RC hydrofoams
RC hydrofoams are a new breed of radio control boat/airplane, and there are several different ones being marketed right now or soon to be released. The Air Hogs Storm Launcher is just one example of a RTR/F (Ready To Run/Fly) hydrofoam, shown below...
The basic shape is of a flat bottom hydrofoil boat, but the body is profiled in such a way that it starts to generate lift at certain speeds.
Combine this aerofoil section with a pair of 'elevons' (combined elevator and aileron control surfaces) and you get an rc boat that can be flown! But not only can hydrofoams be driven on water or flown through the air, they can also be driven over short grass, snow or pretty much any kind of surface that a rc hovercraft can be used on.
RC hydrofoams are a lot of fun, but be warned - they're not for the beginner, or the faint-hearted!
Having said that though, Air Hogs do market the Storm Launcher as a toy, which indicates that it's suitable for any age. Of course, driving a hydrofoam on land or water is easy enough, but it's the flying side of hydrofoams that can prove tricky!
RC hydrofoams are, it has to be said, inherently unstable in the air, and an inexperienced user could very quickly get into difficulties. But they are also very tough, and easily repaired - obviously an rc product like this which is marketed at almost anyone, has to be tough and robust, and Air Hogs have made sure that that is indeed the case with the Storm Launcher.
And the same goes for the Megatech HydroFly LASV (Land Air Sea Vehicle) - an RTR/F hydrofoam marketed at pretty much anyone.
In actual fact, RTR/F rc hydrofoams like the Storm Launcher and HydroFly LASV are testament to what's capable these days, in terms of mass-production for the radio control hobby industry.
And from the modeler's point of view, to be able to buy a ready-to-go rc vehicle that can be used as a boat, hovercraft and a plane, for not a great amount of money, is an excellent thing!
You can get an idea of a hydrofoam in action, from this Storm Launcher video...
The Air Hogs Storm Launcher is available from Red Rocket Hobby Shop.
Several other different rc hydrofoams are available from RC Discounts.
Return to RC boats 'index page'
Other RC related site links...
