First Scale Project
After flying a Dynaflite PT-19 for the past five years, Fran Arrigo (18821 Caspian Cir., Boca Raton, FL 33496; E-mail: tboltMXW@aol.com) decided it was time to try a scale project for the first time. The result is this giant-scale P-47 from a Top Flite kit.
Fran's Thunderbolt is powered by a Zenoah G-62 engine and weighs 27 pounds. It features a sliding canopy and full cockpit detailing.
"The 'Jug' flies like it's on a rail and is a real crowd-pleaser at shows," wrote Fran.
A Fulfilled Dream
Don Sappington (902 Riverside Dr., South Bend, IN 46616) built this 1/4-scale version of the Welch OW5—an airplane that was originally produced in South Bend.
Don's replica spans 103 inches, weighs 12 pounds, and has 1,242 square inches of wing area. A Magnum 65 four-stroke engine powers the model.
"I saw these airplanes being built and flown as a kid, so this project has satisfied a dream," wrote Don.
Perfect "OMA"
J.R. Holmes (21 Fairway Ln., Marble Falls, TX 78654) built this Dust Devil from a kit produced by RGS Enterprises.
The model spans 76 inches and weighs 7 pounds, 13 ounces. A Saito 91, swinging a 14 x 6 Master Airscrew propeller, provides the power, and a Hitec Prism radio provides guidance.
"It's very aerobatic and has excellent slow-flight characteristics," wrote J.R. "I have not been able to stall it. I've labeled it the 'Perfect Old Man's Airplane.' I'm 78."
Blohm und Voss
A. Webster Tenney Jr. (3601 Lake Champlain, Arlington, TX 76016) built this unusual 1/2-scale Blohm und Voss BV 141B from Nick Ziroli plans. It has a wingspan of 57 inches and weighs 5.8 pounds. It is powered by an O.S. .46 FX engine.
According to A. Webster, the full-scale aircraft's asymmetrical design was intended to give a single-engine airplane the same field of fire and vision as a twin-engine airplane.
"It provides a few exciting moments on takeoff, but flies almost normally," he wrote.
Mended Zero
Phil Camp (16 Arbutus Dr., Queensbury, NY 12804; E-mail: campcr@mybizz.net) built this Mitsubishi A6M5 Model 52 Japanese Zero from a Yellow Aircraft kit.
The model is powered by a Zenoah G-62 engine and features retractable landing gear and a sliding canopy. It spans 80 inches and weighs 26 pounds.
"She flew beautifully until the retracts were deployed," wrote Phil about the maiden flight. "That's when the right strut and wheel fell to the ground."
The model was landed successfully and the minor damage repaired.
Restored Peashooter
When Ed Martin (18 Rebel Dr., Asheville, NC 28805; E-mail: emartin60@juno.com) purchased this P-26 Peashooter at the Joe Nall Fly-In, it had minor damage. He restored it to better-than-new condition.
Ed installed an O.S. .91 FX engine, and a Hitec Eclipse radio system with five servos provides guidance. The model weighs approximately 10 pounds, and according to Ed it "behaves beautifully."
Modified Extra
Greg Harvey (1214 Buckeye Rd., Mount Morris, PA 15349; E-mail: bharvey@westco.net) built this colorful Extra 300 XS from Ohio RC plans and made some modifications.
"I enlarged the rudder counterbalance and added counterbalances to the elevators," wrote Greg. "I also moved the hinge line forward one inch."
Power is provided by a Brison 3.2 engine turning a Zinger 22 x 8 propeller. A B&B smoke system feeds the Brison Pitts-style muffler. Greg covered the model with Metallic Wine, white, and yellow MonoKote.
A Real Classic
C.E. "Chuck" Hocking (37127 Valley Rd., Oconomowoc, WI 53066; E-mail: chocking@execpc.com) believes that "Classic aircraft will always make great models, and the Aeronca 15AC Sedan is certainly no exception."
He built this 1/5-scale version from a Pica kit. It has a wingspan of 85 inches and weighs 10 pounds. It is modeled after the last Sedan that Aeronca built, in 1951. The model is powered by an O.S. .91 FS with an onboard starting system.
Seven-Year Project
Al Klashak (2601 Lambros Dr., Midland, MI 48642; E-mail: wacouic@chartermi.net) spent seven years researching, redrawing plans to scale, and collecting materials for this classic WACO UIC.
It is powered by a Technopower seven-cylinder radial engine. It has an 84-inch wingspan, and most of the parts are hand-cut or handmade.
"This is a model of the first airplane I rode in as water boy for air shows in the 1930s," wrote Al.
DJ—to Excess!
Don Coe (W. 358 S. 4711 Chickory Ct., Dousman, WI 53118; E-mail: dcoe@execpc.com) and his friend Jerry Franz completed this team-building project, and they call the design the "DJ-2XS." The DJ stands for Don and Jerry. And the 2XS?
"Well, we felt this project kind of went over the top," wrote Don. The design is intended to capture a Golden Age-racer look, blended with a more modern aerobatics color scheme. Saito 150 engines handle the power requirements.
Electric Ponnier Racer
Daniel Gregory (32715 30th Ave. S.W., Federal Way, WA 98023) built this unique 1/4-scale 1913 Ponnier racer from plans he drew based on a three-view he received from Bob Banka.
An Astro Pattern 60 motor fitted with a 3:1 gearbox on 28 2400-mAh cells powers the model. It weighs 12 pounds and is covered with Antique Solartex. The 40-spoke wheels are from Proctor Enterprises, and roll control is accomplished via wing warping.
"I found two Ponnier photos in an Experimental Aircraft Association book on air racing," wrote Dan.
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Second Across the Atlantic
Lawrence E. Klingberg (8111 Dartmoor Dr., Huntington Beach, CA 92646) built this Bellanca WB-2 from Joseph Nieto plans that were presented in Model Airplane News magazine.
The model has a wingspan of 11 feet, 6 inches, and uses a Quadra 400 for power. It is covered with Solartex and painted with Rust-Oleum.
"This was the second airplane to cross the Atlantic, and it flew to Berlin," wrote Lawrence about the full-scale WB-2. "The picture takes you back to 1927 just before liftoff."
V-77 With Camo
Charles Riether (16663 Victor St., Victorville, CA 92392; E-mail: rugsucker@earthlink.net) built this Stinson V-77.
"I started with Ikon N'Wst's SR-8 and made a few changes, and came up with a warbird that I could see," he wrote.
The V-77 is powered by a SuperTigre 3250 engine and uses a JR 662 radio for control. Mike Ostrander painted it using automotive paint, and Jerry Sooter applied the graphics. This model weighs 22 pounds and took five years to complete.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
