-filling CA to the sanded end and along 1–2 in. of the strip. Fit the glued end over a wing rib and tightly against the upper trailing edge sheet. When the adhesive is cured at the tail end of the cap strip, press down at the forward end to see how much wood needs to be sanded away to get the strip to fit snugly against the upper wing sheeting. Use the bar sander to take down the forward end of the strip until it fits. Work slowly and keep the sander at 90 degrees.

Gaps in cap strip installations are ugly, and neatly fitted cap strips are always a sign of good craftsmanship. The final step in preparation of the wing panel’s upper surface is to install the rolled paper tubes that will carry the aileron servo wiring through the wing. You won’t need instructions for rolling and inserting the kit’s included paper tubes, but I will tell you that Titebond, Elmer’s or another aliphatic-resin glue is best for bonding paper to wood. The tubes are no-strain components, so a drop or two at each rib-to-paper location should be sufficient; you don’t have to run a bead completely around the tube at each rib station. Using your fine-tooth Zona saw, cut the ends of the spars and sheeting flush with the tip and root ribs. Flip the wing up again, and working from the underside, trim the upper sheeting nearly flush with the sub leading edge. Never cut parts to fit. Always cut parts slightly oversize and then sand them to fit. Now build the right wing panel just like you built the left wing panel. 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.

16 Paper tubes are provided to carry the aileron wires through the wing panels from the aileron servo bays to the wing’s center section. Use a dot or two of aliphatic-resin glue to secure the paper to each rib. Titebond and Elmer’s are ideal for quick and lightweight paper-tobalsa bonding.

RC SPORT FLYER — april 2013

The upper portion of the Spacewalker II’s left wing panel is shown as a complete assembly. Please be here with me for my next installment, when I’ll be completing the underside construction and joining the wing panels. Kit building takes a bit of patience and planning, but it is a fun facet of the hobby.

Covering Undercamber

By Rob Caso

It’s Easy if You Follow This Step-By-Step Process

ost WWI aircraft employed undercambered airfoils for their wings, which provide quite a bit of lift at the expense of more drag as compared with a flat-bottomed or symmetrical airfoil. Given the horsepower limitations of the day, lift was more important, and in any case, aircraft technology was in its infancy and undercambered wings were the accepted norm. Undercambered wings present a number of challenges for scale modelers. First, there is the matter of constructing them since they are usually quite thin and there is not 36

RC SPORT FLYER — april 2013

a lot of room for internal spars, especially aft. Second, again due to their thin cross section, on all but the smallest of models, such wings must be externally braced—usually with cables—against flight and landing loads as were their full-scale counterparts. The third issue is what I will be discussing here: how to cover and finish such a wing. As an aside, I generally use birch plywood for the ribs on such models because it holds up a lot better to handling during construction and covering, which will result in a truer wing. The weight penalty is minimal, as most WWI

models have a very light wing loading. One more thing—make absolutely sure that you have installed all the hard points for strut/cable locations prior to covering because it is next to impossible to neatly fix or install these after the wings get covered. I like to use coverings that have a weave. The two that I use most are SIG® Mfg’s Koverall and Coverite™ Supershrink. Each of these products shrinks well and goes around compound curves easily, but this is where “easy” ends. Aside from the need to apply adhesive to the framework for Koverall, each of these

Covering Undercamber I used nitrate dope to seal the framework and Balsarite for the covering. Sharp cutting tools are a must.

materials is difficult to cut neatly and will generate a lot of “hairs” on cut edges. They also can shrink too aggressively, making them bridge over concave surfaces, i.e., undercamber. They can also warp or even crush thin wings rather easily. Again, this is why I like hard plywood ribs. Last, these coverings must be sealed prior to painting since they are quite porous. I start the process by making sure I am working on an ultra-clean surface and that all the frameworks have been sanded, filled and primped over. Covering does not hide a bad building job.

Here’s my step-bystep:

If the model is going to have a lightly colored final scheme, I first apply a light wood stain to the airframe to prevent the balsa color from showing through the finish. Then I lightly sand the surfaces that will touch the covering. Next you will apply a couple of coats of nitrate dope, reduced about 40%. Nitrate will raise the grain of the wood, so re-sand the structure and apply two coats of covering adhesive (I use Balsarite® or StixIt®) reduced to cream consistency. Balsarite can be reduced with nitrate thinner—there are also water-based adhesives available, but I have not used them. Check the airplane’s structures one last time. Are all the hinge slots and cable hard points installed, have provisions been made for control horns and do the outlines of the surfaces match up? For wings having a straight leading edge (LE), I use a single piece of covering for each wing panel. Doing so eliminates a cutting seam. So cut a piece large enough to wrap around the LE to cover the upper side of the panel. Again, the goal is to keep the covering from Here the covering has been applied using the process described in the text—properly applied covering will allow the framework to show through. Follow us on twitter @rcsportflyer

1 Cut a piece of cloth big enough to do the entire wing, top and bottom and make sure the work area is clean.

3 RC-SF.COM

Leave a little excess covering at the tip to roll around the sides and to the the top of the wing. I trim the trailing edges and the aileron bays flush at their edges.

4 Here the covering is being rolled up over the edge of the wingtip from the bottom. A warm iron is enough to do this job.

bridging from leading to trailing edge over the concave surface on the bottom of the wing. Starting with the underside of the wing and with the iron on just warm enough, I begin by tacking the covering at the center of the first full rib in from the tip. Then I tack the covering all along the rib’s length. I do the same at the root while pulling the covering taut. The covering at this point should be touching all the concave ribs on the wing. Now apply thin cyanoacrylate (CA) glue sparingly to the covering that has been ironed to the root rib, wiping off any excess as you go. Then apply CA to the covering at each of the remaining rib stations, working from the root out to the last rib before the tip. Also, you’ll want to do the same from the center out on each rib. If the covering is a little loose between the ribs at this point, don’t worry about it because the Dacron coverings shrink well. If there is no main spar, or if such a spar is buried in the wing below its surface, proceed in a similar fashion tacking and gluing the covering to the center of the root and tip ribs and then to the center of each rib in between. At this point, the trailing edge (TE) can be CA-glued in, along with the aileron bay if the wing has one. Do not use any CA on the wingtip or LE at this point. Be careful to avoid wrinkles or creases running over a rib because these will be impossible to remove once the covering is glued on. I like to use shot bags to hold one end of the wing down while I am working on the other, and I usually perform the covering operation with a piece of foam under the entire wing panel. Like landings, wingtips are not an option. At this stage, the underside of the tip should be entirely tacked down, but not CA-glued in place.

Onto the top: the covering has been slit at the curve near the wingtip and wrapped around the wing’s leading edge.

6 38

RC SPORT FLYER — april 2013

Covering Undercamber Wingtips are always done last in my builds. As shown here on the top, after sealing the rest of the wing, the tip covering is rolled over to the bottom.

Slit the covering hanging off the tip in line with the LE, stopping at the straight section of the LE. Rough-trim the tip and then apply additional covering adhesive to both the cloth and the tip and let it dry. Using an extremely sharp scissor or knife, trim the covering to within about 3/8 of an inch of the tip—the covering adhesive will keep fraying to a minimum and will provide some cutting resistance. Using the iron to help form the covering, roll it up around the tip—this is where the Dacron coverings really shine, because it will go down without any wrinkles. Once this is done, apply more covering adhesive (not CA) over the tip. Onto the upper side, pull the covering around the LE and all the way back to the TE at the center of the wing. Tack it in position with the iron. Do the same at the root and tips’ TEs at the corners, pulling the covering at a 45-degree angle. Pull and tack at the center of the root and tip, pulling the covering spanwise. Tack all around the perimeter of the wing and run the iron over the curved LE—the wing at this point should have no wrinkles or loose covering—except at the tip. Apply covering adhesive around the perimeter of the framework and everywhere covering touches. Although it’s somewhat optional for the top of the wing, I usually glue it in place with CA at this point, except for the wingtip. Tack in the tip’s material with the iron, pulling the covering taut. Rough-trim, apply covering adhesive, final trim and then roll the covering around the tip as we did on the underside. Then thin CA is applied all over the tip, top and bottom. Once the covering is entirely glued to the framework, run a warm iron all over the wing, top and bottom to tighten the covering.

Once the edges are sealed and glued, they can be trimmed with a sharp #11 blade. I generally do not wrap covering around aileron bays. Follow us on twitter @rcsportflyer

7 Any covering not completely sealed to a rib is pressed down onto the rib with your fingers and then glued in place.

9 RC-SF.COM

Covering Undercamber Here the finished upper wing is shown. The next step is to seal the weave of the material in preparation for painting.

The underside of the lower wing has no aileron bay, which makes the job of covering it much easier to do.

My DH-2 has an extremely thin, undercambered wing and was covered using the techniques described in this article.

12 40

Generally, you don’t need to use the heat gun to tighten the covering—the iron will be enough. Anywhere there is a cut seam (root, TE, aileron bay, tip), there will be sharp and frayed edges. Since these are now CA-glued in place, you can smooth them with 400grit sandpaper and then with 600. Although the sanding eliminates the weave texture, much of the sanded area will be covered later with rib taping and, in most cases, will not be noticeable. At this point, consider priming only where the cut edges are as a way to highlight any issues and use filler to deal with these. To prepare the wing for paint, I usually seal it first with a couple of coats of nitrate dope. Minwax Polycrylic satin water-based varnish can also be used because it fills the weave faster and is reasonably lightweight, but be careful not to get it too wet, as droplets can form inside the wing. I have also used it with great success to apply rib taping. A dusting of primer or color will tell you if the entire surface is sealed—if it is not you will see small pinholes. Additional sealer must be applied over these because they will show in the finish. Certainly, there are many ways to cover a WWI-era model, and this is but one. I have used this process on two of my WWI models, both of which have done well in contests and have stood up to flight stress. I would welcome additional ideas or comments, so please e-mail with any at quack916@aol.com.

RC SPORT FLYER — april 2013

Our Huge Selection Gives You the Best Fit!

HA2025 - 175W

HA2015 - 110W

HB2015/25 110W - 175W

HB2815 - 275W

HB3615/30 300W - 600W

HA3618 - 500W

HC2808/12/16 100W - 200W

HC2208/12 30W - 50W

HA2825 - 400W

HC5018/30 800W - 1600W

• Propeller Adapters and Gold Plated Connectors Included With All Motors • Mounting Bracket Included With All Outrunner Motors • Largest Variety to Fit Most Applications • We have over 80 motors styles.....and counting!

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

HC3510/16/22/28 250W - 450W

HC6320/32 1600W - 2200W

Exclusive Distributor

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

www.maxxprod.com

BY Daniel Holman

Aerobatics (part 1)

Even more difficult than 3D aerobatics, extreme aerobatic (XA) flying is full of heartstopping, low and fast maneuvers such as this high-speed slow roll. In this picture, I am flying my model at approximately 100 mph right down the runway, but not far off the pavement, which adds to the excitement for spectators.

ow many of us enjoy experimenting with the laws of physics, trying to find a loophole in these limits, trying to raise the bar or simply trying to disprove a law? I enjoy many aspects of physics and find it very exciting to apply these laws to this awesome sport! The mathematical formulations that govern aerodynamics are here to stay, but with the amazing advancements in airframes and equipment that we now have access to, we can push our flying to the edge of possibility and ride the red line of the laws of physics with extreme aerobatic flying! In the next few issues of RC Sport Flyer magazine, I will take you through the process of getting into aerobatic flying, starting from the beginning and going well into the advanced forms of competition aerobatics. For me, this is the most exciting part of our hobby of remote-controlled (RC) 42

RC SPORT FLYER — april 2013

Extreme aerobatic flying includes lots of fast rolling where the pilot controls the airplane’s flight path while it is rolling at over 700 degrees per second! That is Mount Adams in Washington State in the background in case you were wondering.

Hovering with smoke on is always a crowd pleaser. Along the journey of practicing 3D aerobatic flight, you will learn to completely control the airplane in fully stalled conditions.

For some pilots, this situation looks about as bad as they come. In 3D and XA flight, these orientations are very common, and I had my Extreme Flight® MXS EXP back into inverted flight by the time it was 2 ft off the runway.

Aerobatics (part 1)

The knife-edge spin is an aggressive maneuver in which the airplane rotates gyroscopically around the wing tube—the airplane’s center of gravity position—while plummeting straight down to earth. Throw in some smoke and it makes for a very impressive aerobatic maneuver that you should add to almost any competition routine. The smoke really provides a nice reference point in the air for the spectators too.

aviation, and I am excited to share my experience and knowledge with you! The first thing I would like to cover is defining the different forms of aerobatics and explaining how they all work together.

maneuvers include hovering, torque rolling, harriers (upright, inverted or rolling), flat spins, waterfalls and the like.

The form of aerobatics that goes back the furthest in RC aviation is pattern flying. This type of aerobatics, consisting of point rolls, snap rolls, loops with integrated point rolls, split-S turns, stall turns, slow rolls and similar maneuvers, is flown in a “box” and is judged for precision in the maneuvers as well as placement and symmetry. In pattern contests, all contestants in each class fly the same prescribed routines. These routines change every year but lay a solid and even playing field for all participating pilots. IMAC (International Miniature Aerobatic Club) competition flying is similar to pattern in many ways, but it requires that all airplanes used in classes above basic must be replicas of full-scale airplanes. Competition pattern airplanes, however, are not limited in their design. IMAC competitions also use slightly different sequences and rules

Probably the most well-known form of aerobatics today is 3D. Three-dimensional flying has become very popular over the last decade, but it was officially introduced by Quique Somenzini back in 1994. Until then, competition freestyle aerobatics were, for the most part, limited to scale aerobatics similar to those you are likely to see at a full-scale air show. As engines and servos became more powerful, pilots began to enlarge the control surfaces of their airplanes, and following in Quique’s footsteps, began to fly maneuvers that required the propeller rather than the wings to lift the airplane. The definition of 3D that I believe to be the most accurate is “flying beyond the point of stall.” A common misconception is that all crazy aerobatic flying is 3D. When the airplane is being controlled in a fully stalled attitude, that is 3D. 3D Follow us on twitter @rcsportflyer

Precision aerobatics (IMAC and pattern)

High-alpha knife-edge flight is considered 3D because the surfaces are, for the most part, stalled. In these types of aerobatics, we like to bring it all the way down to the deck as I am here with the Hangar 9® 3.1-m Sukhoi 26MM!

and closely emulate the full-scale IAC (International Aerobatic Club) competition flying. I will go into more detail about IMAC later in this series. I believe strongly that precision aerobatic flying is the best way to improve your flying skills. No matter what your primary interest is in this hobby, precision aerobatics will help your flying as it teaches you to truly control the airplane’s flight path and put it where you want it. In this series, we will also go through learning to completely control an airplane close to and beyond the point of stall. Skills in this area have the potential of saving many airplanes in bad situations and are very valuable!

EXtreme Aerobatics (XA)

As with all extreme sports, RC aerobatic flying has evolved greatly, especially over the past decade. With airframe manufacturers using new and advanced building techniques, some of the aerobatic airframes that we now have are able to withstand up to 20 g-forces. (G = force of gravity.) These extremely strong airframes, coupled with the latest RC-SF.COM

Precision aerobatics teach you how to put the airplane on a line and hold it there. Notice how perfectly level the wings are on Lee Morey’s Extreme Flight® Yak-54 as he draws a laser-straight inverted line across the runway!

engine, servo, battery and electronic technology truly allow us to push the limits of aerobatics and use every last percent of the airplane’s flight envelope that the laws of physics allow! Extreme aerobatics (XA) flying is still a new thing in this hobby but is growing rapidly. This kind of flying is the most exciting to watch, as airframes and equipment are pushed hard and fast through aggressive routines of high-energy precision and extreme aerobatics. XA flying takes much from precision flying, incorporating lots of precise snap rolls and fast point rolls, as well as high-speed rolling figure eights,

knife-edge walls, abrupt heading changes, intense and high-g tumbling maneuvers, rolling and knife-edge spins and much more. During this type of flying, different surfaces on the airplane are constantly going back and forth between flying and fully stalled conditions, sometimes lasting less than half a second in each state before they are abruptly interrupted aerodynamically to send the airplane into the next strenuous maneuver! During these extreme aerobatics, the pilot’s thumbs are moving faster than the human eye can follow, every motion being calculated with splitsecond accuracy. This type of flying is becoming the

In high-alpha knife-edge flight such as this, the airplane will slow down nicely. Passes like this always grab attention and look beautiful!

RC SPORT FLYER — april 2013

Harrier flight such as you see here is fully stalled, but with practice, you can control the airplane’s altitude and flight path very precisely as it “putts” around the airfield at just above walking speed.

standard for freestyle competitions all over the United States and abroad. The premier competition to see these aerobatics at their best is the Extreme Flight Championships, held every June at the AMA headquarters in Muncie, Indiana. In competitions such as these, pilots blend 3D, XA and precision aerobatics—choreographing their routines to music. For many pilots, myself included, this is the most exciting part of the sport, as it blends extreme forms of aerobatics with precision aerobatics, all put together in an artistic way with highly varied music and presented as an arial ballet.

You can see what today’s competition pattern airplanes look like. From left to right, Brett Wickiezer, Andrew Jesky and Jason Shulman made up the team that represented the USA in the F3A Pattern World Cup this year.

Aerobatics (part 1)

The rolling harrier is a very common 3D maneuver, but it takes lots of practice to perform correctly since the pilot must input four different control movements per 360 degrees of roll.

Where do I start?

For some of you, my explanation of the different forms of aerobatics might sound just a little intimidating. I want to assure you that if you set your mind to it, you can do it! I started flying almost 10 years ago, right after I turned nine. I didn’t have an instructor and started learning with a two-channel RTF airplane from Horizon Hobby. My first introduction to aerobatics was about two years later, and close to a year after that, I was exclusively flying aerobatics! With the latest equipment and flight simulators, the learning process is now easier than ever. Now, let’s jump in. I can’t stress enough the value of having a good

simulator. While simulators are never completely true to life, they have their place, and I still use them when putting together my freestyle routines. I use RealFlight® 6, but all the aircraft that I fly are highly edited to more closely replicate my airplane’s flight characteristics. Other good simulators include FSOne, Phoenix® and Aerofly®. The first thing that I recommend that you do with the simulator is spend a couple of hours tweaking a giantscale 3D/IMAC aerobatic airplane such as an Extra, Yak, Edge 540, MX2 or the like to more closely replicate the real thing. You can also change the exponential settings to fit your preferences. Next, if you are using

Here I am performing a rolling harrier at the 2012 Extreme Flight Championships in Muncie, Indiana. This competition is the best event to see extreme aerobatics at their best and draws some of the most skilled pilots in the world each year! Follow us on twitter @rcsportflyer

Profile 3D foamy airplanes such as this DW Foamies® 38-in. Yak54 are very forgiving and helpful in the learning process of how to fly aerobatics. In this picture, I am flying mine in my backyard in midwinter.

RealFlight, you will want to turn the simulation speed down to about 90%. This is not cheating, and I always have mine set at 90%, as 100% is faster than real life. Once you have the airplane flying similarly to the real thing, it’s time to start practicing. One common misconception is that practicing hovering makes you a better pilot. This is NOT true! I’ve seen so many guys who go out and hover for half the flight and then can hardly land the airplane. I cannot overemphasize that learning to fly the airplane is the most important part of flying aerobatics. Jumping right into learning your favorite 3D maneuvers can be dangerous too. Even if you are

In this picture, you can see the huge control surfaces on the Hangar 9® 3.1-m Sukhoi 26MM as I perform a 3D maneuver down low. Large amounts of surface deflection are required when flying beyond the point of stall. RC-SF.COM

Aerobatics (part 1) able to get away with doing this, you will not have laid the foundation for successful aerobatic skills. The first two steps that I would encourage you to focus on are: 1) Learn to control the airplane’s flight path and practice landings using all four controls. In aerobatics, the rudder is used just as much as the elevator and ailerons and must be mastered. Practicing flying the airplane where you want it is very valuable and will help you immensely. 2) Practice precision aerobatics. I am of the strong opinion that no one should start flying 3D maneuvers until after they have mastered slow rolls, four-point rolls, round loops, knife-edge flight in all attitudes and similar maneuvers. Practicing these maneuvers will be much more beneficial to your piloting than trying to learn 3D maneuvers. The time to learn to precisely control the airplane is not when it is inches above the ground in crazy attitudes, but rather when the airplane is at a safe height, well above stall speed and on a predictable flight path. Practicing loops sounds like a silly waste of time to some, but I am challenging you to try it. Performing perfectly round loops while keeping the wings level and your flight path straight with the rudder is very beneficial. Make the loops as big as you can and practice exiting them at the exact same place that your model entered. Practicing huge square loops

is also very helpful in learning to use all the controls together. Once you have mastered fourpoint rolls and slow rolls, practice flying these maneuvers in different orientations, including directly at yourself. Many pilots freak out when the airplane is pointed at their face, and the simulator is a good place to learn to control the airplane in weird attitudes. Practicing knife-edge flight is very helpful, and you will need to master this going both directions and in both attitudes—canopy and belly towards you. All in all, learn to put the airplane on a path that YOU decide, and keep it on that path. Fly ahead of the airplane and make every maneuver count. In precision aerobatics, all maneuvers are either flown on a horizontal, vertical or 45-degree line. Avoiding any other angles for its flight path is very beneficial and looks impressive to those watching, as it truly shows control of the airplane. So, get a good simulator and practice flying and landing the airplane right where you want it, keeping it under full control at all times. I know that it’s tempting to jump right into 3D, but let me put it this way: You’re constructing a building that represents your flying skills. This building will house your investment, which is your expensive aerobatic airplane. When the storms, representing difficult situations come,

“The godfather” of 3D, Quique Somenzini was the first pilot to bring 3D aerobatics into competition. He no longer competes but keeps his skills sharp as he designs premier aerobatic airplanes for Horizon Hobby®.

RC SPORT FLYER — april 2013

you will need a strong foundation to ensure that the building (your flying skills) will not blow away (damage your airplane). That is why you must take this one step at a time, do it the right way and keep you and your equipment safe in the process. In the next issue, I will give you a list of airframes and equipment that I endorse. In this list, you will find my favorite airplanes in every class from beginner aerobatic airframes that will help you through the learning process to all-out competition aerobatic airframes that will stay with you into the top levels of precision, 3D and ultimately XA-style aerobatics! After helping you choose the right airframe for your needs, I will go through setting your airplane’s control systems up correctly, ensuring that you are not limited by your equipment. This is an exciting journey, and I look forward to picking it up with you all soon! Until then, practice, practice, practice!

Simulators

RealFlight® G6.5 www.towerhobbies.com Aerofly Pro® www.aerofly.com Phoenix® and FS-One® www.horizonhobby.com

Photo courtesy: Higher Plane Productions, Jerry Smith/Extreme Flight RC, Wil Byers, Michael Holman, Penny Bailey, Tom Seres, Chris Balogh, Horizon Hobby, Futaba-RC

Kyle “The Alien” Woyshnis is a local pilot from here in the Northwest. He is famous for his low and slow 3D extreme flying techniques. In this shot, he is performing a rolling harrier as low as is physically possible during the Tucson Aerobatic Shootout.

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

DA-200

Price $2795

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

DA-150

Price $1395

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

DA-100L

Price $999

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

DA-50-R

Price $595

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

DA-170

Price $1695

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

DA-120

Price $1199

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

DA-85

Price $795

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

RC-SF.COM

BY Dick Sarpolus

NORTH AMERICAN AT-6/SNJ These Give You a Profile on How to Have Fun!

heet foam profiles are one of the standard airframe construction methods used by today’s electric-powered airplane modelers. They can be built super lightweight for fantastic 3D performance. They can also be built quickly and easily by scratch builders working from magazine plans. Doing so gives modelers more choices in the models they build, and the sheet foam is a very low-cost way for any who want to experiment with wild and crazy designs of their own. For those liking scale models, built to the right outlines and with some amount of scale trimming, the foam profiles can look surprisingly realistic. For this model, I made a change to the usual all-sheet-foam airframes— rather than the flat plate wing, I prefer to build my models with a hot-wire cut foam wing that yields a thick, fully symmetrical airfoil. It’s

Dick Sarpolus flies his custom AT-6 Texan electric foamy with ease. You will be pleased with how well this airplane flies once you toss it into the air.

a hybrid—sheet foam for the profile fuselage and tail surfaces, along with a hot-wire cut foam wing core. The added weight doesn’t bother the model’s performance, and I find it can handle windy weather better. I also think it has a larger airplane “feel” for the pilot. The hotwire cut foam cores add a little to the expense, but this method is still a low-cost building technique. If you can’t cut the foam cores yourself, they are commercially available, or anybody you know with a foam cutter could make them. I picked the AT-6/SNJ aircraft to model because it’s an interesting Here are the airframe components cut and ready to be put together. Note the thin sheet foam fuselage and tail surfaces below the hot wire cut foam wings.

RC SPORT FLYER — april 2013

NORTH AMERICAN AT-6/SNJ airplane, there are so many of them still around and there are lots of interesting color and trim schemes to select from for that scale appearance. North American Aircraft started development on their NA-16 in 1934, and over the next few years, numerous changes resulted in The rudder is controlled by a cable pushrod to a the AT-6 by 1938. The plywood control horn. The cable is threaded through Navy designation for a tube mounted to the fuselage to prevent bending. this aircraft was the SNJ. Between the time production started and ended in good epoxy adhesion. The two 1944, around 15,000 aircraft were wing panels butt up to the sides built. Many other countries bought of the fuselage, with the 1/8-in. this aircraft for training and/or fighter plywood wing joiner epoxied use. I like the pre-war Navy color into the wing panels between scheme of a white fuselage, yellow the wing spars. This way, a large wings and red tail surfaces, along with hole doesn’t have to be cut the pre-war insignia for its colorful through the fuselage for the wing. appearance. It is easy to do and makes for a This foam job is pretty rugged stronger fuselage. A source for with its plywood nose doublers the hot-wire cut foam wing cores and thick wing; it will take some is The Core House at home. mishandling, and it’s easily repaired. earthlink.net/~philcartier. They To complete the model, I needed a have a deal on these cores—a brushless outrunner motor, the right box of four sets at a good price. electronic speed controller (ESC), a The cut foam wing panels three-cell LiPo battery pack, three could be left bare, but any small servos and a small receiver. lightweight, low-temperature I like to get two copies of the plastic film will keep them clean plans so I can cut one copy for the paper patterns of the sheet foam and plywood parts. A metal straightedge and a scalpel-type hobby knife are used to cut out the sheet foam parts. A scroll saw or band saw helps with the plywood parts. Those plywood doublers on the nose strengthen the fuselage and are well worth the added weight. I usually use five-minute epoxy as my glue of choice because I like to get projects done quickly. When gluing the carbon fiber tube to the upper and lower fuselage pieces, sand the tube well, scuffing it up with sandpaper so the epoxy sticks well to it. You could use a hardwood strip, but the composite tube is a lot stronger. Epoxy sticks well to most of the sheet foam materials, but on the ones with a thin plastic skin over the foam, I poke a bunch of small holes through the skin to be sure to get Follow us on twitter @rcsportflyer

The elevator is actuated by a cable locked into another plywood control horn. Note the tape above it that is used as a hinge for the rudder.

The ailerons are operated by a single servo mounted into the bottom of the wing with hot glue. The pushrods can be made from either .032 or .047 wire. It does not take much to get this foamy in the air. Thanks to its lightweight design and brushless motor, it only needs a quick toss to get airborne.

RC-SF.COM

The profile of this aircraft displays the servos for the elevator and rudder as well as the strapped-down ESC and motor leads.

and looking a lot better. The Core House sells a very lightweight, thin clear film, SLC. It is easy to iron on using low temperatures, and almost any kind of paint sticks quite well to it. The hinging is done in the usual foamy manner with clear packaging tape. The leading edges of the ailerons, elevator and rudder are cut and sanded to a 45-degree angle, and the tape is applied to the upper surface first, leaving a slight gap between the surfaces. Then, with the control surface folded upward, the tape is applied to the bottom, pushing it into the hinge gap and sealing it well to both surfaces. You end up

with a strong, sealed hinge gap that moves quite freely. To mount the servos, cut holes in the foam to create a tight push fit and secure the servo with a few dabs of hot glue. Hot glue guns are cheap and come in handy. The engine mounting firewall is 1/8-in. plywood, epoxied in place with reinforcing pieces on each side of the fuselage. Most brushless outrunner motors are made to mount on a firewall like this. Pushrods can be made of .032 or

.047 wire with Z-bends on one or both ends. I like the DuBro® Mini E-Z Connectors, used on the servo arm or the plywood control horns. A few short pieces of plastic tubing hot glued to the fuselage will keep the wire pushrods from flexing. The receiver and ESC get mounted to the fuselage with hook-and-loop tape, as does the battery pack. To make it extra secure, the battery pack is also held in place with a hook-and-loop strap that runs

Dick’s AT-6 glides in to land, thanks to its symmetrical airfoil. Though it doesn’t have landing gear, simple wire gear can be made and installed if desired.

RC SPORT FLYER — april 2013

NORTH AMERICAN AT-6/SNJ

RC SPORT FLYER MAGAZINE #2250 NORTH AMERICAN AT-6/SNJ

2013 Alpine Soaring Adventure July 4â&#x20AC;&#x201C;7 FMI: alpinesoaring. com

Why Pay a Dollar for just 4 Screws?

We have the hardware you need at a fraction of retail! Order today at:

www.rtlfasteners.com or call 800-239-6010

708 Battlefield Blvd South #107 Chesapeake, VA 23322 Follow us on twitter @rcsportflyer

RC-SF.COM

NORTH AMERICAN AT-6/SNJ

The symmetrical airfoil design on the wing of this model makes flying it feel and fly like you are controlling a larger-scale warbird. You will enjoy flying this Texan foamy, even if you are a die hard woodbuilt model enthusiast.

Following these plans and suggestions, you can build a warbird with superb scale appearance, flying characteristics and power. It won’t bust your bank account either!

Dick poses with his completed foam profile AT-6. The model has a pretty good size to it, as you can see here with its 39-in. wingspan.

Dick used an airbrush to paint the trim scheme on his colorful AT-6. For the fine details like the trim tabs and panel lines, he used a thin black pen.

or templates to apply panel lines and other details. This will give your model a very decent scale appearance. Hey, this foam airplane stuff is fun! FMI: rsarpolus2@comcast.net.

Specifications

through slots in the fuselage. The battery can be shifted forward or to the rear to adjust the model’s proper CG position too. The motor gets mounted to the airframe with small screws. I recommend you fit your model with a propeller saver because this model doesn’t have a landing gear. A simple wire landing gear could be added if you wanted to fly it from a smooth runway. I like to use BP Hobbies’ 2212-13 motor, BP’s 18-A ESC, an 1800- to 2200-mAh three-cell LiPo 52

RC SPORT FLYER — april 2013

battery pack and a 9 x 5 propeller. The airplane is easily hand launched when the motor is running at full throttle. When you give it an underhand toss, it will climb right out of your hand. I use a low-cost airbrush to spray the paint and water-based acrylic craft paints. They are easy to find and are inexpensive. Thin the paint with windshield washer fluid or rubbing alcohol to make them easy to spray and minimize clogging of the airbrush. I use thin-line marker pens in combination with straightedges

Type

Plans-built, sport scale, e-powered, profile foamy

Skill level

Intermediate

Construction

Sheet foam, hot-wire cut foam wing cores, plywood

Wingspan

39 in.

Wing area

380 in.2

Weight

≈21 oz

Wing loading

9 oz/ft2

Motor

Brushless outrunner 125–150 W

ESC

As needed

Battery

11.1-V 3-cell 1800–2200mAh LiPo

Propellor

GWS 9 x 5

Transmitter

4-channel

Receiver

Micro receiver

Servos

(3) micros

THE PERFORMANCE YOU WANT, AT A PRICE YOU WON’T BELIEVE.

When you consider all of the functions that the 8J offers, along with its price point, you’ll realize that this is the radio you’ve been waiting for. Simply put, there’s not enough room here to list all of the features that the 8J offers. Some of the more popular ones include frequency-hopping security, the ability to transfer model data wirelessly between 8J transmitters, 6 programmable mixes (2 with curves), 5 heli flight conditions, 3-axis gyro support, 5-point pitch/throttle curves and a full-range, internal antenna that can handle any application you can think of. It also has a backlit LCD screen with on-screen terms spelled out. And everything is easily accessed and programmed with a jog dial and three buttons. Precision. Programming ease. Versatility. It’s all here with the 8J, and at a price that makes it one of the most incredible values in radio control.

The included R2008SB 2.4GHz S-FHSS receiver is S.Bus-compatible and features Dual Antenna Diversity. It also comes equipped to handle high voltage applications.

TM TM

futaba-rc.com/110y

BY Steve Rojecki

Hacker Me 309 The Highest-Performance Light Sport Plane is Now Yours

Out of the box, the Hacker Me 309 looks awesome. The construction is top notch, and the finish is a very well-done, flat camouflage scheme. Other than adding decals and a few scale parts, the planeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exterior is finished. The Me 309 comes with pockets built into the trailing edge for hinge-point-style hinges. Make sure to use a little lubricant on the hinge pin area to prevent the epoxy from sticking.

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

Hacker Me 309 Tail servos are mounted directly in the stabilator. This makes for short, stiff linkages for precise control and minimizes the chances of flutter. I glued in two small blocks of hardwood to screw the servo down to.

The large forward fuselage hatch provides easy access to all the components in the fuselage. The hatch removes easily with a pushpin latch at the rear of the hatch.

hile walking the isles of the 2012 Toledo Model Expo, I visited the Hacker/ AeroModel booth. They were debuting an unusual World War II fighter aircraft model, the Me 309. The ME-109 was well known during the war, but the Me 309 was only produced as a prototype. It was designed by Willy Messerschmitt. Four examples were manufactured by the Messerschmitt company for a flight test program that was conducted in 1941. The Me 309 had several unusual features for its day, such as tricycle landing gear for improved ground handling. It also had a pressurized cockpit for more comfortable and effective highaltitude performance. The Me 309 was a definite improvement over the ME-109—it was 40 mph faster and outclimbed its predecessor. However, the performance was

not better than the already-inproduction FW-190. As a result of the disappointing performance, the German High Command decided to put all the production efforts into the FW-190 and canceled the Me 309’s test program with just the four prototypes built. The scale model of the Me 309 was the result of a Hacker motor employee’s desire for an unusual scale World War II model. He spent countless hours researching the airplane and then scratch-building a prototype. After the prototype flew and Rainer Hacker (Hacker Motors’ owner) observed the excellent performance, Mr. Hacker decided to produce an ARF version of the Me 309. As a longtime modeler (over 40 years), I’m always on the watch for new and unusual airplanes to add to my fleet. The Me 309 fit the bill to a

tee. I struck a deal with the importer (Hacker/Aero-Model) to write a review and also show the model off at various fly-ins. I really like the fact it was designed to be electric powered. This makes easy work for the power system install and setup, as it does for the rest of the ARF’s assembly. My model was shipped just a few weeks after Toledo, but as with some projects, its assembly and flight testing were a bit delayed. No matter, it is a superb flyer, and here is what I found in terms of the build and its flight.

What You Get

The model arrived in an extremely sturdy shipping container. The box was made from 1/2-in.-thick corrugated cardboard. So, even with a few scuff marks on the outside of the box, the inners of the box were in

To prevent the nose wheel steering cables from tangling in the nose strut or wheel well area, I slip in a large cable tie in a “U” shape and attach it to the steering cables using heat shrink tubing.

RC-SF.COM

pristine condition. Inside, all the parts were taped or strapped down to prevent their movement during transit. The parts were also individually wrapped in protective plastic. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nice to see a manufacturer go to this level of effort to ensure that your new aircraft is protected against shipping damage. There is nothing worse than having to make a claim with a shipper and then having your model build delayed while you wait for new parts to arrive.

Rudder control is through a pull-pull cable with the rudder servo mounted under the canopy area. The horizontal stabilizer uses a tube spar and is easily removed for transport.

Retracts are a drop-in fit with only air lines to be run to get them going up and down. The included gear door mounts easily to the main gear strut using the provided hardware.

Kit Includes

After removing all the protective plastic covering from the model, I was really impressed with the workmanship of this airplane. All the airframe components are covered and painted to match the full-scale aircraft. Included were the basic fuselage, wings and stabilizers. In addition, many nice scale parts are included. The airplane also comes with a beautifully made set of air retracts and wheels that were a drop-in fit. Also provided were the The Me 309 is a large plane with a fantastic presence at the flying field. It looks like it will fly great, and it does! The Spektrum DX-18 was flawless during all flights, and the intuitive programming made setting up the Me 309 a snap.

High-speed flybys are a real treat. The plane is rock solid at any speed, and it is just a blast to have it zooming by at low altitude.

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

Slow flight with gear down and full flaps is very stable. This really helps to make nice, slow approaches even in choppy air.

Hacker Me 309

The Hacker Me 309 proved to be a fun, stable flyer at any speed. Zooming down the runway at high speed was a real blast.

retract air lines, valves and tanks. Finally, a custom-made lightweight spinner that marries with the fuselage’s design lines was included.

Needed To Complete

• Motor A60-18M • ESC 85 A • Batteries Thunder Power 10S 5000-mAh Pro Lite • Servos 7 JR servos Ailerons JR3421 Flaps JR8411 Elevators JR378 (thin wing) Rudder JR8411 Retracts JR821 • Transmitter Spektrum DX-18 • Receiver Spektrum AR10100 (10-ch) 8-ch min.

Flight Report

The Me 309 is quick to assemble at the airfield. You just need to connect a few servo leads and connect the retract airlines as you slide on the wings. Follow us on twitter @rcsportflyer

Once the wings are on and the gear is dropped, it is very easy to work on the airplane. The large, forward-positioned hatch provides fantastic access to all the internal systems. Normal preflight measures include pumping up the the gears’ air tank, installing the motor batteries and making a good voltage check of the receiver battery. For first flights I spend a lot of time checking all control linkages, screws, nuts and bolts for tightness and security. A full-range radio system check is also a must for first flights—do it. The Spektrum DX-18 transmitter always has great range due to its dual-plane antenna system, and the Me 309 passed its check with flying colors. The “moment of truth” arrived, and I taxied my Me 309 out onto the runway. The Me 309’s tricycle gear really shines during taxi, as there was a crosswind that would have made taxiing a standard-gear WWII airplane a little challenging. The trike gear also made the first takeoff very easy. I left the flaps up for the takeoff, but even so the airplane jumped off the ground in short order. The model’s power level is excellent, and the model’s relatively

light wing loading makes it feel alive as it gets airborne. The Me 309 required a minute amount of right aileron trim and just a few clicks of up trim control at 75% power cruise. Once satisfied with the trim, I pushed the power up for a couple of aerobatic maneuvers. Loops from level flight are as easy as pulling back on the stick and watching the Me 309 fly through a very large loop, with plenty of airspeed remaining across the top. Rolls are a breeze as well. The airplane has a tiny amount of adverse yaw with full-scale aileron deflection, which I addressed on subsequent flights by dialing in aileron differential—more up aileron travel than down. I also added a small amount of aileron to rudder mix (10%). These control changes really smoothed out the adverse yaw, and the Me 309 now rolls around its axis smoothly. As the Me 309 has a fairly long tail moment, it is fairly stiff in yaw, but it’s still capable of performing stall turns, point rolls and spins. The recommended center of gravity (CG) is conveniently located at a fuselage cross member and proved to be spot on as far as pitch stability and sensitivity. The excellent RC-SF.COM

Landings can really be slowed down with a touchdown in a nosehigh attitude. The Me 309 showed no tendency to tip stall or get unsettled at very slow speeds.

pitch control helped make the first landing, with half flaps on, a very smooth affair. The Me 309 has a very nice feel when you slow it down with and without flap. Overall, the first flight was a nonevent, and subsequent flights explored even more of its performance envelope with no piloting or handling issues noted. One of my favorite things to do is touch-and-go flight. I could spend a whole flight just doing them. Normally a scale airplane is not going to be a lot of fun to do endless touch and goes. The Me 309, however, surprised me in this regard. 58

RC SPORT FLYER — april 2013

The tricycle landing gear on this WW2 warbird really makes for great ground handling. Crosswind takeoffs, landings and taxiing are a simple task with the well-made landing gear.

The combination of tricycle landing gear, excellent pitch control, good flap-down, slow-speed characteristic and excellent power-to-weight ratio makes it a real pleasure to do “Crash and Dashes” for the entire flight!

Post Flight Debrief

The Me 309 turned out to be a very pleasant-flying airplane, unlike other unusual scale airplanes. It flies really well! Many times scale ships can be a handful, but the Hacker Me 309 is not one of them. Hacker did their homework to design an airplane that is very close to scale in planform, but that still has all the

things necessary to be a good flyer. Being lightweight and built straight are two major contributors to the model’s exceptional flying qualities. Adding in an excellent power system and reliable remote control system is the icing on this cake. If you’re in the market for a large, electric-powered scale airplane that is very unique, I can recommend the Me 309 highly! It goes together easily using the picture-packed DVD, has great power when fitted with the recommended Hacker motor and gives you total control with the Spektrum radio system. What can be better than that?

Hacker Me 309

Assembly The level of prefabrication of the Hacker Me 309 is top notch! However, this is the steering cables out of the way of the nose wheel as it goes up and down. I not a beginner’s airplane build. If you have worked with complex airplanes before changed this and used a large plastic tie wrap and some heat shrink tubing to hold that have flaps, retracts and an electric power system than you should not have it in place. If you look at the nose gear’s wheel-well photo, it will be perfectly clear any difficulties building this one. what to do. I have used this method on several retract installs, and it has worked To begin, the model comes with a DVD photo instruction manual that also perfectly every time. I can’t take credit for this trick, as I read about it on one of available online as a PDF file. Using the step-by-step photos as an assembly guide the RC forums a few years back. The last equipment install is the retract valves you’ll complete each major subassembly one by one. and hooking up the retract servo. Again, I followed the photo instruction manual I spent about 40 hours building my Me 309. I did so over the course of three because it shows a workable install that has been trouble free. The final items to weeks. The photo-illustrated instructions are very complete, so I’ll not go through install are the scale pieces and the pilot that come in the kit. a step-by-step of how to assemble the model. Instead I’ll just hit the highlights The center of gravity (CG) and test runs proved to be interesting. The CG tends and a few changes I made to the build. to come out nose heavy, so I needed to mount the airborne battery as far back The first thing I tackled was the wing assembly. The ailerons and flaps need to in the fuselage as practical—under the cockpit area. I still added an ounce be attached using the provided Robart-style pin hinges. Make sure to use a little and a half of lead in the tail to get the CG where the instructions recommend petroleum jelly on the hinge point area to keep glue from wicking into the point. as a starting point. The next difficult item was the nicely made spinner. It The control horns are glued in next. As the natural color of the G 10 horns doesn’t unfortunately was poorly balanced and vibrated badly when I did my test runs. I match the paint on the bottom of the wing, I made a trip to the local paint store tried to balance it statically on a prop balancer and did reduce the vibration, but to see if I could find a matching sky blue. As luck would have it, I found a small the spinner still shook too much. I called Hacker-Aero Model, and they quickly sample bottle of Glidden paint that matched nearly perfectly. With a small brush sent out a new one. However this one also had the same problem. The next step I painted each control horn sky blue. I left the section of the horn to be glued into Hacker recommended was to add a rear bearing support to the motor. So I added the surfaces unpainted and sanded that area lightly to help with glue adhesion. the support and tested again. The rear bearing support helped, but at high power The flap and aileron servos mount to the servo covers using small hardwood there was still an unacceptable level of vibration.To finish the airplane and get it blocks. Once the servos are mounted it’s a simple matter to hook up the linkages in the air I called the great people at TruTurn spinners. Within a day, they shipped using the supplied hardware. The instructions show using a thread locker on me a 6-in. black anodized, aluminum spinner with a lightened back plate. all the screws. This is really important on the control linkages. The supplied I’ve always had great success with TruTurn spinners, and this new one was no linkage uses a clamping pushrod adjustment, and you definitely do not want the exception. The spinner bolted up precisely, and the Hacker motor spun up smooth clamping nuts to loosen. The next step on the wings is the retract installation. as silk. So, a big thanks is in order to TruTurn for the fast response and an excellent The manual shows this installation very clearly, and I followed it except for product! Hacker-AeroModel also did their homework and had the molded flooding the retract mount area with thin CA. If you fly off rough fields, I would spinners redone. The recommend mixing up 30-minute epoxy and chopped fibers. Use this slurry mix second run of kits have Distributors to tie all the retract mounting assembly together. I have done this on many ARFs, the updated spinners, Me 309/Hacker Motor and ESC as the landing gear area is one of the common weak links on ARFs. and the vibration Hacker/Aero-Model 2122 W 5th Place The horizontal stabilizers come next. I changed up from the instruction and problem should be Tempe, AZ 85281 glued small hardwood blocks into the stabilizers versus the hatch cover. The rectified. Phone: 480-726-7519 elevator servo covers are made from a thinner material and didn’t seem strong hackerbrushless.com enough for my liking. Spektrum Radios/JR Servos Moving on to the fuselage, all of the fuselage’s Specifications Horizon Hobby mounted servos have trays that are installed. It’s a 4105 Fieldstone Road Wingspan 80 in. simple matter to drop the servos in and drill the servo Champaign, IL 61822 Wing area 1200 in.2 Phone: 217-352-1913 screw pilot holes. The only tricky servo is the rudder, Horizonhobby.com 78 in. and it is helpful to have a long (8–12) drill bit to reach Length Thunder Power down into the fuselage. The retract servo tray needs Weight 17 lb 4720 W University Avenue to be glued in, and I placed it as per the instructions. It Motor Hacker A60-14M Las Vegas, NV 89103 can be moved if necessary for how you will configure ESC Hacker 85 A Phone: 702-228-8883 your Me 309. thunderpowerrc.com Batteries Thunder Power 10S 5000The motor install is quick because the predrilled mAh Pro Lite APC propellers holes in the firewall lined up perfectly with the Hacker Landing Products Propeller APCe 18 x 12 motor. I mounted the ESC using the unit’s mounting 1222 Harter Controls Aileron, elevator, rudder, Woodland, CA 95776 lugs. I would recommend trimming the mounting flaps, nose wheel steering, Phone: 530-661-0399 screws off after they are installed, as they protrude throttle, gear apcprop.com into the nose wheel well area and could possibly snag Radio Spektrum DX-18 Tru Turn® the air lines or nose gear steering cable. The retract ROMCO Manufacturing, Inc. Receiver Spektrum AR-10100 for the nose wheel is the final gear to install. Again, 100 W 1st Street Servos JR 3421, 378, 8411, JR 821 the photo manual shows the proper method, and my Deer Park, TX 77536 only deviation was with the nose wheel steering. The Rx battery JR 3000 mAh NiMH Phone: 281-479-9600 tru-turn.com manual shows using a series of rubber bands to keep Retracts Hacker Models Follow us on twitter @rcsportflyer

RC-SF.COM

BY Wil Byers

UMX™ ASK-21 BNF

From tip to tail the E-flite® UMX ASK-21 looks like the full-scale glider. The bubbled canopy and nose flow the fuselage into the scale tail boom just as they should, providing convincing realism when airborne.

A UMX Scale Glider With Big-Scale Flight Feel

esigned by Rudolf Kaiser to replace the ASK 13, the Schleicher ASK 21 was designed to provide a modern tandem two-seat glider that would fit the needs of pilots who were between initial training and singleseat performance sailplanes. Though it is used mostly for training, the ASK 21 is also capable of crosscountry soaring as well as aerobatic instruction. Consequently, it has found a huge following in the soaring community.

The fantastic ultra-micro ASK-21 model glider matches the looks and training capabilities of its full-scale cousin. With little assembly required, it is a very attractive model for scale enthusiasts. When you consider that it comes with a release mechanism for aerotowing it behind the E-flite UMX Carbon Cub, you’ll find that this glider is a nearly perfect pick for pilots who want a change of pace from their large-scale gliders. Moreover, the UMX ASK-21 is slope soarable in light winds, and it will

thermal in the smallest bumble rising from your airfield.

The Kit

The E-Flite® UMX™ ASK-21 Bind-N-Fly (BNF) comes in a sturdy, corrugated cardboard box that is reinforced with a foam insert. The box is designed to double as a carrying case. It comes with all the parts and pieces you’ll need to get your glider flying. Our review model arrived without any damage because of this great carrying case/box. The fuselage comes preassembled, built with a durable and lightweight foam bottom and hard plastic top. Carbon pushrods and ultra-micro, linear long-throw control servos keep this glider as lightweight as possible. Note too that this is a fullhouse glider with ailerons, elevator and rudder controls. There is no pilot included, however. The E-flite UMX ASK-21 comes with the hardware needed to install the wing, a 1S 3.7-V 150-mAh Lithium Polymer (LiPo) battery, a single-cell

Good looks are just one part of the E-flite®UMX ASK-21 BNF package that makes it a terrific buy. It also soars incredibly well.

RC SPORT FLYER — april 2013

E-Flite® UMX™ ASK-21 BNF

Featuring a 33.9-in. wingspan and only weighing 2.56 oz, the UMX E-flite ASK-21 is small, but it will feel like a much larger aircraft once in the air.

LiPo charger, AA batteries for the charger and the accessories needed for aerotow and high-start launches.

What You Get

• Airframe Fuselage, wings, canopy • Servos (2) Spektrum 2.3 g performance linear long throw • Receiver DSM2/DSMX AS3X receiver • Battery E-Flite 1S 3.7-V 150-mAh 25C LiPo • Accessories High-start hook/stake/cord, tow plate/line

Needed To Complete • Transmitter Spektrum DX18 2.4 GHz

The UMX ASK-21 arrives in an attractive box that has all you need to know about owning it printed on the front. The ASK-21 fits neatly inside its box.

In Flight

When I tell you that the E-flite UMX ASK-21 has large-scale glider feel, I’m not kidding. Those who know me are aware that I fly large-scale gliders and have a passion for them. Well, this little glider—with its AS3X control—has a much larger control feel than its 33.9-in. wingspan and 2.56-oz weight indicate. Now listen, this is not to say that you’re going to be able to fly this model in 20-mph winds or tow it behind your 1/4-scale Super Cub. It will, however, give you literally hours of soaring enjoyment when you fly it at a slope site in light winds of 5–10 mph. I’d add that this glider will open up slope soaring sites that you had never dreamed of flying before. So, if you have a 20-ft high bluff near your home, you now have the perfect fit for getting in some

In the kit, you get the assembled fuselage and wing plus a 3.7-V LiPo battery, 1S DC LiPo charger, four AA batteries and aerotowing and high-start equipment.

The smooth and streamlined design of the Schleicher ASK-21 glider is reflected in this scale ultra-micro glider. The scale canopy even includes cutouts for the air vents in its side.

The receiver board and rudder and elevator servos can be seen nestled inside the fuselage. The aileron servo sits atop the center of the wing. Below the receiver board is the servo that actuates the aerotow release. RC-SF.COM

Part of the aerotow kit that comes with the UMX ASK-21, the tow plate is easily installed into the bottom of the ASK-21’s nose. The release pin holds it in place until the glider is ready to detach.

Banking out towards Benton City, the UMX ASK-21 glides effortlessly from one thermal to the other, keeping up appearances as well as performance.

RC SPORT FLYER — april 2013

A small plastic control horn connects to the linkage pushrod to operate the rudder. The bend in the pushrod’s wire can be adjusted using a pair of needlenose pliers for trimming.

slope soaring fun. Alternatively, if you spend a few dollars more you can buy the E-flite UMX Carbon Cub, which comes with a tow-release mechanism. If you do, you and your buddies can have fun aerotowing from any small park or even from the cul-de-sac in your neighborhood. I’ll guarantee you that you’ll get in some super flights,

E-Flite® UMX™ ASK-21 BNF

Once aloft, the UMX ASK-21 is stabilized and its inputs smoothed by the onboard AS3X system. Other gyro-less ultra micros would be more difficult to fly in similar conditions.

Kiona Butte’s summit, looking over Benton City, is an excellent place to slope soar and test fly new gliders. The UMX ASK-21 performed beautifully, even in the cold, wintry, mid-February air.

and even in very little thermal activity you will get some soaring practice too. For this review, I took my ASK-21 to Kiona Butte in Eastern Washington. Kiona rises 1286 ft above the valley floor. On the day of the test flights and photo session the wind was blowing between 5–8 mph, which was plenty While finding thermals was a challenge in the winter to let me slope soar the weather it was flown in, the ASK-21 ultra-micro glider had little trouble soaring away from the hillsides and ASK-21 for about 20 climbing to altitude. minutes. Consequently, I was able to really test this glider’s flight performance and handling. I was also able able to chase some small bubbles of lift that drifted up the slope’s face. I can report that this little glider definitely indicates lift well—even the smallest bubble. It is a not a highspeed penetrator though. So if it gets into lift that is moving, it will travel with the lift as it moves downwind. What you will like, however, is that if you work that lift this little glider is going to go up. In the slope lift that I was able to work, I found that the ASK-21 was very responsive with ailerons and elevator. You won’t

While the UMX ASK-21 would easily climb when flown in slope lift, it also penetrates quite well when you lower the nose. It is amazingly fun to fly for its size, which is undoubtedly because of its AS3X control system.

The scale detail built into the E-flite UMX ASK-21 glider can fool one’s eyes into thinking it is a full-scale glider soaring high above the valley below in search of the next thermal to carry it aloft. Follow us on twitter @rcsportflyer

RC-SF.COM

E-Flite® UMX™ ASK-21 BNF The UMX ASK-21 is a glider that can keep any slope-soaring enthusiast out on the hillside for as long as they want. This really is a glider I recommend you add to your hangar of scale gliders.

lack for control with them. Rudder control will yaw the model, but I did not find the yawing to be anything like I would get from a 1/4-scale or larger glider. That said, you can definitely use rudder to coordinate the turns with the ailerons— remember, lead the turn with rudder before ailerons. Landings are simple. You fly the model onto the runway.

Log Book Entry

“Fun! Affordable. Soarable. Did a few loops. 20 minutes of airtime at Kiona Butte. You need to work on rudder coordination with this ASK21.” Wil.

Specifications Wingspan

33.9 in. (860 mm)

Wing area

80.4 in.2 (520 cm2)

Length

17 in. (432 mm)

Weight

2.56 oz (72.5 g)

Servos

(1) Spektrum 2.3 g performance linear long throw; (1) Spektrum 2.3 g Linear long throw

Receiver

DSM2/DSMX AS3X receiver

Battery

E-Flite 1S 3.7-V 150-mAh 25C LiPo

Price

$119.99

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

Although the AS3X system tamed its handling in the winds atop Kiona Butte, the glider maneuvered well when I needed it to circle in lift or chase thermals downwind of along the slope’s face.

During my flight testing of the ASK-21, the cold weather nearly caused the UMX ASK-21 to sink out a few times. I was able to get it to ride weak thermals downwind and regain altitude.

The Build There is little assembly needed to complete the UMX ASK-21. The electronics and fuselage come from the factory assembled, so all that is left for you to do is install the wing. You must follow the instructions on the included correction leaflets because the manual’s instructions are incorrect. Then you’ll just remove the cockpit and mount the wing in the space behind the receiver and servos’ board. The screws are provided in the kit. When you 64

RC SPORT FLYER — april 2013

replace the canopy your ASK-21 is assembled—it’s that easy. The center of gravity is located 18 mm back from the leading edge of the wing at its root. Once you’ve positioned it properly, all that is left to ready it for flight is to charge the battery and bind the transmitter to the ASK-21‘s DSM2/DSMX AS3X receiver. Now you’re ready to soar.

Hot New Gliders From Competitive Pricing • Superb Service & Support

Online & Phone Ordering • World-Wide Shipping

NAN Xplorer 4.0

FOSA F3B

Valenta 1/3 Fox

Orion F5J/ALES/LMR Stobel V3 DHLG

AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR:

(626) 967-6660 Monday - Friday 9am - 4pm, PST E-Mail: info@soaringusa.com

BY RC-SF Staff

PowerBox Systems iGyro SRS

Say Hello to Stable Flight With a State-of-the-Art Gyro

hen flying any aircraft, wind and aerodynamic influences can cause it to stray from straight and level flight without any input from you, the pilot. Weather is an unpredictable thing, and even on clear days there can be small breezes that knock your aircraft around in flight. However, you can now combat these adverse effects with the installation of the iGyro system, which is sold by PowerBox Systems®. Also, the power of iGyro is delivered for 3D flying and for sport flying. Simply put, it will help you fly your airplane more smoothly than ever before.

Features

With components housed in a strong, aluminum case, the PowerBox Systems iGyro SRS uses a special regulatory algorithm that was written specifically for controlling fixedwing aircraft. It utilizes a GPS sensor

Our iGyro unit arrived from Germany safe and sound, thanks to the sturdy cardboard box and careful packaging that protected it.

and an accurate triple-axis microelectromechanical system (MEMS) sensor to provide excellent stability. The iGyro has a simple, easy-tounderstand user interface that lets you program it for all your airplane’s controls. iGyro use the new servo bus technology, and it features seven ports to simplify the wiring and hook-up of the gyro for Futaba S-Bus, Jeti, M-Link, HoTT and Spektrum DSMX/DSM2 systems. The unit utilizes a state-of-theart 16-bit micro-processor that ensures proper control responses are processed and then distributed at super-fast bus speeds. A 128 x 64-pixel OLED (organic light-emitting diode) screen presents crisp and clear readouts to make adjustments easy to see. The gyro settings are Inside the box are the iGyro unit and its USB interface cable, SensorSwitch, GPS sensor, uni patch-leads and self-adhesive pads.

RC SPORT FLYER — april 2013

PowerBox Systems® iGyro SRS

The SensorSwitch is the control module used to program settings and navigate the iGyro’s menus. You will use it to set up and adjust your iGyro.

changed with a SensorSwitch. The SensorSwitch features three navigation buttons. The SET button is used to select menus and confirm value entries, while the I and II buttons navigate menus and alter values accordingly. The GPS Sensor uses the aircraft’s airspeed data to provide the gyro with gain adjustments twice a second for nearly constant gain acclimation.

For those familiar with many other gyros, the gains are typically fixed at lower rates and have better use at slower speeds than higher speeds. With the GPS sensor regulating the gyro gain, the unit always has the desired effect over your airplane’s control surfaces no matter how fast or slow the aircraft is traveling. Another exceptional feature of iGyro is the unique ability to

place the system anywhere in the aircraft. Yet, you only program it as to what its orientation is relative to its position in the aircraft. Other GPS units require you to program in X, Y and Z coordinates from the aircraft’s center of gravity (CG), but not the iGyro. You simply enter the direction of the OLED screen and sensor switch relative to the aircraft’s orientation. You do it by selecting UP/ DOWN, LEFT/RIGHT or FRONT/ BACK. For instance, if the screen is installed facing up and the sensor facing the wings, the GPS orientation would be programmed as “Screen: UP” and “Switch: LEFT/RIGHT.” For use in delta wings, the gyro supports delta mixing for elevon controls. Simply enable Delta-Wing at the General Settings menu. The gyro will analyze the aileron and elevator inputs from the transmitter and the deviation values from the sensors to generate an output for both control surfaces. The mixing values for the elevons under the delta-wing configuration are under ELEVATOR-A and AILERON-A. For models featuring canards or vector controls, the ELEVATOR-B output can be set up independently. Aerobatic pilots pay attention, because the iGyro makes use of three flight modes to allow the pilot better control during certain flight maneuvers. Flight Mode 1 completely disables the gyro, with the exception of the Delta mixer if the aircraft has a delta wing, while Flight Modes 2 and 3 are customizable to either enable or disable Heading values for normal and aerobatic flight. The flight mode can be toggled in flight when programmed for a three-position switch.

The right side features three black input sockets for the GPS unit and the receiver, and three white Spektrum® satellite sockets.

The left side houses the servo ports. The two far right ports are for the aileron servos, the next two for the elevator servos and the last for the rudder.

RC-SF.COM

The backside of the iGyro indicates which ports are for what in case you don’t have your manual handy. Additional markings indicate the negative, positive and data pins for both sides.

A USB interface adaptor is used to link the gyro system to a computer to update the software and back up or restore settings. A PowerBox Terminal PC program, however, is needed to use the PC options with the gyro. I am all-around impressed with this little machine and what it has to offer over other fixed-wing gyros. I believe it to be a fantastic addition to any model airplane in terms of aiding the pilot, whether for 3D flying or just for sport.

What You Get • • • • • • • •

Gyro GPS Sensor SensorSwitch USB Interface cable Uni patch-leads Self-adhesive pads, small (1) Self-adhesive pad, large Instruction book

Programming

Programming is easy using the provided SensorSwitch. The SensorSwitch connects to a port on the top side of the unit above the screen. Once the gyro is powered on, the SensorSwitch’s three buttons are used to navigate and set values for the axes, gyro zeroing, wing type, orientation, radio system and channel mapping. Before you select values, test fly your model without the gyro and trim it to level flight. Disable all mixes as well. When you first turn on your iGyro, you’ll need to program the radio control settings. This is dependent on what frequency your radio is transmitting on. As an example, for Spektrum systems you are using either DSM2 or DSMX. When programming the gyro, select which signal type is being used by the transmitter. Say, for instance, that your receiver satellites are DSMX but the transmitter is DSM2. You will program DSM2. You will also need an additional Spektrum receiver if you are not using an SRS PowerBox with your gyro. 68

RC SPORT FLYER — april 2013

Then you’ll need to set the gyro’s orientation. The submenu for this can be found under the General Settings menu. As mentioned before, the orientation of the gyro and switch are described as being “LEFT/RIGHT” when facing the wing, “UP/DOWN” when facing upwards or “BACK/ FRONT” when facing towards the nose of the aircraft. There is also the option to set enable or disable delta-wing support. It’s a lot easier than measuring out the X, Y and Z coordinates. Next you’ll need to assign channels. Use the I and II buttons to navigate to the Input Mapping menu. This menu will allow you to assign the normal and heading gains for the ailerons, elevators and rudder to a stick, dial or switch on your transmitter. This will function as the gain adjustment control as you finetune your gyro during the flight tests. To set a channel, navigate to the control in the menu that you want to assign and press the SET button. Then move the channel on the transmitter that you want to program it to. It will automatically set it for you. However, if you are using separate channels for either aileron the automatic detection feature will not work. Use the I and II buttons instead. Assigning two channels to one surface instead of two will benefit your model setup by only requiring one test flight per flight mode instead of two.

You’ll want to use the flight modes as well to set up your test flights for fine-tuning and calibrating the gyro. It is recommended that the first be set to 0% gain, the second to 100% and the third to -100%. These flight modes will allow you to adjust the gyro accordingly while in flight, or in case of a bad program and a flight error, you can disable the gyro completely and return to regular flight. It is also incredibly important to ensure that your aircraft’s direction of effect is set to properly stabilize. If set incorrectly, the gyro will “counter” any wind or unwanted external influence by deflecting the controls in the wrong direction. This will amplify the unwanted effect until the control surfaces are at their maximum deflection, but in the wrong direction in a matter of seconds. You can test the settings on the ground to make sure they are correct by setting the Heading gain to 100% and rotating your model along its longitudinal axis. You should notice the ailerons move to correct the roll. If they are reversed, set the direction from Normal to Reverse in the Gyro Settings menu. With all of your model’s controls mapped and settings made, go to the Gyro Settings menu and check that the gain settings and flight mode controls function correctly. Simply operate your assigned controls and look at the screen to see if the values

PowerBox Systems® iGyro SRS

Installation When setting up an iGyro system, some receivers require certain modes. On MPX receivers, they must be set to “digital output.” S-Bus receivers need to be set to “normal mode.” Jeti setups require two R-Sat2 satellites to be installed to the satellite ports on the right side of the gyro, above the GPS and Bus ports. There is the option to install a PowerBox power supply system between the servos and the gyro if you choose too.

General installation is very simple. Plug in the control surface servos to their corresponding ports on the gyro and the GPS unit into its. Then plug in the receiver to the Bus 1 port, or if you have two receivers plug both into the bus ports using the provided patch wires. To mount the receiver to the aircraft, just take the double-sided tape and place it where you want. You’ll attach the iGyro to the tape, noting the unit’s orientation for programming later.

At only 0.5 in. wide and 2 in. tall, the PowerBox Systems iGyro is small and versatile enough to be used in nearly any model aircraft you wish.

you’re then adjusting the switches for the elevator gain instead of for the ailerons. When setting the gains for the rudder, keep the Heading gain at 0% for Flight Mode 2 and adjust the Heading gain only for Flight Mode 3. When set, enter back into Flight Mode 1 and land. I would recommend keeping the instruction manual available during the test flights and following it exactly. Once completely programmed, your gyro is set, and you’re ready to enjoy some very comfortable, relaxed precision flying.

change correctly for the aircraft’s movements. If you are using the GPS sensor, make sure it reads “Logged In” on the gyro screen before flying. Once set, begin your test flying and calibrate the gyro. Per the manual, your first flight test should be in Flight Mode 1 with all of the gains set to 0% and should be done to adjust the aileron gains. When you have control over your aircraft, set it up for a straight pass down the runway at one-quarter throttle and switch into the Normal flight mode. Slowly advance the aileron’s Normal gain switch/knob until the model begins to oscillate slightly. When that occurs, just reduce the gain a bit, and the unit is set for Normal mode. If you’re using the GPS unit, make a few more passes down the runway at different speeds to make sure that Follow us on twitter @rcsportflyer

the damping effect at higher speeds is satisfactory. If not, land the aircraft and set the Airspeed Factor to three for both ailerons A and B. Next you’ll set the Heading mode values. Make another level pass down the runway and advance the Heading gain knob/switch until the model again begins to oscillate a little. Back off the gain a bit and fly it around for another pass to make sure it’s set to your liking. To set the values for the Heading mode, briefly switch into and out of Flight Mode 3. When you’re all set, land the aircraft and prepare to set the elevator gains in the next test flight. Setting the elevator gains and subsequently the rudder gains in the following flight test is done through the same procedure as setting up the ailerons. The only difference is that

Specifications Width

0.5 in. (14 mm)

Length

2 in. (52 mm)

Height

1.3 in. (35 mm)

Weight

1.8 oz (50 g)

Channels

Servo outputs

Screen

Graphic OLED, 128x64 pixels

Operating voltage

4–9 V

Supported systems

DSM2/DSMX; Futaba; HoTT; M-Link; Jeti

Price

Distributor PowerBox Systems GmbH Ludwig-Auer-Straße 5 D-86609 Donauwörth Germany powerbox-systems.com

RC-SF.COM

BY RC-SF Staff

UMX Spitfire Mk IX BNF Engage the Enemy With This World War II Fighter

This fantastic ultra-micro warbird fighter is scaled after the planes the brave RAF pilots used over the Cliffs of Dover during the Battle of Britain.

The removable landing gear adds more realism to the scale appearances in flight for this stunning Spitfire. Note the panel lines, authentic markings and twin radiators that give it that fullscale look. This ultra-micro Spitfire hardly sacrifices any details from the full-scale aircraft. It still carries the twin Hispano cannons and even a fourblade propeller, which add to the realism.

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

erhaps one of the most iconic fighter aircraft of all time, the Supermarine Spitfire served with many of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s air forces but found fame with the Royal Air Force (RAF). First produced in 1938, the Spitfire helped fight back the Nazi German Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain and throughout World War II. Though the Hawker Hurricane shouldered much more of the battle, the public viewed the faster, ellipticalwinged Spitfire as the RAF fighter. In 1942 the Spitfire had a superior enemy to fight, as the Focke-Wulf FW-190 had air supremacy. The British needed to respond quickly to

ParkZone® UMX Spitfire Mk IX BNF BNF

ParkZone® designed a very attractive and informative box that gives you a perfect carrying case to transport your UMX Spitfire Mk IX from home to airfield/indoor site safely.

Inside the sturdy box, you will find a completely assembled Spitfire, a single-cell DC LiPo battery charger, a 3.7-V 150mAh LiPo battery and four AA batteries that you’ll use in the charger—it’s all there.

The four-blade propeller looks even better up close. This image also shows off the accurate Hispano Mk II cannons and the Merlin engine exhaust stacks. Check out the scale accuracy of this model.

the threat and modified existing Mk VC Spitfires to Mk IVs by upgrading their early Rolls-Royce V12 Merlin 45 engines with the improved Merlin 61s. The Mk IX had an outstanding climb and high-altitude performance that gave it the necessary edge to compete with the brawny FW-190. Although you likely won’t be encountering any Butcher Birds over your backyard, this ultra-micro fighter legend is just as attractive as its full-scale inspiration. It is just as agile and powerful too, with its fourblade propeller pulling it through the air. Follow us on twitter @rcsportflyer

The Kit

The ParkZone® UMX Spitfire Mk IX Bind-N-Fly (BNF) sets itself apart from the other ultra-micro warbirds as the first to feature the incredible AS3X stabilizing system. Built into its DSM2/DSMX six-channel receiver/ESC board, the AS3X gyro counters most light winds and other environmental effects that might otherwise make this little airplane difficult to control. However, builtin AS3X means ultra-smooth flight performance indoors and out. The aircraft comes shipped in a cardboard box that doubles well as

a carrying case, so you can transport the aircraft and its accessories to and from the airfield/indoor venue without worrying about damaging your model. Inside the case is a foam insert that protects the model and all the included items from shifting during transit. Note that your Spitfire will come assembled and ready for flight. A 1S 3.7-V 150-mAh LithiumPolymer (LiPo) battery, 1S charger and four AA batteries to power the charger are included as well. All you need is a Spektrum® 2.4-GHz DSM2/ DSMX transmitter to control your UMX Spitfire, and it will be ready to go airborne.

What You Get

• Airframe Fuselage, wings, empennage, removable landing gear (prebuilt) • Motor ParkZone® Ultra Micro coreless • Propeller E-Flite®100x100-mm four-blade RC-SF.COM

• Batteries E-Flite® 1S 3.7-V 150-mAh 25C LiPo; (4) AA • Receiver ParkZone® DSM2/ DSMX 6-channel UM AS3X Rx/ESC • Charger E-Flite® 1S 3.7-V 0.3A DC LiPo • Servo Spektrum® 2.3 g Performance linear long throw

The rudder and elevator are controlled by wire pushrods and plastic control horns on each surface. The control trims are easily adjusted with a pair of needle-nose pliers.

Right out of the box the controls were centered exactly as they should be, making the model ready to fly. Strips of tape reinforce the delicate hinges on the rudder.

Needed To Complete

• Transmitter Spektrum® DSM2/DSMX

In Flight

Equipped with AS3X, the little ParkZone UMX Spitfire is quite easy to fly. You will be pleasantly surprised by how “big” if feels in the air. Honestly, it does not feel like a UMX model! We flew our test model from a mountaintop in a wind that was blowing at approximately 5- to 8-mph. While we had been advised to fly it in dead calm conditions, the UMX Spitfire handled the conditions

The landing gear can be removed quickly and easily for a better scale appearance in flight, although the gear doors and hubs make the gear a very attractive option for runway takeoffs. The sleek and iconic profile of the Spitfire Mk IX is accurately represented on the ParkZone micro model. Even the rudder ribbing is detailed into the model’s surfaces, as you can see in this view.

A plastic cowl half protects the LiPo battery and makes its inconspicuous. It is housed in the nose of the aircraft just behind the propeller hub. The hatch latches down tight with three magnets.

RC SPORT FLYER — april 2013

ParkZone® UMX Spitfire Mk IX BNF BNF

Rolling the aircraft steeply to the right, we are treated to a bottom side pass on the enemy. The incredible detail of the panel lines under the wing alone makes this UMX model gorgeous!

without problem. Truly, this little model flew as if it were indoors, so we were able to maneuver it in front of the camera easily. You’ll find that your UMX Spitfire has plenty of power for full-throttle climbs to altitude just like its fullscale version. It will roll, albeit at a somewhat slow rate—you’ll want to

This Spitfire carries the trim colors of the Royal Air Force No. 315 Squadron, piloted by exiled Polish pilots. This particular Spitfire, PKZ, crashed in a steep dive during a shooting exercise.

add down elevator as it transitions to inverted, but just a little bit will do just fine. The same applies to inverted flight, which we found to be interesting in that the model flies at a nose-high attitude. Loops were not a problem; just pull back on the elevator from level flight and add throttle to climb up the front side

and pull it back on the back side. What we enjoyed about flying this model is its excellent response to control inputs. It is amazing how this model feels so much larger than its size. It carves the turns with authority and really does give an excellent feel for control. Even in the little bit of wind, which was

This aircraft is an excellent choice for park flyers and scale pilots. You’ll want to add it to your hangar. The scale details and desirable handling characteristics for a micro make this a very attractive buy.

RC-SF.COM

The DSMX control system gives this model good range, and coupled with the AS3X gyro system this aircraft flew very well, even for being an ultra-micro warbird flown in a bit of wind.

mixed with a few bumps in the air, this model gave us a reassuring confidence that we were in control of the model at all times. Also, landing this little UMX was as easy as pulling the throttle all the way back and then letting it glide in. You’ll definitely need to manage its angle of attack when you pull back the throttle because the big four-blade propeller makes a ton of drag, so the airplane will slow down in a hurry once you’ve cut the power.

ParkZone UMX Spitfire is a wonderful little airplane to fly. You’ll like the price, the performance, the ease of transport and the fact that you can fly this little fighter almost anywhere. Heck, if you have a pretty good-sized backyard, you’re going to have a ton of fun flying this WWII icon. From its four-blade propeller to its elliptical wing and the fantastic color scheme, this little fighter is a

Conclusion

Whether you are a top-notch pattern pilot or a beginner, the

Back on the ground, the micro continues to impress. It looks great, arrives a battery charge away from being ready to go and flies well. What more could you ask for from an ultra-micro warbird?

RC SPORT FLYER — april 2013

The powerful coreless motor turning the four-bladed propeller gives this micro Spitfire Mk IX plenty of power and agility. Here it is banking away from us in another quick pass.

model you’ll want to taxi into your hangar. So, put your landing gear down and fly on into your favorite hobby shop to score a kill on this little bird. Then start having some fun flying it. It will take you just minutes to have it powered up.

ParkZone® UMX Spitfire Mk IX BNF BNF

Assembly The UMX Spitfire IX BNF comes completely assembled. You just take it out of the box, and it is ready to fly! The only assembly, or rather disassembly, you’ll need to consider is if you want your Spitfire to have landing gear for scale takeoffs, or if you’ll want to remove it for hand launch and scale in-flight

appearances. After that, just charge its LiPo battery—with the charger that comes with the RTF model—for roughly 15 minutes, plug the battery into the Spitfire and bind the receiver to your transmitter, and the UMX Spitfire will be ready to fly.

The ultra-micro Spitfire Mk IX is a very fun aircraft to fly. It does remarkably well in the low wind conditions we tested it in. Here it is flying right along, acclimated to the 5- to 8-mph winds.

Specifications Wingspan

15.9 in. (403 mm)

Length

13.5 in. (343 mm)

Weight

2.65 oz (46.8 g)

Motor

ParkZone® Ultra Micro coreless

Propeller

E-Flite®100x100 mm 4-Blade

Batteries

E-Flite® 1S 3.7-V 150-mAh 25C LiPo; (4) AA

Receiver

ParkZone® DSM2/DSMX 6-channel UM AS3X Rx/ESC

Charger

E-Flite® 1S 3.7-V 0.3-A DC LiPo

Servo

Spektrum® 2.3 g Performance linear long throw

Price

$??.??

Distributor Horizon Hobby 4105 Fieldstone Road Champaign, IL 61822 (217) 352-1913 horizonhobby.com RC-SF.COM

BY Anthony Richards

Hobby People Mini Skyfun RTF A Seriously Fun-to-Fly Electric-Powered Wing

If there is one thing this aircraft wants, it is altitude. It can climb and keep on climbing like there is no tomorrow.

lying wing aircraft are unique in the full-scale world. Most notable in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s military fleet is the B2 Stealth Bomber. The Northrop YB-49 made history, however, and its demise saddened many aviation enthusiasts. Other flying wings include the Waterman Aeromobile and of The canopy is attached to a hinge at its front that lets course the array of it rotate upward and open to reveal the electronics hang gliders that made beneath. aviation affordable to the masses starting in the early 1970s. You will waste no time getting your Skyartec Mini SkyFun readyto-fly (RTF) flying wing assembled and in the air. You can easily take it to the sky the same day you bring it home from the hobby shop. Featuring

A Skyartec 2S 7.4-V 900-mAh 15C LiPo battery powers the Mini Skyfun through basic turns and rolls as well as fast flybys.

The Skyartec Mini Skyfun has plenty power and speed. It gets it from its Skyartec BL250, 4500-Kv brushless motor and GWS 4.5 x 3 propeller.

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

Hobby People Mini Skyfun RTF

The aircraft flew well from this butte in Eastern Washington. The controls responded well to the inputs with plenty of authority. The kit includes almost everything you need to get your Mini Skyfun flying in about an hour. All you need are four AA batteries for the transmitter.

a brushless outrunner motor and a three-axis gyro, this little foamy has exciting performance that is matched with control stability. The Mini Skyfun from Skyartec will give you high- and low-speed flight performance that is absolutely crazy fun no matter how you slice it.

The Kit

What you Get

• Airframe Fuselage, wings, vertical stabilizers • Motor Skyartec BL250, 4500 Kv • Propeller GWS 4.5x3 • Servos (2) Skyatrec VTS-028 3.7 g • Receiver Skyatrec AP301/3G3X 3-axis gyro • Transmitter Skyatrec SKY-G02 2.4 GHz • Battery Skyartec 2S 7.4-V 900-mAh 20C LiPo

The Skyartec Mini Skyfun ReadyTo-Fly (RTF) kit arrives in a twopiece cardboard box with one piece as an open-ended covering and the other a slide-out box. Inside, the fuselage is held down with thick paper box inserts that keep the airframe from sliding around and being damaged during shipping. A larger paper box contains the twin vertical stabilizers, part A and B epoxy, a 2S 7.4-V 900-mAh Lithium Polymer (LiPo) battery and a LiPo charger. Another box contains the SKY-G02 Mini LCD transmitter, which is a conventional two-stick Two small plastic control horns bridged by a wire system designed for linkage arm join to control the elevons along the Mode 2 control. trailing edges of the wings. Follow us on twitter @rcsportflyer

• Charger Skyartec 2–3 cell LiIo/LiPo • Hardware Propeller Two-part five-minute epoxy 12-V AC-DC power supply

Needed To Complete • Batteries (4) AA for charger

In Flight

Let me start by saying this little flying wing foamy airplane is just a blast to fly. When you hit the throttle it is going up. I mean it! The powerto-weight ratio of this airplane is superb. So, when you give it a launch and throttle up it is going to head for the sky. On my first flight I found that I had the center of gravity a bit too far back, so the model wants to climb even with full down-trim control. So, I landed it and moved the battery forward about a quarter inch. That

The micro servos come preinstalled in recesses in the wing where they can be kept safe during belly landings. RC-SF.COM

was enough to bring the model into trim and make it much easier to fly. Then it was time for some fun. You can just push the throttle forward and watch this wing take off for the sky. Alternatively, you can push forward on the elevator control stick and race around the I really do enjoy flying this aircraft from this site. The tall tail fins keep the Mini Skyfun stable across its sky. You’ll find that the When the sun shines, the backdrop is outstanding. I range of airspeeds. The aircraft is controllable at low also like flying it low. speeds too. model rolls pretty well, so you can have some fun doing what I would call mild aerobatics. It is exciting to come racing by with it, roll it up on knife-edge and then pull hard on the up elevator. The model will reward you with a hot, banking turn and then shoot off in the other direction. Or pull it up at a 70-degree angle and give it full aileron control. The airplane will reward you with rolls that are pretty crisp, and it will do so without much elevator control intervention. Inverted flight is not that exciting, but I think a little tweaking of the elevons will give you some pretty fun inverted flight—my model had a bit too much up set in the elevons as I received it. Landing is a kick! Check this out. When you pull the power back and add a bit of up-elevator control, the Looking eye-to-eye with the Mini Skyfun On top of having plenty of power, the Mini SkyFun will slow way, way down reveals its low profile. There are two skids Mini Skyfun is easy to maneuver, as and almost parachute to the ground. on the bottom of each wing to protect the seen during this flyby, which exposes the controls. attractive trim scheme. You’ll want to manage the elevator control to keep its airspeed just high enough to keep it away from stall, but if you do you can land this little machine in a very, very tight spot, which makes it ideal for flying in small parks or even school playgrounds.

Debrief

What more can I tell you, other than the Mini SkyFun is just a fun little model to fly. You’ll be happy to know that it is an affordable addition to your hangar. It is also quite durable, as I can attest. Also, you won’t spend hours getting this model assembled and ready for flight. Rather, RC Sport Flyer Editor-In-Chief Wil tosses the Mini Skyfun into the air, and it already wants to take off! Be sure to adjust its CG.

RC SPORT FLYER — april 2013

Hobby People Mini Skyfun RTF it’ll take about an hour to assemble it, charge the battery and get its center of gravity set. Then you’ll enjoy hours of fun flying your wing. I do suggest you buy an extra battery or even two because you will not be satisfied with just one flight between charges. The Mini Skyfun generates plenty of lift, so you can glide it into a gentle landing without damaging the airframe.

Sport flyers and park flyers will enjoy the speed and good looks of the Mini Skyfun. It is just plan fun to fly!

The Mini Skyfun is not too small, presenting its 21.7-in. wingspan and 16.3in. length as it flies by in a low pass for the camera.

Specifications

Distributor Hobby People 18480 Bandilier Circle Fountain Valley, CA 92708 (714) 963-9881 Hobbypeople.net

Wingspan

21.7 in. (550 mm)

Length

16.3 in. (415 mm)

Weight

7.2 oz (203 g)

Motor

Skyartec BL250, 4500 Kv

Propeller

GWS 4.5x3

Servos

(2) Skyatrec VTS-028 3.7 g

Receiver

Skyatrec AP301/3G3X 3-axis gyro

Transmitter

Skyatrec SKY-G02 2.4 GHz

Battery

Skyartec 2S 7.4-V 900 mAh 20C LiPo

Price

$149.80

The Build The airframe comes nearly assembled and ready for the flight right out of the kit box. You only need mount the twin vertical stabilizers and glue them in place with the epoxy resin that is provided in the kit. You will need to mix the Part A resin with the Part B hardener and apply a coat over the bottoms of the vertical stabilizers. You will then fit them into the recesses that are on the rear of the fuselage and allow the resin to cure for five to ten minutes. Next you must charge the battery and install it on the hook-and-loop tape strip that is in the airplane’s nose. That is it. Then just close the canopy. You must

pinch your fingers in the grip holes that are built into the bottom of the fuselage to check the balance of your model. You’ll move the battery forward or back on the strip to adjust the Mini SkyFun’s center of gravity for the proper position. Last, you’ll need to install the control sticks into the transmitter. This is simple. Just take the two sticks and align them to the holes on the gimbals and push them in. Once you’ve completed the steps I’ve outlined, your model is ready for power and flight.

RC-SF.COM

Great Planes

gpdealer.com

Hitec RCD

hitecrcd.com

apcprops.com

Maxx Products

maxxprod.com

Blade

bladehelis.com

Micro Fasteners

microfasteners.com

Bob Smith Industries

bsi-inc.com

PowerBox Systems

power-systems.com

Castle Creations

castlecreations.com

ParkZone

horizonhobby.com

Central Hobbies

centralhobbies.com

RTL Fasteners

rtlfasteners.com

Desert Aircraft

desertaircraft.com

Smart-Fly

smart-fly.com

Esprit Model

espritmodel.com

Soaring USA

soaringusa.com

E-flite

horizonhobby.com

ThunderPower

thunderpowerrc.com

Falcon Propellers

falconhobby.com

TruTurn

tru-turn.com

Futaba

futaba-rc.com

AeroWorks

aero-works.net

Airborne Models

airborne-models.com

APC Propellers

Start advertising in RC SPORT FLYER tomorrow and see your profits grow in 2013. Call 509-947-0675 today to learn about SF’s EXCELLENT RATES! Responsibility for content and suitability of advertisements in RC Sport Flyer rests with the advertiser. Advertisers are responsible for product quality and delivery timeliness. RC Sport Flyer retains the right to reject unsuitable advertising and does not necessarily endorse products advertised.

World’s Most In-Depth RC Aircraft Magazine

GET OUR EXCLUSIVE REVIEW

VOLUME 17 ISSUE

JANUARY 2013

USA & CANADA $6.49

RC-SF.COM USA & CANADA $6.49

RC-SF.COM

11/6/12 3:49 PM

Subscribe online @ RC-SF.com

08 SF 17-08 Cover.indd

NOVEMBER 2012

off the cover price

WIND TEST

17 ISSUE OCTOBER 2012 VOLUME

2013

GREAT PLANES COSMIC

UMX CARBON CUB SS

JANUARY 2013 VOLUME 18 ISSUE 01

NEW HOT PRODUCTS SAILPLANE P 26

OCTOBER 2012

OF CHANGE

D.Va REVIEW P

WE FLY THE FLYZONE® & E-FLITE® CORSAIRS

AT WHAT PHOTO LOOK AS3X DELIVERS IN THIS SPREAD LITTLE BUSH PLANE

ARF Warbird RC-SF.COM

2WARBIRDS TESTED

FACES

FOR 2013 P PARKZONE ALBATROS

NEW ALES SKILLS P ALBATROS

UGE O HW AC

HAWKER SEA FURY

PIII F3F RACER

VISALIA FALL SOARING FESTIVAL 2012

GETS YOU UP & SOARING

HOT 26NEW PRODUCTS

THE FACES OF CHANGE

SEE HOW TO HONE YOUR PILOTING SKILLS

Albatros D.Va Review pg 104

World’s Most In-Depth RC Aircraft Magazin

MAGAZINE

6-HONE YOUR PILOTING GLIDER P REALFLIGHT

OLERC PIII F3F RACER P AEROWORKS CARBON CUB SS P E-FLITE UMX CARBON CUB SS P 2 WARBIRDS TESTED

FLYZONE CALYPSO

SEE THE CALYPSOACTION @ GLIDER

REPORT

USA & CANADA $6.49

CARBON CUB SS Build Part I

RC SPORT FLYER

Aircraft Magazine

RC SPORT FLYER MAGAZINE

NEW ALESSailplane pg 64 World’s Most In-Depth RC

or call

1-866-967-0831

q 1-year (12 issues) $24.95 • q 2-year (24 issues) $44.95 International rates: 1 year - $54.95 • 2 year - $94.95

Please make payments in U.S. funds to: Kiona Publishing, Inc.

Name____________________________________________________________________________ Address_____________________________________________________Ph:___________________ City________________________________________________________State__________________ Postal Code________________________ Country________________________________________

qPayment Enclosed

E-mail Address: ___________________________________________________________________

Credit Card

qVisa qMasterCard qAmEx qDiscover

Card Number:______________________ Exp. Date:______________________________________ Signature:________________________________________________________________________

RC Sport Flyer Magazine is a publication of Kiona Publishing, Inc. $7.49 by single copy. WA res. add 8.3% sales tax. Cards processed by Kiona Publishing, Inc. P.O. Box 4250 • West Richland, WA 99353 • 1-866-967-0831

RC SPORT FLYER — april 2013

TheMystery AIRPLANE

WIN

A FREE SPORT FLYER HAT

Give us the name of the glider to win! Submission information Please e-mail your response to support@rc-sf.com or mail a letter to Kiona Publishing ATTN: RC-SF 18-04 Contest P.O. Box 4250 W Richland, WA 99353 Submissions must be received by 06/20/2013

RC-SF.COM

Carbon Fiber Propellers •Unique carbon fiber production method, •Crafted for top quality & maximum effectiveness at competitive prices, •Quick to spool-up and highly responsive •100% attention from hub to tip for optimum performance, •Every prop is individually inspected & pre-balanced for immediate use from paceage,* •Newest launched in the US market - check website for new sizes.

Gas Carbon Fiber Props

Electric Carbon Fiber Props

US Distributors Aeroworks

www.aero-works.net info@aero-works.net Phone:303-371-4222; Fax:303-371-4320

Bobs Hobby Center

www.bobshobbycenter.com derjager@msn.com Phone:(407)277-1248; Fax:(407)282-7281

Maxx Products International,LLC

www.maxxprod.com sales@maxxprod.com Phone:(847)438-2233, Fax:(847)438-2898, Ordering:(800)416-6299

Canada Distributor Thunderbolt RC

www.thunderboltrc.com Phone:519-971-1975

jeff@thunderboltrc.com

For more information,please visti our webstie

www.falconhobby.com

P AR R T E OF C IS IO N E-flite® Carbon-Z ® Splendor™ BNF Basic Airplane

EFL10250 > Easy to complete, bolt-on final assembly > Exceptionally strong Carbon-Z wing and fuselage structure > AS3X System for precision and agility without equal > Spektrum AR635 6-channel AS3X sport receiver installed > Brushless 1300-watt Q-Power motor system installed > Digital, 26 g, high-speed, metal-gear mini servos installed > Durable, CA-hinged control surfaces with control links installed > E-flite 60-Amp Pro SB Brushless ESC (V2) installed Requires 6S 22.2V 3200mAh 30C Li-Po battery (EFLB32006S30) and balance charger (EFLC3025) and a 6-channel DSM2®/DSMX® aircraft transmitter with adjustable D/R and expo.

54.5 in (1380mm)

645 sq in (41.5 sq dm) 5.50 lb (2.50 kg)

56.5 in (1440mm)

The E-flite® Carbon-Z® Splendor™ airplane is everything the modern world of precision flying has to offer. Besides the ability to perform elegant F3A sequence aerobatics, it’s capable enough to also perform dramatic 3D. Harnessing the benefits of Carbon-Z construction throughout its large all-molded airframe, F3A World Aerobatic Champion Quique Somenzini combined a potent power system, high-quality E-flite digital servos and reliability together in a modern design. When at the controls, its crisp response offers compelling accuracy, allowing you to draw laserstraight lines, snap crisply, lock in every roll point and have the vertical authority to be as aggressive or graceful as you please. Engage its onboard AR635 receiver with AS3X® technology to enhance the pedigree of its performance envelope for an inspirational experience that will change the way you’ll want to fly.

SPECIFICATIONS

Includes brushless 50-size motor delivers a nearly 1,300 watts for explosive performance. (EFLM7450).

VISIT

Your Local Retailer

CLICK

horizonhobby.com

CALL

1.800.338.4639

SERIOUS FUN.®

© 2013 Horizon Hobby, Inc. E-flite, AS3X, Bind-N-Fly, DSM2, DSMX, Serious Fun and the Horizon Hobby logo are registered trademarks of Horizon Hobby, Inc. The Spektrum trademark is used with permission of Bachmann Industries, Inc. All other trademarks, service marks and logos are property of their respective owners. 38440