Air Plane Photos 2013: Electric R.C Airplanes

Electric R.C Airplanes

Source(www.google.com.pk)

those not intended to fly, are commonly built using plastic detail parts, photo etched brass, and wire, though other materials such as wood, metal, and paper are also often used. Some static models are scaled for use in wind tunnels, where the data acquired is used to aid the design of full scale aircraft.

Models can be bought already built and painted, as well as models that require construction, painting and gluing, or snap fit models (most of which come with decals or paint already applied).

The collector can choose from plastic and diecast military and commercial helicopters and planes; and for the less skilled collector, snap together military and commercial planes. Snap models are becoming increasingly popular because of their ease of construction.

Plastic model plane manufacturers include Revell who are generally recognized as the most popular manufacturer of plane models in the United States; Airfix, whose name is synonymous with the hobby in the United Kingdom, Hobbycraft, DML, Frog, Matchbox, Minicraft, Hasegawa, Tamiya and Testors. The peak of the plastic modelling hobby was probably the 1970s and while it is still very popular today, at that time the hobby could support a considerable number of competing, large companies. During the 1980s, many of them were forced to radically downsize, restructure, merge, or go out of business. Some attribute this to the rise of computer games over the more traditional type of hobbies. Another consideration is that kits have generally required considerable skill and patience to achieve good results, and that ready-made or more quickly constructed models have taken over the market for those simply looking for a toy to play with.

Plastic scale model aircraft kits usually come in standard scales such as 1/144, 1/72, 1/48 (also known as quarter-scale), and 1/32. This scale indicates the relationship between the size of the model and the size of the actual aircraft. For example, in 1/48 scale, 1 mm on the model represents 48 mm on the actual aircraft. One of the most expensive airplane models in the world, that of a Boeing 707 made in 1/10 scale, is valued at US$18,000.

Die-Cast model plane manufacturers include Dyna-Flytes (recognized as the first manufacturer of that type of model), Schabak, Gemini Jets and Herpa Wings.

Snap-fit plastic plane models include Wooster, Long & Prosper and Flight Miniatures of Cottonwood, Arizona.

Vacuum formed kits are generally for the more skilled collector and are manufactured by small companies such as Koster Aero Enterprises. Specialized kits cast in resin are also available.

models resemble scaled down versions of piloted aircraft almost as much as static models do, while others are built with no intension of looking like piloted aircraft. There are also models of birds and flying dinosaurs. One company, Flying ThingZ of Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, makes a line of rather whimsical models in addition to a lineup of conventional aircraft. Their more unusual offerings, produced from laser-cut corrugated plastic include a witch on a broomstick, a flying Abrams tank, a flying race car and even a 2/3-scale flying lawnmower.

ConstructionEdit

Flying models have to be designed according to the same principles as full-sized aircraft, and therefore their construction is very different from most static models. Flying models borrow construction techniques from vintage full-sized aircraft (although models rarely use metal structures.) These might consist of forming the frame of the model using thin strips of light wood such as balsa, then covering it with fabric and subsequently doping the fabric to form a light and sturdy frame which is also airtight. For very light models, very thin paper can be substituted for fabric. Or, heat-curing plastic films ("heat shrink covering" or "solarfilm") can be ironed on - a hand-held iron causes the film to shrink and adhere to the frame.

Home-grown model-construction techniques consist of using formers and longerons for the fuselage, and spars and ribs for the wings and tail surfaces. More robust designs often use solid sheets of wood to form these instead, or might employ a composite wing consisting of an expanded polystyrene core covered in a protective veneer of wood, often obechi. Such designs tend to be heavier than an equivalent sized model built using the traditional method, and would be much more likely to be found in a power model than a glider.

The lightest models are suitable for indoor flight, in a windless environment. Some of these are made by bringing frames of balsa wood and carbon fiber up through water to pick up thin plastic films, similar to rainbow colored oil films. The advent of "foamies," or craft injection-molded from lightweight foam and sometimes reinforced with carbon fiber, have made indoor flight more readily accessible to hobbyists. Many come ready-to-fly, requiring little more than attachment of the wing and landing gear. See: ParkZone Slo-V.

Flying models can be built from scratch using published plans, or assembled from kits. Plans are intended for the more experienced modeller, since all parts must be sourced separately. The kit contains most of the raw material for an unassembled plane, a set of (sometimes elaborate) assembly instructions, and a few spare parts to allow for builder error. Assembling a model from plans or a kit can be very labour-intensive. In order to complete the construction of a model, the builder typically spends many hours assembling the frame, covering it, and polishing/refining the control surfaces for correct alignment. Furthermore, the kit does not include necessary tools, and these have to purchased separately. Finally, a single overlooked error during assembly could compromise the model's airworthiness, leading to disaster.