Product Reviews

In my March/April 2005 “Radio Spectrum” column in RCM magazine, the topic was a truly revolutionary radio system—the XP9303 from JR (Horizon Hobby). This 9-channel radio system has a 30-model memory and three model types (airplane, sailplane and helicopter) with virtually limitless programming options via a unique rolling selector system. This 72MHz system became my favorite; now it has been improved with a built-in 2.4 Spread Spectrum system (add-on modules for the 72 version are also available).

Positioned neatly between Futaba’s sport radio line and itsextreme high-end systems, the new 12FG is a full-tilt, top-end,no-holds-barred radio in a very refined package. Though missingsome of the bling of the 12Z and 14MZ, you don’t have to pay foranything that you might not really need. When you’re flying, mostimportant are all the little things that add up to a higher level of controlover your prized model; there, this radio doesn’t skimp on anything. Ifyou want the best for less, look closely at Futaba’s new 12FG radio.

Built in 1931, the Model Y is widely regarded as the finest flying Gee Bee to come out of the Granville brothers’ Springfield, MA, shop. Though it doesn’t have the familiar Gee Bee silhouette, the Model Y exemplifies the grace and elegance that make Golden Age aircraft so appealing. Originally conceived as a two-place sport flyer, the Model Y’s smooth handling and high performance also made it a natural for racing and aerobatic displays.

For nearly 60 years, the T-34 Mentor has been used as a primary militarytrainer for both the US Military and several air forces and navies throughoutthe world. The Mentor was a private venture designed by the infamousWalter Beech (Beechcraft Aircraft) and presented and marketed as aneconomical replacement to the North American T-6 Texan in the late1940’s. Once accepted, production of the first “A” models began in1953 with a Continental 6-cylinder 185-horsepower engine.

Readers of my Primary Training column will already know of my love for unpowered flight. I started in RC with sailplanes and love the pure feel of soaring. That said, powered sailplanes likely offer a more user-friendly alternative by eliminating the traditional hi-start or winch.

Sunset is fast approaching and the night air is still. I am behind the controls of a military helicopter patrolling the air around our satellite base station. An uneasy feeling comes over me, putting me on high alert. As I hover past my base station again, “BAM!” I am suddenly hit out of nowhere and my heli spins out of control.

I feel like I was able to capture all the features I wanted in this particular design. It builds very fast. In my case in three days time! There is a chance that Aero Craft Ltd, will be making a kit of the PARK-PATTERN. If not a full kit then a short kit with laser cut ribs. The new Hitec AURORA Spread spectrum RC system provided perfectly smooth

The words Depron and high speed are rarely found in the same sentence. Describing the Gordo, however, calls for an exception. The Gordo is a small, purpose-built speed plane made almost entirely of Depron. It has achieved speeds …

Skyshark designed this scale Bf-109for .60 2-stroke to .90 4-stroke sizeglow engines, but I decided to convert it to electric flight by installing a power system consisting of an AXI 5320-28 brushless outrunner motor, 8-cell BalancePro HD Li-Poly pack and Jeti Advance 90 Plus speed control. With well over 100 watts per pound, this classic WWII warbird offers unlimited vertical, smooth performance,and a mixed-flying duration of 7 to 10 minutes. This project is a testament to the advantages of electric power for scale warbirdapplications.

Scott's Micro Staggerwing is a tour de force in micro scale RC modeling. It was his wish that we share his plan for this model with our readers, and so we have decided to make it available as a free download to encourage as many people as possible to build a version of their own.

This kit has been on the market for a while, so I won’t review the product. Instead, I’ll concentrate on what I had to do to turn the stock Top Flite DC-3 kit into a successful electric-powered model. I will also explain the changes I made to finish it as a C-47 and to enhance its appeal as a super-scale model.

The new Futaba 10C radio offers unprecedented flexibility and value for RC pilots everywhere, with prolevel performance at a very affordable price. This offering is an evolution of Futaba’s very popular 9C/9C Super series, with many updates and a seamless transition that will be greatly appreciated by longtime Futaba pilots. The 10C is designed primarily for intermediate and advanced pilots, and in my mind is a perfect opportunity to make the leap to 2.4GHz if you have been holding out and waiting for the technology to mature.

I hesitate to describe any RC product using that term, but in the case of the new Spektrum DX7, revolutionary is the perfect word to describe a product that has the potential to fundamentally change the world of RC. Some may think I am being overly dramatic, but I suspect that after reading this article, you just might agree with my take on the Spektrum DX7.