KOA Creations

Archive for the ‘Castle Creations’ Category

When I was a boy my Father would take me to one of many local flying fields. My job would be to clean down the oil covered models after each flight. Or if I was lucky enough I got to hold a model and point it skyward during the all-important run up stage.

While I gravitated to the scale and warbird models, the guys who flew the pattern ships always seemed to have more fun. Unlike the warbirds that would fly the pattern, loop and touch and go the pattern guys were crazy! W.O.T passes inverted at altitudes nearly dragging the rudder were common! These pattern guys always seemed to press their luck and came away smiling even in the event of a disaster.

Flash forwarding 30 years the Black Horse Models Super Air looks a lot like the Birdies, Kaos and Kwiks that ruled the skies all those years ago.

I first saw this model sold under the Graupner name a few years ago. With a price tag of over $150 for an ARF I never seemed to be able to afford it. Till now that is.

The Super Air is now sold under the Black Horse Models name. For a mere $79 and a phone call to Hobby People you can have one delivered to your door ASAP!

My Model arrived double boxed and neatly packaged. The first thing you notice about the model is how light it is! You can read the complete build thread here http://tommydsblog.blogspot.com/ but I can tell you the airframe alone with it’s

It is not uncommon these days to hear of someone purchasing, making and giving diaper cakes for baby shower gifts and to new parents. These gifts also are perfect for baby shower centerpieces to be a focal point which will definitely get admiration from all who lay their eyes on it. Now a days, there is a twist on the traditional diaper cake. There are many other creations that can be made out of diapers.

A diaper creation is diapers strategically put together to form the shape of another object. The main ingredients for these are diapers and common crafting supplies, that can be bought at any craft store. These can be adorned with ribbon, bows and other decorative items.

These adorable gifts go above and beyond the traditional diaper cake. All of the following can be made entirely out of diapers: wishing wells, carriages, wreaths, beehives, airplanes, motorcycles and the list just goes on and on. One of my personal favorite types of diaper creations is diaper animals/insects. I have created/seen turtles, giraffes, monkeys, storks, caterpillars, lady bugs and I have even created a moose. Yes these are really made entirely out of diapers. The possibilities are endless. You can actually get very creative with diapers.

There are many resources on the internet for how to make other diaper creations. For more unique, interesting ideas, you can search online which will give you endless options to choose from. There is a lot of websites that can give you tips, ideas and instructions on how to make other diaper gifts/decorations. For those that do not have a lot of time to create your own, you can also find many websites that sell them.

I am sure there are more than a few of you who have a practice or backup nitro RC rig, or even a unit in need of some necessary maintenance which you have been putting off for a while, sitting around collecting dust. Have you ever considered converting it into an electric unit? There are a number of ways to go electric and though the list of components necessary may seem overwhelming, it is really worth it over the long run. Electric RC vehicle components have improved extensively over the past couple years and the speed and versatility they offer rival and in some cases even excel nitro vehicles.

Do not misunderstand me, I am predicting the demise of nitro RC vehicles. Nitro is still very much a viable and important segment of radio controlled racing. Several parts of the country are still totally dominated by nitro powered Rc’s. Advancements have also been made with nitro power plants. Today, nitro engines last longer, produce more power, and are much easier to tune. But despite all of that, there is a growing interest today in electric RC’s and the conversion of nitro vehicle’s over to electric.

One of the better electric conversion kits on the market today is Tekno Rc’s V3 brushless conversion set which work with Losi and a number of other RC vehicle setups. It comes with everything you need minus the electronics, to get you up and running. Unlike a number of other RC electric conversion kits being marketed, which provide you only with motor mounts, leaving you looking for battery trays, and the other necessary minor components, the Tekno RC, V3 brushless is pretty complete in that regard. The kits which provide only motor mounts are not necessarily bad conversion kits, they just require a lot more work on your part to get your RC vehicles’ electric conversion up and running.

Once all of the needed conversion parts are installed, your next step is to select your electronics; batteries, a battery charger and a motor and speed control setup. Like the electronic conversion kits, there are a number of battery and motor and speed control selections available. Your need, vehicle purpose, and pocketbook will dictate what you will select. Yes, some set ups are better than others. My personal choice are MaxAmps battery. They have put together a great streamline package consisting of a 4 cell battery pack, a Hyperion charger, and a LiPo 5250mAh ARTR Kit, for safety. My motor and speed control preference is Castle Creations’ Mamba Monster combo. It puts out impressive power.

Conversion from nitro to electric is becoming more and more accepted these days. Now, there is no longer really any difference between nitro and electric RC units when it comes to power and handling. Most converts have discovered, over time, that electric RC vehicles are less expensive than nitro because the aoperating cost and the maintenance expenses are significantly lower. Only you can decide which is best for you. If you have an unattended RC buggy or truggy sitting around, do a test conversion. I am sure you are going to be surprised about what you discover.