BIG, ELECTRIC
WARbirds
By Terry Dunn | terrydunn74@gmail.com
ONE YEAR AGO, this column featured two electric-powered B-25 models that I spotted at the Warbirds and Classics Over the Midwest event in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Following my experience at the 2022 gathering, I vowed that I would attend Warbirds and Classics Over the Midwest 2023 as a pilot.
I hate to admit that I dropped the ball on getting a model ready in time, so I returned this year as a spectator once again. That is okay, however, because I found many more large, electric models to be excited about.
Warbirds and Classics Over the Midwest
Jon Seese and Mark Johnson were back at Warbirds and Classics Over the Midwest with their B-25s built from Nick Ziroli plans. It was quite impressive to watch these two 101-inch wingspan models fly together.
Jon also brought several other big electrics to Fond du Lac. He had a Top Flite Giant Scale P-47, a Ziroli Stuka, and a huge Cessna 310 from CYModel. All flew well and had no trouble keeping pace with the gasoline-powered models that were also present.
Tom Stark is a relative newcomer to the RC hobby. He was bitten by the RC bug after attending Warbirds and Classics Over the Midwest in 2020 as a spectator and watching Ali Machinchy demonstrate the then-new Hangar 9 OV-10 Bronco. Tom brought his own Bronco to this year’s Warbirds and Classics Over the Midwest, as well as a large P-47. Tom explained:
“The P-47 has a wingspan of 88.9 inches and it is roughly 82 inches long. It is a Black Horse Models kit that I purchased from Motion RC. The electric
The electric motor is an E-flite Power 180 195 Kv outrunner. There are two Spektrum 6S 5,000 mAh 50C batteries in series for 12S total. Two 7.4-volt 2,000 mAh batteries power the servos and receiver. I’m using Hitec servos and an Avian 120-amp ESC by Spektrum. I tested the P-47 and it flew great. With a little trim, it was ready for the Fond du Lac Warbirds and Classics event.
“My next build was the OV-10 from Hangar 9. This airplane is large, with a 108-inch wingspan and 113-inch length. It weighs around 42 pounds, so transporting it is a new challenge, but it does break down, which helps. Everything I needed was purchased from Horizon Hobby.
“This airplane is a little more intense when it comes to wiring. You’re looking at two power systems, which require twice the wiring. Each motor is powered by 12 cells using two 6S 5,000 mAh batteries in series. Three separate batteries power the servos and landing gear, with one backup battery for redundancy. The motors are E-flite Power 180s controlled by Avian 120-amp ESCs. These motors have tons of power.
“When it was time for the maiden flight, I was a little nervous. I had a small crowd of pilots watching, making me even more on edge. But the airplane flew great and the landing gear was amazing. It actually seemed easier to fly than the P-47.”
Jason Raduenz is one of my clubmates from Green Bay, Wisconsin. He made the trip to Fond du Lac with his Great Planes Ryan STA-M in military colors (a PT-20). This 82-inch wingspan model uses a six-cell power system. The wind at Warbirds and Classics Over the Midwest was a bit blustery at times, but Jason and the STA-M flew smoothly.
I love unique and unusual models, so I was immediately drawn to Paul Daniels’ scratch-built Avro Vulcan bomber. I will let Paul fill in the details:
