Focal Point - 2011/06
B-25Js
Jim Tausworthe (Box 253; Houston, MO 65483; email: tausrivr@centurytel.net) shares with MA readers his two B-25Js.
- Right airplane: Wowplanes model kit
- Power: two SuperTigre 10 electric motors
- Electronics: two 30-amp ESCs
- Battery: 2100 mAh
- Control: elevators and ailerons
- Left airplane: BH model
- Features: flaps, retractable gear, elevator, ailerons, and rudders
- Power: two KMS 2814-08 electric motors
- Battery: 4800 mAh
- ESCs: two 35-amp units
Jim wrote: "Both airplanes have green dragons painted on their noses as did my old wartime squadron, the 5th Air Force's 405th Bomb Squadron, 38th Bomb Group. I am also on the Hobby Lobby waiting list for its newest B-25, the Apache Princess, which will also be converted to a 405th Bomb Squadron green dragon bomber."
Two Hots to Handle
Randy Powell (2687 Logan Dr., Valdese, NC 28690; email: rcstringbender@yahoo.com) presents his two Hots.
- Blue model: powered by a Rossi .45
- Orange model: powered by an O.S. .46
Both have been tweaked slightly from the kit. Randy wrote that each one is fast and agile. "The blue Hots is probably more than 10 years old and the orange one was built through May and June of 2010," wrote Randy.
Kadet Senior
Dwayne Hillegas (8 Kenwood Cir., Quakertown, PA 18951) built this Tower Hobbies Sig Senior Kadet, his first model after a 20-plus-year hiatus.
- Engine: .61
- Radio: Futaba FASST system
- Covering: Top Flite MonoKote
Dwayne wrote: "I bought it from a friend for $10 partially built. I had to build the fuselage and tail feathers. I split the wing and added a five-inch flat center section with wing bolts. It spans 83 inches now. I also cut off the trailing edges and turned them into ailerons. It flies fantastic. A great way to relearn RC."
Der Fledermaus
Mark Swigart (639 Winding Way, West Milton, OH 45383; email: mswigart@verizon.net) scratch-built his Der Fledermaus from AMA plans number 652.
- Wingspan: 55 inches
- Weight: 4 pounds
- Motor: Scorpion 3008-20
- Power: two 2200 mAh 3S Li-Poly battery packs
- Radio/Servos: Hitec Aurora 2.4 GHz and Hitec servos
Mark wrote: "Flying this model with a polyhedral wing makes it a very stable aircraft to fly. With ailerons it is capable of rolls and inverted flying. Landings are solid, with no bouncing."
Preserving the Past
Bill Hickey (305 White Oak Dr., Naperville, IL 60540; email: wjh08@wideopenwest.com) found this 1909 Antoinette (96-inch wingspan, 101-inch length) at a swap meet. Its covering was loose and stained and its structure weakened by many repairs.
Bill rebuilt the airframe: removed old covering, gusseted the fuselage, replaced many ribs, and added shear webs to the wing spars. Custom brass fittings were fabricated for the hard points and 0.028-inch stranded steel CL wire with Du-Bro 1/4-scale turnbuckles were used for rigging.
- Covering: Sig Koverall
- Finish: butyrate dope (one part cream to three parts clear for a translucent color)
- Forward fuselage: veneered with walnut and coated with flat clear dope
"The ship flies well and is quite the stately presence in the air," wrote Bill.
Boomer Torpedo
Hernan Paulet (222 Ranchview Dr., Vandalia, OH 45377; email: shadow0262@aol.com) submitted his scratch-built Boomer Torpedo, dedicated to his wife's rescue greyhound, Bailey (former racing name Boomer Torpedo).
Influenced by the Sig Senorita's stick-and-sheet construction, this aerobatic aircraft remains light for its size. The double-tapered wing is fully symmetrical, allowing all classic aerobatic maneuvers. It also has a wide, 16-inch midpoint chord giving the airplane stability at slow speeds.
Originally outfitted with an O.S. .46 (pictured), Hernan installed a SuperTigre .51 for extra power in the summer months. It is a great airplane from takeoff to landing.
Taylor Craft
Dan Gillespie (Box 55342, Portland, OR 97238; email: dangillespie52@aol.com) submits this Ace RC 1/4-scale clipped-wing Taylorcraft kit.
- Construction: stick-and-glue kit
- Wingspan: 90 inches
- Weight: 17 pounds
- Power: E-flite 160 with Phoenix Ice HV 160 ESC (Castle Creations)
- Battery: 10S 5000 mAh Turnigy Li-Poly pack
- Propeller: 18 x 10 Master Airscrew
Dan wrote: "I modeled it after the Sid Nelson Air Show's T-Craft based in Illinois. I flew it in the Molalla Oregon Scale Masters Qualifier (Team Scale) with respectable performance. Very cool to have a plane that no one else has. It's amazing what you can do with a little balsa, ply, glue, and a set of plans."
Zlín Z-50
Dr. Don Bauer (14970 Big Horn Rd., Huson, MT 59846) received the plans and accessory kit for this Zlín Z-50 from his family as a gift in the 1980s.
"I finally built it in three months last winter from the old plans. The finish is UltraCote and Klass Kote epoxy paint," wrote Don.
- Radio: Futaba T7C 2.4 GHz FASST system
- Engine: DLE 55cc gas engine
"It flies very well," Don added.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
