Giant Scale Aircraft At Events
Giant Scale Aircraft At Events
By | [email protected]
The Malchione family (L-R): Pete, Dave Jr., and Dave Sr. display their show-pleasing B-26 Marauder.
WELCOME BACK. As we head into the last days of 2022, I wish all of our members, readers, and their families a safe, healthy, and happy holiday season and, of course, all the best for the coming new year.
This month, I’m featuring a variety of RC Giant Scale aircraft from my local field and other events that I recently attended. I hope you enjoy them.
While I was at Warbirds Over Delaware in mid-July, I took some photos of Steve Peckham’s beautiful Meister Scale P-47. Steve built the model using a fiberglass fuselage and a built-up wing and empennage. The 1/5-scale model spans 102 inches and is powered by a DLE-120 twin-cylinder, two-stroke gas engine. The landing gear, including the tail gear, is from Sierra Giant Scale.
Steve used real aluminum covering and painted all of the markings. While watching the model, I noticed that the main gear did not deploy on the landing approach but the tail gear did, so I’ve included a photo just before the successful belly landing. Nice job, Steve!
What would Warbirds Over Delaware be without the Malchione family and the hard-working Delaware R/C Club members? Pictured are Pete, Dave Jr., and Dave Sr., with their crowd-pleasing B-26 Marauder. Paul LeTourneau built the model some years ago and it spans a massive 170 inches. The B-26 is powered by two Quadra 100 gas engines and drops a lot of ordnance during the midday show.
The Glenn L. Martin Company in Baltimore manufactured the full-scale B-26 during World War II. The initial design had a reputation of being a widow-maker because there were many fatal accidents during takeoff and landings while crews were being trained. Later models, however, were modified with an increased wingspan and more wing incidence. The Marauder finished the war with the lowest loss rate of any US bomber.
Steve Peckham’s Meister Scale 1/5-scale P-47 prepares for a belly landing because the main gear didn’t deploy.
Anthony Bliss is shown with his first Giant Scale model, a Top Flite P-51 ARF.
While at the Golden Age Air Museum in Bethel, Pennsylvania, in August, I met Mike Dudley of Newport, Pennsylvania, and his Henry A. Haffke plans-built, true 1/4-scale Granville Brothers Gee Bee Model D Sportster. The model is powered by a 6355 outrunner electric motor using a 6S LiPo battery pack and is covered using UltraCote film.
The Granville Brothers built a number of Sportsters in the early 1930s, but only one Model D was ever built. It was powered by an inline six-cylinder, 125 hp Menasco C-4 engine, and was flown in competition in the 1931 Cleveland Air Races. Bob Hall won the Williams Trophy while piloting the aircraft. Its serial number—the same on all Model D RC model aircraft—is NC11043.
John Elliot, with his 1/3-scale, rotary-powered JW Sopwith Triplane, and the aircraft in flight.
The cockpit detail of the P-47.
Mike Dudley and his Henry Haffke plans-built 1/4-scale, electric-powered Gee Bee Model D Sportster.
John Elliot, from Arlington, Virginia, was also at the Golden Age meet with his JW 1/3-scale Sopwith Triplane powered by a UML160 rotary engine and swinging a 32 × 14 propeller. The model spans 106 inches and weighs approximately 35 pounds. The UML160 is advertised as the world’s first model rotary engine for 1/3-scale model aircraft. The triplane is covered with Solartex material and painted with exterior latex paint.
The Sopwith Triplane was a British single-seat fighter that was used during World War I and had the honor of being the first three-wing military aircraft to become operational. It had its first flight in May 1916. Only a scant two months later, it was deployed to France, where it was praised for its rate of climb and maneuverability. Imperial Germany was smitten with the British fighter, having captured some examples. Germany offered an award to the first aircraft manufacturer that produced a successful version of its own; thus, the Anthony Fokker-designed Dr.1 came to be. The British Triplanes were removed from active service in the latter part of 1917 because they were replaced with the superior Sopwith Camels.
From my local field, Anthony Bliss, of Rocky Point, New York, is shown with his first Giant Scale warbird, a Top Flite P-51 ARF. The model is powered by a Valley View RC 60RA gas engine and sports Robart retracts. He uses a Spektrum PowerSafe receiver, Hitec high-voltage servos, and two 2,200 mAh LiPo receiver packs. The model arrived bearing the Big Beautiful Doll scheme, but Anthony refinished it as the air show Quick Silver P-51 Mustang.
Anthony removed the MonoKote in the areas that were needed for the new graphics. The cowling and spinner were repainted using Rust-Oleum rattle can paint. He went the extra mile by drawing on the panel lines and used clear coat to seal them. He 3D-printed the cockpit detail, pilot, and exhaust pipes. The new graphics were supplied by Callie Graphics. It’s a nice kit bash for your first warbird, Anthony!
That’s all for now. Please have a safe and happy holiday season.
SOURCES:
Delaware R/C Club
Golden Age Air Museum
(717) 933-9566
Modellmaschinenbau Armin de Vries
www.modellmotoren.homepage.t-online.de
The AMA History Project Presents: Biography of Henry A. Haffke
www.modelaircraft.org/sites/default/files/HaffkeHenryA.pdf
Meister Scale
(772) 812-2391
Vogelsang Aeroscale
(919) 533-6275
Horizon Hobby
(888) 959-2307
Robart Mfg., Inc.
(630) 584-7616
Sierra Giant Scale, LLC
(440) 476-4885
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