CATEGORIES

GETTING INTO GAS ENGINES

Expert installation & setup tips

Jim McQueen and his P-51B Mustang

One of the most active warbird centric clubs in the Northeast region of the country is the Long Island Skyhawks.

SCALE MAKEOVER

A new scheme for a P-39

LEGEND HOBBY - SPITFIRE 50 GP/EP ARF

This winning warbird is a fast build and flies like a dream

HATCH IT!

Don’tcha almost hate it when you come across a good looking scale model in the pit area with a bunch of exposed switches, fuel fillers and charging jacks bolted, glued or otherwise taped or fastened to the exterior of its beautiful finish? I know, right? Well after very careful investigation I have come to the conclusion that the “reason” may be the result of a simple explanation.

SUPERMARINE SPITFIRE MK II

PLANES WORTH MODELING

PILOT PROJECTS

SHOWCASING WHAT YOU BUILD & FLY

Never Stop Flying!

A longtime Model Airplane News contributor, Nick Ziroli Sr. has influenced our hobby for decades.

SAL'S POLIKARPOV I-16

Valery Chkalov Red Five

HIDING YOUR RC GEAR

After spending hundreds of hours building a giant-scale airplane, modelers can easily invest in many more hours adding scale details.

Bavarian Demon - Cortex 3-Axis Flight Stabilization System with USB

A not-so-well-kept secret of many competitive scale and jet RC pilots, the Bavarian Demon Cortex is like an electronic way to turn off the wind! Distributed by Chief Aircraft, the Demon Cortex 3-axis Stabilization System with USB costs $289.

P-47 - This WW II warbird will make you an ace!

The P-47 Thunderbolt is one of the most iconic pursuit planes of WW II. Nicknamed “the Jug,” the Thunderbolt broke the mold when it first saw service. Crew members were astonished at the sheer size of the aircraft as it was much larger than other aircraft at the time. The P-47 swiftly became revered by both its pilots and the crew members that maintained it. It was an absolute hunting machine with eight .50 caliber machine guns and a maximum range of about 1,000 miles. It has been said that the P-47 is one of the best “heavy metal” warbirds to fly! Legend Hobby with Seagull Models offers the P-47 in several sizes, but this new 81-inch-span giant-scale version comes with a ton of scale features. I have always loved the P-47 and have wanted one in my RC hangar.

PAINT OVER FILM COVERING

The easy technique for spray-on weathering and detailing

MONSTER-SCALE B-25 MITCHELL Paul LeTourneau's Amazing Panchito

When it comes to amazing, monster-scale warbirds, one of our all-time favorites is this awesome B-25 Mitchell built and flown by Paul LeTourneau of Oconto, Wisconsin. For several years, Paul has been wowing the crowds with his bomber at several warbird events including the annual “Warbirds & Classics over the Midwest” in Fond du lac, WI., and the “Warbirds over Delaware” event in Bear, DE. Paul’s B-25 draws a crowd whenever it shows up on the flightline, and he does an amazing job of piloting his classic twin-engine WW II bomber.

DAWN PATROL 2020

Patrols and dogfights over Long Island

QUADZILLA

A four-motor sport flier with pattern-ship performance

RADIO RUNDUP: Our favorite programmable transmitters

For many years as new and innovative radio systems have become available, Model Airplane News has been here to review them all and have shared our findings with our readers. From 27 and 72MHz to the first 2.4GHz rigs, our editors and contributors have taken these RC radio systems and put them through real-world field and bench testing. The level of sophistication we have today is truly impressive and the radio programming features have reached levels that we couldn’t even dream of back in the day. So here, in no particular order, are our eight favorite editors’ picks for quality, price, and performance.

REVERSE SHARK'S TOOTH WITH A HALF ROLL

For something out of the ordinary, let’s discuss a common International Miniature Aerobatic Club (IMAC) maneuver. While the Reverse Shark’s Tooth can be performed with many different variations, let’s go over it in its most basic form, while adding a half roll during the upline. If you’re interested in learning more about aerobatic maneuvers or competition, then visit the mini-iac.com website. Even if you do not intend to become a competition pilot, this maneuver is a great turn-around maneuver (a fancy way to change flight direction). Also, it will build on your skills as it incorporates the fundamentals of a roll and loop (and performing various radius corners throughout the maneuver), all while maintaining certain flight attitudes in upright and inverted flight. Let’s begin!

Bob Curry's SE5 Scout

A craftsman shows off his work

A FOAMIE FIXATION

To say that Bill Yirka of Enid, Oklahoma likes foam-board RC airplanes would be an understatement, as evidenced by this photo of Bill surrounded by 274 of his own designs. Bill tells us he started flying about six years ago, noting, “Unaware of the local club, I learned on my own, which resulted in a depleted checking account and a lot of crumpled parts that once resembled store-bought wings, tails, and fuselages.”

WARBIRD PILOTS

Every scale plane deserves a scale pilot

Sullivan SkyWriter Smoke Pump

If you have ever been to an RC airshow, then you’ve seen aerobatic airplanes using smoke during their flight routines.

UNDERSTAND YOUR RADIO

Getting the most out of your transmitter

Du-Bro Products

Tru-Spin Prop Balancer

WHAT GOES UP, MUST COME DOWN!

In 1973, a product was introduced to the radio control market that would forever contribute to the design of every scale model and pattern model on the planet.

PRO PILOT TURNING TIPS

The keys to flying smooth, consistent moves every time

SEAN CURRY'S HAWKER TEMPEST

The backstory of a Top Gun Contender

REDUNDANT POWER-SUPPLY OPTIONS

When you build a realistic giant-scale model of a specific full-size aircraft, you have many options to consider.

STEM EDUCATION & RC AIRPLANES

As more of our daily lives become dependent on computer programmers and engineers, schools are turning to STEM (Science Technology Engineering and mathematics) curriculum to teach students the skills that they need to someday work in these fields.

GETTING STARTED WITH HELICOPTERS

10 pro tips you need to know