ParkZone
ParkZone is a brand of intermediate-level, radio controlled electric model aircraft produced and distributed by American hobby manufacturer Horizon Hobby of Champaign, Illinois, USA. The name is taken from the term park flyer, denoting a relatively small, and unobtrusive model that can be flown in a park.
Models that represent the Parkzone lineup include various scale aircraft, such as the P-51D Mustang, F4F Wildcat, F4U Corsair, Spitfire and more, as well as several non-scale sport aircraft. Many of these use electronics that may be used in other park flyers and use lithium polymer batteries.
US-based hobby retail chain HobbyTown USA of Lincoln, Nebraska named ParkZone as its "2005 Hobby Company of the Year."
Parkzone offers a purchasing option called "Bind N' Fly" or "BNF", which includes everything needed to fly the aircraft, except the radio transmitter. This allows those who already own Spektrum brand transmitters to link or "bind" their transmitter to the aircraft and fly without needing to purchase an additional transmitter or receiver crystal.
On September 1, 2009, a ParkZone Sukhoi Su-26m ultra-micro indoor/outdoor model flown by an unknown pilot delayed the top of the sixth inning of a baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. The plane eventually crashed near the Diamondbacks' dugout; Diamondbacks utility infielder Augie Ojeda picked up the model and destroyed it so that play could resume.[1][2]
The current model lineup includes the Radian—a 2-meter sailplane, Radian Pro version, Wildcat, J-3 Cub BL, F-27Q Stryker aerobatic flying wing, P-51D Mustang BL, T-28 Trojan, F4U Corsair, Habu electric ducted fan jet, Spitfire, S.E.5a, Extra 300, Stinson Reliant, and Icon A5 flying boat. In addition there is an Ultra-Micro line consisting of an ultra micro P-51D, Mosquito Mk VI, Corsair, Sukhoi SU-26xp, Polecat pylon racer, T-28 Trojan, J-3 Cub, F-27Q sport "jet", Ember slow flyer, and Night Vapor slow flyer. Several of these models have highly detailed scale features, removable landing gear, three- or four-channel operation and various aftermarket add-ons and upgrades.
Discontinued aircraft include the Typhoon 3D sport plane, Super Decathlon, Bf-109, Fw-190, Cessna 210, Citabria, Etomic Vapor slow flyer and Slo-V slow flyer.
External links
- ↑ http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090902&content_id=6744262&vkey=news_la&fext=.jsp&c_id=la Mirror of Dodgers story at Pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com
- ↑ http://www.parkzone.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=PKZ3580 Official ParkZone page for the Sukhoi Su-26m; compare the factory photo to that on the above site