Focal Point
Scratch-Built Biplane
Walter Welch (Box 293, Purdy, MO 65734) says that "of all the airplanes I've built, this is the easiest one I've ever flown." It's a Hog Bipe enlarged 33%. The top wing spans 72 inches; the bottom wing is 68 inches in span. Flying weight is 14.5 pounds.
"I built this airplane hoping Santa would bring me a 1.70R Saito," he wrote. "That's why it doesn't have a cowl on it." Current engine is a 1.5 Saito.
"It has no bad habits. It's rock-solid. I feel it's too good not to let others know about it."
Handles the Load
Angelo J. Caesar (351 Camino Al Lago, Menlo Park, CA 94027) uses his Electric Stampe as a glider carrier.
"By omitting some of the parts for a gas model, I was able to keep the weight to 11 pounds," he wrote. "It flies very well, even with a load." The glider and launcher add 36 ounces to the total weight.
"Not bad with an Astro 40. [If I used] an Astro 60, it would need 12 more cells—quite heavy!"
Canard Bug
Ellis Magen (104 Rennard Terrace, Philadelphia, PA 19116) "got the canard bug after watching a fellow club member fly his. It was one of the most unusual flying RC airplanes I had ever seen."
After quite a bit of searching, he was able to obtain a Star Chaser kit. He used a Fox .45 for power. "It looped with ease, and with fixed fins had no trouble rolling left or right."
Unfortunately the Star Chaser crashed near the end of its maiden flight. "It went in nose first; we don't know why, because all systems checked A-OK after the crash. But I enjoyed building the kit, and although I had very little flying time, I enjoyed myself."
Mr. Magen has purchased another Star Chaser kit for flying this summer.
Quite a Challenge
Max Harris (1741 Peppermint Ln., Westminster, MD 21157) had a latest building project, a Balsa USA 30% Stearman PT-17, that "was quite a challenge" for him.
Power is a 3W 140 with a Bolly 30 x 12 prop. Covering is 21st Century Fabric with matching paint. Weight is 44 pounds.
Wingspan is nine feet, eight inches. A Futaba radio with 1/4-scale servos was used.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
