T-34 mentor

Model Airplane News, Jan 2000 by Hastings, Bob

If you follow the more prestigious giantscale events, you've no doubt seen Mark Frankel's highly acclaimed, 1/4-scale T-34 Mentor. This 41-pound warbird has earned first-place static honors in Designer Scale at the WRAM Show and in Toledo. Don't think for a moment that this 99-inch military trainer is some "hangar queen"; the Mentor has been flown and received "Best 2-Stroke" and "Critics' Choice" awards at the Top Gun Invitational in addition to winning several other Nationals-class IMAA meets.

Mark estimates that from research to rollout, he has invested six to eight months building and meticulously detailing this balsa, foam and ply showpiece (now available as a short kit through Model Specialties*). This Mentor is modeled after a T-34 near Mark's home in Pennsylvania. Having unlimited access to the full-scale is good for incorporating all of the finer details-up to a point; the problem was knowing where to stop. Before he called this project "complete," Mark had incorporated flaps, nav lights, strobes, remote mixture, retracts and a baffled cowl to cool the twin Moki* 3.6, just as in the full-scale's Continental engine. The airplane is topped off with a scale cockpit by Jim Sandquist and a bright yellow PPG automotive finish.

When folks at scale events see hired thumbs like Kerry Sterner and Bob Boswell at the Futaba* controls, the obvious question comes up: why doesn't Mark fly it? Well, he does-when there are fewer critics around. In all modesty, he explains that his building and flying skills aren't quite equal-yet.

*Addresses are listed alphabetically in the Index of Manufacturers on page 198. *

SPECIFICATIONS

Model: 1/4-scale Beechcraft T-34 Mentor

Designer/builder: Mark Frankel

Type: Korean-era trainer

Wingspan: 99 in.

Weight: 41 lb.

Engine: Moki twin 3.6

Radio: Futaba PCM

Construction: balsa, ply, fiberglass and foam

Finish: PPG automotive paint with Promark* and Aeroloft* markings

Build time: six to eight months

Comments: Mark incorporated flaps, retracts, nav lights, strobes and in-flight mixture into the usual complement of flight controls.