This is a shot of my new 9.5-inch wingspan de Havilland Dash 8-100
model, with the full-scale Dash- 8 that I currently fly in the background.
The Dash- 8 is constructed from Durobatics foam and uses two 4mm x
11mm 13-Ohm motors with two 32mm Plantraco propellers. The model
weighs 5 grams and will fly for 5 to 7 minutes.
The new DT 2. 4 GHz
Rx41d DSM2 receiver
weighs approximately
0.28 grams and features
twin-steer mixing that
is perfect for models
such as my new Dash- 8
design.
When I was a child, I spent many hours reading model airplane magazines and dreaming about flying full- scale and RC model airplanes. Model aviation is a
great way for people of any age to get introduced to airplanes
and flying. You can learn about aerodynamics, weight and
balance, building and construction techniques, and even
aviation history.
Model aviation will lead many to an interest in learning to
fly a full-scale airplane and a career in the field of aviation. It
is a great time to start a career in aviation because pilots will
be in great demand at some point in the future. New work
rules, the cost of learning to fly, pilot retirements, and fewer
pilots coming out of the military are affecting commercial
airline pilot staffing levels.
The best way to get started is to go to your local flight
school and take an introductory flight to see if aeronautics is
for you. If it is, you can work to obtain your ratings, and start
your career in aviation!
de Havilland Dash 8-100
My full-time job is flying a de Havilland Dash 8-100 and
a Dash 8-300 for US Airways Express/Piedmont Airlines,
Inc. Flying this turboprop throughout the Northeast is a
good job.
I have been planning to design a model of the DH- 8 for
several years. I began working on a design a few years ago that
flew okay, but I stopped to complete some other projects.
With a new line of twin-steer DT 2. 4 GHz receivers, I had
no excuse; I had to complete my DH- 8 design!
I decided to make the model profile, as are many of my
previous designs, because it would save weight and would
be easy to construct. I wanted to pack in as much detail as
possible, so I carried my camera with me to work to take
plenty of photos. I can’t tell you how many photos I took of
the airplane, but I had to go back and take more because I was
missing some of the detail that I was trying to draw!
I included accurate panel lines, rivets, access hatches, and
many other markings. If it’s on the full-scale airplane, it is
probably on my model. Most people would not notice the
minute details, but
I wanted the model
to be accurate.
I drew the design in Adobe Illustrator from a good set of
three-view drawings I found. I also referenced a plastic model
kit of the Dash that I had purchased.
My first prototype had a scale wing outline, but it was too
fast and did not fly well. To achieve the flight characteristics
that I wanted, I increased the wing area to allow the model to
fly slower without compromising its looks.
The 91/2-inch wingspan model is constructed from
Durobatics foam with some carbon-fiber rod inside the
fuselage and under the wings for strength. I coated the
Durobatics foam with inkAID. I mixed the inkAID with
water (roughly 70% inkAID and 30% water) and sprayed it
onto the foam with my airbrush. The inkAID allowed me
to print my DH- 8 graphics directly onto my foam using an
inkjet printer. I cut out the parts using a #11 blade.
After all of the parts were cut, I added my carbon rod
It’s never too late to learn to fly
81 Model Aviation NOVEMBER 2012
www.ModelAviation.com
MIcro-FlyIng
