Are You Ready for Flying Season?

RC Scale

By Stan Alexander | [email protected]

As seen in the March 2023 issue of Model Aviation.

IT’S SPRINGTIME ALREADY! At about this time, I usually start looking at items that can cause a problem at the field—such as connectors, clevises, bolts, and batteries—and make sure that the correct tools are in each model’s field box. I’ve found that with multiple models, it is much easier to have a smaller field box with all of the tools in it, rather than carrying everything in a big toolbox.

Jeff Quesenberry (middle) is shown with Shane Logue holding the tail and Dave Szabo starting Jeff’s IL-2.

In addition to getting ready for another great flying season, if you are looking for your next Scale project, it’s probably time to start. David Andersen is a longtime designer and builder of Scale models, and he has a website called Minnesota Scale and Giant Scale R/C. Most of his designs are rather large. One of his latest models is a 20%-scale IL-2 Sturmovik attack aircraft that has a 114-inch wingspan and is 90 inches in length. The model takes a 70cc to 100cc engine and should weigh approximately 35 pounds. The fullscale IL-2 was a terror on the Russian front as an attack aircraft.

The wing has a wide cord. I can remember Bob Underwood’s version many years ago. Bob would often build a model such as this because he thought it would fly well and that the judges had never seen one before.

Another of David’s large designs is the Kawasaki Ki-45 Nick twin-engine fighter/bomber. The model has proven to be a stable performer as a twin and has a wingspan of 120 inches, length of 86 inches, and uses two 40cc to 50cc gas engines. It weighs nearly 45 pounds.

I have mentioned David’s Hawker Hurricane design before and have seen it as an electric-powered aircraft. This is also a large model, with a 122-inch wingspan and a length of 96 inches. The airframe is rated for a 100cc to 150cc engine. Similar to a P-47 Thunderbolt, I’ve never seen a Hurricane that didn’t fly well.

David’s website, listed in "Sources," has all of his designs available, flight videos of most aircraft, and lots of useful information if you plan to build a large-scale model. Plans, Micko Aircraft and Accessories, links, RCScaleBuilder.com articles, and buildalong articles are also all on the website.

AMA Plans Service

The AMA Plans Service has some hidden gems in its listings. Many are on a lesser scale, and that’s usually a better prospect if you have a smaller field or you want to test a new design.

The AMA Plans Service includes several of Henry Haffke’s Gee Bee aircraft plans, such as the 1/5-scale Model Y Senior Sportster, the 1/4-scale Senior Sportster, and the Gee Bee R-1 Super Sportster, which won the 1932 Thompson Trophy Race with Jimmy Doolittle as the pilot. Jimmy also set a new speed record that year with the R-1. Most of the Gee Bee plans or kits you see now are of the R-2 version, which, to my knowledge, never won a race. I find this strange.

Roy Maynard’s Hurricane is shown in flight. It was built from David Andersen plans.

Jeff’s Hawker Hurricane takes off.

In 1983—almost 40 years ago to the month— Henry Haffke’s 1/4-scale R-1 Super Sportster was featured on Model Aviation’s cover. Plans No. 00398 is available through the AMA Plans Service.

Jeff holds his Hurricane while a friend starts it. This gives you an idea of its size.

Many of the major aircraft that are listed in the John Pond Collection include models from the Aeronca to the Zlin, and many in between. Besides that catalog, AMA has also picked up Model Builder magazine plans and, of course, has its own plans. At last count, there were more than 18,000 sets of plans available.

Remember, you can also have plans enlarged or reduced to a size that you want to build through the AMA Plans Service. Scale is a large part of the service but definitely not all. Nearly every type of plans you can imagine are listed for modeling.

Greg Prater, who was the Plans Service coordinator, has taken a well-deserved retirement. Thank you, Greg, for all that you did for builders and AMA! Marcy Bizzell has taken the reins as the coordinator; her contact information is listed in "Sources." Ask about any discounts you might be eligible for when you order your plans. Even if you don’t build from the plans set you order, it’s interesting to see the thought process someone else used to design a model.

From the Shop

I’m always looking for something better or, in some cases, just the right covering or part to complete a model. The laser-cut servo mounts from Old School Model Works do the trick for most applications when you want to attach a servo mount in a wing or add an additional servo for choke or smoke application inside of the fuselage wall. You do have to put these together, which takes all of 5 minutes at most. They come four to a pack and cost $12.95.

Servo mounts from Old School Model Works can work with any size of servo, from largescale models to park flyers. They only take a couple of minutes to assemble.

Fair skies and tailwinds.