ULTIMATE SCALE MACHINES

Model Airplane News, Feb 2005 by Cleghorn, Debra

EVERY MODEL AIRPLANE TELLS A STORY, and the rare masterpieces flown at the 25th annual Scale Masters championships offer both historical and individual tales. Each of these museum-quality planes embodies one full-size plane at a moment in time and reveals its history to anyone who wants to hear it. But there are more stories: thousands of hours spent fitting and sanding, rivets painstakingly applied, an engine-out on landing and, thankfully, just a bent landing gear that's easily repaired. In that sense, these scale masterpieces (such as those shown below on the Scale Masters flightline and throughout this issue) aren't so different from that old Kadet sitting on your workbench. Our full coverage of the 2004 Scale Masters starts on page 28. Prepare to be impressed!

The Scale Masters airplanes are fantastically inspirational, but is there a relatively easy way to add that kind of realism to your ARF? Sure thing-install landing and navigation lights on it! You'll be surprised by how much this simple modification adds to your plane's "wow" factor. On page 90, senior tech editor Gerry Yarrish shares every step as he outfits his Dave Patrick Models Super Cub with functional lights. Check it out, and prepare to "light it up"!

When the Hobby People crew flew their tiny, 9-inch-span WattAge Micro Flyer prototypes at last year's RCX show in Anaheim, CA, everyone wanted one. Well, we finally got our hands on a few of these little marvels, and we were amazed by their agility and performance. A ready-to-fly plane that uses a single micro actuator for rudder control, the Micro Flyer is an easy, inexpensive way to get excited about RC, and-best of all-it's nearly crash-proof! Never content to leave well enough alone, we also dressed our Micro Flyers up in pylon-racing colors. see page 38 to learn why this petite plane is creating so much enthusiasm.

Our featured construction article this month is the Ingram Foster pusher biplane designed by Pat Tritle. In this electric model, some unusual materials-toothpicks and bamboo skewers-along with traditional basswood and carbon-fiber tube are used to create a unique scale result. This beauty is sure to turn heads wherever it flies.

Is there a technique you'd like to learn or another type of article you'd like to read in Model Airplane News? If so, please email us at man@airage.com or write to us at 100 East Ridge, Ridgefield, CT 06877-4606 USA. We look forward to hearing from you.

Debra Cleghorn

Executive Editor