The Wednesday Old Buzzards Group
Gonzalo Bures (Toa Baja, Puerto Rico) sent in several photos of the “Wednesday Old Buzzards” retiree group from the Borinquen RC Model Club in Sabana Seca, Toa Baja. They meet every Wednesday to fly models (sometimes successfully), shoot the breeze, barbecue, and enjoy each other’s company and repeated stories. All of the pilots have been involved in the hobby for almost 40 years.
Jose “Ricky” Rivera has been a member of the club for more than 25 years, including a two-year term as president. He is a founding member of the Puerto Rico RC Modelers Club Miñi Miñi in Loiza, Puerto Rico, where he served as president for five terms, and is also a member of the Carolina RC Club in Carolina, Puerto Rico.
Ricky’s Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander was scratch-built from enlarged plans by Luis Morales, one of the top modelers in Puerto Rico. The model spans 100 inches, is powered by two gas GMS 15cc engines, guided by a Futaba 10 transmitter, and has a total of eight servos. It takes off with authority and flies very stable with scalelike landings.
Edwin Ojeda not only belongs to the Borinquen club, but is also a founding member of the Tortuguero Hawks in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico. He scratch-built his 94-inch wingspan Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander from plans. Powered by two two-cycle Magnum 53 engines, it’s guided by a Futaba system with eight servos. The model is very docile and precise, flying slowly just like its full-scale counterpart.
Jose del Llano is a current Borinquen club member and is also a founding and active member of the Tortuguero Hawks. The 75-inch wingspan Volantex Phoenix V2 RTF sailplane is the first RC glider that Jose has had, and he certainly enjoys its peaceful flight.
Powered by a 4023 1,050 Kv motor and a 1060 folding propeller, the sailplane’s motor and radio system are fed by a 2,200 mAh LiPo battery. Guidance is a Flysky radio, with six servos and an ESC to power the motor and propeller brake. The model is hand-launched and has predictable flight that can be very slow or fast, depending on the pilot’s mood.
Gonzalo has been a member of the Borinquen RC Club for the past 20 years and is a founding member of the Tortuguero Hawks. After 15 years, he has finished his Top Flite Giant-Scale P-51D Mustang that was built but never finished by Roberto Caban, who, in Gonzalo’s opinion, is one of the two best model builders in Puerto Rico. He obtained the model from Roberto with the main structure built but not sanded or fitted. Gonzalo finished it, including the fiberglassing, painting, and rivets.
The 86-inch model is powered by a 15-year-old 3W 55i engine that was not fired until recently. It’s guided by Gonzalo’s faithful Futaba 9C transmitter. With a total of 14 servos, as well as a Xicoy air valve for retracts and two micro servos for sequential main wheel covers, the model has a full-scale cockpit and pilot with working cockpit dash lights. It represents the full-scale P-51D Mustang Bunnie Brown of Capt. Roscoe Brown, who was squadron commander of the Tuskegee Airmen and one of the few pilots to down a Messerschmitt Me 262.
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