Focal Point
Model Aviation, 5161 E. Memorial Dr., Muncie IN 47302
Shrike 40
John J. Rynkiewicz (47 Loomis St., Nanticoke PA 18634; E-mail: jjrynk@cs.com) and daughter Kelsey are shown next to the Shrike 40 that he built, modified using the original kit as templates.
It is powered by an O.S. Max .46 VF with a tuned pipe and is guided by a Futaba Super 7 radio system using three servos. The model is covered with MonoKote®, and the stripes are ironed-on MonoKote®. "Most of the covering was applied at our annual mall show," wrote John.
Something for the Kids
"I was building an airplane one day when my six-year-old son asked me to build an airplane that looked like Thomas the train," wrote Tim Carpenter (Route 2 Box 15, Wadesboro NC 28170).
Tim modified his Great Planes Gee Bee's fuselage, and now he has a Thomas the Tank Engine model named "Matt's Thomas." "Believe it or not, it flies like it's on rails!" wrote Tim.
Revived T-6
In 1994 Joe Casey (128 St. James Way, Naples FL 34104) rescued a wrecked North American T-6 Texan at the Galveston Giant Scale Air Races.
During the next seven years he built an Ohio R/C balsa wing, added a foam tail, installed a Yellow Aircraft canopy, and resurrected an old Quadra 75 for power. Then he "brewed up a homemade aluminum paint recipe" and added the decals.
PT-17
"It took me just under one year and a lot of rainy days to scratch out this scale US Navy Stearman PT-17," wrote Dave Schwarzen (3003 Carron Rd., Festus MO 63028; E-mail: daves@jcn.net).
He used a set of modified Bengt Norman plans, making extensive use of documentation and pictures of the full-scale airplane he found on the Internet. The 1/7-scale model is powered by a SuperTigre 75 engine, which is partially concealed by a built-up dummy radial engine constructed from cardboard tube and 1/8" plywood, finished with Williams Bros. cylinders. "It weighs in at seven pounds and flies like a dream," wrote Dave.
First Model in the US
"I'm an active member of AMA and I was transferred from Venezuela to the USA last year, and the pictures are of my first RC model in this wonderful country," wrote Felix Maldonado (2113 S.W. 104 Ave., Miami FL 33165; E-mail: felix_maldonado@interconti.com).
The Great Planes Ultra Sport 1000 is powered by a SuperTigre 2300 engine with an O.S. carburetor. The radio is a Futaba 7UAF with eight servos inside the airplane. "The model is totally covered with MonoKote® and with a 16 x 10 propeller I have unlimited verticals," wrote Felix.
Super Stearman
According to Danny Salas (2734 N. Ashwood St., Orange CA 92865; E-mail: CCFDannyRC@aol.com), this Midwest Super Stearman is one of the most challenging models he's built so far.
Powered by a Saito 91 engine, the airplane weighs roughly 11½ pounds. It uses an Airtronics radio system, is covered with Solartex, and is painted with 21st Century® spray paint.
Beserk!!
Dave Preston (137 Spice Oak Ln., Cibolo TX 78108) built this Great Planes Dazzler to participate with the Oklahoma Barnstormers Air Show Team Combat demonstration.
The model is covered with MonoKote® and powered by an O.S. .46 SF engine with a MAC tuned pipe. Control is via a Futaba seven-channel radio. Flight characteristics and visibility are superb, and Crash Bandicoot is at the controls. "Beserk!! gets quite a few comments at our air shows, especially from the kids, who love the pilot," wrote Dave. "It's a pure blast to fly!"
RC Conversion
Andy Taylor (809 Independence, Longmont CO 80501) converted his Top Flite® Hurricane Control Line (CL) Aerobatics kit to radio control.
The model weighs 38 ounces and has an area of 400 square inches. The firewall is removable and mounts a potent Enya .21CX AAC engine. Radio gear is a Hitec Flash 4 with HS-81 servos mounted in the wing deck area. Covering is Dave Brown Skyloft and Rust-Oleum® paint with satin finish on top. Decals are kit-supplied, and Andy used 50% of his own custom-made decals. "If the urge strikes me, the aircraft can be flown in CL form and will fly as originally designed," he wrote.
Spad XIII
Bob Armstrong (9721 Appleton Ave., Kansas City MO 64134-2346; E-mail: spadkill@swbell.net) built his Spad from W.E. Technical Services plans.
The model spans 80 inches and weighs 22 pounds. It is powered by a Zenoah G-38 gasoline engine. Everything on the airplane is handcrafted except the cowl and wheels. The machine guns are made from balsa and PVC pipe. "It is patterned after Captain Eddie Rickenbacker's airplane in both color and design as closely as I could make it," wrote Bob. "I did some heavy research to do this."
AT-6 Texan
This Top Flite® AT-6 was Kevin M. Knebel's (102 Morgate Cir., Royal Palm Beach FL 33411; E-mail: tmkmk@aol.com) first kit. He built it with guidance from a couple of good friends, including Pat McCurry of PCM Models.
The model is a replica of Rear Admiral Aubrey Fitch's SNJ-2. According to Kevin, this airplane was the admiral's "private puddle jumper." The AT-6 has gear doors, which were not intended by Top Flite®. The engine is an O.S. 120 Surpass. The exhaust is in the cowl with a fake radial; the front boarding step is a switch, and the air scoop houses the charging port. The model features Pratt & Whitney decals. "With some creative retract servo and valve location and radio gear at the front, I balanced perfectly at 12 pounds with no additional weight," wrote Kevin.
L-19-Inspired
The lines of Jerry Sciortino's (Route 1, Box 343H, Seaford DE 19973) first scratch-built airplane are inspired by the Cessna L-19 he worked on while in the Army. His wife Geri is shown with the model.
It spans six feet and is powered by an O.S. .60 engine. Despite its nine-plus pounds, Jerry didn't need the flaps since takeoffs and landings are gentle and stable. "Owing to the colors and theme, it was only fitting that a bald eagle—groomed by a slight attack of lumbago—should be its pilot," he wrote.
Hawker Sea Fury
Victor Weitzman (10041 N.W. 3rd St., Plantation FL 33324) built this model—owned by Ernie Kratz of Delray Beach, Florida—from a Dave's Custom Models kit.
The 1/5-scale aircraft spans 95 inches and is powered by a Quadra 4.2 engine. It is painted with Imron auto paint and has Lite Flyte scale main and tail wheels. There are full four-section flaps with a separate servo on each section.
Flying Machine
Vickie Baylog (8801 S.E. 142nd Ln., Summerfield FL 34491) submitted this photo of a model that Rick Baylog built and covered with MonoKote®. It is powered by an O.S. .46 FX engine with a tuned pipe and header. "We had it clocked at 125 mph," wrote Vickie.
Mystery Model
William A. Dahlgren (415 Hazelwood Ln., Glenview IL 60025; E-mail: nagio4@msn.com) submitted this photo. The larger model is a CL de Havilland Comet IV powered by four Dynajet engines.
The airplane spans 116 inches and is 110 inches long. According to William, the Comet was probably built in the late 1950s or early 1960s, and it spent decades hanging in Stanton Hobby Shop on the north side of Chicago, Illinois. He would appreciate any information on the model's builder(s) or its reason for being. "It presently resides in my garage but it definitely needs a more suitable home," he wrote. "I do not intend to try flying the thing."
Share Your Model
Proud of your latest building/flying effort? Share it with MA's readers! Send us a glossy color print (no digital photos under 300 dpi or photocopies, please), with an appropriate description (no handwritten submissions, please), and we'll run the best submissions as space permits.
Please include your full address (including E-mail, if available) so that interested parties may contact you directly. Send to:
- Model Aviation, 5161 E. Memorial Dr., Muncie IN 47302; Attn: Focal Point
Because of this section's popularity, it may be several months before your model is featured.
Biplane Trio
Bill Martin (502 Thistle Dr., Garland TX 75043) sent this photo of (L–R) Glenn Kippenhan's scaled-up Phaeton with a U.S. 41 engine, Neal Higginbotham's scaled-up Dreamer with a Zenoah G-23 engine, and Bill's original Balsa USA Phaeton with an O.S. .46 FX engine. All models are flown with Futaba radios.
Ex-Cherokee
"In its past life it was a Piper Cherokee, given to me as a seven-piece basket case by its second owner," wrote Tom Romain (5 Greenwood Ave., Butler NJ 07405). "This is the result of my rebuilding it."
The canopy is a piece of a two-liter soda bottle, and the cowling is basswood and 1/64 plywood. Power is provided by an O.S. .40 LA engine, and the radio is a Hitec Focus 4. Covering is MonoKote®. Tom named the model "2nd Time Around." "This picture wasn't taken from above the clouds, but on a snowbank waiting for some grass to fly from!" he wrote.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
