Author Archives: Mark

UMX Gee Bee R2

This is my E-flite UMX Gee Bee R2. It’s a fun little plane which I’m still trying to get a handle on. Landings are especially difficult. I’ve also run into the Gee Bee’s not uncommon Overpower Cut-off problem (OPC). With … Continue reading

Posted in Gyros, My Fleet, My Planes, R/C Planes | 1 Comment

New Camera – 808 #11 vs 808 #16

I purchased one of the new model of HiDef keychain cameras, the #16, from eletoponline365 on eBay. (My older cameras were #11’s) The camera has the same basic specs – 1280 x 720p @30fps – but has some important improvements … Continue reading

Posted in Aerial Photography | Leave a comment

Silver cases

I bought some new field cases for my RC gear. One was actually sold as a pistol case, the other as a fishing tackle box. I hated the green colors on the tackle box, and the pistol case – pure … Continue reading

Posted in Equipment | Leave a comment

Bf 109 Funfighter – overheating problems

I LOVE my new BF 109 Funfighter, especially on a 4-cell battery. But … the motor and ESC are getting way too hot to suit me. I swapped out the stock 20A ESC for an E-flite 30A ESC, but it … Continue reading

Posted in Custom & Modified, Lessons Learned, My Planes, R/C Planes | Leave a comment

Sporty Little Plane – Build Thread

Yet another build, this one a little low-wing sports plane with a 25″ wingspan, made from blue Dow fanfold foam. You’ll find the plane’s official page, here. My first successful scratch build was another Tiger Moth. That was followed by … Continue reading

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Blu-Baby Build

My niece has expressed interest in building an R/C airplane, and we’ve chosen the Blu-Baby as her first build. Update: On our first test flight, the main wing showed an alarming tendancy to bend upwards under load, so the first … Continue reading

Posted in Build Threads, Building, Custom & Modified, R/C Planes, Scratch Built | 2 Comments

HobbyKing Messerschmitt Bf 109 Funfighter

This is my HobbyKing Messerschmitt Bf 109 Funfighter. It’s got a tiny little 658mm (26″) wingspan but it goes like lightning on a 4-cell 850mAh LiPo. It is bone stock, at the moment, but I think I need to swap … Continue reading

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

My most ambitious video yet

I love to create videos of – or onboard – my planes in flight. I’ve done over a hundred of them in the past two years. At first, it was enough to get any kind of onboard video at all … Continue reading

Posted in Aerial Photography, Flying Wings, My Planes, R/C Planes | Leave a comment

The Nutball Flies!

My wife finished building her Nutball today and we took it out for a quick maiden flight just before sundown. Victory!  

Posted in Building, Flying, R/C Planes, Scratch Built | Leave a comment

No more hot glue! (Re-building the Pico Moth’s landing gear yet again.)

I’ve officially had it with hot glue. When the weather gets hot, hot glue loosens up and my planes start shedding parts. The other day (103° F) I took my Pico Moth to a nearby park to fly. When I … Continue reading

Posted in Biplanes & Triplanes, Building, Custom & Modified, Lessons Learned, My Planes, R/C Planes | Leave a comment

Reversing the direction of a brushless motor – it’s easy!

Fixing a backwards brushless motor is easy-peasy. Switching any two wires of the three wires will reverse the motor’s direction. Really. It doesn’t matter which ones. How can this be? Imagine that each wire is numbered. The speed controller is … Continue reading

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Nutball build thread (RETIRED)

After suffering a catastrophic de-lamination when moisture and humidity caused the paper to separate from the foam, this plane has been retired. I’ve convinced my wife to build a plane and she’s chosen a nutball, which she plans to decorate … Continue reading

Posted in Build Threads, Building, Custom & Modified, R/C Planes, Retired, Scratch Built | 1 Comment