As electric flight has gained in popularity over the years the demand for exciting models has grown too. The Pinto fills that gap nicely with a design that is both attractive and functional. With a passing resemblance to the famous P51 Mustang fighter of WWII, the Pinto is bound to appeal to a wide variety of tastes.
As with all our R/C designs the Pinto uses fully CNC cut components to add both accuracy and speed to the building process. As this model has been designed from the start as a sports aerobatic machine, care should be taken to not add any unnecessary weight during construction. The selection of wood in this kit has been made to ensure the right combination of strength and low weight.
Power is provided by a basic 400 motor, or for those that really want performance, a hot 480 or even a Cobalt. With seven cells and a standard 400, performance is sufficient to learn the flight characteristics without excessive speed. A 480 and eight cells really starts to ‘push the envelope’ and experienced pilots can explore the Pinto’s true aerobatic potential. The motor and drive system is not supplied in the kit but can be readily purchased from your local model shop. Because of the higher speed of this design, drive is direct rather than through a gearbox., and this in turn helps to save money by keeping it simple.
The Pinto has been designed from the outset to use micro R/C gear. This equipment used to be hard to come by, but in recent years, affordable micro gear has become commonplace and once again, can be found in the local model shop. You will need three servos, as the ailerons require one each side as well as one each for the elevator. Radio should have three channels, but if you have four and mixing, fine tuning can be made by splitting the ailerons into two channels and adjusting the differential. Choice of a suitable speed controller will very much depend on the motor and battery combination used. Take advice from your local model shop when buying the motor/battery and, if in doubt, over-specify the controller.
This is not a model for the novice as it’s speed and sensitivity demand the finesse of more experienced hands. If you’re familiar with low wing aerobatic sports models, the Pinto should hold no worries and will reward you with stunning aerobatic potential.
A great model to progress from the Toucan!
Specs
Balsa Wood / Printwood RC Kit
Part Number: WW32
Span (Inches): 36
Span (mm): 915
Scale: Non Scale
Power: Electric (Speed 400)
Battery: 7–8 Cell
Channels: 3
Servos: 3
Note: This is a kit, not an ARTF model. Additional RC components required
West Wings are probably the largest manufacturer of small model kits in the UK, manufacturing all of the West Wings kits in their factory in West Cornwall. Designs draw on the extensive experience staff have gained from ‘hands-on’ modelling over many years. Combine this with full CAD drawings and their CNC cutting machines and you can appreciate how accurate the kits are. The only items in the kits that are not made in the UK are propellers from Japan and flight quality rubber specially imported from the USA. Balsa wood, being a tropical tree, does not grow in Europe; therefore it is sourced from managed and sustained forests in Ecuador and Papua New Guinea.