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Why interesting ?? |
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What makes flying with model airplanes so interesting?. First, in the summer we are always
outside in the open air, and in the winter there is always something to do. In model
construction, you work with very modern materials and techniques, and get involved with
wood (balsa), paint, electronics, engines and naturally aërodynamics. So even for general
knowledge it is a hobby with a lot of potential.
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How do we build our models |
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In most cases we buy kits, for example from Robbe ,
or Graupner These kits are very
complete, all parts are pre-manufactured in the box and you only have to glue them
together. Also the little parts such as fuel-tank and wheels are included in the kit.
There are also model pilots, who are building their planes completely from scratch. To
build a plane this way takes a lot more time, but at the end it gives a lot of
satisfaction when everything is working and flying perfectly well. At last there are also
ready to fly planes for sale (look at our link site), but these are more expensive. When
there is no time to build a plane, this is of course the perfect solution to fly anyway.
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How much time does it take |
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When a particular model has been chosen, we can start the construction. Do not think that
a kit can be put together in just one day.  Mostly the
construction takes place in the winter, and it takes anywhere from several weeks to months
to complete the plane depending on the type of plane. The more accurate you build, the
better the plane will fly. After the plane is roughly built (see picture on the right) it
has to be sanded as smooth (and nice) as possible, and after that it has to be finished.
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The finishing touch |
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Nowadays there are modern coverings (foils) on the market, that can be shrunk by heat.
With help from a heat gun or an iron the covering (foil) will shrink around the parts.
With care this will result in a smooth finish, and the parts are at the same time fuel
resistant. Of course the planes can also be painted the old-fashioned way, with a brush
and paint. But there is always the same golden rule, the more accurate you are, the better
the plane will look and fly at the end.
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Engine / rc-control |
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Lastly, the engine, steering engines (servos), receiver and battery packs
are placed in the model. The servos
will control the position of the rudders and the throttle of the engine, and can even be
used to operate flaps or retracts. The receiver catches the signal of the transmitter and
sends the signals to the servos, all of which are powered by the battery pack. You can
choose among a variety of engines. There are electric engines and fuel engines. The fuel
engines can be divided again in 2 stroke and 4-stroke and methanol and gasoline engines. OS-MAX is a good engine supplier. The choice of the
engine is naturally always dependent on the kind of model. When the engine is too small,
it can't get the plane in the air, but too much power is no good either. When you fly a
Cessna as an F-16 it is not realistic anymore. So a good choice of engine is one that matches the chartacteristics of the chosen
model.
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Costs |
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Model flying is not so expensive as it might seem. Today there are models for beginners
that sell for between 30 and 80 dollars, and will provide for many years of fun. Look at Tower hobbies. The costs of transmitter, receiver
and servos is a bit more expensive but there are complete and good sets for sale from 100
dollars. Usually you have to buy a transmitter just once, because it can be used with many
new models.
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Questions ?? |
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When you want more information about model flying, take a look at a club  in the neighborhood. The
members can inform you, and you can always ask your questions to them.
Of course you can always e-mail our club
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