AUGUST 2019 37just like those who fly their foamie Avanti EDFs
on the weekends. And that’s as it should be,
right? Equally evident—and just plain amazing—
is the availability, diversity, and degree of
prefabrication of today’s jet kits. A relatively
small but growing number of manufacturers and
importers have found a ready and expanding
market for some incredible projects, like the
nearly 1/3-scale Viperjets, turboprop Tucanos,
and a range of swoopy sport jets that look as if
they’re going Mach 1 just sitting on the ramp.
Nearly all the current offerings not only come
as premolded composite structures but also
with all the panel lines and surface detail
crisply incorporated.
The latest feature for these new-generation jet
products is the incorporation of the color scheme,
frequently of your choice, applied directly into
the mold during the fabrication process. Now,
there’s no painting or prep necessary. Newer
techniques, including vinyl wraps as used in the
automotive world, are finding their way onto
these models as well, especially with the more
complicated schemes. In spite of that, don’t let
this level of sophisticated prefabrication lead
you to believe that the term “almost-ready-to-
fly,” as we’ve come to know it, applies to these
models. There is still a significant amount of work
to be performed, but much of it is really a systems
integration effort rather than traditional building
and finishing requirements.
So, OK, turbine-powered models are not for
everyone. I get it. But you don’t have to own
one to appreciate the level of sophistication
some of these models represent. Regardless of
your position on “building” versus “assembly,”
someone had to do the work necessary to make
products like this available. And to make it
happen, that work includes design, engineering,
fabrication, and component integration.Top: I just love the look
and performance of Henry
Castellanos’s near 1/2-scale
Viperjet XXL. The “aggressor”
camo scheme looks great.
It has a BF300 turbine and
weighs 59 pounds.
Above left: Here is the gor-
geous Sukhoi Su-27 flown
by Frank Westerholt of Team
CARF. It was the recipient of
the Best Scale Jet award.
Above right: Event promoter
Frank Tiano offers the fliers
some helpful advice, “Fly over
that school over there and
you will be asked to land!”