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There are a few model airplane accessories that you must have when flying your nitro-powered airplane. Some tools and gadgets mentioned here are not a necessity but are highly recommended and will make your trip to the flying field much more enjoyable. All of the equipment that you take to the flying field is commonly referred to as field equipment. This page will give you a good idea of what most pilots keep with them at the flying field. Electric StarterWhen nitro engines are having a good day, you could probably get away with using a chicken stick to get them started. A chicken stick is basically a padded wooden stick used to give the propeller a good flip. If your engine is tuned in and ready to go, it should only take a couple flips to get her going. Whatever you do, never ever use your fingers to flip the prop unless you are wearing thick leather gloves. Having missing fingers will definitely hinder your flying experience! Just like an old car, most engines have days where they need to be cranked over and over and over to get them going. In reality this happens quite often with these nitro engines. If you only had a chicken stick you would never get it going. A chicken stick is a convenient tool to have once you get the engine started and tuned in. A 12-volt electric starter is one of those model airplane accessories that you must have if you plan to fly a glow engine airplane. 12-Volt BatteryA 12 volt battery is needed to power the electric starter. Field Pack
This package includes: - One Hobbico Hot-Shot Glo-Starter Glow Plug Clip or IgniterA source of electricity is needed to get a glow plug hot when starting the engine. There are two ways to provide this electricity.
Four-way WrenchThis is one of the model airplane accessories that every nitro pilot carries a four-way wrench Fuel PumpYou will need a fuel pump to transfer the fuel from the fuel container to the airplane’s fuel tank. There are basically three types of fuel pumps available. ![]() The cheapest is a bulb pump
The second type of pump is a hand-crank pump . You put the suction side into the fuel container and the discharge side into the airplane’s fuel tank. You crank the hand-crank that is similar to a fishing reel handle until the tank is full.
The third type is an electric pump Either the electric or hand pump should be fine. I personally would not get the bulb pump. You want to fly your plane when you go to the field, not pump fuel all day! I have always used electric pumps. Just make sure that you have an inlet filter You will also want to buy a cap fitting Field Box![]() A field box Some times die-hard RC'ers get married, have kids or (it's hard to fathom) actually loose interest in the hobby and they need to get rid of their collection of model airplane accessoriest. This is where you can get some great deals on field boxes loaded with goodies at rock bottom prices on eBay. The items below are live on eBay and are continually updated. Be sure to click the "view all" link at the bottom so you don't miss anything. If you see something you like, don't be afraid to bid on it, you may get a steal!
Power Panel
A power panel Tachometer
Hand held tachometers Without a “trained ear” it is difficult to tell if your 4-stroke engine is tuned properly by performing the pinch test. If you plan to get a 4-stroke engine you really want to buy a tachometer. They are not that expensive and will help you prolong the life of your engine as well as maximize its performance. Field Charger
Transmitters and receivers alike need to be charged overnight before heading to the flying field. If you’re like me and plan to stay at the field for several hours, then a quick charger is one of those model airplane accessories that is a must have! Most quick chargers can be mounted into your flight box just like the power panel. You can charge your batteries in less than 15 to 20 minutes while at the field! A good field charger will be able to charge NiCd, NiMH and LiPo batteries. If you don’t plan to be at the field for more than 3 or 4 flights then you can get by without a field charger. I have and recommend the Hobbico MKII field charger There are many different brands and models of field chargers. As with just about all model airplane accessories, with a little patience you can probably manage to find a steal on eBay. Check out what's available below. Be sure to click the "view all" so you don't miss anything. Just read the description closely to make sure the charger will charge your batteries. If you use LiPo batteries, keep in mind that not all chargers will charge LiPo batteries. Miscellaneous Model Airplane AccessoriesIf you're like me you may live far enough away from the field where you don’t have the luxury of going every day. I only have time to fly my glow engine airplanes on the weekends. For this reason I am prepared with all the model airplane accessories I can think of when I go to the field! I want to stay until the sun goes down! Here are a few things I always keep with me to keep my planes in the air until I am ready to leave. Extra Propellers
Every pilot brings extra propellers to the field. Most field boxes have a place to attach your extra props. All it takes is one rough landing to break a prop. Time at the flying field is sacred! Don’t let a broken prop send you packing!
Extra Glow Plugs You never know when a glow plug is going to bite the dust. Always keep Extra Fuel Line
Some times your engine will just not run right and you finally determine that the problem is a pinhole in the fuel line. It happens to all of us. If you have spare fuel tubing with you then you will be prepared. CA Glue and Accelerator
You’ve been waiting all week to get to the flying field and on your first flight of the day you have a ruff landing causing some minor damage. Electric Screwdriver
A small rechargeable electric screwdriver Paper Towers and Cleaning Solution
Always have paper towers and cleaning solution ready to clean all the oil off of your plane before you bring it home. I can't begin to tell you how much money I've saved by buying model airplane accessories on eBay. If you see something on this page that you'd like to bid on but don't have an eBay account, no problem! Click the banner below to sign up and start bidding on these model airplane accessories in a matter of minutes.
Many of these model airplane accessories can be found at Red Rocket Hobby Shop. Red Rocket Hobby Shop is a very reputable company. If you have any questions don't hesitate to give them a call. They will go out of their way to help you! Back to Top
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