Worth a Closer Look
F-18 Park Jet
The full-scale F-18 is a strike fighter designed to attack ground and aerial targets. It has also served as an aerial demonstration aircraft with the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels since 1986.
Yardbird RC has scaled this jet down to park-flyer size to be flown with electric power in a pusher configuration. It has a 24-inch wingspan, a 34.5-inch length, and a flying weight of 9.5–13.5 ounces. The F-18 requires three channels with V-tail (elevon) mixing.
A 150-watt outrunner motor, set up as a pusher, will provide adequate power for aerobatics. The light wing loading allows it to slow to walking speed for easy landing.
The kit comes with carbon-fiber pushrods, wing spar and tail spar, nylon clevis, Du-Bro E-Z Connectors, a custom Yardbird RC motor mount and control horns, and pre-angle-cut vertical stabilizers.
Version 2 adds a clear molded canopy with two pilots and a three-color paint scheme with decals to enhance the jet's look. This is a good starter jet for the hangar — easy to build and fly.
Yardbird RC: 39 E. Gaslight Pl., The Woodlands, TX 77382; Tel.: (281) 298-5862; Web site: www.yardbirdrc.com
Spad XIII
ElectriFly has added this new Spad to its popular line of World War I fighters. American pilots used the full-scale primary fighter when they entered the war. Wearing the colors of the famous "Hat in the Ring" Squadron, the model's trim scheme is that of Eddie Rickenbacker, the top-scoring American ace.
The Spad model looks good out of the box, with MonoKote covering and pre-applied decals. Builders will appreciate the new vacuum-formed and painted pilot that is included. Those who have built previous World War I fighters will find this a welcome addition that looks great and shortens construction time.
The Spad is built around the RimFire 28-30-950 outrunner brushless motor, which provides ample power and is easy to mount to the Y-shaped standoff mount.
This model spans 34 inches, has a wing area of 390 square inches, and has a flying weight of 22.4–25.2 ounces. The wing loading falls between 8.3 and 9.3 ounces per square foot.
In the air, the Spad can perform not only the maneuvers of The Great War, but also basic aerobatics developed after its time. This is a great choice for anyone looking for a semi-scale, park-flyer-size World War I biplane.
Great Planes Hobby Distributors: Box 9021, Champaign, IL 61826; Tel.: (217) 398-3630; Web site: www.electrifly.com
Jack Knife Restraint
Large model airplanes have so much power these days that pulling a stout assistant over while running up an engine isn't far-fetched. The large RC Plane Restraint from Jack Knife Machine Shop is a hard-grade aluminum safety device that is as versatile as it is well built.
Our sample was the largest of the three sizes available. Not only could this restraint halt a John Deere, but it could also easily keep our 35% test model at bay while running in engines or warming up for an event.
Indiana dirt turns cement-hard in the dry months, so a hammer is needed to get the fast spikes into the ground. Drive pins are available should such conditions persist. Our test restraint is holding up well. It breaks down into five pieces, not including the replaceable foam-rubber padding, making transport in confined vehicles simple.
Unlike many restraint systems that require a helper to lift the model over tall restraining posts, the Jack Knife system simply unplugs, allowing the model to be pushed away without strain or risk to the airplane. The Giant Scale restraint also worked well with models in the .40-size class.
This system is typically used to hold down a model's tail, but we found it worked just as well with the wings against the posts, as with a typical trainer.
The company offers a wide range of parts for the RC enthusiast, such as fuel caps, motor standoffs, and tail-wheel brackets, as well as services such as aluminum welding, lathe and milling projects, and muffler repair.
Jack Knife Machine Shop: 14102 Brandywine Rd., Brandywine, MD 20613; Tel.: (301) 643-0227; Web site: www.jackknifemachineshop.com
Xtreme Neck Strap
Comfort and security were the goals behind Pure-Tech’s Xtreme Neck Strap. Made from high-quality webbing, it has a neoprene-rubber neck pad that distributes weight more evenly and is softer than a strap alone. The pad also has ventilation holes for cooling.
The swivel clip requires you to pull back on it to open, which prevents accidental unclipping — a useful safety feature.
Another nice feature is the locking adjustable buckle, which makes it easy to get the transmitter exactly where you want it. It is a welcome improvement on the basic transmitter strap. The Xtreme Neck Strap is available in three colors: blue, platinum, or black.
Pure-Tech Products: Box 623, Valley Center, CA 92082; Tel.: (760) 207-0547; Web site: www.puretechproducts.com
Hirobo SRB Quark
The Hirobo Quark RTF is impressive from the moment you open the box; everything is packaged to ensure safe arrival. The pilot is expected to add eight AA transmitter batteries, and the Quark is ready to fly once the two-cell, 480 mAh Li-Poly pack is topped off with the supplied charger.
The manufacturer supplies replacement foam tail and main rotor blades (four sets), a blade balancer, and basic tools. Also provided are a user manual and decals. We decorated ours using rattle-can paint in green and silver.
The 480 mAh battery may not sound like much, but it delivered a solid eight minutes of continuous flight. The Quark is stable in the air and easy to get comfortable with during the first flight.
Although this model would not quite hover hands-off, it took only minor corrections to keep it in place. Forward flight gave no surprises, and the Quark could be flown comfortably around a conference room. The finale of the flight was a palm landing. A quick temperature check found both motors barely warm, and the battery was cool to the touch.
Evening flights in calm backyard conditions were just as enjoyable as the indoor flights. The Quark did appear to gain slightly more altitude at the same throttle setting used indoors; occasional puffs of wind were to blame. The foam blades bowed slightly, adding dihedral in flight, which increased inherent stability.
The Hirobo Quark has a rotor diameter of almost 14 inches, a length of 13.8 inches, and a flying weight of 6 ounces. Power is provided by a brushless motor on the main rotor and a brushed motor on the tail.
The Quark seems to be an excellent tool for the beginner helicopter pilot who wants an honest teacher that will promote graduation to larger machines.
Model Rectifier Corporation: 80 Newfield Ave., Edison, NJ 08837; Tel.: (732) 225-2100; Web site: www.modelrec.com
Reaper Brushless Motors
Reaper Brushless is a new line of high-performance outrunner motors. They range from a GR-25, which handles up to 23 amps and puts out 3.08 pounds of thrust, to the GR-85cc, which handles up to 125 amps and puts out 45.10 pounds of thrust. The GR-60 we received can provide roughly 1,000 watts on a four-cell battery.
All motors in this line come with an X mount and a bolt-on propeller adapter. The Reaper power plants feature Japanese bearings, a dual-shaft safety clip and collar, presoldered connectors, large cooling slots, and more.
Reaper Brushless: 233 Legate Hill Rd., Leominster, MA 01453; Tel.: (978) 230-2383; Web site: www.reaperbrushless.com
Transmitter Balancer
If you have switched to a 2.4 GHz transmitter and use a neck strap, you may have experienced the imbalance that comes from a shorter antenna. This often leaves the transmitter at more of a 45° angle and the sticks more susceptible to being inadvertently bumped.
The Transmitter Balancer changes the balance point, allowing the transmitter to hang level. It is made from CNC-machined aluminum and is adjustable to get the correct balance for your flying style.
Installation and adjustment are simple with an Allen wrench. The balancer has been tested with Futaba, JR, and Spektrum 2.4 GHz radios.
Helicopter John RC Tools and Precision CNC Machining: 4212 Lakewood Dr., Seffner, FL 33584; Tel.: (813) 426-3481; Web site: www.helicopterjohn.com
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
