NO-FEAR FLYING REALFLIGHT G3

FLIGHT SIM p. 64

IN-FLIGHT
YOUR GUIDE TO ENGINE
FEEDBACK!
INSTALLATION MONITOR YOUR
ALTITUDE,
SPEED & Gs

RC MOVIE
MAGIC
"THE PHOENIX"
FLIES AGAIN

MODELTECH
SE-5A A R F

EROBATIC CHALLENGE
 CONTENTS MARCH VOLUME NUMBER

28
Don Lowe Masters—
Ultimate Aerobatics
BY JOHN REID

FLIGHT TESTS FEATURES COLUMNS

44 MODELTECH SE-5A A R F 36 NO-FEAR FLYING 154 FINAL APPROACH
QUICK-BUILD W W I FIGHTER WITH GREAT PLANES' REALFLIGHT G3 "FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX"
BY S C O T T HAMPTON BY RICK BELL RISES A G A I N
BY MOLLY O'BYRNE
52 EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT 87 ENGINE TECH
MODELS ZODIAC XL Y O U R GUIDE T O ENGINE INSTALLATIONS DEPARTMENTS
M O D E R N HOMEBUILT DESIGN BY GERRY YARRISH
IN A N ARF PACKAGE 10 Editorial
BY GEORGE LEU 100 ENGINE REVIEW: 12 Airwaves
O.S. FL-70
58 SEAGULL MODEL HARRIER 3D A REVOLUTIONARY 4-STROKE DESIGN 18 Pilot Projects
A PILOT'S DREAM MACHINE BY C . DAVID GIERKE
BY DAVE HARRIS
20 Tips & Tricks
128 PRODUCT REVIEW: 22 Air Scoop
66 CENTURY HELICOPTER EAGLE TREE
PRODUCTS HUMMINGBIRD C B FLIGHT DATA RECORDER 2 127 Classifieds
T H I S BIRD REALLY SINGS REAL-TIME INFORMATION YOU CAN USE
BY DON EDBERG 148 RCStore.com
BY JOHN REID

152 Source Guide

74 CERMARK JAVELIN II CONSTRUCTION
A P R E C I S I O N A E R O B A T T H A T ' S E A S Y T O BUILD 153 Customer Service
BY JET THOMPSON 117 1/4-SCALE FOKKER E.V. Information
FAMOUS W W I PARASOL FIGHTER
BY DAVID JOHNSON 153 Index of Advertisers

>ON THE COVER: the ModelTech SE-5A ARF from Global (page 44; photo by John Reid).
>ON THIS PAGE: Andrew Jesky's Extra 330 at the Don Lowe Masters (page 28; photo by John Reid).
 MODELS

PREFLIGHT BY D E B R A CLEGHORN
Airplane
E s t . 1929 N E W S
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Jon Chappell

EDITORIAL
EXECUTIVE EDITOR Debra Cleghorn
SENIOR TECHNICAL EDITOR Gerry Yarrish
A S S O C I A T E E D I T O R Rick Bell
W E S T C O A S T A S S O C I A T E E D I T O R John Reid

HARNESS THOSE HORSES! M A N A G I N G E D I T O R Molly Z. O'Byrne

E D I T O R I A L A S S I S T A N T Jill Swiatowicz

TO PERFORM AT ITS BEST, a f u e l - p o w e r e d airplane needs a strong, CONTRIBUTORS

Peter Abbe. Bob Aberle, Gary Allen. Eric Bean.
secure e n g i n e i n s t a l l a t i o n . I f y o u d o t h e j o b r i g h t , n o t o n l y w i l l Tom Carter, Bernard Cawley, Roy L. Clough Jr.,
y o u m i n i m i z e noise a n d v i b r a t i o n , b u t y o u ' l l also ensure that m a x ­ Larry Cooper. Budd Davisson, Roy Day. Don Edberg.
Dave Garwood, Dave Gierke. Greg Gimlick.
i m u m p o w e r is t r a n s f e r r e d t o the p r o p e l l e r t o p u l l y o u r model Henry Haffke. Sal lasilli. Matt Keennon. Michael
t h r o u g h y o u r favorite aerobatic m o v e s . Some i m p o r t a n t installa­ Lachowski, Andy Lennon, George Leu.
Vance Mosher. Jim Newman, Dave Patrick, Randy
t i o n c o n s i d e r a t i o n s i n c l u d e p r o p e r e n g i n e c o o l i n g , c h o o s i n g the Randolph, Mark Rittinger, Dave Robelen, Martin
right m o u n t a n d h a r d w a r e a n d s e t t i n g u p offset t h r u s t . S o u n d Robinson, Rodney Roy, Quique Somenzini, John
Stewart. Faye Stilley, Michael Stroup, John Tanzer,
complicated? It w o n ' t b e after y o u ' v e read " E n g i n e T e c h : Y o u r Jet Thompson, Richard Thompson. Craig Trachten.
G u i d e t o E n g i n e Installations," i n w h i c h senior t e c h e d i t o r G e r r y Pat Tritle, Rich Uravitch, Dick van Mourik,
Joe Welsh. Dan Wolanski. Nick Ziroli Sr.
Yarrish takes y o u t h r o u g h each o f these i m p o r t a n t topics. C h e c k
o u t his tips a n d t e c h n i q u e s for e n g i n e m o u n t i n g o n page 87.
PUBLISHING
There's s o m e t h i n g for e v e r y o n e i n this m o n t h ' s p r o d u c t reviews. Louis V. DeFrancesco Jr.,
G R O U P PUBLISHERS
Yvonne M. DeFrancesco
T o start, w e offer a full e v a l u a t i o n o f the long-awaited Great Planes
RealFlight G 3 flight simulator. W i t h e v e n better graphics a n d COPY
C O P Y DIRECTOR Lynne Sewell
e n h a n c e d p h y s i c s , t h i s c o m p u t e r p r o g r a m is g u a r a n t e e d to keep SENIOR COPYEDITOR Paige L. Hamilton
y o u r t h u m b s n i m b l e this w i n t e r . See o u r i n - d e p t h e v a l u a t i o n on COPYEDITORS Corey Weber, Suma Kavirajan,
Ellen Wilder
page 36 a n d get h o o k e d o n "no-fear f l y i n g " ! Ever w i s h e d that y o u
c o u l d be inside y o u r model's cockpit so that y o u w o u l d really k n o w ART/DESIGN
what's h a p p e n i n g d u r i n g flight? T h e latest offering f r o m Eagle Tree CREATIVE D I R E C T O R Betty K. Nero
SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Leslie Costa
m a y be the n e x t best t h i n g : it m o n i t o r s y o u r plane's speed, altitude, ART DIRECTOR Gayle Van Wely
rate o f c l i m b , s e r v o g l i t c h e s a n d just a b o u t e v e r y t h i n g else y o u A S S O C I A T E P R O M O A R T D I R E C T O R Christopher Chu
A S S O C I A T E A R T D I R E C T O R S Christopher Casey,
c o u l d ever w a n t to k n o w a b o u t y o u r m o d e l a n d t h e n transmits the Victoria Howell
i n f o r m a t i o n back to y o u r l a p t o p at the field! T h i s u n i q u e o n b o a r d S T A F F P H O T O G R A P H E R S Pete Hall, Deron Neblett

s y s t e m is d e f i n i t e l y at the t o p o f o u r " c o o l g a d g e t " list, so y o u

ADVERTISING
w o n ' t w a n t to miss o u r r e v i e w i n this issue. Four-stroke enthusiasts DIRECTOR O F ADVERTISING Ross Garnick
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Alex Chung, Rory Gordon,
h a v e a l o t to c h e e r a b o u t in Kathy Gross, Bob Pina
t h e latest p o w e r p l a n t from ADVERTISING TRAFFIC COORDINATOR Christine DiLauro
SALES ADMINISTRATOR Darlene Altro
O.S. E n g i n e s — t h e FL-70. In
his detailed review, model- CONSUMER MARKETING
CONSUMER MARKETING DIRECTOR William S. Carter
e n g i n e specialist D a v i d Gierke FULFILLMENT M A N A G E R Stacey Nelson
shares his d y n o - t e s t results
and adds to your engine CORPORATE MARKETING
CORPORATE MARKETING DIRECTOR Jennifer Ware
knowledge. Why does he MARKETING COORDINATOR Marie Terio

t h i n k the FL-70 is s u c h a revo­

PRODUCTION
lutionary design? T u r n to DIRECTOR O F PRODUCTION
page 100 to f i n d o u t . AND MANUFACTURING Stephen R. Best
SENIOR PRODUCTION MANAGER Christine Bachmann
The 20th Century Fox PRODUCTION MANAGER Christina Maschke
S E N I O R P R O D U C T I O N C O O R D I N A T O R S Sherry Morgan,
remake of "Flight of the
Bobbi-Jo Baldwick
P h o e n i x " is d e f i n i t e l y o n the
Model Airplane News list of PRINT COORDINATOR Tomlinson S. Wheeler

must-see m o v i e s . H o w o f t e n is INTERNET
an airplane modeler promi­ WEB DEVELOPERS Leo Ficks, Holly Hansen
WEB PROGRAMMER Jaime Torres
n e n t l y featured o n the big screen? A n d if the s t o r y l i n e alone w a s n ' t W E B A S S I S T A N T Gazi Ahmed
e n o u g h , the m o v i e also features s o m e g r e a t - l o o k i n g RC model CORPORATE
C H A I R M A N O F T H E B O A R D Aldo DeFrancesco
planes! W e were l u c k y to c a t c h u p w i t h D a v i d Roberts o f S o u t h
P R E S I D E N T A N D C E O Louis V. DeFrancesco Jr.
Africa, w h o built three P h o e n i x models that were used o n the set. E X E C U T I V E V I C E P R E S I D E N T Yvonne M. DeFrancesco
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Carol Shepherd
C h e c k o u t h o w " m o d e l m a g i c " h e l p e d b r i n g this m o v i e t o life i n
the " F i n a l A p p r o a c h " c o l u m n .
Safe landings.
AIRWAVES
"[your] articles and reviews are
always informative and current. Model
Airplane News is absolutely the best
RC magazine on the market.
GREAT N E W LOOK U.S. SCALE MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIPS
T h e n e w look o f m y favorite R C publication The February 2005 Model Airplane
is w o n d e r f u l ! I f i n d Model Airplane News v e r y News a r t i c l e o n t h e U . S . Scale M a s t e r s
reader-friendly. T h e articles a n d reviews are C h a m p i o n s h i p s was excellent. I have a ques­
always i n f o r m a t i v e a n d c u r r e n t . I n o t i c e d tion, t h o u g h : where can I get more informa­
t h a t the J a n u a r y 2005 issue seemed t o be t i o n about the qualifying events? I'd really
easier o n m y eyes. Different paper or finish, like to check out some o f these planes u p -
m a y b e ? W h a t e v e r the case, Model Airplane close a n d personal. Also, w i l l the 2005 event
News is absolutely the best R C magazine o n be held at the Gardner M u n i c i p a l Airport i n
the market. T h a n k s for a great publication. Kansas again ?
BOBBY PATTERSON, POINT PLEASANT, WV STEVE L E V I N [EMAIL]

Bobby, thank you very much for the words Steve, for updated Information on the 2005 Scale T E X A N CLICK TRIP
of encouragement. Everyone on our staff Masters qualifiers, check scalemasters.org. These I n t h e J a n u a r y 2005 " A i r w a v e s , " it says
works tirelessly to produce the very best events are a great opportunity to see beautiful t h a t t h e p l a n s i n c l u d e d i n the D e c e m b e r
magazine possible. The new look is not a models and talk to some of the country's top 2004 issue w e r e p r i n t e d i n c o r r e c t l y a n d
change of paper quality but simply a fresh craftsmen. I look forward to seeing you and all that readers c o u l d d o w n l o a d a c o r r e c t
design. We occasionally change our "look" the new qualifiers at the 26th Championships, v e r s i o n f r o m t h e Model Airplane News
to update the magazine's appearance. which will be held at Castle AFB, w e b s i t e . B u t t h e o n l y p l a c e I see t h e
Thanks for noticing! GY Atwater, CA. GY p l a n s is i n t h e R C S t o r e s e c t i o n , w h e r e
t h e y are f o r sale. W h e r e c a n I f i n d the
d o w n l o a d a b l e plans?
RYAN KRAAI [EMAIL]

Ryan, to find the Nick Ziroli T-6 Texan plans,

go to the Click Trip section on the site:
modelairplanenews.com/click_trips/click_index.asp.
There, you will find all of our extended articles,
including Nick's electric-powered Texan and
other downloadable plans. Hope this helps! GY

TRIPLANE FAN
Greetings from D o w n U n d e r ! At the
moment, I am building a Fokker DR.I
t r i p l a n e f r o m a F l a i r kit, a n d w h e n I've
f i n i s h e d it, I p l a n t o b u i l d a m o r e scale
one f r o m the G l e n T o r r a n c e Models
kit. O n page 51 o f t h e M a y 2003 issue,
you showed a triplane with a color
When it comes to reducing noise and vibration, it doesn't get any simpler than this.
s c h e m e t h a t ' s v e r y a p p e a l i n g t o m e . Is Flex Mounts are easy to install - no drilling or tapping. They are light weight (the .50
that an authentic W W I scheme or one to .80 size weighs only 39 grams/1.38 oz complete). They help protect your airframe
f r o m t o d a y ? A n d — a s i t c a n n o t be s e e n and electronics by absorbing harmful vibration. And they help reduce noise.
in the picture—how is t h e triplane
The kit includes a 6061-T6 Aluminum Backplate, Rubber Isolators and hardware.
colored underneath?
They are available in .35-.50 (S275), .50-.80 (S278) and .80-1.20 (S281) engine
JACQUES BOOSTEN [EMAIL]
sizes, and replacement parts are available.
So be smooth. Use a Flex-Mount.
Jacques, we're always pleased to hear from
our Australian readers. The orange, green
and white triplane in Budd Davisson's side-
bar is a modern replica that's powered by a
more readily available radial engine. The
colors you see on top are the same as under­ MEMORIES O F J O KOTULA I'm glad you enjoyed the trip down memory
neath the wings, but this scheme is not doc­ Y o u r J a n u a r y 2005 c o v e r brings back f o n d lane, Pat. Jo was truly an exceptional aviation
umented as an authentic WW I paint m e m o r i e s o f w h e n I met J o K o t u l a . I was artist, and we're sure that our January com­
scheme. For good Fokker triplane documen­ w o r k i n g for a n a d v e r t i s i n g a g e n c y i n N e w memorative Jo Kotula covers will continue to
tation, check out the Windsock Datafile Jersey. J o was d o i n g freelance a r t w o r k for inspire a new generation of modelers. DC
Specials from the folks at Wise Owl the C u r t i s s - W r i g h t a c c o u n t for us. H e
Publishing; call them at (562) 461-7574, or w o u l d c o m e i n a n d chat, sometimes b r i n g ­
check their website—wiseowlmagazines.com. i n g a v e r y y o u n g K e i t h Ferris w i t h him. WRITE T O U S ! W E WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS AND
S U G G E S T I O N S . L E T T E R S S H O U L D BE A D D R E S S E D TO
There are several Fokker triplane books One l u n c h h o u r , i n his Piper C u b , h e t o o k
"AIRWAVES," Model Airplane News, 1 0 0 E A S T
in the series. They're filled with scale me for m y first plane ride o u t o f a s m a l l RIDGE, RIDGEFIELD, CT 06877-4606 U S A ; EMAIL
drawings, paint schemes and color reference airport i n T o t o w a , N J . H e was a w o n d e r f u l [email protected]. LETTERS MAY BE EDITED FOR CLARITY

information—perfect for the serious ­­­ ­­­­­­­­ ­­ ­­­­­­ ­­­­­ ­­­­­ ­­ ­­­ ­­­­­­­
artist a n d f r i e n d .
DOUS NUMBERS OF LETTERS WE RECEIVE, WE CANNOT
triplane lover! GY PAT REILLY TAFRA [EMAIL] RESPOND TO EVERY ONE.
PILOTPROJECTS

>Top Flite P-51D .60

Bill Powell
Zebulon, NC
Bill's wonderfully detailed "Honey B e e " creates quite a buzz
around the airfield. It is a replica of his friend's WW II P-51
fighter plane; it's powered by a .90 SuperTigre engine and
has Robart retracts and struts. This 9-pound model's hand-
some finish is Duplicolor and Hobby Poxy over fiberglass.
Bill created some of the decals on his home computer to
complement t h o s e supplied by Top Flite.

< H u g h e s H - l Racer
Greg Minden
Las Vegas, NV
Covered with chrome UltraCote and sporting a fiberglass cowl
covered with Flite Metal, this gorgeous H - l Racer looks the part.
Greg describes his new model as " . . . very, very fast—just like it
should be." With Robart retracts and a Moki 1.80 engine, we
believe it. Greg did a fantastic job building his racer to 1/5 scale
with a wingspan of 77 inches.

>de Havilland Beaver

Billy Hare
Charlotte, NC
Can you believe that this gorgeous de Havilland Beaver is the
work of a 16-year-old? Well, this young modeler perfected his
Beaver over the course of a year, custom-building the cockpit
and designing the decals himself. With a wingspan of 96
inches and weighing 18 pounds, this model is powered by a
Zenoah G-26 engine. Billy noted that his Beaver is a " . . . great
flyer that is very Cub-like with lots of rudder."

<Swoose
Martin O'Neill
Placentia, CA
Dreamt up in the early ' 6 0 s . this groovy model s p o r t s a 63-
inch, gull-like wingspan and is powered by a .61 SuperTigre
engine with a Futaba radio. Martin d e s c r i b e s his S w o o s e
as a " s m o o t h flyer" that can easily be converted into a stan­
dard plane with wheels.

SEND IN YOUR SNAPSHOTS. Model Airplane News is your mag­

azine and. as always, we encourage reader participation. In "Pilot Projects." we
feature pictures from you—our readers. Both color slides and color prints are
acceptable, but please do not send digital printouts or Polaroid prints. Emailed
submissions must be at least 300dpi. We receive so many photographs that we
are unable to return them. All photos used in this section will be eligible for a
grand prize of $500, to be awarded at the end of the year. The winner will be
chosen from all entries published, so get a photo or two. plus a brief description,
and send them in! Send those pictures to "Pilot Projects." Model Airplane News.
100 East Ridge, Ridgefield. CT 06877-4606 USA
 I l l u s t r a t i o n s by R i c h a r d T h o m p s o n

blind leading the blind

Need to drill some blind holes, but you don't have a depth gauge?
Here's a quick and easy way to make one. Cut a wooden dowel to
the needed length. Drill a hole through the center of the dowel (if
possible, use a drill press for this). Slide the dowel over your drill
bit until the tip of the exposed bit drills a hole of the needed
depth. As you drill your hole and the dowel touches the surface,
you'll know the hole is the proper depth.
Edward Hazlett, Cherry Tree, PA

all strung out

For maximum reception, the receiver antenna should be extended to

get a grip its full length outside the airplane. Here's a tidy way to tie it off and
keep it out of harm's way. Drill a1/16-inch-diameterhole in the lead­
Pulling apart a Deans Ultra connector can be difficult because of
ing edge of the vertical fin near the top; it should be 3/4 inch deep.
the connector's smooth surface. To gain a better grip, cut some
Take a 1-inch length of threaded 2-56 rod, and screw a nylon clevis
sandpaper, and glue it to the sides of the connector; 60-grit works
onto one end. Screw the rod into the fin. remove it and harden the
well. The connectors will now be easy to grip and pull apart.
hole with a few drops of thin CA. After the CA has dried, reinsert the
Dean Shepherd, Sandy, UT
rod into the hole, extend the antenna and tie it to the clevis with a
small rubber band.
Stratton Gatzimos, Merrimack. NH

positive control
When making arrow-shaft, dowel, or square-balsa pushrods, put the
wire extensions on opposite sides of the pushrod. When assembled
this way. the pushrods will not bend under compression and will
provide more positive control-surface movement.
Stan Zdon, Coon Rapids. MN

SENDINYOURIDEAS.Model Airplane News will give a free, one

year subscription (or a one-year renewal, if you already subscribe) for each idea used
in "Tips & Tricks." Send a rough sketch to Model Airplane News. 100 East Ridge.
Ridgefield. CT 06877-4606 USA. BE SURE THAT YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS ARE
CLEARLY PRINTED ON EACH ITEM YOU SUBMIT. Because of the number of ideas we
receive, we can neither acknowledge each one nor return unused material.
 YOUR INSIDE SOURCE FOR WHAT'S HOT & WHERE TO GET IT

>GREAT PLANES
MODEL MFG.
MATT C H A P M A N
.46 C A P 580
Now Great Planes offers the same
great looks and high-quality construc­
tion as its 1/3-scale CAP 580 in a
sportier. .46- to .70-size airframe.
With MonoKote covering, a painted
fiberglass cowl and wheel pants and
a generous hardware package, this
55-inch-span aerobat is destined to
become one of your favorites. Dual
ailerons ensure positive control in the
air. Specs: wing area—562.5 sq. in.:
weight—6.75 to 7.5 lb.: requires a
4-channel radio. Price—$200.
Great Planes Model Mfg.
(217) 398-6300: (800) 682-8948:
greatplanes.com.

>CARL GOLDBERG
PRODUCTS
S H O C K 3-D ARF
Looking for all-out 3D performance?
Designed to be powered by a brushless
motor and a 3-cell Li-poly pack, the
Shock 3-D is capable of the
entire range of full-stall,
thrust-vectored maneuvers:
torque rolls, waterfalls, harriers,
high-alpha rolls; you name it! It fea­
tures lightweight wood construction,
iron-on covering, landing gear, wheels,
plastic canopy and decals. Specs:
wingspan—39.25 in.: length—36.25 in.:
radio required—4-channel w / 4 microservos.
Carl Goldberg Products
(678) 450-0085; carlgoldbergproducts.com.

> K 0 N D 0 R MODEL
PRODUCTS
DH-2 B E A V E R
With an 8-foot wingspan. this
classic floatplane is guaranteed
to turn heads at the lake! The
17-pound model features a
fiberglass fuselage and floats
and laser-cut balsa wing and tail.
Add a 1.50 4-stroke (or G-26 gas
engine, if you prefer) and a
5-channel radio with 7 servos
and then head to the lakeside
for some splash-and-go's. The
DH-2 Beaver c o s t s $550.
including floats.
Kondor Model Products
(253) 859-7788:
(888) 761-0500: kmp.ca.
>GREAT PLANES
MODEL MFG.
YAK 55 3D
Don't be fooled by its size: this
33-inch-span park flyer has giant-
scale performance! It can fly almost
any maneuver, nearly anywhere, so
you'll want to keep it in your car for
"grab-it-and-go" flying. The Yak 55
features a durable, lightweight EPS
foam airframe. Depron aileron, rudder/fin
and stabilizer halves and carbon-fiber tube
reinforcement. Just mount the included
280 motor and install your radio gear in the
precut holes, and this exciting aerobat can be
flight-ready in just 2 or 3 hours. The best part?
Its price—$50! Now that's a bargain.
Great Planes Model Mfg. (217) 398-6300:
(800) 682-8948: greatplanes.com.

>HOBBYZONE
NIGHT-FLIGHT MODULE
Extend your flight time with HobbyZone's
super-bright Night-Flight Module! This
lightweight unit is easy to attach to any
X-Port-enabled HobbyZone and ParkZone
plane, including the HobbyZone Firebird
Commander, Aerobird Challenger and
ParkZone Slo-V. Then use your transmitter
to activate one of four LED settings
and put on a show. The Night-Right
Module costs just $20.
HobbyZone; distributed by
Horizon Hobby Inc. (217) 352-1913;
horizonhobby.com.

>IKARUS USA
AEROFLY
PROFESSIONAL DELUXE
Become a better pilot with this new and
improved flight sim from Ikarus USA. Its
photo-realistic, 360-degree scenery will
make you feel as if you're at the flying
field. The Aerofly Pro Deluxe features
12 airfields, split-screen capability,
cockpit-mode setting, flight recording,
playback and more. It has more than
50 detailed, gas- and electric-powered
models, including F3A planes. 3D
aerobats, helicopters, trainers,
sailplanes and jets. It costs $170.
Ikarus U S A (239) 690-0003;
aeroflypro.com.
>ICARE
MADNESS 2
This model's exceptionally
wide speed range and out­
standing power-to-weight ratio
give it unlimited aerobatic
ability. It features all-wood,
built-up construction, large control
surfaces and a unique slide and bolt-
on cowl for easy access to the motor
and battery. A Plettenberg Orbit 25-18
outrunner brushless motor and a 5S3P
Li-poly battery are recommended. Specs:
wingspan—59 in.: wing area—1.008 sq. in.;
wing loading—10.2 o z . / s q . ft.; weight—4 to
4.5 lb. The Madness 2 EP ARF costs $300.
Icare (450) 449-9094;
icare-rc.com.

>VMAR
TIGER ARROW
The folks at VMAR have a reputation for
making sport ARFs that have great looks
and high performance with a budget-minded
price tag. and this latest offering is no excep­
tion. Like all VMAR planes, the Tiger Arrow
features all-wood construction and Polycote E C S
covering, which has embedded graphics for easier
cleaning and non-curling decals. Available in red and
transparent yellow, the Tiger Arrow also comes with a
preinstalled engine mount that's ready for your favorite
.45 to .52 engine. Specs: wingspan—54.5 in.: wing area—610
s q . in.: length—49 in.: weight—5.25 to 5.5 lb.: radio required—
4-channel w / 5 s e r v o s . The Tiger Arrow costs $130.
V M A R : distributed by Richmond RC
(877) 727 2329 or (604) 940-1066; richmondrc.com.

>ELECTRIFLY
This dedicated Li-poly charger is ideal for
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 Jason Shulman
concentrates on his
plane while his caller
keeps track of his time
during the 4-minute
freestyle.

Don Lowe
Masters

BY JOHN REID
PHOTOS BY JOHN REID
Christophe Paysant-Leroux performs an outstanding
4-minute freestyle routine for the crowd.
 Since the passing of Bill Bennett and the subsequent loss of the
Tournament of Champions (TOC), many members of the aerobatic com­
munity have been looking tor an event to rival the TOC's stature. One
championship that is on a par with the TOC is the D o n Lowe Masters.
This aerobatic challenge is held in the Triple Tree Aerodrome in
Woodruff, SC, and offers a total prize package of $50,000. Not many
venues can match the beauty and grandeur of this site or the hospitality
of its owners, Pat and Mary Lou Hartness. From its perfectly manicured
putting-green runway to the full-size airplane hangar and scenic lake,
this is the perfect venue for a Masters aerobatic championship.

T w e n t y - o n e of the top aerobatic pilots M i k e M c C o n v i l l e missed the t o p s e v e n b y

i n t h e w o r l d w e r e i n v i t e d t o c o m p e t e at a m e r e 0.33 point, w h i l e Bill Hempel
t h e 2004 D o n L o w e M a s t e r s . P i l o t s f r o m missed b y o n l y 0.59 p o i n t .
Georgia, Florida, Maine, Illinois, North T h e final day of c o m p e t i t i o n was again
Carolina, Arizona, Minnesota, Michigan, d e l a y e d because o f t h i c k fog, b u t t h e p r o ­
O h i o a n d V i r g i n i a represented t h e U n i t e d ceedings g o t u n d e r w a y b y n o o n , a n d t h e
States. Pilots f r o m G e r m a n y , C a n a d a , c r o w d was treated to s o m e outstanding
France and Italy added an international f l y i n g t h r o u g h o u t the d a y — e s p e c i a l l y d u r ­
flavor. ing the 4 - m i n u t e freestyle. T h e c o m p e t i ­
The competition b e g a n u n d e r fair fall t i o n e n d e d just before n i g h t f a l l , a n d w h i l e
skies. A l l 21 contestants c o m p e t e d b y f l y i n g the v o l u n t e e r s assembled t h e stage f o r t h e
t h e first r o u n d s o f t h e k n o w n , unknown awards p r e s e n t a t i o n , t h e c r o w d was treat­
a n d 4 - m i n u t e freestyle c o m p e t i t i o n s . B y the ed to p h o t o ops w i t h the pilots and
e n d o f t h e d a y , Q u i q u e S o m e n z i n i h e l d the planes. A t last, after all o f t h e scores h a d
t o p spot, w i t h J a s o n S h u l m a n , C h r i s t o p h e b e e n totaled, the awards ( a n d the prize
Paysant-Leroux, Mark Leseburg, Mike checks!) were h a n d e d out. Retaining his
M c C o n v i l l e , J o h n G l e z e l l i s a n d Sebastiano t o p p o s i t i o n b y a m e r e 1.84 points—and
Silvestri r o u n d i n g o u t the top seven. earning the top prize of $20,000!—was
Quique Somenzini. Jason Shulman barely
D a y t w o was a different story. In the
beat o u t C h r i s t o p h e P a y s a n t - L e r o u x for
m o r n i n g , a v e r y h e a v y , t h i c k fog settled
s e c o n d b y a scant 0.12 p o i n t . T h e y , a l o n g
o v e r the T r i p l e T r e e A e r o d r o m e . At 10:30, a
with Chip Hyde, Mark Leseburg,
test p l a n e t o o k off; it flew straight u p i n t o
Sebastiano S i l v e s t r i a n d Peter G o l d s m i t h ,
t h e fog a n d i m m e d i a t e l y disappeared. By
c o m p r i s e d the t o p s e v e n .
n o o n , h o w e v e r , the fog h a d lifted sufficiently
t o a l l o w the c o m p e t i t i o n t o start. A g a i n , all T h e D o n L o w e M a s t e r s is t h e t y p e o f
t h e c o m p e t i t o r s flew the s e c o n d r o u n d s o f the k n o w n , u n k n o w n event that every model airplane enthusiast s h o u l d plan to attend
a n d 4 - m i n u t e freestyle. T h r o u g h o u t the d a y , p r e c i s i o n f l y i n g d o m ­ at least o n c e . B u t be f o r e w a r n e d : o n c e y o u ' v e seen t h e T r i p l e T r e e
i n a t e d ; m a n y c o m p e t i t o r s e v e n flew perfect r o u n d s . I n t h e e n d , A e r o d r o m e f a c i l i t y , y o u ' l l w a n t t o c o m e back a g a i n a n d a g a i n !
t h o u g h , o n l y the t o p s e v e n pilots w o u l d make it to S u n d a y ' s finals. T h e n e x t D o n L o w e M a s t e r s w i l l be h e l d i n '06; c h e c k the
Saturday's c o m p e t i t i o n e n d e d at sunset. C o m p e t i t o r s , judges J o e n a l l . c o m website for m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n . See y o u t h e r e !
a n d spectators h e a d e d t o the aircraft h a n g a r t o e n j o y a d e l i c i o u s

"The Don Lowe Masters

is the type of event that
every enthusiast should
plan to attend.
barbecued-chicken d i n n e r . Afterwards, the names o f the seven
finalists were a n n o u n c e d . Q u i q u e S o m e n z i n i h e l d the t o p spot,
followed b y Christophe Paysant-Leroux, Jason Shulman, Mark
L e s e b u r g , Sebastiano S i l v e s t r i , C h i p H y d e a n d Peter G o l d s m i t h .
Clockwise from above: Jason Shulman's aircraft
during the 4-minute freestyle. To give his plane
the added maneuverability needed for 3D moves,
he adds tail weight, Installs a lighter prop and
removes the spinner to shift the balance aft.
• Christophe Paysant-Leroux and his caller watch
his plane pass by during a knife-edge maneuver.
• The top seven pilots chat while they await the
winners' announcement. Left to right: Silvestri.
Shulman, Leseburg, Goldsmith, Hyde, Paysant-
Leroux and Somenzini. • Mike McConville's plane
does an inverted Harrier during the 4-minute
freestyle. • Quique Somenzini hovers his plane on
deck with the smoke on. Before too long, the
plane was completely engulfed In a cloud of
smoke!

Opposite page, center: the "mouth of the South."

announcer Bill Sadler demonstrates his true feel­
ings about the first-place trophy.
Opposite page, bottom: in a quiet moment, Jason
Shulman reviews his sequence before stepping up
to the flightline.
Sebastiano Silvestri Ignites the smoke pods
on each wlngtip to create the colors of his
native Italian flag during the final 4-minute
freestyle.
Andrew Jesky's Carden Aircraft Extra 330
makes a low pass with full smoke on.

Winners
PILOT AIRCRAFT RADIO ENGINE

Q u i q u e Somenzini Somenzini Yak-54 JR 3W-150

J a s o n Shulman C o m p o s i t e A R F Extra 330 Futaba ZDZ-160

C h r i s t o p h e Paysant-Leroux Z N Line Extra 330 Futaba DA-150

Chip Hyde C o m p o s i t e A R F Yak Futaba DA-200 4-cylinder (prototype)

Mark Leseburg G o d f r e y Extra 300L JR DA-150
Sebastiano Silvestri Katana S JR D A 150
Peter Goldsmith Own-design C A P JR DA-150
Mike M c C o n v i l l e C a r d e n Aircraft E x t r a 330 JR DA-150
Bill Hempel Somenzini Yak-54 Futaba 3W-150
J o h n Glezellis Troybuilt Extra 260 JR DA-150
Kurt Koelling C a r d e n Aircraft Extra 330 Futaba DA-150
Don Szczur C o m p o s i t e A R F Extra 330
JR DA-150
Andrew Jesky C a r d e n Aircraft Extra 330
JR DA-150
J a s o n Noll C a r d e n Aircraft Extra 330
Futaba DA-150
Ivan Kristensen C a r d e n Aircraft Extra 330
Futaba DA-150
Bemd Beschomer E u r o p e a n Ultimate
Multiplex 3W-200
Sean M c M u r t r y 3W Extra 330
Futaba 3W-150
Brian Hannah 3W V o t e c 322
JR 3W-150
Ryan E v a n s C a r d e n Aircraft Extra 330
JR DA-150
A n d y Kane Composite A R F Y A K
JR ZDZ-210
R a n s o m Fairchild C o m p o s i t e A R F G202
JR DA-150

Chip Hyde brings his Composite ARF Yak right

down onto the deck so the crowd can admire
its outstanding color scheme. This new plane
was equipped with a 4-cylinder prototype
engine from Desert Aircraft.
WHAT'S NEW?
G 3 has a l o n g list o f features, a n d after
u s i n g t h e s i m , m y o v e r a l l i m p r e s s i o n is
that it's v e r y g o o d ; the m o r e I use it, the
m o r e I l i k e it a n d its v e r s a t i l i t y . Don't
c o m p a r e it w i t h G 2 , t h o u g h ; it's an
entirely new simulator. Note that
R e a l F l i g h t G 2 is n o t c o m p a t i b l e w i t h G 3 .
T h e f l i g h t m o d e l ( p h y s i c s ) is a 100-per­
c e n t r e w r i t e a n d is c o m p l e t e l y different
from G 2 . A l l o f the RealFlight A d d - O n s
( n u m b e r s 1 t h r o u g h 5), h o w e v e r , are
c o m p a t i b l e w i t h G 3 a n d w i l l w o r k w i t h it. A LOOK AT 3D
Installing t h e p r o g r a m is s u p e r e a s y ;
insert disc 1 a n d f o l l o w the on-screen REALFLIGHT G3 HAS A LOT TO offer experi- the instructor's plane, s o you can try to
p r o m p t s . T h e system w i l l tell y o u w h e n to enced and fledgling 3D fliers. The sim duplicate its movements. Though this is def­
i n s e r t disc 2 t o c o m p l e t e the i n s t a l l a t i o n . includes five 3D-capable aircraft: the CAP initely a cool feature, it is very difficult to do
232, the electric E 3 D . the Extra Special, the because if your plane is not flying right next
Ultimate bipe and the Yak-54. If you already to the instructor's plane, it will disappear
R E A L P H Y S I C S 3 D If y o u ' r e familiar with
own any of the five RealFlight Add-Ons, you from view.
G 2 , y o u ' l l b e r i g h t at h o m e w i t h G 3 ' s
have an even larger selection of 3D-capable Jason Shulman covers many basic pat­
looks a n d basic f u n c t i o n s . But that's planes. The Yak-54 comes in two versions— tern maneuvers, including 4-point rolls,
where the similarity ends. The new one with a gyro and one without. For those touch-and-go's, Immelmann turns and oth­
R e a l P h y s i c s 3 D has r e a l l y transformed who are just getting into 3D aerobatics, the ers. Frank Noll deftly shows us many 3D
this f l i g h t s i m . Its a b i l i t y t o re-create t h e Yak-54 with the gyro is the perfect trainer; it maneuvers, including the avalanche, rolling
characteristics o f m o d e l f l y i n g is u n c a n n y . will help you to perfect your hovering tech­ circles, torque rolls and Lomcevaks. Jim
I n fact, t o p n o t c h p i l o t s J a s o n S h u l m a n , niques. In stall attitudes that are s o com­ Bourke, the general manager of Knife Edge
mon when flying 3D aerobatics, the gyro Software—developers of RealRight G 3 —
Frank N o l l a n d M i k e Cross had a h a n d in
helps to stabilize the plane. demonstrates sport aerobatics, among
p r o v i d i n g i n p u t to the physics engine to
G3 allows unlimited modifications to any which are loops, snap rolls and 4-point rolls,
d e v e l o p t h e o n s c r e e n feel.
of its planes: you can alter weight, move the and he introduces us to hovering.
C G and modify the control-surface throws Overall, the improvements that are evi­
T R U F L O W I N D D Y N A M I C S A l t h o u g h it's
and even the area of the control surfaces. dent in RealFlight G3—specifically, those for
d i f f i c u l t to m o d e l , w i n d impacts e v e r y This makes it much easier to practice 3D 3D aerobatic pilots—are well worth the
aspect of R C flying. T h e new flight maneuvers with it. I found that if I modified investment. The program offers unlimited
d y n a m i c s p r o v i d e s t h e most accurate s i m ­ a plane by decreasing its weight and moving practice time, and the virtual flying is s o
u l a t i o n o f w i n d at a f l y i n g site. A n d like its C G slightly aft, I had an easier time flying close to the real thing that your thumbs will
just a b o u t e v e r y t h i n g else i n G 3 , the w i n d it at high angles of attack. Of course, how never know the difference. —John Reid
s t r e n g t h m a y be v a r i e d . F o r s l o p e f l y e r s , many modifications you make will depend
on your flight skills.
G 3 i n c l u d e s m o d e l s a n d sites t o d e v e l o p
soaring skills. It's pretty neat h o w a Another advantage of practicing 3D
model " b u m p s " as i t e n c o u n t e r s an maneuvers on a computer sim is that you
don't have to worry about crashing. You can
u p d r a f t or a t h e r m a l .
fly closer to yourself and to the ground. This
proximity to the plane helps you to make
A C C U M O D E L A I R C R A F T E D I T O R T h i s is flight corrections faster because you see the
o n e o f the biggest changes to the flight plane's minute attitude changes and can
s i m . It's o n e o f t h e m o s t p o w e r f u l , f l e x i ­ immediately react to them. On a flight sim,
ble e d i t o r s o n a n y R C f l i g h t s i m . It a l l o w s you can become proficient at 3D maneuvers
y o u to c h a n g e v i r t u a l l y e v e r y aspect o f within hours. This takes weeks or months if
you practice with an actual RC aircraft.
y o u r m o d e l . W a n t to make a turbine-
p o w e r e d N e x S T A R or add smoke to the For me, the Virtual Right Instructor (VFI)
w i n g t i p s ? A c c u M o d e l makes it easy. G 3 is is one of the best G3 enhancements. This
expanded program includes flight instruc­
a component-based physics system in
tions from Jason Shulman. Frank Noll and
w h i c h y o u can a d d , delete a n d modify
Jim Bourke. It allows you to listen to the
the w i n g , fuselage, w h e e l , e n g i n e , etc. instructor describe a maneuver while you
W h e n y o u edit a model, y o u w o r k o n a watch a plane perform it. A transmitter in
w i r e - f r a m e r e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f it, a n d t h e the upper right portion of the screen shows The Virtual Flight Instructor has been greatly
area y o u ' r e w o r k i n g o n is h i g h l i g h t e d . the stick movements throughout the maneu­ expanded. Noted pilot Jason Shulman shows how
W h e n y o u make a c h a n g e , it's r e f l e c t e d ver. VFI allows you to fly a plane alongside to do basic pattern maneuvers.
 nder the limbo bar Limbo is one of five
with the most points wins! e v e n t s that you can
c h a l l e n g e y o u r s e l f or
shes eliminate players your friends to. It isn't as
seconds allowed to to complete each turn easy as it looks!

SPECIFICATIONS FEATURES COMMENTS

RealFlight G3
2 C D s ; U S B InterLink Plus R e a l F l i g h t G 3 is e a s y t o install
Great Planes
C o n t r o l l e r ; a d a p t e r c o r d s for a n d e a s y to u s e . T h e g r a p h i c s are
Model Distributors
F u t a b a , J R a n d Hitec t r a n s m i t ­ s t u n n i n g a n d the " f e e l " is b e t t e r
ters; quick reference guide; 10 than ever. T h e A c c u M o d e l editor
new flying fields w i t h F l e x i F i e l d is e x t r e m e l y v e r s a t i l e a n d a l l o w s
> W i n d o w s X P . 2 0 0 0 . M E . or 9 8
S i t e Editor; 35 u n i q u e aircraft t o y o u to m a t c h y o u r o w n R C
(Local administrator a c c e s s
fly; p u l l - d o w n m e n u for instant models very closely.
required for W i n d o w s X P a n d 2 0 0 0 )
changes: RealPhysics 3D;
> Intel P e n t i u m 1 G H z or e q u i v a l e n t
changing wind dynamics: Hits
processor
unlimited editing capabilities; >Easy installation and a very
> 2 5 6 M B R A M (ideally. 5 1 2 M B R A M )
collision d a m a g e w h e n model detailed electronic manual
D i r e c t X 9- ( o r b e t t e r ) c o m p a t i b l e
hits o b j e c t ; 3 D o b j e c t s ; s c e n e r y ; >Excellent scenery rendition
video and sound card
V i r t u a l Flight i n s t r u c t o r ( V F I ) > E x c e p t i o n a l flight p e r f o r m a n c e
> 3 D v i d e o c a r d w i t h at l e a s t
teaching aid: compatible with and feel
32MB RAM
all A d d - O n s d i s c s .
> 1.3GB hard-drive s p a c e
Misses
C D - R O M drive
> H e l i c o p t e r s not yet a v a i l a b l e
Super V G A monitor
USB port

$199.98
 If soaring is your main interest, G3 has you covered;
there are slope sites and gliders for hours of fun.

o n the screen a n d is ready t o be r e v i e w e d

a n d revised.
T h e sim also i n c l u d e s full-coverage c o l ­
l i s i o n d e t e c t i o n , t h e F l e x i F i e l d flying-site
editor, split screens, V i r t u a l R e v o l u t i o n
s o u n d t e c h n o l o g y , V i r t u a l Flight instruc­
tor, N a v G u i d e s viewports, multiplayer
capability and a host of other features-
far t o o m a n y t o list here.

AT THE VIRTUAL FIELD

T h e n e w g r a p h i c s are v e r y i m p r e s s i v e :
leaves g e n t l y w a v e i n a b r e e z e , a n d t h e
s h a d o w s cast b y o b j e c t s constantly
c h a n g e as y o u m o v e a b o u t . T h e p r o g r a m ­
mers d i d a nice j o b o f m a k i n g it easy t o
c h a n g e a n d r e m o v e objects f r o m t h e f l y ­
i n g sites. T h e a i r p o r t e d i t o r is s i m p l e a n d
q u i t e i n t u i t i v e t o use, a n d t h e g r a p h i c s
show a huge improvement (and 1
t h o u g h t the graphics i n G 2 were pretty
realistic!). G3's NexSTAR has all the bells and whistles of
the real model—right down to the wing droops
I d i d n ' t initially appreciate the flight and the onboard AFS.
m o d e l because I t h o u g h t t h a t l i t t l e h a d
b e e n c h a n g e d . B u t after using the sim for
a few d a y s , t h e f l i g h t m o d e l really g r e w BEGINNER'S PERSPECTIVE
o n m e ; y o u n e e d t o use it for a w h i l e t o
I'M A NEWCOMER TO R C AND HAVE JUST can now work with the virtual version and all
a p p r e c i a t e it f u l l y . T h e 3 D p h y s i c s are STARTED to fly. When I go to the flying field the other aircraft we aspire to fly without hav­
s i m p l y a m a z i n g . G 3 c o m e s w i t h a Yak-54 with my trusty Hobbico NexSTAR (a .46- ing to switch programs. When flying the
that I have been flying and whose flight powered trainer), the older fliers—the ones NexSTAR and other trainers, we've noticed
characteristics are a l m o s t o n the m o n e y . 1 who aren't familiar with flight sims—are that the improvements in the flight-sim's
h a d o n l y to make m i n o r a d j u s t m e n t s to fairly impressed by my abilities. "It takes physics make the aircraft much less "floaty."
years to get reactions to that level," they say This has helped us to develop our landing
the e x p o n e n t i a l a n d c o n t r o l t h r o w s t o get
of my thumbs. "How did you do that?" skills in a more realistic manner.
the p l a n e to h a n d l e like similar planes
I'm tempted to respond that it's my natural In addition to training for RC. G3 offers a
I've f l o w n . G3 handles 3D maneuvers
gift as a pilot, but the truth is, I trained for good way to have some escapist fun, and the
s u c h as h o v e r i n g , waterfalls a n d harriers hours and hours on RealFlight G2 before I hit 10 new flying fields and 5.000+ square miles
very well. the field, and it accelerated my progress con­ of new terrain offer ample opportunities for
siderably. That's why, as a novice, I was my son and his friends to tour a variety of
T o r q u e r o l l i n g is m o r e d i f f i c u l t o n G 3
especially encouraged to see that the newest environments in Chase Mode. While he
than o n G 2 and other flight sims; I
generation of RealFlight offers several fea­ delights in this "video game" approach of
t h o u g h t t h e y made the maneuver too tures and refinements that are ideal for tearing through the many challenges like Luke
easy t o be realistic. M a k i n g it d i f f i c u l t to advancing the skills of beginners and inter­ Skywalker in "Star Wars." I use Chase Mode
t o r q u e r o l l makes the sim m o r e c h a l l e n g ­ mediate pilots. to set trims and to test the control-input sen­
i n g ; it m a k e s y o u p r a c t i c e h a r d e r , a n d RealFlight G3 includes a virtual NexSTAR sitivity of unfamiliar aircraft before I switch to
that s h o u l d g i v e y o u better results at the as one of its aircraft choices; this was previ­ the RC perspective: Fixed Position. But my
ously available only with the purchase of the son and I agree on one point: RealFlight G 3 is
flying field.
NexSTAR model. My 13-year-old son (also a way better than Grand Theft Auto any day!
I really like b e i n g able to adjust the
beginner) and I share the NexSTAR, so we —Jon Chappell
G 3 ' s parameters. T h e features w i t h the
software r a d i o are v e r y c o o l ; I was able to
create c u s t o m m u l t i - p o i n t m i x e s just as I
The level of detail in G3 is fantastic; check When you crash in G3, your plane breaks—as this T-34 demonstrates.
out the panel lines and weathering!

WARBIRD DELIGHT
WHEN REALFLIGHT WAS FIRST INTRODUCED, it set a new standard for real­
ism. Since then, flight sims have all improved, and RealFlight has continued
to expand and refine its programming to maintain its edge. The second gen­
eration, RealFlight G 2 . with its plug-n-play U S B InterLink controller enhanced
RealFlight G3
the experience even more. With the new G3 version, RealFlight adds even is easy to install
more detail and realism to your computer-generated flight adventure. and easy to use.
I reviewed and have flown the T o p Rite giant-scale P-51D Mustang ARF a
great deal, and I was pleased to see it in G 3 ' s aircraft menu. I thought it
The graphics
would be interesting to compare it with the real model. After spending some are stunning, and
time at the computer. I thought that G 3 ' s Big Beautiful Doll P-51 Mustang
was very similar to its real counterpart. All of its functions are there: the
the "feel" is
usual flight controls (including high and low rates), retractable landing gear better than ever.
and flaps. G 3 ' s sound generator does a convincing job of letting you know
that a big-block engine sits inside the cowl, and the graphics are stunning. I
It's the perfect
taxied the model close to my vantage point so that I'd be able take a really training aid for
close look at it. All the controls moved realistically, and the entire experience
was right-on. The nose art, wingtip and nose checkerboards, painted spinner,
beginners, and it
panel lines and grease smears: they're all there. There's even a pair of allows experts to
sequencing inner gear doors for the main gear! Hey! Those aren't on my
model; I'm jealous!
practice new skills.
With the flaps set at half, advance the throttle, and the model gets light
on its feet quickly. Give a slight pull on the elevator, and it's airborne—just
like my real-world model. While flying. I was completely convinced that I was
controlling a real giant-scale Mustang. There was a little too much pitch sta­
bility and a little too much control response, but after a little editing on the
wire-frame AccuModel, I had dialed in the feel of G 3 ' s Mustang to a very w o u l d w i t h a high-end computer radio. I
convincing level. Great Planes has a real winner on its hands with G 3 ! created a m i x t o r e m o v e t h e p i t c h cou­
— G e r r y Yarrish p l i n g o n the Yak-54, a n d it's v e r y close t o
w h a t y o u need o n a real R C m o d e l Y a k .
As far as I c a n tell, y o u c a n c h a n g e just
about every physical parameter o n the
planes w i t h t h e A c c u M o d e l e d i t o r , so y o u
c a n create a n d m o d i f y the sim m o d e l s t o
m a t c h y o u r R C planes.

IN SHORT
I am v e r y pleased w i t h R e a l F l i g h t G 3 , a n d
I h i g h l y r e c o m m e n d t h a t y o u step u p t o
it f r o m G 2 . G 3 has b e e n e x t e n s i v e l y
r e w o r k e d w i t h o u t s t a n d i n g results. It's
easier to use, a n d t h e p l a n e s f l y more
r e a l i s t i c a l l y . It's t h e p e r f e c t t r a i n i n g aid
f o r b e g i n n e r s , a n d it a l l o w s e x p e r t s t o
practice n e w skills. A d d t h a t y o u c a n fly
anywhere, anytime, and y o u might never
make it t o t h e f l y i n g field a g a i n !

See the SourceGuideon page 152 for manufacturers'

contact information.
"Every time
I fly the plane,
I'm impressed
with its
performance ."
 BY SCOTT HAMPTON >

MODELTECH

SE-5A
ARF

Quick-build WW I fighter
T H E SE5a H A D A D I S T I N G U I S H E D C A R E E R D U R I N G W W I,
and it turned the tide of air supremacy for the British when it
proved to be a deadly match for the German Albatros fighter.
Now, ModelTech's .46-size ARF version continues that tradi-
tion of innovation and superiority. Not only does this plane look
good in the air, but it's also one of the easiest and fastest ARFs
I've ever assembled.
ModelTech's SE-5A features all-wood construction; an iron-
on c o v e r i n g ; a p a i n t e d f i b e r g l a s s c o w l ; w i r e w h e e l s ;
adjustable, metal center-cabane struts; wooden outer struts;
and a vacuum-formed gun. A 4-channel radio and .52 to .61
4-stroke are recommended.
 M O D E L T E C H SE-5A ARF

SPECIFICATIONS
M O D E L : SE-5A A R F
M A N U F A C T U R E R : ModelTech
D I S T R I B U T O R : Global Hobby
Distributors
T Y P E : sport-scale biplane
L E N G T H : 41 in.
W I N G S P A N : 49.5 in.
W I N G A R E A : 792 s q . in.
W E I G H T : 6.5 lb.
W I N G L O A D I N G : 1 9 o z . / s q . ft.
E N G I N E R E Q ' D : .40 t o .52 2-stroke
o r .52 t o .61 4 - s t r o k e
R A D I O R E Q ' D : 4-channel w / 5 servos
(rudder, elevator, throttle, 2 ailerons)
P R I C E : $189.99

COMMENTS
T h i s is o n e o f the m o s t enjoyable A R F s

IN THE B O X h a v e built. T h e instruction m a n u a l is

kit is so complete that the o n l y things I
very c o n c i s e a n d well-written. It i s a
Inside the b o x , everything is wrapped in its needed to complete it were a M a g n u m .52 4-
very stable-flying biplane.
o w n plastic bag—even the nuts and bolts. 1 stroke, a radio, 5 servos, two 14-inch servo
sorted the bags by construction steps so I extensions, one 6-inch Y-harness, some fuel-
w o u l d have o n l y a few loose parts o n the line tubing, fuel and glue.
bench during a n y step o f the assembly.
W h e n 1 removed the fuselage from the bag, WING A S S E M B L Y Complete hardware package
the first thing I noticed was that there W i t h most of the kits 1 assemble, I like to Wire wheels included
weren't a n y wrinkles i n the covering. N e x t , I start w i t h the wings—mainly, attaching the Fiberglass cowl
checked the wings, a n d they, too, were ailerons. T h e slots are already cut, so all I had
wrinkle-free, as were all the other covered to d o was insert the hinges, align everything nuts and bolts y o u need to attach t h e m to
parts—not unusual, as the covering is T o p and glue them into place w i t h C A . Both the fuselage.
Flite M o n o K o t e . O n inspecting the parts, I wings are of one-piece construction, so n o I test-fit the bottom w i n g o n t o the fuse­
could tell right away that this is a h i g h - assembly was needed. Each wing has its o w n lage, but before attaching it, I made sure that
quality kit that w o u l d be fun to build. T h e hardware bag, so it is easy to f i n d the various the w i n g t i p s were equal distance to the

The radio equipment is easy to access through

The N-struts are attached to the top and bottom the wing saddle. Ample room between the servos
wings with hex nuts and bolts. This secure attach­ After the cowl has been removed, there is plenty ensures that none of the servo wheels rubs
ment allows easy wing removal. of room to work on the Magnum .52 4-stroke. against any other.
 SE5a: ULTIMATE A C E MAKER
WHEN WW I BEGAN IN 1914 the airplane w a s barely 11 y e a r s flyable ( r e a d : l e s s d a n g e r o u s ) , a n d t h i s m e a n t that a pilot
old. It w a s nothing more than a plodding, noisy kite a n d w a s could c o n c e n t r a t e o n killing his e n e m y rather t h a n being killed
barely more d a n g e r o u s than an o b s e r v a t i o n b a l l o o n . A s a by his o w n airplane. B e c a u s e o f t h i s , the Royal Air Force c o u l d
w e a p o n , it w a s difficult t o take it s e r i o u s l y , but only four s h o r t take fledgling pilots a n d turn t h e m into effective aerial warriors
y e a r s later, it h a d b e e n t r a n s f o r m e d into a multidimensional in m u c h l e s s time.
w e a p o n s y s t e m o f a w e s o m e potential. T h e Royal Aircraft T h e original 1 5 0 h p S E 5 w a s relatively ineffective b e c a u s e o f
F a c t o r y ' s S E 5 a is a c l a s s i c c a s e in point: it s h o w e d clearly that reliability problems a n d b e c a u s e only a limited n u m b e r o f
in t i m e o f war, man c a n quickly find efficient w a y s t o rain t h o s e planes reached the front. By 1 9 1 8 , h o w e v e r , the 1 5 0 h p
death o n his e n e m y . H i s p a n o S u i z a h a d b e e n replaced with the m o r e powerful,
T h e S c o u t Experimental 5 ( S E 5 ) w a s d e s i g n e d specifically t o g e a r e d 2 0 0 h p H i s p a n o a n d , later, the W o l s e l e y V i p e r , w h i c h
eliminate the awful s h o r t c o m i n g s o f aircraft s u c h a s the gave rise t o the " a " in S E 5 a . With either e n g i n e , t h e airplane
S o p w i t h C a m e l , a n d at the s a m e time, give it a n e d g e in com­ carried a s y n c h r o n i z e d V i c k e r s , belt-fed .303-caliber m a c h i n e
bat o v e r G e r m a n y ' s lethal Fokkers. T h e heart of the d e s i g n for g u n that fired through the propeller a n d a drum-fed L e w i s g u n
the S E 5 w a s the H i s p a n o S u i z a liquid-cooled V-8. T h e 1 5 0 h p ' o n the top wing in a sliding m o u n t . T h e Lewis c o u l d b e fired
e n g i n e w a s m u c h e a s i e r for neophyte pilots t o o p e r a t e , a n d it straight a h e a d o v e r the prop or u p w a r d at a n oblique a n g l e .
d i d n ' t constantly try t o twist the airplane into a pretzel the w a y T h e ability t o fire upward let the S E 5 a pilot s h o o t into the belly
the whirling rotary o f the C a m e l d i d . of an u n s u s p e c t i n g e n e m y or fire a c r o s s t h e circle in a d o g -
T h e l e s s c a n t a n k e r o u s engine w a s c o u p l e d with an airframe fight.
t h a t replaced the fragile b o n e s o f the C a m e l with a r o b u s t n e s s Fast ( 1 3 5 m p h ) , e a s y to fly a n d with a high rate o f climb, the
t h a t w o u l d s t a n d the n e w pilot in g o o d s t e a d in c o m b a t a n d in S E 5 a b e c a m e a n a c e m a k e r — w i t n e s s Mick M a n n o c k (73 kills)
day-to-day o p e r a t i o n s . It w a s a n extremely e a s y airplane t o a n d Billy B i s h o p ( 7 2 kills). T h e fact t h a t the S E 5 a w a s in c o m ­
take off a n d l a n d — s o m e t h i n g that a b s o l u t e l y c o u l d not be s a i d bat for barely a y e a r s p e a k s v o l u m e s . In t h a t s h o r t t i m e , t h e
a b o u t the C a m e l a n d its all-or-nothing kill-switch e n g i n e c o n ­ airplane c u t a s w a t h through the e n e m y a n d in s o d o i n g ,
trol. M o r e o v e r , w h e n it w a s thrown a r o u n d during a dogfight, it e a r n e d a place in h i s t o r y ' s fighter hall o f f a m e .
w a s working with the pilot; the C a m e l often fought its pilot a n d —Budd Davisson
required him to c o m p e n s a t e for its eccentricities. Although not
a s maneuverable a s the C a m e l , the S E 5 w a s much more Visit Budd on the Web at airbum.com.

fuselage tail. M y next step was to install all of installed paper tubes in the w i n g for y o u to cal stabilizer into precut slots i n the h o r i z o n ­
the m o u n t i n g plates a n d hardware necessary guide the servo wires t h r o u g h . I f o u n d this to tal stabilizer a n d temporarily aligned it. I
to b o l t o n the top and bottom wings. T h e be a m u c h easier w a y to accomplish this task. made marks to s h o w where I needed to cut
instructions were v e r y clear about where I used two 14-inch servo-wire extensions a n d the covering material f r o m b o t h the h o r i z o n ­
everything went. I used 2 Cirrus 26BB servos one 6-inch Y-harness to connect the servos tal a n d vertical stabilizers. I used 30-minute
for the ailerons. T h e n all I had to d o was to to the receiver. e p o x y to attach the stabilizer and fin togeth­
glue the m o u n t i n g blocks o n the tray and er; before the e p o x y cured, I used a square to
bolt d o w n the servos. I n this kit, y o u w o n ' t FUSELAGE ASSEMBLY align everything. After the e p o x y had cured,
f i n d the usual string that pulls the servo T h e first step i n the fuselage's construction is I p i n n e d the tail section to the fuselage. I
extensions t h r o u g h the w i n g . M o d e l T e c h to install the tail section. I inserted the verti- measured from the w i n g t i p to the tip o f the
 IN T H E AIR

IN THE A I R
For the SE-5A, I used a Magnum .52
4-stroke with a stock muffler, a Zinger
11x7 wooden prop and 15% Wildcat
fuel. This combination provides plenty of
p o w e r to pull the 5 . 5 - p o u n d p l a n e
around the sky with some authority.

CONTROL THROWS
Elevator: ±1/2 in. (low); ±3/4 in. (high)
Elevator: ±1/4 in. (low); ±5/8 in. (high)
Rudder ±1/2 in. (low):±7/8in. (high)

G E N E R A L FLIGHT C H A R A C T E R I S T I C S
>Stability: this plane handles very well
even at slow speeds. That really is a
nice feature w h e n you are on final
approach for landing.
>Tracking: the SE-5A tracks quite well
on the ground even though there is no
tailwheel (just a skid). In the air. the
plane flies straight and true; it locks on
stabilizer to make sure that the tail was tank and secured it i n place w i t h foam. I to the direction in which you point it.
aligned w i t h the w i n g . After some m i n o r used the M a g n u m .52 4-stroke for power. >Aerobatics: this scale WW I biplane
adjustments, I epoxied the tail section to the T h e engine is positioned o n the m o u n t so will do all the scale maneuvers that the
fuselage using 30-minute epoxy. I hinged all that the prop washer is 43/4 inches from the full-size one d i d . The model flies
the control surfaces to the tail section a n d firewall. 1 marked the locations of the holes through each maneuver with smooth­
installed the HS-422 servos into the servo needed for the bolts a n d locknuts and drilled ness and authority.
tray before I epoxied it into the fuselage. 1 them into the firewall. After the engine had >Glide performance: if you set the wing
assembled the fuel tank and installed it into been m o u n t e d , I slid the throttle pushrod incidence and balance the plane cor­
the front o f the fuselage w i t h foam packed into the preinstalled pushrod sleeve and con­ rectly, it will glide very well under little
around it to insulate it from vibration. T h e nected the throttle servo. power. With no power, just keep a nose-
down attitude.
last t h i n g I d i d was to attach the engine Before 1 installed the fiberglass c o w l , 1
m o u n t to the firewall. T h i s was simple to d o > S t a l l s : when the plane climbs at 45
used thick paper to make a template a n d
degrees and the power is cut to an idle,
because the m o u n t i n g holes had already marked the exhaust, needle valve and glow- it will stall, drop a wing slightly and then
been drilled into the m o u n t , and the b l i n d plug cutouts o n it. W i t h the c o w l i n place, 1 drop its nose down; after a short buildup
nuts were preinstalled. transferred the locations of all the holes and of speed, it recovers very quickly.
then cut them out of the cowl. I slid the cowl
FINAL A S S E M B L Y over the engine a n d attached it to the front PILOT DEBRIEFING
1 installed the pushrods o n the servos for the o f the fuselage. Every time I fly the plane. I'm impressed
tail section and connected the pushrods to N o w that everything was installed a n d with its performance: this is a good-
flying aircraft. The Magnum .52 4-stroke
the rudder a n d elevator using the supplied hooked up inside the fuselage, I remounted
is the perfect mill for this plane. On the
clevises. I then put the battery under the fuel the wings. 1 mounted the bottom w i n g first
ground, it uses up only about 20 feet of
a n d then added the N-struts a n d the top
the runway with little rudder correction
wing. Because this is a biplane, it's important before it leaps into the air. Once in the
to check each wing's angle of incidence. T h e air. I can fly it at1/2throttle. At full throt­
b o t t o m w i n g should have 0 degree of inci­ tle, it flies a little faster than scale
dence, a n d the top w i n g should have 1 speed, but it has plenty of power to do
degree of incidence. After I checked the cen­ the scale maneuvers such as split-S's.
ter o f gravity i n m y SE-5A, it was ready to go. loops, rolls and combinations of these.
When I came in for my first landing. I
was surprised because when I cut the
CONCLUSION throttle down to about 1/4. the plane still
T h e SE-5A has the scale looks of a formidable had too much power to land. On my
W W 1 aircraft and the docile flight character­ next approach. I reduced the throttle to
istics of a stable, advanced trainer. If y o u ' r e a little above idle, and the SE-5A just
looking for something that's easy to assem­ floated down. When the plane got close
ble a n d has solid flight performance, y o u ' v e to the ground, I flared a little, and it sat
down for a nice 3-point landing. On the
found y o u r plane. A d d the scale looks of a
rollout. I used the rudder to control the
plane that turned the tide o f war, and h o w
tracking and found it to be quite effective.
can y o u go wrong?

See the Source Guide on page 118 for manufacturers'

contact information.
Air SCOOP

S o a r i n g the N e u t r a l Zone
If an enemy battle-star launches an attack on your local
slope-soaring site, you can be on full-alert patrol to repel
the aggressor with the new Toucan 60R—a larger version of the original
Toucan from DCU Models. With lower wing loading and higher Reynolds numbers
than the original 43-inch version, this 60-inch-span version flies like a dream. If you
liked the original, you're going to love this one. The kit features a fiberglass fuselage,
foam-core/balsa-sheeted wings and all the hardware to make the wings removable. The
wing area is 470 square inches, and it weighs 30 to 32 ounces. Separate elevator and aileron-
control servos are used, and mixers are unnecessary. Contact DCU Models, 45 Steel Rd., Wylie,
TX 75098; (214) 429-0440; fax (214) 442-1899.

T hese limited-production
Signature Collection Cards are
aviation

made of fine-quality aluminum. Some of

the finest and most famous figures of
aviation in the past 60 years, including
test pilots, record-holders and Aces, are
represented with the planes they flew.
On the front of each card is an action
photo of a history-making aircraft
and
of
an inset photo
the famous F lair now offers the venerable deHavilland Tiger Moth in their Quarter
Scale Classic Series of kits. This impressive DH-82 Tiger Moth has an
88-inch wingspan and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser at an IMMA event or
pilot and his or
at your local field. Flair promises superb engineering and a long list of
her signature. The
scale details and innovations made possible by the model's large size.
plane's specifica-
Here are just a few examples: sprung and dampened telescoping under­
carriage; durable lightweight wheels with deHavilland-logo hubcaps;
stainless-steel flying wires with terminators; complete closed loop
(pull/pull) control system for rudder and elevators; die-stamped steel
bracket; die-cut, lite-ply parts; fiberglass cowl and external detail mold­
ings. Power requirements are .90 to 1.20 2-stroke or 1.20 to 1.50 4-stroke.
For more information, contact Hobby Supply South, Inc., 5060 Glade Rd.,
Acworth, GA 30101; (800) 250-3683, (770) 974-0843; fax (770) 974-6243;
email: [email protected]; homepage: www.hway.net/hss.

tions and a short informative paragraph WORLD RECORD HOLDER In 1949 this free-
flight helicopter,
built by Taiwanese
are on the back of each card. Signature
modelers Wang
cards sell for $5.95 (S&H included). A Kung and Liu Li-
percentage of each sale will go to the Tien, set a world
Flight Test Historical Foundation for the record for duration
construction of an aviation museum at of 22 minutes, 27
seconds. They
Edwards Air Force Base. For more infor­
later set a dis­
mation, contact Aerospace Marketing, tance record of
P.O. Box 850, Victorville, CA 92393; (800) 18.038 kilometers
440-5095. with a model of
the same type.
 The Zodiac XL can be
built with either a
tricycle landing gear
or in a tail-dragger
arrangement.
"
EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT MODEL

Modern homebuilt design

in an ARF package
sport-scale
flyer that's different from the other models at the field, the Zodiac XL
from Experimental Aircraft Models is a great choice. With its flaps and
pants-covered tricycle landing gear, the Zodiac has all the basic equip­
ment to be a good, fun-scale competition model as well. All you have to
do is find some documentation pictures, and you'll be ready to go.
The full-size Zodiac XL is an Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA)
homebuilt aircraft. It is a kit plane that is a s s e m b l e d b y the
owner/builder, who has to accomplish at least 51 percent of the con­
struction for the aircraft to fall into the experimental-aircraft category.
Experimental Aircraft Models produces many scale kits of EAA home-
built aircraft, including the Challenger II, RV-6, Glastar and Glasair,
Europa XS and Velocity XL. The 1/5-scale Zodiac XL is typical of the
company's lineup: very distinctive-looking and fun to fly.
EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT MODELS ZODIAC XL

SPECIFICATIONS
M O D E L : Zodiac XL
M A N U F A C T U R E R : Experimental Aircraft
Models
T Y P E : 1/5 scale sport flyer
W I N G S P A N : 60.5 in.
WING A R E A : 683 sq. in.
W E I G H T : 6.5 lb. ready for flight
WING LOADING: 22 o z . / s q . ft.
L E N G T H : 47 in.
ENGINE R E Q ' D : .35 to .58 2-cycle or
.45 to .60 4-cycle
RADIO R E Q ' D : 5-channel w / 7 servos

COMMENTS
THE KIT Also included are a polished-aluminum T h e Z o d i a c is an unusual sport-scale
W h e n i opened the b o x , I was amazed at all spinner, wheels, machine-cut p l y w o o d servo model that flies well. It's relatively short-
the hardware included i n the numbered plas­ mounts, a fuel tank and fuel lines, bell- coupled a n d h a s s c a l e control-surface
tic bags: just about a n y t h i n g needed to cranks, horns, pushrods and clevises and s i z e s a n d placement—all g o o d things for
assemble the model was there. T h e wings are engine mounts. M a n y brand-name items s c a l e competition. J u s t be sure to k e e p
balsa-planked over EPS foam-cores and have from D u - B r o and Sullivan are used. T h e the control throws at their minimum set­
built-up balsa aileron a n d flap construction. model comes covered w i t h O r a c o v e r film, tings until y o u get u s e d to the w a y the
a n d the covering job is first rate. A l l the c o n ­ model r e s p o n d s .
T h e fuselage is also balsa-planked over lite-ply
formers and a foam turtle deck. T h e canopy is trol surfaces are hinged w i t h C A hinges
vacuum-formed butyrate, a n d the landing installed. W h e n I test-fit the parts, t h e y all
gear is formed out o f a l u m i n u m . T h e fiber- w e n t together nicely.
glass wheel pants have a white gelcoat finish.
ASSEMBLY Lightweight construction
A comprehensive, very user-friendly building High-quality brand-name hardware
manual is included, a n d its numerous photos Excellent assembly manual
make assembly steps v e r y easy to follow. Good control response
Begin b y attaching all the control surfaces,
joining the w i n g halves a n d t h e n m o u n t i n g servo. T o m i n i m i z e steering play, I recom­
the w i n g to the fuselage. N e x t , bolt the m a i n m e n d that y o u install a p l y w o o d guide
landing gear into place. T h e Zodiac X L can bracket near the pushrod's center to prevent
be built w i t h either a tricycle landing gear or the wire f r o m b o w i n g under load. T h e r u d ­
i n a tail-dragger arrangement. I decided to der a n d elevator use standard h a r d w o o d -
use the tricycle-gear setup for easier g r o u n d dowel pushrod assemblies.
handling—very important at scale contests! For power, I installed an O.S. .70 4-stroke
A n o t h e r neat, scale feature is the all-flying engine. W h i c h e v e r type o f engine y o u
rudder. It looks cool and provides excellent decide to use, the distance f r o m the firewall
y a w authority. to the engine's thrust washer s h o u l d be 47/8
T h e nose-gear installation is simple, and I inches. Since the firewall has 2 degrees of
Each of the aileron and flap servos is installed used the included hard-wire pushrod and right thrust built i n , be sure to m o v e the
under flush-fitting wing hatches for a neat, easy-to- linkage to attach the nose gear to the rudder engine's vertical centerline about3/16i n c h t o
adjust setup.

The O.S. .70 4-stroke engine fits nicely and provides plenty of power for Standard hardware is used throughout. The rudder and elevator control horns and
the Zodiac. pushrods are shown.
 IN THE AIR
The Zodiac XL is a fun airplane to fly.
Powered with an O . S . .70 4-stroke.
there's more than enough power for all
kinds of performance including some
non-scale aerobatics. Any 2-stroke .32 to
.40 engine would be ideal power for this
model.

CONTROL THROWS
Rudder low and high rate1/2in. (measured
at the top of the rudder): expo 30%
Elevator: ±5/8 in. (low); 3/4 in. (high);
expo 30%
Ailerons: ±1/2 in. (low); 5/8 in. (high);
expo 30%
Flaps:7/8in. (fully extended)
Balance point: 31/8 in. aft of the wing's
leading edge

GENERAL FLIGHT CHARACTERISTICS

> Stability: the Zodiac's true-to-scale
size, placement of the control surfaces
and relatively short coupling make it a
fairly responsive model that's very close
to being neutrally stable.
>Tracking: with rates and control throws
at the minimums. the model is easy to
keep on track. At high rates and throws,
The big bubble canopy demands some cockpit detailing. The D&R Laserworks instrument panel fits
however, you could over-control the
almost perfectly into place.
model.
>Aerobatics: with the CG moved back a
little and with increased control-surface
the left. T h i s w i l l keep the prop shaft cen­
throws, the model can easily do snap
tered at the front of the c o w l . After the
rolls and other aerobatics.
engine h a d been set up, I attached the tail >Glide performance: the model has a
surfaces a n d then installed the rudder and brisk descent rate with power pulled
elevator servos a n d the c o n t r o l linkage. I back because of its fairly wide fuselage.
installed an Airtronics RD6000 radio system Control remains responsive.
and standard 94102 Airtronics servos. I >Stalls: a properly placed CG and limited
placed the battery pack n e x t to the fuel tank, control throws give the model good slow-
speed characteristics. The stall break is
installed the radio switch i n the fuselage side
positive, but recovery is clean.
just below the canopy a n d t h e n installed the
How much more room could you ask for In the wheel pants.
radio compartment? The fuel tank and battery PILOT D E B R I E F I N G
packare installed in front of the forward bulkhead. The last thing to d o is install the large bub­
With its full-flying rudder setup, the
ble canopy. I cut it to shape at the molded-in
model has sufficient rudder area
guide lines but found that the canopy o n l y fit beneath the stabilizer for surprisingly
flush to the cockpit-cutout area. T o give the good yaw control. On the ground, the
canopy something to rest against, 1 added a model has a nose-down attitude, so it
1/4-inch-highpiece of hardwood along each doesn't come off the runway until you
cockpit side to brace it. I then painted o n the give it a good pull on the elevator stick. I
canopy frames and screwed the canopy i n t o found a long, flat landing approach to be
more controllable than a short, steep
place w i t h small sheet-metal screws.
one. The flaps are effective, but the
T h a t big canopy called for some interior model really doesn't need them, even
details. I installed a Hangar 9 pilot bust, a while landing on a short runway.
balsa backrest a n d a D & R Laserworks instru­
ment panel, a n d last, I affixed the i n c l u d e d ,
precut stick-on trim graphics.
ordinary, the Zodiac could be w h a t y o u ' v e
CONCLUSION been looking for. I h i g h l y r e c o m m e n d it!
T h e Zodiac X L flies great, and I love that it fits
nicely—fully assembled—into the back of m y See the Source Guide on page 152 for manufacturers'
small car. If y o u want something out of the contact information.
SEAGULL MODEL
LOOKING FOR GIANT-SCALE PERFORMANCE O N A
.90 budget? You've found the right plane: with its ultralight
airframe and oversize control surfaces, the Seagull Models
Harrier 3 D is a pilot's dream machine. From precision aero-
batics to extreme 3 D maneuvers, this plane gets it done
and is a real blast to fly.
S E A G U L L M O D E L HARRIER 3 D
SPECIFICATIONS
MODEL: H a r r i e r 3 D
MANUFACTURER: Seagull Model
DISTRIBUTOR: Horizon H o b b y
Distributors
TYPE: 3D aerobatic A R F
AIRFOIL: s y m m e t r i c a l
W I N G S P A N : 6 0 . 5 in.
WING A R E A : 9 4 8 . 3 8 s q . I n .
W E I G H T : 7.5 lb.
WING LOADING: 1 8 . 2 o z . / s q . ft.
LENGTH: 66 in.
ENGINE R E Q ' D : .60 t o 1.00 2-Stroke
o r .90 t o 1.20 4-stroke
RADIO R E Q ' D : 4 - c h a n n e l w / 6 s e r v o s
(2 aileron. 2 elevator, rudder, throttle)
PRICE: $ 1 7 5

COMMENTS
T h e Harrier 3 D is well s u i t e d to inter­
mediate a n d a d v a n c e d pilots b e c a u s e
of its amazing maneuverability a n d
inherent stability.

T h e Harrier 3D comes built u p a n d cov­

ered i n transparent yellow and blue High-quality construction
U l t r a C o t e . Its two-piece symmetrical w i n g is and parts
easy to remove and features two a l u m i n u m
Fast, easy assembly
Spectacular performance
rods for stability. T h e ailerons, elevator and
rudder are slotted to accept C A hinges. A
fiberglass c o w l a n d wheel pants, all the nec­ because o f its size. T h e instructions keep y o u
essary hardware, heavy-duty a l u m i n u m well informed a n d are easy to read.
landing gear, a canopy a n d self-adhesive I started assembly b y h i n g i n g all of the
decals complete the package. control surfaces. T h i s was quick a n d easy to
do because all o f the C A h i n g e slots are
ASSEMBLY already cut. I just aligned the surfaces a n d
T h e Harrier requires v e r y little assembly to added a little t h i n C A . After completing this
get it into the air. T h e major steps include step, I decided to test-fit the w i n g t o the
m o u n t i n g the engine and fuel tank and fuselage. T h e w i n g halves are joined w i t h a
aligning and attaching the tail feathers. I pair of a l u m i n u m dowels, a n d the w i n g is
The e l e v a t o r / r u d d e r servos are e x t e r n a l l y finished it during four leisurely evenings. attached to the fuselage w i t h four plastic
mounted for ease of Installation and adjustment.
T h e Harrier 3D requires a large w o r k surface retaining bolts. W h e n the w i n g was fully i n
The transparent covering makes it simple to guide
the servo wires through the fuselage.

A cordless rotary tool equipped with a small sanding drum (such as Don't be misled by the Saito 100's elegant polished valve cover and pushrod tubes:
the one shown above) makes light work of cutting out fiberglass inside it is a fire that takes the Harrier 3D to new heights with power to spare.
engine cowls.
E-POWER CONVERSION
S I N C E T H E H A R R I E R 3D W E I G H S in at

approximately 7.5 pounds and has

plenty of room for batteries, I thought it
was a perfect candidate for a brushless
motor with Li-poly batteries. I decided to
use a Mega 22-30-2 motor with a Model
Electronics Corp. Superbox 5:1 gearbox.
The batteries are Apogee 6s2p
4960mAh Li-poly custom-built packs.
Because I use this high-voltage Li-poly
pack and want even more reliability, I
also use an Ultimate BEC from Cool
Flight Systems as a voltage regulator
and an Apogee 3s 830mAh Li-poly pack
as a power source for the 5 Hitec servos
and Supreme 7 receiver.

The electric Harrier 3D flies better

than ever and has as much—if not
more!—power and response than its
nitro counterpart. The plane is now 9
ounces lighter and floats like a glider.
Hovers and torque rolls are accom-
plished at only 1/2 throttle, and at 3/4
throttle, you had better hold on to your
hat, because this baby moves air.
On the bench, I use an AstroFlight
Wattmeter for testing. At full throttle, the
power system produced 1,080 watts at
62 amps, but it's important to keep in
mind that the 6s2p Apogee batteries
deliver 52 amps continuous and 70A
bursts for up to 15 seconds, so throttle
management is a key factor.
 IN THE AIR

The Saito 1.00 4-stroke engine spinning an

APC 15x5 prop pulls the Harrier swiftly into
the air and provides unlimited vertical
climbout.

CONTROL T H R O W S
Elevator: ±23/4 in. (high); ±9/16 in. (low);
70% expo
Aileron: ±21/2 in. (high): ±5/8 in. (low):
50% expo
Rudder: ±21/2 in. (high): ±l3/4 in. (low);
50% expo

GENERAL FLIGHT CHARACTERISTICS

>Stability: at partial throttle, this plane
flies hands-off.
>Tracking: the controls are accurate and
positive. This plane does exactly what I tell
it, when I tell it.
position, I removed it a n d proceeded to the gear, a n d the component locations are >Aerobatics: this is where the Harrier 3D
elevator/rudder installation. T h e installation well t h o u g h t out. 1 started b y installing really shines. I like to start my show with a
of the elevator is well planned; there are top the six servos i n the predetermined loca­ tight snap and then transition into an eleva­
a n d b o t t o m guide wires for support a n d tions. Y o u ' l l need to add 1-foot-long tor; from there, a smooth rolling circle is a
nice crowd-pleaser.
turnbuckles to adjust tension. extensions to the rudder, elevator and
>Glide performance: the Harrier 3D glides
A .61 to 1.00 2-stroke or a .91 to 1.20
so well that on a dead-stick landing. I had
4-stroke is recommended for the Harrier 3D.
to tip the nose down to avoid overshooting
I chose to use a Saito 1.00 G o l d e n K n i g h t the runway.
4-stroke. T h i s attractive setup provides "...they produced > S t a l l s : this plane falls slowly, and it's
p l e n t y of power a n d is v e r y reliable. a plane that level and stable without any sign of wing
T h e h e a v y - d u t y landing gear is really does blur rocking or potential snaps.
attached to the fuselage w i t h four bolts a n d the line between PILOT DEBRIEFING
preinstalled b l i n d nuts. T h e hardest part was
a p p l y i n g the long, t h i n decals. T o make this
hardcore The Harrier 3D can take off from a smooth
easier, I sprayed soapy water o n t o the w i n g
3D P E R F O R M A N C E surface in as little as 15 to 20 feet.

a n d b o d y , positioned the decals and

A N D PRECISION Low-speed performance is really what

carefully rubbed them into place. STABILITY." it's all about: it's great for elevators,
harrier rolls and low-speed, knife-edge
flight. At high speeds, it performs like a
RADIO INSTALLATION pattern ship. Turns are precise, and rolls
T h e Harrier 3D has plenty o f r o o m for radio aileron servos. I mounted the receiver a n d are perfectly axial. At higher speeds. I rec­
battery pack side b y side at the rear o f the ommend that you use dual rates or expo
cockpit w i t h Velcro®. I used an Apogee 3- on all surfaces because the large surfaces
cell, 830mAh Li-poly receiver pack that are so effective. With expo turned on. I
didn't notice any instability at high speeds,
has a Kool Flight Systems Ultimate B E C
and the transition from low- to high-speed
voltage regulator. T h i s o p t i o n saves
flight was seamless.
weight a n d delivers a continuous 6 volts
The Harrier 3D is an absolute pleasure
to the servos. T h e battery voltage is 11.1,
to fly. It really shines at 3D aerobatics. If
so this setup is comparable to a 1500mAh
you can name it, the Harrier can do it.
N i - C d pack at o n l y quarter the weight. Hovering, torque rolls, harriers, loops, snaps
and knife-edge; it will do them all. Knife-
SUMMARY edge flight requires minimum rudder input.
T h e Seagull Models Harrier 3D is o n e of Landings are very smooth and soft and
the finest planes 1 have ever had the plea­ easier than expected. I suspect that the
soft landing is due to the fat. symmetrical
sure to work w i t h . Right out o f the b o x ,
wing that slows the Harrier to a stable
the ultralight airframe a n d large flying
crawl and to the large foam tires combined
surfaces made the Harrier 3D capable of with flexible landing gear that cushion land­
any maneuver 1 could t h i n k of. It is the ings. On the ground, the steerable tailwheel
plane that will set a n e w standard for 3D has the authority to point the plane in the
performance. direction you choose.

See (he Source Guide on page 152 for manufacturers'

contact information.
Air SCOOP

S o a r i n g the N e u t r a l Zone
If an enemy battle-star launches an attack on your local
slope-soaring site, you can be on full-alert patrol to repel
the aggressor with the new Toucan 60R—a larger version of the original
Toucan from DCU Models. With lower wing loading and higher Reynolds numbers
than the original 43-inch version, this 60-inch-span version flies like a dream. If you
liked the original, you're going to love this one. The kit features a fiberglass fuselage,
foam-core/balsa-sheeted wings and all the hardware to make the wings removable. The
wing area is 470 square inches, and it weighs 30 to 32 ounces. Separate elevator and aileron-
control servos are used, and mixers are unnecessary. Contact DCU Models, 45 Steel Rd., Wylie,
TX 75098; (214) 429-0440; fax (214) 442-1899.

T hese limited-production
Signature Collection Cards are
aviation

made of fine-quality aluminum. Some of

the finest and most famous figures of
aviation in the past 60 years, including
test pilots, record-holders and Aces, are
represented with the planes they flew.
On the front of each card is an action
photo of a history-making aircraft
and
of
an inset photo
the famous F lair now offers the venerable deHavilland Tiger Moth in their Quarter
Scale Classic Series of kits. This impressive DH-82 Tiger Moth has an
88-inch wingspan and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser at an IMMA event or
pilot and his or
at your local field. Flair promises superb engineering and a long list of
her signature. The
scale details and innovations made possible by the model's large size.
plane's specifica-
Here are just a few examples: sprung and dampened telescoping under­
carriage; durable lightweight wheels with deHavilland-logo hubcaps;
stainless-steel flying wires with terminators; complete closed loop
(pull/pull) control system for rudder and elevators; die-stamped steel
bracket; die-cut, lite-ply parts; fiberglass cowl and external detail mold­
ings. Power requirements are .90 to 1.20 2-stroke or 1.20 to 1.50 4-stroke.
For more information, contact Hobby Supply South, Inc., 5060 Glade Rd.,
Acworth, GA 30101; (800) 250-3683, (770) 974-0843; fax (770) 974-6243;
email: [email protected]; homepage: www.hway.net/hss.

tions and a short informative paragraph WORLD RECORD HOLDER In 1949 this free-
flight helicopter,
built by Taiwanese
are on the back of each card. Signature
modelers Wang
cards sell for $5.95 (S&H included). A Kung and Liu Li-
percentage of each sale will go to the Tien, set a world
Flight Test Historical Foundation for the record for duration
construction of an aviation museum at of 22 minutes, 27
seconds. They
Edwards Air Force Base. For more infor­
later set a dis­
mation, contact Aerospace Marketing, tance record of
P.O. Box 850, Victorville, CA 92393; (800) 18.038 kilometers
440-5095. with a model of
the same type.
Century Helicopter Products

HUMMING
BIRD CP

This bird really sings

ELECTRIC, MICRO-SIZE HELICOPTERS HAVE
R E A L L Y T A K E N T H E HELI W O R L D B Y S T O R M —
and why not? T h e y ' r e inexpensive and easy to
assemble, and their performance is now on a par
with larger, .30-size glow-powered heli models. Add
to this their fly-anywhere, anytime convenience, and
you have the stuff that modeling dreams are made
of. Enter the Century Helicopter Products micro-size
Hummingbird C P (collective pitch) heli. At first
glance, it appears to be basically the same as the
fixed-pitch version of the Hummingbird, but in fact,
the t w o have v e r y little in c o m m o n . T h e
Hummingbird CP uses C C P M (cyclic collective-pitch
mixing) for control and requires 3 microservos to
control the swashplate.
C E N T U R Y HELICOPTER P R O D U C T S HUMMINGBIRD C P

SPECIFICATIONS
MODEL: H u m m i n g b i r d C P
MANUFACTURER: Century Helicopter
Products
TYPE: electric micro-helicopter
MAIN ROTOR D I A M E T E R : 2 0 . 5 i n .
L E N G T H : 19.1 i n .
W E I G H T : 11.5 OZ.
RADIO R E Q ' D : 5 - c h a n n e l heli w / C C P M
FLIGHT D U R A T I O N : 5 t o 8 m i n .
PRICES: $99.95 (heli & gyro) to $ 4 0 0
(complete w/everything needed)

needed for the tail rotor to work are the

COMMENTS
T h i s attractive heli comes in different ver­
T h e Century Hummingbird is a great
sions, from the heli kit o n l y to several combo motor wires that are connected to the m i x i n g
micro heli for novice pilots j u s t starting
packages that include everything y o u need to board. This results i n a very clean, efficient
out or for experts looking for a capable
get airborne. T h e package 1 reviewed arrived and lightweight tail-rotor system, since there aerobatic indoor heli. T h e heli is conve­
as a complete setup, including an Airtronics aren't a n y driveshafts or belts to hassle w i t h . niently available a s a complete package
RD6000 Super transmitter and a C e n t u r y T h e heli requires at least a 5-channel pro­ with high-quality c o m p o n e n t s .
receiver and servos. T h i s setup truly is grammable heli radio with 120-degree C C P M
"almost ready to fly," so let's take a closer programming. It cannot be flown using a
look. simple 4-channel or even a 6-channel system,
unless the 3-servo C C P M feature is present. Fast assembly
FIRST I M P R E S S I O N S Keep this i n m i n d if y o u d o n ' t have such a Good-looking
T h e H u m m i n g b i r d C P has a beautiful violet radio system. Flies great
anodized-aluminum chassis plate that d o u ­
bles as a heat sink for the main-rotor drive A S S E M B L Y NOTES
motor. Most of the other airframe compo­ It's best to begin assembly after the transmit­ is definitely true. It took me o n l y about an
nents are made of plastic or carbon fiber. T h e ter and airborne batteries have been fully h o u r to get it ready to fly, and I build v e r y
main rotor blades feature a cambered airfoil charged. T h e H u m m i n g b i r d comes w i t h a slowly!
w i t h plastic covering and are made of w o o d wall charger that will charge the Bird Seed Assembly begins b y simply removing the
w i t h lightening cutouts visible beneath the battery i n about 90 minutes. It is not an auto­ chopper from its b o x . T h e flybar must be cen­
covering. matic charger, so y o u must remember to tered, since it's shipped off-center to fit into a
T h e heli is powered b y a 7-cell, 600mAh unplug the battery before it is over-charged. more compact container. O n c e it was cen­
N i M H battery pack that C e n t u r y calls the Instead, y o u may wish to use y o u r favorite tered, I tightened it w i t h the supplied hex
"Bird Seed," a n d it is plugged i n t o a unique fast-charger, as long as it's suitable for N i M H wrench. Y o u also have to make sure that the
m i x e r c o n t r o l board that distributes p o w e r batteries. T h e .Airtronics transmitter is paddles are b o t h set at the correct angle.
to three systems: the receiver to power the charged using the supplied overnight charger. Loosen the screws that secure the paddles and
RC system, the speed c o n t r o l for the main According to its colorful cardboard b o x , adjust their angle, if necessary; mine d i d n ' t
rotor a n d the tail rotor for y a w or directional the H u m m i n g b i r d C P is a 95-percent RTF need any adjustment.
control. electric-powered helicopter. This description N e x t , the servos are mounted o n the
T h e tail rotor is directly driven b y a small
electric motor mounted o n the end o f the tail
b o o m . This means that the o n l y connections

The Hummingbird uses 120-degree CCPM and

requires 3 servos to actuate the rotor head. A small motor directly drives the tail rotor. It's a simple arrangement that eliminates the need for a
They're installed directly on the chassis. complex tail-rotor drive system.
 IN THE AIR
IN THE AIR
As delivered, the kit includes a premounted

3
70 electric motor, a Hummingbird mixer
board, main- and tail-rotor speed control and
the Bird Seed 7-cell. 600mAh NiMH battery
pack.
CONTROL THROWS
Swashplate left/right (roll): ±25 degrees
servo throw: expo: 35%
Swashplate u p / d o w n ( e l e v a t o r ) : ±25
degrees servo throw; expo: 35%
Collective p i t c h : 5.5mm swashplate
movement from minimum to maximum

GENERAL FLIGHT CHARACTERISTICS

>Stability: the Hummingbird is very easy to
trim and fly, and it flies just about anywhere. It
can be susceptible to wind gusts outdoors
because of its light weight.
>Control response: the heli is very responsive
and easy to fly, even in the smallest of areas.
You can have a blast hovering it in your living
Given the small size of the heli, everything fits nicely. The Bird Seed battery pack sits beneath the hell room (if your spouse will let you!).
and can be slid fore and aft to adjust the CG.
>Tracking: the Hummingbird comes with a
tiny gyro that keeps it very stable in all maneu­
frame. I first turned o n the RC system and M o u n t the mixer control board, micro- vers and in a hover.
centered the servos, repositioning the arms as gyro and receiver o n the heli's frame. Y o u >Aerobatics: in the hands of a competent
necessary. I also enlarged the holes i n the should also secure these components w i t h pilot, the Hummingbird can perform all the
servo arms to match the pushrod diameter. I double-sided foam tape. T h e biggest assembly standard aerobatic maneuvers—indoors and
mounted the servos using the supplied d o u ­ challenge is that y o u must arrange all o f the quietly!
ble-sided foam tape and connected the wires and components carefully so that the >Glide performance: an autorotation main
pushrods to the servo arms. T h e pushrods are plastic canopy will fit properly. I recommend gear is available as an option but wasn't tested
prebent a n d already connected to the swash- that y o u not install the canopy u n t i l y o u ' v e on the review model.
plate. Last, I adjusted the pushrods u n t i l the adjusted the g y r o gain, as it's impossible to
adjust the gyro w i t h the canopy installed. 1 PILOT DEBRIEFING
swashplate was horizontal w h e n the transmit­
The Century Hummingbird CP is a 95-percent-
ter's cyclic stick is at neutral. M y o n l y prob­ had a slight problem w h e n I attached the
RTF electric-powered micro-helicopter that
lem was that I plugged the servos into the canopy; it has four rubber grommets that
took me less than an hour to complete and fly.
w r o n g receiver ports, so the swashplate didn't slide onto rods attached to the frame, and
The version I tested included an Airtronics
work correctly u n t i l I connected the servos these grommets tended to come loose. A tiny RD6000 Super transmitter along with a
i n t o the proper ports. drop of C A between the canopy and the Century 5-channel lightweight receiver, a tiny
I found the Airtronics RD6000 radio very grommets easily solved this. T o reduce gyro and 3 Century CN2033 microservos.

easy to work w i t h . A special, custom, four- ground vibrations just before takeoff, I placed The model features an anodized-aluminum
page addendum instruction manual made it four short pieces o f silicone fuel tubing near chassis plate/motor heat sink: other airframe
the ends of the landing skids. A quick check components are made of plastic or carbon
possible to program the radio i n just two or
of the center of gravity, and the fiber. The main rotor blades are wood with
three minutes—and I am not kidding!
H u m m i n g b i r d was ready to go! plastic covering Model setup is rapid with the
provided RD-1000 instruction sheet Note that
the Hummingbird CP requires a 5-channel pro-
F I N A L THOUGHTS grammable radio with 120-degree CCPM. This
T h e C e n t u r y Helicopter Products model should be flown outdoors only when it's
H u m m i n g b i r d C P is a very well-engineered, calm or when winds are very light. The tail rotor
is very close to the ground and can become
truly ARF micro-heli that is fun to fly. This
tangled in the grass, so do your takeoffs and
cute little helicopter is very easy to trim, and
landings in a cleared area. Battery power
it w i l l fly just about anywhere y o u like. T h e
makes flying simple, and in relatively fast for­
cyclic and collective response is very solid ward flight, the Hummingbird showed very pre­
and predictable and equals that of m a n y dictable and good characteristics. I typically got
glow-powered helicopters 1 have f l o w n ! If 5 to 6 minutes of flying time on a charge (you'll
you're looking for a micro-heli that can be get more if you use a Li-poly battery). For those
flown indoors and out, the H u m m i n g b i r d C P who are interested in more power for aerobat­
is hard to beat. ics, a brushless motor can also be used. An
optional autorotation gear is also available, as
are symmetrical blades (the stock blades are
See the Source Guide on page 1S2 for manufacturers' cambered). This is a great micro-heli!
contact information.
 "the Javelin II
is easy to build
and boasts good
construction and
great looks.
A precision aerobat that's easy to build

I T ' S N O C O I N C I D E N C E T H A T T H E B E S T 3D P I L O T S
in the world are also among the best pattern pilots.
Learning how to perform Federation A e r o n a u t i q u e
Internationale (FAI) maneuvers smoothly can make anyone
a better pilot, and the Javelin II from Cermark is an inex­
pensive way to introduce precision to your flight resume.
C E R M A R K J A V E L I N II

SPECIFICATIONS
MODEL: J a v e l i n II
MANUFACTURER: Cermark
TYPE: precision aerobat
WINGSPAN: 58 in.
LENGTH: 61.5 in.
W E I G H T : 5.7 lb. d r y
RADIO R E Q ' D : 4 - c h a n n e l w / 5 s e r v o s
ENGINE R E Q ' D : .45 to .50 2-stroke o r
.60 to .70 4 - s t r o k e
PRICE: $169.95
The radio compartment has plenty of room for standard servos. The battery is slung directly below the receiver.

GETTING STARTED I routed the servo wires t h r o u g h the w i n g

As is usual w i t h Cermark kits, the contents o f u s i n g a piece o f s t r i n g t h a t C e r m a r k has
the b o x were well protected a n d undamaged. installed and then taped them into place.
Everything was poly-bagged, a n d a complete O n e of the first things I check is that the
COMMENTS
set of high-quality hardware was included. wing is square with the fuselage. T o do this, I T h e J a v e l i n II flies straight a n d t r u e ,
W h e n I construct any plane, m y first step is installed the wing securely and measured from a n d it's a great tool for learning a n d
to carefully consider h o w I intend to fly it. A each wingtip to the vertical fin. In this case, practicing precision a e r o b a t i c s .
plane such as the Javelin II is intended to fly the right w i n g t i p was about 1/8 i n c h farther
very precise maneuvers, so I decided to use 5- back than the left one. I decided to use small
pole servos because o f their superior centering wooden shims in the front alignment slot to
characteristics. I n m y " b o x o ' stuff," I hap­ shift the wingtips u n t i l t h e y were perfectly
Good-looking color scheme
pened to h a v e 2 Hitec 5 2 5 M G a n d 2 Hitec square. T h i s was an easy w a y to dial i n the
Individually adjustable elevator
545BB servos (all 5-pole servos), so I d i d n ' t wing, and it took less than 10 minutes.
halves
need to r u n to the hobby shop. I also decided Fiberglass cowl
to use m y trusty old YS63FZ engine because of Tail section. A n o t h e r critical alignment i n
its tremendous power for its size, its excellent any model plane is that of the horizontal stabi­
throttle response and its reliability. lizer and vertical fin. Since the vertical fin o n place. W i t h this finished, 1 checked that m y
the Javelin II comes installed, I didn't have to previous measurements still held true and then
>Wing. T h e Javelin II comes w i t h a one-piece w o r r y about aligning it. T h e first step was to checked to make sure that the wing and hori­
w i n g , and this speeds up assembly time c o n ­ center the stab i n the fuselage. I measured z o n t a l stab were parallel w i t h each o t h e r .
siderably. T h e aileron servos are positioned along the leading and trailing edges from the W h e n I was satisfied that n o more adjustments
o n their sides inside the wing w i t h o n l y the sides of the fuselage to the tips of the stab were needed, I epoxied the horizontal stab into
c o n t r o l h o r n s sticking o u t . T h i s t e c h n i q u e halves to ensure that the distances were the place and checked its alignment several times
adds to the plane's sleek lines a n d reduces same o n both sides. T h e n I measured from the before the epoxy set up.
drag. T h e servos are m o u n t e d o n the hatch tip of each stab half to a point o n the fuselage W h e n it was time to install the elevator
covers, so all I had to d o was align the servo centerline. I stuck a straight pin into the fuse­ halves, I followed the manual's advice that it
arm w i t h the slot that it goes t h r o u g h , mount lage just behind the canopy and used this as w o u l d be easiest to install the control horns o n
a few hardwood blocks o n the covers i n the my reference point. W h e n I was satisfied that the elevators before they were joined to the
appropriate places and then m o u n t the servos the stab was straight, 1 marked it, removed it stabilizer. A f t e r I h a d h i n g e d the e l e v a t o r
o n the completed assembly. W i t h the servos and cut and peeled away the covering to reveal halves into place, it was time to route the ele­
installed, I hinged the ailerons, installed the w o o d w h e r e the j o i n w o u l d be. I t h e n re­ vator pushrod. O n e of the really great features
c o n t r o l horns a n d hooked u p the pushrods. installed the stabilizer and fitted the wing into o n the J a v e l i n II is that it uses o n e elevator

Split elevator halves are great for precise fine-tuning. The pull-pull rudder system provides positive control throughout the
excursion range.
 IN THE AIR
This is a great platform to get any pilot tuned up on pattern maneuvers, and >Stalls: when forced to the edge, the Javelin stalls predictably and flies
it's gentle enough to be a very good Sunday sport plane as well. away from it with a little throttle.

C O N T R O L THROWS PILOT DEBRIEFING

Elevator: ±3/4 in. (high); ±3/8 in. (low); expo: 25% (low). 35% (high) Aerobatic performance is where the Javelin II is most graceful. It isn't a 3D
Aileron: ±5/8 in. (high): ±3/8 in. (low); expo: 20% (low). 30% (high) type of airplane but is intended to do pattern-type precision aerobatics. It is
Rudder: ±l1/4 in. (high); ±3/4 in. (low); expo: 20% (low), 35% (high) no coincidence that the best 3D pilots In the world are also among the best
pattern pilots. Learning how to perform the pattern maneuvers smoothly can
G E N E R A L FLIGHT C H A R A C T E R I S T I C S make anyone a better pilot, and this is an inexpensive way to introduce preci­
>Stability: this is a great plane for pilots who want to step up from their first sion to your flight skills.
tail dragger and get serious about aerobatics. The Javelin II tracks perfectly through loops and up-lines. There is very little
>Tracking: flying straight lines and smooth curves is the hallmark of a good pitch coupling in knife-edge flight, but a bit of aileron is necessary to keep the
pattern ship, and the Javelin performs quite nicely. wing perpendicular. With the wing adjusted to be square with the fuselage and
>Aerobatics. these are precise and graceful. The Javelin II is excellent for the elevator halves adjusted correctly. I can pull very hard corners for square
polishing your pattern skills. loops without introducing any roll. Spins and snaps are quite slow and grace­
>Glide performance: I expected to have my hands full in the event of a ful, and rolls are very much on axis. Point rolls require the proper coordination
dead-stick, but I was nicely surprised. of rudder and elevator, and they look impressive when done properly.

pushrod that's split at the elevator end so that c o m m o n i n a plane of this size. Installation is FINISHING TOUCHES
each elevator half can be individually tweaked not difficult, but care must be taken to ensure I n o w located the plane's center o f g r a v i t y
for fine-tuning. T h e drawback to this is that it that the wires do not get tangled around the ( C G ) so that I'd be able to install m y receiver
makes it tough to route the pushrod through elevator pushrod. and battery to achieve a good balance point
the end o f the fuselage. T h r o u g h some experi­ and not have to add a n y dead weight. Since
mentation, however, I found that if 1 first fed a Engine. I n k e e p i n g w i t h the rest o f t h i s the Javelin II has such a long tail moment, I
tube from each of the pushrod exit holes for­ plane's clean lines, the engine is enclosed i n figured I'd have to m o u n t the battery at o r
ward to the radio compartment and then put the cowl and is therefore mounted inverted. near the f i r e w a l l — p r o b a b l y u n d e r the fuel
the pushrod ends into the tubes and fed the Cermark includes an engine mount w i t h the tank. As it t u r n e d o u t , the C G was almost
pushrod back, the ends popped out at their kit, and the engine-mounting holes have been dead-on; if anything, the plane is slightly nose-
assigned exit holes. drilled a n d blind nuts installed. T h e manual heavy. For my initial flights, I had the C G i n

After the elevators had been hooked up, it suggests that pilots w h o intend to use 4-stroke the middle o f the recommended range, so 1

was time to install the tailwheel, the rudder engines may have to re-drill the mounting mounted the receiver a n d battery just aft o f

a n d the rudder linkage. T h e tailwheel a n d holes to accommodate their wider engines, but the throttle servo. It's, nice that Cermark has

rudder are typical installations, a n d the rud­ I had n o such issue w i t h the YS. marked the outside of the fuselage to indicate

der l i n k a g e is a p u l l - p u l l s e t u p — n o t v e r y the center o f the C G range. I w r a p p e d the

T h e fuel tank fits just behind the firewall,
receiver and battery in foam rubber and used
and the front of it protrudes through the fire­
Velcro strips to hold them in place. T h e land­
wall to give easy access to the fuel lines. T o
ing gear is mounted o n the wing and is held i n
keep the tank i n place, I surrounded it w i t h
place w i t h straps and screws. Last, I adjusted
foam a n d t h e n glued a piece of scrap balsa
the c o n t r o l t h r o w s as recommended i n the
behind it. I found the spot where I wanted the
manual and tightened all of the screws.
throttle pushrod to pass through the firewall,
drilled a hole there and attached the rod to the Overall, the Javelin II is easy to build and
engine throttle arm w i t h a ball joint. I put a boasts g o o d c o n s t r u c t i o n and great looks. I
couple of bends in the pushrod so that it would especially like the way the metallic blue cover­
clear the fuel tank, and I connected it to the ing sparkles i n the sun. Because I had been so
servo with an adjustable pushrod connector. picky about ensuring that everything came out
W i t h the engine i n place, I used a rotary square, I had to make o n l y minor trim adjust­
tool to make cutouts i n the fiberglass cowl to ments. T h e result is a very good plane that flies
accommodate the muffler, the high- and low- where I point it and is great for practicing pre­
end needle valves, the fuel-tank pressure line cision aerobatics.
and the ever important glow plug. W h e n I use
a rotary tool to cut fiberglass, I always wear a
facemask. Fiberglass dust is not something y o u See the Source Guide on page 152 for manufacturers'
want to inhale. contact information.
Your guide to engine installations

W H E N IT C O M E S T O P U L L I N G A M O D E L
airplane through the sky, it all boils
down to the stuff in front of the fire­
wall: the engine and the engine
mount. A properly set up powerplant
and mounting system helps to mini­
mize noise and vibration, and it
maximizes safety and power transfer
to the propeller. If you plan to install
an internal-combustion engine in
your model, you have to do it right.
Here's how!

BY GERRY YARRISH PHOTOS BY DERON NEBLETT

Engine mounts are
available molded of
plastic (such as
this one from Carl
Goldberg Products)
or made of aluminum
Both types are easy
to use and install.

SETUP CONSIDERATIONS
Before y o u bolt y o u r engine to the firewall, Several mounts are
consider the requirements of the engine type available custom-
a n d configuration, the fuselage and firewall drilled and sized for
specific engines.
layout, engine cooling, the cowl construc­
These save
tion, the horsepower output and the carb
setup time.
position; these are the factors that most
affect the engine installation.

ENGINE M O U N T S
T h e hardware that supports the engine and
attaches it to the rest of the airplane is the
engine mount, and it comes i n a variety of
shapes and materials. O n e - and two-piece
mounts are available, and they are made of
metal (usually aluminum) or molded plastic. Available from Dave
Some engines come w i t h their o w n mounts, Brown Products,
and some mounts are designed as part of the these Vibra-Damp
mounts are avalable
engine case. For large gasoline engines, a sim­ for popular 4-stroke
ple metal plate serves as the mount; it comes engines and come
bolted to the back o f the engine case. There predrilled and
tapped.
are also cup-shaped engine mounts for gas
engines; these increase the distance between
the firewall and the propeller. These mounts
also help draw heat away from the engine.

Several companies offer custom-designed,

predrilled mounts that fit specific engines.
T h o u g h they cost a bit more than the
mounts y o u have to drill yourself, custom
mounts save time and offer precise machin­
ing for strong support. Also available are
adjustable mounts that fit a range of engine
sizes.
Engine mounts come in two basic types:
hard and soft. Hard mounts provide a solid
frame that y o u bolt directly into place o n the
firewall. Soft mounts provide a firm but flexi­
ble engine installation that helps to isolate
the rest of the model from engine vibration.
Both types work well, but I prefer to use hard These Du-Bro Vibra
mounts o n all m y airplanes except those mounts are very pop­
ular and come with
w i t h very light and delicate construction.
• replaceable rubber
isolators.
Engine mounts are
sometimes part of
the engine. Here, a
Moki 1.80 has a
radial engine mount
that replaces the
engine's backplate.

For most gasoline

engines, the engine
mount is a flat,
aluminum plate that
is bolted to the back
of the engine case.
Here, a Fuji 50cc
Great Planes offers engine has been
a large, gas-engine "hard mounted" to
isolation mount the engine-mount
that's made of box structure in the
plywood and is front of a Great
installed between Planes Christen
the engine and the Eagle. Notice the
firewall. Four rubber offset throttle link­
pads help absorb age using a 90-
engine vibration. degree bellcrank.

Davis Model
Products makes
these Iso-mount
Inserts to isolate
engine vibration from
the rest of the
model. They are easy
to install, and you
can adjust the
Available from Nick Ziroli Plans, these gasoline-
amount of vibration
engine soft mounts offer different amounts of
damping by tighten­
vibration damping according to the hardness of
ing and loosening
the mount you use. They are color-coded to
the screws.
different engine sizes.
NUTS A N D BOLTS
There are two ways to bolt y o u r engine to
its m o u n t : drill holes all the w a y t h r o u g h
the m o u n t beams and use washers a n d lock-
n u t s to secure the attachment bolts, o r drill
a n d tap the beams to match the holes i n the
engine's side lugs. Depending o n the size o f This YS 1 . 2 0
4-stroke engine is
the engine, the attachment bolts range i n side-mounted
size from 4-40 to 8-32. T h e size o f the holes (horizontally) and
i n the lugs t y p i c a l l y dictates the bolt size. uses a Pitts-style
Since engine cases are made of a l u m i n u m , it muffler to guide the
is best to install flat washers u n d e r the exhaust straight
downward. The
heads o f the attachment bolts a n d u n d e r
plastic engine mount
the locknuts (if y o u use them). T h i s w i l l has been drilled and
help p r e v e n t the nuts and bolts from wear­ tapped for the
i n g t h e m o u n t s ' softer material. engine-attachment
bolts.

Several adjustable
mounts come molded
out of durable plas­
tic. These adjustable
mounts from Carl
Goldberg Products
have slotted bolt
holes so they can be
made wider or nar­
rower to suit the
engine.

ADJUSTABLE MOUNTS
T o p r o v i d e a one-size-fits-all arrangement,
several manufacturers offer adjustable
Here is an adjustable
engine m o u n t s . These include mounts w i t h engine mount bolted
slotted attachment rails and those w i t h to a Hangar 9
clamping plates that fit over the engine- Corsair. The two
attachment lugs. Two-piece mounts are mounting brackets
adjustable b y design, as engine w i d t h affects are made of alu­
minum, and the
h o w far apart t h e y are bolted to the firewall.
attachment holes
W h e n e v e r y o u use adjustable mounts, be are slotted to accept
sure to f o l l o w the instructions closely for a wide range of
proper engine support. engine sizes.
 This engine installa­
tion Is typical of
most .40-size sport
models. The engine
is inverted and uses
a one-piece, molded-
plastic mount. Notice
the locknuts used
to secure the
attachment bolts.

FIREWALL C O N F I G U R A T I O N

T y p i c a l l y made out of strong, multi-layer

p l y w o o d , the model's firewall design must
be considered before y o u install y o u r engine
a n d engine m o u n t . I n most models, the fire-
•jwall is a flat, vertical structure i n w h i c h y o u
need o n l y drill holes for the bolts (Fig. 1).
Y o u then install blind nuts or locknuts to
secure the installation. Most trainer a n d
sport models use this arrangement, a n d so
do m a n y scratch-built scale models. It is
simple and very strong.
F o u n d i n scale a n d aerobatic models, the
engine m o u n t - b o x structure is becoming
v e r y popular (Fig. 2). Basically, this is a p l y ­
w o o d b o x that's built into the fuselage t o tie
the firewall into the first a n d second form­
ers. T h e b o x helps distribute stress loads and
is a strong, relatively light structure. I n
m a n y kit-built airplanes, this b o x can be slid
into and out o f the fuselage to accommo­
date various engine lengths.
A recessed firewall (Fig. 3) is used w h e n
an e n g i n e is too long for the c o w l . Used
p r i m a r i l y i n scale airplanes, this is a n
inverted b o x structure that protrudes into
the fuselage.
A n old-time—but still very acceptable—
way to attach the engine to the model is to
b u i l d t w o long, h a r d w o o d rails (usually
made o f maple) into the firewall. T h i s
arrangement distributes stress loads over a
number o f formers for a very secure engine
installation. T h e rails are usually drilled a n d
tapped for the engine-attachment bolts.
"A well-
thought-out,
properly equipped
engine installation
is the foundation
for trouble-free
operation"

Many modelers now

install the throttle
servo in front of the
firewall and run a
THROTTLE LINKAGE short pushrod to the
For reliable engine operation, make sure throttle arm. Be sure
that the p u s h r o d or throttle cable y o u use to to avoid metal-to-
metal contact by
operate the carburetor is installed properly.
replacing the steel
O n c e the engine a n d m o u n t have been throttle arm with
installed, mark the location o f the throttle- a plastic one.
linkage exit so that the throttle linkage w i l l
operate s m o o t h l y . Make the exit hole large
e n o u g h to allow slight side play as the
throttle arm moves from full throttle to full
idle. Several connectors are available to
attach the linkage t o the throttle arm, A COOL ENGINE IS A HAPPY ENGINE
i n c l u d i n g clevises, ball links a n d E Z
connectors. A v o i d using a Z-bend w i t h an ENGINE COOLING
a l u m i n u m throttle arm, as this produces
Regardless of which engine mount
metal-to-metal contact that can cause radio I
you use, cooling is critical to any
interference. Z-bends w o r k fine w i t h plastic
arms. engine installation. W h e n you use
an engine cowl to improve aerody­
namics or appearance, make sure
FUEL TANK LOCATION that there is an adequate airflow to
It is also important that y o u install y o u r fuel draw unwanted engine heat away.
system properly. T o maintain a proper fuel The basic rule is to provide twice as
flow, install the fuel tank so that its center- much exit area as Inlet area. If you
line is at or just slightly below the carbure­ have 2 square inches of air inlet, the
tor's centerline. W i t h large gasoline engines, exit should be at least 4 square
tank position is m u c h less critical; t h e y are inches. With large, roomy engine
equipped w i t h pumper carbs that can draw cowls in which there is abundant
fuel regardless of where the tank is placed. dead-air space around the engine,
W h e n y o u drill holes t h r o u g h the firewall you may have to install sheet
for the fuel a n d v e n t lines, make them large plywood or aluminum baffles to
e n o u g h for the lines to pass t h r o u g h easily; direct the airflow around the
a tight fit w i l l chafe the lines and eventually engine head. You can't get
cause them to leak. I prefer to drill a single maximum engine performance
large hole a n d t h e n pass all the fuel lines without proper cooling
Tight engine cowls such as the one on this
t h r o u g h it. T h i s also makes installing a n d
Great Planes Shoestring racer require proper
removing the tank easier t h a n w h e n y o u engine cooling to prevent the engine from
t r y to feed three lines t h r o u g h three overheating.
different holes.
It's all about flying!
Without properly installed
engines, our models would

These engine-thrust
plates from Ernst
are used to adjust
the engine's right
and down angle.
They are installed
between the fire­
wall and the engine
mount.

ANGLED ENGINES
ENGINE-THRUST OFFSET
DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF MODEL airplane you have, a few

degrees of engine-thrust offset (usually right and d o w n ) is

required for it to fly property.
T o add offset, adjust the engine on its engine-mount rails or
angle the entire engine-mount assembly. T h e mount can be
angled by adding a wedge-shaped spacer or by installing a few
washers under one side of the mount. T h e thrust angle can also
be built into the firewall, where it is glued into place at the
desired angle. The engine mount is then simply bolted to it.
When you add right thrust, you should offset the engine-
mount placement slightly to the left of the firewall's vertical
centerline. Typically, to 3/16 inch is enough for 2 degrees of
right thrust Offsetting the engine keeps the prop shaft centered
at the cowl nose.

CONCLUSION

A l l that's left is to check the details a n d

make sure that e v e r y t h i n g is tight a n d
properly secured. H a v i n g a w e l l - t h o u g h t -
out, properly equipped engine installation
is the f o u n d a t i o n for trouble-free engine
operation. Keep e v e r y t h i n g simple a n d
well organized.
SeetheSource Guide on page 152 for manufacturers'
Continued from p. 92 contact information
Air SCOOP

S o a r i n g the N e u t r a l Zone
If an enemy battle-star launches an attack on your local
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foam-core/balsa-sheeted wings and all the hardware to make the wings removable. The
wing area is 470 square inches, and it weighs 30 to 32 ounces. Separate elevator and aileron-
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TX 75098; (214) 429-0440; fax (214) 442-1899.

T hese limited-production
Signature Collection Cards are
aviation

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On the front of each card is an action
photo of a history-making aircraft
and
of
an inset photo
the famous F lair now offers the venerable deHavilland Tiger Moth in their Quarter
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at your local field. Flair promises superb engineering and a long list of
her signature. The
scale details and innovations made possible by the model's large size.
plane's specifica-
Here are just a few examples: sprung and dampened telescoping under­
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(pull/pull) control system for rudder and elevators; die-stamped steel
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ings. Power requirements are .90 to 1.20 2-stroke or 1.20 to 1.50 4-stroke.
For more information, contact Hobby Supply South, Inc., 5060 Glade Rd.,
Acworth, GA 30101; (800) 250-3683, (770) 974-0843; fax (770) 974-6243;
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tions and a short informative paragraph WORLD RECORD HOLDER In 1949 this free-
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cards sell for $5.95 (S&H included). A Kung and Liu Li-
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 BY C. DAVID GIERKE

O.S. FL-70
A revolutionary 4-stroke design

Twenty-eight years after it marketed the first

mass-produced 4-stroke, O.S. has released its
latest masterpiece: the FL-70. According to the
accompanying literature, this single-cylinder,
air-cooled, overhead-valve 4-stroke engine "... is
suitable for trainer, sport and scale models." In
addition,"Thisengine reduces maintenance by
incorporating the first O.S. ringless piston/liner
assembly. Also, a sealed front bearing prevents
oil leaks. This engine is designed so that more
ilots, from hobby beginners to skilled Sunday
P fliers, may enjoy the performance advantages
of 4-stroke engines: greater fuel economy
higher torque, lower noise and realistic sound."

DESIGN FEATURES increasing the likelihood of p o w e r loss due to

A n y new engine that c r o s s e s my bench is friction. T h e FL-70 has a connecting-rod
subjected to basic measurements and a length (center to center) -to-stroke ratio of
> S h o r t break-in p e r i o d
perusal of its specifications from the instruc­ 1.64:1—decidedly on the low side. It's inter­
esting to observe the compromises that > S m o o t h , e a s y , kickback-free
tion manual. O v e r the years, I've digested
statistical data from hundreds of engines; it's designers make to achieve an objective—in operation

what "engine nuts" d o ! I did a double-take, this case, producing a compact, lightweight, > C o m p a c t , lightweight d e s i g n
however, w h e n I read the FL-70's bore a n d 4-stroke engine with a high power-to-weight > Excellent p o w e r p e r p o u n d
stroke data. It has a bore of 27.7mm (1.090 ratio. > C a r b u r e t o r is e a s y t o a d j u s t
inch) and a stroke of 19.0mm (0.748 inch), s o Although the FL-70 is O . S . ' s first ringless > Rear-positioned glow plug for
a quick calculation revealed a bore/stroke design, model engines without rings have safe operation
ratio of 1.457:1—the highest I've ever s e e n . been p r o d u c e d since the 1930s. Until recent­
Although the ratio of bore to stroke has noth­ ly, large 4-stroke engines (those with a
ing to d o with torque delivered to the crank­ greater than 0.60ci displacement) have u s e d to inform the p u r c h a s e r : " . . . the piston will
shaft, big-bore, short-stroke engines can lay Meehanite (fine-grain iron) rings to ensure a feel tight at the top of its stroke, or top d e a d
claim to certain performance a n d longevity g o o d gas seal between the piston and cylin­ center ( T D C ) , w h e n the engine is c o l d . "
benefits (see the " B o r e / S t r o k e " sidebar). der wall. With the advent of C N C machinery, U s e r s of 2-stroke model engines are familiar
T h e FL-70 incorporates a very short c o n ­ engine manufacturers are able to maintain with this interference-fit condition; known as
necting rod. W h e n a short connecting rod is much closer tolerances (fit) w h e n fabricating "pinch," it typifies m o d e m lapped-piston
u s e d with a high bore/stroke ratio, the result matching parts s u c h as lapped (ringless) pis- designs.
is a c o m p a c t (height-wise), low-weight ton-and-cylinder assemblies. T h e ringless For the FL-70, O . S . uses a proprietary
d e s i g n . Short connecting rods have o n e assembly d o e s have disadvantages, s u c h as system known as A B N (aluminum piston with
objectionable feature: they p r o d u c e greater piston wear and early loss of the compres­ a brass cylinder sleeve that's nickel-plated).
rod angularity at mid-stroke than designs sion seal, but this deficiency is somewhat Nickel-plated brass d o e s a better j o b of
with longer rods. E x c e s s i v e rod angularity offset by the engine's relatively low piston "wetting" its surface with lubricating oil than
acting through the piston generates undesir- s p e e d , as detailed in the " B o r e / S t r o k e " side- chrome-plated brass sleeves. C h r o m e
able side-thrust loads o n the cylinder wall. bar. A special note accompanies the FL-70 rejects lubricant (imagine water running off a
 TEST CONDITIONS AND
PERFORMANCE VALUES
T e m p e r a t u r e : 5 1 deg. F
B a r o m e t r i c p r e s s u r e : 2 8 . 9 6 in. H g
W e t - b u l b t e m p e r a t u r e : 4 8 deg. F
H o r s e p o w e r c o r r e c t i o n f a c t o r : 1.034
P e a k t o r q u e : 1 0 5 . 3 oz.-in. @ 1 0 , 1 5 0 r p m
P e a k p o w e r : 1.1 bhp @ 1 0 , 1 5 0 r p m
S p e c i f i c t o r q u e : 150.4 oz.-in./ci
S p e c i f i c p o w e r : 1.57 b h p / c i
P o w e r / w e i g h t : 0.97 b h p / l b .

d u c k ' s back). Although chrome plating has

long been recognized for its durability. O . S . ' s
A B N system achieves improved piston
longevity while maintaining the critical c o m ­
pression a n d combustion-gas seal that is
n e e d e d for reliable starting and long-lasting, terbalance). T h e one-piece crank is fully
wide-open-throttle (WOT) performance. counterbalanced and case-hardened, along
Another noteworthy design feature of the with the gear teeth, for long, trouble-free SPECIFICATIONS
FL-70 is the composite-plastic rear c o v e r operation. T h e cam gear must be driven at
E n g i n e : O.S. FL-70
that contains the crankcase breather nipple. 1/2 crankshaft s p e e d to actuate the valves in
D i s t r i b u t o r : Great Planes
T h e breather nipple is c o n n e c t e d b y a length a c c o r d a n c e with the piston's motion. A s y o u
of medium-size silicone tubing to a similar know, 4-stroke engines complete two revo­ Model Distributors

nipple on the muffler. E x c e s s oil is forced lutions of the crankshaft during a single D i s p l a c e m e n t : 11.45cc (0.698ci)
from the engine's crankcase to the muffler, cycle. During this time, the intake and B o r e : 27.7mm (1.090 in.)
where it is discharged along with the exhaust valves each need to o p e n only o n c e . S t r o k e : 19.0mm (0.748 in.)
exhaust—a clever solution to an age-old dis­ Therefore, the camshaft rotates at1/2crank­ B o r e / s t r o k e : 1.457/1
posal problem for 4-stroke engines. shaft s p e e d . S t r o k e / b o r e : 0.69/1
R o d l e n g t h / s t r o k e : 1.64/1
CONSTRUCTION NOTES Piston, connecting rod and wristpin. T h e P r a c t i c a l r p m : 2.300 to 12.000
Carburetor. T h e engine is fitted with the piston is made of high-silicon aluminum-alloy W e i g h t ( w / o u t muffler): 467g
new, e a s y - t o - u s e , one-piece O . S . 60W air- bar stock and is quite short. Since—unlike 2-
(16.47 oz.)
bleed carburetor/intake manifold. T w o strokes—4-stroke pistons aren't required to
W e i g h t (w/muffler): 515g (18.16 oz.)
adjustable controls are provided on this car­ o p e n and close cylinder ports, their skirt
buretor. T h e needle valve is u s e d to establish length can be made a s short as is practical S h a f t n o s e t h r e a d : UNF 1/4-28

the correct mixture strength required for full without introducing unwanted piston rocking. C a r b u r e t o r c h o k e b o r e : 7mm
p o w e r w h e n the throttle is full o p e n , a n d the Therefore, 4-stroke pistons are lighter, there­ (0.276 in.)
airbleed s c r e w is u s e d to find the correct by reducing destructive inertial loads of O v e r a l l h e i g h t : 107.5mm (4.23 in.)
mixture strength needed for steady idling reciprocating components that c h a n g e O v e r a l l w i d t h ( w / o u t muffler and
and a s m o o t h transition to medium s p e e d s . directions twice for each crankshaft revolu­ manifold): 5 4 m m (2.125 in.)
T h e mixture strength between medium tion. T w o shallow, oil-retention g r o o v e s are
O v e r a l l l e n g t h ( w / o u t muffler and
s p e e d s and full-throttle operation is automat­ machined in the cylindrical portion of the
manifold): 137.5mm (5.413 in.)
ically adjusted within the carburetor, specifi­ piston, near the c r o w n ; the additional lubri­
G l o w p l u g : O.S. type F
cally for the FL-70. T h e 60W cation helps to reduce friction d u e to c o l d
carburetor/manifold is an updraft unit that is start-up pinch near T D C . T h e connecting r o d F u e l u s e d : 10-percent nitro,

"hung" behind the cylinder in typical O . S . is made of a tough aluminum-alloy bar-stock 20-percent oil, 70-percent methanol
fashion. material and is b r o n z e - b u s h e d only at the P r i c e : $190
crankpin. T h e wristpin is made of hardened,
ground steel and is fitted with a Teflon pad at
Valve train. T h e engine's overhead p o p p e t
each end to prevent the cylinder wall from
valves are activated b y rocker arms,
being s c o r e d .
pushrods a n d lifters from the transverse- leaks from that location. In the past, these
(crosswise-) mounted camshaft that is a c t u ­ seals only kept dirt a n d debris from entering
ated b y the crankshaft and located directly Crankshaft seal. T h e FL-70 is fitted with a the bearing; they didn't prevent crankcase oil
behind the drive hub. T h e gear drive for the sealed front crankshaft ball bearing. T h o u g h from exiting the engine. S i n c e my test e x a m ­
c a m is spiral-cut into the aft portion of the this is not unusual, O . S . nevertheless claims ple didn't leak, I surmise that the
crankshaft journal (directly behind the c o u n - that the heavy-duty seal stops potential oil system w o r k s .
PROPS & POWER
The O.S. FL-70 is a bit unusual for a
4-stroke design because it produces its
best torque at the same rpm as its best
horsepower: 10,150rpm (see points " A "
in the graph). This isn't a bad thing!
You'll optimize power if you're able to run
the engine anywhere close to its best
horsepower speed and with a propeller The intake and exhaust valves are shown within the
The unique 60W carburetor/intake manifold wedge-style combustion chamber of the FL-70's
suited to your model's flight characteris­ assembly is die-cast with a hardened and ground cylinder head, along with the adjacent glow-plug
tics. For example, a slow-flying scale steel rotary barrel. The air-bleed design requires port. The brass g a s k e t / s p a c e r is interposed
only a primary needle valve and an air-bleed between the head and the cylinder-sleeve flange.
biplane would be better suited to a 14x5 screw for adjustment. Note the extended nose of the type-F O.S. 4-stroke
propeller than a 12x7, which is better glow plug. This feature helps keep the glow-plug ele­
suited to a low-drag sport model that's ment hot during the engine's operation.
intended to fly faster. From the propeller Castings, cylinder head, gasket, glow plug
rpm data, notice that the FL-70 engine and drive hub. All castings are die-cast and of the hub indexes with the pin, providing a
turns both the 14x5 and the 12x7 props are represented by the crankcase, cylinder positive slip-proof connection. M y only
at l 0 , 0 0 0 r p m . Either of these propellers head, drive hub, carburetor housing/induc­ complaint with the system c o n c e r n s the pin:
is ideally suited to this engine, especially tion manifold and cam-housing cover. T h e it can easily slip from the crank and b e c o m e
when in-air propeller unload (200 to cylinder-head assembly is fastened to the lost w h e n changing propellers. Perhaps it
300rpm) is added to the static rpm. crankcase casting with four metric Allen- could be retained with a bit of G o o all-pur­
head machine screws; this arrangement pose adhesive.

A P C PROPELLER RPM clamps the upper flange of the cylinder

sleeve securely into place while allowing the
SIZE RPM IDLE R P M A N D S O U N D
sleeve b o d y to "float" within the crankcase.
11x6 11,950 This minimizes distortion, friction and the CONSIDERATIONS
inevitable loss of power. A single 0.007- After break-in a n d d y n o testing, I
11x8 10.700
inch-thick brass head gasket pressure-seals c h e c k e d the e n g i n e for idle a n d tran­
12x6 10,450 sition to W O T . After a minor air-bleed
the head/crankcase interface. T h e O . S . F
12x7 10,000 g l o w plug is in the cylinder head, behind the screw adjustment, the FL-70 idled at

rocker covers, and it's angled to the r e a r - a c o n s i s t e n t 2 . 2 0 0 r p m a n d exhibited

14x5 10,000
well away from the rapidly rotating propeller. a crisp throttle-up after a 3 0 - s e c o n d
12x8 9,150
T h e drive hub is locked into place b y a pin idle. T h e s o u n d level w a s a quiet
13x7 9,050 that passes transversely through the front 8 8 d B @ 8 , 9 0 0 r p m ( 1 3 x 8 prop) a n d

12x9 8,950 journal of the crankshaft and directly under 9 0 d B @ l 0 , 0 0 0 r p m ( 1 2 x 7 prop).

13x8 8,900 the drive hub. A matching g r o o v e at the rear

12.5x10 8,200

READING T H E
OTHER PROPELLERS
Propeller rpm data indicates that
Torque & bhp vs. rpm GRAPH
although the 12x6 operates somewhat T o determine the t o r q u e a n d
beyond the maximum torque and bhp brake h o r s e p o w e r (bhp) v a l u e s
points, it still produces within 11 per­ g e n e r a t e d by a propeller, find
cent of the maximum torque and 7 per­ its rpm o n t h e " T o r q u e a n d
cent of the max bhp, considering a b h p v s . r p m " g r a p h ; t h e n draw
250rpm unload (see points " B " on the a line vertically t h r o u g h the
graph). A 12.5x10 propeller was the torque and bhp curves.
heaviest load tested with this engine, T r a n s f e r t h e points o f intersec­
which turned it at 8.200rpm. This still tion to the s c a l e s o n the right
produced within 13 percent of the maxi­ a n d left to determine t o r q u e
mum torque and 27 percent of the max a n d b h p . N o t e : brake
bhp, again considering a 250rpm unload h o r s e p o w e r is c a l c u l a t e d
(see points "C" on the graph). All but using measurements
the two smallest propellers (11x8 and (torque a n d rpm) on a n
11x6) are candidates for flying models engine dynamometer.
of different air-drag and s p e e d require­
ments with the FL-70 engine.
 O.S. RECOMMENDED BREAK-IN
BORE/STROKE PROCEDURE FOR THE ABN FL-70 :
Many engine reviewers faithfully recite the 1. U s e the same prop as you'll use on
engine's bore/stroke ratio or its recipro­ your model.
cal: stroke to bore. Why is it important? 2. U s e 5- to 15-percent-nitromethane fuel
Bore refers to the cylinder's inside diame­ containing at least 20-percent lubricating oil;
ter, while stroke pertains to the distance the remainder is methanol (alcohol).
traveled by the piston from one limiting 3. O p e n the needle valve 21/2 tums from
position (TDC) to the other (bottom dead the closed position.
center, or BDC). There's a progression of 4. Set the throttle to idle.
practical stroke/bore ratios that ranges 5. Start the engine.
from about 1.5:1 (long stroke) to about 6. O p e n the throttle slowly to the
0.8:1 (short stroke). When reference is mid-speed position.
made to individual combinations within 7. Disconnect the current to the g l o w plug.
this range, engines that have an equal 8. Fully o p e n the throttle a n d adjust the
bore and stroke are termed "square." needle valve to produce nearly maximum
Long-stroke engines with smaller bores rpm. Run the engine for no more than 5
are simply known a s long-stroke designs. s e c o n d s before richening the needle about
Designs that have short strokes and larg­ one full turn.
er bores, such as the O . S . FL-70, are 9. Repeat this process, alternately running
called "over square." the engine fast and slow b y means of the
There are some practical reasons for needle valve; keep the throttle fully o p e n .
designers to use the over-square configu­
ration. First, short-stroke engines produce
short, compact designs when compared
with long-stroke units. This cuts engine
weight and improves the power-to-weight
ratio. Second, long-stroke engines gener­
ate higher piston speed than square or
over-square designs of the same displace­
ment and rpm. The relationship is direct:
when the stroke increases, piston speed
increases along with friction and wear.
Because of their relatively low
piston speed, over-square designs such
as the FL-70 produce less inertial force
throughout the cycle of operation where
the piston, wristpin and upper portion of
the connecting rod change directions
twice per revolution of the crankshaft.
Physics explains that a piston's inertial
force increases as the square of its rpm
increase. Simply stated, as engine speed
increases, the force attempting to tear
the engine apart increases very rapidly.

One drawback concerning the over-

square design: there's a greater
possibility of gas leakage (blowby)
around the piston because of its greater
circumference. Other factors play a role
in the bore/stroke story, including two
myths: the greatest torque is always
produced in long-stroke designs, and
the engine is unable to bum fuels
efficiently in relatively small-bore
combustion chambers.

For these discussions and much

more, my book "Two-Stroke Glow Engines
for R / C Aircraft" is available from
rcstore.com.
A short-stroke, large-bore, over-square
design with a lapped ABN piston and
cylinder composite-plastic rear cover
with crankcase breather nipple: design
specific (O.S. no. 60W) updraft. air-
bleed carburetor; leak-proof crankshaft
ball-bearing seal; precision die castings;
O.S. type-F 4-stroke glow plug; baffled
expansion-chamber muffler: low noise
production; easy to adjust, smooth,
no-propeller-kickback operation.

1 0 . Extend the short periods of high-speed

operation until two, 24-ounce tanks of fuel
have been consumed.

I used an APC 12x6 propeller and 10-per-

cent-nitro fuel containing 20-percent oil (half
castor, half Klotz KL-100 synthetic). My only
deviation from the suggested procedure was
to run the engine close to maximum rpm at
startup and then alternately richen the mix­
ture by 300rpm during each of approximately
15, individual 2-minute runs. This follows my
long-held belief that ABC-type engines
should be run at, or near, their maximum
WOT cylinder-head temperature. Allowing the
engine to cool excessively (such as during
prolonged periods of rich operation) causes
the cylinder to contract, thereby reducing its
clearance to the piston. When the piston and
cylinder make contact within the narrow
pinch zone, rapid wear and loss of compres­
sion/combustion seal occur.
After about 30 minutes of running, the
engine's peak rpm increased by 450, and it
still maintained its pinch at room tempera­
ture. After a grueling session on the perfor­
mance-determining dynamometer, where
the engine is never allowed to cool, the
FL-70 emerged with its excellent piston-
cylinder fit intact.

CONCLUSION
The O.S. FL-70 4-stroke is a sweet-
running engine. It's easy to adjust and for­
gives inadvertent over-lean needle-valve
adjustments without detonation (that "ping­
ing" sound). It also never tries to kick back
(a nasty tendency of some 4-stroke engines
that often loosens—or throws—propellers).
On several occasions while dyno-testing
the FL-70, it occurred to me that it would be
a perfect engine for first-time users.
See the Source Guide on page 152 for manufacturers'
contact information.
 CONSTRUCTION BY DAVID JOHNSON > PHOTOS BY DAVID JOHNSON & JAIME JOHNSTON

1FOKKIER E.V.
/4-Scale

Famous WW I German parasol fighter

THE FOKKER E.V WAS THE LAST FIGHTER BUILT
by Anthony Fokker for the German Fliegertruppe.
It had a plywood-covered, fully cantilevered,
parasol-wing configuration.
The E.V was introduced just in time for the 1918
Second Fighter Competition, in which it was
regarded as the best rotary-powered competitor.
The E.V. had outstanding maneuverability and
was nicknamed the "Flying Razor." Several early
E.V.s suffered from a weak wing construction,
but newer versions featured strengthened wings
and were designated "D.VIII." Introduced too
late during WW I, they never had a chance to
distinguish themselves in combat.
My 1/4-scale model is designed around the
popular Zenoah G-38 engine. I tried to keep it
uncomplicated while maintaining a relatively
accurate scale outline. Let's get started.
Construction of the horizontal stabilizer and elevator is straightforward. The rudder also has a laminated outline.
The elevator has a laminated outline.

TAIL SURFACES T h e stabilizer is pretty After the lamination has dried, complete the
straightforward; the outline pieces are made elevators b y adding the straight, inner cross-
o f 3/8-inch balsa, a n d the crosspieces measure pieces. T h e rudder is built i n the same way.
1/4x3/8 i n c h . For the elevator halves, use lami­
nated outlines that y o u f o r m a r o u n d pins WING Build the w i n g upside-down over the
stuck a r o u n d the elevator top-view plans. plans. Start b y making the t w o , upper, one-
Place the pins every 1/4 i n c h or so to main­ piece 1/4-inch-square basswood spars. Use a
tain an accurate shape. I used Elmer's car­ scarf joint as s h o w n o n the plans to j o i n the
penters' glue to build up the six balsa layers. spar sections, a n d install a basswood doubler
Quarter-inch balsa sheet is used in the cutout area
Laminate all the layers together first, a n d between the two outboard R2 ribs at the of the wing's center section.
t h e n work t h e m i n t o place as if they were a joint locations s h o w n o n the plans. Place
solid piece o f w o o d . W r a p t h e m a r o u n d the the two spars over the plans (doubler side
pins, and use more pins o n the outside of up), and place the scarf joints as s h o w n o n
the laminations to h o l d them i n place. the plans. G l u e all the ribs i n t o place o n the
Leave the piece alone for at least 24 hours. front spar, a n d t h e n glue the basswood spars

The wing is built upside-down on the plans. Here,

the center section's main spars have been added.

i n t o the w i n g center panel. N o w glue the

lower front spars i n t o the outboard sections.
Roll the w i n g back so that the ribs fit o n t o
the rear upper spar, and tack-glue the upper

The completed wing has been sheeted and finished with dope and sealant. The rib "tapes" are strips of tissue.
SPECIFICATIONS
MODEL:
TYPE:
SCALE:
WINGSPAN:
LENGTH:
WEIGHT:
WING AREA:
WING LOADING:
RADIO REQ'D:

ENGINE USED:
PROP U S E D :

The fuselage is a very simple structure. Here, the cabane-strut wires have been installed and are held by
grooved hardwood blocks.
The Fokker's tailskid is functional and uses rubber bands to absorb shock. All the tall-control surfaces use pull-pull cable control.
Notice the eyelets and lacing on the bottom of the fuselage.

top o f the other), a n d put wax paper allow access to the fuel tank a n d y o u r radio
between them to keep them separate. C u t gear. After y o u ' v e covered the m o d e l , this
the crosspieces to l e n g t h , and position the area w i l l be covered b y an a l u m i n u m panel.
t w o side frames upside-down a n d vertical
over the plans. Install the front three cross- WING INSTALLATION Put the w i n g upside-
pieces (top a n d b o t t o m ) , a n d make certain d o w n o n y o u r w o r k b e n c h , a n d mark the
that the structure is square. Y o u ' l l remove attachment-bolt locations for the cabanes.
the lower front crosspiece later. Pull the tail Put the fuselage o n top o f the w i n g , a n d
posts together while making sure that the line u p the strut holes as closely as possible
stabilizer area is properly aligned w i t h the to their marked p o s i t i o n s . Make sure that
plans. O n c e the glue has dried, flip the fuse­ the distance f r o m the tail post t o each
lage over a n d install formers 1 t h r o u g h 4. w i n g t i p is the same. D r i l l t h r o u g h the strut
T h e n install C1 t h r o u g h C 4 , as s h o w n o n m o u n t s a n d i n t o the w i n g , a n d t h e n install
the plans. the 8-32 b l i n d nuts. D r i l l o n e h o l e at a

T o install the w i n g struts, place grooved time, a n d secure each strut w i t h a n u t a n d

blocks (grooved side d o w n ) i n t o their correct a bolt as y o u g o . T h i s helps t o m a i n t a i n

positions, cut them to match the contours the proper h o l e a l i g n m e n t . W h e n the w i n g

o f the top formers a n d t h e n e p o x y t h e m is c o m p l e t e l y attached t o the cabanes,

i n t o place. C u t1/8-inchp l y w o o d to fit check its a l i g n m e n t again a n d sheet the

beneath the blocks and the fuselage sides, top o f the w i n g .

A scale cockpit Interior is not required, but it a n d e p o x y them a n d the 1/2-inch triangle Sand the leading edge t o shape, a n d t h e n
does enhance the model's appearance.
balsa stock i n t o place for reinforcement. glue the wingtips i n t o place. A d d scrap filler
spar i n t o place w i t h t h i n C A . N o w glue i n Run a3/16-inchdrill bit t h r o u g h all the to the front o f b o t h tips, and sand the
the lower, rear, o u t b o a r d spars. Remove the strut locations to clean excess e p o x y out of b o t t o m o f each u n t i l it's flush w i t h the
w i n g from y o u r w o r k b e n c h , check the struc­ the grooves. b o t t o m o f the w i n g . Sheet the w i n g t i p s w i t h
ture for warping, a n d t h e n reglue all the Bend the cabane-strut wires to shape, tape balsa. O n c e the glue has dried, cut a n d sand
joints w i t h carpenters' glue. t h e m together, a n d slip n o . 8 wire terminal the balsa to match the w i n g ' s top c o n t o u r .
A d d the leading a n d trailing edges and connectors o n t o their ends. Place the w i n g Sand the w i n g sheeting carefully, as y o u
t h e n add the balsa sheet to form the center- o n top of the cabanes and check its w o n ' t be adding covering; the finish is just
section cutout a n d the trailing edges at the incidence; make sure that the connectors dope a n d paint.
aileron areas. Sheet the bottom o f the w i n g fall r o u g h l y i n t o the correct attachment area
w i t h 3/32-inch balsa, d o i n g the center section under the w i n g . I brazed the cabane wires
first a n d t h e n the outboard panels. D o n ' t together, but y o u can b i n d them w i t h
i n d u c e a n y warps i n t o the w i n g structure. t h i n wire a n d silver-solder t h e m together
Flip the w i n g over, a n d e p o x y the lite-ply if y o u w i s h .
strips at the strut-attachment locations. E p o x y the landing-gear blocks i n t o place;
This WW I fighter is easy to build, and
Install the aileron servos. I installed m y ser­ t h e n , from the cockpit forward, sheet the
it flies like an advanced trainer.
vos permanently, but y o u can cut hatches i n fuselage top and then the rear turtle deck
Traditional balsa, spruce and plywood
the w i n g b o t t o m if y o u want. Route all the a n d side cheeks, as s h o w n o n the plans.
construction is used throughout, and
servo wires to o n e of the front strut attach­ Sheet the b o t t o m o f the fuselage f r o m the
the wing is fully sheeted. Pull-pull cable
ment points. rear landing-gear block to the rear o f the
control is used for all control surfaces.
cockpit. Leave the area between the firewall
FUSELAGE Build the side frames (one o n and the rear landing-gear block open to
Here are the cylinder head and the spark-plug wire of the G-38 that's behind Machine guns really add to a WW I fighter's realistic looks. These are from
the dummy rotary engine. Williams Bros.

AILERONS T h e ailerons are fairly straight- H o o k up the throttle linkage, a n d install landing, set up the final approach for a steady,
forward to make. Match the aileron's lead­ the pull-pull rudder a n d elevator c o n t r o l gradual descent. Keep a little power until the
ing-edge angle to that o n the ribs b y setting cables a n d linkage. I made m y wheels f r o m end of the runway is under the model, and
the correct angle o n y o u r band saw before scratch, but y o u can get a nice set f r o m then flare and pull the power back to idle just
y o u cut the leading-edge pieces. W h e n Flair Products. as the model touches d o w n . Stay o n the con­
y o u ' v e built the ailerons, install hinges a n d trols during the rollout, as the plane is rather
trial-fit them i n t o place. T h e remaining tasks RECOMMENDED CONTROL THROWS top-heavy, and y o u don't want it to rock from
associated w i t h the fuselage are pretty easy Ailerons: 1 inch u p and d o w n . side to side. Overall, the E.V. is easy to build,
to d o . Install the top decking at the front Elevator: 11/2 inches up and d o w n . and it handles like an advanced trainer. If y o u
and the rear o f the fuselage. G l u e the deck­ Rudder: as m u c h as y o u can get, left want to get into W W I aircraft but y o u don't
ing i n t o place, starting f r o m the central a n d right. want the hassle of building a biplane, the
stringers a n d w o r k i n g o u t w a r d . Fokker E.V. parasol is the answer. What are y o u

FLYING waiting for? Start building!

LANDING GEAR AND SUB-WING Bend the M y Fokker E.V.'s first flight was o n a cold
landing gear as s h o w n o n the plans, and February morning. Even m y trusty G-38 didn't SeetheSource Guide on page 152 for manufacturers'
screw it to the attachment blocks. Build want to run in that weather, but I kept crank­ contact information.
the sub-wing o n t o the b o t t o m sheeting, ing, and it eventually roared to life. I advanced
a n d then add the leading-edge material. the throttle to about3/4,and the plane jumped
D o n ' t sheet the top u n t i l y o u ' v e made into the air. It's very stable and needed o n l y a
the axle assembly. bit of d o w n and left rudder-trim correction. For
T o properly set the sub-wing's incidence,
prop up the tail u n t i l the main w i n g inci­
dence is at -2 degrees. T h e n e p o x y the legs
t o the sub-wing a n d the angled ribs. A d d
1/4-SCALE FOKKER E.V.
basswood pieces as reinforcements for the TO ORDER THE FULL-SIZE PLAN, TURN TO PAGE 148, OR VISIT R C S T 0 R E . C O M ONLINE.
outside of the gear struts. N o w sheet the top
of the sub-wing and sand the leading edge
to shape.

FINAL ASSEMBLY Put the 24-ounce fuel

tank i n t o p o s i t i o n , a n d t h e n install the
radio gear. Install the battery a n d receiver
as far forward as y o u can. Install the rudder
a n d elevator servos u n d e r n e a t h the pilot
seat. If y o u d o n ' t add a scale interior, install
the servos as far forward as t h e y can go. 1
g l u e d the aileron e x t e n s i o n wires to the left
rear cabane-strut wire, a n d t h e n I covered
the struts w i t h balsa.
I used A r i z o n a M o d e l Aircrafters' four-
c o l o r lozenge fabric, but the choice o f cov­
ering is up t o y o u . T h e a l u m i n u m e n g i n e
c o w l is also f r o m A r i z o n a M o d e l Aircrafters.

122 M O D E L AIRPLANE NEWS

 CLASSIFIEDS
single- and multi-cylinder engines. Enjoy 500 to 1.500 FOR SALE: 35-year collection of model aircraft plans. Large,
RATES: non-commercial—25 cents per word
(no commercial ads of any kind accepted at this flights on servos, pots, gears, etc. For all DA, 3W. ZDZ, BME small, twin, singles, floatplanes, amphibians, flying boats,
rate); commercial—50 cents per word (applies and others. 140+ types, styles, sizes for engines .049 to fighters and oddballs. Send SASE for a complete list
to retailers, manufacturers, etc.); count all ini­ 20ci 3 yr./3,000 flights guarantee. "Plus, "double refund and prices. W.G. Warner, P.O. Box 55. Gulliver. Ml 49840.
tials, numbers, name and address, city, state, trial offer" $64.95 to $344.95 + $10 S&H (-25% for many [1/05]
zip code and phone number. All ads must be undrilled versions). *Info/orders: Merle Hyde. (702) 269-
paid for in advance. To run your ad for more 7829; email: [email protected]. [2/05] FOR SALE: SUPER CYCLONE (PRE-WW II) & ROCKET
than one month, multiply your payment by the MOTOR ignition engines, Arden 19 glow engine, excellent fins
number of months you want it to run. Deadline: BOB'S AIRCRAFT DOCUMENTATION 2003. World's largest & compression; $275 (3). "Air News Yearbook" Vols. 1 & 2
the 10th day of the m o n t h , 3 m o n t h s in commercial collection of aircraft photos (400,000) and (WW II); best reasonable offer. Bob Cowherd Sr. (315) 655-
advance, e.g., January 10 for the April issue. We 3864 'til 9 pm Eastern time. [2/05]
3-view line drawings (38,000). 272-page catalog—$10;
don't furnish box numbers, and it isn't our policy
Canada, Mexico, Alaska. Hawaii & Puerto Rico—S12;
to send tear sheets. Please make all checks BACK ISSUES, MODEL MAGAZINES 61 Coach, Glastonbury,
payable to: Air Age Inc. SEND AD AND PAY­ international—$20 (includes air postage). 3114 Yukon Ave.,
CT 06033-3237; [email protected]. [3/05]
MENT T O : CLASSIFIED ADS, Model Airplane Costa Mesa, CA 92626; (714) 979-8058; bobsairdoc.com.
News, 100 E. Ridge, Ridgefield, C T 06877- [5/05]
P47D THUNDERBOLT 1/5-SCALE MODEL. Built from Aerotech
4606 USA, or call (203) 431-9000. Models Inc. kit. Completely finished MUSEUM-QUALITY
R/C FLIGHT INSTRUCTION in North Central Georgia replica of "BIG ASS BIRD." Brison 4.2 engine/custom muf­
Mountains "Blairsville"; (706) 745-8667. [9/05] fler, dummy radial. Robart air retracts, main wheel and tail-
BUSINESS wheel, all servos installed/Airtronics PCM receiver, ignition
JETS, JETS, JETS. Ducted-fan jet kits. Fly an F-15 Regal and receiver batteries. Full cockpit and pilot, sliding canopy,
AG-AIRCRAFT PLANS. Pawnee. Agwagon, Pawnee Brave. Eagle with a .61 engine; rcjets.com. [2/05] display prop. Never flown, but ready to fly! Pictures avail-
Transavia Airtruk/Skyfarmer, Fletcher FU-24. Cropmaster and
able. Best offer over $4,500. FOB Carson City, NV. F.E.
more. Hardware paks, colour photo Paks, free documentation.
COMPOSITE KITS TO REPLACE BROKEN ARFs—$15 TO Chase, 1520 Goldfield Ave., Carson City, NV 89701; email
Catalog/price list: $5 (U.S.); VISA/MC. New Zealand Aero
$65. For catalog, send two stamps to Willairco, P.O. Box [email protected]. (3/05)
Products, 34 Ward Parade. Stirling Point. Bluff. New Zealand.
Mobile: +6427-427-1843. [5/05] 57, East Palatka. FL 32131; (386) 546-3222. [2/05]
R/C VIDEO: featuring aerial views from the pilot's seat;
TURN YOUR AIRPLANE AND ROCKET DESIGNS INTO CASH! We 1/3-scale J-3 Cub,1/5Beech Staggerwing and more! 90 minutes;
CUSTOM LASER-CUT KITS AND PARTS. We can
laser-cut your designs for small or large production require­ VHS tape—$7.50; DVD-R—$10. Send check to Raymond Keel.
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and kits for your AutoCad. CorelDraw or Adobe Illustrator ments. Please visit laserimageworks.com. [5/05] 1200 E. Davis St., Ste. 115. Box 192. Mesquite, TX 75149.[4/05|
files or design it for you. We have the latest computer-con­
trolled equipment. Artwork-scanning service is also avail­ VINCE MILLER PLANS AVAILABLE AGAIN. Send $2 for USED ENGINES WANTED: pre-1970 preferred. T. Crouss. 100
able. Competitive prices and fast order turnaround. Ohio brochure to Calvin's Classic Plans. 3704 Drumm Ave., Smyrna. West Springfield, MA 01089-1706;
Laser Engraving. 4986 W. Enon Rd., Fairborn, OH 45324; Independence, MO 64055. [3/05] (413) 732-3859. [5/05]
(937) 878-5587. Visit our website at: ohlaser.com. Email:
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FREESTYLE 45 looks great, lands gently and performs superior Modelworks, P.O. Box 25344, Rochester. NY 14625, or
WANTED: UNIMAT AND WATCHMAKER LATHES; early micro­
processors: KIMs: SYMs; AIMs; SOLs; robots and Atmos aerobatics. Photo in December issue's "Pilot Projects." Easier email: [email protected]. [1/05]
clocks. John Rawley, 1923 Susquehanna. Abington, PA 19001; self-jigging construction, rolled AutoCAD drawings, detailed
(215) 884-9220; [email protected]. [6/05] building guide and materials list plus bonus drawings: only WANTED: A COMPLETE SET OF PLANS (5 sheets) for
$22.95 plus $6.95 S&H. Email [email protected], Richard Barron's classic Boeing Stearman 96-in-
CUSTOM VINYL RC DECALS AND GRAPHICS. Economical, or call (860) 739-6846 tor full description and photos. [2/05] wingspan PT-13. I recently bought this model 80% com-
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hobbiesaloft.com. [12/04]

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mailbag.com/users/conceptmodels; (608) 848-4108.
[2/05]

INVESTORS—Historical stock price range data 600+

companies; $30. Check/money order. Robert Lardiere,
P.O. Box 110261. Nutley, NJ 07110. [12/04]

HYDE CUSTOM SOFT MOUNTS—Independent engineering

testing conclusion: "Single Isolator Hyde Mounts" consider­
ably extend the life or completely eliminate failure of crank­
shaft, rod. and crankcase of both large and small
PRODUCTREVIEW BY J O H N REID

Eagle Tree Flight Data Recorder 2

Real-time information you can use

1 Real-time telemetry gives you

the necessary information to
know what's happening on board
your model—a good thing when
you're flying on the edge!

WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT TO
monitor your airplane's flight
systems while it is in the air?
Now you can monitor 16
channels of critical flight
data (real-time telemetry)
with the Eagle Tree Flight
Data Recorder 2 and the
Seagull Wireless Telemetry
Dashboard System. These
new systems allow you to
monitor airspeed, altitude,
engine rpm and temperature,
the model's climb and The system's main components
include the Right Data
descent rates, servo Recorder 2 program on CD, |
positions, the number of the Seagull Data dashboard,
servo glitches, receiver the Seagull wireless telemetry
transmitter (left, foreground)
battery-voltage levels and and the flight data recorder
more. Let's take a closer look! (right, foreground).
Air SCOOP

S o a r i n g the N e u t r a l Zone
If an enemy battle-star launches an attack on your local
slope-soaring site, you can be on full-alert patrol to repel
the aggressor with the new Toucan 60R—a larger version of the original
Toucan from DCU Models. With lower wing loading and higher Reynolds numbers
than the original 43-inch version, this 60-inch-span version flies like a dream. If you
liked the original, you're going to love this one. The kit features a fiberglass fuselage,
foam-core/balsa-sheeted wings and all the hardware to make the wings removable. The
wing area is 470 square inches, and it weighs 30 to 32 ounces. Separate elevator and aileron-
control servos are used, and mixers are unnecessary. Contact DCU Models, 45 Steel Rd., Wylie,
TX 75098; (214) 429-0440; fax (214) 442-1899.

T hese limited-production
Signature Collection Cards are
aviation

made of fine-quality aluminum. Some of

the finest and most famous figures of
aviation in the past 60 years, including
test pilots, record-holders and Aces, are
represented with the planes they flew.
On the front of each card is an action
photo of a history-making aircraft
and
of
an inset photo
the famous F lair now offers the venerable deHavilland Tiger Moth in their Quarter
Scale Classic Series of kits. This impressive DH-82 Tiger Moth has an
88-inch wingspan and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser at an IMMA event or
pilot and his or
at your local field. Flair promises superb engineering and a long list of
her signature. The
scale details and innovations made possible by the model's large size.
plane's specifica-
Here are just a few examples: sprung and dampened telescoping under­
carriage; durable lightweight wheels with deHavilland-logo hubcaps;
stainless-steel flying wires with terminators; complete closed loop
(pull/pull) control system for rudder and elevators; die-stamped steel
bracket; die-cut, lite-ply parts; fiberglass cowl and external detail mold­
ings. Power requirements are .90 to 1.20 2-stroke or 1.20 to 1.50 4-stroke.
For more information, contact Hobby Supply South, Inc., 5060 Glade Rd.,
Acworth, GA 30101; (800) 250-3683, (770) 974-0843; fax (770) 974-6243;
email: [email protected]; homepage: www.hway.net/hss.

tions and a short informative paragraph WORLD RECORD HOLDER In 1949 this free-
flight helicopter,
built by Taiwanese
are on the back of each card. Signature
modelers Wang
cards sell for $5.95 (S&H included). A Kung and Liu Li-
percentage of each sale will go to the Tien, set a world
Flight Test Historical Foundation for the record for duration
construction of an aviation museum at of 22 minutes, 27
seconds. They
Edwards Air Force Base. For more infor­
later set a dis­
mation, contact Aerospace Marketing, tance record of
P.O. Box 850, Victorville, CA 92393; (800) 18.038 kilometers
440-5095. with a model of
the same type.
PRODUCTREVIEW

T h e Seagull Wireless Telemetry System

comes w i t h the real-time dashboard a n d a
telemetry transmitter, a flight-data recorder,
a USB cable, a Pitot tube, a temperature
sensor, an rpm sensor, Y-harnesses, four t i n y
magnets, a C D - R O M a n d an instruction
manual. T h e Data Dashboard measures
3.5x2.5x1 inches, a n d y o u can easily attach
it to y o u r transmitter or have an assistant The computer screen can
h o l d it. display any selection
of data you wish to view.
Most data parameters
INSTALLATION can be displayed either
Installing the system is rather simple; most numerically or with
gauges, or with a
of the sensors are connected to the recorder combination of both.
w i t h standard servo extensions. T h e engine
r p m sensor requires y o u to affix t w o mag­
nets to the p r o p h u b . T h e magnets must be
positioned 2mm away from the sensor pick-
u p for proper operation. I used high-temp
R T V silicone sealant to attach the magnets
a n d a 2mm-thick piece of balsa to maintain
proper spacing w h i l e it dried.
T h e airspeed sensor uses a functional
Pitot tube that must not be installed near
the propwash. I installed mine o n the m a i n
landing gear near the wheel pants. T h e
engine-temperature sensor must be wrapped
a r o u n d the engine head. T o m o n i t o r servo
m o v e m e n t and glitches, each servo is The Seagull wireless
plugged i n t o a Y-harness that is connected telemetry transmitter
relays information to the
to the flight-data recorder. T h e altitude
data dashboard. Four
readings, the c l i m b a n d descent rates a n d different channels of
the receiver battery-voltage levels are all data can be displayed on
the dashboard screen at
monitored b y sensors i n the recorder. Each
one time.
data c h a n n e l can be assigned a programma­
ble audio alarm. T o finish the installation, I
plugged the wireless telemetry transmitter
i n t o the data recorder and used V e l c r o to
secure them i n the fuselage.

I installed the program o n m y laptop a n d

used the Installation W i z a r d to set u p the
recorder. D u r i n g the setup, I selected the
channels I wanted the recorder to log a n d
h o w I wanted that i n f o r m a t i o n displayed.
N e x t , I selected the joystick mode to cali­
brate the servo-stick movements, a n d t h e n 1
programmed the data dashboard.

FIELD T E S T I N G
At the field, I did a complete radio range
check a n d tested the data recorder w i t h the
engine o n a n d off. After 1 had verified every­
thing, I hooked u p the dashboard to m y lap­ I clamped a piece of
2mm-thick balsa between
top a n d opened the program so 1 could
the sensor and the
record the flight. 1 set the laptop to " l i v e " magnets to maintain
m o d e b y clicking a b u t t o n o n the screen. the correct gap while
the high-temp RTV
T h i s allows y o u to v i e w the data parameters
silicone sealant dried.
o n a big screen and to record as m u c h of it
as y o u want.
W i t h the plane i n the air, several of m y
friends had their eyes firmly fixed o n the
 SPECIFICATIONS
EAGLE TREE FLIGHT DATA R E C O R D E R
OPERATIONAL VOLTAGE: 4.35 to 7 volts
CURRENT DRAW: < 35mA @ 4.8 volts
S Y S T E M WEIGHT: 1.5 oz. (approx.;
includes recorder. Y-cables. rpm and temp
sensors and Pitot tube)
S I Z E : 1.97x1.38x0.67 in.

A L T I T U D E : 0 to approx. 32,000 ft.

T E M P E R A T U R E : dual inputs. 0 deg. F to

424 deg. F

RPM RANGE: 100 to 40,000+ (approx.)

TRANSMITTER
FREQUENCY RANGE: 902 to 928MHz
M A X I M U M OUTPUT: 200mW (approx.)
SIZE: 23/4x11/4x1/4 in.
WEIGHT: 0.5 oz. (transmitter only)
ANTENNA: thin, flexible stainless whip
CURRENT DRAW: average <50mA
(transmitter & recorder)

DASHBOARD
SENSITIVITY: < - l l 0 d B m nominal
RECEIVER ANTENNA: thin, flexible, stain­
less whip
BATTERY: standard 9V
DISPLAY: 16x2-character LCD
PUSHBUTTONS: 4
This would not be a good time U S B CONNECTION: yes
for your engine to overheat!
With onboard telemetry, you COMPUTER REQUIREMENTS
can see a problem before it The included CD-ROM is compatible with
happens.
Windows 98SE. Windows Millennium,
Windows 2000 and Windows XP. It is not
compatible with Windows 98.
screen w a t c h i n g the constant update o f h o w y o u can use all this instant data at the
PRICES
data. T h e screen display includes an field. For aerobatics, have an assistant m o n i ­
Right Data Recorder 2 (full system)—
artificial-horizon gauge that turns and shifts tor the dashboard to see w h e t h e r y o u main­
$369.99
according to the airplane's maneuvers. tain a constant speed t h r o u g h o u t y o u r aero- Transmitter and dashboard (aka "Wireless
D u r i n g m y test, I h a d m y assistant m o n i t o r batic maneuvers. Is y o u r up-line truly verti­ Expander")—$199.99 (check website for
the screen a n d relay m y control-stick move­ cal? Are y o u r maneuvers too tight a n d compatibility)
ments as well as the model's attitude and putting too m a n y G o n the plane? Are y o u
altitude. H e , i n t u r n , a n n o u n c e d the maintaining a constant attitude as the plane
changes i n data immediately after I made flies straight and level? These questions can
the maneuvers w i t h very little lag time be answered w i t h the dashboard and the
between the control i n p u t a n d the laptop optional G-force expander. let them k n o w w h e t h e r their gliders are
screen indication. For the second flight, I Electric fliers can m o n i t o r the p o w e r and about to stall, and a fast climb rate indicates
disconnected the dashboard from the laptop performance p r o v i d e d b y different bat­ thermal lift.
and had m y assistant m o n i t o r it during the tery/motor/gearbox/prop combinations.
flight. He stood next to me a n d relayed W h i c h p r o p works best w i t h w h i c h motor? CONCLUSION
information during the flight. W h i c h prop/gearbox c o m b i n a t i o n gives Eagle Tree's Flight Data Recorder 2 a n d the
Navigating the various screens to read the y o u r plane the best speed while pulling the Wireless Dashboard Telemetry System bene­
data requires o n l y a press of a b u t t o n . Each fewest amps? Using the dashboard and the fit pilots w h o want to i m p r o v e their models'
screen displays four channels o f data, a n d optional electric expander, y o u get the infor­ performances b y m o n i t o r i n g in-flight data
during setup, y o u can select the parameters mation i n real time. feedback. Seeing m i n o r problems as t h e y
y o u want displayed o n each of the five P y l o n racers can m o n i t o r their planes' arise allows y o u to prevent major problems
screens. T h e system worked perfectly during performances t h r o u g h o u t a race. G-force that can greatly affect aircraft safety. Priced
all o f o u r flight tests! I recorded a couple of info can help racers fine-tune their turns at $369.99, the system is well w o r t h the
flights so that I can play that data back o n a r o u n d the pylons, a n d the engine tempera­ investment. It works as advertised a n d is just
m y computer. ture data w i l l tell them whether it's r u n n i n g t o o c o o l to w a t c h !
too lean. Instant feedback provides critical
APPLICATIONS information that can help w i n the race! See the Source Guide on page 152 for manufacturers'
T h i s stuff is pretty c o o l , but y o u may wonder Glider pilots c a n set u p audible alarms to contact information.

M A R C H 2005 131
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 BY MOLLY O'BYRNE > PHOTOS BY DAVID GOLDBERG

RC pilot Michael George (far left)

expertly pilots the model Phoenix
in the Kulseb Canyon of Namibia.

"Flight of the Phoenix'rises again—

RC MODELS HELP RE-CREATE A FAMOUS MOVIE ADVENTURE
R E L E A S E D I N 1 9 6 5 . T H E F I L M " T h e Flight of the Phoenix" is an exciting
story about plane-crash survivors w h o find themselves stranded i n the
Sahara Desert with lots of airplane parts, n o working radio and a limited
supply of water. O n e of the men claims to be an aircraft engineer w h o
can re-jigger all of the broken parts into a working airplane that will fly
them to safety, and therein lies the tale.
This film was remade and released in 2004 after a lengthy shoot i n
Namibia, Africa. There, a representative of 20th C e n t u r y Fox contacted
S o u t h A f r i c a n c o m p a n y L o n d o n M o d e l s for a q u o t e o n b u i l d i n g a
1/3-scale fuselage of a C-l19 Fairchild F l y i n g Boxcar for the movie. W h e n
the studio rep visited the L o n d o n Models workshop and saw all of the RC
The London Model crew prepares
models there, he ended up ordering not only the C-l19 fuselage but also
the model for its flight three1/5-scale,RC flying models of the Phoenix.
According to D a v i d Roberts of L o n d o n Models, his c o m p a n y used
studio-supplied drawings o f the Phoenix to construct a full-size, unde­
tailed test model. He reports that the aircraft was "... highly nonsymmet­
rical, and to get it to fly true, we offset the engine 4.5 degrees right, the
subfin 2 degrees right and changed the wing section to semisymmetrical
at 2 degrees incidence w i t h 2 degrees washout.... As the elevators were

A low flyby for the camera different sizes, we moved the smaller one about 20 percent further than
the larger one so that n o roll input was generated. C G was set up at 28
percent, since we were very wary of getting into a spin. T o launch, two of
our best runners steadied the tips as the plane accelerated, and o n releas­
ing, we found that aileron and rudder would hold the aircraft steady and
straight with virtually n o input. We n o w felt confident to test-fly."

The two "hero" model planes were then constructed using all the pat­
terns, molds and jigs as in the prototype, and all the details were added.
The seven replica "actors," created b y American Ray Cavalluzzi, had to be
fitted to the top of the wings, so lift and drag were of huge concern.
H a p p i l y , all the models flew straight a n d true w i t h almost n o trim
changes required.
The Phoenix does a • W h e n shooting began in the Namibian desert, 22-year-old RC pilot
flyby over the dunes of
Michael George w o u l d jump into a dune buggy and be transported to the
the Namib Desert.
flying area, where the cameras were set up, and he w o u l d then scoot back
to the takeoff point to effect the landing.
David Roberts told Model Airplane News, "It was a thrill of a lifetime to
work o n a project like this!"