FW190-A7 Focke Wulfe Fighter Jack Devine Models (1/5 scale ) kit
The latest project on my building boards is an FW190 A-7 that I have just finished from a Jack Devine Models kit. The kit is 1/5 scale (82" wingspan) and will most likely be powered by a 60cc class engine. I have a complete, in-depth build site that documents every step of the project so be sure to stop in at my "Black 3" FW190 web site to follow along with my progress, view my techniques and see the products utillized in the project. This FW190 is currently ready for maiden flight.
CONSTRUCTION: Kit & Scratch KIT MANUFACTURER:Jack Devine Models POWERPLANT: Zenoah G62 (RC Ignitions conversion) REVIEW SITE:Webumentary STATUS: Active Duty
28% Yak 54 (Extreme Flight ARF 87" )
87" Extreme Flight Yak 54... my 4th giant scale gas plane. This is probably one of the best flying planes available on the market today. Depending on your choice of exhaust system, your can get this bird in the air anywhere from 15 to 16 pounds. With over 1400 sq inches of wing area, it is a virtual kite.
On a DA50 engine, it has unlimited power, flies like a giant foamy and is more predictable than any plane you've ever flown. It will do anything you ask it to and make you look like twice the pilot you are in the process. Mine came in a hair over 15-1/4 pounds, including the awesome vinyl graphics cut by J. David "Maudib" Johnson.
CONSTRUCTION: ARF KIT MANUFACTURER:Extreme Flight RC POWERPLANT: DA 50cc STATUS: KIA
Vision 3D (Chip Hyde ARF 85" )
This 85" Chip Hyde Vision 3D is the sequel to Chip's hugely successful "Double Vision" biplane. At anywhere from about 15-1/4 pounds up to 16-1/4 pounds, this plane is an excellent flyer that has unlimited vertical on a DA50. I stripped mine and recovered it in my own covering scheme and graphics (Vinyl by Dave Johnson). Click here for more info and photos.
CONSTRUCTION: ARF KIT MANUFACTURER:Chip Hyde POWERPLANT: DA 50cc REVIEW SITE:Short-Site STATUS: Active Duty
28% Edge 540T (Wild Hare ARF 85" )
The 85" Wild Hare Edge 540T ARF. This is my first giant scale aero, and I'm having some great fun with it. My 50cc BME pulls it around quite well and gets better all the time. While the WH Edge will never win a TOC championship, it still flies great and perfoms good as an IMAC style flyer.
It's just a little too heavy at about 17-1/2 pounds (plus 3/4 pounds for a smoke system) and tends to snap a lot on high rate elevator. Keep your elevator rates low at high speeds and save the high-rates for hovering and low-speed manuevers.
CONSTRUCTION: ARF KIT MANUFACTURER:Wild Hare RC POWERPLANT: BME 50cc STATUS: Transferred Base of Ops
After over 1800 hours over 16 months of building, I finished my 85" Jerry Bates SBD-5 Dauntless. I've documented the entire building process and posted it on the "41 Sniper" SBD web site. Unfortunately I lost her on her maiden flight, so I can't tell you a lot about how she flies.
However, fortunately I was able to compete with this beatiful plane at the 2004 Toledo Weak Signals RC Expo before losing her and was lucky enough to win it all! I'll really miss this sweetheart ;-(
CONSTRUCTION: Kit built KIT MANUFACTURER:Morris Hobbies POWERPLANT: OS 46FX REVIEW SITE:Short-Site STATUS: Active Duty
I built this "Wild Thang" from a kit and covered it with 8 colors of Monokote to get the unique graphic scheme. It's a fantastic profile plane with unlimited vertical and unlimited fun factor. I highly reccommend it as a fun-fly ship... very stable and does just about anything.
Extra 300 "Mac Daddy"
CONSTRUCTION: Kit built KIT MANUFACTURER:Carl Goldberg POWERPLANT: OS 91 Surpass FS REVIEW SITE:Available STATUS: Transferred Base of Ops
I built this tribute to Apple/Macintosh from a Goldberg kit and couldn't be happier with it. Plenty of vertical, looks great and flies silky smooth through pattern manuevers. Probably the best plane I own.
Four Star 40
CONSTRUCTION: Kit built KIT MANUFACTURER:SIG Mfg POWERPLANT: OS 40LA REVIEW SITE:Available STATUS: Transferred Base of Ops
I built this plane as my first glow-powered kit. I needed a low-wing tail-dragger to ween me of my trainer and this one fit the bill perfectly. I did tons of mods to it, mostly aesthetic. Be sure to visit my full review site.
SuperStar 40 RTF
CONSTRUCTION: RTF KIT MANUFACTURER:Hobbico POWERPLANT: OS 40LA REVIEW SITE: n/a STATUS: Transferred Base of Ops
This was my first glow-powered plane. I was very pleased with the quality of the plane and how easy it was to fly. Relatively light weight as trainers go, so the 40LA moved it along nicely. This is a great first plane for anyone!
This aircraft was inspired by the "GeoBat" full scale plane invented/designed by Jack Jones. Scale RC plans were downloaded from RCgroups.com.
I decided to decorate and name this plane in honor of my new dojo, Full Circle Martial Arts Academy. No flight report until Spring.
"F-16 Falcon"
CONSTRUCTION: EDF ARF KIT MANUFACTURER: Phase 3 POWERPLANT: Stock Brushless Motor and 55mm Fan STATUS: Active Duty
Wow, what a value. This little EDF Jet from Phase 3 is a real winner. I picked this up with brushless motor, ESC and fan included for only $110 and already had a receiver and 2100 3S Lipo batteries to run it, so all I had to buy were a couple cheap micro-servos to run the "elevons".
This little puppy probably does over 80mph stock and flies as good or better than any plane I've had yet. Lands soooo easy it's sick. I've seen guys hop the powerplant up on these and get 177mph!
"F-5 Swiss Tiger"
CONSTRUCTION: EDF ARF KIT MANUFACTURER:StarMax POWERPLANT: Stock Brushless Motor and 70mm Fan STATUS: Active Duty
This Electric Ducted Fan foamie jet is a pretty nice ARF from StarMax. The plane is not a hot rod, maybe 70mph with stock motor/fan but it flies fantastic and looks beautiful in the air.
My only complaints are weak retractable landing gear and poor quality electronics. The ESC, BEC and servos are really poor, the motor/fan is OK, but the airframe is very, very good.
"Stinger"
CONSTRUCTION: ARF KIT MANUFACTURER:TopModel POWERPLANT: Mega 3 Turn 400 Brushless Motor REVIEW: Available (RCU) FLIGHT VIDEO: Available (RCU) STATUS: Active Duty
My first "hotliner" plane, the TopModel Stinger is a little hot rod that is a ball to fly. Don't let it's compact size fool you, it's a real powerhouse.
It's the fastest plane I have (probably 120mph) and one of the cleanest flying as well. At just under 38" wingspan and 21oz, it's small enough to toss in the truck and take to the park too.
My second Airfoilz Yak, this one was buit for an RCGroups/Ezone review. It had a few very minor changes from the original prototype shown below, but has a better (Hacker) motor.
Mondo power and extremely good aerobatics make this a very fun 3D machine! Definitely the best 3D "parkflyer" I have right now.
CONSTRUCTION: ARF KIT MANUFACTURER: Great Planes POWERPLANT: Stock 380 Brushed Motor
STATUS: Retired
The Great Planes FW190 Combat Foamie is designed to go up against other similar combat foamies where you attempt to cut a crepe paper streamer from the tail of one anothers plane.
She's barely got enough power to fly docile sport-style flying, so I don't plan to do much combat with it. I think a brushless motor might make it a fun plane though.
A major breakthrough in profile foamie ARF kits, this new Yak from Airfoilz fixes most of the real hassles of virtually all foamies preceding it, in addition to providing a true airfoil wing.
It flies more like a larger plane and performs 3D aerobatics extremely well.
"P47 Thunderbolt "
CONSTRUCTION: ARF KIT MANUFACTURER:E-flite RC POWERPLANT: HiMax 3510-1100Brushless Motor STATUS: Active Duty
I picked this plane up from a friend already built, but decided to change out the motor for a really high powered brushless motor before taking her up.
The Himax 3510-100 provides tons of power for very high-speed runs and really make this Jug a blast to sortie.
Probably one of the best foamie "e-warbird" planes out there today.
"P51-D Mustang "
CONSTRUCTION: RTF KIT MANUFACTURER: ParkZone POWERPLANT: Stock 480 Brushed Motor REVIEW SITE: Available (RCU) FLIGHT VIDEO : Available (RCU) STATUS: Scuttled
ParkZone came out with a promising electric foamy warbird with this Mustang, but when all was said and done it was a big dissapointment for me. Underpowered, didn't fly well and components were all proprietary. Click here for review and flight video.
Great Planes foamy version of the Yak 55. Needed a good bit of right thrust added to get it to fly well. Not a bad plane, very durable construction. Has an airfoil wing and a pivoting, full-flying stab in place of elevators. Came up nose heavy with a 1200m 3cell LiPo pack, so had to add a 1/4 oz lead to tail.
This little foamy bipe has to be the worst flying airplane I've owned to date. Coupling was horrible, I can't even describe the bizarre characteristics of this plane... nothing is right about it in my opinion. The guts go in another airframe first chance I get.
"3D Wannabe"
CONSTRUCTION: Scratch KIT MANUFACTURER: n/a POWERPLANT: Stridavy PJS 550R Brushless Motor
STATUS: Active Duty
Another design of mine that I scratched out of styrofoam sheets. This one actually has a hollow airfoil wing. This is the best flying electric plane I've ever flown, and one of the funnest planes I own... period.
"Vertigo"
CONSTRUCTION: Scratch KIT MANUFACTURER: n/a POWERPLANT: HiMax 2015-4166 Brushless Motor
STATUS: KIA
Home-brew design that I scratched to fly indoors in the winter. Flew OK, but the tail moment was too long to really fly good fun-fly 3D manuevers. Wingspan was 36" and AUW was 14.1 ounces with 1200mah 3cell Lipoly battery pack.
"Teddy Bear-Cat"
CONSTRUCTION: ARF KIT MANUFACTURER:Flying Styro POWERPLANT: Stridavy PJS 550R Brushless Motor REVIEW SITE:Available (RCU) STATUS: KIA
This sweetheart was Dave's old "Teddy Bear" from Flying Styro. After I obtained it from him, I upgraded it with a PJS brushless motor and Lipoly battery pack.
With an AUW of about 11.7 oz, this thing is a rocket on a 9x6 prop. It flies beautifully, unlimited vertical, very fast, and roll rates as fast as our glow profile planes!
I love warbirds, so a new paint job and pilot figure was in order too. This "was" one of my favorite little planes.
A beautiful little foam scale warbird, my P40 Warhawk met an early demise on patrol one day when it was shot down by an enemy trip wire strung between two electric power poles. Click here for my RCU review and flight video.
"A-10 Warthog/Thunderbolt"
CONSTRUCTION: ARF KIT MANUFACTURER:GWS POWERPLANT: GWS EDF-50A X 2 (ducted fans) REVIEW SITE:Available (RCU) FLIGHT VIDEO :Available (RCU) STATUS: Retired
A really cool little electric warbird that looks very realistic in the air, but unfortunately was too underpowered for my taste. This plane received an honorable discharge from the fleet. Click here for my RCU review and flight video.
"Demoiselle"
CONSTRUCTION: Kit built KIT MANUFACTURER:SIG Mfg POWERPLANT: GWS DX-B Drive REVIEW SITE:Available STATUS:Retired - on display
This beautiful little trip back in time is a great indoor flyer kit from SIG. The sometimes challenging building procedures are rewarded with a nearly quarter-scale aviation classic that can be flown indoors!
I loved the Morris Knife so much that I decided to build a 65% scale version of it for e-power! This little baby is 14 ounces with major vertical Hacker power!
Mini-IFO
CONSTRUCTION: Scratch built KIT MANUFACTURER: n/a POWERPLANT: GWS 150 "A-drive" STATUS: KIA
Dave helped me throw together this little Mini-IFO to fly indoors and on low-wind days. What a ball, especially fun to fly combat against other Mini-IFO's outdoors!
"ZAGI 400X"
CONSTRUCTION: Kit built KIT MANUFACTURER: ZAGI POWERPLANT: Speed 400
STATUS: Transferred Base of Ops
Built foamy speed demon from a Zagi kit. It was pretty fun at first, until the novelty wore off. Just a little to unpredictable for me... it can be a real handful and must be flown fast to stay in the air.
Silent Flyers
"Hyper 1.5M"
CONSTRUCTION: ARF KIT MANUFACTURER:Art Hobby POWERPLANT: none (slope) REVIEW SITE:Short Site STATUS: Active Duty
This beautiful little 1.5M slope glider from Art Hobby is a "piece of art" (no pun intended). It has an advanced undercamber foam wing, sheeted with gorgeous black poplar veneer. I used a heavier 720 NIMH so I only needed .25 oz. in the nose to balance. The quality was unbelievable, and it flies like a dream!
