NEW Flame Wheel F450Quad-copter
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World’s Most In-Depth RC Aircraft Magazine
DHC-2 Beaver
Fly it Like the Full Scale
Nano CP X
Go Full-On 3D with this Heli
Exclusive Radio Range Tests
Get the Inside Scoop on Real-World Performance Warbirds Overthe Rockies See All the 2012 Action pg 20
december 2012
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Fuselages Part 3 Learn the tricks of the trade as Jeff builds a Shive Specialties Dallaire Sportster fuselage. By Jeff Troy Balsa Sheeting See how the pros do it when it comes to sheeting balsa over stringers on a Bulldog fuselage. By Rob Caso
WOTR 2012 Get a look at all the activity that happened at the 2012 Warbirds Over the Rockies event. By Jim Riggle
how to
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We give you the lowdown on ParkZone’s S.E.5a WWI park flyer..
Solder We teach you the tools and techniques for making perfect solder joints. By Jerry Smith
pg 62 reviews
56
62
Get full-on 3D action when you fly this helicopter. We tell you how and why.
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pg 68 6
RC SPORT FLYER — December 2012
Flame wheel F450 Check out this new quadcopter from DJI. It does absolutely amazing things. By Anthony Richards parkzone s.e.5a See why this little warbird has everything going for it from flight to price. By Gene Cope event DVDs We review these DVDs to show you why you can learn lots from them. By RC-SF Staff Blade Nano Cp X Gain insights into why this little 29-gram helicopter will help you learn to fly 3D. By Wil Byers FlyZone Beaver We put you in the cockpit of this bush plane to show you how much fun it is to fly. By Wil Byers
Test
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DJI ‘s Flame Wheel F450 delivers fantastic performance. See how!
Radio ranges Wil tests five 2.4-GHz radio systems to see how they measure up against each other for range. By Wil Byers
december 2012
pg 56
report
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RTL Fasteners Anthony examines RTL Fasteners’ kits of fasteners, screws, nuts and bolts. By Anthony Richards
PG 72
DHC-2 Beaver
A Bush Plane Built for You to Fly RC-SF.COM
7
Atlanta Hobby Naza H Auto Pilot System
Atlanta Hobby 6110 Parkway North Dr Cumming, GA 30040 Phone: 678-513-4450 atlantahobby.com
T
• All-in-one design • Built-in Tail Gyro/Flybarless Supported • Support for multiple electric helicopter platforms • Advanced attitude and control algorithm • Optional GPS module • Multiple flight control modes/intelligent
switching • D-BUS supported • Independent LED module • Future firmware upgrade to give semi-auto take-off and landing • Additional features in the future Price: $269
he new and revolutionary Naza H Auto Pilot system is a platform designed for beginner and expert single rotor helicopter model enthusiasts. It inherits the worldfamous multi-rotor Naza series’ all-in-one design with specially tuned functions for the single-rotor heli pilot. Standard high performance functions include tail gyro, flybarless and multiple flight control modes. The new Naza H also supports D-BUS, and with the optional GPS module, flight stability and fail-safe functions are no longer a problem. This new flight control system goes beyond simple gyros and makes helicopter flying easy and stress free for the masses. Imagine being able to fly a helicopter on your first trip out to the field or if while practicing a new maneuver you get disorientated being able to flip a switch and have the helicopter right itself and return to the takeoff point all on its own. From novice to aggressive 3D, the Naza H perfectly meets the needs of different flying styles. It is not just another FBL controller; it is the best choice for the discerning model helicopter pilot.
Specifications O.S. 21XZM Inboard Marine Engine
Great Planes P.O. Box 9021 Champaign, IL 61821 Phone: 800-637-7660 greatplanes.com
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he O.S. 21XZ-M Speed Inboard Marine Engine has the power to make any boat a bona fide competitor on the water. It’s the first speed-tuned marine engine in O.S. history, and it’s designed with many of the same features found in the popular O.S. 21XZ-R engine for 1/8-scale on-road racing. The O.S. 21XZ-M will be available late December. • A 21D big-bore carb allows the use of high-nitro fuels • The crankshaft features DLC (Diamond-Like Coating), tungsten
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RC SPORT FLYER — December 2012
Displacement
0.213 in.3 (3.49 cc)
Bore
0.641 in. (16.27 mm)
Stroke
0.661 in (16.8 mm)
Practical RPM
4000–45,000
Output
2.76 hp @ 33,000 rpm
Weight
10.85 oz (307.5 g)
Price
$449.99 (OSMG1622)
weights to minimize vibration and silicone inserts to smooth fuel/air flow • The water-cooled head is laser engraved with a special logo • The crankcase features a black-anodized coating for added cooling • Kit includes RP7 plug, exhaust seal ring, dust cap and head gasket sets
HOT PRODUCTS
Atlanta Hobby RTF Phantom Quadcopter
Atlanta Hobby 6110 Parkway North Dr Cumming, GA 30040 Phone: 678-513-4450 atlantahobby.com
W
ith its attractive, sleek appearance and ease of flight, the new Phantom is truly the spirit of pure flight. The ready-to-fly quad-copter includes a highly integrated design including the proven Naza auto pilot flight control system and built-in GPS satellite module to make first-time or advanced flight easy. The system includes an integrated GoPro Camera mount for aerial filming and built-in colored lights to aid in orientation. Everything in the Phantom is pre installed, so no more guessing on the best motor, ESC or battery requirements. Even the flight parameters and functions have been set up and tuned by factory engineers prior to delivery, so you can fly the moment you receive it. Just charge the supplied LiPo and go and fly. The Atlanta Hobby skunk works flight team has been testing this product extensively, and we cannot put it down even flying around inside our shop! It flies great, looks great and comes with everything you need to get it into the air, including its own dedicated 2.4-Ghz transmitter, LiPo battery and charger. The Phantom’s compact design makes it easy for you to carry it in a backpack or small case. • Fitted with the proven Naza Autopilot Controller • Naza GPS and Compass Module
Toni’s Covering Iron Sock
• Power monitoring unit with two-level voltage protection • Accurate position and altitude hold (built-in GPS and barometric sensors) • Intelligent motor arming for safety • Multiple flight modes—Manual, Atti and GPS Atti • Intelligent Orientation Control enabled via three-way switch. Course Lock and Home Lock (IOC) • Enhanced fail-safe protection with go home and auto landing • Included GoPro camera mount with quick release screw mounting • High-intensity LED lighting automatically
comes on when motors are armed • LED Module displays flight mode and LiPo status • Frame size of the DJI Phantom is approximately 330 mm • Stable flight characteristics but with agile performance Price: $679
Toni Smith 2416 Carina Terrace Acworth, GA 30101 Phone: 770-917-4928 E-mail: antoneittasmith@ gmail.com
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reat your covering iron and covering to tender loving care with Toni’s Covering Iron Sock. The sock is made with double-layer T-shirt material and supports a large cord drawstring, making it easy to tie on your iron. Simply lay your iron in the middle of the sock, pull the draw strings over the handle and tie a bow. You are ready to cover. You will have to increase the temperature of the iron you normally use because of the sock. Price: $5 (postage included) RC-SF.COM
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BY Jim Riggle
Warbirds Over the Rockies 2012 An International Event that Honors Military Aviation
Tom Yamada’s B-USA Army Air Corps 1/3 Stearman Tom said it took “three years building it and some 300 hours, Solartex and Nelson’s.” He made his decals and instrument panel. Only the second airplane he’s built, it has a 1600-cc Evolution seven-cylinder radial, 29 x 10 propeller, Hitech digital servos and EQ 10 power expander, and it flies with a Futaba 2.4 9Z on 7 channels. Two LiFe 2100 flight packs and a 4000-mAh LiPo pack for the ignition complete the package. Tom flew it in formation with three other Stearmans.
Steve Forest’s 141-in. B-29 at 1/12th scale Steve bought the B-29 scratch built from Don Smith plans and already framed. Construction is fiberglass and wood with PPG automotive paint, four OS 91s with Master Air Screw three-blade 14 x 8 propellers, Century Jet landing gear, JR 12X transmitter, 15 analog JR servos and Formco flight batteries. Steve was inspired to finish and fly it because of a chance meeting with Paul Tibbets at a warbird meet years ago.
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RC SPORT FLYER — December 2012
Ryan Haldenwagner’s Composite ARF Ultra Flash Blue Angel This 72-in. sport jet is dressed in Blue Angels clothing at 25 lb with a Jet Cat P-180 turbine putting out 40 lb of thrust flown with a Futaba 18MZ Futaba 9157 digital servos, Smart Fly power expander and homemade air oil retract system. Ryan said, “It’s a real eye strainer. In a vertical roll you better be sure you’re counting the rotations because if you come out at the top in the wrong direction it will be out of sight and into the next county before you know it.”
Warbirds Over the Rockies 2012
Shaz Kianpour’s custom Fei Bao giant scale F-15i RA’AM
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now realize how sheltered my RC life has been living in Oregon City, Oregon. Around Portland, a huge event might draw 150 people, including the gallery. At the Warbirds over the Rockies (WOTR) 2012 event, I was just one person among 125 pilots, hundreds of airplanes and thousands of spectators all mixed
This airplane is a variant of the F-15E Strike Eagle, an airplane made famous in the Gulf War and modified for ground attack. The full-scale, 112-in. airplane had a thrust ratio greater than 1:1. Flown with a P200SX turbine at 48 lb, it carries 235 oz of kerosene and has a 12-oz Composite Air Trap UAT by GBR. I witnessed the maiden flight of this airplane on Thursday morning. Afterward in the joy of the moment, Shaz said, “In thrust we trust.”
together to honor our veterans.
Where
My plan for attending the WOTR event was to visit my daughter in Jackson, Wyoming, then take a slow drive along the Oregon Trail from Casper, Wyoming to Scotts Bluff, Nebraska and Chimney Rock,
Colorado. From there my wife and I would go down to Sterling, Colorado for the event. The only problem with my plan was that I misread the directions, so when we reached Sterling we found out the field was 80 miles to the west, near Fort Collins. Country boy in the big city, right? But we made it nevertheless.
Evan Quiros’ 1/4-scale FW 109D-13 A full-scale FW 109D-13 is at Paul Allan’s Flying Heritage Collection in Everett, Washington, and Evan built this airplane from Arthur Bentley’s outlines, drawing his own plans. It’s of balsa and ply construction, coming in at 53 lb and 104 in. with an MME 110 twin, scale stainless exhaust system, Sierra custom retracts and fiberglass covering with PPG automotive paint. All markings are hand painted, and the cowl flaps are functional. Evan flew this in addition to his 1/5th FW 190AH, 1/5th FW 190D9, BVM F-86 EDF and 1/5th P-47. His whole fleet was built just as well as the 109D-13. RC-SF.COM
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By Jeff Troy
Fuselages: Part 3 Shive Specialties Dallaire Sportster
1
2 I prepared for my Dallaire Sportster fuselage build by taping down the plans, covering them with a protective barrier and pulling all the necessary parts from the Shive Specialties kit box.
I
’ve had plenty of fun constructing the fuselage for my Great Planes Super Sportster 60. It’s a very basic model, but there’s much to be said for basic building techniques that complement that kind of a build. In severe contrast to the slab-sided Sportster 60 aerobat, I’ve moved on to another Sportster design—the stick-built, 108-in. Dallaire Sportster old-timer from Shive Specialties, sold exclusively through Penn Valley Hobby Center in Lansdale, Pennsylvania (pennvalleyhobbycenter.com). Not much in the way of tools is needed to construct an open-frame, stick-built fuselage. Your best bet for cutting spruce or balsa sticks to their approximate lengths is a fine-tooth razor saw. High-quality razor saws in different grades—the higher the tooth count, the finer the cut—are available from Excel Hobby Blades, Pro Edge, Revell (Hobbico) and Zona Tool Company. The “Zona Saw” that I use most often has a turned, wooden handle with a permanently mounted blade. Most other saws, including several alternate versions from Zona, have different handle styles with 28
RC SPORT FLYER — December 2012
The Dallaire has a “stick-built” fuselage, which means that dozens of 3/16-in. square spruce and balsa sticks must be cut to length to form the sides, uprights and crossmembers. I always make my cuts over a piece of hardwood scrap to prevent ripping my plans or marring my workbench’s surface.
interchangeable, replaceable blades. In addition to a good razor saw, stick construction can benefit from a 36-in. or 48-in. metal straightedge, a good supply of medium Du-Bro T-Pins, an 11-in. Great Planes EasyTouch Bar Sander or Applied Design Corporation (ADC) Tee-Bar with 80- or 100-grit adhesive-backed sandpaper and thin and gap-filling CA adhesive or a good-quality aliphaticresin glue like Elmer’s or TiteBond. You’ll also need something to protect your plans and prevent the structure from sticking to the paper. I’ve found the best choices to be parchment paper or waxed paper from any grocery store, and Great Planes Plan Protector, sold in a 25-ft roll for $8.99. Any one of these is a fine choice when you’re building with aliphatic resins or other common wood glues. When I work with CA, however, I find that the adhesive often sticks to the wax on the waxed paper and must be sanded off. Plan Protector is much better, although my barrier of choice when using CA adhesives is parchment paper. Parchment paper is far more
costly, so as always, you must make your own decision as to cost versus convenience. The Dallaire Sportster fuselage is constructed from spruce and balsa sticks. Spruce is used for the longerons, forward uprights and crossmembers. Balsa uprights and crossmembers are used aft of the cabin. Three parts bags and two die-cut sheets contain all the bits and pieces for the fuselage that are not cut from spruce or balsa by the builder. The bags hold the cabin braces, #2 and #3 bulkhead parts, all the hardwood and balsa engine mount parts and the pieces needed to match the cabin top to the curvature of the Dallaire’s undercamber wing. The formers for the lower fuselage are in the die-cut sheets. The basic fuselage frame is built right over the side view on the plans. Cover the plans with a protective barrier, taping down the corners of the plans and the barrier material with masking tape. Gather your razor saw, sanding bar and choice of adhesives, and be sure to have an
Fuselages: Part 3
3
4 The Dallaire’s spruce longerons and bottom stringer must be spliced to attain the necessary length. Don’t cut each part individually. Hold each pair tightly together and cut them as one for a near-to-identical mating angle.
5
Apply a coat of gap-filling CA and join the two lengths of spruce next to a metal straightedge to ensure a dead-straight line. Hold the sticks together until the adhesive cures.
6 Penetrate the seam with a dusting of baking soda, then apply a drop of thin CA to fuse the soda and ensure a positive bond. Repeat the baking-soda process on all four sides of the splice, then sand any rough spots flat with 80- or 100-grit sandpaper on an aluminum bar sander.
adequate supply of T-pins within easy reach. If you build over a solid-core door like I do, you’ll surely benefit from having a small tack-hammer to help you drive the pins into the hard wood. The Dallaire fuselage has four spruce longerons that run from ahead of the firewall to the tail post. Fortyeight-inch sticks are provided in the kit, but they will require splicing to attain the additional length required. The plans instruct you to place the splices in the area of the cabin’s inner plywood sheeting. This is the best location for the splices because the plywood sheeting offers additional surface area to reinforce them.
Pin down the upper fuselage longeron over the plans, again using a straightedge to guarantee a dead-straight run. Never pin through longerons or spars. Use “cross-pinning” (see text) to lock them down hole-free. Cut and install the uprights and the lower longeron. You want your model to have two identical sides, so cutting and sanding two of each upright now is a lot easier than trying to match the second set to the already completed first side.
When you cut or saw materials for your model, try to avoid doing it directly over your plans or workbench. You’ll get the parts cut okay, but you’ll also end up ripping the plans or damaging the bench’s wooden work surface. Always cut or saw over a block of scrap hardwood. For typical balsa cutting with a hobby knife, you just can’t beat working over one of the different sizes of heavy-vinyl cutting mats by Hobbico or Excel Hobby Blades. It can be difficult to match the angle on a splice joint if you cut the sticks independently. I find that an easier method is to hold the two lengths of wood next to or on top
of each other when you make the saw cut. This will net you two pieces of wood with a close-to-identical angle on the joining surfaces. Get those four longerons spliced, and while you’re at it, splice a fifth piece from spruce to be used as the center stringer on the fuselage belly. I pressed the spruce sticks against a 48-in. Hobbico straightedge to ensure a perfectly straight run, then used BSI Super Gold + gap-filling CA to join the spruce sticks at the splices. When the joint was cured, I rubbed a little baking soda into the seam, then applied a few drops of thin BSI CA to finish the joining process. Complete each of the four longerons and the RC-SF.COM
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BY Rob Caso
Sheeting A Lost Art You Can Easily Learn
W
hile I love almost-readyto-fly (ARF) aircraft and agree that they certainly do have a place in RC land, flying them is somewhat of a hollow experience for me. Nothing can quite compare to flying something you actually made yourself, or to the learning experience that comes with it, at least for me. Even in this “take it out of the box and throw it in the air” RC world, there will eventually come a time in a serious RCer’s life that will involve fixing or, dare I say, “building” an airplane. Sorry, guys, assembling an ARF is not “building”— it’s, well, assembling. Although I embrace all materials under my “use whatever works” protocol, balsa is still a popular medium for skinning fuselages and wings, the former of which often have compound curves. A compound curve is a surface that curves in two directions—a football is a perfect example, and some of my favorite aircraft have football-shaped fuselages, including the subject model used in this article. Balsa has a grain, and as such, likes to curve on only one direction, parallel to the grain. Try to bend it at 90 degrees against the grain, and you will likely bend it only a little before it snaps in half. Some balsa sheets are easier to bend than others, since balsa density can vary from about four to sixteen pounds per cubic foot. Balsa in the four-to-six-pound range is referred
to as “contest,” as it is very light, but it is quite hard to find. Even if you try to buy it, what you will usually wind up with is balsa in the six-toeight-pound range or higher. After all, the suppliers know you’re not going to audit them, and what would you do with a cubic foot of cut-up balsa sheet anyway? Nevertheless, for skinning purposes, balsa sheet should be on the softer side, have an even grain and not crack when bent with its grain. It takes a little practice to know a good piece of sheet when you meet one. But, if you build a fuselage you will learn quickly. For starters, err on the side of “too soft.”
Small filler strips on either side of the central longeron were added to provide more area to glue the skinning to the frame. Generally, a 1/4-in.-wide stringer is ideal.
These are open areas to be sheeted on my Bulldog. The previously applied sheeting was installed up to the centerline of the stringers. This makes sheeting successive portions of the model much easier.
How To
In this article, I am working on a 51-in.-wingspan Springfield “Bulldog,” a redesign of my very successful 34-in. model. It will be my entry in next year’s NEAT Fair 1930s racer demonstration. To give you some Again, these are the areas that are going to get sheeted on the Bulldog. Ensuring that the sheeting is lined up on the centerline of the stringers will make the successive sheeting easier.
Holding the sheet against a previously installed piece or the centerline of the stringer, mark the sheet similarly in the upper left corner.
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RC SPORT FLYER — December 2012
perspective, the fuselage is about 8 in. in diameter—that’s about 24 in. of sheeting around the circumference. In retrospect, sheeting the larger model was actually easier than the small one—there’s just more of it. Both have the same bullet shape (a compound curve), but the larger model’s curves are gentler and more
Sheeting
While holding the aft part of the sheet in situ, cut the sheet at the nose, leaving at least 1/4–1/2 in. of excess wood hanging out over the edge of the former.
At the lower midpoint, make reference marks to use as fore and aft alignment points. This is more important if the section was being applied in the center of a structure, with no defined end points.
To establish the width of the sheet at the nose, make a mark where the new piece intersects at the upper right of the balsa sheet.
At the center point of the sheet where the reference marks were made, measure the vertical distance between the existing sheets (or centerlines). Since this is a curved surface being measured with a linear tool, be generous with the measurement.
gradual. But then, the sheets are bigger. Before starting a job like this, plan out how large to make the sheets and what exactly you are going to glue them to—one will most likely determine the other. Also, you have to be very careful while sheeting a curved and tapered fuselage not to induce a twist or “rack” to the fuselage because the sheeting will pull on each side of the fuselage, and you can apply only one piece at a time. Make sure that the framework can take the in-process stress. In this case, the fuselage is built on a removable, four-axis plywood frame onto which the circular bulkheads index. Then, slotted longerons are added. They tie everything together, along with plain stringers that run up to the scale “open” sections of the fuselage. In short, the stringers
prevent rack and off-center misalignment. Even so, the fuselage could still corkscrew a bit if it were not for the building frame. So, once the fuselage is stringered, you can sheet away with impunity. Stringer and bulkhead spacing are critical. You can’t sheet in midair, so be wary of designs that don’t give you any stringers to sheet to or if the bulkheads are too far apart. Either or both of these design flaws will result in sheeting that is poorly supported (i.e., weak) and that flattens over the center of the unsupported area. The result will be a poor surface to finish as well as the necessity of adding a ton of filler. For just about any size model, the maximums are about 2.5 in. between stringers and 4.0 in. between bulkheads. If they are any farther apart, more structure should be added, which will ultimately
be lighter than adding filler. These are the maximum values—smaller models should have tighter spacing, but larger models should not deviate too much from these numbers, almost no matter how big they are. Certainly, the type and thickness of the sheeting material will play a role in spacing also. If you are sheeting with thicker balsa—perhaps 1/8 in. or so—you can increase the spacing somewhat. On my Bulldog I’m using 3/32-in. balsa, and the spacing on this model was in accordance with the above specification, which is perfect for 3/32-in. wood. When in doubt, add the needed structure and make the sheeting job easy to do. Since the Bulldog tapers to the tail, the sheeting must follow suit. In extreme cases, the sheeting should be notched with a slender “V” at one end, but I try to avoid this by RC-SF.COM
39
BY Jerry Smith
Soldering Create High-Quality Solder Joints Every Time
This is my arsenal of soldering irons and solder. I use a Hakko FX888, which provides me with instant startup, variable iron tip heat control and a great selection of iron tips. The cordless iron powered with Butane, from Solder-It.com, is great to take to the flying field or other remote places.
D
o you fly electric model airplanes? Even if you don’t, the necessity of soldering is hard to avoid. Whether it is soldering on a battery connector or marrying two wires together, it is a skill that must be learned. Why not learn what is involved so you can do it yourself—with confidence that you’ll create perfect solder joints? Soldering can be a daunting task if you’ve not done it much, but there is a lot of information available to teach you the proper way to make great solder joints that are strong and have low resistance. I am going to tell you how I do it. This article might look rudimentary
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RC SPORT FLYER — December 2012
if you already have experience with soldering. No matter—read on and you just might learn a trick or two that you didn’t know.
The Right Soldering Iron for the Job
You cannot create good solder joints if you do not have the right tool for the job. Soldering irons come in many different sizes and wattages. Some have fine micro tips for small work, and others have large spade tips for heavier work. I recommend you start by asking yourself, “What soldering task will I be doing?” Then pick an iron that covers the range of soldering types you intend
to do. Generally a 30- to 40-watt iron will work well for most of the joints you’ll likely make on electric airplanes. Typically, a small iron, with the right tip, can be purchased for less than $20 at Home Depot® or other hardware stores. If you plan on doing a lot of soldering, or just like having good tools to work with, a better choice might be a soldering station. They provide variable iron temperatures and equipment to help you keep the tip clean. My soldering station heats up and is ready to use in less than a minute! The one I use is a Hakko model FX-888. This is one of the more popular models and is reasonably priced, but other station
Soldering
The soldering jig from KillerBeeCnc.com comes in handy for holding various connectors when soldering. You don’t need one when soldering bullet connectors; just use a plain piece of wood with appropriately sized holes to hold the connectors. Soldering paste will help clean the part to accept the solder. Adjustable wire strippers offer better control than an X-Acto blade.
The soldering jig acts as a third hand to make things easier to solder. Place the wires together as shown and apply the solder. You can choose from many such jigs available on the market.
brands include Weller®, Stahl, Tenma and SMD.
Selecting the Solder
Once you have an iron, you must tin the tip of the iron to prepare it for use. First, heat the iron. Then apply solder to the tip and coat it completely. When it has cooled you should see a bright coating of solder all over the tip. You may want to clean the tip with solder flux, which will make for a better tinning. When soldering, it is important for joints to have low resistance. Remember, power is equal to resistance squared times current, so a high resistance joint will suck
When soldering a connector post or wires together, it is always best to tin the surfaces first. This ensures solder adhesion on both parts that are being soldered. Always add a small amount of solder to the tip before soldering.
Shown here is too much solder on the joint! When soldering the wires together, apply a small amount of solder to the tip. Use just enough so the solder will flow through the joint and form a solid joint. Let it cool before moving.
power for the circuit. For soldering electrical joints, use a rosin core solder. I have used Kester Solder #44, which is 60% tin and 40% lead, for years. It’s reliable and is available in many diameters—mine happens to be 0.031 in. (0.75 mm). You can also buy lead-free rosin core solder. Leadfree solder is less harmful to the environment but can make getting a good joint difficult. Craftsman has a 95% tin and 5% antimony (no lead) solder with fast-acting rosin flux. It melts at 464 degrees F (240 degrees C), which is a bit higher than the Kester® solder. Both of these solders work well for your electrical soldering connections. For soldering
non-electrical connections I use StayBrite® solder, which is cadmium free, has silver- and tin-bearing properties and is stronger, with a slightly higher melting temperature. Stay-Brite solder is available at most hobby shops too.
Keep the Soldering Tip Clean
One of the biggest and most frustrating problems in soldering is heat transfer from the iron to the part being soldered. If the iron is not clean, a black, oxidized coating will cover the tip of the iron when you try to use it. This coating will forming a heat transfer barrier. You can hold RC-SF.COM
43
BY Wil Byers
These are the five radio systems we tested, along with their receivers. Note that the 6.0-V receiver battery was our standard Rx voltage.
Radio Ranges I
An Inside Scoop on 2.4-GHz Radio System Performance
n a former life I worked in a Standards Laboratory for about a decade. There we measured all things mechanical, dimensional and electrical. It was a great job and tons of fun to know very accurately the frequency of a signal generator, a voltage source, a standard resistor or what have you. It taught me that you must test and measure to know realworld performance. It also taught me that there are environmental and man-made conditions that truly impact measurement and performance—even one’s global position can have an impact. Over the last few years many of us in the hobby have heard lots of different radio range performance numbers. Some of those numbers have been blamed for the loss of control and crashes of airplanes. Alternatively, there are some pretty wild claims that are particularly hard to believe. Having performed radio range tests on 72-MHz systems about 10 years ago it seemed right to test the new generation of 2.4-GHz spread spectrum systems. This was 48
RC SPORT FLYER — December 2012
especially true in light of the fact that I have some large-scale airplanes and gliders that I plan to fly next spring—and spring isn’t that far away, even if it is just December. The thing with large-scale gliders, especially forty-percenters and bigger, is that you tend to fly them at extreme distances when flying in and following a thermal. So, my Standards Laboratory background had me itching to test the new radio transmitters (Tx) and their receivers (Rx) that had come in for review: Futaba 18MZ, Hitec Aurora 9, Jeti DC-16, JR XG11 and Spektrum DX18. These are all what I would consider state-of-the-art radio systems. They also offer telemetry as an added feature to RC consumers.
Standards
All the new radio systems now provide spread spectrum in the 2.4GHz band in one form or fashion. They may use different algorithms for transmitting and receiving the signal, as well as the hardware to code and decode the signal. All the systems we tested transmit in the 2.4-GHz
bandwidth. The thing that is so great about spread spectrum technology is that the data packets are transmitted over a wide-frequency spectrum. Where that data lives on the spectrum at any time is typically randomly generated. By “hopping” the signal/data around the spectrum, the signal becomes significantly less prone to interference. Yeah, and it means that we no longer have designated channels that our transmitters operate on too. But that is not nearly as important as the immunity to RF interference. So, our first standard was using 2.4-GHz (GHz = billions of cycles per second) transmitters. Our second standard was using the same receiver battery for each of the radios’ receivers. In this case we opted for a 6.0-volt NiMH battery. I felt this was better than using a LiPo pack on those receivers that would accept such. After all, we wanted to compare apples to apples and receivers to receivers so to speak. After each test the NiMH receiver battery was recharged to its maximum capacity and voltage.
Radio Ranges
Here you see our standard stick (haha), the receivers, the Rx battery pack and a servo we used to monitor signal reception.
Next we needed a place where we would have clear line of sight for the receivers’ maximum ranges. Kiona Butte was chosen because it has a maximum elevation of 1286 ft and drops precipitously to the valley floor that is just 380 ft above sea level. As a result, we decided to position the transmitters and the Tx operator very near the top of the hill, but on the edge where a steep dropoff occurs. The transmitters were then placed on top of a fiberglass ladder, five feet off the ground. Note that the full wavelength of a 2.4-GHz signal is .125 m (4.921 in.). Putting the transmitter on top of the ladder guaranteed that none of the signal would reach to and be absorbed by the ground plane. The receivers were then mounted to a wooden boom (stick). The boom would then This shows you how we set up the satellite receivers for the Spektrum DX18 system, as well as the servo and battery used.
be held outside of an automobile in clear sight of the transmitter. A servo was used to monitor that control signals were being received by each of the five receivers. For each test, the auto was driven on a straight road (Kennedy Rd) that runs nearly perpendicular to Kiona Butte.
Test
Each of the tests began by binding the receiver to its respective transmitter. Once the receiver was bound and checked for good response to the transmitter signal, the auto was driven down the hill and along the length of the straight road. With the exception of going under a bridge at the bottom of the hill to initiate the tests, line of sight with the transmitters was never interrupted. Also, each receiver was tested well above the ground to guarantee that the ground plane would not attenuate the signal. What we found immediately as we traveled down the hill was that 2.4-GHz signals are very easily attenuated when the terrain
blocks the line of sight between the Tx and Rx. However, what was quite interesting is that every radio system tested would immediately complete a rebind between Tx and Rx once the line of sight was established again. During our road testing, once the signal was lost by the receiver we would backtrack to see when the signal was regained. In each case, the signal was regained in less than .05 mi.
Results
We’ve published the results of our tests in the included table. You can see for yourself that the Hitec Aurora 9 and its OptimaŽ 9-channel receiver bested the other systems. It is worth noting that at 6.32 mi the Aurora system was still working well, but we were about to lose line of sight between the transmitter and the receiver. I would underscore that our tests are simply what we found for the units we received for review purposes. They were not tweaked
The DC-16 system does not employ satellite receivers, but it has two antennas, which would normally be at right angles to one another.
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BY Anthony Richards
RTL Fasteners Priced Right, Get Plenty of Fasteners for Your Shop
T
here is a multitude of different types of hardware in the RC business. They come in all shapes, sizes and levels of quality. This can make shopping difficult when searching for high-quality screws, bolts, nuts and washers that you might want to use on your models. And often, the prices for these specialty items can be inflated. Fortunately, the people of RTL Fasteners provide affordable, highquality products that make for one-stop shopping at rtlfasteners.com. Looking over their catalog is like taking a trip through your personal hardware warehouse, and in some respects it is. RTL gives customers a direct link to their complete line of fasteners. Consequently, prices are much lower than what you would find at a retail outlet. Supplying hardware sets for all uses ranging from giant-scale aircraft to park flyers as well as helicopters, RTL Fasteners has made a name for themselves by providing superb fasteners.
What You Get
For this review I got a pair of RTL’s premiere kits: the #5000 Master Builder Assortment and #992, the Complete Metric kit. These are the largest kits RTL sells. I was impressed by what I received. In the #5000 kit is a plethora of hardware consisting of 23 packs of socket head cap screws, five packs of flat washers, four packs of lock washers, four packs of button head socket drive sheet metal screws, four packs of nylon insert lock nuts, four packs of hex nuts, three packs of blind nuts, two packs of servo 52
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mounting screws and one pack of miniature brass pan head Philips head wood screws. These packs provide a total of 2124 pieces of hardware, on top of four adjustable organizers with 18 compartments each. You even get a telescoping magnet pick-up tool. This $159.95 kit will set up a hobbyist with nearly all of the necessary hardware they could possibly need. It should last them for a year or more. Having more than 2000 parts of 30 different varieties stored neatly in four separate organizers, all for under $200, should make any modeler happy. As for the #992 kit, four packs of socket head cap screws, four packs of lock washers, four packs of flat washers, four packs of hex nuts, two packs of servo mounting screws, two packs of blind nuts and a pack of nylon insert lock nuts make up
The Complete Metric Assortment #992 has all the screws, bolts, washers and nuts that you’ll likely ever need for a model build.
the 1006 pieces of hardware. A set of three organizers to sort the 24 different types of parts completes the kit. Notably, RTL recently added socket drive servo screws that are made of high-quality grade 12.9 hardened black alloy steel. This experienced-modeler-designed metric kit provides a fine variety of parts and pieces for a modest $119.95. Other kit assortments available through RTL Fasteners are geared towards specific hobbyists such as park flyers, giant scale modelers and helicopter pilots, and they remove the hassle of identifying or building a set of hardware yourself. Individual packs of screws, washers and nuts and extra tools and organizers are available for purchase through their
RTL Fasteners store as well. All in all, RTL Fasteners provides an astonishing amount of conventional hardware and generous, well-designed kits for incredible prices to give all active hobbyists
a little more bang for their buck. If you’re looking to have everything you need and more for your projects, you’ll want to discover for yourself what RTL has to offer.
References RTL Fasteners 708 Battlefield Blvd. South #107 Chesapeake, VA 23322 1-800-239-6010 rtlfasteners.com
The Master Builder Assortment #5000 is filled with all the American Standard fasteners you could want.
Why Pay a Dollar for just 4 Screws?
We have the hardware you need at a fraction of retail! Order today at:
www.rtlfasteners.com or call 800-239-6010
708 Battlefield Blvd South #107 Chesapeake, VA 23322
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BY Anthony Richards
DJI Hobby Flame Wheel F450
This photo was taken inside the RC Sport Flyer office so we could shoot it against a background. It flies very easily, so it was no problem.
Four Rotors For Four Times The Fun
D
uring the early years of aviation, a concept that interested aviators was taking off and landing vertically. Rotorcraft, aircraft that achieve lift by a set of revolving narrow-chord airfoils, were designed and tested to prove the theory of achievable vertical flight. One designer, Etienne Oehmichen, designed six rotorcraft and found great success with his second model. Oehmichen’s number two design featured four rotors and eight propellers that were driven by a single motor. The aircraft became the first successful quad-copter design and would later earn Oehmichen two world records for helicopters in distance and one-kilometer closedcircuit flight. The design was remarkably stable, yet like most rotorcraft designed, in that period, it suffered from poor performance. Later projects that experimented with the quadrotor design would improve the performance but required too much input from the pilot to control safely. Today, quad-rotors are emerging across the globe as software and
computer technology have improved to facilitate control systems and sensors to automatically stabilize the aircraft in flight. The design has become popular in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) research too. Amateur model aircraft builders have honed in on them also because of their
These are the parts and pieces that you’ll get from Atlanta Hobby for your Flame Wheel F450 quad-copter. They come packaged great in this very well-built kit.
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simple construction and maintenance. Piloting these aircraft systems is done through direct input by way of an RC transmitter, or by a pre-programmed global positioning system (GPS), which can autonomously fly plotted circuits and paths with little or no input from a pilot. Police departments
We are controlling our Flame Wheel F450 with a Futaba 18MZ, which is definitely overkill for this heli. You can use pretty much any sixchannel radio, but it should have one three-position switch.
DJI Hobby Flame Wheel F450 and civil agencies have focused their surveillance attentions on them as well. They are operating quadcopters drones to aid in their work.
Here is my quad-copter hovering for a photo. Notice how the GPS sensor sits about 10 mm above the model’s center of gravity and the propellers.
Thanks to quad-copter kits like DJI Hobby’s Flame Wheel F450, the innovative technology and design of vertical flight is available to anyone. With its simple, yet robust airframe and four powerful brushless motors, the Flame Wheel F450 delivers exceptional power and performance in a truly innovative quad-copter design.
What You Get
• Airframe Top and bottom boards, magic and battery strap, power line pair, adhesive pads • Tools Small wrench • Interface USB charging cable, servo leads • Propellers (4) 10x4.5 / 8x4.5 clockwise or 10x4.5R / 8x4.5R counterclockwise • Speed Controllers 30-amp OPTO (4) • Motors DJI 2212 920-Kv brushless (4)
Futaba R617FS 2.4-GHz Spread Spectrum • Transmitter Futaba 8J 2.4-GHz • GPS DJI Naza GPS/Compass
In Flight
To activate the motors on your Flame Wheel F450 you’ll move both of the transmitter’s sticks into the lower left corners for an instant.
Then the motors will idle for three seconds. During that three-second period you’ll apply additional throttle. The motors will then continue to run. However, if you should not apply power the motors will stop—this is a nice safety feature. Once you throttle up the quadcopter it flies quite easily. I suggest you have a bit of helicopter piloting experience, however. Other than that the Flame Wheel F450 is not hard This shot was taken when the wind was blowing about eight miles an hour. It did not seem to affect flight performance in the least.
Need To Complete
• Tools Soldering iron, solder, #2 hex wrench • Battery Thunder Power 11.1-V 3300-mAh 3S LiPo 60C • Receiver RC-SF.COM
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BY Gene Cope
RAF S.E.5a BNF A Pivotal World War I Fighter Retakes The Skies
D
eveloped by the Royal Aircraft Factory (RAF), three RAF S.E.5 (Experimental Scout) prototypes were produced and first flown in November 1916. The first two were lost in crashes, with the first killing the chief test pilot of the Royal Aircraft Factory on January 28, 1917. The third underwent modifications before
A 2.5-mm flathead self-tapping screw is used to mount the undercarriage to the fuselage in hard point locations.
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You’re going to love the looks of this little warbird as well as how well it flies. Ours was easy to assemble, so we had it flying in almost no time. FMI go to parkzone.com.
While the 1800-mAh 11.1-V LiPo battery is charging you’ll discover there is plenty of time to assemble the aircraft.
The right aileron servo linkage is shown with the transfer rod to the upper wing’s aileron. Note the pin locking the upper wing to the strut.
production started. Only 77 RAF S.E.5s were manufactured with the 150-hp V8 piston engine because it was plagued with problems and proved to be unreliable. A 200hp gear drive V8 replaced it in the RAF S.E.5a. Six aircraft companies produced 5265 S.E.5a aircraft by the time the war ended. ParkZone has captured this stable World War I fighter in their Z-Foam RAF S.E.5a park flyer. The detail of the aircraft is exceptional, from canvas seam stitching, detailed footholds and a fuselage-mounted Vickers machine-gun to a pilot with a scarf and even a Lewis .303 machine gun that mounts on top of the upper wing. In the time it takes to charge the 1800-mAh S3 11.1-V LiPo battery
ParkZone® RAF S.E.5a BNF that is included in the kit, you can assemble the RAF S.E.5a with only a small Phillips screwdriver. Once the battery is charged, it’s a matter of binding the receiver to a Spectrum® DSM2 transmitter, adjusting the flight controls and checking the center of gravity before heading to the airfield.
What you Get
Airplane Airframe, wings, linkages, hardware, landing gear Fixed landing gear Propeller 10 x 8 Receiver Spektrum AR600 DSM2/DSMX Motor E-flite 960-Kv 480 Brushless Outrunner Speed Controller E-flite 30-amp Pro Switch-Mode ESC
The horizontal stabilizer is held in place by the vertical fin mount and two 2-mm screws. The screws rest below the surface of the fin’s base.
Servos (4) ParkZone SV80 Battery 3S 11.1-V. 1800-mAh 15C LiPo Charger 2–3-cell DC variable rate LiPo charger The rudder and elevator control rods provide solid control of the surfaces. Note the surface detailing on the horizontal stabilizer.
The S.E.5a is very easy to see when it is in flight and at altitude, as illustrated in this banking turn.
The tail wheel assembly was changed to the tail skid to maintain a scale appearance and because it works best on grass.
Needed to Complete Transmitter Spektrum DX8 DSM2/DSMX
In Flight
The natural stability of the RAF S.E.5a wing dihedral has been carried over into the park flyer. A few test runs were made by lifting the tail to determine what throttle setting was best for takeoff. Turning it into the wind, three-quarters throttle was plenty to get it off the grass and airborne with a steady climb. Once at altitude some rudder and
Inverted flight is no problem for this aircraft, but you’ll want to use some down elevator control to maintain level flight. RC-SF.COM
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BY Anthony Richards
Event DVDs
Relive The Best Of This Year’s RC Action At Home
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ith 2012 nearing its end, the memories and moments of this year’s RC events are still flickering in the minds of event participants. Thankfully for those who were not able to attend, a few enthusiasts took the time and money to provide excellent video coverage of the year’s highlights, which they present on DVD for all to enjoy. SKS Video Productions and Higher Plane Productions traveled to some of the event venues and compiled in-depth videos to give viewers a professional look at airplanes, pilots, hardware and sites. These DVDs are worthwhile if you want to see what you missed or refresh your memory.
SKS: 2012 NEAT Fair
During September 14–16, hundreds of RC aviation enthusiasts and pilots lined an airfield at Peaceful 66
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Valley Campgrounds off Route 30 near Downsville, New York for the 2012 Northeast Electric Aircraft Technology (NEAT) Fair. The electrics-only event featured scale warbirds, foamy jets, night flights and an indoor fly-in. Highlights of the DVD include a good-looking Boeing 717 drawn in 3D software and CNC cut from insulation foam by Eric Magilos. The aircraft is covered with newspaper applied with a mixture of wood glue and water. Adam Woodworth’s CNCcut Eurofighter EF2000 Typhoon is another amazing aircraft you’ll see in this well-done DVD. The DVD features many other interesting aircraft as well as pilot interviews. I’d say it is a good video, given the amount of finely edited content and variety packed into 100 minutes. It definitely keeps the viewer’s attention.
SKS: Warbirds Over Delaware 2012
At Lums Pond State Park in Kirkwood, Delaware, a gathering of large-scale vintage aircraft took to the skies on July 11–15. Detailed World War I-era biplanes and sleek World War II legends lined the airfield, sporting gorgeous accents that reflected the passion of their pilots. This event attracted international pilots from Great Britain and Puerto Rico. The DVD includes clips from the event with pilot introductions and aircraft flight demonstrations, including the exciting noontime warbird gaggles. Viewers are treated to well-shot flights of Kevin Moran Senior’s enormous P-51D Mustang “Glamorous Glen III” sporting a 100in. wingspan, plus Mac Hodges’ 20-ftwingspan B-29 Stratofortress, with its
Event DVDs scale Bell X-1 rocket airplane drop. With a length of 106 minutes, the DVD offers interesting and attractive footage. If you like scale RC aviation, this DVD may convince you to make your way to the Warbirds Over Delaware event next year.
SKS: The Planes of Top Gun 2012
Considered to be the best scale RC show in the country, Top Gun brought out the biggest and the best to the Lakeland Linder Airport in Lakeland, Florida on May 2–6. The event is extraordinary, with amazing new aircraft each year. This DVD focuses on some of them. As noted on the back of the DVD case, “This year’s coverage represents a radical departure from the way we’ve presented Top Gun to you in the past.” SKS and Propwash take the viewer on a tour of the newcomers and their beautiful machines. A beautiful, 52-lb dry weight Hawk jet in the colors of the Royal Air Force demonstration team is the Red Arrow. It is just one of the many interesting aircraft making its debut at Top Gun 2012 and in this DVD. As with most SKS DVDs, there are exciting clips, well-done interviews and enough variety to make the production’s 92 minutes pass quickly.
SKS: Joe Nall Week 2012
At the Triple Tree Aerodrome in Woodruff, South Carolina, the largest Fun-Fly event in the world celebrated its 30th anniversary from May 12–19. Large-scale RC aircraft pilots flock to this annual event. They keep true to the event’s motto of “Fun, Fellowship and Hospitality.” Dennis Shrewsbury’s Skymaster T-33, jet painted in the colors of a U.S. Navy TV-1,and Anthony Greco Junior’s wooden electric Avante II highlighted the show alongside more than 1100 other pilots and aircraft. While plenty of scale warbirds attended this show, the real treat in this DVD is the coverage and onboard footage of Bob Komro’s goliath 60% L-4 amphibian. It is awesome. Fascinating aircraft, excellent editing and plenty of different aircraft fill the 100-minute-long DVD.
SKS: SEFF WEEK 2012
Down south at Mac Hodge’s airield in Americus, Georgia, electricpowered aircraft of all shapes and sizes flew at the Southeast Electric Flight Festival (SEFF) during the week of April 23–29. This year’s event even introduced a huge 150 x 600-ft pond for floatplanes. Plus there was a lineup of helicopters, 3D aircraft, sport planes and park flyers. Highlights of the event coverage include footage and interviews of Joe Smith with his 74-in.-wingspan 3D Edge, the noontime warbird gaggle, full-contact combat and Peter Stripol with his first large-scale aircraft, a scratch-built 777 airliner. SKS delivers well-shot footage with editing that condenses plenty of the fun had at SEFF into 100 minutes. It’s a DVD worth watching.
SKS: XFC 2012: Airplanes
The Extreme Flight Championship (XFC) held at the Academy of Model Aeronautics National Flying Site in Muncie, Indiana, is the best 3D/ Freestyle competition for RC pilots in the nation. Participating pilots come from Canada, Puerto Rico and Mexico. They test their piloting skills as well as the capabilities of their aircraft. This DVD focuses on the freestyle competition with excellent footage of Sam Swink with his 40% Ultimate 300, Devin McGrath with his 104-in. Extreme Flight Extra 300 and Seth Arnold’s winning performance with his Extra 300. All flights covered in the DVD are worth watching. The talents of all are well documented by SKS. Excellent editing and camera work are once again assembled into a 98-minute DVD.
SKS: XFC 2012: Helicopters
In addition to the freestyle airplanes performing at this year’s XFC, top helicopter pilots flew their machines for fast-paced routines with precision and skill. Pilots from across the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and Thailand participated in XFC 2012 for a truly international competition. SKS dedicated this DVD to the helicopter pilots specifically, providing
stunning footage of the incredible talent of Ray Nemovi with his SAB Goblin, 12-year-old XFC first-timer Jacob Gitin piloting the Mikado Logo 600 and champion Nick Maxwell behind the controls of his electricpowered Raptor G4. Professional-quality production complemented the incredible routines flown by the pilots and their machines of XFC 2012, all coming together in an 85-minute DVD.
SKS: IRCHA 2012 Heli Jamboree
At the Academy of Model Aeronautics National Flying Site, the International Radio-Controlled Helicopter Association (IRCHA) hosted their 2012 Heli Jamboree August 15–19. IRCHA’s event is the largest RC helicopter event in the world. This year over 1000 pilots and numerous vendors displayed their latest and greatest. The DVD covers exciting noontime demonstrations, night flights and The One competition and awards ceremony. Quick aerobatics by Ron Thomas Jr. and his green Goblin 700, Jim Spice’s restored and attractive AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter and Stan Kopreski’s large, animated and detailed Bell 47 G3 highlight the DVD, along with other interesting helicopters and their pilots. SKS provides 100 minutes of excellent video coverage of the event and adds an interesting twist to their traditional hosting with interviews done by Pinion Dog of HeliFreak.
Higher Plane FlightPass: XFC ’12
Covering the action of XFC 2012 from the ground and above, Higher Plane Productions provides 135 minutes of HD footage of the best pilots and action at this premiere event. Highlights of the DVD are the night fly, freestyles and a very cool in-cockpit segment that provides a unique point of view following air show pilot Matt Champman during his aerobatics routine. If you find the tight turns and rolls of RC aircraft unbelievable, the footage of Matt tearing up the sky from his cockpit will leave you speechless. RC-SF.COM
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BY Wil Byers
Nano CP X Full-On 3D Action in a Nano-Sized Heli
If you are looking for some exciting indoor 3D helicopter action for this season’s indoor flying, you must give this new Nano CP X a look. It is an outstanding performer.
R
C Pilots everywhere know that the Blade® brand is synonymous with quality and performance. It doesn’t matter if you buy a Blade mCX, a Blade 500 3D or now the exciting, little Blade Nano CP X—you know you are getting a good helicopter that will give you
hours and hours of reliable, fun performance. The new Blade Nano CP X lets you really have some fun 3D action in the confines of your living room, family room, garage, school gymnasium or even outside when the wind conditions allow. This little 85-
The box that your Blade Nano CP X comes in is the perfect carrying and storage case for the model too. All the parts will fit inside, so you’ll be ready to go flying anytime.
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mm heli can do flips, rolls, inverted flight, funnels and pretty much you name it. It is one incredible little machine. What is just way cool about this RC helicopter is that you don’t need to build or assemble anything. It comes out of its kit box ready to fly. Check this out! The new Nano CP
This is what you’ll get with your Nano CP X. It even includes an extra set of blades, two 150-mAh batteries and some AA batteries for the E-flite® charger.
Blade® Nano CP X
I used my JR 11X to control my Nano CP X. You can use any JR or Spektrum radio that is 2.4 GHz and that uses the DSM2 or DSMX transmission protocol.
Once you have the Nano CP X programmed into your transmitter, you are going to be pleasantly surprised at well this little helicopter performs both indoors and outdoors.
You’ll definitely like both the Bind-N-Fly (BNF) or Ready-to-Fly (RTF) versions. You simply pull the heli out of the box, program your transmitter while the battery is charging and get ready to fly.
X tips the scales at 29 grams (28.35 grams in an ounce). It’s the lightest flybarless CP helicopter in its class. Moreover, the Nano CP X comes with Horizon Hobby’s proven AS3X® (Artificial Stabilization—3-aXis) Flybarless System. That means you get a Nano CP X that combines agility with stability.
Features
• AS3X® Flybarless System • Symmetrical 85-mm main rotor blades • 2.1-g linear long-throw cyclic servos • Carbon fiber main shaft • Sleek body with sharp Nano CP X graphics • Includes Spektrum™ DX4e 2.4GHz DSM2®/DSMX® transmitter with four AA batteries • Includes two E-flite® 1S 3.7-V 150mAh 25C Li-Po batteries • Includes DC Li-Po charger with AA batteries • Includes two main blade sets: fastflight main rotor blades (installed) and hi-performance main rotor blades (in box) The Blade logo decorates the canopy. But underneath you’re going to find that the Nano CP X is equipped with AS3X and a durable frame that will let it take a beating and keep flying.
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BY Anthony Richards
DHC-2
Beaver RTF Fly This Immortal Bush Plane Anywhere
B
uilt to suit far-north pilots in Alaska and Canada in the postwar era of the late 1940s, de Havilland (DH) Canada designed one of the most capable utility aircraft in aviation history. It could do just about anything. This remarkable short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft would be given an animal name, as was the tradition of DH. The name would reflect its hard-working characteristics—the Beaver. Initially designed to be a STOLcapable, float, wheel and ski-fitted aircraft with lots of power, the
The FlyZone DHC-2 Beaver has all the scale lines and detailing of the full-scale aircraft.
Beaver was started by de Havilland Canada in late 1946. Since the company was still British controlled, it was given a large wing area to maintain STOL performance and was fitted with the power-limited engines from England. Pratt & Whitney of Canada came forward, however, with a deal to fit the new aircraft with 450-hp Wasp Jr. engines. At the low price they were offering, DH accepted their offer and used their engine. However, they kept the large wing. This gave the Beaver unparalleled STOL performance. Production didn’t take off until DH won a contract to provide the U.S. Army with utility aircraft to replace their Cessna fleet. The Korean War would increase those orders considerably. Soon DH Canada was receiving orders from around the world for their Beaver. The Beaver gave pilots a way to do operations in rough and remote areas of the globe and access With its flaps set to about 20 degrees, our FlyZone Beaver slows down well. You’re going to love how this bird handles. It is a park flyer, but it flies more like a sport flyer.
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Flyzone DHC-2 Beaver RTF places that normally could only be reached by foot or canoe. During its extensive use as a bush plane, many pilots pioneered improvements to the aircraft that were soon adopted as standard for the Beaver. One such company, Kenmore Air of Kenmore, Washington made many significant This is what you’re going to get in the FlyZone DHC-2 You get a Tactic radio, wall charger and car modifications that Beaver kit. FlyZone even throws in a set of floats for charger with your RTF kit. You even get an 11.1the model so you can choose between flying your bush V 1800-mAh 20C LiPo battery with the kit. Once would lead to dozens plane over water or land. your model arrives, you’re ready to fly. of supplemental type certificates (STCs) that were liked by pilots. This gave the Beaver” instead. maintain these old radials, many pilots rebuilt Beavers the name “Kenmore In modern days, the Wasp Jr. and companies are opting to switch engines have long been out of service. to turboprop and piston engine So rather than spend the incredible modifications to keep the aircraft up Check out the cowl detailing. Coming amount of money to rebuild and to date and affordable. at you, you would swear this airplane is the full-scale version of the Beaver. Notice how the elevators are equipped with flow fences.
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