Reno Racer

An excellent little plane that is very aerobatic, hand launches and is equally great flat out (80mph) and slow with glider like landings is the Sig Wonder. A properly rugged traditional, but easy build kit it can be packed into a suitcase and uses either a OS 15 or electric set up. I'm currently building one.   They have a massive follwoing in the states due to their fun/sport flying quailities.   see review here: http://rcplanetips.blogspot.com/2008/11/sig-wonder-kit.html   manufacturers website: http://www.sigmfg.com/IndexText/SIGRC66.html   Available in the UK for £55 from Pegasus Models in Norfolk.

Phil,   That looks awesome, if only my building skills could turn out something that impressive.   I might try and get the plan from traplet, its for 1:12, about 970mm span PSS, so i might scale it up by 1.75 and try to modify to accept a 76 or 90mm edf fan; obviouly need to redo all the rear fuse formers and check the FSA of the intakes and jet pipe.   A great start, although not sure I have time for all this work. Maybe a long term project, although I seem to have 3 of them already!

Hi all,   I saw a nice Jet Provost (turbine powered) at the RNAS Yeovilton model show flying display yesterday. It reminded me of childhood in the Air Cadets and seeing them fly over the house near RAF Church Fenton.   That big long straight wing should make it a good solid flyer, but after a few hours on google, I've turned up no kits or plans; does anyone know of any plans or kits available?   I would prefer something Wren 44 sized, so I can use a 90mm fan, but might consider the expense venture in 120mm.   Any ideas or where to start????

Dusty,   What about those new electric retracts from Eflite, brought out for the 15e Beechcraft Bananza. I think there about £70 for the trike set. Usual Eflite/Hangar 9 quality, so should be good and robust.   For your colour scheme, there are far too many black/red or pale blue camo versions out there how about a normal grey/green french scheme here   or the tiger meet scheme here.   Hope the links work,   RegardsEdited By David Ashby - RCME Administrator on 31/01/2010 20:08:06

No built he sizzle, but build their 55mm hawk (featured in RCME by Nigel Hawes) and just built their 55mm EDF F-86 Sabre; very similar. Instructions are not comprehensive, but i feel sufficient. You need building experience to do a good job, much is left o the builder and remember to keep her light.   I use 30min epoxy, UHU glue and RC Stryo sprays.   Both fly straight as a die from first hand launch; not particulary fast, but great fun and small enough to be left in car.  

I've used them before for both FG and carbon fibre weave tape for reinforcing. They have alway been good, quick delivery and great product range. Recommended for any serious builder of large/jet aircraft.

Took out my GBD 55mm EDF BAe Hawk, (great flyer), I always leave this in the boot just I case a get the chance, but our 'walk' took longer than I thought and then it started raining. Hopefuly will get chance tomorrow lunch time.   I must say, in my fleet of 70 and mostly 90mm EDFs, that cost 10 times more, the little hawk is always ready in the boot and a really great flyer. Almost the same as my Phase 3 F-16.

modelmaniacs (the only one near me and great internet order too) giantcod-brchobbies or gbd - all equally great horizon hobbies (best worldwide is hobbyking) phase e f-16 or seagull edge 540 (46size) luckily theres lots of great models thesedays, less decent turbine quality edf jets.

I've never had a problem with Turnigy stuff, and use loads of their stuff from electric motor on my UnoWot to ESC and Lipos on large EDF and to a C50-55 600kv motor to power my 50 size Seagull Edge 540 on 5S lipos.   These motors are (IMHO) exactly the same as the rebranded BRC Wasp motors, yet cost less.   My UnoWot electric conversion stated a Axi Gold 4120/12 (If I remember) and I used a BRC Wasp 450 watt equiv (turnigy motor) and never had a problem; it also has tons of power.  

Scott, Completely agree and I do 'feel' for the UK model shops. Everyone is feeling the pinch, probably even more so when the VAT goes up again. For all my rant above, the UK retailers I do use (BRC, GiantCod and AlsHobbies) I buy from them because I trust them to deliver it quickly. When I can, I also support my local model shop (modelmaniacs) to try and ensure they stay in business for the quick bit I need and don't want to wait 10 days for a parcel from HK.   James40, probably not massive savings, but i will pay less postage and taxes (I always seem to get stung for import duty from the states, but not from Hong Kong). Of course I can always try and wangle tax free and military discount rates.

Using 2 x 5800mah 3s 30/40C  lipos (Zippy Flightmax Lipos from HK ($50 each!!)), and a turnigy sentinal 100A ESC I get a solid 1800 watts at 81A, and nearly 2000watts when just off the charger. This should (not measured yet), deliver the 7Lbs of thrust I need, giving about 6 mins of combined flight with careful use of throttle.   Similarly, I get 1054 watts from a 3575kv 68mm lander fan on a fully charged 4S 3300mah 30/40C lipo fromm the same manufacturer  (and $35 from HK) on 60A at full power, using a turnigy 85A 4-6S S/BEC ESC.   30/40C lipos are the way to go; you just have to accept high Amps to get the high watts, unless you go to 8S+ lipos, but then you pay the additional cost in lipos, a new motor and AUW penalty.

I wholeheartly agree,   In the UK, we are always riped off by high mark ups, VAT, import taxes for the supplier etc etc. Just 5 mins of internet trawlling can demonstrate the difference in prices between th UK and (from my shopping geography), the US, HK and China. I recently bought the alloy 68mm 3575 KV lander Fan from the states - even with postage and import tax it was still nearly £20 cheaper than the well known electric flight model shops, it also arrived within a week.   I frequently buy from Hobby city for the same reason (although I do wait and order a few items at a time to reduce postage costs). - a turnigy 30/40C 5800mah 3S Lipo for $50 - you will pay at least three times that in the UK.   Sadly, I now don't spend much of my hard earned cash in the UK model shops because of their prices (although I do use GiantCod, they do offer good value for small parkly/funfly  stuff). Being an EDF-er, I also find that there is little choice of good (non foam tat) EDF jets above 70mm in the UK and if there is, such as the 90mm aeronaut panther, its comparratively far too expensive. I order all my non-foamy EDF jets from the states (Tamjets F-16, K&A 90mm F-100 and Sapac 70mm Viperjet).    I will hopefully serve on an exchange post in the US for 2 years in the summer, so will wait till then for most big purchases and save a small fortune.   Come on UK model shops - show some discount, reduce prices, have sales or else as Hobby King gets bigger, the UK model shops will close. Sad and unnationalistic I know, but thats business and we the consumer want the holy grail of great quality and choice for little costs, which we can get elsewhere. 

Tony,   A|pologies for the late reply.   I used Spring Air 602s, although you need to widen/replace or doctor the orignial retract mounts, particulary the nose wheel; as you know there is not alot of space here. I opted not to steer the front leg and ommitted the rudder (although I wasted  a few hours ensuring she ran straight doing ground runs!).   I fitted flaps from the fuse TE of the wing up to the ailerons and mounted a slim glider wing HITEC servo (can't remember the type) into the wing - It does help if you opt to use the proper scale doors, although you need to build up the underwing budlge - you can hide a servo in here too.   See here: (Science Museum) If you order the Spring Airs from the manufacturer, they take an age to arrive - Hobby King do some good quality all metal retracts, these are slighter smaller then the 602s and will fit: http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=8346 and they cost about £50   I also binned the balsa covering in the wings and stabs and used Mick Reeves pro skin - admittidly I got carried away trying new methods,   If I built one again, I would just build as per the instructions and just glass the whole thing. I would also add more power, propably a lander 90mm fan - there is room for a 3S lipo each side of the intake of at least 5800mah; I currently uses these on a 90mm lander fan: http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=9932   Turnigy 30/40C 5800mah 3S lipos, $50 (£35) each!! I also found the only place for all the electronics (Rx, retract sequencer etc) is the top deck under the canopy which is quite small. You can put some stuff (retract switch etc) at the side of the fan, which you can only access when you take the wing off.   I also cut the canopy so that I could have it slightly opened - This became a right drama in tyring to make a bad job look good. I would just fit the canopy as a 1 piece item.   Overall, once I had worked out that some CNC peices were wrongly marked (by studying the plan and CD of build photos for ever!!), I really enjoyed building the G40. The result is a really strong, traditionally built EDF which when glassed and jazzed up looks as good as any turbine jet. moreover, Its completely different from all the other boring and predicatable EDFs out their.   I'll stop now before I get on my soap box again about the lack of good quality turbine-like 90mm EDFs......   Regards

This is a great kit. I built one about a year or two ago and used a 6S Midi fan with a Medusa 1500kv V2 motor and I used mick reeves pro skin to manufacture GRP ducting rather than use to paper included with the kit. I also added a nose intake splitter made out of hin sheet aluminium, as per the fullsize.  I also added flaps and had to doctor the retract mounting somewhat to take decent size retracts and scale (ish) trailing leg oleos. I also modiified the main retract doors to resemble the orignial barn type clamshell doors. I galssed mine all over and sprayed as per the RBC scheme (camo top and yellow prototype underside - great for orientation).   It flew brilliantly, very stable (although CoG is critical). Sadly, mine met with an early deminise. Itis repaireable, but I had no answer from RBC kits from an e-mail about a year ago; all i need is the CNC wing parts.   I might have to order a new kit and get her back in the air, after I've finshed the 70mm Viperjet and 90mm F-100 and ..........

The company seem to have gone bust, or similar. These are now hard to find and their website is no longer functioning; maybe its time to order a few from the states/Hong Kong.   A great EDF unit, its only downside for all that power is the amps it pulls, which means either bigger, heavier lipos or minimal duration. My Lander 3575Kv 68mm fan, puts out 1025Watts on a fully charged 4S 30C 3300mah lipo and gives 1.5Kg (3.3Lbs) of thrust, more than enough to fly my 4Lb 70mm composite Viperjet (flaps, retracts and all the whistles and bells) with jet style authority - why pay more for shorter duration and seemingly unknown customer support?   Sorry, don't want to sound like I don't like the Hoffman's stuff, but the US EDF based drive for higher power and speed, is demanding on both the pocket and the Amps comsummed, with marginal improvements in performance  

The GBD 55mm EDF Hawk, recently reviewed by Nigel Hawes in the RCME Autumn special, is a really great intro to EDF. Although it takes some building (no more than a day), like to Phase 3 F-16, it is plain white and therefore a blank canvas for any scheme - I did mine in RAF Yellowjacks for high visability.   It is very easy to build and costs £49 from GBD: + 3 cheap micro servos, RX and 1300 mah 3S lipo - al in about £70. Extremely easy to hand lanuch it has plenty of power (13A and 150watts givng over 185 Watts/Lb), it flew straight as a dye on its maiden and although not fast by EDF standards it is very easy to fly, mildly aerobatic and slows to crawl for a belly landing. It also only weights 400g RTF so no/minimal damage if you crash and then its cdepron do just a hot glue gun to repair - easy!   You can't go wrong for this money.

The viperjet arrived a few days ago; its top quality and extremely well designed, almost Tamjets-like. If it flys as good as the well respected Carl Rich says, then this will be the best EDF jet I've got (including K&A F-100 90mm and Tams F-16)   I've already got carried away and started building; wings are now complete with flap, aileron servos and retracts fitted. now startng the fuse, which is beautiful.   I will take some pictures today and post this afternoon.    

Ordered a month ago direct from SAPAC in the US, which delivers direct from the factory in China. After a month, it has still not arrived............mmmmmm,  not sure if this is a good sign. They are great EDF jets of high quality, but this delivery sago leaves a sour taste.   Hopefully it will turn up (undamaged!) very soon, or SAPAC will be refunding me.

www.rc-warbirds.com currently have an offer on their 70mm slingjet EDF trainer (all balsa EDF trainer) for about $65 - so about £40!!   If you don't want foam, you could also try the 70 or 90mm EJF Sport jet, available from EJF or from Wemotec.

I agree, just a AOA compromise to allow a model of the great concorde to take off, without flaps, drooping nose etc. Hats of to the builder. With limited choice of 90mm EDF, in fact any EDF (beyond the usual F5/20, F-16 etc), its great to see great diversity of aircraft flying.   Now, when will someone release an non foam 90mm EDF CNC kit or ARTF of  a Bucanner, Gnat, Jaguar, Alpha Jet or Jet Provost; now that would be great! I'm still waiting for phillip Noel to finish his Sea Vixen!   Well done to the builder.    

You could modify the fantastic aeronaut vampire kit, you can pick them up for 150-250 quid; they were originally designed to run on about 800watts from a midi and nicads.  

There's a few on ebay. Colchester a1 models also stocks them for a 44 or 54 turbine

Fan-tatstic - I presume its EDF, certainly sounds like it. I wonder what size fans, sounds like 2, so presuming 2 x 90mm?????    

I completely agree about size, most of mine are 90mm EDFs, including my new pride and joy the K&A Models F-100 Super Sabre. Fully composite with flaps, retracts etc etc and 7Lb AUW. My 90mm Lander fan should really shift at 0.8/1 thrust to weight ratio.   Check this link out for th 70mm Viperjet; most on youtude seem to be 4S lipo and kicking out 1Kw.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnVgra_A06E   Interestingly, the current rumour in the states is that SAPAC will soon be releaseing a 100mm EDF BAe Hawk/T-45 and a 100mm Viperjet. The hawk looks VEEEERY nice.   Seemingly newcomers in the UK, offer the new skyworld all alloy EDF units (I've just got there 90mm unit and will post figures when i test it; they look beautiful, but i fear the 8 baldes might pull some Amps, although the thrust will be very high. They also advertise new 1:12 Jets for 90mm  and 1:10 for twin 90mm/120mm EDF. there single seat hawk 200 will be nice and they also say they will do a Sepecat Jaguar. BRILLIANT!, its about time someone did one, cause i'd buy 3!.   http://miltech-models.com/default.aspx   Now, when will someone build me a composite Blackburn Buccaneer???  Edited By Christian Ackroyd on 29/11/2009 18:16:11