The Northwest's Favorite Planes
Northwest control-line model airplane fliers are invited to submit photos and information about their favorite planes, for posting on this Flying Lines page.
January-March 2014 Favorite Planes Gallery
Javier Fernandez' clear finish
Javier Fernandez of Cordoba, Spain, has contributed a number of photos of his airplanes for FL's cover, but this is one of our favorites. Building a plane well enough to finish it in clear takes real talent -- there's just no way to hide any mistakes. Javier built this plane last year for O.S. .46 power. Great job! Javier Fernandez photo.
Rich Walbridge's Jester
Rich Walbridge of Fresno, Calif., has produced the first American-built version of Bruce Perry's Jester. The pilot is Harley Quinn, the girlfriend of the DC Comics character the Jester. Power is by a piped PA .65, and the finish is all automotive paint. Perry, the airplane's designer, is from Edmonton, Alberta, and Bruce's version won the Concours d'Elegance trophy at the 2011 Northwest Regionals. Rich Walbridge photo.
Javier Fernandez' Blue Max
This Blue Max is the second one that our regular correspondent Javier Fernandez of Cordoba, Spain, has built. This version of the Kaz Minato design is powered by a Stalker .61. The first version can be seen in October-December 2011 Favorite Planes. Javier Fernandez photo.
Dave Shrum's La Donna
Dave Shrum of Roseburg, Ore, has been turning out some beautiful airplanes lately. His La Donna was seen at Oregon Flying Fun No. 2 in Roseburg on Feb. 15, 2014. The La Donna is a Jack Sheeks design, powered by a SuperTigre .34 squre head. Flying Lines photo.
Dave Shrum's Corsair
Dave Shrum of Roseburg, Ore, did a beautiful job on this Jack Sheeks F4U, and he says it is an excellent flier. The plane has a 58-inch wingspan, 685 square inches, and is powered by a SuperTigre .60. Finish is Rustoleum. Dave Shrum photos.
Joe Just's F7F
Joe Just of Sunnyside, Wash., built this Tigercat from a Brodak kit. It uses two Thunder Tiger .18 engines on muffler pressure. The two-line system uses 2.4 radio control servos. The weight is about 39 oz and the color reflects a 1950-ish F7F that was flown as a drone. All paint is Rustoleum spray. Joe Just photo.
Mike Haverly's Ring Rat
Mike Haverly of Auburn, Wash., set up this Ring Rat for his grandson, Colton Lutz, as an aerobatic trainer. It's an excellent flier with electric power, seen here at the 2013 Stuntathon in Puyallup, Wash. Mike reports that the plane came as a kit from Stevens Aeromodel that included everything except for batteries for $100.00. Colton used it built per instructions and survived two crashes on grass with minimal damage. Later Mike added an APC prop and a Hubin timer. "It is a perfect trainer as is and will easily do the beginner stunt pattern," Mike says. "With a larger battery it is capable of a complete stunt pattern." The plane is covered with Ultrakote and Duplicolor rattle can paint. Flying Lines photo.
Roy DeCamara's Pegasus
This is another one of the beautiful planes by Northwest master builder Roy DeCamara of Vancouver, Wash. This Classic Pegasus was flown at the 2003 Vintage Stunt Championships, Northwest Regionals and Brodak Fly-In. Roy DeCamara photo.
Two by Dave Shrum
Dave Shrum of Roseburg, Ore., has produced two beautiful new planes, shown off here at a hangar party at Bob Lewis' shop in Roseburg. The big plane has a Thunderbird wing and a Vega 35 fuselage and tail, with PT-19 colors, powered by a Fox .35. The smaller plane is a PT-19 powered by a McCoy .19. Bob Lewis photo.
Bill Darkow's P.D.Q.
Bill Darkow of Tenino, Wash., has produced another interesting and nostalgic model. Bill explains:
"I've come full circle -- literallly. Pictured here is a replica of the first control-line line model I built and tried to fly. My dad finally broke down and allowed me to spend some of my paper route money for an Ohlsson .23 sideport and a kit of the P.D.Q. 6 by Sullivan. The model was designed by Ray O'Neill and featured in a 1946 Air Trails construction article before Sullivan picked it up. The $5 kit was complete with partly carved fuselage, streamline rubber wheels, battery box, canopy, bellcrank and 100 feet of control line. You could get a reel and handle for $1.25 more. We built it carefully together as we had no one to advise us. Alas, it was too much for a 14-year-old kid with no instructor and after several wrecks and repairs it was disposed of. I kept the Ohlsson .23 and finally learned to fly it on glow in a stunt model called the "Ginger Snap" with an instructor when we moved to Washington in 1948. The P.D.Q. is 20 inches long with a 25-inch wingspan and weighs 20 oz. complete with battery. It has a nearly-new Ohlsson .23 sideport with transistorized ignition swinging an 8x8 Top Flite. Not flown yet but 67 years later, I think I can handle it." Bill Darkow photo.
Javier Fernandez' Northrop F5
Javier Fernandez of Cordoba, Spain, is a prolific builder of interesting stunt planes and a regular contributor to our Favorite Planes feature. This Northrop F5 is powered by an O.S. LA .40. Javier Fernandez photo.