Model of the Month
December 2004
Hirobo Freya
(By Mark Conroy)
This one almost made "Crash of the month" three times in one day.
This is a Hirobo Freya 60 sized heli with an O.S. Max 70 SZ-H engine. This was my fist endeavor in the realm of the "bigger birds". Up until this time I had owned/flown nothing but 30 and 50 sized Raptors. I thought I had experienced just about every heli problem that you could throw at me. I was in for an all new learning curve.
I originally selected the Freya for it's lower cost and crash index. It is a popular bird among the heli crowd - favored for it's great performance to price ratio. It is equipped with plastic molded frames as opposed to a more expensive (but lighter) carbon fiber stacked design. Plastic frames make for an extremely easy build - I had this together in 2 or 3 evenings. This bird also uses a belt drive tail - nice and cheap in the event of a crash.
I selected the larger 70 sized engine to support the 700mm blades. I just wasn't quite ready for a 90 sized ship yet. It's equipped with stock 60 gearing, the new JR 500T Gyro and all digital HiTec servos on a PCM receiver. I also installed a GV-1 headspeed governor. I came up with a great configuration where the governor operation is linked to flight mode switch so that it flew on a normal curve but ran on the governor in Idle up 1 at 1750 and Idle up 2 at 1900 without the need for extra switch flipping (I can't stand too much switch flipping). Originally I had a cheapo muffler but upgraded to a CY Muscle Pipe to try to get the performance up to par.
It took quite awhile to get all the bugs out of this heli. Normally Freya's are not problematic but I had a constant battle with tail blur or vibrating tail problems. I tried everything in the book to cure it but I never seemed to find the root cause of the solution. After moving the boom supports and adding a 3rd bearing block, I thought just about had it licked. I did narrow the issue down to pre-detonation in the head from using hi-nitro fuels. I suppose I could have gone to lower nitro and smoothed out the engine somewhat but I couldn't stand to loose the performance. It just never seemed to have the get-up-and-go it should have and you could easily bog the headspeed on hard cyclic maneuvers.
On one day it managed to blow out the tail servo (likely due to the excessive tail vibration) but I managed to autorotate it down. I replaced the tail servo but on the next outing, it vibrated enough to throw the tail linkage again but another lucky auto got it down safely. We fixed the linkage and gave it a good checkout but on the very next flight it managed to throw the tail linkage yet again - this time inverted. I managed to piro-flip it back upright and autorotate it one more time. Too many close calls in one day! We finally found that the tail output shaft was bent - probably from bouncing it around in the back of the truck. I took the bird offline and gave it an extensive going over.
 Once it was ready to take to the air again I made on further change - I downgraded the blade size to 680mm. I had found out that Freyas actually have extended head geometry and flying 700mm blades was actually like spinning 715mm blades. This solved many issues. The pre-detonation in the head went away with less load on the engine and the performance was much better. The O.S. 70 had no trouble staying up on the pipe with the shorter blades and the bird became much more responsive.
The bird now performs much more to my original expectations and I still continue to tweak it from flight to flight. It's really starting to gain my respect as a good performer and it certainly has taught me in's and out's of handling the bigger sized bird.
It has been a great stepping stone for my next endeavor - a YS 90 equipped Raptor 90SE!!!
Watch the Hirobo Freya Fly!
November 2004
Monocoupe 90A
(By Allen Kosatka)
Who isn't attracted to the Aircraft of Pre -WWII. Those big radial engines and Classic looks? The Monocoupe 90A is one such Aircraft built by MONO AIRCRAFT CORP. out of Moline,Illinois in the late 30's and which later became Luscomb Aircraft Corportion.
Many years ago, I got into quarter scale gas powered R/C with the building of Bedford Pearcy's L-4 and also a 1/4 scale J-3 which I never got tired of flying. So,it was only natural that I purchase a Kangke 1/4 scale Monocoupe 90A. I did very little modification for it to accept a Zenoah G26 fitted for electronic ignition.and swinging a 18" prop.
As to how it flies? Its a sight to see taxiing, Take offs are are a handful. It wants to have power added slowly as the propeller torque as the tail comes up is great and it wants to veer to the left just like the full scale. But once in the air, its a very predictible trainer and groves well flying from extremely scale-like to being able to nearly hang on the prop. wheel landings are so easy and no bad habits. And thats all with flaps up. Havent tried flaps down yet . The Monocoupe is built well and will be a joy for anyone to own and fly.
October 2004
VMAR Raytheon Harvard II
(BY Scot Gunter )
 I have been told by several of our club members, stay away from scale models for a while. Call me stubborn, but I wanted to try my hand at one. This is a semi-scale version of the Raytheon Harvard II used by the Canadian Air Force as their entry level turboprop trainer. It is flown by several different NATO countries with differing paint schemes, including a US version (Texan II). This model is sold as an ARF by V-Mar and is distributed by Richmond RC. It comes with a polyester covering that they call Polycote and has all the scale markings and panel lines made right into the covering (no decals to come peeling off later). For extra realism, the 2 pilot figures came already painted and installed into the cockpit. I have powered it with an OS FS-70 II Surpass four stroke engine. This is more than enough power for this 40 sized model. The radio gear is all JR.
I gave the honors of first flight to Mark Hunt. He said that it needed only slightly more than ½ throttle to become airborne. After a little trimming, I gave it a couple of passes over the field. It handled very responsively, with the amount of control you would expect from a sport model. I executed a few rolls and it tracked very nicely, unlike the awkwardness my trainer exhibits doing that particular maneuver. It is however a little hard to see at a distance with its all dark blue color scheme.
I still have a little fitting work to do on the cowling to finish up the scale effect. Overall this will be a fun scale model to fly on fair weather days. 
Septembert 2004
CA Models 24% Extra 300
(By Mark Hunt)
  This model is offered as a kit or an arc (I have the ARC). I got a deal on a returned arc (damaged) from Planes Plus and I figured that I would experiment a bit with saving weight since I didn't have alot of cash invested. I simply drilled holes in the tail feathers wherever possible to minimize tailheavy issues (common with this kit). By removing 2oz. from the tail section (lightening holes) and mounting my elevator servo (yes, only one - high torque) into the mid-section of the fuse (rather than at the cutouts in the tail) I made balance easily. As an added bonus, the all up weight with a YS140sport is 9lbs. 8oz. With this combination (apc 16x10) vertical is unlimited.....in fact it is infinity. The plane flys extremely light and is nimble with the slightest of control throws. The long tail moment also allows for decent precision flying as well.
Watch it Fly!
August 2004
Senior Telemaster
(By Shannon Conroy)
  This is a Hobby Lobby version of the Sr. Telemaster. It came via UPS as a box of sticks each one needing careful attention cutting and sanding to shape that made it kind of a tough build for a newcomer like me. I re-disigned the nose hoping for a more realistic look. I have not seen another plane fly like this one, it floats effortlessly on the wind with the OS 91 Four Stroke a little above idle while the lifting Stabilizer makes the plane look as if it were flying downward. Equipped with a 20 MA. battery and a 16 Oz. fuel tank it has flown for 40 min. and landed running. GIANT THANK YOU to Steve G. for great build advise and actually helping cover the plane , and Mark Conroy for the generious donation of the OS 91.
July 2004
4-Star 60
(By Anthony T Jones)
  The 4Star60 is an ARF manufactured by SIG. I have a Saito 91 (Golden Knight) 4stroke engine and JR XP6102 radio package. I have been involved in RC flying for over ten years and this is my first 4 stroke. I truly enjoy the difference in performance and sound.
My favorite flying characteristic of the 4 Star is the steep banked turns! You can almost feel the "G's" while still on the ground.
June 2004
28% Edge 540
(By Sean Rushing)
  
Watch the Video!
May 2004
InSight Pattern Plane
(By Mark Hunt)
 I became interested in pattern a couple years ago. As my skill level advanced, I realized that to be competitive in the higher classes, I would need more than an old 60 size Kaos. I could not afford a large pattern kit, much less an ARF. Out of necessity then, I began to design my own pattern plane around the OS 160fx. After printing plans (months of work) my dad (Neil Hunt) and his buddy, Chris Dascano were volunteered (by me!) to build the airplane. Chris did nearly all of the building in his workshop and the resulting airframe is exquisite. They shipped it to Texas from NY and I did the final assembly.
The Specs: span: 74”, length: 78”, OS160fx w/ pipe, JR radio, 10lbs. 13oz.
 The Insight flew flawlessly and with less than a dozen flights, we took it to its first pattern meet in Waco in April. In the second round, disaster struck. I had a nearly head-on mid-air with another 2meter pattern plane. All we had left was the fuse from the spar tube back. The built-up wing panels were a complete loss, along with the front half of the fuse. The pictures seen here are the result of rebuilding the forward fuse and cutting new foam wings. Now, with 10 or so flights on this version, it is flying as well as before, if not better. We’ll see how it does for the remainder of the pattern season.
I plan to build another this winter, using foam wings, foam tail sections, and foam turtle decks (top and bottom). I have the plans for anyone who wishes to build one. I also have the rib templates for cutting foam cores for all of the main components.
 Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. If you would like to see more pics of the building process here.
April 2004
Bud Nosen L-4 Cub
(By Bedford Pearcy)
  Brief on the L-4 … It is the oldest bird in my little fleet having first flown in 1990. A Bud Nosen kit which I bought about 90% complete. It is a typical ¼ scale Cub with about a 9’ w/s and weighs close to 22#. True, it is heavy, but it handles the weight well in the air. Pretty stable in the wind and predicable on the ground. Just won’t do 3-point landings. Lately, it has been used mostly for the cross country events as it is ideal for that service. Very reliable, friendly to the pilot, and has a broad speed range (can keep up with our driving at 60+mph), thanks to the Quadra 42 in the nose. It is a fun, relaxing bird to fly anytime I take it down out of the hanger.
March 2004
30 % Goldberg Ultimate
(By Richard Reed)
 This is my life long dream to have this aircraft and now my dream is final fulfilled after 25 years.
This aircraft does every trick in the book.
It fly just like the smaller versions and with this power plant vertical is unlimited.
Model Specs:
B & B 4.4 cubic inch engine
70" wingspang
21 lbs
JR radio equipment and Hytec servos.
It is equipt with two six volt and one 4.8 volt nimh battery packs.
   
Feburary 2004
Cap 21
(Richard Lewis)
  
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