RC Airplanes | Gliders | Helicopters
BLADE®230
Heli Test Report
JANUARY 2017
PLUS NEMESIS RACER PLAN
FEATURED
GIANT-SCALE
SOARING
BUILDS DIMONA MOTORGLIDER
RÖDELMODELL PA-18 PIPER CUB
HPH SHARK SAILPLANE
USA & CANADA $6.49
RC-SF.COM
TABLE OF CONTENTS DEPARTMENTS 10 74 75
LEADING EDGE AD INDEX MYSTERY PLANE
PG 62
PG 12 FEATURES 12
SOARING BIG AND SMALL DISCOVER ALL THE PLUSES OF SOARING. Terry Edmonds
16
ON SILENT WINGS GIANT-SCALE SOARING IS PILOT CHANGING. Simon Cocker
PG 16 PLAN 62
NEMESIS 80-CC RACER PILOT AND DESINGER, JOHN SHARP’S, WINNING RENO AIR RACER Wendell Hostetler
3-VIEW 58
PG 58 6
RC SPORT FLYER • JAN 2017
ROLLADENSCHNEIDER LS9 AN 18-METER WINGSPAN SAILPLANE WITH ONLY 10 EVER BUILT Hans-Jürgen Fischer twitter.com/rcsportflyer
JANUARY 2017
BUILD 24
IRON-ON COVERINGS, IV
30
LEARN THE SIMPLE STEPS TO COVER AIRPLANE WINGS. Jeff Troy
38
1/3-SCALE PIPER CUB - PART II WE SHOW YOU HOW THE RÖDELMODELL PIPER CUB BUILDS. Philipp Gardemin
44
HpH 304 SHARK SAILPLANE SEE HOW THIS LONGWINGED SAILPLANE GOES TOGETHER. Wil Byers
SUPER DIMONA MOTOR GLIDER DISCOVER WHY THIS MODEL IS MUCH MORE THAN A SAILPLANE. Dennis Brandt
PG 44
PG 30
PG 38
HOW TO 52
Tx TRAVEL LIMIT SETTINGS FINE TUNE YOUR MODEL BY PROGRAMMING TRAVEL LIMITS. Wil Byers
PG 52
rc-sportflyer.tumblr.com
REVIEW 58
SAILPLANE CARRIER THIS PROJECT IS QUICK AND EASY TO BUILD, AND INEXPENSIVE TOO. Wil Byers
66
BLADE 230S HELICOPTER IT IS A NEW HELI THAT COMES EQUIPPED WITH SAFE TECHNOLOGY. James VanWinkle
PG 76
Subscribe @ RCSportFlyer.com
7
FEATURE
SOARING BIG AND SMALL
This is the author’s full-scale DG-800B sailplane captured during self launch.
12
RC SPORT FLYER • JAN 2017
twitter.com/rcsportflyer
BOTH GLIDE DOWN THRU RISING AIR BY TERRY EDMONDS
T
here are many facets to soaring! This article will discuss how participating in both RC soaring and full-scale soaring can enhance each other. Things can be learned from each that will help the other. Certainly the down side to flying both is the competition for personal resources and time. There is no coordination of events from one discipline to the other and conflicts on any given weekend in the gliding season are common. I will describe where I come from on the subject for reference. I have been a modeler since childhood and a licensed private pilot most of my adult life. In 1968 I took up RC soaring, which was a pretty new thing in the U.S. at the time. I began flying full-scale gliders in the late 1980’s and continue to fly both disciplines. Being an RC pilot can significantly help someone starting into full-scale flying. Experienced RC pilots know
rc-sportflyer.tumblr.com
Terry’s workshop in the off season shows the full-scale fuselage goes thru the door.
Subscribe @ RCSportFlyer.com
13
BUILD
PHOTOS BY: PASCAL FEMPEL, PHILIPP GARDEMIN
30
RC SPORT FLYER • JAN 2017
twitter.com/rcsportflyer
AWE PIPER - PART 2 RÖDELMODELL 1/3-SCALE PA-18 PIPER CUB BY PHILIPP GARDEMIN
F
or a long time, I could only enjoy the sight of my beautiful PA-18 in the “bones” sitting on the workbench. It should have instead been towing gliders. So, the work proceeded. For covering a model of this size I prefer the Oratex® fabric from LanitzPrena Folien Factory (Oracover®). The material is robust, easy to use, and gives the model a more realistic, scale surface due to its fabric-like surface. Oratex is more durable as well. Moreover, if you follow the manufacturer’s recommendations, neither Oratex nor the foil, Oracover, will wrinkle, even after years of use. The process of covering starts first and foremost with cleaning the surfaces. You must remove any dust. It is not enough to just wipe the surfaces. You must vacuum them with a brush attachment to remove all dust. Additionally, the manufacturer recommends the surfaces be prepped with a bonding agent, especially for balsa and poplar plywood surfaces. To this end, Lanitz offers a specially developed heat-seal glue (Balsarite in the USA), which is applied to the wood parts with a roller or brush. After the conditioner dries, the covering can then be ironed on as usual. My Cub required 250 milliliters of the heat seal adhesive; and, it required exactly 13.5 meters of covering material. Once the model was covered, the rc-sportflyer.tumblr.com
Subscribe @ RCSportFlyer.com
31
BUILD
HpH 304 SHARK A LONG-WINGED PREDATOR WITH A NICE BITE BY WIL BYERS
I
t was a couple of years ago when I landed the six-meter HpH Shark in my office. I immediately unpacked it and inspected the workmanship. What a catch it had been! HpH had built one of the highest quality sailplanes I’d yet to own. Over the next couple of years the sailplane took a backseat to other projects. Even so, I kept researching how other RC sailplane pilots were building their Sharks, as well as learning how it soared. Last summer the Shark was hauled onto my workbench for its radio gear installations. This article will detail a few of the minor challenges that faced me while completing the installs.
1 38
The HpH 304 is a super sleak six-meter-wingspan sailplane that employs extensive composite construction throughout. The model comes almost ready to fly, needing only radio installation. RC SPORT FLYER • JAN 2017
Radio Gear Hitec RCD servos were chosen to drive the control surfaces of this model. These are the servos that I used: HS-7954SH, HS7950TH, HS-7235MH, HS-7245MH, and HS-7115TH models. They’re all compatible with 2S LiPo (7.4-volt) power and deliver plenty of torque for the minor amount of current they consume. Note that the 79 series servos were twitter.com/rcsportflyer
3
The Jeti Central Box 200 is used because it provides for redundant battery packs; and, it uses dual path signal reception for reliable 2.4-GHz control.
4 2
The Shark’s landing gear has built-in shock absorbing struts as well as a brake. It comes in the ARF package as is shown here. There is no assembly needed.
My Shark is fitted with Hitec servos: HS-7954SH, HS7950TH, HS-7235MH, HS-7245MH, and HS-7115TH models. They deliver plenty of torque.
5
6
The Central Box 200 is using two of the R3 receivers for dual-path signal reception. The other R3 is being used as a digital On/ Off power switch — very nice feature!
8
You must either tie the servos’ plugs together with line or use a servo clip to guarantee that they do not inadvertantly disconnect during flight.
a bit of a bit of a tight fit for the flaps, but they deliver a ton of torque at 403 oz-in. when powered by 7.4 volts. The Shark is fitted with a Jedi Central Box 200 because it provides exceptional dual-path signal reception when mated with two R3 receivers. It is also using an R3 as a digital, remote On/Off power switch. The Central Box also provides for redundant battery
7 rc-sportflyer.tumblr.com
This photo show how the Hitec servo drives the retractable landing gear. The gear’s strut legs over center, which then locks the gear in place for landings.
power, which is a must in this size sailplane. Power comes from two Spektrum® 2S 4000-mAh 7.4-volt LiPo packs. They’re super reliable and provide the power “insurance” I want for this six-meter sailplane. Installations Installation of the radio gear was completely straightforward, with the exception of the rudder, which I’ll explain later in this article. The landing gear comes with a servo arms that fit the servo perfectly. You must bolt the servo in place,
The photo shows the composite frame that is built into the sailplane to hold the landing gear in place. It is well made as are the gear doors, which also come hinged. Subscribe @ RCSportFlyer.com
39
BUILD
SUPER DIMONA IT IS SO MUCH MORE THAN A SAILPLANE
BY DENNIS BRANDT
44
RC SPORT FLYER • JAN 2017
twitter.com/rcsportflyer
M
y long-time friend, Mark Foster, once had a Zenoah G-45-engine-powered Dimona. He flew it for many years. His model put the want in me to have one. However, I always wanted to go electric power if I bought a motor glider. Well, the Neu 1530 brushless electric motor is equivalent in power, if not more so, than the G-45. As you can imagine, I finally decided to buy a Dimona — mine being purchased from Delro in German. I’ve spent about 22 months building the motor glider. It has been the most labor intensive build I have ever undertaken. I’m extremely happy with the results, so I wanted to share the build with the readers of RC Sport Flyer magazine. What follows is an abbreviation of my project.
rc-sportflyer.tumblr.com
Subscribe @ RCSportFlyer.com
45
3-VIEW
ROLLADENSCHNEIDER LS9
58
RC SPORT FLYER • JAN 2017
twitter.com/rcsportflyer
ONLY 10 OF THIS BEAUTIFUL 18-METER MACHINE WERE EVER BUILT! BY HANS-JĂœRGEN FISCHER
R
olladen-Schneider Company launched their LS9 is an 18-meter wingspan, singleseat motor glider in the year 2000. Unfortunately, for the soaring community, LS9 production ended after just 10 gliders were built when the company went into receivership. The LS9 was the only selflaunching sailplane developed by Rolladen-Schneider. The prototype first flew in 1995. It was powered by a Rotax 535 two-stroke, gas-powered engine. However, Rotax discontinued the 535, which then impacted the LS9 production. Consequently, the Solo 2625 engine and a Technoflug two-
rc-sportflyer.tumblr.com
Subscribe @ RCSportFlyer.com
59
PLAN
NEMESIS 80CC JON SHARP AND HIS WINNING RENO AIR RACER IS NOW A BEAUTIFUL 2-SHEET PLAN.
62
RC SPORT FLYER • JAN 2017
twitter.com/rcsportflyer
BY WENDELL HOSTETLER
P
SPECIFICATIONS
ilot and designer, Jon Sharp, forever changed the face of Formula One air racing with the 245-mph Nemesis. It is the most successful air racer in history. Flown by Jon Sharp, Nemesis won nine consecutive Reno Gold National Championships, with an additional 16 world speed records for its class. From 1991 until its retirement in 1999, Nemesis bested the competition, winning 45 of its 48 contests. The design employed state-ofthe-art technology when Sharp, and Lockheed Skunk Works friends, designed and built within the parameters laid down for Formula One racers. The airplane was built of pressure-molded graphite epoxy foam core sandwich as a way to keep it lightweight but yet strong enough to withstand the rigors of air racing. Nemesis sported a 66 feet of wing area, five gallons of fuel, and a stock, 100 hp, 200 cubic inch Continental engine. As such, Nemesis was the International Formula One points champion 1994 to 1998. In 1991 it won the George Owl Trophy for design excellence. In 1993, ‘96, and ‘98, it won the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale’s Louis Blèriot Medal for the greatest achievement in speed. In 1993, ‘94, ‘95, and ‘99, Nemesis won the Pulitzer Trophy for air racing speed records. For more information: airbum. com/pireps/PirepPeanutNemisis.html
rc-sportflyer.tumblr.com
Wingspan : 6.25 m (20 ft 6 in.) Length : 5.6 m (18 ft 6 in.) Height : 2.2 m (7 ft 5 in.) Weight gross : 236 kg (520 lb) Top speed : 100 hp Continental O-200 air-cooled
Subscribe @ RCSportFlyer.com
63
REVIEW
BLADE® 230 S DON’T PANIC…. SAFE WILL SAVE YOU! BY JAMES VANWINKLE
66
RC SPORT FLYER • JAN 2017
twitter.com/rcsportflyer
H
The Blade® 230 S arrives completely assembled and the RTF version includes a Spektrum DXe® radio transmitter. It only requires a charge of the batteries. Within an hour it’s ready to fly. The box doubles as a storage/carry case.
elicopters are amazing machines! RC helicopters are even more so, because they can perform stunts that are not possible by a full-scale. A pilot’s learning curve on an RC helicopter can be difficult. Any crash can and often does results in a lot of broken parts. So imagine the upside of a helicopter that would allow a pilot to learn new maneuvers, with risk of loss being almost zero. Enter the latest helicopter from Blade®, the 230 S. It will up your game in every sense, thanks to its stellar performance and SAFE® technology, which will bail you out of a sticky situation. Blade® offers many helicopter sizes. They’re designed to fit the needs of any heli pilot, and one of their latest offerings is the 230 S. This helicopter will let you perform amazing stunts, or gently fly it in circles if the pilot chooses, and all on a standard 3-cell LiPo battery. It has the technology built in to help beginners or advanced flyers get to that next level with confidence.
The main blades are made from durable ABS material, and the canopy is ultra-lightweight plastic. You can see how small it is compared to the transmitter, though it flies like a much larger helicopter.
rc-sportflyer.tumblr.com
Subscribe @ RCSportFlyer.com
67