Letters to the Editor
Builder's Pride and Joy
The pictures and this letter are in response to the urging of "friends." The Gere Sport biplane is nearly one-third scale—given cheating here and there. A Zenoah G-38 powers it.
The Green Thing is a mix of Cessna Skymaster and a UAV called the Hunter. It has a 10-foot span and is six feet long (with elevator and rudders folded forward) to fit in the bed of my truck! Yes, the outer wing panels come off to transport it. The power was initially two Zenoah G-23s, but I swapped the front one for a G-38. It flies great. Not bad for a "paper" airplane (foam board).
Harry C. Perry Parsons, Kansas
Volunteers Needed for Electric Motor/Propeller Study
I have completed a computer program to evaluate the performance of electric motor/propeller combinations. The program runs on IBM and compatible machines. However, to verify the accuracy of the output additional motor data is needed. If any electric modelers would like to help, it would be appreciated. My address is:
Ken Rusnok P.O. Box 4643 Fayetteville, AR 72702
I will reply with a short description of the program's features and what specific data is needed. When the program is released, the only cost will be the provision of a formatted disk and a SASE. I hope to have a similar version available for the Atari ST machines in August.
Ken Rusnok Fayetteville, Arkansas
Attention: Department of Agriculture Workers
If there are any RC modelers reading this publication who work for the United States Department of Agriculture, particularly Farmers Home Administration, Soil Conservation Service, or ASCS, I would appreciate hearing from you! I am a college student who will be graduating in December of 1993, with a B.S. in Ag. Business. I am attempting to locate any areas in the United States where I can find people who work in my field and who fly RC.
If you work for the Department of Agriculture and fly RC or know someone who does, please drop me a line. Thank you.
Dustin Wright 110 West High Eldon, MO 65026-1427 (314) 392-4929
The Great Teacher—Delta Dart
Our school (East Hampton Middle School, East Hampton, New York) recently held a model aviation meet at our local airport. This event, that we called "The Wings Project," included a Free Flight contest for students and a demonstration of RC flying by adults.
I would like to express my thanks to AMA for its contribution to the success of this event. We used AMA's Delta Dart educational program to good effect. Using aviation as a theme, the school did related lessons involving science, art, math, language, and social studies. Children in grades four to eight built over 150 models; most of them were the Delta Dart. Others were more advanced kit models; some were designed and scratch-built by students.
The overall winner of the contest was an eighth-grade girl who built and flew a Guillow's Arrow. This model was last seen drifting serenely over the woods on the far side of the airport.
As an educator, I can enthusiastically recommend the Delta Dart program to any school that would like to try a different and challenging project.
I would like to cite the Long Island Flying Eagles, an AMA District 2 club, for its invaluable help in staging the RC part of the event. The members of the club put on a spectacular display of Quarter Scale and helicopter flying that entertained over 1,000 spectators. The skill and good humor of these gentlemen impressed everyone.
Karl A. Vermandois East Hampton, New York
A Couple of Words About Drone Aircraft
I started building model airplanes about 1931 when I met Barney Snyder, who started Modelcraft in an abandoned store in Los Angeles. I earned spending money by building models for display for him.
In 1936, I entered the 20-30 Club of Centinela Park, Inglewood. The contest was held at Mines Field, now LAX. It was the middle of the Depression and prizes were ribbons—first, second, and third place.
I won first place for the smallest flying model and third place for the longest flying time for a scale model.
During World War II, the 20th Armored Division had lined up 100 tanks on the firing line armed with .50-caliber, colored-tip bullets. We shot at a P-51 towing a white windsock. The plane was hit three times, and the pilot would not fly back.
Next, they launched a regional Denny drone aircraft that I shot down. It was hit in the engine and parachuted to earth. Our tank unit, with ground fire, shot down three 109s and one of our own Lockheed night fighters. We were also strafed by one of the few German jets as we crossed the Danube River.
I'm still building model airplanes.
Francis D. Derkum Inglewood, California
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
