Free Flight: Sport & Scale
Bill Warner 423-C San Vicente Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90402
A cautionary motto
One of my favorite quotes of all time came from a hang gliding newsletter published in the early days of that sport: "Never fly higher than you are willing to fall." That sentiment is particularly applicable to free-flight (FF) Scale models. You should never put more work into a model than you are willing to see wiped out in a crash.
Many models that started out to be Flying Scale never made it to the "flying" part of the game. Owners cited reasons such as overweight models, too much wind, lack of tall grass, or simply fear of losing a prized model, and declined to validate their models' claim to full membership in the class. A leading U.S. kit manufacturer estimates that 85% of the models made from its Flying Scale kits never flew. Given the heavy materials those kits use, you can understand why.
Most modelers hate to repair Scale ships, especially those with airbrushed paint jobs and complicated markings. Some just lack the confidence to fly them without mishap; many prefer to keep their handiwork in a showcase or hanging from a ceiling. Still, I think builders deserve credit—models are often built using the same careful methods used by active fliers.
Exhibit Scale versus Flying Scale
The Exhibit Scale model category runs the gamut:
- Plastic aeroplane statues: ubiquitous, require minimal effort, often unflyable but acceptable as display pieces. Bill Hannan calls these "plastic aeroplane statues."
- Stick-and-tissue flying-scale kits: sometimes so poorly detailed they are unrecognizable, other times flyable if lighter materials were used.
- Complex exhibit-type models: delightful to build and look at, but so time-consuming and heavy that many builders won't risk flying them.
- Muscle superscalers: follow originals stick-for-stick, demand much research and careful construction, and are potential flyers if built as flying models.
Very often a modeler progresses from the lower end of the spectrum toward the upper end. Somewhere along the way many decide to take a chance and fly a model—the flying part being half the fun. Occasionally someone who has been flying less-than-superscale models, intentionally simplified as a compromise, gets the bug to go all-out on a model they really like. Building often rewards itself; at least you'll have a model that's not merely patched together.
Types of builders and kit history
A quick survey of those who build plastic models shows two main groups:
- Kids who want instant results.
- An older crowd who looks for ways to improve kit models.
There was another group—solid-scale builders—that is almost nonexistent today. Before the plastic era, kits sometimes contained a few hunks of balsa that you literally carved into shape. Some of these solid models were quite well done; others were miserable. Expensive solid kits included ready-made cast metal bombs, machine guns, propellers, and such. The cheaper ones required carving skills in pine or other woods, and many kids quit carving and sanding long before finishing, producing rather sad caricatures.
After the statuette models come the stick-and-tissue Flying Scale models, then larger, heavier models that make attractive ceiling ornaments, and finally the highly detailed superscalers. One advantage of exhibit-type models is their longevity: weight is not critical, and a well-made exhibit model can last almost indefinitely. Maybe there is one special model in your future that fits this category—why not give it a go?
Rubber-powered modeling — Don Ross' book
"Rubber Powered Model Airplanes" by Don Ross has just been released. Don shares a lot of rubber experience and answers many questions new and experienced builders have. The book starts with how to build and fly a couple of simple ROG (rise-off-ground — Ed.) models and goes on to simple competition, sport, and Scale models. It includes sections on prop and rubber construction and on how to design your own model. Many methods discussed are traditional, while others are innovative—such as the suggested use of Tyvek (a tough, plastic-fiber sheet used for kites and indestructible mailing envelopes). (Wait! $14.95—really free?)
Winding gear — Simplex stooge
John Morrill (of Simplex engine and rubber-winder fame) has designed a come-apart modular winding stooge that is very versatile. Features include:
- A hollow, sectioned aluminum-tube center post and aluminum uprights.
- The model is held by a stiff music wire passed through one upright, through the model's rear rubber peg (aluminum tube), and then through the other upright.
- Attitude is controlled by a foam-rubber cylinder on an adjustable arm.
- The unit is guyed against the pull of winding by two ground lines in a V formation and is stabilized against twisting with spikes through a wooden base.
- A template is included for making an easily attached shelf.
- The stooge disassembles into a short box about three inches square—small enough to go under an airline seat.
Orders through Old-Timer Model Supply, P.O. Box 7334, Van Nuys, CA 91409. You can also call OTMS at (818) 781-8667.
Pacific Northwest Scale Watch — No-Doc meet
Ric Dittman, airline captain and founder of the Northwest Scale Watch newsletter for Free Flight Scale builders and fliers, reports on the first annual No-Doc (no documentation required) Scale meet held at Snohomish Harvey Field in October 1988. Ric and Larry Olson co-directed the event. About 43 models showed up on a wet and windy weekend to try out what looks like the best flying site on the West Coast.
For the hardy souls who stuck it out, the weather turned nice about 1:00 p.m. Sunday and allowed for a great deal of fantastic flying. The event brought out some world-class F/F Scale ships and generated so much enthusiasm that planning has already begun for next year's meet—expected to be held late in August when the weather is better.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
