If you have never tried building and flying a rubber powered scale free flight model airplane, then you are really missing out on a lot of affordable fun. Each year, our buddy and Scale RC and WW1 aviation expert, Tom Polapink, hosts an annual free flight contest and this event is dedicated to Cole Palen, […]

The Exclusive MAN Workshop Build-Along series is just about complete with just a few detail left to finish up. I have been working on my giant Fokker Dr.1 Triplane since last October and we’ve posted lots of helpful building and covering tips along the way. Several of you have asked if I could show some details […]

An extremely popular giant scale engine line in Europe, Valach is now available from Vogelsang-Aeroscale the official U.S Dealer. Available now at http://vogelsang-aeroscale.com/valach.html the new 120cc twin-cylinder horizontally apposed gas engine is the perfect power plant for countless scale projects. Able to turn deep pitch 30- to 32-inch propellers, Valach engines are designed from the […]

We just got back from the flying field after test flying the new giant scale Spitfire ARF from Top Flite. This 50cc warbird flies great and it is equipped with Robart’s new electric retracts. The Spitfire took off easily at half power with the DLE 50 turning a Falcon 23×10 propeller! Wow! With a Best […]

We’ve all been here, done that! The life expectancy of your RC airplane is directly proportional to how well you follow directions. That is to say, you’ve built and setup your plane properly as explained by the instructions. This article is intended to give the first time model builders some helpful tips for being successful […]

Today in 1948: The USAF revised its aircraft designations from “P” for pursuit to “F” for fighter. So aircraft such as the P-51D Mustang became known as the F-51 Mustang.

When it comes to covering a model airplane’s wings, you have to make sure the fabric covering material is adhered properly to the wing structure. The wing is the part that produces lift so the model can fly and more than the fuselage and the tail surfaces, it is subjected a lot of stress. To […]

There’s an old saying in the hobby that goes: “Once you’re finished “building” your scale RC airplane, you’re only half done!” That’s because all our efforts of gluing and bolting parts together lead up to one final goal—producing a smooth and even surface to apply the covering to. With any fabric covering job, the end results are […]

If you have to ask why should I attend the RCX Radio Control Expo at the Long Beach Convention Center this weekend (June 1 -2) then here are 10 reasons to go! Besides seeing all the great new RC Airplanes and Gear… 1. Make your own Balsa Airplane and fly it. 2. Try out the […]

When it comes to scale subjects, nothing is so appealing as a classic subject from the Golden Age of Aviation. Ron Peterka has an amazing Subject that will soon be featured as a Construction article in Model Airplane News, his amazing Stinson SR-5E. This 1:5 scale model of Stinson “Reliant N-14187 is, in a way, […]

Everyone knows that saving weight in the tail of your airplane is a good thing. An ounce saved in the tail equals twice that much (or more,) you don’t have to add to the nose. Eliminating a pushrod by using cables is also an excellent way to keep your model more scale like in appearance. […]

Model Airplane News is always looking for great, out of the ordinary projects and one we found several years ago was an amazing half-scale Pitts Model-12 designed and executed by Karl Scnieder of Washington, PA. Now, when we say scale, we really mean it as Karl started out with full-size aircraft drawings and built his […]