NICK ZIROLI DESIGNS
By Sal Calvagna | rcgiants@optonline.net
WELCOME BACK! There’s no denying that Nick Ziroli Sr. is one of the giants of Giant Scale model aviation. His designs have graced the pages of every modeling magazine worldwide and have participated in large numbers at modeling events everywhere for more than 40 years.
Nick’s model aircraft designs are as popular today as ever with the Giant Scale community and are being built and flown by the next generation of modelers. In this column, I’ll feature a few of the famous Ziroli designs. Enjoy.
Douglas Dauntless SBD-2
Tony Kirchenko of Setauket, New York, built this 1/5-scale Douglas Dauntless dive bomber from plans by Nick Ziroli as an early SBD-2 model throughout the course of a year. It spans 100 inches, weighs 41 pounds, and is powered by a DLE-111 gas engine swinging a three-blade 25 x 12 propeller.
Tony painted the Dauntless with Klass Kote epoxy paints and the markings were made by Red5 Designs. The model uses Sierra Giant Scale landing gear, and both the pilot and gunner were purchased from Warbird Pilots. He finished the model in the CV-2 USS Lexington colors.
The U.S. Navy received its SBD-2 aircraft in early 1940, long before the US entered World War II. It was responsible for a great victory at the Battle of Midway, where SBDs sank all four of the Japanese carriers that were present.
As with all Ziroli designs, the Dauntless is a great flier.
DC-3
Ken Donnelly, of Middle Island, New York, completed a partially built Ziroli 1/8-scale DC-3 that he acquired with a U.S. Forest Service smoke jumper aircraft scheme. The model spans 140 inches and is powered by two Zenoah G-38 engines
and 16 x 8 Master Airscrew three-blade propellers.
The aircraft uses Robart Manufacturing retracts, Savox 12341 servos, and is powered by a LiFe battery pack on a Futaba 16SG
radio. The DC-3 was painted with Rust-Oleum rattle can paint and has Red5 Designs markings.
The DC-3 first flew in December 1935, and there are still examples of the DC-3/C-47 flying today. The DC-3 proudly served with the U.S. Forest Service for 42 years, with the last one retiring in December 2015.
P-40 Warhawk
Steve Peckham, of Norfolk, Virginia, finished a plan-built 1/5-scale Ziroli P-40 Warhawk in an astonishing 5 months. The model is powered by a Desert Aircraft DA-85 gas engine turning a three-blade 24 x 12 Mejzlik propeller. Steve painted the P-40 with warbird colors and used Sierra Giant Scale landing gear.
Although the exterior finish is superb, it’s the cockpit detail that pops. It’s hard to believe that all of this detail work, plus the aircraft build, was completed in 5 months. Steve started by using a kit from Dynamic Balsa and pieces such as the seat belts from IFlyTailies. He made the rest himself. The pilot figure, from Warbird Pilots, has a servo-driven head.
Take a good, long look at the last three photos to check out all of the details.
That’s all for now. Please stay safe.
SOURCES:
Red5 Designs
(516) 353-8860
www.red5designs.com
Nick Ziroli Plans
(631) 467-4765
www.ziroligiantscaleplans.com
IFlyTailies
www.iflytailies.com
Sierra Giant Scale
(440) 476-4885
www.sierragiant.com
Dynamic Balsa
(815) 856-2272
www.dbalsa.com
Warbird Pilots
(203) 528-4352
www.warbirdpilots.com
Klass Kote
(612) 243-1234
www.klasskote.com
Savox USA
(855) 767-2869
www.savoxusa.com
Robart Manufacturing
(630) 584-7616
www.robart.com
Mejzlik
www.mejzlik.eu
