Letters To The Editor
"Ugly Fat" Removed
Just a line to share with you a variation on Balsa USA's Phaton 90 which I completed in August. It's unusual in that it is powered by a Quadra Q-35X (methanol fuel, glow ignition). This is a B&B Specialties conversion that removes about 2 lb. of ugly fat off the Quadra as well as making it physically smaller. It is then practical to install the engine in many aircraft designed for 1.2 cu. in. engines.
In this case the firewall was moved 1.25 in. rearward and a cowl made to fit the new nose contour. Weight of my Phaton 90 is 13.0 lb., and it is very aerobatic—but also easy to fly. Needless to say, vertical performance is outstanding.
Keep up the good work with your magazine. It's great.
Doug Nichols Hays, KS
Those Microhenrys
I am not a member of the Academy of Model Aeronautics, but I happened to see a copy of a friend's Model Aviation magazine. It was the October issue, and I just want to tell you how much I enjoyed the Microhenry cartoons. I think the humor is classic, because I can see some of the things that have happened to my model airplane friend through the years.
I almost feel like joining your organization so I can see the future Microhenrys.
Hilda V. Born Murphysboro, IL
Why Not Muffled .21 Fun Speed?
The December 1988 issue had an excellent and very interesting article on a .21 Fun Speed model. I do, however, have a few comments and perhaps some food for thought.
Since one of the reasons a .21 class is feasible is the large selection of competition-quality engines that are available due to the popularity of 1/2-scale RC cars; and since these cars all run mufflers; and since noise is a problem to airplanes (and this problem won't go away by itself):
Why not allow (or even require) RC car-type mufflers in this new class?
Or possibly even run a quiet class (muffled) in addition to the noisy class (unmuffled).
It seems to me that toning down the noise would be an environmentally smart move.
Note: RC cars are not required by the rules to run mufflers. The rule book specifies a maximum permissible noise level and a method for checking same. The contestants can meet this rule however they see fit. The rule works!
Joe Sullivan Member, AMA and ROAR Dallas, TX
Mong Sport
The article about 25 years of air racing at Reno in the November 1988 issue of Model Aviation was recently brought to my attention. By then the issue was out, and I couldn't find a hobby store in my area carrying your magazine. The check enclosed is for copies for my three sons and myself.
I am the designer and builder of the prototype Mong Sport back in 1953. Bill Boland's Mong Sport #3 was the first carefully cleaned up Sport Biplane and managed to lead the field for several years. Then Dallas Christian turned his Mong Sport into the Mongster and ran away from the competition.
Ralph E. Mong 737 Toni Dr. Hurst, TX 76054
Editor: As the article stated, some of your readers may be interested in knowing that I have true-scale drawings of the Mong Sport for radio control and smaller drawings for Peanut Scale, respectively priced at:
- $15 for true-scale RC drawings
- $3 for Peanut Scale drawings
Ralph sent the photograph of the Mong Sport which we show. We always enjoy hearing from the folks who were directly involved in creating aviation history. Do hobby stores in your area carry Model Aviation? If not, you might want to suggest that they write or telephone the MA editorial offices (ask for Judy Hollandsworth) for details.
Matters to Him
In the Nats special issue (November 1988) on pages 36–37 you list the RC champions and their gear. It seems they used nothing but imported engines and imported radios. Now turn to page 128 to see the Nats sponsors: 99% domestic! My U.S. buddies are sure good sports about it, aren't they? As usual all our foreign "friends" tell us, "take, take, take." Is that "free trade?" I don't suppose you will publish that for fear of alienating your foreign advertisers. Well, I just had to get it off my chest. Maybe MA readers will think about it if they could read this. Anyway, let's be part of the solution, not part of the problem. As Duke Fox says, "Made in U.S.A., it matters."
Dennis Patera Issaquah, WA
Says It's a Condor
In regard to the letter in the December issue from Donald Gegengsperger about the fuselage he is holding in the picture, you may already have had responses. To me it looks like the fuselage from a 10-ft. Condor. I have pictures of one that I made when I returned from the Navy in 1946. Also have pictures of a 7-ft. model glider (Condor) and a gas model Playboy with a Brown engine. My fingers are close buddies with the props on the Brown and G & H while trying to start them.
I dropped out of modeling for a number of years. Three years ago a friend of mine, Dick Pike, who is known for his sailplane building and flying, introduced me to modern RC flying and building program. Could not believe the way things have developed since about 1935 when I started building in the attic where we lived. Have made a number of kits. I am now retired. Finished my first scratch-built Marauder featured in your June 1988 Model Aviation. Am now interested in flying wings — which will be my next project.
Simon M. Hughson Lowman, NY
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
