Many years ago I purchased a stock Midwest Me-109. it was supposed to be an "Emil" but it was not really scale...it flew very well and landing was easy,,,until my elevator servo arm broke (yes, the nylon part broke) and the trees ate the wings (confetti in the branches). So I built a new wing of foam covered with obechee veneer and made it look like an "F". I made a custom spinner and I even made working exhaust pipes and resonators (sounded and looked good)...eventually I added retracts...by this time it was very heavy (also tail heavy)...it needed to be rebalanced and re-engined...the final version is what is shown here...

Here are some of the mods to this glider:
Instead of a brush-type 480 motor and a 15 A ESC = A six pole brushless inrunner 28mm dia. 40A, 2780 Kv, 56A ESC, 1800 mah/3S/35C LiPo and a 8X4 folding prop (instead of the one initially recommended by the mfg = 6X3)

Made new composite (fiberglass micro sheets and 5 ply plywood) motor mount with mounting and cooling holes. Held in place with Goop (liquid rubber compound).
Now it has enough thrust to lift it very adequately!
(Now is the balancing and the trims...)

The Scorpion a 68" motor glider was badly damaged by an initial builder - I repurchased it and repaired it. Then another Scorpion owner lost his canopy, so I gave him the one on the rebuilt glider and I preferred designing and building a new one rather than ordering overseas, I corrected some of the mistakes by the first builder...After flight tests in Sept 2010 = underpowered and tail heavy! Was re-engined with a 6 pole inrunner driving an 8X4 prop, a 56A ESC and a 1800 mah/3S/35C battery. Way enough thrust but needed rebalancing and control trims - Thanks to Kevin Rochon it was re-trimmed after a harrowing 2nd maiden flight ...finally...Oct. 08-2012

Some years ago, I purchased a World Models PT-26 and had my son Dominique prepare some fuel-proof decals of a Canadian Unit post WWII. I later condemned the retracts (not scale) and installed Robarts Oleos and scale wheels. The engine compartment initially had a Saito 56 but that was overpowering so I changed for an old OS long-stroke 0.40 on DuBro aluminium shock-mounts and a tatone muffler (all inside the cowl).

Some years ago I purchased an Advance 40 as a low-wing trainer...turns out I didn't like the shape and I wanted to get familiar with taildraggers. So I first changed the LG configuration and used a polycarbonate radial cowl (peanut butter jar) to hide a rebuilt OS 40 SF BB engine on a sullivan anti-vibration mount...Then after a few mishaps I ordered a 5 1/2 " fiberglass cowl from fiberglass Specialties and mofified the fuselage + cooling ports etc. - Flies smooth and wings have a bit of wingtip washout...great fun (also a billboard when my son used to do lettering).

After Paul Grenier flight tested my R 30 X we discussed a shorter wing for faster flight and higher roll-rate. To make landing easier add flap area and increase flap travel...this meant oleo struts hidden in custom LG spats mounted under shorter wing + flaps that deploy at >45 deg. After calculating "moments", I designed a new engine mount and exhaust arrangement for Saito engine + a new cowling + rebalanced the whole plane...This is the challenge, the fun, besides it looks good!

I always wanted a racer and I decided to build a long wing version of a 30's style of racer - This one was tested by Paul Grenier - Thanks to Brian Kizner also for providing the impetus to design and put this one together and the base materials for the horiz stab and rear fuselage. Also thanks to Luc Filiatrault for his foam cutter bow. Propelled by an O.S. 0.50 SX and a 3 bl. 11X7 prop this plane really moves and doesn't want to slow down + good stall manners.