With the Economy in the Dumpster the first thing that suffers is our hobby budget.
Then with my fleet getting old replacing older model becomes harder? even if you
don't crash them and fly a lot ware and tear take its toll on our models .
buying models new/used from other members shipping costs are as much as the model.
I always check our clubs dumpster for discarded models remains, So looking at my Inventory
of parts It suddenly came to me I could build a scratch built using parts and Green foam.
It turned to much harder then having a plan making all the parts and finishing it.
Now I had an Idea and a Lot of Parts but to make a model that would fly good a lot harder then
I had though? I had gone to special trade school to get my A & P and FE Lic's the first thing we were
taught was Air frame we started with building models and the first part was to build Jigs to assure
proper Alignment. i did and then all these parts turned into a Model, I'm always Nervous doing a
maiden on a new scratch built. I did the CG calculation but decided to go a little nose heavy.
Model Fly's great needed no trim other then some up. now with 12 plus flights great flyer
flys like a trainer very stable yet very aerobatic and very easy to land and has been flown off
grass with no problems.

Specs:1230/48.4" WS 1336/52.6" Long Powered by Freewing 70 mm 12 blade Edf 3600 4S 40 c lipo RTF weight 63 Oz

PHONIXMAIDENV2 (7 min 5 sec)

Phoenix flights 3 and 4 (5 min 40 sec)

I built a Couple of scratch built EDF jets last year while both flew well they just didn't have the performance
I had hoped for I when back and decided that I wanted to build lighter and bigger. I employed new lighter
Building techniques and a new model has a 32"Wing Span 28 in long now Powered by a 70 mm 4S fan.
I started this in 2020 then it sat during Covid now finally flying The maiden show poor performance so
I changed the wing and power and now as seen in the video a fast very stable easy to fly model with
good slow speed handling. Because of its size not easy to hand launch. will now install retracts.

LIGHT WEIGHT SCRATCH BUILT EDF JET (5 min 31 sec)

...Continue Reading

New scratch built 70 mm EDF tiger Jet - Building a larger( 20% ) of my successful 56 MM smaller Tiger jet
the new larger one will have some small changes including electric retracts , it will be built using LOWES
green foam , covered with Foam Tac Fiberglass cloth and Foam Tac Foam finish meant to fly on a 3000 ml amp
4s Lipo and a 6 blade FW 70 mm fan
The wings are both fiber glassed using the Foam Tac Light Fiber glass cloth and Foam finish
Empty weight: 33 oz RTF weight with 2200 4s 65 c lipo 41.5
Dimensions: 40 in long wing span 32 in's wing area is 242 sq in's, wing apsect 4.77,wing taper 0....Continue Reading

Its winter Had some thoughts about building a New EDF jet that will fly easily off our small and narrow Runway .
Something light but with a wide speed range - with the popularity of 70 and 80 mm EDF's I thought thats would be
what I would build.
I started with a pro type using an EDF- from Flyzone L-39 as a hand launch model with a 70 MM with retracts
to follow - Then an 80/90 mm model.
Specifications: WS 24" Wing Area 156 length 37" wing aspect 3.69 RTF weight 25.6 oz empty weight 19.0 oz
Finally not great weather -but a decent day and got to maiden my Tiger Jet, I had used the cg Calculator but it
was a little tail heavy - i had a good flight -but winds once again winds when up so the slight changes will wait for another day
Now with with minor changes to the ducting and slight changes to the Cg is now flying so much better fly's great at half throttle
easy to hand launch and easy to fly

TIGER JET MAIDEN (2 min 23 sec)

TIGER JET LOW PASS'S (1 min 38 sec)

...Continue Reading

I've been building and flying models for over 62 years I done a lot great projects ,when E-flight came out with there new Cherokee
I knew I had to build one. I learned to fly and got my LIC at 16 in 1968 and one of the planes I trained on was a Piper Cherokee 140
A few year later I was able to purchase a 1973 Piper Cherokee Cruiser ( a cruiser has 150 hp and 2+2 seating} I spent many happy
hour's and adventures with my Cherokee tail Number N15800 .
I ended up purchasing 3 of them . I decided to build the first in the the second paint job on 800. I put one together too see how it
flew and was very Impressed with how it flew .
I removed all the factory paint and decals and lightly sanded the foam, I then cover the entire model with Foam Tac light weight
Fiberglass cloth and Foam Tac Foam finish a water based product - the model was sanded and painted using an air brush .
I was very happy with the results - the model looks great and I have to thank Foam Tac for the great results.
I have started on my second one . E-Flight did a great job on a classic aircraft that many other like my self learned
to fly on.

Cherokee 15800 rc (2 min 21 sec)

...Continue Reading

My winter project just completed - I took a Fly Fly 90 MM Hawk and did some modifications to make it more scale and covered it with
FOAM-TAC'S Fiberglass cloth and There Foam Finish which is a water based product - which makes not only fiberglassing easy but
with no odors and easy clean up - once the fiber glass was applied I was able to remove a lot of the excess foam - in some parts the
foam was 22-24 mm thick -I was able to thin the foam 6-10 mm without weakening the models structure.
the combination of the light covering and foam removal allowed for a ready to fly jet using a freewing 90 mm fan and 6 s 4000
35 c lipo with a ready to fly weight of 100 oz (2834 grams) the model features electric retracts, flaps, complete lighting system
Full flying stab using a CNC machined 6MM aluminum stabilizer system,

90MM TIGER HAWK (3 min 26 sec)

...Continue Reading

Having been building models for over 60 years its nice to find new Products that make model building easier and better
having used some of the BEACON ADHESIVES products on my last project, I decided to scratch build one of my favorite
EDF jets a larger version of the SKY ANGEL 50 mm Hawk - my scratch built version is approx 20% larger and is fiberglass
over foam with a READY TO FLY WEIGHT of 13.5 oz using the same basic set up a XRP 50 mm fan ,30 amp ESC and a
1000 3 s 30c lipo. the basic construction is home insulation foam from Lowe's , cut with hot wire .then sanded .
then covered with Foam Tac Fiberglass cloth and Foam tac Foam finish which is a water based product
which is also odorless and easy to use . this made a very strong model and also allowed for very thin wings but
strong with little flex and no spar. the model came out very nice ,light about the same weight as its smaller counterpart.
as originally built it didn't fly correctly- I needed to add a cheater vent to get better airflow- the model now with over 100
flights has been retired to become Foam Tac's Product display for trade shows

FOAM TAC 50MM JET (2 min 37 sec)

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After very good results on my last scratch built twin 50 MM jet
I'm building a large more aerodynamic version from the success
it will include some exciting new building products from FOAM-TAC
that will help to build a lighter but stronger model.
wing span 54 in 56"long ,power by 12 blade CS fan with a 1680 kva
motor - empty weight 64 oz
designed to fly on 4s-6s lipo

F 90 SPORT JET (3 min 35 sec)

Looking at my Blog it seems its been 4 years since my last entry.a lot has happened. Lives change some good things have happened
and some bad things . for the last year and a half I been sick and life has come almost to a stand still . starting to make a little progress into getting better. not much flying or building , now selling my home almost all my models are gone. except a couple of little 50mm BEA hawks I have found they are not only easy and fun to fly but I enjoy them . since I started building and designing models over 55 years ago modeling and designing have changed quite a bit.I had met someone who filled my life with a new hope that anything is possible at any age . so while I await selling my house and slowly start to feel better I was asked to design a easy to fly EDF trainer with all the new jets a good trainer was needed . I decided to build something completely new A sexy modern looking model with good handing ,easy to fly for first time EDF pilots but still have the good looks . I will call in Angel 1 Angela after a very beautiful and sexy woman I know.today most design on the computer and build - I decided to go as I learned long ago take my idea build a mock up glider then work out all the necessary changes and build the flying model -then draw the final plan

Angel 1 RC 70 mm Trainer (3 min 9 sec)

ANGEL 1 RC F 70MM (5 min 22 sec)

...Continue Reading

One of the best things about Modeling , is you can scratch build your
own designs . in the real world you can't just go to boeing and say I'd
have a great idear and would like to design your next great airplane.

But in modeling you can take you dream from drawing board to
Flying field , and the feeling of seeing your design's fly ,to me is
what this hobby is all about - FUN . I've building and flying models
over 50 years from free flight /u control to RC , one of my first
designs was a single channel Pulse model , I worked and learned
from a great RCer Ken Willard .

your design can be simple to comlex or as most of us find ourself
doing we redesign or we kit bash some of our...Continue Reading

just completed my Fly Fly Hawk using a new covering method called
glass light , In the past I have used Polyglass on foam , which is
water based polycrylic and tissue paper . but I have had great sucess
with this . but now with most Foam models being EPO foam
I had problems with the tissue lifting in the sun EPO like's to
bubble (aligator) in the hot sun so this time . I tryed heavy tissue
and finish cure 20 min epoxy mixed 75/25 with alcohol . the results
are excellent , the main avantage is its much lighter the old fashion
fiberglassing .

7/25/2012 Maiden Flight , sucessful , with minor landing accident
model flow in 12-17 mph crosswind

fly fly 90 mm on board (5 min 47 sec)

I'm building my second Windridder 737 , and trying to develope new
ways of finishing it to make it more scale:

But i alway's felt that this is supost to be fun , so I decided to take
a break for a quick fun project .

almost every flight of a 737 starts with a pushback from the gate
from a special tractor. so i thought why not build a pushback
tractor .

I looked in the junk pile and there was an old rc toy 4x4 truck
that would make the perfact bed for my little project.
this is more my own design that what real one look like but it was
fun

Push back tractor (0 min 33 sec)

back in the 70's while living in San Diego , I did volunteer work building a flying copy of the spirit of St Louis. this was a great ,learning experience
sadly there are too few skilled builder's left , so it was great to work
with these men. Claude Ryan the original builder helped also.
one of the hilights was a visit from Jimmy Dolittle - and a chance
to talk with him....Continue Reading

Nitro planes Dynam DC-3

a very nice version of the famed Douglas Dc-3 the entire model
is covered with tissue and Miniwax Polycrylic

My beautiful Boeing 737-700 finished with tissue and WBPU
just return from being displayed and doing demo flights
at the N E AT fair the model was a very big hit,
easy to fly with great looks