Model of the Month
November 2006
"Twin Striker "
(By Chris Bourne)
   
October 2006
"Hurricane"
(By John Norwood)
  
September 2006
"Pusher Puller"
(By Scot Gunter)
Just like the Phoenix, this unusual bird has risen from the ashes of another model.This unique, in-line twin, 2 boom design, started out life as a typical Hanger 9
Arrow ARF trainer. However after extensive modifications, the only part remaining from that model is the main wing. Everything else I designed and scratch built from my own plans. The first prototype (let’s call it the Mark I) also incorporated the fuse from the Arrow as well. Unfortunately, with the original length fuse, it took @ 1 ˝ lbs of lead weight just to get the CG even close. Needless to say, it also flew like a lead brick. The “Mark I” had a spectacular mid-air structural failure (the wing and boom separated from the fuse), and all that remained from the crash was the wing and booms. The fuse was trash. With John Norwood’s encouragement, I decided to rebuild the fuse. To get the CG to come out right this time, the model ended up with a significantly longer fuse up front. The plane now looks like some sort of twin tailed commuter plane. But with this new fuse it weighs in at just around 8 ˝ lbs, it flies like I had originally envisioned it would. Not an acrobat, just a good, stable, scale-like performing model. With both the front and rear engines running it has plenty of power and sound awesome! Since these photos were taken I have added a wing/fuse faring and a molded cowl (made from a 2 liter Coke bottle) to enhance its scale like appearance.
The model is powered by 2 OS engines (OS 46AX up front, OS 46 LA in the rear).
Guidance is provided by a JR XP6102 radio system w/ 5 Std servos.
  
August 2006
"Pacific Aeromodel Gee Bee Model Y Senior Sportster"
(By Mike Funk)
The full scale Gee Bee model Y Senior Sportster was designed as a sports car of the air, not as a racer like the R1 and R2. It is clearly the best flying of all the Gee Bees. I am the second owner of this model and this model inherited the original's good manners. It is very smooth and stable in the air and surprisingly easy to take off and land. It flies like a trainer. I just need to stop pulling so many G's in the turns, that I pull out the struts on the top of the wing. Good news for me, they are only for show, not structural strength!!! Once a racer, always a racer.
  
Wing Span: 82 in.
Flying Weight: 13lbs
Engine: G-38 swinging 18 x 6 to 20 x6
Radio: JR 8103 (Mode 1) with 6 digital JR servos
July 2006
"Paul Swany,s Mojo 40"
(By Jim Wells)
 This is Paul Swany,s Mojo 40. I Have a OS 70 fs surpass with a APC 14x4w Blade, Standerd Hitec Servo's, and a 11oz fuel tank.
This is one of the best flying Planes I have had in the 2 years I have been flying.
Its easy to fly with all the wing area.
The Mojo was designed to be a 3D monster! This bird is for intermediate to advanced pilots. Super clean knife edge with little to no roll coupling. Harriers are very stable with almost no wing rock. This bird is incredible agile and excels in all 3d maneuvers. This plane is flys aerodynamically neutral at all attitutes. The fuse design incorporated the Glass Form Epoxy Tube, to it's very durable too! The Mojo kit is engineered to be very easy to build as many of the parts are  precut and most of the cuts are straight. If you want to take the next step in 3D, this bird is for you!
| Wing Span: |
46" |
| Weight: |
4 - 4.5 lbs. |
| Wing Area: |
704 Sq. In. |
| Wing Load: |
13 Oz / sq. ft. |
| Engine: |
.46 - .53 BB |
| Radio Gear: |
4 - 5 Channel Radio, 5 standard servos |
June 2006
"The Bomb"
No nominations were made for model of the month due the Junk Yard Wars Event, so how bout "The Bomb"? More pictures from this event under the picture section. (Junk Yard Wars 2006)
May 2006
"John's Big Plane" Version-2
(By John Norwood)
 
April 2006
Xracer/flying microwave / "Log Splitter"
(By John Norwood)
 I was looking at an old microwave oven when it occurred to me that it would make and exellent race plane. with a 7LB lump hammer I converted the microwave into a fuselage! At that point I took a break to eat a TV dinner and to think about how to make the wing. after I had ate the meal I saw that the empty carton that it came in would make a perfect critical mach-laminer flow wing! after epoxying a saito 100 on to the oven door I perforned the first flight in a 60MPH gale force wind this flight went very well except that the pop corn i placed inside had popped in to very hard to get to places and also it was slightly over cooked! After I've adjusted the cookning time i'm confident that I'll have complete success, although co-ordinating the speed  of the plane with the correct cooking time so that what ever's in there is done "just right' by the time the plane lands, won't be easy! I must thank certain members for pointing out to me that this thing is actually a microwave oven not, as i mistakenly believed, an airplane! The doctors tell me if I continue to take the medicine I should be able to go home SOON! Thank you John Norwood proffessor of unlikly flying machines. C/O shady trees rest home for the aeronauticaly challanged. P.S. if Einstien is correct the faster the plane goes the less cooked any food inside will be. I'll just have to worry about this later!
Thanks John for always making it interisting!
What will John come up with next?
Site Admin.
March 2006
Yellow Aircraft F-16
(By Peter Szekeres)
 Here is my story: the credit for building the model goes to Captain Woody Hopler. I got my dirty hands on it after he had put about 200 flights in it. Some of these was off of a short bumpy grass field on a swamp land flying field on Oahu, Hawaii. I used this plane to get my turbine waiver. Then right after this I had to move to Tinian Island (North of Guam). I had a super nice site, warm weather all year long, and four 8000 foot long runways to choose from that were used during the WWII by B-29's and other aircraft. The next year I moved to the next island called Saipan and flew it on a WWII Japanese built runway. I went to visit fellow R/C flyers on Guam, I  flew the F-16 over in a Cherokee Six for the visit. They had a very short grass field, couldn't even taxi on it, so I took off of a nearby road, and landed on the grass. Then a year later I was on my way to Utah. The planes travelled in 2 crates over the ocean. (the wings are glued on so the F-16 crate was the bigges t one) In Utah I flew it on the local airport's taxi way. It was a bit exciting since the plane hadn't run for over 8 months and had multiple problems. I had 3-4 feet of flames coming out of the back on some start ups, and had 3 flame outs, all saved with minor injuries to the plane. Last spring I went up to Salmon, Idaho to visit the local club (the small airline I worked for was originated there so during my month long training I got in touch with the local flyers) They have a paved runway on the top of a hill, perfect for sail planes, pretty challenging for anything else...Finally we settled in Texas, so has the plane. She is quite beat up, now you know the story why.
 About the plane: It is a first generation Yellow Aircraft. The fusalage is fiber glass, the wing is fiber glass covered balsa, and foam. The retracts are spring air, and now scratch built mains. The engine was made in Bankok by PST turbines. The rated thrust is 12.5 lbs. I use JR radios, SPCM receiver and all digital high torque servos. The plane burns regular JET-A with 5% oil for lubrication.
Flying characteristics: lots of cool noise and constant concentration. The hardest part is to see it and tell which way it's turning. For take off it is just like any other plane. For flying I've got to be careful about G loads in turns, and got to be careful to stay close enough so I can see it. I got 20/15 vision, but the color makes it hard to see. Pulling up from finishing loops can cause stalls to the side. If the end of a loop happens to be close to the ground it makes it more interesting. Landing is an ongoing learning experience. It is crucial to have good judgement of airspeed on final. If it gets too slow it starts sinking fast and it takes 3 seconds to stop the sink rate, and 1-2 more seconds to make it climb. So just like in the full scale world a stable constant approach is very important. I usually end up flying way too fast over the beginning of the runway, and working hard to burn air speed. After shut down the engine is running cooling cycles to prevent une ven cooling on the turbine wheel. The normal Exhaust Gas Temperature (EGT) is around 500-600 C, the idle RPM is 60,000, the 100% RPM is 160,000.
Watch the Video!
February 2006
Miss Budweiser
(By Jon Athans)
 The DV came out of Austin. Everything was stripped down and redone in the current scheme. The fuse is actually painted believe it or not. I reinforced the firewall with carbon fiber sheet and the tail is supported with CF rods as flying wires. All Jr 8411/8611 servos through out. Fromeco 4800 Rx and 2400 Ign with Fromeco regualtors. Mejzlik 23x8 prop and tru-turn spinner. Weighs  in at 16 lbs, 2 oz.
I have yet to fly the dang thing as I am waiting on new batteries and while it's on the ground, I don't have to worry about crashing it !!! :-)
Jon
January 2006
Electric Pod
(By Steve Minter)
-Project of the Month-
One day, Martin Stohr had this glider at the field and was using a high start to launch it and Martin was walking more than he was flying. I was talking to Martin and suggested that he need an electric motor on it. We took turns trying to catch thermals with no success. Later on and he asked me if I brought my tools with me that day? I had a feeling that he was about to make me an offer that I could not refuse. Martin did just that and I took the glider home and began making some modifications to add a electric pod.
The pod is constructed of 3" X 3" square 3/4" balsa block, cut and sanded to shape with a 1/16" sheet balsa on the back side of the pod for added strength, and then mounted to a 3" X 2" X 1/16" light ply by two 1" screw's. The motor saddle was sanded to shape by use the motor housing for a correct, custom fit and then fashioned it in place with double sided tape.
Enlarge the pictures for a closer look.
  
  
The complete pod is mounted to the center backside of the wing with velcro and adjusted as needed to acheive the correct C/G balance.
For motor and speed control info take a look here.
I'm using a 7.4 volt 1320mah 10 / 12C thunder power lipo pack with jeti 18 amp brushless speed controler.
This motor/power combination seams to be perfict for both thermal seeking and crushing!
This is a fun little plane, thanks Martin! After Martin seen her fly, he requested this information, so I decided to share it with everyone!
Enjoy!
Steve
The "Flying Boat" experiment continues!
Some of you may have seen the first version of the Hydro Plane! View Clip
Well after several crashes I decided to create a lighter design in hopes that it would become airborn easier.
Well.......... Here is my own design hydro foam boat, plane, car????
The Good News is that it looks kinda kool huh :>) and I think I found the correct CG position.
Before
The Bad News is that as soon as she becomes airbone, she flips inverted and it has the roll rate of something comparable to a "BULLET"!!!! Very unstable and unpredicable. So I am left with another broke project!
After
So now either the experiment will continue.................. or I'll use these cool floats to build and electric float plane!
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