I'm curious about a couple things involving micro-flight:

1. If I wanted to convert Guillows kits into RC models, what radio gear is best for that? What site could I get it off of?
2. Plantraco? Good? Bad? Ugly or worse- how is their stuff in general?

All I really want to know is where I can get planes and gear.
Thanks everyone.

Army, the big question is what do you want to spend? And what do you want the plane to do? And where do you want to fly?

Plantraco get's generally negative reviews on this forum, and when I sent an e-mail to them I got a very rude reply. As much as I like flying in my yard they are out of the question for me. Also if you order a plantraco plane, buy it from a US dealer, not from Plantraco direct. Apparently the exchange rate may hit you hard.

If you want a simple outdoor micro for a first timer, I would recommend the parkzone micro cessna 210 centurion. Usual cost is 150. That is a 3 channel 17 gram plane that will fly indoors or outdoors. If you look at the thread for that plane you'll find a couple of links for the plane that are less.

Another option is going 2 channel, the planes are cheaper but you have to hack the transmitter for the best results.

I'll check back in a while.

Tim

Excellent suggestion. I got one a couple of weeks ago and I really like it. I had never flown anything but an Aero Ace, but I got on to the Cessna after just a few flights. I would think the radio equipment would work in a Guillows, but you better check with someone who has more experience than I do on that part. I see one place is offering them for 120 dollars with free shipping. I paid 135 dollars plus tax at a LHS.

Im not totally unexpierenced with building- in the 20 years that I have walked this earth for the last 7 I've made free flight models

Im just curious if anyone can link me the radio componets and stuff to make a guillows plane RC

IntheArmy,

Some thoughts about this subject. I have been doing almost nothing but micros for 10 years, and I love to convert FF stick and tissue model to R/C. I always dreamed as a kid of flying in the yard, and now I do it.

BUT...

I don't do it with Guillows models. They have a tendency to have really heavy wood in them, which is fine for first ime builders, but not the best for flying. Their construction is somewhat over-engineered, and the wood is usually pretty dense. They do build easy, and are easy to get straight. There are better kits available, though, that you should look into. Guillows models are not really 'micro', but more 'parkflier', so I have mentioned some similar sized models below. If you really do want to do micro, a couple of these 'mid-sized' stick and tissue models will get you ready for converting the tiny ones.

DCPModels' Aero_Werkes kits (http://www.aerowerkes.com/) are superb - well engineered, laser-cut, excellent parts fit, and the wood is hand selected contest stock (about 1/3 the weight of Guillows' wood). Designed for rubber and FF, there are some changes you need to engineer in yourself. Motor mounts, hatchs or other means of access to the gear, gear placement, etc. that are up to you. These models are mostly 18" WS WW I biplanes. All fly very well, and Dave recently introduced some larger models designed for electric R/C. Here is a link to a build thread for a new 'dime scale' Albatross : http://www.smallflyingarts.com/cgi-b...num=1181460300

Sig makes some nice FF models suitable for conversion: http://sigmfg.com/ I like the Sig MonoCopupe and Mr. Mulligan.

Dumas makes good flying kits, and their laser cutting is 2nd to none. They have a variety of sizes of suitable FF models, and even some electric R/C designs by Pat Trittle: http://www.dumasestore.com The walnut sized models are closest to micro models, but they can be difficult - not impossible, but difficult - to convert and fly well. I have a number of the 24" racers, and the Gee-Bee 'Z' is built and ready to cover. I used a 4-channel Falcon RX, 4 Falcon 1.6 gram servos (1 for each aileron), <2 gram BL ESC and 8 gram BL motor. The Gilmore 'Red Lion' will probably get standard parkflier radio gear since I will need more weight up front than the micro gear can provide...

RockyTop Models has some excellennt R/C conversion candidates: http://www.rockytopmodels.com/

I have also pretty much given up on Plantraco gear. I find the small actuator wires a pain to deal with, I have nothing but trouble with the magnetic battery connectors. I have built more than ny share of actuator models, but find that I really prefer the new tiny servos that are lighter than a lot of the actuators I used a few years ago. They do have a good, solid, sub-gram servo radio that eleminates the magnet connectors, and they will work with the newest Falcon servos. This radio has a built in ESC. so you can have 3 servos and motor control in a 5 gram package.

Most of the radio gear and accessories are available from Bob Selman: http://www.bsdmicrorc.com/

Thanks Mike.

Actually I was eyeballing a kit from Herr when it came to the arena of making my first scale model.

As for a trainer this size- would finding a ROG with the stick as a body (like a science olympiad-sp?) style model and doing a little cutting be a good idea? Or is there something else that you think would be better? I hear what you say about the Guillows kits, the only ones that really interest me are the sport ones and the B-17, other then that I was looking along the lines of Herr, Dumas and Peck Polymers for the planes that would end up donors.

I just need a trainer thats small, easy to pack and is able to get the CRAP beat out of it while I learn to fly.

As far as covering them goes- should I use tissue or should I try a very very lightweight film? I was thinking more along the lines of the film.

Well, if you want a really durable trainer, I think the Kyosho Minium/ParkZone Cessna 210 RTF is the ticket. It is very easy to fly, flies really well, weighs 5/8 of aunce, and comes with its own 2.4 gig radio TX. Spare parts are available, and once you're done with the airframe, the guts are a 3.25 gram RX with 2 integrated servos suitable for use in anything down to peanut sized models. Best price is from MyRCSupply.com

Tissue is really classic, but I use film also exclusively. I use RA MicroLite, and it is lighter than tissue, adhesive backed...

I was kinda thinking of building even the trainer myself- Ive got a mountain of time to kill.
What guts would you suggest/what FF kit to put the guts in?

Trainers usually are high-winged monoplanes - they are the most stabile. A 'stick' type model such as the Sig Cub (http://sigmfg.com/cgi-bin/dpsmart.ex...FV4.html?E+Sig) or 'No-Cal' model like the Parasol (same page) would be good. Parts are out in the breeze where you can get to stuff when you need to, and a few scraps of balsa will mount the gear and the motor. A kid had a Sig CUb out this morning with much heavier gear and it flew quite nicely.

If you like more scale type aircraft, again, high-wing monoplanes are easiest, and 15" to 18" WS is good. Do a search for 'Dime Scale Models' and you should get some ideas. I like these models because of the simplicity that is part of 'Dime Scale'. These are also balsa models, but small and simple. A very small amount of balsa goes into one, and the tools required are minimal.

Penn Valley Hobby Center (http://www.pennvalleyhobbycenter.com/) caries a large selection of old-time stick and tissue models. Many are in this size range, and being FF models, are designed to be stabile flyers.

Mike would these work for what we're talking about? [link=http://www.fly-m.com/home.html]fly-m[/link]

Tim

Whoa! That is pretty weird stuff! I've seen a 4-engined AeroAce Lancaster that was pretty interesting, but twin (or quadruple) steer models don't have that much in common with 'real' R/C models. I don't mean to be dismissive of the AA or the concept, or any of the derivative models the AA has spawned. It is just that there are no control surfaces, your only real control is steering and throttling. What you learn that transfers to more complex models is very limited.

Here's a whole different tack... The Propino, by Falcon, weighs less than 20 grams, has a slightly larger brick system, pager motor, comes as a complete package, and is built from CF rods, Depron sheet, some bits of CNC'd 1/64" ply wood, and can be had as a complete package. It is a very staile flyer, very slow, and so light it is very hard to crash hard enough to hurt. It makes a good trainer. There are other models on the same page that the gear will transfer into, and the radio can also accept brushless motors, multiple LiPoly cells, a 3rd servo... http://www.falconmodels.uk.com/acata...cessories.html

Thanks everyone. What about the radio gear, motors and such for those models?