April 2024

Editor Kevin Crozier shares what’s coming up in the April 2024 issue of RCM&E.

We’ve got lots in store for you this month so let’s go straight in for a quick look at the main features starting with our regular columnists.

Tim Hooper (Bench Blog) builds a new version of his all-time favourite model design, the Antares, built from a plan featured in a 1973 Radio Modeller. Chris Williams (Scale Gliding) test flies his new 1:6 scale Skylark glider before launching straight into two new designs. You just can’t keep the man away from his building board! Next, Danny Fenton (Make It Scale) finishes kitting out his new modelling van before we hand over to Keith Jackson for coverage of the 2023 F3A Nationals, assisted by Peter Jenkins who adds the second part of his ‘Getting Started in Aerobatics’ article. Last but not least of the regulars is Dave Goodenough who fixes up a bruised Hotliner glider and suggests a follow-on ‘Beginners’ Bundle’ aeroplane.

The review model for this month is the BJ Craft Epilogue 1900. In the first of a new ‘project’ series of articles yours truly extracts a new F3A aeroplane from its sturdy transport box.

Our features this month start with ‘A Company Called Flair’ in which Dudley Pattison begins a new autobiographical series as he recalls the events leading up to the establishment of Flair Products. Acclaimed model designer Peter Miller is up next with his ‘Oodalally Electric Conversion’ in which Peter builds a new electric version of his much-loved sports aerobatic design, which was a free pull-out plan in the April 2013 issue. Regular readers will be keen to read the second part of Jan Hermkens’ article on the design and build of his latest scale warbird, a stunning P-47 Razorback. Our last feature is courtesy of GB F3N Team Manager, Julie Fisher, who reports from the F3CN Helicopter World Champs, held last August in Muncie, Indiana.

Wrapping things up nicely is this month’s Pro-Plan feature, called Shifty. For this one Rich Harris puts aside his usual penchant for autogyros to develop a sleek ‘two for one’ canard or delta design. Which one will you build – or maybe go for both!