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Model Airplane News|July 2020Latest News and ReleasesTOLEDO SHOW UPDATEAs many are already aware, the 66th Annual Toledo R/C Expo for 2020 has been cancelled because of the Coronavirus outbreak. The show organizers, the Weak Signals R/C Club, look forward to seeing everyone on April 9 through 11, 2021. We reached out to Rick Lederman, co-director of the Toledo R/C Expo, to get more information regarding the annual show.Model Airplane News: Tell us a little about yourself.Rick: I am a Life Member of the Toledo Weak Signals R/C Club. I joined in 1971, got on the Expo Committee in 1975 and became co-director in 1986. The 2020 Expo would have been my thirty-fifth as co-director, forty-sixth total. I’ve also been president of the club six times.MAN: The Toledo Show is a very big ship. It must be…6 min
Model Airplane News|July 2020FLORIDA JETS 2020Weather always seems to be a story at Florida Jets, and this year was no exception. It was perfect! The temperature was a moderate 70 to 80 degrees, and the wind was light and blowing right down the runway. Brilliant blue skies and a few puffy white clouds made a beautiful backdrop for photographs of these stunning models.A variety of vendors and 125 pilots made the trip to Lakeland this year; which isn’t exactly a hard sell with snow still on the ground in several parts of the United States. Florida Jets traditionally opens the season for the jet event circuit, drawing participants from all over the States, as well as visitors from several other countries. This year, it attracted folks from the likes of Canada, Mexico, Denmark, Argentina, and…8 min
Model Airplane News|July 2020FILMING IN THE DANGER ZONEThe producers know audience reactions (and box office receipts) for Top Gun: Maverick will depend in large part on the in-flight action. Back in 1986, CGI didn’t exist, so the air-to-air footage was a mix of real aircraft and scale models. This time around, CGI technology is a staple of the industry, but the filmmakers had the legacy of the original Top Gun and its live-action flight sequences to live up to, so they resolved to minimize the use of CGI—reserving it for scenes that were too dangerous, too destructive, or too expensive to film live. You might also assume that the in-co*ckpit footage of pilots, played by actors who are not exactly flight-rated in the F/A-18, would be CGI too. But filmmakers realized it would be impossible to realistically…1 min
Model Airplane News|July 2020Seagull Models/VQ Warbirds BRISTOL M.1CI’ve had an affinity for the Bristol M.1C ever since I first saw one 25 years ago. I built one and flew it for a long time before it met its untimely end. This is the first time I’ve gotten another copy of a plane I already owned, and I knew I had to have it as soon as I saw the advertisem*nt. It’s a full ⅕-scale version, so it’s larger than my first, and its covering scheme was one of my favorites, with ample documentation available from a reproduction on exhibit in a museum in England.Having built some Seagull models (distributed by VQ Warbirds) before, I was confident I wouldn’t be disappointed and set about figuring out my power setup as an electric. Previous experience with World War I…6 min
Model Airplane News|July 2020FLEET MODEL 2 BIPLANEOriginally derived from the Consolidated Model 14 Husky Junior, the Fleet Model 1 and Model 2 were two-seat trainer and sport biplanes produced in the United States in the late 1920s. They were also produced in Canada in the early 1930s. They all shared the same basic design, mostly varying in their powerplants. The Fleet biplane was an immediate success, and in the first year of production more than 300 were sold. Consolidated Aircraft bought the Fleet Aircraft Company and retained it as a subsidiary while opening a second production line at Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada. Canadian manufacturers were also very successful, with some 600 built for the Royal Canadian Air Force as the Fleet Fawn (Model 7) and Fleet Finch (Model 16).SPECIFICATIONSSIZE: 1⁄8-scaleWINGSPAN: 42 in. (top and bottom)LENGTH: 32…9 min
Model Airplane News|July 2020PILOT PROJECTSF11C-2 GoshawkJeff Fiscus, Portsmouth, Rhode IslandJeff designed and scratch-built this unusual scale model of the 1930s U.S. Navy biplane. The 44-inch-span aircraft has an electric power system and sports a Williams Brothers dummy engine, wheels, and pilot figure. Jeff notes that it has scale airfoils and rib positions, and that he covered the frame with Sig Koverall and painted it with Poly-Brush, Klass Kote, and Warbird Colors paints. Callie Graphics decals provide the finishing touch. Would you believe this Goshawk crashed on its first flight due to excess power? Jeff rebuilt it, added more positive incidence on the stabilizer, and took this photo after its second—successful!—flight.BarnstormerGil Weiss, Bensalem, PennsylvaniaGil always enjoyed flying his first Barnstormer 25L, a glow-powered one he flew in the 1980s. After finding an original Barnstormer 25L…1 min
Model Airplane News|July 2020Alibre Atom3DMODEL Airplane NEWS APPROVEDI’ve been using 2D computer-aided design (CAD) programs for more than 20 years, and have designed dozens of model aircraft with it. I have always wanted to try 3D CAD, but previous programs have had a steep learning curve, and I didn’t think I could really master 3D at the same level that I had with 2D. Enter Alibre Atom3D from Alibre, LLC, an easy-to-use, affordable program that I could jump right into and not quickly become discouraged.Alibre Atom3D really makes digital modeling projects easy—and fast. It’s built with the same parametric technology used in the Alibre Professional design, but the toolset is simplified to make it more user-friendly. Marketed as the perfect 3D modeling program for enthusiasts, Atom3D allows you to create, edit, and refine your…6 min
Model Airplane News|July 2020JETI DS-24In 30 years of flying RC models, I have used many radio brands. I change radios, even the brand of radio, every 7 to 10 years. In this review, I share my discovery of Jeti RC, a highend brand that I knew very little about.My first challenge was which Jeti radio to get: 14-, 16-, or 24-channel? I hesitated for a long time. The three radios are almost identical in terms of programming. The 14 can be upgraded to match the 16 with hardware options, but the 16 can’t be upgraded to have all the features of the 24. In the end, I chose the 24, with its color screen, optional carbon finish, and number of channels. (Since then, Jeti has announced their new DS-12 midrange radio.)AT A GLANCERadio: DS-24Manufacturer:…9 min
Model Airplane News|July 2020FMS 850MM FLASHSo, you want to try your hand at a cool-looking, very fast, jet-like model but are still reluctant to try an electric ducted-fan jet (EDF)? The new 850mm Flash hotrod is a terrific intermediate step. This foam ARF only needs a receiver and battery added to allow you to experience amazing flight performance in a rather small package.The Flash has a really sleek, somewhat unusual shape from nose to tail, with a black painted canopy that doesn’t disrupt those sleek lines. These all contribute to the illusion of rapid forward motion, even while it is standing still. This model is ideally suited to the role of a first performance jet for the newcomer looking for the eventual transition to EDFs. As a plug and play (PNP), you just add your…6 min
Model Airplane News|July 2020HISTORY OF THE BRISTOLThe Bristol M.1C Monoplane Scout was a British monoplane fighter developed during WW I by Frank Barnwell for the Bristol Aircraft Manufacturer. It was the only British monoplane fighter in production during the war. There was a general prejudice against single-wing airplanes due to their higher landing speeds and rumors of being accident prone. It utilized conventional construction techniques of the time, but had a significantly improved circular cross-section and proved to be 30-50 mph faster than other monoplanes of the era.Only 130 aircraft were constructed, and most were deployed to the Middle East and Balkans because the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) thought it to be too fast for landing in French airfields. As it turns out, its landing speed was only about 5 mph faster than the biplanes that…1 min
Model Airplane News|July 2020HALF CUBAN-8 WITH NEGATIVE SNAP ROLLSRADIO AND AIRCRAFT SETUPIt is very important to spend extra time ensuring proper setup before taking to the skies. With a maneuver like this, which combines elegant maneuvers with more aggressive elements (the one-and-a-half negative snap), you have to use dual rates. I also recommend using flight modes (assigning all dual or triple rates to one specific switch). This step will greatly minimize your workload, allowing you more time to focus on performing the maneuver and less time looking for switches!For this maneuver, I use low rates for the looping portion of the maneuver. These are about 25 percent aileron exponential (expo); 25 percent elevator expo; 30 percent rudder expo with about 20 degrees of aileron deflection; 15 degrees of elevator deflection, and 30 degrees of rudder deflection. Then for…5 min
Model Airplane News|July 2020HOBBY HACKSBalancer ModI kept getting different center of gravity locations when using my Great Planes CG Machine, until I noticed that the balancer’s base rod moved every time I used it. As a remedy, I installed Du-Bro 5/32-inch wheel collars on either side if the base legs. This locked the legs in place and the balancer now works properly every time.Eppi Santiago, Valley Stream, New YorkTruing Balsa SheetsI often need to edge-glue sheets of balsa together to produce a wider sheet for fully sheeted wings and other surfaces. Even sheets of the best grade of balsa may curve slightly, so you have to use a straightedge and true the edges with a sharp knife. By cutting a slight amount from the edges, you produce a straight mating surface to eliminate gaps.…2 min
Model Airplane News|July 2020Red5 Designs Vinyl GraphicsMODEL Airplane NEWS APPROVEDWhen it comes to producing accurate aircraft markings, your results depend on two things: accurate documentation and quality materials. I have been using Red5Designs vinyl markings for many years and they never fail to impress. Company founder, Marshall Gross and his team are true digital artists, and they use the finest materials to produce their custom graphics.Every set of Red5Designs graphics is custom-produced for each customer. The company’s markings have appeared on many U.S. Scale Masters winners and Top Gun-winning models, so you know they understand the importance of the detail and accuracy.PLACING AN ORDERWhen I order a set of markings, I first find accurate scale color profiles and/or photographs of the ones I want. I then use my CAD program and trace them to size the…3 min
Model Airplane News|July 2020TOP GUN MAVERICKCan you believe it’s been 34 years since we first saw Tom Cruise catapult off a carrier deck and up into the danger zone as Lieutenant Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in Top Gun? We previewed the first Top Gun movie in our August 1986 issue (and correctly predicted that the Tomcat–and Tom Cruise–would become American heroes). That jet-propelled ode to air-to-air combat in the jet age is without question one of the most iconic films of the 1980s—so much so that in 2015 the Library of Congress deemed it to be “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” enough to be archived in the National Film Registry! It was also the highest-grossing film of 1986, which probably has more to do with why Paramount Pictures and producer Jerry Bruckheimer have been trying for…4 min
Model Airplane News|July 2020DETAIL A co*ckPITThere is an old saying in the scale RC community (coined by the scale guru, David Platt) that goes: “You never finish a scale model, you just stop working on it.” This basically means that the modeler himself decides what degree of scale fidelity he wants his model to have. Some will build a beautiful model with accurate markings, but without any surface details, such as panel lines and rivets. Others will do all the external eye candy, but will leave the co*ckpit with just an instrument panel. You can do whatever you want. If you do want a full co*ckpit treatment, then here’s what you can do.INTERIOR DECORATINGMy newest project, a 1917 French Nieuport 24, is a simple design, so I wanted to go the extra mile and add…9 min
Model Airplane News|July 2020CREATE SCALE AIRCRAFT LOUVERSWhen I built a scale model of a World War I German Albatros D.V, I needed to make some functional louvers. I powered the model with an Enya .53 4-stroke engine, and it was almost completely enclosed in the fuselage. To add sufficient cooling, I needed to make the louvers function, but at the same time, I wanted them to look scale.I made the louvers using 30-minute epoxy glue and 2-ounce fiberglass cloth. I started by making a forming mold so that all the louvers would look the same. Using a Dremel Moto-Tool with a Robart carbide grinding bit, I cut the shape of the louver into the edge of a hardwood block.I coated the mold with wax to act as a releasing agent so that the epoxy would not…3 min
Model Airplane News|July 2020Solderless Landing GearThis solderless landing gear not only reduces stress on the model, but, as the name implies, it can also be built without having to solder any of the wire parts. Here’s what I did for my Balsa USA ¼-scale Fokker Triplane. Make a long box structure to fit into your model’s landing gear sub-wing. To form the box structure, three AC plywood support blocks, or “knuckles,” are glued to three light plywood strips. This supports the middle of the axle and provides slotted guide blocks at the ends. The slotted end blocks also support the anchor pins for the shock-absorbing rubber band bungees. The gearbox fits into square openings in the landing gear sub-wing ribs. Cut off the lower horizontal ends from your landing gear with a Moto-Tool, grind points…2 min
