Control Line: Scale
Dick Byron
Engine cooling and airflow
Now that the flying season is upon us, with warmer weather and daylight hours extending into the evening, it occurs to me that with the Nationals being held in Texas this year we may very well see some Scale entries experience heating problems. Heating has always been a problem with any Scale aircraft because of the close confines of the cowling around the engine, the dummy engines, exhausts, and various sundry items, including a muffler (with its added heating effect).
We must all be aware that if an engine does not get the proper amount of cool air, trouble will inevitably follow. If you do not complete the flight, you will not have a very good chance of winning any place at the Nationals or any other contest. The greatest success is usually attributed to consistency. If the airplane always flies and always functions properly, you are more likely to take home a trophy. So, make sure the cooling air can get to the engine, and have the outlet for the air larger than the inlet so the air will not stagnate inside a closed cowling.
Fly it again, Sam
I received a letter last month from Sam Abdow. He does not know it, but years ago I observed him flying Scale airplanes when I was just a very young modeler back in Massachusetts. Sam lives in Fall River, MA, and has participated in many contests as far back as the 1950s and 1960s. A newspaper article in the Herald News Weekly Magazine in Fall River had pictures of some of Sam's aircraft:
- XF-92A Delta Jet
- F9F-2 Panther
- P-47
- Howard DGA-15P
Obviously, Sam's interest in Scale modeling goes back many, many years. I can remember watching him fly at the Yankee Championships at South Weymouth Naval Air Station in Massachusetts in the 1950s. The P-47 shown here was started in September of 1980 and was completed February 22, 1981.
It is a Sport Scale version of the P-47 Razorback. It is built in 1 in. = 1 ft. scale, has a 40 in. wingspan, and is covered with 3/4-oz. fiberglass cloth. It's primed with Martin Seymour lacquer primer #7865 light gray; the finish coats are Formula U Flight Aluminum followed by one coat of Formula U clear. Power is a Merco .61 mounted inverted. It has:
- operating throttle
- droppable belly tank
- flaps
This size aircraft with that engine should definitely not have any trouble getting off the ground and going round and round. The pictures obviously do not do it justice. I would like very much to see it in Texas. A man with these skills should definitely not keep them hidden.
Photos wanted
Speaking of keeping it hidden... I am really running very low on material and urgently request from all interested individuals good black-and-white or color prints (or good quality Polaroid pictures) of aircraft under construction—old or new—anything which would be of interest to all of us. Looking at our little aircraft and relating various experiences is a major part of enjoying our hobby, so please submit any and all pictures which you feel are interesting.
Be aware that pictures of model aircraft can be rendered fairly unusable by a distracting background. Do not take pictures of your models next to the car or inside the house next to a bookcase. Try to get them in the open air so there is nothing in the background except pavement, a parking lot, driveway, or street, so as not to detract from the beauty of the model. Model photography is best when time is taken to represent the aircraft in a realistic position, so take pictures carefully and make the aircraft look like a real one.
1981 Nationals assistants
Don't forget that it is not too late to offer your services to assist in judging or administrating the Control Line Scale event at the Nationals in Texas. Many people enjoy judging just as much as the contestants enjoy flying. Please, if you have not already volunteered to assist, don't be afraid to come up to the event directors at the Nats and offer your assistance. Just check at AMA Headquarters if you find you do have some time to offer. It will be greatly appreciated.
This column is a little shorter this month because of a lack of material. Hopefully new items will be received in the next few weeks so we can increase next month's column. Just remember, in whatever you do, be prepared and you will be successful.
Richard Byron 2506 So. 161st Circle Omaha, NE 68130
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
