PHOTO: PHILLIP AGNOLETTO
Phillip Agnoletto built his Stinson Voyager (above) from FMplans, complete with a 3-channel R/C conversion. The model flew beautifully indoors, and at 57 grams would be well suited for those calm days outdoors as well. Tony Eiman finished the conversion to E-power in his old Sterling J-3. The model (at right) is set up for 4-channel R/C and is due for a maiden flight any day now.
a scale park flyer weighing in at 14 ounces will need 40–42 watts to fly well. If your mildly aerobatic sport model tips the scales at 1.5 pounds you’ll need about 125–130 watts to do the job. Once you have a ballpark idea of how much power is required, a little research will determine which motor will deliver the power you’ll need to fly your model.
One other consideration when picking a power system is the speed range desired. All of the motor specs include a KV rating; KV is rpm per volt of input, so the same motor us- ing a 2-cell battery will turn one-third faster using a 3-cell. So, if your model is best suited for low speed performance, a low KV motor with a 2-cell battery with a large low pitch prop is good. If it’s speed you’re after, a high KV motor with a 3-cell battery and a smaller higher pitch prop is best. From there, it’s a matter of studying the specs to find a motor that will turn the best suited propeller type for the model you’re building. Then after just a couple of conversions you’ll find that things become a bit more intuitive and will require a bit less head scratching to get into the ballpark.
For those who want to dig deeper into all this, Andrew Gibbs has a series of books that cover electrics in depth, and has done a remarkable job of laying things out in very understandable terms. You can see more at
www.gibbsguides.com.
Readers write
Now, let’s get on to what the readers have been up to. First up we have Pat Ryan, who
PHOTO: TONY EIMAN
really likes building the 30-inch span Du- mas freeflight kits. The second Stinson Re- liant Pat built is destined for electric power rather than rubber. The model is covered in tissue and dope, and so far looks promising. The other Reliant was covered in iron-on film and is scheduled for an R/C conversion. These 30-inch Dumas kits make for some terrific conversions using the modern R/C equipment that wasn’t even available when I was converting these kits.
Phillip Agnoletto from up Canada way has become a regular among us here, and this time has checked in with his 26-inch Stinson Voyager built from FM plans (CD403, Sept. 2010) and laser-cut parts from PCM. The model finished out at 57 grams using the ParkZone Champ DSM2 brick and a single-cell 160 mAh battery. Power is an 8.5mm brushed gear-motor
with a 130–70mm propeller. Covering is Mi- crolite with custom graphics from callie-
graphics.com. The Stinson did great indoors. The model wasn’t too fast to fly comfortably within the confines of the gym, and after a bit of initial trimming settled down and flew beautifully.
And speaking of conversions, Tony Eiman has converted an old Sterling .15 size J-3 to e-power. Those old kits did build heavy, and this one, powered with an E-flite Park 450 with a 3S 1800 mAh battery, tips the scales at 2.6 pounds making 77 watts/pound. It should be a very solid flyer. The finish is Coverlite with colors using Rust-Oleum enamel and graphics from Callie. It’ll be fun to see this one fly.
And while we’re on the subject of old Ster-
ling kits, Len Rozamus dug the Corsair out of his attic for a winter restoration project. The model is pretty rough now, but I’ll bet when he’s done with it you’d never know it had been stained and battered over the years. We’ll be looking forward to seeing the fin- ished model once Len has worked his magic. At last, but certainly not least, Jaden Shu-
mate is back with a brand new freeflight de- sign he calls the Free HANDER. This is Jaden’s first design from the ground up, and looks like a winner to me. The model spans 12 inches and is built primarily of 1⁄16-inch square balsa sticks and 1⁄16 balsa sheet. As you can see, the wing design was heavily in- fluenced by the earlier Guillow’s kits Jaden has been building.
The model is covered with tissue and graphics cut from vinyl. Here’s the best part; after a little trimming and tweaking the model flew beautifully. Just goes to show, when you get your feet wet, stay with what you know works and success will usually fol- low. Then in the natural order of things, Jaden is already busy on his next design that will be similar, but a bit larger. Well done, and we’ll be anxiously awaiting the results. And with that, we’re running dangerously low on space so will have to wrap it up till next month. Meanwhile, if wet fuel to elec- tric conversion, or freeflight to R/C looks en- ticing, give it a try; it might just open the door to a whole new realm of modeling skills. So till next month, I’d like to offer a great big Well Done to all, and do keep the good stuff coming.
PHOTOS: JADEN SHUMATE
The Free HANDERis Jaden Shumate’s first attempt at a freeflight design from the ground up. His efforts (above left) really paid off as the model trimmed out great. Note the door outline and control surfaces lined out with a fine tip marking pen. In bones ready for cover (above right), the Free HANDERdefinitely shows shades of the old Guillow’s style of wing construction proving that the best place to start developing your design style is with things familiar. Jaden (at right) proudly displays the Free HANDER just before flight trimming began. The model proved to be a good little flyer after a few minor trim adjustments were made.
FLYING MODELS 53
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