2026 AMA Member Winter Builds

We asked for your winter build submissions, and you delivered! Check out all the hard work below.

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Lou Farhood – RV-4 build

Scratch build 35% RV-4 from Hostetler plans. Covered with glass cloth and painted with latex paint. Saito FG61-ts for power.

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Edward Sarkisian – Warbirds/ Pacific

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Alex Sheppard

First and foremost, I have a short kit of a Great Planes PT-20 on the build bench. This was my first “real” radio-controlled model aircraft that I built in the early 80s. Sadly, the original met an untimely demise sometime in 1985, I think it was. But, like the Phoenix, this, too, shall rise from the ashes. 

I was able to salvage the original Aristocraft / HiTec Challenger 4000 transmitter, receiver and servos and they all work! And, added bonus, the K & B .20 R/C Sportster was undamaged and runs like a top!

Now… to just get everything put together

Next up in the woodshed is a model I was gifted this past Christmas from my son. Actually, he gave me both a wing and a complete fuse… but the wing is from a Hangar 9 P51, and the fuse is an E-Flite P47 Thunderbolt. 

My plan is to finish stripping the covering off the fuse, repair and recover it, then scratch build a wing (found plans on OuterZone) and find a decently large power plant for it. Also found a cowl model that I will 3D print once I get some heavy duty filament. 

This will probably be one of those “multi- year” projects, much like my next build. 

Sitting somewhat abandoned in the far corner of my build bench is an Old School Model Works Kaos 40, of which I finished the right half of the wing about two years ago and have not worked on it since (mainly due to health reasons and somewhat due to other shiny objects coming into my field of vision).

Not sure of my plan for this one yet but I have a couple of .65 four cycles that would love to try in this if and when I get it finished. 

Last but not least is a kit that was given to me by the president of our flyers club. This thing looks awesome and stupendous and totally old school cool… and completely daunting!

Have not done any research on it but it is a Ben Buckle ‘Majestic Major’ 88″ behemoth, complete with a full set of blueprints (yep, they look authentic, alright) and all the hardware. 

Like the others, this bird will probably be a multi- year endeavor especially with me working full time. But I’m looking forward to it!

Anyway, that’s what I have on my build bench this winter. Thanks for soliciting responses so we can see what others in the hobby are up to!

Cheers!

Alex Sheppard AMA #: 1295071

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Bob Moulder

The Dick Sarpolus “Hammer” came in several sizes from 1/2A up to 89″ wingspan, but there was never a .60 version. I took the Sledge Hammer and had it printed at 89%, which yielded a 65″ wingspan version, and powered it with an Innov8tive Designs BadAss 3530-630kv motor, 100A ESC and 6S 5000mAh battery. Plans were downloaded from Outerzone.co.uk, and I built it in about 5 weeks.

Charles R (Bob) Moulder,
AMA 850158
Ossining, New York

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Chris Baker – 3D Printing

I use Fusion 360 to design, or reverse engineer, scale model aircraft so they fly.

I use the Bambu Lab X1 Carbon.

I really could use some help. I was hoping I could hire an Intern. I have an office at Florida Atlantic University.

Unfortunately, I have no luck finding anyone who has even basic experience with CAD software or 3d printing.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Chris

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Tom Rainwater – Skyraider Project

I am building a 1/5 scale replica of a Douglas AH1 Skyraider 139606 that was previously privately owned by an airshow performer Bob Grondzik in San Diego.  The livery of the plane is actually a hodgepodge of a couple of different squadrons but the full scale plane was painted this way for the movie “We Were Soldiers” in which this aircraft was featured.  It is basically a modified Ziroli design blown up to a 120″ wingspan and re-designed by Gaines Smith.  I am using a DLE120 with on board starter for power, air operated landing gear and dive brakes, functioning tail hook, lighting system with strobes, sliding canopy and moveable head on the pilot figure.

I have been working on this project for 6 years as time permits.

Hoping to get her in the air this summer.

Take care

— Tom Rainwater
Bend, OR

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Richard Geertson – BUSA Aeronca C-3

I am finishing up an Aeronca C-3 that I have modified to a C-1. The C-1 was stressed for aerobatics.

Aeronca built only a handful of C-1s, which featured reduced wingspan and dihedral, the E-113 engine, and wheel pants. The model was discontinued after an Aeronca exec. was killed in a C-1 while performing aerobatics.

True to scale fidelity, have reduced the wingspan of the quarter scale Balsa USA kit, from 107″ to 87″

Dihedral has been reduced one degree, from 3 to 2, and I will be adding wheel pants.

Power is a Saito FG-41 four stroke gas twin.

At present, I am covering the open framework with F&M Enterprises Stits Lite fabric.

Most of the sheeted or solid structure has received a layer of light fiberglass cloth and epoxy resin.

Servos are Hitec. Radio is Futaba.

With its large control surfaces and the power of the 41cc Saito, my “C-1” should be a real blast to fly!

Best regards, 
Richard Geertson

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Donnie Wood

Working on a ziroli f4u Corsair build !

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John Shutic

Jeff Shutic’s Scratch build 1/4 scale Vickers Vimy WWI bomber. This has been a lengthy build. It has a fifteen foot span and will have  two 62 cc Zenoah gas engines for power. Servo installation is underway as well as control cabling.

John Shutic
AMA 817418

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Denny Wann – Hawker Seafury

Pictured is my 2 year build of 88″ Hawker Seafury from Don Smith Plans. Features all wood and composite built airframe, covered with fiberglass cloth and resin. Paint is Klass Kote premixed to British correct colors. Fully rebuilt Jerry Bates retracts and powered with a Zenoah ZP-80 twin. Radio is all Spektrum/Hitec. All up weight is 29 pounds and hope to maiden this summer.

Dennis Wann
AMA 107306
Hillside Aeromodelers 
AMA Charter Club #1077

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Greg Wagensomer

My name is Greg Wagensomer AMA #1958 and I have been in the hobby 63 years now. I am a member of the Valley Forge Signal Seekers and also the Buc-Le-Sportsmen  both in PA. Attached here are some of my model airplane projects from 2022 – 2026.

I currently have (66)  model airplanes in my model aviation collection. (16) of them are contest grade free flight rubber powered models. I have won over a dozen Best of Show awards, 1st, 2nd & 3rd place awards for Aerobatic Competitions and numerous awards for Vintage Model Competitions.

Currently I am building a 1/6 th scale Rearwin Sportster which is one of the pictures I sent you.for our next Vintage event at Valley Forge Signal Seekers. 

I am always building something, my wife says I spend my life in the basement, one of my man caves. My other man cave is a music studio upstairs in one of the spare bedrooms.

LIke I said, I’ve been in this hobby for 63 years and I thoroughly enjoy all it has given me, I am truly grateful to all the clubs I have belonged to and all the people I have meant that have helped me along the way.

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Tim Tyler

I scratch built a 200% scale up of the Night Vapor, covered with helium balloons from Dollar Tree and it also has led lights powered by a 3 cell  lipo 250 mah battery and it actually flies slower than the original Night Vapor I call it the Vaporizer.  It creates a lot of attraction when I take it to a fly-in, especially a night fly…………

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Kevin Colvin Ace 4-20

This is my current build an Ace 4-20 kit bought on E-Bay. These are great flying planes and mine will be powered with a O.S. .26 Surpass. This plane is a perfect Sunday flyer.

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Blair Ersek

Bought three planes from my local hobby shop here in Colorado. Builder passed away, son needed them gone. All needed covering. Ikon west 1/4 scale monocoupe and mr mulligan. 1/3 scale balsa USA cub. Doing cub now

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Mike Bernard

I am almost done building my electrified 4 Star 40. I am using a Surpass HobbyC4250 V2 720KV. With a 4s system it should have  plenty of power. It weighs a little under 5 pounds with battery and balances with no added weight. I bench tested with a 13 x 6.5 prop pulling 54 amps max.

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Jay Black

Seagull 86″ zero

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Richard Fitzpatrick

In my work shop there’s the “Big Goof”:  a 55% scale Good Brothers Guff.  (it’s a long story)

I started out to build a quarter scale Guff, but couldn’t find a micro receiver to work with my obsolescencent radio…

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Steven Feist

My airplane build this winter has been this Great Planes Electric Piper Cub kit. It is only my second attempt at an airplane build. It has an electric motor and will be powered by my three cell battery. It is a three channel airplane with rudder, elevator and speed control for the motor.

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Ron Landman

After seeing Vicky Benzing’s Plum Crazy P51 at an air show in 2024 I decided to build a flying replica of the airplane.  With her permission and paint sample I’ve duplicated her fine aircraft to some extent.  It’s not perfect in every detail but gives the overall essence of the airplane.

It’s been a two-winter build. I’ve tried some new things (for me). I used Callie Graphics for the artwork, I fiber glassed it, and I painted it with epoxy paint, all new techniques for me.

The base airplane is built from a Top Flite 1/7 scale kit, with electric retracts, sequenced landing gear doors and landing lights, and an EME gas engine.

It will be maidened this summer.  Model airplanes are meant to be flown.

regards,
Ron Landman

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Pete Ferguson

This is what I have been working on, Freewing AL37 to celebrate our 250^th

Awacs I built 

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Karl Houser

Eating chicken inspired this!  If you take off the string tie, I sort of look like the Sanders

KARL’S FLYING CIRCUS

Electric 4s power, stick build.

Still 20 outside here. Looking forward to spring

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Steve Labuta

I started flying and building RC planes in 2008, beginning with a Mountain Models Dandy kit—a simple 3 channel electric parkflyer. I joined a local RC club in 2010, and I’ve been hooked on RC planes ever since. When I retired from an automotive engineering career in 2019, I bought a tabletop router based CNC machine and began designing and cutting my own airplanes. Since then, I’ve been building about one plane each winter here in Michigan.

This winter’s project is a remake of George Jenning’s Miss Vintage, originally published in the June 1976 issue of RCM. I modified the design in several ways: I switched to a symmetrical airfoil, enlarged the ailerons, redesigned the formers and decks for electric power, and redrew the entire model in CAD so I could cut the parts on my CNC machine. I also substituted basswood for spruce because it was easier to source and more affordable.

My designs are mostly self aligning and usually go together easily. The open structure in the rear fuselage was a bit tricky to keep straight, but building directly over the plans and using a laser level kept everything true. For adhesives, I used mostly Titebond III, with thin and thick CA in a few strategic spots. I find the building phase relaxing and enjoyable—I usually listen to old jazz (Miles Davis, Clifford Brown, West Coast Cool Jazz) and take my time making sure everything fits before gluing. Using Titebond helps keep the pace slow and deliberate. The basic airframe is now complete, with some additional details and fine tuning planned after the maiden flight this spring.

My Miss Vintage matches the original size: a 59 inch wingspan and a 38 inch fuselage (not including the rudder). The power system consists of a SunnySky X2826 880 kv brushless motor, a ZTW Beatles 50 amp ESC, and a 3400 mAh 4S LiPo from SMC Racing. Once flying, I’ll test several propellers, likely in the 11×5 to 12×6 range. I installed Hitec D645MW servos for the elevator and rudder and Emax ES3054 servos for the ailerons. Control is handled by a LemonRX DSMP 7 channel telemetry stabilizer paired with a Spektrum DX9.

Photos of the build are available here: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCCGVp

Steve Labuta
AMA 1749
United Flying Organization – VP, CD, and Webmaster

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Dave Gee

Just finished a FF rubber-powered OQ-7 for a local meet.  The event is for models of target drones only, at at the notorious Grassy Knoll FF field in Los Angeles.  The little drone was an experimental development of the famous Radioplane line, made famous by Marilyn Monroe getting “discovered” while working at the factory.  My ship went together well despite a strange angular design, but I should have known better than to test glide it in the living room.  There is no good place to hold the model for launch, and my clumsy fingers caught the stab, causing a nose-over crash with wing damage.  After repairs, I found that it needed to be launched with an index finger at the very tail.  The OQ-7 finished 3rd at the contest.

-Dave Gee
Black Sheep Squadron

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Christopher Lobdell

I am building a  74 inch 540 Slick from AJ Aircraft for my winter project, I am using 4 Military grade servos from promodeler.com and an ER6 receiver from Radiomaster along with 12S Brushless AJ motor and 21×10 wooden propeller. Controlled by a Radiomaster TX16S Mach II radio system.

Christopher Lobdell
AMA # 1319000 From Toledo Ohio a member of The Flying Tigers RC Club , Recker Rc Club, and Weak Signals RC Clubs

Been interested in RC Aviation since 1996

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Steve Olson – AI Airliner

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Will Davis – Bill Werwage P-47

Repair and restoration of Bill Werwage p-47 he built in 2004. Bill was five time Nats champ and former world champion in F2B

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Casmer

This is my project that took a little over one year that I just completed. It is built from plans that I hand drew with all hand cut balsa. The power plant is a 930kv motor with a 30A esc and 1500 mah battery and has a wing span of 42 inches. Off to the left is a Guillows Piper Super Cub 95 that I am in the process of converting to radio control.

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