The 1,200+ laser cut pieces of the advanced builders kit for the mighty Hughes Hercules H-4, "Spruce Goose", is now available for pre-ordering on the website Fly2build.com.

It may not be for everybody, but it has been great to see the response that many serious builders have had to the availability of a true scale model kit of this icon of American ingenuity and pride. Visit the site for more information and pictures.

Mike

My 9 year old daughter, and aspiring designer who loves stuffed animals, entered the "design your own Beanie Baby" online contest.

She is currently in the final voting and with the help of RCGroups and you, SHE CAN WIN! If she wins tonight, her drawing will be the "blueprint" for the next Beanie Baby plush toy.

The voting ends in just a few short hours, will you please go here and vote for Morgan and Charlie the Lazy Cow? Thanks so much!

http://makemybeanie.ty.com/mkmybeani...u.php?id=12534

I'm happy to report the launching of a new website in replacement of the old one.

The fresh new site, www.fly2build.com, has more information and product. In addition, it has much better functionality and more accurately reflects the vision of TFC Aeroplanes: I fly to build!!

I hope you'll visit and see the latest news.

Mike MacFarland

Haven't had a chance to update the blog till now, but I'm happy to report that after a year of design and construction, the 100" Span Hughes Hercules H-4 "Spruce Goose" flew 2 successful maiden flights on May 30th, 2008

The design and construction took place during the Buildoff 2.0 in RC Groups "Scale Electric Planes" forum. Construction is of all wood, fiberglass and aluminum paint finish.

There is a contest going between the designer/scratchbuilders and voting is now underway and the polls will close June 19th. Anyone who is a member of RC Groups can vote for their favorite model. More information can be found here about the contest and to view all of the models being judged. To place your vote for the Spruce Goose or the beautiful Baron, visit here.

To see video of the flights, visit this link.
Mike

Our Northern California lifestyle magazine "Enjoy" did a neat article on my grandfather and I as a promotion piece for the R/C modeling hobby. Thought I'd share it here.

The website, TFCaeroplanes, has now been updated for online ordering of the laser cut kits that are currently being offered.

Mike MacFarland

Have you checked out the Honey Pot yet?

Real men apply Aliphatic Resin.

Hello and Happy New Year to all. At the close of 2007, an update seemed in order to reflect the direction I've gone with things.

Over the past 6 months, I have been fortunate to acquire and setup an advanced laser cutting system in my workshop. It features a 24 x 48 cutting bed and high powered laser. In addition, I've been devoting a large part of my time toward creating quality laser cut kits and setting up the website at TFCaeroplanes.com.

My initial kit offering was and continues to be very successful with the Park Strafing Mustang, an 18 inch span, 65 gram built up balsa kit capable of speeds of 60 mph on inexpensive radio and power equipment.

The latest is the Quick "E" Finish, a 23 inch wingspan "Quikie 500" type pylon racer intended as a "one class" pylon event for local club racing. It features simple construction and comes with everything needed for flight in one inexpensive package (just add a Rx and you're flying!). (Web info coming soon)

In addition, I'm under construction and continuing the design of the 100" Spruce Goose for the second Buildoff in the Scale Electric Planes forum. It's been a busy 6 months!

Looking ahead to the next 6 months, I hope to accomplish:
Completion and maiden of the Spruce Goose.
Design and Production Kits of a Micro "Nothstar" built by a LHS owner.
Addition of another Micro Warbird to create a "line" rather than a "single".

Well, that should keep things busy around here. Glad you stopped by, hope to talk to you soon

My grandfather is to blame....at least that's what I have come up with. Thirty-seven years down the pike with a lifetime of gluing and fitting wood parts together, my life immersed in this hobby and a full time construction business- and all can be traced back to my boyhood visits watching my grandfather in amazement in a small, upper level condo in Torrance, CA, as he glued and tissued models that literally covered every square inch of floor and wall area (not to mention the "bathtub boys"- ones that wouldn't fit anywhere else so you can guess where they made home). HE had been bit by the modeling bug BAD as a boy, and a lifetime of literally thousands of scratchbuilt models from every type and genre were displaying the fruits of his labors. Not that all were here, only a portion. Many had been farmed out, given away, displayed in museums, sold, etc. but each was carefully logged on an old pad of paper with it's name and birthdate. A Navy pilot in WW2, a career in aviation, and raising a family with Ambroid coated fingers was the life he chose and loves to this day. One visit from my grandparents to our home up north in Palo Cedro, Ca, when I was a boy would change my life forever.

Grandma and Martini (long story, not a drunk) came for their annual visit and were bearing gifts as always. I was the recipient of a Guillows "Javelin" rubber band powered model, while my brother got the "Lancer". I set to work right away and after...Continue Reading