Barnstormers - November 2012

Welcome to Barnstormers! We would like to share with you a variety of model photos submitted by the readers of Flying Models. We'd love to feature your models, too. Instructions on how to submit your photos can be found at the bottom of this article!

Commodore by Darryl Miller

Sometimes a model airplane can bridge the gap of generations. So is the case this month with Darryl Miller’s Commodore. Darryl writes, “My Dad, Richard Miller of Kalona, IA, built the Commodore in the early 1980s, from plans published in the 1978 issue of Model Airplane News and originally powered it with an Enya .35, and covered it in Coverite fabric and Superpoxy paint. The original color scheme was exactly as you see it today. I got it from Dad in the late 1980s, and flew it briefly on the Enya, but as I got into the electric power, I converted it to a brushed Speed 500 motor and gear box on 10 cells, plus stripped all the Coverite covering, and replaced it with MonoKote in the exact same scheme. As my electric experience, and the technology improved, I changed it over to first brushless motors and gear boxes, and then brushless outrunner motors. Several different brushless motors have been in it throughout the years. I now have a Turnigy 3536-10 motor running on 3S Li-Po, with a 12–8 prop. It has a 71-inch wingspan, with a flight weight of 4.5 pounds. I have been flying it on e-power for around 12 to 13 years, mostly at electric events so it doesn’t see a lot of flights per season.”

Barnstormers

Commodore by Darryl Miller

The Commodore is still flying high after all these years.

Piper PA-15 Vagabond by Jim Wiggin

Associate Editor Jim Wiggin has been busy in his work shop most evenings. Here is his newly finished Stevens Aero Micro Piper PA-15 Vagabond. Post pictures of what your working on and tell us about it.

Nakajima A2M6-N by David G. Terrell

"Just finishing a bash of the GWS Zero into a Nakajima A2M6-N 'Rufe' floatplane fighter. Water taxi looks good and just waiting on fair weather." You can follow his construction log for more details.

Flying Models Barnstormers welcomes your submissions! Readers of Flying Models are invited to submit pictures (no more than three) and a brief description of their model (no more than 300 words). Images should be at least 1024 pixels across. Please send your submissions to Associate Editor Jim Wiggin for consideration. We look forward to your contributions!