Graxafone

What are most of or all of the names of the companies that make 1/2A RC planes? And which one do most people prefer? And what would be a good plane to make me be self-taught? How about the Kavan Ford Tri-Motor, the Graupner Mini-Piper, or the Hobbico Aero Cruiser? And what scale is 1.2A, anyway? 1/12, 1/8, 1/10? Thank you.

BMatthews

I wouldn't even TRY to list all the companies that make 1/2A kits. It would be a LONG one for sure.

1/2A refers to the engine size and not the model size. It comes from the old engine sizing categories for competition. When they first set these up back in the 30's or so no one ever dreamed of glowplugs and .049's let alone .010's so Class A for up to .20 cu in. was seen as a fine category. With the explosion of .049 and smaller production in the 50's they needed a new class name. Since it was hard to go lower than A they just called it 1/2A.

Many 1/2A models have centered around the 36 inch span mark over the years. But that's hardly cast in stone. It's more the weight that the engine can fly that counts. Lighter is obviously better but a Black Widow or TeeDee can fly a 24 oz model, if it has a decent amount of wing area, fairly well. But they really are more at their best if you can keep the weight down below 20 oz. Less for the small racing models. I've flown a 36 inch span racy type model with a TeeDee on it and it was very fast and stunted very well at 16 oz. I've also flown 46 inch and 48 inch .049 powered Texaco Old Timer models in the SAM events locally and these fly very well and can soar with a 19 to 20 oz weight.

flyinrog

My Feedback: (1)

well, I sure never knew that, good story, so if I read this right .010 to .049 is 1/2A and I guess .051 to .20 is the class A you speak of, interesting.......Rog

BMatthews

Yep, that's how the AMA and our own MAAC classify them for competition purposes. Lots of people fly 1/2A and A free flight by changing over their engines. The Cox TeeDee's use the same cases and so if you have the screw on back plate mount you can just screw on the new engine and fly your 1/2A model in Class A with the .051.

And the .020's and .010's got their own grassroots classifications as well. That's where the 1/4A and 1/8A names came from. But these don't have any official status as competition classes other than for local events.

rahtware

For years I used a Cox Black Widow to pull my 6 foot wingspan Gentle Lady up to thermal height. I had to make sure that I only filled the tank half way or it would run too long!