Author Archives: Mark

Fixing a foamie – putting Pierre’s Tiger Moth back together

I fly a lot, therefore I crash a lot. Not all the time; the overwhelming majority of my RC flights are without serious incident. But sometimes, you’re gonna lose one. I thought I’d dedicate a post to the repair process. … Continue reading

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First big crash of the year – Crazy Pierre piles it in

I’m not entirely sure what happened, but Pierre’s Tiger Moth went into a spin and I couldn’t pull it out. The results were semi-grim: top wing torn off and broken in half, fuselage snapped in two …

Posted in Biplanes & Triplanes, Crashes, My Planes, R/C Planes, Scratch Built | Leave a comment

2012 – The Year in Crashes

Every year (well, both of them) I put together a compilation of crashes, spills, cartwheels and other ‘uh-oh’ moments in my R/C flying career. Here’s 2012’s selection. Enjoy!

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The SnowDragon (Retired)

A friend of mine ran for Senate this year (and almost won!) I collected a few yard signs at the end of his campaign with the idea of building something out of them. The SnowDragon, based on the Draco, is … Continue reading

Posted in Custom & Modified, My Fleet, My Planes, R/C Planes, Retired, Scratch Built | 1 Comment

Parkzone S.E.5a

I found this little beauty under the Christmas tree. (Thanks, Honey!) The plane was more powerful and responsive than I’d anticipated – not a problem, but something that took me a bit to adjust to. I was expecting a slow, … Continue reading

Posted in Biplanes & Triplanes, My Fleet, My Planes, R/C Planes | 1 Comment

Snowdragon – Coroplast / fanfold KF hybrid build

A friend of mine ran for Senate this year (and almost won!) I collected a few yard signs at the end of his campaign with the idea of building something out of them. I thought about a Nutball or a Funbat, but … Continue reading

Posted in Build Threads, Building, Custom & Modified, Flying Wings, R/C Planes | 1 Comment

Coroplast vs. Dollar Tree foamboard vs. Dow blue fanfold foam (FFF)

I’m starting a build using Coroplast election signs and, man, does this stuff feel heavy. I compared it to a sheet of Dollar Tree foamboard with its paper on and confirmed that, sure enough, Coroplast’s more than twice as heavy. … Continue reading

Posted in Building, FAQs and Tips, Scratch Built | 1 Comment

Glassing the Wings – trying to save the Pico Moth

Here is my GWS Pico Tiger Moth after nearly every flight. Profoundly tired of constantly repairing the plane’s over-brittle wings, I decided to try adding some fiberglass for strength. I’m only glassing the wings out to about 1/3 – 1/2 … Continue reading

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Night Flying with the Slow Stick – some photos

My GWS Slow Stick

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FPV Stryker

This plane started out as something else altogether. It was originally intended as a ‘3D’ mid-weight Stryker. It was a total failure. Instead, I have made it into an FPV / aerial video platform. Current setup: Emax CF2822 outrunner 20A … Continue reading

Posted in Aerial Photography, Custom & Modified, FPV, My Fleet, My Planes, R/C Planes | Leave a comment

Pico Moth, crashed again

I’m about ready to give up, for now at least, on my pretty little Pico Tiger Moth. I don’t know if I got a bad batch of foam or what, but these wings (and the tail) are made of floppy … Continue reading

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The Arlene Turner Memorial Moth build

The GWS Tiger Moth 400 was the first plane I built. My original Moth still flies and looks great, but I’ve decided to give it another go and see if two years of building and flying experience can’t produce an … Continue reading

Posted in Biplanes & Triplanes, Build Threads, Building, Custom & Modified | 1 Comment