Product Review
Sundancer RC sport plane kit
Price / Source
- $85 from Air Flair, P.O. Box 2075, Fairborn, OH 45324. Tel: 1-513/878-7487.
- Available at local hobby shops or direct from Air Flair with an additional $5 for S&H.
Description
Sundancer may look like a typical R/C trainer with its high wing and stick-and-tissue–type construction—but it is not a trainer. The long nose, semi-symmetrical airfoil, and generous control surfaces, coupled with its very light weight, provide the experienced sport flier with a plane having a unique combination of flight characteristics.
- A sport-type .65 engine gives it nearly unlimited vertical performance.
- Rolls are smooth and nearly axial; knife-edge flight is readily accomplished.
- Slow-flight performance is impressive; control surfaces remain effective down to very slow stall speeds.
- In a fair breeze the model is said to land at walking speed and to be able to almost hover—even in inverted flight.
- Tall, wide-stance landing gear is ideal for rough fields.
Finishing or covering is necessary. Kits are available in white, red, blue, yellow, orange, silver, and black in solids or combinations. Assembly time is claimed to range from six to 20 hours, depending on the plane chosen. Easy-to-follow plans and instructions are included, and spare parts are readily available. The company's motto is: "Lanier models, machine-assembled to fly straight ... fly better ... naturally!"
ASP plans handbooks
Price / Source
- $4.00 each or three for $9.00 from Bob Holman Plans, P.O. Box 741, San Bernardino, CA 92402.
Description
Bob Holman has been a U.S. distributor for these fine plans for many years—plans from the leading British model magazines. Plan Book #1 lists many small Free Flight Scale plans which would make nicer electric-powered models. Contact Bob Holman for his latest list of catalogs.
Litespan and Balsaloc
Price / Source
- Litespan: $3.00 per sheet.
- Balsaloc: $4.00 per 110-gram jar (prices plus shipping and handling).
- From Charlie's R/C Goodies, 2828 Cochran St., Suite 281, Simi Valley, CA 93065. Tel: 1-805/581-5061.
Description
Litespan is a modern, lightweight (approximately 0.56 oz. per 20 x 36 in. sheet), strong synthetic covering material designed to replace tissue-and-dope on smaller models. It is airtight and resists diesel and glow fuels, and it can be painted or doped. Litespan is produced by the manufacturers of Solarfilm.
Application and features:
- Applied and sealed with a hot iron after the underlying framework is coated with Balsaloc adhesive, which is odorless and nontoxic.
- The covering is shrunk with a heat gun.
- Two styles are available: one with a tissue-like grain where the color equals the pigment, and opaque Litespan in antique (cream), black, white, and silver.
- One jar of Balsaloc will install seven to ten sheets of Litespan.
Available at specialist hobby shops or direct from Charlie's R/C Goodies.
End-threaded (4-40) rod assortments
Price / Source
- From Sullivan Products, P.O. Box 5166, Baltimore, MD 21224.
Description
For larger models, a 4-40 rod assortment complements Sullivan's extensive line of 2-56 and 4-40 pushrods, all-thread rods, studs, and nuts. Each No. 494 packet contains two each of 4-, 6-, 8-, 10-, and 12-in. rods. Available at hobby dealers.
Hot Shot and Super Hot Shot Ni-Cd rechargeable glow plug starting batteries
Price / Source
- Hot Shot: $25.95; Super Hot Shot: $39.95.
- From Great Planes Model Distributors Co., P.O. Box 4021, Champaign, IL 61824-4021. Tel: 1-217/398-6300.
Description
Each unit is equipped with a positive-locking glow plug clip. The Super Hot Shot features an extra-capacity 1,400-mAh cell for long, continuous use and high current requirements. Prices include a reliable wall-mounted charger for overnight recharging. Distributed to leading retailers nationwide.
Great Lakes Special 1/4- and 1/5-scale plans and Econo-pacs
Price / Source
- From Norman Rosenstock, R/C Scale Plans/Model Design, 124 Granada St., Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411. Tel: 1-407/798-5154.
Description
- The 1/4-scale plane spans 80 in. and usually weighs 18–20 lb. Recommended engine displacement: 1.8–2.5 cu. in.
- The 1/5-scale plane spans 64 in. and usually weighs 10–12 lb. Recommended power: four-stroke .90 or two-stroke .60.
Plans alone may be obtained from Norm or Ace R/C, but Norm is the sole source for the Econo-pac (plans plus fiberglass parts).
Pinstripes
Price / Source
- From Coverite, Bodyshop, 420 Babylon Road, Horsham, PA 19044. Tel: 1-215/672-6720.
Description
Pinstripes are available in five widths (1/16 to 1/4 in.) and 30-in. lengths. The product targets the RC car market but is useful to aeromodelers as well.
- Each single 30-in. sheet is sliced into widths, providing a total of 50 ft. of stripes (total lengths vary by width).
- Seven colors: red, white, black, blue, yellow, metallic silver, and metallic gold.
- The adhesive is formulated for fiberglass and bare surfaces but adheres well to other materials.
- The plastic film is colored on both sides, allowing use on the inside of a canopy to simulate canopy framing.
Hobby shops catering to the RC car market should have Pinstripes in stock.
JR Galaxy 8 PCM RC system
Price / Source
- $909.99 from Hobby Dynamics Distributors, P.O. Box 3726, Champaign, IL 61821-3726. Tel: 1-800/458-0241.
Description
The transmitter is configured for conventional aircraft (a Helicopter version is also available). The system features a multifunction digital computer and LCD display. Components include JR's ABC/AVB dual-conversion receiver, four JR 4001 servos, Ni-Cd battery packs for receiver and transmitter, charger, and complete servo accessories and hardware.
Transmitter features:
- Mixing and dual rates
- Adjustable exponential
- Fail-safe (responds to battery or radio interference problems)
- Memory for reversed servos
- Trainer jacks and servo monitor
- Adjustable travel/servo trim, servo reversing, and dual rates
- Model memory
JR's Galaxy 8 is available at fine hobby retailers.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
