From classics to contrails

Model Airplane News, Jan 2001 by Sharp, Debra

Our January issue features a bonus, photo-illustrated guide to 350 favorite Model Airplane News fullsize plans, and this year, we've included many more vintage free-flight designs that would be great subjects to convert to RC with micro gear. Whether you're looking for a scale-competition warbird or a backyard barnstormer, you're sure to find a winter building project here. For the complete selection of Model Airplane News plans, visit the RC Store at www.rcstore.com.

Contributor John Jundt and editor Gerry Yarrish teamed up to cover the 10th annual Heart of Ohio Jet Scramble, where nearly 6,000 spectators were treated to a three-day show of some of the hottest, fastest RC models around. Turbines powered 40 percent of the 118 entries at the rally, emphasizing the role that this technology is playing in the development of RC modeling. On the lighter side, Thayer Syme writes about a recent Lazy-Bee Fly-In, where a "swarm" of Bees in all shapes and sizes showcased their surprising capabilities with an emphasis on fun. Andy Clancy's creative designs appeal to the kid in all of us: they're fun to build, easy to fly and lend themselves to a myriad of modifications and personal touches. For a story that's guaranteed to make you chuckle, turn to page 146.

For years, sport fliers have enjoyed the

dean, quiet, vibration-free advantages of electric power. Now, scale modelers are asking how they can use e-power in their competition models. Scale competitor Bob Benjamin, who has successfully competed with electric models at prestigious events such as the Scale Masters and Top Gun, offers some insight on which airplanes are the best subjects for e-power and how to best take advantage of this reliable power source. See his tips for success on page 78.

Featured as construction articles this month, the Mini Kaos and Airfoiler are proof of the enduring appeal of vintage designs. Dave Robelen's Mini Kaos is a 1/2A sport pattern ship based on Joe Bridi's popular Kaos model of the 1970s. Though smaller, Dave's design retains many of the outstanding flight characteristics of the original. An RC-- assist model, the Airfoiler is legal for Society of Antique Modelers meets and is based on Hal deBolt's original 1940s free-flight plane. A regular contributor to Model Airplane News for more than half a century, Hal deBolt is recognized as an icon of the industry and the hobby. We're especially pleased to have his construction article in this first issue of the new century.