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Smooth and not too fast. Eye-catching "scale" looks. A snap to build and a great cruiser. Turn your field into your own private airshow. Easily perform simple loops and wingovers that made the age of barnstorming so exciting.This just might be the most fun you've had in a long time.
The original Sunday Fighters were the brainchild of Ken Willard back in the early 1970s. His were small, .049-powered 3-channel models and proved quite popular. Now, we've taken this idea, enlarged it, and re-engineered it to make them as fun to build as they are to fly.
This version has a lot of Curtiss Jenny in it - so we call this the Barnstormer.
Because of the interlocking design and high-quality laser cutting of the parts, the Sunday Fighter is a quick build. Not only does it build quick, but it also builds straight and true, as all of the parts are designed to align properly with a minimum of fuss and alignment tools.
The wings are removable for storage/transport and for giving access to the extra-large cabin area. From there, you have easy access to install most any brand of radio and control linkages. However, the fully assembled model can fit in the trunk of most mid-sized cars.
Up front, we’ve designed a hatch that covers the battery/tank compartment. This area will easily handle 3s packs and 6-ounce tanks.
Whether you choose to power your Barnstormer with electric or glow power, we’ve got you covered. Glow engines can be mounted side, inverted, or even upright with a little modification. Electric motors can be mounted using the included Motor box, which will help space your motor at the proper distance.
Go true "old-school" with 3-channel control, or opt for functional ailerons (4-channel). Also, the prototype shown here has ailerons only on the bottom wing. Instructions are included on how to add them to the top wing, or use top-wing-only ailerons if you'd like.
This is just one design in our growing Sunday Fighter series. See them all at this link.
A note about flying the BarnstormerAt the start, we thought that the Barnstormer would fly quite similarly to our other Sunday Fighters (the Bristol Spadport and the Heinschmitt). But after putting in a lot of time perfecting this design, to our surprise we found it to be less Fighter and more Cruiser - it flies similarly to a full-scale Curtiss Jenny.You can do loops, wingovers, and hammerheads with a gentle dive. Rolls and snaps really aren't the Barnstormer's thing - but the same can be said of the full-scale Jenny. And thanks to its larger wing area and extra drag, the Barnstormer can slow down a bit more than our original Sunday Fighter biplanes, which makes for more relaxed flying.
Wingspan: 59.6 inches
Wing Area: 863 sq inches
Length (airframe only): 34 inches
Weight: 3.5 - 4 pounds
Radio: 3-4 channel system• 2-4 servos (Sub-Micro servos, similar to 5065MG)
We preferred to use a slightly higher torque servo on the elevator (similar to HS-311)
• 1 additional servo for throttle, if using a glow engine
Power:• Glow (.20-.30 engine, 6 ounce tank, fuel tubing)• Electric (equivalent brushless motor, 3s LiPo)
Included in each Old School Model Works kit is a premium hardware package. We only source our hardware from brand-name, USA manufacturers to guarantee the best quality.
Mounted under the lower wing, these two pre-cut aileron hatches make it easy to install the aileron servos.
There's nothing else like it. Build our wings, straight and true - with a minimum amount of fuss.
Bending your own landing gear is hard. So that's why we include pre-bent main landing gear wire ready for you to assemble.
Held in with magnets, this xtra hatch gives you easy access to batteries or fuel.
For electric power, we include the pieces to build this electric motor mounting box.
Download this sheet to design your Barnstormer's color scheme.
• Propeller• Engine/Motor mount & mounting hardware• 2-5 servos depending on setup: 2 mini for elevator/rudder, 2 Sub-Micro for ailerons/throttle• “Y” servo harness (for ailerons)• Pushrods (two 5” for ailerons, two 20” for elevator & rudder, one 9” for throttle if glow powered)• Clevises for the pushrods (8 if electric, 10 if glow).• 2 - 3.5” diameter wheels. We recommend Du-Bro's 350V Vintage wheels for the proper look.• 1 - tailwheel assembly• Covering - typically 2 rolls
Additional shots of our Barnstormer Sunday Fighter prototypes framed up and in the air.