Control Line: Scale
Bill Boss
Reflections
When I started writing this CL Scale column in September 1982, I wondered how long I would be able to provide interesting and worthwhile information. Here I am on column number 39, and according to the letters I receive I am still—though it's difficult at times—providing what you want to read about. I must admit that, over these past three-plus years, there were times when I was scratching for an item or two to fill out the column.
While I haven't stressed my need for column material too often, I would appreciate your input; after all, this is really not my column but yours. It would be great hearing from more of you about your latest project. Just send a few words and a couple of photos so that we can tell and show the rest of our readers what you're up to. To those of you who have been regular contributors, thanks for your past help, and I hope you will continue your support in the future.
While looking back over my records to determine how many columns I had written, I realized that many subjects had been covered—some of which I had almost forgotten about. So I thought it was about time to put together a subject directory (by year and month) showing in which issue each subject was published. At the end of this column you will find a listing that covers 1982–83. Because of space limitations, listings for 1984 and 1985 will appear in subsequent columns. I hope you find the listings useful and that you'll make copies for ready reference rather than trying to remember the issue in which each listing appeared.
CL Electric Flight
CL Electric flight was featured in my April and August 1985 columns. The April column covered Clancy Arnold's and Jack Sheeks' experimentation with the subject, while the August column discussed a more advanced approach to CL Electric flight taken by Tony Naccarato and the Black Sheep Squadron on the West Coast. The August column also contained discussion of a rules proposal for making CL Electric flight events official AMA events.
It was my hope, along with others, that the rules would be passed by the Scale Contest Board, thus creating official Electric flight contests in CL and RC Indoor. However, that did not come about: all of the proposed events were turned down by the board by a seven-no to four-yes vote (see the Contest Board tabulations in the August issue of Model Aviation). Because the vote did not explain why an event passed or failed, I wrote to Dave Platt, Scale Contest Board chairman, for details.
According to Dave, the rules did not fail because of the merit, intent, or content of the proposals, but because a majority of the board felt that granting Official Event status was premature. Although the events had begun on a mostly localized basis, they were being run by people who were not totally knowledgeable, and the board felt requirements would be needed before granting official status. Dave indicated that the Board's rejection should not be viewed as a "no" to the proposal but rather as a "not yet" situation, and that if there is an escalation of interest in the next two years, he is sure the Scale Board would view a resubmission of the proposed rules favorably.
It would appear that those of you interested in CL Electric flight have an event-promotion job ahead of you if the event is to be made official during the next rules-making cycle (which starts January 1986). While the Scale Board turned down the proposed rules, the Executive Council has recognized the growing interest in Electric flight and is establishing an Electric Flight Advisory Committee, which should be a great help to the contest boards during the 1986–1987 rules cycle in evaluating any new proposals. Watch future issues of Model Aviation (the "Competition Newsletter" section) for a listing of district representatives.
I suggest that you write to your district Scale Board member telling him of your interest—let him know you're out there. You might also write about your activities to the National Association of Scale Aeromodelers (NASA), c/o John R. Guenther, RR 3 Box 261, Borden, IN 47106. As the special interest group for scale modelers, NASA can do much to help with recommending rules proposals to the Scale Board. I, too, will do all I can via this column to support and promote the CL Scale aspects of Electric flight. All you have to do is send me the information, data, and photos.
Hints from the Workshop
When the 1980 AMA rule book was issued, scale modelers found a new rule requiring that the pilot be in the model at all times during flight. While the pilot wasn't required to be in the model at all times, most of us made the pilot installation permanent—especially in our sport scale models.
Bob Furr (Orbiting Eagles of Omaha) offers the following suggestion for mounting your pilot in the cockpit. Most of us have used silicone rubber glue to mount fuselage-mounted pilots, but have we considered some of the other things it can do? Mounting a plastic pilot is easily accomplished with silicone glue.
- Set the pilot in place and draw its outline on the mounting surface.
- Using a drill bit (about 3/32 in.), drill a generous number of holes both in the mounting surface and in the underside of the pilot.
- Spread a good amount of silicone rubber cement on the base of the pilot, rubbing it into the holes and leaving about 1/16-in. thickness on the base.
- Do the same for the mounting surface and assemble the two.
When the cement has cured, it forms the equivalent of rubber rivets, which will hold up well to the shock of landings, engine vibrations, and even crashes.
1982 Directory of CL Scale Subjects
- September: P-40 sliding canopy.
- October: Three-line handle modification for engine cutoff stop pin; engine control rules changes.
- November: Nationals coverage.
- December: Conversion of RC kits to CL use; scale data source — Aero Publishers' Detail and Scale Series books.
1983 Directory of CL Scale Subjects
- January: Engine mounting problems; new muffler rule; a new sanding tool.
- February: FAI rules changes (by Bob Underwood); turn-off battery charger with home auto-timer; use of plastic odds and ends for spinners, gun turret bullets, etc.
- March: Masking tape stencils; Profiles in Scale for Juniors.
- April: Rohm Air retract control unit for CL models; special decal designs on silkspan.
Please send CL Scale items to Bill Boss, 77-06 269th St., New Hyde Park, NY 11040.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
