Focal Point 2014/02
Kaos
Ashwath Nityanandan (email: ashnitya@msn.com) submitted his Tower Hobbies Kaos ARF.
- Conversion: electric
- Weight: less than 5 pounds
- Battery: six-cell, 3,000 mAh
- Flight notes: maiden flight showed spritely climb performance but needed much trimming
- Purpose: platform for learning pattern flying at his electrics-only club, the Silent Knights of Newark, Delaware
Sig Kougar
Leonard Kaiser (Box 44, Rapelje MT 59067; milcreek@itstriangle.com) wrote that he purchased this Sig Kougar during a visit to Sig Manufacturing in Montezuma.
- Power: Super Tigre GS-45 driving an 11 x 4 propeller
- Radio: Spektrum seven-channel receiver, DX6i transmitter
- Notes: This is his third Kougar (he bought the first when it was introduced and another a year ago)
Quote: "This is one great-flying aircraft!"
Simple Float
Mark Thom (32 Beach Dr., Kingston NH 03848; email: bonzai1959@gmail.com) built the Simple Fly for his son, Brian, in 1968 and has since built countless examples from the well-used plans. This is his first Simple Float conversion.
- Power: YS 63-S (overpowered for the model)
- Modifications: scaled-up wingspan and tail surfaces for float flying
- Floats: Gee Bee floats (given to him by Don Foster)
Quote: "When my thumbs cooperate, the plane will hold a level knife-edge. Now if the lake would just thaw!"
Dormoy Bathtub
Lee Denny (2705 Powhatan Dr., Sumter SC 29150; email: jedenny@ftc-i.net) scratch-built a 1/2-scale Dormoy Bathtub model based on plans by Hank Ilitzsch.
- Fuselage: 1/2-inch-diameter fiberglass tubing
- Tail surfaces: 1/4-inch aluminum tubing
- Cowling: aluminum flashing material
- Control/structure: pull-pull rudder and elevator surfaces, and wire bracing made from 40-pound fishing leader wire
- Radio: Futaba radio with digital servos
Quote: "It flies well and a little differently due to a short tail moment and no fuselage covering."
Cessna Skymaster
Robert Yeager (102 N. 10th St., Bellevue IA 52031) built this Cessna Skymaster from a Royal kit that was discontinued years ago.
- Power: two Fox .46 engines
- Finish: painted with automotive paint
- Notes: "It was a challenge to build, but the outcome was rewarding. The plane flies great and is a thing of beauty in the air."
Global Blue Max ARF
Marty Kocman (8865 Village Creek Dr., Arlington TN 38002; email: martyjanie@earthlink.net) stripped the covering off a Global Blue Max ARF and recovered it with antique Super Shrink Coverite.
- Model type: Old-Timer style, built from plans
- Engine: O.S. .56 four-stroke
- Radio: Futaba 2.4 GHz
- Notes: Model is majestic in the air and has no bad habits
Pacific Princess
Chris Mumbach (23150 Gunston Dr., Lexington Park MD 20653; email: mumblescm@hotmail.com), an active-duty naval flight officer, built a Navy PBJ-1 "Pacific Princess" from an FMS/Airfield 1,400 mm B-25 ARF from Nitroplanes.
- Modifications: removed all decals, primed gray, and painted in the tricolored U.S. Navy scheme common on PBJ-1s during World War II
- Decals: nose art custom made by Callie Graphics
- Flight/appearance notes: very stable, great on low flybys; looks like an off-the-shelf ARF unless closely inspected
Quote: "The final product turned out better than I had hoped. It looks fantastic as a static display and also looks great in the air."
Stingray
Ron Holmwall (email: rbholmwall@comcast.net) designed and scratch-built the Stingray.
- Construction: all-wood with a fiberglass cowling formed from a hand-carved mold
- Canopy: vacuum formed by Gordon Nichols
- Span: 84 inches
- Weight: 13.5 pounds dry
- Power: HobbyKing 30cc RCG gas engine
- Covering: UltraCote
- Flight characteristics: great Pattern flier, can do most maneuvers easily, smooth takeoffs, and lands slowly
Quote: "It is a great Pattern flier and can do most maneuvers easily, has smooth takeoffs, and lands slowly like a dream."
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
