Hi Guys,
I was reading Frank Carlisle's "Glow vs Electric" story in the Model Stories Column about his trials and struggles to run a 1/2-a model compared to a small electric R/C plane and it triggered my memory back to last summer.

A club meeting was held at a members house and on the schedule was 1/2-A
"sorta-kinda" racing. The problem was getting even one engine to halfway run much less trying to get three to run. Only Howard Shenton our local combat guru actually got in a complete flight.

As I watched this "exercise in Futility" I had 2 thoughts:
1. I realized why I gave up messing with 1/2-A engines many moons ago.
2. A seed of an idea occured to me: why not create a 1/-A size electric profile
    scale racer. I discussed it with a fellow member and we both knew that
    R/C and free flight have an huge proliferation of successful small
    electrics.  I did some online checking at I think Hobby Lobby and found a
    Speed 280-race engine that could turn a 1/2-A prop about 14,000 rpm
    which seems respectable to me for such an inexpensive motor.
    I had a follow up discussion with my fellow club member and we refined
    the concept of the racer with the addition of a full-down control motor
    shut-off to facilitate pit stops and the next logical step is to "refuel" by
    changing batteries. The possiblity of a lower cost electric racer without
    dealing with the hassle of 1/2-A glow motors was appealing to us.
 
Reality set in and we both knew that we were "blowing smoke" at each other because we didn't know anything about electric airplanes so our neat ideas got quitely filed away.

Which brings me here to the electric forum with 3 questions:
1. Is this 1/2-A electric profile-scale racer idea workable ?

2. How would you electric power a small "Pinto" sized 1/2-A stunter ?

3. Just as a general question, there is a huge profileration of small R/C and
    freeflight but not small outdoor controline. Igor Burger & others do fly
    their wonderful small indoor airplanes but I can't remember news of any
    small outdoor control line. I may have missed it or just didn't remember
    but I don't think there is the same activity in small electric control line as
   in the other model types.

I just felt I should at least bring up the idea for discussion given my aversion
to 1/2-A engines and the possibility for ease of use that electric  can provide.
I know that the guys on this forum have the know-how to make things clearer for all of us. Who knows, maybe 1/2-A size electric can become the entry point to electric control line just as the 1/2-A glow engines was an entry point for many of us into control line flying.

Anyway guys, thanks in advance for any input or advice you may have for me
and others who might be interested in smaller electric.
                                                                        Till next time,
                                                                       Pat Robinson
 


     

Is a 1/2A size C/L Scale Racer workable?

My answer to this is yes.  Keep the model as light as you can get it.  Try a Johnson "250" motor.  These are cheap and I can get you the links to them if you are inerested.  I purchased them for $0.50 each and they will stand 5 amps current.  For racing, I would try a GWS 3x3 direct drive prop with as much voltage as required to pull 5 amps.  I personally would try to utilize a R/C 5 amp electronic speed control and one of the timers made by JMP or the one sold by Windy Urtnowski.  I think you would have to experiment on what kind of voltage supply you could use.  There are NiCd, NiMH, LiIon, and LiPo types.  Each has it's advantages and disadvantages.  I am sure that could bring a lot of comments pro and con from lots of sources-probably a lot more than you really want to know.

If I were to try this, I think using the various types of thin foam would be the place to experiment until you got some things dialed in.  It is cheap and one can whip out a flyable model in nothing flat.

If you are interested, I could send you a couple of different types of Johnson 250's to play with.  Let me know.

I am presently flying a Magician .15 with electric.  It has 240 sq in of wing, weighs 14 oz, and you can see it in this forum under .15 size stunt

Regards,

Larry Lake
Pahrump, NV