Archive for Blog Post

Commercial Model Airplanes

Posted by: admin | Comments (0)
Monday, April 12th, 2010

commercial model airplanesThere are very few people who fly for a living. However today there are a large number of people who sacrifice their passion for flying planes and end up in stressful software jobs just to have a safe and secure living. For all those, there is an alternative that fulfills two purposes. One is that the commercial model airplanes are available that can fulfill your desire to fly planes. Another is that it is definitely the best hobby to develop and is one of the best stress busters.

Commercial model airplanes are made out of light weight materials and some available today are free flying remote controlled planes. If you are not all that very used to flying, may be for an amateur, a control line craft that flies only for a limited distance is a good choice.

Examples of commercial airplanes are Airbus, LearJet, Gulfstream, Concorde and Boeing. Such commercial model airplanes can be made out of any possible light weight materials even as simple as the plastic. One wonderful thing is that you can make your own model. Or well, if flying is not your interest and you are here for making good money, you are very well welcome into the business of making these planes. With more and more people showing an increased interest to fly model planes; this is definitely a good business which can churn you lots of money.

Well, let us now see how commercial model airplanes can be made. Just buy the aircraft model kit, you can choose military or commercial model kit. Simply take a knife and cut the pieces that have been given the same number into a single piece. If any excess plastic is left, you need to remove it. Now fill glue between the pieces. You can settle in for glues or use plastic cements. For windows, use glues that dry sooner such as the canopy glue.

Once these are done, now it is time for you to look into the instructions more carefully and use paint and an according brush as suggested by the manufacturer for the particular model. Once you get the decals applied, you have a model aircraft ready.

Categories : Blog Post
Comments (0)

Scale Model Airplanes

Posted by: admin | Comments (0)
Saturday, April 10th, 2010

If you’re reading this article, chances are you’ve either got a passion for scale model airplanes or you’ve never heard about them before and would like to find out more. I must say, I believe the former group to be larger one when it comes to the readership of this article.

Since we want to start right at the beginning, let’s begin by describing what the word ‘scale’ means within the context of model airplanes. Well, the whole term ‘scale model airplanes,’ makes it clear enough I hope that we’re discussing airplanes models that are made from plastic. These models are made to reflect the history of the military and aviation industries.

In order to create a model of any given military or other aircraft from the past, the first decision to be made is to do with scale. What size do you want your model to be in relation to the actual size of the aircraft in reality. This is always denoted by means of the ration system. Consider for example the ratio 1/50 – what this means is that your plastic model is fifty times smaller than the original.

By doing this you ensure that you have a set measurement of conversion. For instance if you decide to make a model that’s 48 times smaller than the original then according to your calculations every foot of the original will have to represented by ¼” of the model.

Today there’s a small but growing community of hobbyists that follow all the developments taking place on this front. This includes the manufacturing aspect as well as the building facet.

Take a look on the internet – a source that makes it possible to find just about anything – and you’ll notice that there are at least nine well known manufacturers of scale model airplanes. When I say, they manufacture them, I’m talking about both ready-made models as well as kits for you to have some hands-on fun yourself.

These models are made from a variety of materials ranging from plastic to wood, from polystyrene to fiberglass. The models once made may either be capable or flying or not. This feature is dependent on the construction of the model which differs based on whether or not you want your model to be worthy of flying.

There are those who enjoy this hobby as collectors and their only purpose is to find and add to their collection of various models of scaled airplanes. Obviously these are almost always static models. Then, there’s the other group that enjoys the act of building their own models either from scratch or from kits they buy online. This group consists of both static and flying model enthusiasts.

Whatever category you fall into, trust that there’re enough outlets on the internet that can cater to your wants. There are some websites and blogs as well that are maintained by professionals in this field some of whom take on orders for custom model airplanes in scales of your choice. Such blogs/websites also often offer tutorials on all aspects of this esoteric hobby.

Related Pages:

Categories : Blog Post
Comments (0)

Scale Model Airplane Manufacturers

Posted by: admin | Comments (0)
Saturday, April 10th, 2010

scale model airplanesA scale model airplane is a replica of an airplane that is much bigger. There are a number of different manufactures for scale model airplanes and also a number of other vehicles around the world. Most of the scale model airplane manufacturers use fiberglass, foam, wood, and polystyrene to make these models. The scale model airplanes are also designed and made for different purposes; some of them are just scaled down to look like aircraft models and are used as show pieces whereas some manufacturers produce scale model airplanes that are accurately designed to glide and are more than show pieces.

There are quite a few scale model airplane manufacturers around the globe who make quite a few different types of scale model airplanes. One of the most popular airplane scale models is the radio-controlled aircraft which is used by thousands of people around the world for fun and entertainment. The radio-controlled scale model airplane is controlled by a remote control which allows you to fly the airplane to different directions and heights.

Many different scale model manufacturers produce radio-controlled airplanes but they are all different. The most convenient type is the Ready to Fly plane which doesn’t need you to fix anything and you are all set to fly the plane as soon as you open the box. The other type produced is the one which is Almost Ready to Use and this one requires you to fix a few things in the package before you start. However, people who would like to try their building and engineering skills can buy the Balsa kit which comes in various sizes and for people with different skill levels.

The different scale model airplane manufacturers also produce a variety of different planes such as new age fighter jets to different international or national passenger planes to military bombing planes to commercial jets. One can choose which kind of airplane they’d like to have and then decide whether they want it as a show piece or something they can really fly.

There are quite a few manufacturers around the world but here is a list of a few of the most well-renowned scale model airplane manufacturers –

  • Stevens Aero Model is a company that is based in the US and makes a variety of different aircraft models and kits for different skill levels.
  • Trumpeter is a company that is based in China and makes not only many different kinds of scale model aircrafts but also produces scale model ships, military ground vehicles and car kits.
  • Academy Plastic Model is a company that is based in South Korea and produces different aircraft model kits which range between 1:72 and 1:48 scales.
  • AirFix is a UK based company that has been producing aircraft model kits since 1939.
  • Aurora Plastics Corporation is a US based company that mostly makes plastic model aircraft kits.
  • Dragon Models Limited is a company that is based in Hong Kong and they produce plastic model planes and have been in business since 1987.
Categories : Blog Post
Comments (0)

Model Airplane Plans and Guides

Posted by: admin | Comments (0)
Saturday, March 20th, 2010

airplane guideBuilding and flying model airplanes is becoming increasingly popular nowadays and newer models are being launched fairly regularly. This has become the most sought after hobby now. The models range from the basic ones to the more complex one like the model jet airplanes. The models come in two varieties – Ready to Fly and Almost Ready to Fly. When buy a model of the 1st variety then there is really nothing to worry. You can just take it out from the box; attach the dismantled parts (if any) and let it fly. The ARF variety needs a little bit of building the airplane and it will take a minimum of 4 hrs to get the model ready. If the model is a complicated one then the time to build it will also increase.

These models are quite easy to build as the box comes with instruction manuals and all. But there are other aspects which require equal attention and a little bit of expertise. The areas of concern are – the first flight, radio control equipment, savos, batteries, glow engines, pulsejet and the turbines. You can follow the instruction manuals for these or you can follow the many guide books that are readily available in the market. These guides are also available in various blogs and the can also be bought from reputed websites such as www.amazon.com

There are a number of good books for this purpose. Gas Turbines for Model Aircraft by Kurt Schreckling is one of the best in the genre. It has received good reviews all over and is recommended for first timers. The book is written in a lucid manner and is also used by veterans of RC flying. There are lots of people who have abandoned RC flying as they get bored of the complex manuals, unlimited formulas and weird vocabulary. This is where the book scores over others. The book is low priced and comes in paperback edition. There are other similar titles which are good reference guides for RC model airplane flyers. Some of the notable books are Model Jet Engines by Thomas Kamps and RCadvisor’s Model Airplane Design Made Easy by Carlos Reyes.

Categories : Blog Post
Comments (0)

Plastic Model Airplanes

Posted by: admin | Comments (0)
Saturday, March 20th, 2010

plastic model airplanePlastic models are usually sold as kits which need to be assembled by the user. The plastic models are also known as scale models and they are mainly bought for static display. The majority of the plastic model airplanes are injection – molded in polystyrene, parts are attached together with the help of adhesive or white glue. You can even get special paints for application on these plastic models. Aircraft insignia and body decorations materials are also available and you can use them on your model to make it look more realistic.

There has been a trend among manufacturers to offer airplane kits which require less time and skill to assemble them. So now fully detailed kits have been launched for the benefit of the hobbyists. These kits require only normal assembly and gluing. Another type of kits is available wherein you just need to snap the different parts together and this requires even lesser time and skill.

Plastic models are designed in scale. Generally these models have full detailing and come in reasonable sizes. The most popular scales that are available for plastic model aircrafts are 1/24, 1/32, 1/48, 1/72, 1/100 and 1/144. Of these 1/48 and 1/72 sell the most worldwide.

The flip side of plastic models is that the high cost of production. Resin castings are used on models but when the models become larger in size the cost too goes up considerably. Vacuum forming was once popular but the assembly is very difficult. Very recently the manufacturers have started producing models that have very fine detailing that are perfect for resin kits. The reason behind the sale of plastic model airplanes has changed over the years. Earlier these were sold as toys to young boys but now they are mainly purchased to be kept as collectibles. Technology too has advanced a great deal and the models that come out now are highly sophisticated compared to the older models. This has also raised the price of the kits by several notches but that cannot be helped really in this age of competition.

The first plastic model airplanes came into existence in the 1930s’ and these were manufactured by Frog in the UK. A decade later several US companies like Hawk, Renwal and Lindberg joined the bandwagon and began to produce plastic model airplanes. From 1950s the big players came into picture such as the Auror4a, Revell, AMT and Monogram in US, Airfix in UK and Heller SA in France. It was only in the 1970s that plastic model airplanes became increasingly popular in Asian countries and manufacturers began to rise from this region too. Hasegawa and Tamiya from Japan, DML, AFV Club and Trumpeter from China have started dominated the market with newer technologies. Nowadays you also get brands from Russia, Central Europe and Korea stacked up in the local toy stores.

Needless to say these models have carved a niche for itself and have adorned the house of many as collector’s items. The cost will always be a factor for the common people but with passing time and better technology these models whould be within the affordable range of the consumers.

Categories : Blog Post
Comments (0)

Flying Model Airplanes – Tips and Advice

Posted by: admin | Comments (0)
Thursday, February 18th, 2010

Flying model airplanes is a stimulating hobby that will give you immense joy and excitement. However, if you are a beginner then you need to take up this hobby seriously in order to master the art of RC model airplane flying. The simplest way to start is the 2 channel electric type RC model airplane. You need not be an experienced one to fly these ones as they are relatively easy and are available everywhere. The level of expertise will depend upon the amount of money you are willing to pump in and your own seriousness about it. If you are not bound by budgetary constraints then you can purchase a RC flight simulator although this is a luxury for flying simple RC model airplanes.

Flying model airplanes can be a lot of fun if you are aware of the following things. Weight and balance are very important for an airplane. So if you have a bought a Ready to Fly airplane and followed all the instructions correctly then the weight and the balance of the airplane should be ok. But it is also important to check the balance before flying a RC model airplane. Just remember that an incorrect balance will make it very difficult for you to control the airplane and it might just crash.

The 2nd most important thing to do is to do the Pre-flight checks. This is an essential step for flying model airplanes. If you skip this test then your cherished airplane may end up with a crash. Go through the instruction manual and do the pre-flight checks as per the guidelines mentioned in the manual. The mandatory checks would include securing the wings and tail properly, checking the motor operation, to ensure the no necessary component is loose and also verifying that radio control gear batteries are in working condition. But the most important check is perhaps the Range Check. This is to make sure that the radio signal is strong so that you can safely fly your model airplane till a considerable distance.

The last check up is not essential but you can still go ahead with it. You can test glide your model airplane before an actual flight. This will give you an idea in case there is a failure with the motor of the airplane.

Finally I can only say that the onus of safe flying a model airplane lies only with the user. Remember that a large clear area is essential for a safe flight. The wind speed and distance also needs to be taken into account. If the wind is too gutsy that some of the trees are bending then it’s a clear sign not to fly your airplane. As emphasized earlier the radio batteries should be in peak condition. Trust me even if one of the batteries perform poorly then there is a high chance of losing contact with the plane and eventually a crash!

So I can conclude by saying that flying model airplanes for the first time will definitely make you nervous but with time you will gain valuable confidence and move on to more sophisticated RC airplanes.

Categories : Blog Post
Comments (0)