Henry R. Carstens
president and publisher
carstens@carstens-publications.com
Thayer Syme editor
Jim Wiggin associate editor
Maureen Frazer production editor
John A. Earley vice-president and director of advertising
Pieter W. Uptegrove advertising manager George Riley
director of marketing
Phyllis M. Carstens assistant to the publisher
Otto Vondrak webmaster Chris Lane
book acquisitions manager Lynn Good
customer service
Cathy Streeter dealer service
FLYING MODELS (ISSN 0015-4849) Incorporating FLYING ACES and R/C Model Boating, is published monthly by Carstens Publications, Inc., 108 Phil Hardin Road, Fredon Township, Newton, New Jersey 07860. Phone: 973-383-3355. FAX: 973-383-4064. Visit our web site at
www.flying-models.com, or e-mail us at:
carstens@carstens-publications.com. Henry R. Car - stens, President; John A. Earley, Vice President, Phyllis Carstens, Secretary/Treasurer. Periodicals Postage paid at Newton, NJ 07860 and additional mailing offices.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to FLYING MODELS, 108 Phil Hardin Road, Newton, NJ 07860. Copyright 2014 by Carstens Publications, Inc. Printed in the U.S.A. Publications Mail Agreement No. 40957020: Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: PO Box 503, RPO West Beaver Creek, Richmond Hill, ON L4B 4R6.
SUBSCRIPTIONS: U.S.A. and possessions: $37.95 per year, $69.95 for two years, $99.95 for three years. Single copies are $5.95. Canada: $50.00 per year, $94.00 for two years, $136.00 for three years. Overseas: $58.00 per year, $110.00 for two years, $160.00 for three years. Pay- ment must be in U.S. funds. All communications regard- ing subscriptions and changes of address should be sent to Circulation Manager, FLYING MODELS, 108 Phil Hardin Road, Newton, NJ 07860. Please allow six weeks for change of address. Postmaster send Form 3579 to FLYING MODELS, 108 Phil Hardin Road, Newton, NJ 07860. Periodicals class postage paid at Newton, NJ and other mailing offices.
CONTRIBUTIONS: Articles and photographs are wel- come. Contributors are advised to keep a copy of man- uscripts and illustrations. When requested we will en- deavor to return all material in good condition if accompanied by return postage. FLYING MODELS as- sumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. Pay- ment is normally made upon publication. The contents of this magazine may not be reprinted without the written permission of the publisher.
ADVERTISING: Main advertising offices: FLYING MODELS, 108 Phil Hardin Road, Newton, NJ 07860. Phone: 973-383-3355; FAX: 973-383-4064.
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Contact Flying Modelsat 973-383-3355 or e-mail us at
thayer@flying-models.com
ating back to the early 1930s, FLY- ING MODELS thrived upon the no- tion of getting your hands on your hobby. For many, building some- thing—anything, even—defines their hobby experience. Such modelers often have dis- play cabinets full of beautifully finished model airplanes, trains, cars, ships, rockets, dragons and whatever else catches their fancy at the hobby shop. Others are perfect- ly happy to live on the other end of the spec- trum, loading up the mini van with ARF and RTF models for a day of flying. Here at the office, we prefer to balance our magazine’s title. Building your own models is incredibly satisfying and great fun. So to can be guiding your favorite airplane to a perfect landing, regardless of its source. We have two construction features for you this month. Most notably is the first half of a two-part article from Wallace Louie about his unique A-10 Thunderbolt II. Wallace fig- ured out how to hide a small single turbine within the fuselage and still come up with a credible replica of this indestructible air- craft. One of the main goals for this project was to keep it simple. In that vein, Wallace has left his model unpainted so that specta- tors can see the basic wood and foam struc- ture and consider building one of their own. While there are inevitable scale compromis- es, there is no question that when painted and adorned with some basic details, this simple model would be a very credible A-10. Our second feature is the 1⁄2A Profile Proto
Speed Torquette, a cute little Control Line “Blast From the Past.” This simple-to-build biplane also promises to be easy to fly. And if pure speed isn’t your game, you could scale it up slightly for a fun sport flyer. Also on the building front, Ray Boyd checks in with a report from Eric Strengell who has recently built Boyd’s Santa Cruz Mk III from our January 2013 issue and flown it in a local contest. His is the type of classic experience that brings us back time and again to Free Flight. We will have Ray’s third installment of his “Coming Home To Free Flight” series soon. The static competition models at this year’s Toledo Show were stunning. There were many true standouts, most notably, the Best in Show winner, George Maiorana’s Douglas C-133A Cargomaster. While George has shown us many spectacular models over the years, this one may well be his finest. The level of detail was remarkable, right down to the separate blades inserted into the windshield wiper frames to keep the windscreen clear.
Equally impressive was first-timer Chuck Gratner and his remarkable Riley Model B, the top entry in the Sport class. A perfect picture of a Golden Age sport runabout, its fuselage was planked with Honduran ma- hogany, finished with ten coats of varnish. No, the Riley is not a scale model, but many in the crowd were taken in, scratching their heads while pondering how they had never heard of the prototype.
I had the honor of flying Chuck’s Riley a few weeks later at Joe Nall, and was all smiles after my knees stopped knocking. Chuck generously let me log three flights with his baby and I can assure you that it handles just as beautifully in the air as it looks on the ground. There is now one more project on my modeling bucket list. Thank you, Chuck!
Most of us are now well into a short, over- committed summer. To ease the workshop withdrawal and keep you going, we also have a few readily-accessible tidbits for you this month. Most obvious is the Multiplex Pilatus PC-6 Turbo Porter that graces our cover. Multiplex is well known for their high-quality airplanes and this latest offer- ing continues to strengthen that reputation. The PC-6 is a great flying model that you could truly buy on the way to the club picnic and have flying just a few minutes after you get there. Add the optional float set and you will have yet another excuse to spend the summer at your nearest lake.
Jim Wiggin and I also show off a couple of new quads from the fine folks at Hobbico. While Jim was buzzing around indoors with the latest version of the pocket-sized Proto X from Estes, I stepped out to examine the damage from last winter’s storms, using the video and still photo capability of the Heli- Max 230Si. No, these are not the same stick and stringer models we grew up building, but guess what. They are fun to play with and can offer a welcome change of pace from our more traditional projects.
If your preference runs more toward the aerobatic side, take a look at Jim Vigani’s review of E-flite’s Extra 330SC BP. A little smaller than the Pilatus, this nimble flyer is perfect for lunchtime sessions at the local schoolyard or park. It flies feather-light and can offer anything from relaxed sport flying and simple maneuvers to full on 3D excitement.
Maintaining a balance of content that re- mains interesting to everyone is an incred- ible challenge, and one that we thrive upon. One of the keys is to rely not just upon our own personal whims. We must also careful- ly balance the feedback from our readers, whether it be simple suggestions or articles intended for our consideration. In other words, we cannot know what you want to read about within these pages unless you tell us. A few simple emails or letters can make all the difference in how we plan and assemble the next issue, so please, don’t be strangers. We welcome feedback from everyone in the FLYING MODELS family, whether you are a rank beginner or sea- soned expert.
In closing, I would like to publicly thank our regular columnists for their contribu- tion. In many ways, they are the lifeblood of FLYING MODELS, keeping their ears to the ground and continuously reporting the pulse of our hobby from their own unique perspectives. We couldn’t do it without them. –THAYER
JUNE 2014
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