FOCAL POINT
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Reentry: Rebuilt Hanger 9 Ultra Stick
Paul Sorrel’s (Garland, Texas; email: psorrels@gmail.com) model was rebuilt from the crash of a Hanger 9 Ultra Stick 30cc. “The previous owner crashed into a tree and the rescue from the tree caused more damage than the crash,” he wrote. “I convinced him it was fixable and he gave it to me.”
Paul stripped the covering off of all of the parts to check the damage. He rebuilt the right wing panel, straightened the wing tube, repaired the fuselage, added a new vertical stabilizer, and converted it from gas to electric power. The covering design was inspired by the reentry of the space shuttle, “thus the flames on the leading surfaces.” The wingspan is 81 inches, the fuselage is 66 inches, and the weight is 15 pounds, 3 ounces with two 4S batteries. An 18 x 8 propeller and Suppo 5330/9 260 Kv motor from Altitude Hobbies power the aircraft.
The name Reentry comes from its rescue from the trash to its return to RC flying. “It flies well—better than my capabilities!”
Converted Guilllow’s StratoStreak
Dennis Gumbert (Crown Point, Indiana; email: dennisandsharon@scglobal.net) belongs to the Crown Point Aero Modelers club. He converted a Guilllow’s StratoStreak rubber band-powered airplane to an RC-powered aircraft using a HobbyZone Sport Cub S electronics system. It has the stock body and packing tape for hinges.
His fellow club member, Rodney Peters (Wanatah, Indiana; email:flyboy@csinet.net), was flying a rubber-powered AMA ALPHA and thought it would be cool to power the aircraft with RC equipment. Dennis took portions from a ParkZone Ember frame and added the AMA ALPHA parts. Both airplanes fly well and look good on flybys.
P-82 Twin Mustang
George Lumpkins (Katy, Texas; email: golumpk@swbell.net) is at it again.
He took two Hangar 9 P-51 Mustangs that had seen better days and years of other collected and assorted items and added two E-flite 46 motors, RC Dude 3D-printed motor standoffs, two CNHL 6,000 mAh batteries, two Futaba 617 receivers, a pile of Futaba servos, two HobbyWing 80-amp ESCs, Hanger 9 covering, miscellaneous balsa to create a center wing adapter, two Master Airscrew counterrotating 14 x 7 propellers rotating inward, and a parallel-connected power wire to balance the motors. The 82-inch wingspan, 52-inch long creation was a perfect fit for his Suburban—“in one piece!”
The maiden flight was a success. “It’s very easy to control (with shaking hands); loops and rolls were smooth and controllable,” he stated.
Clipped Wing Cub
Jim Ruley (Springfield, Ohio; email: garlough@woh.rr.com) completed this 1/4-scale Clipped Wing Cub from a Sig J-3 Cub kit. Power is from a Valley View RC 21cc twin gas engine turning a 16 x 8 propeller. Modifications include the removal of 2-1/2 rib bays from each root, shock-absorbing Robart landing gear, folding lift struts made from aluminum tubing over 4-40 rods, and an opening cabin door and window. The airplane is covered in Oratex fabric and painted with Rust-Oleum 2X spray paint. He also made his own full-length 1/4-scale pilot.
Jim started flying RC in 1976 and is a member of the Springfield Model Airplane Club.
Aircraft Trio
Tony Kummerow (Decherd, Tennessee; email: kummerow295@gmail.com) submitted a photo of a trio of airplanes that he flies. At the front left is a TechOne Sbach 342 with a 33-inch wingspan. The yellow, red, and blue airplane at the front right is an Extreme Flight 48-inch wingspan Extra, and the multicolored aircraft in the back is an AJ Aircraft 56-inch wingspan Laser. All of the models are controlled by a Spektrum DX8 G2 transmitter and powered by the electronics recommended by the companies.
Flair Fokker Dr.1
Joe Portera (Sykesville, Maryland; email: joe_portera@outlook.com) asks readers, “Can you guess which movie this plane is from?” His 22-year-old Flair Fokker Dr.1 1/4-scale airplane was built over a four-month period during the winter of 2022. It has a 72-inch wingspan and weighs 10 pounds, 8 ounces. The firewall was set back 1-1/2 inches to accommodate the four-stroke O.S. 155 engine. The cockpit was also moved back 1-1/8 inches to make room for the pilot. Both the top and bottom wings can each be removed as one piece. He added a tail wheel and small coil springs to the front suspension for better ground handling, as well as a hatch cover on the top of the fuselage by the front cabane struts for easier access to the fuel system.
Joe covered the airplane with the black and yellow color scheme from The Great Waldo Pepper. All of the lettering, numbers, and logos were designed by his son and daughter-in-law and cut with a Cricut machine. He painted the pilot figure and cap, while the goggles and jacket were made by hand.
Minuette
The Minuette, a vintage kit from Old School Model Works and built by Carlos Rangel (Tucson, Arizona; email: rcpilot663@gmail.com), has a 67.5-inch wingspan and a fuselage length of 38 inches.
An optional dummy Anzani three-cylinder engine kit, flying wires, and pilot figure were a must, according to Carlos. He used Diacov 1000 fabric covering material, which is sold by Sarik Hobbies, located in the United Kingdom. Electric power is by a Tempest 1,050 Kv motor, three-cell LiPo battery, and a Spektrum radio. He also installed the tail servos in 90° positions to facilitate the pull-pull elevator and rudder controls.
“The model flies very smoothly,” Carlos wrote. “Slow and scalelike, just like a vintage should.”
Garden 30% Cap 232
Jim Blendowski (Orlando, Florida; email: jimblend6@aol.com) built an 88-inch wingspan, 30% Cap 232 from a Carden kit. “In 1999, my friend, Charlie Pierce, purchased and began building the kit for a few years before he eventually sold it to me in December 2022. In February 2023, I finished the kit and flew it.”
The airplane was completed with a Desert Aircraft 50cc engine, Hitec HS-7985MG coreless digital servos, and a Futaba 10J transmitter. It is covered with Ultracote and trimmed with vinyl. The Snoopy aviator pilot was made by Corey Shaffer, a design artist.
“On its maiden flight, the plane only required a few clicks of trim, and it flies beautifully,” wrote Jim. “I could not be happier with the way it came out, with a lot of thanks to Charlie.”
