My Plane as an R/C Model

[M Towsley]

Just found this online, you can also upgrade with a clip wing with ailerons, as well as a larger motor. Price around $89 from what I found so far.

http://ares-rc.com/taylorcraft130/

[M Towsley]

Re: My Plane as an R/C Model

Talked to the company today. They can be found, or sometimes ordered, from HobbyTown hobby shops. I plan on getting one in a month or two and see what it is like. Just wish it had my 'N'-number on it.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: My Plane as an R/C Model

Marty, it's a foammie and you can paint it with many of the plastic model paints for model railroaders. Their paints are very light with dense pigments and work well with a $6 Harbor Freight air brush. Get the long wing version and some fine line masking tape so you can make the numbers and details match. You will want to take off the late model rear windows anyway and I would fix the rudder to scale too (use WHITE GLUE like Elmer's to not melt the foam!). I would also NOT use the transmitter that comes with the high cost version. I bought a 5 channel Spektrum transmitter on e-Bay for $30 and if you watch for one of the little super Cub models they have a better motor and an AS3X radio receiver/servo pack that is better (if you can find a crashed Super Cub to cannibalize you could just buy the foam Taylorcraft wing and fuselage, make your own tail from Egg carton foam and put scale landing gear on.
Looks like a neat way to have an RC version of your plane! I have been planning to build another stick and tissue Taylorcraft to do the same for my 41. Got to use that Spektrum radio in something!
Hank

[M Towsley]

Re: My Plane as an R/C Model

I also have a micro Albatross and had to paint the pilot, etc., on it. Thanks for the tips.

I asked them why they didn't do the rudder to scale and they stated they did that on purpose. Probably for the rudder/elevator/throttle-only version.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: My Plane as an R/C Model

The servo could be pretty weak in their system and the balance part would reduce servo loads.
Hank

If it has a steerable tail wheel I would just get rid of it and use a small piece of bamboo as a skid. Ground steering loads are what usually fails rudder servos, and who wants to taxi around a model that small?