Table of contents for May 2025 in RCM&E

Welcome to the May 2025 issue of RCM&E. If something looks a bit di ferent than usual with your copy of your favourite R/C magazine that’s because it has changed to a new paper size of 205 x 290 millimetres. The types of papers used for both the cover stock and the inside pages have also changed. But don’t worry, we are not alone in this, our sister modelling magazines Model Boats and Model Engineer Workshop having also adopted this new format. ‘Why the change?’, you may well ask. Well, simply put RCM&E and many other titles published by Mortons Media have now been taken over by Kelsey Media, one of the leading independently owned media businesses in the UK. This new format is one of Kelsey’s preferred paper sizes…

Last column’s feature about reeds generated some interesting responses regarding old world radio gear. One interesting question was about early proportional sets know as Analogue Proportional. I’ve been meaning to cover this topic for a good while, but it’s stayed in the to-do pile not done. However, I had recently been discussing this with my good pal Pete Christy; modellers of a certain age will remember Pete as an accomplished model helicopter pilot and designer of R/C gear, specifically a range of sets for World Engines, including a brilliant UHF version. Another widget that was extremely popular was his Christy Mixer. Back in the day transmitters were very basic, many not even having servo reversing, so internal mixers were a pipe dream. Built into a receiver case his mixer allowed…

Top letter For his letter this month Stephen Lough wins a compact e455 multi chemistry AC input charger courtesy of Overlander Batteries: www.overlander.co.uk COLD WAR CANCELLATION I thought you would like to see my model of the TSR-2, the cancelled Cold War strike and reconnaissance aircraft. It’s all built up from balsa and ply, then glass clothed and painted. The transfers were made by a friend. It’s powered by a 105 mm EDF from a 12S LiPo, using a 3D printed thrust tube made by another friend. The model is awaiting its maiden flight. Stephen Lough HUNTING A HUNTER I was sorry to read of the deaths of Peter Miller and Chris Golds. I have been reading Peter’s articles for many years. What a knowledgeable guy. I have enclosed…

Fun Fly models have an enduring popularity mainly because they are, well, fun. With these machines pilots can release their inner hooligan and have loads of low-cost fun, but with the control movements turned down they can deliver a chilled out, lazy summer evening flight experience or even be used as an advanced trainer. I primarily designed Fundroid for use in fun fly competition but it’s equally at home as a fun sports model. Competition fun fly models are typically high wing monoplanes with minimalist structure, large wing area and thickish aerofoil sections. The materials used in their construction hasn’t changed much over the years, i.e. mainly balsa with some ply for high stress areas. Unfortunately, this traditional solution is becoming an increasingly expensive option these days so it’s time…

The BiSide biplane concept was originally launched by BJ Craft nearly 15 years ago and it is fair to say that the model didn’t prove to be as popular as other BJ Park airframes at the time. In fact, it was so long ago I was still flying my YS four stroke powered Angels Shadow and Axiome models! Ten points to anyone who still remembers these lovely aeroplanes. Fast forward to 2025 and the model has been substantially re-designed according to the current FAI schedules, along with input from top Spanish pilot Juan Rombaut. The model features a larger fuselage volume with increased side area, along with a reasonably heavy swept wing planform that has been so successful in the BJ Craft Anthem monoplane design in the last two years…

KELSEY MEDIA ACQUIRES MORTONS MEDIA Kelsey Media, one of the leading independently owned media businesses in the UK, is pleased to announce the acquisition of the Mortons Media Group Limited and group of companies. The purchase includes RCM&E magazine and RCM&E’s website, modellying.co.uk. This strategic acquisition marks an exciting new era for Kelsey Media as it seeks to innovate and grow, enhancing its product portfolio, expanding its market presence, and creating significant growth opportunities. Kelsey Media has invested significantly in growth over the last five years and now publishes over 80 brands in 15 markets across digital, print and events, creating value for our partners and serving our customers passions, interests and hobbies in the UK and overseas. Based in Horncastle, Lincolnshire, Mortons Media is a leading specialist publishing company…

A little while ago one of the (many) senior members of my club decided it was time for a de-clutter. He is a retired aircraft engineer, a long-time modeller and a very skilled builder, mostly of larger IC powered models. It may have been something to do with seeing the ease with which club members with an electric foamy or two in the car could head to the patch at short notice - no containers of fuel, electric starters or cleaning cloths required. The rot really set in when other dyed in the wool IC flyers stared appearing with really good-looking twin motor electric models, with all the bells and whistles. These not only flew very well but had good duration from relatively small batteries. His ‘For Sale’ list duly…

Both the Flair Fly-In days hosted by Banbury Model Flying Club in 2024 saw more Flair Puppeteers than any of the other models in Flair’s extensive range. Hardly surprising, I suppose as this was Flair’s most popular kit with some 15,000 being sold! The thing is they were all of a similar colour scheme with mainly camouflaged surfaces and the odd bit of colour trim. All, that is, except one. Ben Smith from Bath had decided to do something a little different and brought his pretty white Puppeteer to the second Flair Fly-In. As Ben was assembling the model I could see lots of interesting details worthy of closer inspection. BEN’S PUP Ben has been flying R/C models for 35 years and regularly flies at the Bath Spa RC Society.…

Many readers will be aware of 4-Max for their extensive range of electric flight goodies and technical support, making them the go to shop for many electric fliers. In addition, they have branched out to offer the Value Planes range of built-up kits. Initially offering scale models and vintage style gliders, Value Planes have now launched a modern rudder/elevator glider with a composite fuselage and built-up wings, tailplane and elevator, in both kit and ARTF versions. The model is 2600 mm (102”) wingspan, weighing 850 g (just under 2 lbs) and features a fuselage made up of a glass fibre front section and carbon fibre tail boom, with an all-moving tailplane. 4-Max provided us the kit version complete with motor, ESC, servos, folding prop and two rolls of their heat…

If you are looking to buy a Radiomaster, Jumper or FlySky transmitter, one of the options that you will come across is Express LRS (ELRS for short). These radios also come with a graphical interface that uses EdgeTX (previously called OpenTX) but the two are separate. A transmitter can use EdgeTX but not use the ELRS protocol, for example. In this article, I will give an overview of what Express LRS is, its benefits and quirks and then go on to cover EdgeTX in a future issue. THE TECHNOLOGY Before discussing ELRS we should start with LoRa (from ‘Long Range’) which it is based on. LoRa was patented by a French company in 2014, who were then acquired by another company called SemTech. Without going into too many details LoRa…

Last year I was pleased to review XFly-Model F-18 Hornet which proved to be a great little jet to fly. Unfortunately, it suffered a bit of a setback when the editor borrowed it back to try flying it from grass at his local club, his initial flying report having been made with the wheels off and hand launched. Sad to say a momentary distraction during a low pass resulted in the Hornet’s ‘rapid unscheduled disassembly’. Kevin said, ‘I rarely crash but when I do, I do it in style! Sorry, Barry.’ In recompense, Kevin promised me first choice of the next EDF jet offered for review. I didn’t have to wait long before CML Distribution, XFly-Model’s UK distributor, sent over an F-14 swing-wing Tomcat for us to try. OPEN THE…

Those of you loyal readers that have suffered my ramblings for more than a decade will remember my first foray into Indoor Scale with my own designed Piper Cub Pa-18 in 2017. Since then, the Cub has flown at subsequent competitions and has been great fun and well received. Following that success, I spent a few years helping establish the Scale Indoor Nationals into an international gathering. The event now spans the entire weekend and attracts modellers from all over Europe, including some stunning builders: George Kandylakis from Greece, Antonin Alfery from the Czech Republic, Mats Johansson and Peter Evers from Sweden, also Hari and Caroline Simon from Germany (Caroline originates from Australia). Not to mention the home-grown modellers that fight it out for the trinkets. Having stepped away from…

It was approaching the end of summer 2023 when my thoughts started to turn towards a project that would keep me busy throughout the oncoming winter. I had set a completion goal of six months and desired something that had roughly a 100-inch wingspan. My main interest in R/C modelling lies with WWII aircraft. This stems from my childhood, having lived near to the north-east end of one of the runaways at Martlesham Heath in Suffolk. It is an area enriched with aviation history, having been a famous WWII station used by both the RAF and USAF. It later became an experimental airfield after the war, until the late sixties when it became a housing estate. While I was deciding on my next project, I was drawn to the idea…

I found it easiest to finish the wing and the fuselage separately before gluing together. The quickest, easiest and cheapest method to finish the model is with Valspar emulsion paint from B&Q. This paint has proven to stand up well to damp conditions and only occasionally needs a bit of touching up to keep it in pristine condition. Give the components a light sanding to remove any obvious lumps in the brown paper and to take the shine off the card surface. Then apply a thin coat of paint to seal the surface. Bulk up some paint with micro-balloons and brush this over the edges of the brown paper. Lightly sand to eliminate all the inevitable high spots and apply two final thin coats to finish, ready for some stick-on…

In the February issue I described the palm size DJI Neo drone and its ‘Fly More Combo’ which I purchased for taking ‘fly-by’ videos of review models. Due to the soggy state of my local flying field over winter, plus the relatively long turf (making models look like they are parked in elephant grass!) I haven’t had a chance to take any usable footage yet, but I have had a couple of practice sessions. Soon after buying the Neo, I was browsing the DJI support pages on their website when I came across reference to this tiny drone being used for FPV (First Person View) flying. This intrigued me as FPV seems to be gaining traction and whilst one or two pilots in my local clubs have been flying with…