Letters to the Editor
More About the Catapult Canard
After building two CC-1s (Catapult Canards), everyone at our family picnic took turns flying them. The results were great — large left-circle descents.
Referring to the article in Model Aviation (August 1992) the next day to determine why the descents were left circle and not right, as the text described, I noticed the wings on the plan (page 90) were reversed compared to the pictures on page 82.
I apparently was flying them backwards, but who cares — it was fun.
I live below one of the landing lanes to O'Hare Field. If someday one of the jumbo jets comes in backwards, I'll believe what I see.
John M. Brach Lombard, Illinois
Microhenrys Useless? No Way.
I would like to reply to a letter (Ed. note: "Now You're Talking...," September 1992 issue of Model Aviation) by Lawrence E. Klingberg, Jr., in which he referred to the "Microhenrys" as useless. That is his opinion, of course, and I believe it is a minority opinion.
I look forward to each issue of MA, and unlike Mr. Klingberg, instead of finding fault, I simply enjoy it. I think his statement was both cruel and thoughtless. I had the pleasure of meeting Ed Henry several years ago and found him to be a very gracious and talented gentleman.
Please keep up the good work. I have a lot of admiration for both the publication and the organization it represents.
Jack Bryant Reeds Spring, Missouri
Hawks vs. Model
Here are a couple of fun stories regarding noise and model aircraft flying.
The first dates back to high school when we regularly flew 1/2A control line at the school field. Once in a while the police would come around and chase us off because someone complained about the noise. One fine Saturday we went to the field but left all our engines at home. We sat around talking for a while, and sure enough — here comes the squad car. After showing him the planes, he went away. Not too surprisingly, the police seemed to have too much else to do to respond to noise complaints after that.
The second experience was about a month ago. I was test-flying a Cox EZ-Bee II at a local vacant lot at about 10 a.m. on a Saturday. The thermals were popping, so I was happily gliding around — well into a 20-minute flight — when I heard a car drive up behind me and keep the motor running.
I brought the plane closer so I could find it again and glanced around to see who it was. Sure enough, a black-and-white — though a nice young lady cop this time — asked if there was a problem. She first said "No," then asked if anyone else had been flying there. Finally it came out that there had been a noise complaint.
Through all of this, the model was happily gliding with the engine off. She remarked that she just couldn't understand some people; she couldn't even hear my airplane, so what were they complaining about? Needless to say, I didn't mention the power-on part of the flight. Incidentally, the engine is muffled and meets AMA and FAI specifications.
Well, that's about it for now.
Larry Renger Cerritos, California
The Wednesday Morning Crew
Enclosed is a picture of the midweek fliers who gather at Perris, California, every Wednesday for a morning of pleasure flying.
Weather at the Champs was great — generally a 5–8 mph breeze, good thermals, a bit over 200 entrants. Our four fliers won seven trophies and a medal worn by myself.
We have been flying at Perris for three years now. Weather is always calm with a 1–2 mph breeze. We have been blown out by winds only three days in three years of flying.
Pictured fliers (left to right): Glenn Foulks, Sal Taibi, Jim Quinn, Al Richardson.
Sal Taibi Lakewood, California
Staggerwing Accompaniments
I received my April issue of Model Aviation with the picture of the Staggerwing Beech model F-17D on the cover. Beautiful cover picture!
I have a collection of old aviation magazines, some dating back to the 1920s and '30s. I am enclosing a copy of the cover of the December 1936 issue of Popular Aviation with a picture of the Beechcraft C-17B. The price of that magazine in 1936 was only 25¢.
This Beechcraft has a cruising speed of 177 mph at 7,200 feet, using a Jacobs 285-hp engine. The ship's cruising range is 700 miles, and its landing speed is 45 mph. Standard equipment includes an electrically operated landing gear.
I spent my entire life as an aircraft mechanic, working on everything from J-3 Cubs to 747s. I am 72 years old, retired, but still interested. I enjoy reading each and every issue of Model Aviation.
I have always been an admirer of the Beech 17, and was pleased to see it on the cover of this month's magazine.
This information is described in the book Staggerwing! on page 200 and may add a little information on NC 18786. The F-17D's registration number is SN 211; built in April 1938; powered by a Jacobs L-6, 330 hp; the owner was Agnes Pyno McLean of New York City in 1939. No other information was available.
Staggerwing! is coauthored by Robert T. Smith and Thomas A. Lempicke, published by Cody Publications, Incorporated, Kissimmee, FL 32741. Copyright date 1979. Library of Congress Catalog number 79-51536.
John P. Thompson Easley, South Carolina
Museum Donation
This past year has been hectic, stressful, and downright depressing at times. But once in a while a ray of light shines out and buoys the spirits.
This year's ray of light came from the curator of the museum, Mike Fulmer (ed.). The story of the model kit, and the note from the soldier, cut through the hardness of heart that our time burdens us with (Cloud 9, AMA's newsletter for Museum Patrons, January 1993 issue, ed.). The story actually brought tears to my eyes.
A half century later, the "Tonys" of the world need to be remembered. I am enclosing an extra contribution to the museum in memory of "Tonys" who went before, and in honor of all those who may follow.
James D. Powers Santa Barbara, California
Where Are the Helicopters?
Recently I joined the AMA for the first time. I got interested about a year and a half ago in RC helicopters and finally bought one. The field I go to requires the AMA card, so I became a member. I also subscribe to Rotary Modeler magazine and IRCHA.
After the first month I received my first issue of Model Aviation magazine. I thought it was great, until I looked through it and saw nothing about helicopters.
It's sad that people pay the same dues for airplanes as they do for helicopters, but the magazine is strictly about airplanes. I would like to see more of the magazine devoted to helicopters. Also, I would like to see the section for meets, fly-ins, contests, and so forth divided into separate listings for airplanes and helicopters.
John Mancos Hammond, Indiana
Caption Mystery Solved
After many years of model building, one dreams that their skills will be recognized by Model Aviation. Upon thumbing through the June issue on page 94, I recognized the model as a Nieuport 11 Bébé. The model in the photograph was built by this writer. The caption indicated that no documentation was found to indicate the owner.
The purpose of this letter is to thank Jeff Troy for including a photograph of my model. I am not sure that it will ever happen again, so I needed to identify the picture on page 94.
Bruce Ream Riverwoods, Illinois
Building Juices Flow
The construction article on the 1941 Taylorcraft BC-1265 by James L. Simpson in your April 1993 issue has gotten my building fever up, so I ordered the plans. Mr. Simpson mentioned using a one-tenth-scale three-view drawing done by Don Pratt in the February 1968 issue of American Aircraft Modeler.
Don Pratt and I grew up together in the farming community of Stilwell, Kansas. We built models out of whatever we could find — dry horse weeds, bamboo, and anything else we could lay our hands on. We cut rubber bands out of old tire inner tubes. We had great times flying our crude craft.
Years later, as adults, Don and I graduated to full-size craft as well as models. Don had a BC-12D and a Nesmith Cougar; I had a Cessna 140 and an L-2 Taylorcraft.
Don's BC-12D was one of the prettiest Taylorcrafts I have ever seen. It had been recovered by Bob Laible of Kansas City Suburban Airport, and was painted all white with black and green trim. I have a picture of it somewhere in my files.
(Contributor)
On Using Ammunition as Ballast
While I don't advocate the use of cartridges as dead weight in a model, I don't think one has to be overly concerned about the danger of those cartridges as explosives. The fuel used by the engine probably is more dangerous than the cartridges.
It can be shown that when a few .22 rounds are carelessly thrown into a fire, the heat ignites the primer/powder in the cartridge, but since the cartridge is not confined, as in the chamber of a gun designed to fire it, no dangerous pressures are developed. The cartridge usually makes a loud pop and the bullet separates from the case, but not with enough velocity to do damage.
Ammunition has its proper place and use, and putting it in a model as weight is not one of them, but it is also important not to cause alarm out of proportion to the facts.
The statement "What kind of fool would risk several lives for the sake of tail weight?" is out of place, but understandable. The builder of the model probably thought the ammo was heavy and not likely to be set off. When you think about it... he was right.
While one could debate the danger of ammo used as ballast in a plane, I can't help but think of countless other alternatives that could be used to eliminate any potential risk and/or controversy altogether. A review of paragraph 8 of the AMA Safety Code may lend assistance for some in this area.
As for me, I'll stick to lead weight every time.
Many happy landings!
Scale-like Speed
The performance of many "scale" model airplanes is often poor. The reason may be summed up in two words: "scale-like speed." If the "scale-like speed" rule is adhered to, poor performance will be the norm.
The notion that scale models should fly at the geometric scale speed to depict realism is a fallacy. To fly various maneuvers, an airplane is dependent on its airspeed. As the size of the plane is scaled down, the speed required to sustain flight and to fly through a given maneuver does not come down as a simple geometric proportion.
For example: If a full-size Ryan ST needs an entry speed of 140 mph to properly execute a slow roll, then a 1/4-scale model of the Ryan needs 70 mph, not 35 mph, to perform the same maneuver. This higher speed is called the dynamically similar speed (or dynamic similitude).
Engineers who use scale models for testing have used this idea for a long time. The model (assuming all physical attributes are in the correct proportions) is capable of performing any maneuver that the full-scale plane can perform, but only if it is flown at the correct speed.
In a contest, if the "scale-like speed rule" prevails, the contestant with the above Ryan model has three choices:
- Enter the slow roll at 70 mph and take a penalty for failing to fly at "scale-like speed."
- Enter the slow roll at "scale-like speed" (35 mph) and take a penalty for the inevitable result — poor performance.
- Do not try to do a slow roll, even though the prototype has this capability; stick to low-performance maneuvers.
Many contestants opt for the third. Some choose the second, but the result does not depict realism in flight. Actually, if the Ryan is able to get through the slow roll at 35 mph, a sloppy performance is what it will depict. Even a model of a high-power plane, such as a Mustang, cannot maneuver in a realistic manner — i.e., make maneuvers representative of those the full-size Mustang is capable of — if it is limited to "scale-like speed."
Under this rule, models of slow, low-power planes will be wallowing around on the edge of a stall. Some cannot fly at "scale-like speed" at all, because it is below the stall speed of the model.
The "scale-like speed" rule should have been abolished by now. But fallacies die hard. Many modelers still cling to the idea that model airplanes should fly at "scale speed." Some folks who really should know better will attempt to put down any argument to the contrary.
We will only get rid of the "scale speed rule" when many people understand that it is a bad rule and why. Then write to each member of the scale contest board and express the need to eliminate the use of geometric scale speed as a design objective.
A change to do just that was recently submitted by Kent Walters and was shot down on the first ballot. We have two years to wait before the chance comes around to submit another. Between now and then, we need to make more people aware that this rule is bad. If you already agree, talk to anyone who will listen.
If anyone would like more information about how models do not fly at scale speed, I have an analysis that compares the performance of a full-scale J-3 Cub with two models of it: a 1/4-scale, and the Goldberg version. If you send me an SASE, I will be glad to mail it to you. A #10 envelope and 58 cents postage is needed.
Ralph Grose 10071 Fox St. Riverside, CA 92503
Help!
Recently I received a call from Mr. Donald Brogden of New York. He is a model airplane historian who goes into great depth with his research. He was attempting to verify if I was the designer of the Bay Ridge Ike.
My response was that yes, I did design the Bay Ridge Mike for the Bay Ridge Model Company in Brooklyn, New York, around 1936. However, although Ike used to go with Mike in the combos, I don't think I designed the Ike, and I do not know who did. Mr. Brogden sounded a bit disappointed over the phone, but I cheered him up with some model airplane anecdotes about the long-gone past.
Now for the big question: Is there anyone out there who recognizes the Ike and knows who designed it? Even the SAM plan librarian, John Pond, was unable to identify the designer.
If something from the long-gone past crosses your mind, please let me know so that the file on the Bay Ridge Ike can be completed.
Raymond Heit 26720 Columbia Way Tehachapi, CA 93561 (805) 821-6310
Weak Signals Says The Winners Are—
I am enclosing a list of winners of the raffle prizes from the raffle we held at the 1993 Toledo R/C Expo. The proceeds were donated to the AMA Scholarship Fund. Many attendees ask each year if we publish a list of winners, so I hope you can find space.
Winners:
- Roger Awdin, Sabina, Ohio
- Mike Baxter, Perrysburg, Ohio
- Ken Carroll, Canton, Ohio
- Midge Chain, Findlay, Ohio
- Jim Edwards, New Albany, Mississippi
- Don Goebel, Berea, Ohio
- Dan Hanna, Goshen, Indiana
- Robert Harrison, Toledo, Ohio
- Jim Jones, Clio, Michigan
- Larry Jones, Fayetteville, North Carolina
- Jim Krynak, Medina, Ohio
- Mark Lane, Ontario, Canada
- Ken Lentz, Livonia, Michigan
- Charlie Martin, Windsor, Ontario
- Mike Miller, Monroe, Michigan
- Tom Oldenburg, Euclid, Ohio
- Rich Olenak, Munhall, Pennsylvania
- Bob Preusse, Westchester, Illinois
- Char Patch, Ilion, New York
- Nancy Splitsorter, Sussex, Wisconsin
- Ken Sulkowski, Warren, Michigan
- Earl Switzer, Greenville, Michigan
- Benjamin Vogel, Erie, Michigan
David Whitaker Raffle Committee Chairman
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
