Model Airplanes

This was about a 10-year build, a few hours at a time. It was shlepped back & forth to Maine twice, and sat in the closet for five years. Finished in 2009, it's a sharp small-field flyer. Power is an O.S. .52 four stroke.

I get all my pilots at Toys R Us. Stitch loves his fully functional panel, with battery charging, power meter, and switch all installed in the panel!

OK, I built it again. This time electric, starting with a Great Planes Sportster EP. Details on the conversion here.

Taken February, 2008, on a pair of Dick Stern's skis

Great Planes 1/3 Scale Pitts S2S - Powered by a Zenoah G45. I got hooked on this plane flying a simulated version on Realflight. Sadly, this one didn't survive its first season. Live and learn.

Big Yellow - This is sort of a Goldberg Protege - a .60-sized trainer, powered by an O.S. .70 Surpass 4-stroke. Dave Patrick, the designer, gave it to me years ago after a hideous season in which I wrecked basically everything I had. It's a near-final test version of the Protege, but it's not quite final, so he didn't have a use for it.

A fantastic trainer - I've introduced dozens of people to flying with this plane. I've flown it so much that I've had to re-hinge most surfaces, and worn out many servos on it. Yes, it's a little shabby, but it won't die, and it's a very smooth flier. My nephew is there to provide scale.

OK, summer 2008, it got lost in the woods in a training accident, and it'll be getting a new front half of the fuselage. Not a loss, technically, but an interesting reconstruction job.

Father & Son with Goldberg Gentle Lady Glider, Maine 1997. Never really got any good flights on it, but it's pretty.

Completed in Maine, 2000. I left it in skeleton form, since I don't plan to fly it.

Great Planes Piper Cub - OS .61 Four Stroke - Built this one in Maine over two summers. This was a great kit, like other GP kits I've built. I've built this one and the Carl Goldberg version, and was happier with the Great Planes. It's powered with an ancient O.S. .61 four stroke.

A school project of Oliver's, maybe 4th grade?

Trick R/C Zagi hand launch technique, Maine, 2001. Very fast building - 2-3 evenings - and I've been flying the heck out of it. There are other electrics out there (sky scooter, etc.) but this one is no toy. I always draw a crowd when I take it to the flying field, and it's flown in everything from dead calm to too windy to keep my hat on. The Zagi can fly on thermals if they're really strong, and it's got enough power in the battery that I flew for 25 minutes once down at the end of Fernald Point Road, where there's a slight updraft off the cove.

Great Planes Sportster 20 in Baby Ruth/Butterfinger pattern, 1996 or so. These are great designs - I've had two .60 sized versions. They make great second planes after your trainer.

Also a Green Models Jenny - nifty plane, weighs about a pound! Lots of construction details here

Construction info here - one of the best-flying planes I've ever had. I've built two - the first flew away, see the construction info for what I learned from that.

Great Planes Slo-Poke 40