Review These RC Battery Charger Models
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A quality
RC battery charger
like the MRC SuperBrain 969 above is essential for enjoying your radio control models to the max and in fact, a good charger can actually save you money by keeping your rechargeable batteries in prime condition thereby getting the most life out of them. Ensuring that the batteries are ready for use when you need them most is the job of either an A/C or D/C charger. Some of the models I recommend here even offer both power source options for convenience and the ability to recharge in the field where the action is.
The GWS MC-2002 charger is microprocessor controlled with Automatic Delta Peak detection for both Ni-Cd and Ni-MH battery packs. Input Voltage Range: DC 9.0 ~ 15.0 V Charging Current: 0.25 ~ 6.00A Continuous Battery Types: 50 mAh ~ 3000 mAh Ni-Cd or Ni-MH Cells: 4 ~ 12 Cells Protection: Output Reverse Polarity and Short Protection Maximum Charge Time: 90 Minutes with Safety Cut-off Readout: Large Scale Current Meter Cooling: Sturdy Aluminum Case with Heavy Duty Heat SinkHigh quality, simple to use and very affordable at around $45, you really can't go wrong!
When you're ready for lithium power in your models you'll need to buy an RC battery charger dedicated to lithium cells because the technology is very different from NiCd and NiMh batteries. And please don't make the mistake of trying to charge your lithiums with a standard charger because there's the very real danger of an explosion and fire!What I believe is one of the very best values in the RC battery charger field today is the
ProPeak Prodigy II.
A fully digital DC charger for under $70, its capable of doing everything that others costing 3 times as much can do, and it does it well. Whether you want to charge/discharge 1-5 cell lithium batteries, lead acid or any number of NiCd/NiMh batteries, this is an excellent buy!I hope you find what you're looking for here and if you don't then feel free to contact me by email from the Homepage or phone at 1-250-727-9793 Pacific time zone.Cheers,Steve..
Simple lithium charger here
Jun 17, 2008
May 13, 2008
Remote control blimp info
A Remote Control Blimp For Everyone
The
remote control blimp
is one particularly interesting aircraft in the RC flying arsenal you may never have considered. But you love to fly radio controlled aircraft, right? From park flyers to jets and helis to gliders, flying is fun. The RC blimp is a fascinating craft, surprisingly affordable, that comes in a wide range of sizes, shapes and flying capabilities and is used for pleasure, business and grand scale entertainment.The ones most RC enthusiasts purchase are 1.5-6 feet long and are used solely for pleasure flying. Businesses normally go for remote control blimps that are 6-12 feet long and are used for advertising and at commercial events, like trade shows. Mammoth RC blimps, some over 30 feet long, are used for advertising and announcements are various sports events and other arena-style gatheringsthese blimps, while radio-controlled, are usually tethered.Getting into lighter-than-air crafts, or airships, as they are often called, involves learning some new terms for components and finding a solid source for helium. Here is a basic list of airship parts:Envelope (also known as the Hull) made of a flexible material with good tensile strength, like Mylar, the envelope that makes up the shape of the airship. The envelope is held in its expanded shape from the internal over-pressure created when it is filled with helium gas. Gondola a container attached to the aft of the airship that normally contains your RC receiver, batteries and motors. Motors may be mounted to the gondola on the backside or one on each side, for extra power. Some motors can be mounted so that they can tilt up and down, creating what is known as vectored thrust.Power Plant combustion engines or electric motors are used to power remote control blimps. Many blimp enthusiasts recommend electric motors, which are heavier than combustion engines, but have better throttle control and can utilize reverse for low speed manoeuvres. Electric motors also maintain their weight throughout your flight, unlike gas engines, which will loose mass as their fuel burns. Propeller as with any propelled aircraft, the RC blimp has special flight needs regarding their propellers. With much of their flight manoeuvrability dependent on low rpm running, a larger prop is usually found to be more efficient.Rudders airship rudders perform the same function as other RC aircraft, controlling direction and aiding in stabilization. Airship rudders are going to be much lighter and have more surface area than those of a plane.A remote control blimp is capable of extreme aerial acrobatics climbing, diving, rolls, flips, loops and even standing on their noses. They can often be purchased as complete RTF units, with the blimp envelope, transmitter/controller, gondola, ballast weights and rechargeable lithium cell. You only need batteries for the transmitter and helium and you are ready to fly. You can expect a 100-300 foot transmitter range, depending on the size of your transmitter. Many RC blimps also include the capability of pre-programmable light displays, music and sound effects.Although remote control blimp flying is usually best indoors, there are some models that can be flown outside on very calm daysor nights! No matter where you fly though, this is one aircraft that is so much fun to fly, you never stop smiling.
The
remote control blimp
is one particularly interesting aircraft in the RC flying arsenal you may never have considered. But you love to fly radio controlled aircraft, right? From park flyers to jets and helis to gliders, flying is fun. The RC blimp is a fascinating craft, surprisingly affordable, that comes in a wide range of sizes, shapes and flying capabilities and is used for pleasure, business and grand scale entertainment.The ones most RC enthusiasts purchase are 1.5-6 feet long and are used solely for pleasure flying. Businesses normally go for remote control blimps that are 6-12 feet long and are used for advertising and at commercial events, like trade shows. Mammoth RC blimps, some over 30 feet long, are used for advertising and announcements are various sports events and other arena-style gatheringsthese blimps, while radio-controlled, are usually tethered.Getting into lighter-than-air crafts, or airships, as they are often called, involves learning some new terms for components and finding a solid source for helium. Here is a basic list of airship parts:Envelope (also known as the Hull) made of a flexible material with good tensile strength, like Mylar, the envelope that makes up the shape of the airship. The envelope is held in its expanded shape from the internal over-pressure created when it is filled with helium gas. Gondola a container attached to the aft of the airship that normally contains your RC receiver, batteries and motors. Motors may be mounted to the gondola on the backside or one on each side, for extra power. Some motors can be mounted so that they can tilt up and down, creating what is known as vectored thrust.Power Plant combustion engines or electric motors are used to power remote control blimps. Many blimp enthusiasts recommend electric motors, which are heavier than combustion engines, but have better throttle control and can utilize reverse for low speed manoeuvres. Electric motors also maintain their weight throughout your flight, unlike gas engines, which will loose mass as their fuel burns. Propeller as with any propelled aircraft, the RC blimp has special flight needs regarding their propellers. With much of their flight manoeuvrability dependent on low rpm running, a larger prop is usually found to be more efficient.Rudders airship rudders perform the same function as other RC aircraft, controlling direction and aiding in stabilization. Airship rudders are going to be much lighter and have more surface area than those of a plane.A remote control blimp is capable of extreme aerial acrobatics climbing, diving, rolls, flips, loops and even standing on their noses. They can often be purchased as complete RTF units, with the blimp envelope, transmitter/controller, gondola, ballast weights and rechargeable lithium cell. You only need batteries for the transmitter and helium and you are ready to fly. You can expect a 100-300 foot transmitter range, depending on the size of your transmitter. Many RC blimps also include the capability of pre-programmable light displays, music and sound effects.Although remote control blimp flying is usually best indoors, there are some models that can be flown outside on very calm daysor nights! No matter where you fly though, this is one aircraft that is so much fun to fly, you never stop smiling.
May 12, 2008
Build a remote control helicopter
How to build a remote control helicopter
Youve jumped into the
remote control helicopter
hobby and you are about to find yourself with more fun than one person can handle, so why not drag along a friend? Lets start at the beginning with how to build an RC helicopter so you can get busy having some of that fun.First, you need to decide on which model helicopter you are interested in. Once you have it built youll be ready to start flying no matter which one you decide to build, and for the most part the skill level is the same, so why not pick a chopper that appeals to you?Building your remote control helicopter is a daunting task but worth every minute and with the right set of tools and the instructions [yes you do have to read them] youll be up for the challenge and you can be proud of the end result.The best way to decide which RC helicopter to buy is to have a look at the different choppers that are available. Read reviews on the different models and types to discover which fly the best and which fly the worst, find out what others like or dislike about certain models. After that, youll be able to make an informed decision and you wont be wondering if you made the right choice.Purchasing your remote control helicopter is just the beginning. Then you will also need to purchase the various parts that you will need like an engine to make it run, the gyro that will control the rotor, the servos and radio controls which is how you will talk to your RC helicopter. The servo is installed in the helicopter and it is where the signals from the remotes are transmitted to.Next, you need to be sure that you have all the tools that you will need to build your helicopter. Nut drivers, ball drivers, screw drivers, pliers, wrenches, fuel filters, glow plugs, pitch gauge, all kinds of nuts and bolts. No matter which kit you buy there always seems to be a screw or two missing, or you loose one while doing the assembly, oh yes, and dont forget those repairs youll have to make after a crash. And you will crash everybody does at first. In fact, its half the fun of learning to fly.After youve built your remote control helicopter, its almost time to take it for a test flight. Remember, anything that turns must be balanced, your end points need to be equal, and all the bolts need to be tight. If you have a friend thats an experienced RC helicopter pilot, ask them to look over your project to make sure youve got it all right. And now its time for lift off the moment youve been waiting for has arrived. What an exhilarating feeling watching the remote control helicopter soar high above. Dont worry this is only the beginning of a whole lot of fun in the RC world.
Youve jumped into the
remote control helicopter
hobby and you are about to find yourself with more fun than one person can handle, so why not drag along a friend? Lets start at the beginning with how to build an RC helicopter so you can get busy having some of that fun.First, you need to decide on which model helicopter you are interested in. Once you have it built youll be ready to start flying no matter which one you decide to build, and for the most part the skill level is the same, so why not pick a chopper that appeals to you?Building your remote control helicopter is a daunting task but worth every minute and with the right set of tools and the instructions [yes you do have to read them] youll be up for the challenge and you can be proud of the end result.The best way to decide which RC helicopter to buy is to have a look at the different choppers that are available. Read reviews on the different models and types to discover which fly the best and which fly the worst, find out what others like or dislike about certain models. After that, youll be able to make an informed decision and you wont be wondering if you made the right choice.Purchasing your remote control helicopter is just the beginning. Then you will also need to purchase the various parts that you will need like an engine to make it run, the gyro that will control the rotor, the servos and radio controls which is how you will talk to your RC helicopter. The servo is installed in the helicopter and it is where the signals from the remotes are transmitted to.Next, you need to be sure that you have all the tools that you will need to build your helicopter. Nut drivers, ball drivers, screw drivers, pliers, wrenches, fuel filters, glow plugs, pitch gauge, all kinds of nuts and bolts. No matter which kit you buy there always seems to be a screw or two missing, or you loose one while doing the assembly, oh yes, and dont forget those repairs youll have to make after a crash. And you will crash everybody does at first. In fact, its half the fun of learning to fly.After youve built your remote control helicopter, its almost time to take it for a test flight. Remember, anything that turns must be balanced, your end points need to be equal, and all the bolts need to be tight. If you have a friend thats an experienced RC helicopter pilot, ask them to look over your project to make sure youve got it all right. And now its time for lift off the moment youve been waiting for has arrived. What an exhilarating feeling watching the remote control helicopter soar high above. Dont worry this is only the beginning of a whole lot of fun in the RC world.
RC Battery
Great RC Battery Deals Here!
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When you want an RC battery for your radio control car, truck, boat, heli or plane, you want top quality at reasonable prices. I've spent many hours searching the Internet for these valuable batteries from reliable suppliers and I think you'll be pleased with the results.
Bear in mind that a NiMh battery is superior in many ways to the equivelant NiCd battery in that it's much lighter, the charge lasts longer and nickel-metal hydride is friendlier to the environment because it does not contain the toxic chemicals found in other batteries. They are however more expensive but the price keeps dropping now that LiPoly cells are on the market.
I trust that you'll find all that you need here but if you don't, then feel free to contact me and I'll try my best to supply you with the battery of your choice.
Rechargeable R/C Batteries
More RC batteries
Lithium Polymer Batteries
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When you want an RC battery for your radio control car, truck, boat, heli or plane, you want top quality at reasonable prices. I've spent many hours searching the Internet for these valuable batteries from reliable suppliers and I think you'll be pleased with the results.
Bear in mind that a NiMh battery is superior in many ways to the equivelant NiCd battery in that it's much lighter, the charge lasts longer and nickel-metal hydride is friendlier to the environment because it does not contain the toxic chemicals found in other batteries. They are however more expensive but the price keeps dropping now that LiPoly cells are on the market.
I trust that you'll find all that you need here but if you don't, then feel free to contact me and I'll try my best to supply you with the battery of your choice.
Rechargeable R/C Batteries
More RC batteries
Lithium Polymer Batteries
Apr 9, 2008
Hobby RC Cars Information
Hobby RC Cars Information Guide
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Hobby RC cars
or radio control cars, are one of the hottest sports in America with kids and adults alike! There are two power sources to choose from - gas and electric and in this article I'm going to discuss only electric cars. If you're mainly interested in a gas or nitro hobby rc car, I've got another page that completely covers that topic and you can read it if you Click Here Now.
The hugely popular electric radio control cars are the most popular choice of first-timers, and for several good reasons:
1) Simple construction and operation makes them the easiest type of hobby rc cars
2) They're less expensive than similar gas powered models
3) They don't make much noise which allow you to drive electric radio control cars indoors
4) And because they aren't messy like gas powered versions, they really appeal to many people
Having said all that in favor of electric powered hobby rc cars, I will mention that they don't have nearly the high performance features of their gas powered counterparts but you can improve that with aftermarket parts and engines upgrades. Stock models, out of the box, will usually run up to 10 minutes before the batteries need recharging, which takes about 15 minutes. By having a second battery pack fully charged and ready when the battery runs low will save down time and after all, we want to be playing...not waiting!
If this is your first hobby rc car, you may want to get a Ready-to-Run (RTR) unit complete with a 2-channel radio so you can be on the road in about an hour. Speeds of between 20-30 miles per hour are common and Nikko radio control cars offer a good variety, but they're certainly not the only manufacturers out there. These types of vehicles are usually targeted at new modelers and "backyard" drivers, rather than racers bent on winning organized competitions. But again, as your skills grow, you can improve your hobby rc cars speed and operation with upgrades like a new motor.
Motors are classified as either Stock or Modified. Stock motors have plain bushings, fixed timing, and 27 turns of machine-wound wire and it usually comes with the car kit. Modfied motors have ball bearings, custom winds, and adjustable timing...offering very different performance specs for your radio control cars. Fewer winds usually equals greater rpm's and shorter run time while more wire strands usually means smoother acceleration. Some of the very best (and most expensive) electric motors available are made by a company named Hacker Brushless.
Many more hobby rc cars come in kit form. You get all the parts necessary to assemble the model including instructions. Often, such basics as the body, motor and radio control electronics may need to be purchased as extras. The benefit of the kit is that there is much to be learned about your car that you will learn during building, and this knowledge will help when making any necessary adjustments or repairs. Building time of a kit can range from 10 hours to 20 hours. The other obvious advantage here is that you can fully customize your hobby rc car to your heart's content. Of course, this is the more expensive route to go so it really depends on your desire and wallet.
"Scale" is a term with two meanings. In one sense, it can refer to the size relationship between a model and an actual vehicle. For instance, the most popular scales of R/C vehicles are 1:8, 1:10 and 1:12. The 1:10 scale category definitely provides the most choices for a first-time hobbyist. However, scale can also refer to a hobby rc cars trueness to a real car's appearance and/or features. Many popular street and racing vehicles have been recreated "to scale" for RC enthusiasts to enjoy.
What If I Want to Compete Radio Control Cars?The two main organizations in R/C racing are ROAR (Radio Operated Auto Racing)and NORRCA (National Organization for Racing Radio Controlled Autos. Visit their websites for information on racing classes, as well as upcoming regional and national racing events.
Safety tip: Whenever operating your hobby rc cars, or any RC models, the radio transmitter should be the first thing switched on (prior to switching on any receivers) and the last thing switched off.
I hope this information was helpful and...have Fun out there!
(Some links open new windows)
Hobby RC cars
or radio control cars, are one of the hottest sports in America with kids and adults alike! There are two power sources to choose from - gas and electric and in this article I'm going to discuss only electric cars. If you're mainly interested in a gas or nitro hobby rc car, I've got another page that completely covers that topic and you can read it if you Click Here Now.
The hugely popular electric radio control cars are the most popular choice of first-timers, and for several good reasons:
1) Simple construction and operation makes them the easiest type of hobby rc cars
2) They're less expensive than similar gas powered models
3) They don't make much noise which allow you to drive electric radio control cars indoors
4) And because they aren't messy like gas powered versions, they really appeal to many people
Having said all that in favor of electric powered hobby rc cars, I will mention that they don't have nearly the high performance features of their gas powered counterparts but you can improve that with aftermarket parts and engines upgrades. Stock models, out of the box, will usually run up to 10 minutes before the batteries need recharging, which takes about 15 minutes. By having a second battery pack fully charged and ready when the battery runs low will save down time and after all, we want to be playing...not waiting!
If this is your first hobby rc car, you may want to get a Ready-to-Run (RTR) unit complete with a 2-channel radio so you can be on the road in about an hour. Speeds of between 20-30 miles per hour are common and Nikko radio control cars offer a good variety, but they're certainly not the only manufacturers out there. These types of vehicles are usually targeted at new modelers and "backyard" drivers, rather than racers bent on winning organized competitions. But again, as your skills grow, you can improve your hobby rc cars speed and operation with upgrades like a new motor.
Motors are classified as either Stock or Modified. Stock motors have plain bushings, fixed timing, and 27 turns of machine-wound wire and it usually comes with the car kit. Modfied motors have ball bearings, custom winds, and adjustable timing...offering very different performance specs for your radio control cars. Fewer winds usually equals greater rpm's and shorter run time while more wire strands usually means smoother acceleration. Some of the very best (and most expensive) electric motors available are made by a company named Hacker Brushless.
Many more hobby rc cars come in kit form. You get all the parts necessary to assemble the model including instructions. Often, such basics as the body, motor and radio control electronics may need to be purchased as extras. The benefit of the kit is that there is much to be learned about your car that you will learn during building, and this knowledge will help when making any necessary adjustments or repairs. Building time of a kit can range from 10 hours to 20 hours. The other obvious advantage here is that you can fully customize your hobby rc car to your heart's content. Of course, this is the more expensive route to go so it really depends on your desire and wallet.
"Scale" is a term with two meanings. In one sense, it can refer to the size relationship between a model and an actual vehicle. For instance, the most popular scales of R/C vehicles are 1:8, 1:10 and 1:12. The 1:10 scale category definitely provides the most choices for a first-time hobbyist. However, scale can also refer to a hobby rc cars trueness to a real car's appearance and/or features. Many popular street and racing vehicles have been recreated "to scale" for RC enthusiasts to enjoy.
What If I Want to Compete Radio Control Cars?The two main organizations in R/C racing are ROAR (Radio Operated Auto Racing)and NORRCA (National Organization for Racing Radio Controlled Autos. Visit their websites for information on racing classes, as well as upcoming regional and national racing events.
Safety tip: Whenever operating your hobby rc cars, or any RC models, the radio transmitter should be the first thing switched on (prior to switching on any receivers) and the last thing switched off.
I hope this information was helpful and...have Fun out there!
Feb 4, 2008
Enjoy the RC model boat hobby
Discover the thrills of an RC model boat
The RC model boat hobby is growing quickly as more and more people discover just how much fun the RC world is. To buy a boat is quite cheap and the electric motors are nice and quiet so you can have some fun and not disturb a sole. So are you ready for the fun of your own RC boat?There are four types of
RC model boats
to choose from: electric, sail, gas, and nitro. Electric is the easiest to maintain, the quietest to use, and the cheapest to buy. With an electric RC model boat, you will have a battery pack and a battery charger. If you want continuous fun, you will invest in a secondary battery pack.If you are ready for a real rush then you just have to have an electric RC model boat! They can reach speeds of 20 mph. Yes, you read it right now thats a rush! And if you use it in a smaller space like the swimming pool in your back yard, the 20 mph is going to feel more like you are doing 50 mph. Be warned once your hooked you are going to have a tough time putting your boat down. Youll be trying to figure out how you missed out on this well kept secret for so long.There are four different types of boat hulls to choose from. The deep V mono hull is probably the most popular of all. They are readily available and are available as either an electric boat, or nitro boat. They can handle rough water, and turn on a dime making them quick and agile. They are also very forgiving to the driver making them a good choice for beginners.The catamaran RC model boat is as nice mix of the hydroplane and the deep V. It does fine in rougher water and because it has less drag than the standard deep V hull, it goes faster. Hydroplanes are also called tunnel hulls and they are the fastest of the four hull styles, but they require water thats like glass otherwise theyll flip. These boats have hardly any contact with the water so the drag is even less and they are even faster. Finally, there is the out rigger, which is a modified hydro hull that is strictly a racing boat for the avid remote control boat enthusiast that feels the need for speed, and simply cant get enough of racing. Which ever type of boat you choose you will want to have a few spare parts on hand. After all, you dont want your fun to come screeching to a halt over a dead battery or a broken prop. There also may be accessories that you will want to buy. If youve purchased a speed boat maybe theres a prop that will make your boat go faster, or some great little decals.If the time has come to find a new hobby and have a little fun then you need to invest in your very own RC model boat. Youll be glad you did!
The RC model boat hobby is growing quickly as more and more people discover just how much fun the RC world is. To buy a boat is quite cheap and the electric motors are nice and quiet so you can have some fun and not disturb a sole. So are you ready for the fun of your own RC boat?There are four types of
RC model boats
to choose from: electric, sail, gas, and nitro. Electric is the easiest to maintain, the quietest to use, and the cheapest to buy. With an electric RC model boat, you will have a battery pack and a battery charger. If you want continuous fun, you will invest in a secondary battery pack.If you are ready for a real rush then you just have to have an electric RC model boat! They can reach speeds of 20 mph. Yes, you read it right now thats a rush! And if you use it in a smaller space like the swimming pool in your back yard, the 20 mph is going to feel more like you are doing 50 mph. Be warned once your hooked you are going to have a tough time putting your boat down. Youll be trying to figure out how you missed out on this well kept secret for so long.There are four different types of boat hulls to choose from. The deep V mono hull is probably the most popular of all. They are readily available and are available as either an electric boat, or nitro boat. They can handle rough water, and turn on a dime making them quick and agile. They are also very forgiving to the driver making them a good choice for beginners.The catamaran RC model boat is as nice mix of the hydroplane and the deep V. It does fine in rougher water and because it has less drag than the standard deep V hull, it goes faster. Hydroplanes are also called tunnel hulls and they are the fastest of the four hull styles, but they require water thats like glass otherwise theyll flip. These boats have hardly any contact with the water so the drag is even less and they are even faster. Finally, there is the out rigger, which is a modified hydro hull that is strictly a racing boat for the avid remote control boat enthusiast that feels the need for speed, and simply cant get enough of racing. Which ever type of boat you choose you will want to have a few spare parts on hand. After all, you dont want your fun to come screeching to a halt over a dead battery or a broken prop. There also may be accessories that you will want to buy. If youve purchased a speed boat maybe theres a prop that will make your boat go faster, or some great little decals.If the time has come to find a new hobby and have a little fun then you need to invest in your very own RC model boat. Youll be glad you did!
Feb 3, 2008
Upgraded GWS A-10 RC Plane review
Review of the GWS A-10 Warthog RC Plane
RC plane review by Fred Bronk
Wingspan: 38.1"
Wing Area: 13.95 dm2
Weight: 12-14 oz.
Length: 34.3"
Wing Loading: 8.5-9.6 oz/sq ft.
Transmitter: 4-ch recommended
Battery: 7x730AAA nimh (recommended), 3s1p Apogee LiPo 1500ma
Motors: 2 GWS EDF55 fan w/S300 brushed motors
Most of us
RC plane
fans who know anything about aircraft are familiar with the Fairchild A-10
Thunderbolt II, also known as the Warthog. This highly maneuverable ground
attack sub-sonic aircraft with a 30mm rotary canon has been in service since
1973. It was actually being phased out in the late 80s when a need arose for
it again.
It can withstand major
damage and still fly and even has a titanium tub around the pilot for
protection. The A-10 has brought more than one pilot home that would not have made it otherwise in any other aircraft. It was even designed to land with the
wheels in the retracted position without sustaining major damage!
The A-10s layout is
great for an RC plane model with its twin turbofans on pylons above the fuselage,
meaning no ducting to mess with. The bottom and sides of the fuselage are flat
with tricycle landing gear for good ground handling. The large wing is not
swept back and has a thick reflex airfoil incorporating anti-vortex turned down
wing tips.
I was lucky enough to get
a pre-production GWS A-10 RC plane at the International Modelers Show from Mr.
Lin. The A-10 was molded in white foam like all GWS Parkflyers rc airplanes. It was designed
to use 4 channels, using the 4th channel for nose wheel steering instead of the
normal rudder. It included two GWS EDF-50 (50 being the diameter of the
impeller in mm) units with IPS brushed motors. These EDF units seemed a little
small and some early flight reports were that this rc plane was a little under
powered with them. Some replaced the stock 3 blade impeller with 5 blade units
and some went up to 8 cells. But the IPS motor and fan could only do so much
and the A-10 rc plane was not really happy either way.
I have flown a couple of
them with the EDF-50s and performance was just adequate. Many have been moded
out with better fans and even brushless motors. With this in the back of my
mind I waited until the newer one was available with the EDF-55 units powered
with S300 motors. I snagged one of these when they came out and based this
review on that. You can also upgrade the EDF-50s to the 55s with new nacelle
kits as well.
The A-10 RC plane is
packaged well and the wing is taped to a piece of cardboard to protect the
tips, which is good because many of them came broken in the earlier kits. The
instruction book is in color and easy to follow, but needs some work on the
English translations. My kits instructions included 2 amendment sheets. One
stated not to exceed 8.4 volts on the motors and the other on how to convert it
into a pusher with S300s. In the back of the book it had pictures of 3
different color schemes including desert, jungle and gray. It also included the
decals for each version.
Radio Gear and....What?? Retracts?
My new rc plane A-10 came
in gray, which is what most real A-10s are painted now. It is designed for 4
channels (ailerons, elevator, throttle and nose steering) but can be built for
3 channels with ease. I chose to build my A-10 RC plane with the gear
permanently retracted for a cleaner look in the air. Now this would normally
mean only hand launching for most rc airplanes, but not with the A-10. With its
landing gear retracted the main wheels still protrude from their faring more
than enough to be functional.
And since they retract forward, the wheels end up
ahead of the leading edge, effectively making the A-10 a tail-dragger. This
actually works well and solves 2 issues. One is the tail skid can now protect
the lower vertical fins, which hang down below the fuselage. And by adding
rudders ROGs and steering are still possible so I can hopefully avoid items
that get in front of me when I land and takeoff!
Assembly
For the RC
plane radio gear, I used the RC Mart electronics from my Shogun helicopter that
I had upgraded. It looks like it is the same as Cirrus gear. The 6 channel
single conversion RX, 20 amp ESC and 2 of the micro servos would be just right
for the A10. I used a Hitec HS-55 servo for the rudder/tailwheel to keep the
weight down.
For the transmitter I used my new Multiplex Evo 12. This is one
nice rc plane transmitter for those interested, so look for the review coming
soon from Andy Willetts.
The EDF-55s come pre
wired to a BEC connector (sometimes called a JST). I broke in both EDF units
with a couple of D cells using the stock wiring harness. Breaking in can motors
like the S300s can really improve the performance and life of the motor. After
break-in I tested the EDF-55s with 7 cells and a C-clamp type watt-meter. The
RC plane motors drew 11 amps wired in parallel.
From experience and discussions
I knew this was about double what the recommended AAA batteries, BEC connectors
and stock wire could handle. The stock BEC connectors and wire are fine for
about 5-6 amps.
So the EDF units and Y harness would be fine down to where they
are paralleled, but needed some help to the ESC. So I simply snipped off the
wire at the Y and made a new harness with some 18-gauge silicon wire and Deans
4 pin connectors. This fixed both the limitations of the BEC connectors and the
wire size concerns.
Plus the RC Mart ESC I used was already fitted with the
Deans 4 pin micro plug. The 4 pin deans can handle the power of this RC plane
much better than the stock BEC connectors. Both the recommended 7 cell pack, 8
cell and the 3 cell Apogee 1500 Lithium fit into the stock GWS battery door. I
did have to take some foam out of the base though to deepen it up.
Building the RC plane
fuselage was simple since there were just 2 pieces. Since I was building mine
with the gear retracted, I omitted the steerable nose wheel. If you use the
nose gear it must be assembled before you glue the fuselage halves together! Be
sure to check the fit first as there were molding bumps in mine that had to be
removed for a good fit.
I added a .125 inch CF tube between the nacelles for strength. I then mounted the
assembled EDF units to their pylons. There are slots on the nacelles to keep it
all lined up. The EDF units looked like a lot of weight for the foam pylons, so
I added some .125 Carbon Fiber tube between the nacelles. I used a piece of 1/8
inch brass tubing as a drill and epoxied the CF tube in.
If you have not used a
piece of tubing for a drill before, just use a counter sink on an end to
sharpen the edge and it will cut through the foam with no problem. I used more
painters tape to hold the nacelles on as the epoxy set.
Having seen the wing in
some other rc plane A-10s flex quite a bit, I wanted to add a little more
strength, so I substituted a piece of .125 carbon fiber tube for the bamboo
main spar. I inserted this spar in from the outside of the wheel fairing which
gave the maximum support. You can see how I inserted the CF tube into the wing
here.
I wanted to keep the main
wheels looking close to RC plane scale, but still have some give for those
not so perfect landings. So I devised a way to mount the wheels in the correct
location forward of the wing leading edge, but not have that location take the
full landing loads. With this in mind I used Du-Bro 1.5 inch foam micro wheels
mounted on a piece of .032 wire. The wire is bent in a U to run parallel to the
wheel and is attached at the stock GWS location. The assembly lays flat against
the faring and keeps the scale rc plane look intact. A small piece of bamboo
embedded in the fairing is used to keep the wire from digging into the foam
just behind the cutout for the wheel. This bamboo was left over from my kit
since I used the carbon fiber tube for the wing spar.
For rudder movement I
used a trick I saw in a hand-launch rc plane glider using a torsion rod. A piece
of wire is used and one end is fixed to the solid surface with a slight bend in
it that pushes the movable surface in one direction. You then use a pull
thread on the opposite side attached to the servo to center the surface. I
setup each rudder to pull out with the pull string centering them. With this
setup the opposing rudders balance out each other and the servo works no harder
than normal. It seems to work very well so far. I then mounted a Hitec HS-55
servo in a cutout under the horizontal stabilizer in the fuselage. To this I
mounted a inch tail-wheel on a wire and looped the Kevlar rudder pull tread
into it.
Finally I cut out the
canopy and used a silver permanent marker to mark the frame. This is how it
sits with the wheels as I setup the A-10. The slight nose up attitude should
allow ROGs as planned.
With the building done, I
found it needed about ounce up front to get the RC plane CG close. Placement
of the equipment would have made little difference I think. Of course not using
the steerable nose gear and fabricating the rudder setup may have impacted This
was with both the stock and 3 cell Apogee pack.
Now I just had to wait a
few weeks for nice weather for flying weather. And I waited and waited. Yes, I
even live in California.
Flying
With a few adjustments at
the field it was finally ready for the first flights. With a fresh 7 cells GWS
pack it was fired up and my flying buddy Bob gave the A-10 rc plane a little
push. It settled into the ground after 3 tries. The 7 cell AAA pack was just
not going to cut it. So I broke out the 3 cell Apogee 1500 Lithium. With the
voltage of 10 cells now the fans really sounded much better.
The next launch
went great but I had way too much elevator and not enough aileron. So a quick
adjustment on both surfaces the next flight went great. It was fast but the
roll rate was still slow with as much aileron as I could dial in. The elevator
was touchy even with expo and I attribute this to the short movement. Power was
now more than ample and it was solid in the sky. Landing was a joy but the
flying site did not allow anything but hand launches and belly flops into the
tall grass.
Recommendation
I found the A-10 to be
for the advanced pilot; this is what GWS recommends also. This RC plane flies
very nice and launches easy. The few I have seen ROG do so quite well with the
stock wheel setup, but please use other wheels! Retracts would be a plus and
add some nice bling. A radio with exponential should be used at least but most
advanced pilots will have this in their stable already. It looks and sounds
like the real thing in the air but is still small enough to handle if you have
a lot of other rc planes.
RC plane review by Fred Bronk
Wingspan: 38.1"
Wing Area: 13.95 dm2
Weight: 12-14 oz.
Length: 34.3"
Wing Loading: 8.5-9.6 oz/sq ft.
Transmitter: 4-ch recommended
Battery: 7x730AAA nimh (recommended), 3s1p Apogee LiPo 1500ma
Motors: 2 GWS EDF55 fan w/S300 brushed motors
Most of us
RC plane
fans who know anything about aircraft are familiar with the Fairchild A-10
Thunderbolt II, also known as the Warthog. This highly maneuverable ground
attack sub-sonic aircraft with a 30mm rotary canon has been in service since
1973. It was actually being phased out in the late 80s when a need arose for
it again.
It can withstand major
damage and still fly and even has a titanium tub around the pilot for
protection. The A-10 has brought more than one pilot home that would not have made it otherwise in any other aircraft. It was even designed to land with the
wheels in the retracted position without sustaining major damage!
The A-10s layout is
great for an RC plane model with its twin turbofans on pylons above the fuselage,
meaning no ducting to mess with. The bottom and sides of the fuselage are flat
with tricycle landing gear for good ground handling. The large wing is not
swept back and has a thick reflex airfoil incorporating anti-vortex turned down
wing tips.
I was lucky enough to get
a pre-production GWS A-10 RC plane at the International Modelers Show from Mr.
Lin. The A-10 was molded in white foam like all GWS Parkflyers rc airplanes. It was designed
to use 4 channels, using the 4th channel for nose wheel steering instead of the
normal rudder. It included two GWS EDF-50 (50 being the diameter of the
impeller in mm) units with IPS brushed motors. These EDF units seemed a little
small and some early flight reports were that this rc plane was a little under
powered with them. Some replaced the stock 3 blade impeller with 5 blade units
and some went up to 8 cells. But the IPS motor and fan could only do so much
and the A-10 rc plane was not really happy either way.
I have flown a couple of
them with the EDF-50s and performance was just adequate. Many have been moded
out with better fans and even brushless motors. With this in the back of my
mind I waited until the newer one was available with the EDF-55 units powered
with S300 motors. I snagged one of these when they came out and based this
review on that. You can also upgrade the EDF-50s to the 55s with new nacelle
kits as well.
The A-10 RC plane is
packaged well and the wing is taped to a piece of cardboard to protect the
tips, which is good because many of them came broken in the earlier kits. The
instruction book is in color and easy to follow, but needs some work on the
English translations. My kits instructions included 2 amendment sheets. One
stated not to exceed 8.4 volts on the motors and the other on how to convert it
into a pusher with S300s. In the back of the book it had pictures of 3
different color schemes including desert, jungle and gray. It also included the
decals for each version.
Radio Gear and....What?? Retracts?
My new rc plane A-10 came
in gray, which is what most real A-10s are painted now. It is designed for 4
channels (ailerons, elevator, throttle and nose steering) but can be built for
3 channels with ease. I chose to build my A-10 RC plane with the gear
permanently retracted for a cleaner look in the air. Now this would normally
mean only hand launching for most rc airplanes, but not with the A-10. With its
landing gear retracted the main wheels still protrude from their faring more
than enough to be functional.
And since they retract forward, the wheels end up
ahead of the leading edge, effectively making the A-10 a tail-dragger. This
actually works well and solves 2 issues. One is the tail skid can now protect
the lower vertical fins, which hang down below the fuselage. And by adding
rudders ROGs and steering are still possible so I can hopefully avoid items
that get in front of me when I land and takeoff!
Assembly
For the RC
plane radio gear, I used the RC Mart electronics from my Shogun helicopter that
I had upgraded. It looks like it is the same as Cirrus gear. The 6 channel
single conversion RX, 20 amp ESC and 2 of the micro servos would be just right
for the A10. I used a Hitec HS-55 servo for the rudder/tailwheel to keep the
weight down.
For the transmitter I used my new Multiplex Evo 12. This is one
nice rc plane transmitter for those interested, so look for the review coming
soon from Andy Willetts.
The EDF-55s come pre
wired to a BEC connector (sometimes called a JST). I broke in both EDF units
with a couple of D cells using the stock wiring harness. Breaking in can motors
like the S300s can really improve the performance and life of the motor. After
break-in I tested the EDF-55s with 7 cells and a C-clamp type watt-meter. The
RC plane motors drew 11 amps wired in parallel.
From experience and discussions
I knew this was about double what the recommended AAA batteries, BEC connectors
and stock wire could handle. The stock BEC connectors and wire are fine for
about 5-6 amps.
So the EDF units and Y harness would be fine down to where they
are paralleled, but needed some help to the ESC. So I simply snipped off the
wire at the Y and made a new harness with some 18-gauge silicon wire and Deans
4 pin connectors. This fixed both the limitations of the BEC connectors and the
wire size concerns.
Plus the RC Mart ESC I used was already fitted with the
Deans 4 pin micro plug. The 4 pin deans can handle the power of this RC plane
much better than the stock BEC connectors. Both the recommended 7 cell pack, 8
cell and the 3 cell Apogee 1500 Lithium fit into the stock GWS battery door. I
did have to take some foam out of the base though to deepen it up.
Building the RC plane
fuselage was simple since there were just 2 pieces. Since I was building mine
with the gear retracted, I omitted the steerable nose wheel. If you use the
nose gear it must be assembled before you glue the fuselage halves together! Be
sure to check the fit first as there were molding bumps in mine that had to be
removed for a good fit.
I added a .125 inch CF tube between the nacelles for strength. I then mounted the
assembled EDF units to their pylons. There are slots on the nacelles to keep it
all lined up. The EDF units looked like a lot of weight for the foam pylons, so
I added some .125 Carbon Fiber tube between the nacelles. I used a piece of 1/8
inch brass tubing as a drill and epoxied the CF tube in.
If you have not used a
piece of tubing for a drill before, just use a counter sink on an end to
sharpen the edge and it will cut through the foam with no problem. I used more
painters tape to hold the nacelles on as the epoxy set.
Having seen the wing in
some other rc plane A-10s flex quite a bit, I wanted to add a little more
strength, so I substituted a piece of .125 carbon fiber tube for the bamboo
main spar. I inserted this spar in from the outside of the wheel fairing which
gave the maximum support. You can see how I inserted the CF tube into the wing
here.
I wanted to keep the main
wheels looking close to RC plane scale, but still have some give for those
not so perfect landings. So I devised a way to mount the wheels in the correct
location forward of the wing leading edge, but not have that location take the
full landing loads. With this in mind I used Du-Bro 1.5 inch foam micro wheels
mounted on a piece of .032 wire. The wire is bent in a U to run parallel to the
wheel and is attached at the stock GWS location. The assembly lays flat against
the faring and keeps the scale rc plane look intact. A small piece of bamboo
embedded in the fairing is used to keep the wire from digging into the foam
just behind the cutout for the wheel. This bamboo was left over from my kit
since I used the carbon fiber tube for the wing spar.
For rudder movement I
used a trick I saw in a hand-launch rc plane glider using a torsion rod. A piece
of wire is used and one end is fixed to the solid surface with a slight bend in
it that pushes the movable surface in one direction. You then use a pull
thread on the opposite side attached to the servo to center the surface. I
setup each rudder to pull out with the pull string centering them. With this
setup the opposing rudders balance out each other and the servo works no harder
than normal. It seems to work very well so far. I then mounted a Hitec HS-55
servo in a cutout under the horizontal stabilizer in the fuselage. To this I
mounted a inch tail-wheel on a wire and looped the Kevlar rudder pull tread
into it.
Finally I cut out the
canopy and used a silver permanent marker to mark the frame. This is how it
sits with the wheels as I setup the A-10. The slight nose up attitude should
allow ROGs as planned.
With the building done, I
found it needed about ounce up front to get the RC plane CG close. Placement
of the equipment would have made little difference I think. Of course not using
the steerable nose gear and fabricating the rudder setup may have impacted This
was with both the stock and 3 cell Apogee pack.
Now I just had to wait a
few weeks for nice weather for flying weather. And I waited and waited. Yes, I
even live in California.
Flying
With a few adjustments at
the field it was finally ready for the first flights. With a fresh 7 cells GWS
pack it was fired up and my flying buddy Bob gave the A-10 rc plane a little
push. It settled into the ground after 3 tries. The 7 cell AAA pack was just
not going to cut it. So I broke out the 3 cell Apogee 1500 Lithium. With the
voltage of 10 cells now the fans really sounded much better.
The next launch
went great but I had way too much elevator and not enough aileron. So a quick
adjustment on both surfaces the next flight went great. It was fast but the
roll rate was still slow with as much aileron as I could dial in. The elevator
was touchy even with expo and I attribute this to the short movement. Power was
now more than ample and it was solid in the sky. Landing was a joy but the
flying site did not allow anything but hand launches and belly flops into the
tall grass.
Recommendation
I found the A-10 to be
for the advanced pilot; this is what GWS recommends also. This RC plane flies
very nice and launches easy. The few I have seen ROG do so quite well with the
stock wheel setup, but please use other wheels! Retracts would be a plus and
add some nice bling. A radio with exponential should be used at least but most
advanced pilots will have this in their stable already. It looks and sounds
like the real thing in the air but is still small enough to handle if you have
a lot of other rc planes.
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