SCALE MODEL NEWS

There's plenty of excellent reading for radio control (RC) enthusiasts in this online version of the picture-packed Model Airplane News. RC flight is now a good option for scale fans, allowing you to not only build your aircraft, but also to fly it too - and mostly at an affordable price. SMN report: The advent of quiet, low-maintenance electric motors has been a game changer for many RC fans. Old-style fuel engines need expert hands for efficient running - and they are noisy, which doesn't make them popular with non-enthusiasts. Speaking from experience, flying a largish multi-motor fuel engine aircraft is not for the faint-hearted. A twin-electric like the PBY (below) is a much easier proposition, especially for those new to RC flight.   Craftsmanship may count with large-scale RC machinery, just as much as it does with plastic kit construction. This is a beautifully-made Albatros biplane (below) based on an original machine that was one of the best known German aircraft of ...

SMN report For lovers of World War I and big-scale aircraft models, here’s a gorgeous 1:32 scale kit from Wingnut Wings, the Sopwith Scout, or ‘Pup’, a single-seater that was much loved by its pilots. Some 2100 Pups were built during the Great War, and the Wingnut model builds into a very neat representation indeed. What’s in the box? The box features handsome art on the cover, while inside there are 128 injection-moulded plastic components and six photo-etch metal detail parts. The Cartograf decals that include markings for six different aircraft. Optional build items include different side and engine cowls, plus fuselage and upper wing. The LeRhone engine is a miniature masterpiece, while detail work throughout is good - just look at the sewn seams on the rear fuselage and the wood-effect around the cockpit. For the nimble-fingered model maker Wingnut provides a rigging diagram, and this of course sets the aircraft off a treat - in fact, it’s essential to make the best of a biplane t...