RADIO CONTROL COMBAT
Greg Rose, 3429 Elmy, Orion, MI 48359
I hope everyone enjoyed the kit manufacturers list in the last two columns. Rather than try to put together a complete list again (which can be outdated by the time it's printed, and is getting too long to include), I am offering to mail interested builders a list that covers scale and non-scale kit manufacturers. However, I will still write about new kits and other commercial developments in RC combat.
Trillium Balsa — Hawker Tempest (3/4-scale RC Combat)
Contact:
- Trillium Balsa, 260 Tillson Ave., Unit 2, Tillsonburg, Ontario, N4G 3B5, Canada
- Tel.: (519) 688-3522
Details:
- Model: Hawker Tempest for the 3/4-scale RC Combat event
- Wingspan: 41 inches
- Versions: inline Tempest V (designed for .15 power) or radial-powered Tempest II (designed for .21 power)
- Weight: 2.0–2.2 pounds
- Construction: conventional balsa-and-plywood
- Kit includes: vacuum-formed canopy and hardware
- Wing area: about 300 square inches (generous for a 3/4 fighter)
- Options: plans show optional fixed landing gear for sport fliers
K&A Models Unlimited — Fw-190A
Contact:
- K&A Models Unlimited, 9300 Yvonne Marie Dr., Albuquerque, NM 87114
- Tel.: (505) 890-7549
Details:
- Fuselage: fiberglass with separate fiberglass cowl
- Can be built as several A-series variants
- Cockpit/turtledeck: vacuum-formed with separate cockpit interior and control panel detail
- Wing: built up using an SD6060 airfoil
- Flying weight: easy to keep under two pounds with two standard servos (plus throttle), one miniservo, and a .21-size engine
- Flight test: prototype flew well with a .15 at 5,700 ft. ground level
- Photo: promised for next column
Catapults and the Launching Dolly
Rick Smith's catapult:
- Design: bungee-powered wooden sled that moves along an aluminum angle
- Availability: can be ordered from Rick Smith
- Contact: 6507 Manchester Lane, Eden Prairie, MN 55346; Tel.: (612) 949-9648
Launching dolly (Tim Drury):
- Origin: Designed for a 1/2-scale Westland Wyvern sport-scale model by Tim Drury (England)
- Published: R/C Scale Aircraft (Tim published his Wyvern and the dolly design)
- Key feature: secure clamps that hold the model in the dolly; clamps are released by a "trailing wire" attached to the front of the dolly
- The wire keeps clamps in place while in contact with the ground
- As the model climbs out (~8 inches off the ground) the wire releases the clamps and the dolly drops cleanly away while the model continues climbing smoothly
- Adaptability: Drury’s dolly design can be adapted easily for a variety of 3/4-scale models
- Subscription info for R/C Scale Aircraft in the U.S.: Wise Owl Worldwide Publications, 4314 West 238th St., Torrance, CA 90505; Tel.: (310) 375-6258
Write to me at the address at the top of this column if you would like more information on this clever English design.
Events
By the time this issue is published, combat competition should be in full swing; be sure to check your contest calendar for nearby events.
A recommended event:
- Aviation Expo in Ankeny, Iowa (hosted by the Des Moines Modelairs)
- Weekend: July 18–20
- Highlights from last year: 3/4-scale RC Combat demos and "How-To" seminars given by RC Combat veterans
- For 3/4-scale RC Combat pilots interested in participating: contact Scott Anderson at (612) 934-1471 for details and requirements
Scratch-Built Beauty of the Month
Award winner: Jon Christenson, Windom, Minnesota
- Model: Hawker Hurricane built from Gus Morris plans
- Plans contact: Gus Morris, 4709 Green Meadows Ave., Torrance, CA 90505; Tel.: (310) 378-5769
- Finish: high-visibility yellow-bottom and camouflaged-top Sonderkommando markings (used by Luftwaffe units flying captured Allied aircraft for familiarization)
- Power: Thunder Tiger .15
- Radio/Servos: RCD 535 radio using two microservos and one miniserve (for the ailerons)
- Weight: right at 2.2 pounds
- Modifications: wings set at zero incidence (slight plan modification)
- Performance: "flies great"; praised the Thunder Tiger engine for reliability over several seasons
Until next time, build straight, fly with safety always in mind, and be sure to check your six!
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
