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But even from thousands of miles away, there’s now a way you can support Ukrainian fighters: with a drone donation.

US based Skylum Software, makers of AI-powered photo editing software Luminar, is helping to answer the call to strengthen Ukrainian surveillance with donations of recreational drones.

First reported by the Associated Press, Ukrainian drone hobbyists have been using their aerial cameras to locate Russian convoys and then share images and GPS location data with Ukrainian forces.

And now Skylum has stepped in to organize donations of drone from around the world, handling the logistics and distribution to Ukrainian troops via their facility in Poland.

How you can help

You can help two ways: donate a drone you no longer use or need, or purchase a new drone and have it shipped directly to the Skylum team in Poland.

What drones are needed:

Skylum’s list of recommended drones for Ukraine support are:

• DJI Mavic 2 Zoom
• DJI DRON Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual
• Autel Evo II
• DJI Air 2S
• DJI Mavic Air 2
• DJI Mavic 2 Pro
• DJI Mini or Mini 2

Skylum Marketing Manager Sabina Iliasova is coordinating the logistics and can provide you with shipping details and contact information on where to send your drone. You can reach out to her at sabina@skylum.com for more information.

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Bruce’s latest accomplishment is another Proctor kit, the 88-inch wingspan JN-4 “Jenny.” This proved to be one of his most challenging to build, especially since, at 1/6 scale, space was extremely limited to fit things like the engine, muffler, and servos inside the cramped fuselage. On top of this, Bruce wanted to figure out how to have the wires that operate the flight-control surfaces work just like the real thing. For example, the ailerons are operated by a servo inside the fuselage with the wires routed above and below the top wing. Pulleys and control horns help precisely position the ailerons just as its full-size counterpart was designed to do more than 100 years ago.

He decided to replicate the airplane used in The Great Waldo Pepper, the popular 1975 movie starring Robert Redford. He completed it in about seven months, less time than he expected it would take.

Bruce won a special award for technical merit at the annual Warbirds & Classics Over Denver event at Chatfield State Park near Denver, Colorado. I think you’ll agree that his latest creation is truly a beauty to behold, whether on the ground or in the air.

I asked Bruce some questions about his long history building and flying RC airplanes. Here is what I found out:

Congratulations on your successful build and flight of your Curtiss Jenny. Please tell us a little about yourself and your model

I’m a retired architect and have been building and flying RC for the last 36 years. I have always liked to build my models and then getting to see them fly. I lost track of how many I have built, but it is over 25. The Proctor Jenny is my latest build. It took about seven months to build, and it is my most challenging build to date.

Early construction shot of spruce, plywood, and wire bracing. Proctor has very detailed drawings.

The Great Waldo Pepper in 1/6 scale and ready to give a ride if you’re under 12 inches tall!

Custom muffler by J-Tec. It took three tries, but we finally got it to fit inside the cowl.

What about the model’s construction?

I have built several Proctor kits. I appreciate that they come complete with all the wood and hardware. The Jenny, for the most part, is spruce and plywood. All the brass screws, bolts, nuts, and turnbuckles (over 60!) are in the kit.

What radio gear do you use?

I’m a Futaba guy. I use an old TCAP 9 that I converted to 2.4GHz. All of the servos are Futaba digital. These servos are hooked up to the pull-pull systems for the elevator, rudder, and ailerons.

What power system is used on the Curtiss Jenny?

This was a real dilemma for me. I’m a four-stroke guy, but nothing would fit in the cowl with enough power, so I used an O.S. .65 two-stroke. I used a 14/8 prop, and it works just fine. The muffler was custom made by J-Tec. We had to install a pressure fitting on the muffler, and that solved the problems with the engine.

Tell us about the landing gear.

The landing gear comes partially completed. It is made from solid oak and looks great. All the fabrication and installation of the hardware is done with wood dowels. This is a lot of work, but the results are worth it. I bought the spoke wheels separately from Proctor. The final touch is the bungee cords that provide the springs to the axle.

Tell us about the flight performance

The plane flies great. When I pull back to about a quarter throttle, it flies scale. I had to add a lot of weight to the nose, like we do with all WW l airplanes. It lands very slowly, but it is hard to keep a straight line on the paved runway. In Colorado, we don’t have a lot of grass runways, but I wish we did.

Tell us about the finish on your Jenny.

The covering is Solartex. This was no longer available in the U.S., so I ordered it from England. Expensive! After I covered the plane, I sprayed it with a Behr interior latex paint from Home Depot. My friend Dave Gianakos and I spent some time studying the movie to make sure it was the right color.

This close-up shows the weathering and the airbrushed wood on the radiator frame that looks like metal. The dummy engine looks almost real and ready to run the show prop. The real engine is a O.S. .65 two-stroke.

Hardware on the top of the wing. The aileron control horn and the pulley operate the ailerons.

Why did you choose to model a Curtiss JN-4 Jenny?

I had always wanted to build a Jenny, but I was scared that I would never finish it. At my age, I said, “What the hell? if you’re ever going to do it, you better start soon.” The Waldo Pepper scheme gave me the added incentive to get it done.

How long did it take for you to build, finish, paint, and detail your model?

I had planned on at least a year to build it, but the kit and directions made it come together in seven months. I had some help from some other club members that shortened the time by at least a month.

What was your first RC airplane, radio, and engine?

A Goldberg Eagle was my first kit. The airplane didn’t last too long. It was in the days before buddy cords. Don’t remember the radio and engine.

What do you like best, full-size or RC, and why?

I don’t fly full-scale aircraft anymore, but sometimes I miss it. I loved every minute of flying full-scale airplanes. I still like flying RC, but flying my RC airplanes like the real ones is what I like best.

Typical hardware at each strut location. All hardware is included in the kit. Safety wiring of all 60 turnbuckles is required for flight.

Spoke wheels purchased from kit builder. Bungee cords really work to spring the landing gear.

At 1/6 scale, there’s not a lot of room to fit the engine, muffler, fuel tank, and throttle servo.

By Dave Gianakos | Photos by Dave Gianakos & Bruce Ream

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I made the louvers using 30-minute epoxy glue and a 2-ounce fiberglass cloth. I made a forming mold so that all the louvers would look the same. Using a Dremel Moto-Tool with a Robart carbide grinding bit, I cut the shape of the louver into the edge of a hardwood block.

I coated the mold with wax to act as a releasing agent so that the epoxy would not stick to the mold. I melted some candle wax in a disposable aluminum foil dish simply by placing the dish on top of my covering iron. I turned the iron to full power and held it in a bench vise, then placed the dish filled with ordinary sealing wax on top. Once the wax had melted, I dipped the wooden forming mold into the melted wax to coat the surface. I did this several times until the surface was smooth and completely sealed.

With the wood form held in a small vise, I laid three layers of 2-ounce glass cloth on top of the mold. I used a disposable acid brush to apply the resin and to press the fiberglass layers neatly into the recess in the mold. Once the epoxy had cured, it was easy to remove the formed louver from the mold. I trimmed away the excess fiberglass using a sharp pair of scissors, and then I lightly sanded the edges smooth. After making two louvers, I recoated the mold with another dip into the hot wax.

To install the louvers on the model, mark the position for your louvers and cut the air-vent openings so that the louvers neatly cover them. Depending on the paint scheme of your model, you can prime and paint the louvers separately, or simply glue them into place and paint the model. This technique is quick and easy to do. Properly molded louvers add a lot to a scale model, and having functioning louvers will keep your model’s engine happy, too.

ONE
The louver shape is formed in a hardwood block using a Dremel Moto-Tool and a carbide bit.

TWO
The wax is melted in an aluminum foil dish on top of a covering iron.

THREE
Dipping the plug into the melted candle wax forms a smooth surface, which acts as a parting agent.

FOUR
The hardwood plug is coated with candle wax.

FIVE
Thirty-minute epoxy is brushed onto the mold, and three layers of 2-ounce fiberglass cloth is added. Apply epoxy between each layer so that all the layers are fully saturated.

SIX
Once the epoxy has cured, the louver can be easily removed. The louver can now be trimmed using a sharp pair of scissors. Be sure to leave a small mounting flange around the base of the louver.

To make the louver functional, air-vent openings have to be cut into the fuselage skin where the louver will be
located.

Here, you see the louvers glued over the openings. For the Albatros, there are two louvers on the right side and two on the left.

TEXT & PHOTOS BY JOHN TANZER

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