Actually, no. The Baby Pathfinder is a superior plane. But there wasn't one there. Can't win if you don't play. I designed the Sky Sport to be a decent stunt machine, but very simple to build, and not requiring either a spinner or special tank. It is designed from the start to use a 12" party balloon for the tank.
For details on tank construction, do a search on "balloon tank". I believe I published a complete how-to in the past.
Sky Sport has a 180 sq.in. wing, and is really nice with a .049. With the .061 it is a screaming machine. The one I flew is the first prototype, and required noseweight. In addition, the tank compartment is too small. Even so, it has gathered 4 trophies in the last couple of years.
The published plans and kit have a 3/4" longer nose that should solve both problems. Weight came out at 8 ounces.
As it is small and overpowered, it doesn't mind wind or even gusty conditions. The long tail moment, high aspect ratio tail with twin rudders acting as tip plates provides a model that turns NOW and then stops exactly where you tell it to with no overshoot. The judges remarked that the triangles were the best they had seen in some time.
Eric Rule came in second with Rudy Taube's Electric P-40. I can't recall what model was flown to 3rd place.
Topic: Ed Southwick contest - Upset victory! (Read 1573 times)
