I picked this up recently on a trade deal and had to build it. A couple of my flying spots are inhabited by Red Tail Hawks and over the years they have joined me in flight while flying everything from a nitro plane to sailplanes. I have never chased them so they seem to enjoy the company just as I do. With that said, I wanted to paint this more or less to look like a RT Hawk to see if the hawks like it or disapprove attacking or flying away with it. There is not a lot on the net regarding this odd looking aircraft but I did find enough to aid me in modifying it to BL power and painting it(mostly on RCGroups).

I used a Hobbyparts 1450kv outrunner, 25A esc, Graupner 8x4 folder prop and Hitec HS65HB servos all to keep weight down and power up. I plan to use a 2200mah 3S to maiden it and even painted it came in at 20.5 oz. using that lipo. CG was spot on and no additional weight had to be added.

I mixed several batches of acrylic paint diluted very thin with water in various shades of tan, gold and browns to achieve the colors to appeal to the hawks. I added gold to the brown colors so it would shimmer in the sunlight and airbrushed gold over the top side of the wings. I painted the comb and waddle red to keep the Funky Chicken look along with the bulging eyes. I did add epoxy over top of beek, eyes and front lower part of belly because I read where guys had the folder prop and ground scrape and tear up the foam from normal use.

The maiden should go well as it is a smidge lighter using brushless power over the brushed recommended set up and having much more power, seems this plane can be a handful when underpowered....

I just had to show it off, more pics to come...

Here are some more pics as it moved along.

Really nice paint job, FlyJ. Those chickens were all the rage about 2004-2005. Get some video if you can - and share it with us

BTW - is your chicken cross eyed or is that a camera/perspective illusion?

TOO FUNNY!!

Joe

Picture of it in its cradle.

A couple in the air.

Did you ever get this flying and get to fly along side any hawk's (or ANY raptor type birds)? Nearly daily I have a RT Hawk come fly with me out at my flying spot (our horse farm), he's tried a few times to grab a micro heli but seems to enjoy flying near larger models (both multirotors and planes).

I'd love to hear about how your buddy did with this or see videos or anything.

It flies awesome, spins like crazy. No hawk encounters yet and has four flights so far. I am selling it locally, funding motorcycle custom paint job