FREE
TOUCH DUO
ON TEST! THE LATEST DUAL OUTPUT CHARGER FROM ETRONIX
PANEL GAMES HOW TO MAKE COMPUTER GENERATED INSTRUMENT CLUSTERS
PULLOUT R/C PLAN
WORTH £11.99
MINI SUPER BISTORMER
BUILD THIS PRETTY 40 INCH WINGSPAN BIPLANE FOR A .30 FOUR-STROKE OR BRUSHLESS MOTOR
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FEBRUARY 2017
BERGFALKE
FLIGHT TEST! BUILDING AERO-NAUT’S MÜ13E
R/C SCALE MODEL BUILDING
OUR DALOTEL SERIES CONTINUES PLUS, NEW CRI-CRI AND DRUINE TURBULENT SCALE FEATURES TOO!
PLAN FEATURE!
TWIN PIONEER – PART 2 BUILD A MODEL OF SCOTTISH AVIATION’S STOL
Issue 397 £4.75
TRANSPORT TWIN
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Contents 78 SOARERS’ SLOT
Mike Proctor files a report by Mark Haigh, who was the Team Manager for the GB F5B team at the 2016 World Championships, held last year in Italy. F5B MultiTask Glider requires the model to be flown in two consecutive tasks without landing. The first task is Distance, where pilots fly as many ‘legs’ of a 150 metre course as possible in a set time before going directly into a 10 minute Duration task. Mike also shows how to make a simple to build stand for your thermal soarers
86 IN PRINT
Two jet books for you to enjoy
90 THE SPORT CHANNEL FRONT COVER
Frank Skilbeck’s recently built aero-naut Bergfalke vintage glider soaks up the last rays of sun on a still summer’s evening. Turn to page 28 to read his review of this well engineered laser cut kit
REGULARS 6 8
Gray selects another batch of readers’ favourite sport modelling topics
93 DIARY DATES
2017’s calendar starts filling up following the Editor’s prompt in the December issue!
98 NEXT ISSUE
Coming up in next month’s RC Model World
PRE FLIGHT
Introducing this issue
REVIEWS
TAKE OFF
Latest R/C model flying news
12 SHOP WINDOW
A look at the latest R/C products
68 LIGHT FLIGHT
Two columns in a row for John Stennard, as he builds a lightweight Sukhoi, tests a pair of new micro quadcopters and asks his optician to make a special pair of FPV glasses
28 AERO-NAUT MÜ13E BERGFALKE
Fresh from assembling the aero-naut Luxx that he recently reviewed, Frank Skilbeck builds another built up glider kit from this long established German model manufacturer. Their Mü13e Bergfalke scale glider is an impressive offering, spanning some 3.5 metres at just over 1/5th scale, making it ideal for aerotowing at a regular club site and a handy size for slope soaring
FEBRUARY 2017 • ISSUE #397
64 SPEKTRUM DX6E
Andrew James examines the latest sport radio system from Horizon Hobby, which features a patent-pending gimbal design that lets you change stick modes simply by moving a slider on the back of the transmitter. Just select the spring configuration that matches the mode you use and the model type that you are flying. Easy!
74 POWER PAL TOUCH DUO
Andrew James gets his LiPos (and other battery types!) into tip top condition with a new dual charger from Etronix. Touch Duo, as the name suggests, has two charging outputs. It can either be plugged into the mains or powered from a DC source for field charging
FEATURES 16 DALOTEL DM-165
Peter Maw continues his latest scale model building series as he assembles the wing panels for the Dalotel DM-165, designed by Peter Miller. He also adapts the cowl to provide a cooling airflow for his brushless motor and fits a pair of electric retract units
24 DRAWING INSTRUMENT PANELS Scale models vary in quality, finish and detail but whatever the level of detailing a scale R/C aircraft often demands at least some attention is paid to the cockpit and its fittings. In this informative article, Greg Thompson shows how to make the most of computer technology to add a bit of realism to a bare cockpit
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36 SCOTTISH AVIATION TWIN PIONEER
In the second part of his twin electric scale plan feature, Chris Golds applies the finishing touches to his model and reports on the first flights of the 120 inch wingspan Twin Pioneer C.C. Mk 2 transport aircraft. This robust RAF workhorse was a very practical STOL aeroplane just before heavy-lift helicopters became available
40 CRI-CRI CAPERS
Several years ago John Higgins stumbled across an aircraft that really tickled his fancy, the Cri-Cri, which was designed in 1971 by Michel Colomban as a low cost, twin engined aeroplane for home construction. John’s original intention was to build a scale model for electric power, with the motors hidden in the nose-mounted engine pods, with replica two-stroke engines and tuned pipes made from traditional modelling materials and foam. But then he found a full sized example powered by electric motors! This had an attractive colour scheme and the distinction of being the world’s fastest electric aeroplane into the bargain. In this short series, John details the build of his R/C version of the electric Cri-Cri
56 DRUINE TURBULENT
When Chris Bowler found himself chatting to well-known Cotswold based model aeroplane designer Sid King the seeds were sown for a 38 cc model of the Druine Turbulent. Chris had taken a keen interest in the restoration of a DR1 ‘Turbi’ not far from his home and Sid had been involved in the building of three R/C versions – this was number four! Over the next three issues Chris describes the construction and first flights of his (and Sid’s) tribute to G-ARRU
16
40
82 UK DRONE SHOW
In early December 2016, James Crozier took a trip to the NEC in Birmingham to see the latest and greatest in drone tech and FPV racing. The UK Drone show is the last big modelling show of the year and the NEC serves as a perfect venue, with plenty of room in its huge halls to get lots of multirotor flying done. The FPV racing in particular is a great spectacle; held inside a darkened hall it is almost like watching something out of Tron!
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48 MINI SUPER BISTORMER Designed by Phillip Kent, this is a model for the scratch builder who has two or three built up models under his belt. This pretty 40 inch wingspan biplane can be powered by a .30 to .40 cu in four stroke or a brushless motor. It uses a typical built up structure, with a box fuselage filled out with formers and stringers. The tailplane is sheet balsa, as is the rudder. There are ailerons on all four wings
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Bergfalke Frank Skilbeck keeps his building board busy with another built up glider kit from aero-naut. This time he builds their majestic 3.5 metre Mü13e (Bergfalke)
A
re kits making a comeback? Well, I don’t ever think they’ve been away, but it’s refreshing that the recent models I’ve been offered for review are kits. There’s nothing wrong with a quick build foamie or ARTF for that quick flying fix, but building your own has its own satisfaction. So being offered the aero-naut Luxx (see my review in the November 2016 issue of RCMW) and their Bergfalke for review just as I was just completing my 1/4 scale ASK11 from the Traplet plan pack was timely.
As kits go the aero-naut Mü13e Bergfalke scale glider is an impressive offering, spanning some 3.5 metres at just over 1/5th scale, making it ideal for aerotowing at a regular club site and a nice handy size for slope soaring. The full size went into production as the Mü13d before World War 2 in the late 1930s, with the Mü13e produced post-war as a tandem two seater, which was later developed into the Scheibe Bergfalke series of trainers. These were produced in plentiful
Bergfalke is supplied in a colourful box, which clearly shows the model’s construction
Kit contents are several sheets of laser-cut ply and balsa parts, accessories and foam building jigs 28
quantities and in numerous versions so there is plenty of choice in finding a full size colour scheme that appeals to you. There’s A Lot Of Wood Here! Opening the nicely presented, colourful and rather heavy box reveals multiple sheets of laser cut ply, balsa and veneer sheets, together with an accessories pack, some foam building templates and a moulded canopy, all stopped from moving around by another couple of foam sheets. Although the instruction manual, with very clear assembly drawings, was in German, an English PDF version is available from the Internet. And unlike some of the manuals from the Far East the translation was perfect and the instructions were very clear. For most of the build using diagrams from the printed German manual is sufficient but there are a couple of areas that benefit from the written instructions too. So I would recommend you either read the English version for the section you are about to assemble or use a tablet or laptop with the instructions on screen during the build. The wooden parts are all clearly labelled and very well cut, although on some of the thicker ply pieces a knife is needed to cut through the sections that have been only partially cut to keep the pieces in the sheets for shipping. Once freed from the sheets the fit of all the parts was very good and the only sanding needed was to remove the laser burn residue to ensure a good glue joint. aero-naut recommend white glue for all the joints and this is what I used, along with some Deluxe Super ‘Phatic where I wanted a quicker set time. Construction starts with the fuselage nose and tail sections, which are built from interlocking ply parts. Once built these are slotted into the foam building templates,
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KIT REVIEW
All parts are clearly identified, it’s just that there are a lot of them! Note the building tabs on the ribs and fuselage formers, which slot into the foam building templates
which then positions all the other fuselage formers. They then lock into the keel spine to keep everything fixed together and in position – very neat. The remaining longerons are then added, together with the wing root facing ribs, before the inverted fuselage can be removed from the templates and the support tabs cut off the formers. A small razor saw helps here. Another nice touch is that aero-naut provide a stand so you can support the fuselage upright while you complete the upper side of the nose section and add the nose block, which is made by laminating pre-cut sections of thin balsa, I used the Super ‘Phatic glue here as it sets a lot quicker than regular white glue but not as fast as cyano, so still giving time to align the pieces. The nose section is hollowed out so you can fit a tow release for aerotowing. At this time you also assemble a couple of ballast boxes, which are used for adding lead sheets to obtain the correct balance point later – another well thought out touch. At this point the canopy frame is assembled and the instructions show the clear plastic canopy being glued in place. I opted to check the plastic canopy fit, sand the frame as required and then paint it before gluing the canopy in place. After fitting the rear diagonal stringers, which are supplied in one piece and fit into slots in the formers, the fuselage is put to one side and work started on the tail sections. Tail And Wing Construction Like the fuselage, foam templates are provided for the alignment of all parts, starting with the elevator halves, which have a preformed one-piece thin ply section. This forms the outline to which the front facing is added and the ribs are then slotted into place. Slots for the hinges are already cut out
Building starts by assembling the fuselage nose and tail sections with interlocking parts. The printed manual is in German but a very good English version is available for download from aero-naut’s website of the main ply former and these are covered with small sections of ply to give the hinges something to grip onto later. Pre-drilled blocks for the alloy control horns are made by laminating pieces together and then gluing them in place, the alloy horns being fitted after covering. The main horizontal stabiliser is made in a similar fashion, with the trailing edge being made from two laminations of ply to provide some shape and strength. Once the horizontal stabiliser and elevator halves have been made the tabs used to align the ribs with the foam templates are broken off. The ribs can then be given a light sanding. The large rudder is made the same way, the only significant difference being that the leading edge is made up of two pieces, angled to provide a wedge-shape so that the rudder can move sufficiently.
The main wings start with two slotted ply spars, which are each made from two pieces, running parallel down the wing. After the ribs have been slotted into place and aligned using the tabs that slot into the foam templates, a top capping section is added to the spars. Later, a similar capping section is added to the underside, making a very strong box section spar. The trailing edges slot into the rear of the ribs, with a separate piece where the ailerons go. The ailerons, although separate, are built along with the wing. The leading edge is made up of several laminations of ply that are sanded to shape. The brass tubes for the wing joiners are also added and epoxied into place, and if you decide to fit the optional air brakes then these need to be installed into the wing at this point. I used servo operated mechanical airbrakes from www.rcmodelworld.com
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