Road to Top Gun — Steve Thomas and his Vans RV4 44% Team Scale Entry

For the 30^th Anniversary of Top Gun, the  Team of Steve (builder) and pilot Curtis Switzer are heading to Top Gun to fly in Team Scale with Steve’s 44% scale Vans RV4. From Saint Cloud, FL, Steve built the RV-4 from the Grupp Models kit and his entry is modeled after Taylor De Ley’s  plane, who at the age of 17 became the youngest pilot ever to fly the Nation’s perimeter saying “it would get me out of my hectic world before college started”.

The color scheme and sponsors decals are accurate to the original aircraft’s 2011 paint scheme.  Painted in Behr Acrylic colors, several techniques were used to apply the rivet detail; some cut directly into the plywood, others are cut into to the glass cloth to achieve the weathered look

Specs

Wingspan                         114”

Length                              100”

Height at the front             26”

 

Weight                              48lbs

Engine                              3W-106cc gas

Propeller                           26 x 10 Falcon, (Beech wood)

Radio                               Jeti – DS16 with HiTec 5645 mg servos and Bavarian Demon Cortex Gyro

Paint Finish                        Behr Acrylic

Steve is also competing in the ProAm Prop class with his tried and true 1/4-scale Yak 11. Built from the FiberClassics kit, Steve thought it only appropriate to bring back his classic Yak 11 which he first flew at Top Gun in 2006. The plane is 25 years old and has been flown all over the World.

Specs

Kit                         FiberClassics YAK 11 ¼ Scale

Wings                   98”

Weight                 38lbs

Engine                  3W 85 Twin

Radio                    Futaba 14mz

Servos                  Hitec 645 mg

Gyro                     Bavarian Demon

Propeller              WWII Xoar 26 x 8

Retracts               Wabo

Finishes               Painted in Humbrol Paint – Prussian Blue & Earth Brown