Letters to the Editor
All letters will be carefully considered; those of general interest will be used. Send to Model Aviation, 815 15th St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20005.
Ah, That Dennyplane!
I believe one of the most popular airplanes you have presented in Model Aviation has been the Dennyplane and I thought you might be interested in the enclosed photo. This one, built by George Ogden who remembers the original, is finished in blue and yellow MonoKote and powered by an OS Max .40. The cowl is a "just the right size" aluminum pot. It is being flown by Bubba Irwin, son of our scale contest board member from this district, Buddy Irwin.
Because it looks like it does and flies as it does, Buddy—always the scale man—picked it as a trainer for his son. The choice was an excellent one. Actor Denny would be very pleased to know his design has survived so long and so well.
L. F. Randolph Dallas, TX
Don't know how Randy knew this, but the Dennyplane has been in the top five most popular MA plans since it was published in the January 1977 issue. It's the kind of old-timer—even the realistic—that you can fly high on power, circle on idle, and ride lift for long flights. Easy to handle too, and to take off as a taildragger.
To Harrah's Flight Lab
I was very much surprised to see your 9-ft. Taylorcraft in Aug. '79 MA. I have been interested in building this same plane for many years. I have the plan from John Pond, but have been slow to start the project, since I knew that many mods would be needed to get it strong enough to fly on a modern engine. Why don't you do an article in MA all about building miniature Taylorcrafts?
The only thing missing from the very beautiful pictures is the two-tone paint job that used to appear in the miniature ads in Air Trails. It still brings back many a memory of those ads! Thanks!
Alvin E. Johnson Oxford, PA
While Bob has answered Alvin at great length to help him get a T‑Craft in the air, we venture to add a few words. Everyone thinks of the Cub when they wish to build a good lightplane. Those of us fortunate to have flown a variety of "old-time" light aircraft know the T‑Craft to be a remarkable machine. Though side-by-side seated on the equivalent hp, the Craft had a seven-league-boot cruising range. After all, Taylor, who designed it, also designed the first Cub—the Taylor Cub—before Piper appeared on the scene in the early thirties. The Craft will make a superior RC model. One big reason is the 23-1/2 airfoil. If set at 2 degrees angle of incidence, not more than 3 in any case, its design is more stall-resistant and less given to ballooning. Think T‑Craft and you won't be disappointed—but do use the same airfoil—it is convex undercambered.
The Day's Work Never Ends
Could you send me a booklet on remote control airplanes, and the different types of RC airplanes?
Jeff Casey 1128 34th Ave. Sacramento, CA 95822
This letter, from another very young lad—and there are gillions of them (while we talk about helping beginners)—points up the great difficulty of supplying adequate guidance and information. Like many other such letters, we've bucked Jeff's letter on to involved friends at certain manufacturers of appropriate equipment and/or kits. In our humble opinion all magazines, and books, are too advanced to answer this purpose. Until we really learn to put ourselves in a true beginner's shoes, the prospects of adequately meeting beginner needs remain dim indeed. We have included Jeff's address for use by any kind soul who wishes to help.
Turner's Wedell-Williams
May I add a footnote to Don Berliner's superb piece on the prewar National Air Races?
In addition to the old racers he listed as still being in existence, Roscoe Turner's legendary Wedell‑Williams, shown in the three-view on page 19, is the center of attraction at the Crawford Auto‑Aviation Museum in Cleveland.
Intact except for cockpit canopy, seat and one missing instrument, the W‑W looks like it did when raced in 1939, complete with its now-faded gold paint job. The history of the airplane is lettered on the fuselage and it retains the battle scars of numerous pylon and cross‑country air duels.
For anyone interested in modeling this most ferocious-looking of the prewar racers, the aircraft is completely accessible. It is possible to look into the cockpit, where a complete instrument panel is featured—a necessity for competing in the Bendix cross‑country event. It was a thrill for me to touch and photograph this historic airplane on a recent trip to Cleveland, reflecting that the monster 1,000-horsepower P&W Hornet whisked it to victory in both the Thompson and Bendix events. It is a proud old bird and one of the few links to aviation's Golden Age as so well chronicled by Berliner.
The Crawford Museum is on East Boulevard in Cleveland, easily reached from the interstate highways that cross the city, joins Western Reserve University and is open daily, except Monday.
Ron Britzke Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY
Help Wanted
I'd appreciate your rushing the two kit plan books. My sons and I have a love for 1/4A control-line. We fly 'em in the yard and they have superb longevity. Our first plane died after 3 1/2 years of providing training for every kid in the neighborhood. We've come up with a wing design that requires no jigs, is built on a flat surface and doesn't require formed leading or trailing edge material. This is a great combination for kids because it is simple and strong. We've designed our own planes but feel we've reached the limit of knowledge.
Where can we order or find a raft of 1/4A plans for Stunt and Combat? Whom can we contact, especially for stunt for our .02 engines? We promise not to turn into pests but sure would love some leads.
The Marizewskis 717 Rifford Rd. Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
We have included the full address so readers may write the Marizewskis directly. The editor will be indebted, along with them, to those who supply info and leads. If you can help—please do so. We have answered the letter, but frankly, your editor is no expert on 1/4A Stunt and Combat.
Quarter-Scale Blues
If this letter was an essay, it could easily be called "The Anatomy of a Scale Paint Job" or "A Sick Model Builder." What triggered my thinking was a recent F.O. column in which you set forth the trials and tribulations of seeking authenticity for 1/4-scale models. Call it research if you will, but how far does one go to acquire facts and information to translate into a model of realistic appearance? When is it fun and when does it become mentally debilitating?
There is no question that 1/4-scale lends itself to more exotic or different paint schemes. After all, the model is large with more surface to paint. More liberties can be taken with the finish as far as weight is concerned and therefore a superior rendering would result in a closer resemblance to its big sister.
I wanted a non-military paint job of a Bucker 133 Jungmeister. Scale buffs know that there aren't too many of them around. I thought perhaps the FAA could help me find one. The New York FAA office referred me to Oklahoma City. They in turn referred me to the Department of Statistics of the FAA in Washington. The cost of these phone calls would have paid for the epoxy paint I used. After conferring with the people in Washington, I came up with the grand total of 17 BU 133 aircraft registered in the U.S. Five of these were specifically called Bucker Jungmeisters. The others were either designated as BU 133 or 133c. Two were registered as BU 133S. Interestingly, two were registered as "replicas." They would not tell me where they were hangared or who the owners were. All that effort and money and still no real Jungmeister to copy.
I started to get lucky at the 1979 WRAM show. The proprietor at Dave Platt's booth told me that a Jungmeister in civilian colors really existed somewhere south of New Paltz, N.Y. I was unable to remember or pin down the exact location. For days I thought of "somewhere south of New Paltz." Phone calls to airports in the area proved fruitless. John Kanakos, who used to sell me three-for-one 1/16 sq. balsa when I was a fifth grader, suggested that I contact Colen Palen at Rhinebeck. If there was a Jungmeister flying around that area he possibly may know about it. A phone call to Rhinebeck confirmed that not only did a Jungmeister fly around the area but it would occasionally land at Rhinebeck! How lucky can I get.
I was referred to Mr. Dave Fox, the pilot of the Jungmeister. A call to his home revealed that he flew a Jungmeister out of Linden, New Jersey. I felt my quest was over only to find myself playing at the windmills again. It was not the Jungmeister I was looking for. The lady I spoke to, whom I believe to have been Mrs. Fox, described the Jungmeister as having German military markings. After some further discussion, however, she did recall another Jungmeister hangared in Wallkill, New York. The airport manager, Mr. Cobell, granted me permission to photograph. At last I was getting somewhere.
My model was already covered, primed and ready for paint. I just had to get to the real thing. A 2 1/2-hour drive from Long Island to Kobell Airport and I was ushered into the enchanted hangar! There poised the elusive jewel! It was beautiful! It was flawless! The excitement more than fanned the embers of my earlier youth! She was petite as she was beautiful but oh so different! Mr. Cobell had the beauty rolled out of the hangar for me and I excitedly went to work with my old Rolleiflex. He was very cooperative and gave me my interest in RC. I learned from him that the owner, Art Yadkin, was the winner of many shows with the Jungmeister but now flies it rather infrequently. One also learns while inspecting the full-size aircraft where the goofs or omissions are in the model. For example: the full-size craft had metal panels two bays aft of the firewall whereas the model had only one panel. Of course, I made an incision in the cowl and soldered in the necessary panels plus a few more details while I was at it.
When I completed the model, I returned to the airport as promised. I arrived with the model, Rollei and Ektachrome ASA 64. I wanted to photograph my model alongside the big sister but my luck had run out. I was advised that the Jungmeister was being "annualed" at Stewart Airport as per FAA regulations. Naturally, I was disappointed but everyone was impressed with the 1/4-scale copy.
The 1/4-scale pilot was the subject of many jokes concerning the resemblance to the pilot/owner, Art Yadkin. Back on Long Island I re-read and preflighted the model for first flight. Since this was my first attempt at 1/4-scale, I felt that the many phone calls to Dave Platt concerning building and flying the model would be of help. After all, he is the "jockey." He proved to be right in every way as I followed his advice to the letter. The model, in my estimation, is the culmination of my modeling experience and flying enjoyment. It's like flying the real thing. The model with nose wheel added flies at 13 lbs. 9 oz. I have looped and rolled it and I can't quite get used to such weight flying so "light and easy" in the sky. I never feel that takeoff speed is ever sufficient. I suppose it's all relative.
About the model: The covering is Super Coverite. Finish is nitrate dope, K&B epoxy primer and paint. I vacuum-formed the windshield and wheel spats. The cockpit is upholstered with the same stuff as the full-size craft. I enlarged the instruments to 1/4-scale from ones available in hobby shops. The 21-in. scale propeller was hand-carved from Australian pine. The last time I hand-carved a prop was exactly 40 years ago! Power is a Webra .91.
I guess I have not answered your original question as to what makes us do these things for the sake of this hobby.
Emil Agosta Garden City South, NY
Ask and Ye Shall Receive
Would you send information on Comet's Piper Cub 95 (1623)? I would like to buy a kit.
Todd Smith Meriden, MS 39301
Model Aviation regularly receives letters from young beginners who are cut off by circumstances of distance, etc., from help and advice from knowledgeable modelers. We try to help them all. In this instance, fellow MA contributor Allan Schanzle (incidentally, an extremely busy man) volunteered to help Todd. Because of the useful info in Allan's letter to Todd we print it verbatim immediately below.
The first place you should look is at a local hobby shop, which will be listed in the yellow pages of the telephone directory under "Hobbies." If the hobby shop doesn't have one in stock, they could order it for you. If you can't find a hobby shop, try looking at toy stores or drug stores. Quite often they stock these kits. If you still can't find what you want, send a letter to: Comet Industries, 3630 S. Iron St., Chicago, IL 60609.
Ask them to forward the kit. Be sure to enclose a check for the price of the kit ($4.50 is the latest price I have seen advertised) plus $1.00 for postage and handling. So the check should be made out for $5.50. Also be sure to give the kit number (1623), since Comet makes at least four Piper Cub kits.
Todd, if this is one of your first models, let me make a few suggestions that will help you to obtain success with model aircraft. First of all, the Comet kit you are interested in will be difficult to construct unless you have some previous experience in building. Also, the kit is designed for gas engines as well as for rubber power, so it will be a little heavy for rubber power, and this means it will be difficult to fly. Comet does have many other excellent subjects, however.
Also write to: Peck Polymers, P.O. Box 2498, La Mesa, CA 92041. Ask them for their catalog. Then order their model called "R.O.G." It doesn't look much like a real plane, but it is simple to build and flies very well.
Another manufacturer that makes simple kits is: Hi-Flier Manufacturing Co., 510 E. Wabash Ave., Decatur, IL 62525. Write to them and ask for their catalog of model aircraft. After you've built some of their simple models, try their kit of the Stinson 105. It is a model of a real plane and flies really great.
One last suggestion, Todd. While you are learning how to build and fly models, select those with "high wings," like the Piper Cub and Stinson 105. They are much easier to get to fly than those with wings at the bottom of the fuselage. Finally, be sure the model balances as shown on the kit plans. No model can be made to fly if it doesn't balance at the correct place.
Good luck, and good flying.
New Member / Welcome Aboard
I have just received a copy of your fine magazine Model Aviation and was very impressed. So much so, that I would like to join your association. Please forward whatever forms, dues payable, etc., at your earliest convenience so I may start receiving your publication as soon as possible.
My interest in model aviation started in 1968 when I was flying control line. However, I have just completed my first radio controlled plane, the SIG Clipped Wing Cub. I am sure my future exploits will prove more craftsman-like as I develop experience in building these fine models. I would like to add that this model turns out to be a very nice scale of the real plane and proved easy to fly even for the novice.
I look forward to your early reply and hope to see you in the air some day.
Dave Farthing Bethany, OK
We have had lots of letters like this one from modelers who encounter Model Aviation at hobby shops, or elsewhere, and who then join the Academy. So to Dave and all the others whom we could not write personally, a big "welcome aboard," and we trust you fellow sport fliers and beginners in RC will note his praise for the Sig Clipped Wing Cub which, so to speak, has become famous in its own time.
Numero Uno
I'm a 49-year-old RC flier and like many of my kind read most of the magazines devoted to model aviation.
A good pat on the back never hurt anyone and that's the reason for this letter. I wanted both you (and the man responsible) to know how much I enjoy Hank Clark's isometrics, if in fact that is the right classification. Whatever, the drawings are flawless and provide excitement and vitality to the articles they accompany.
Hank is a genius and I hope to see his work in all future issues of MA.
Best wishes to you and all your fine staff.
Paul Gaertner Charlottesville, VA
Chasing the Swallow
I was able to contact Model & Allied Publications by phone in England for the information that I needed on the B.A. Swallow. I was unable to talk to Mr. Ron Moulton, but I was able to talk to one of his associates. The gentleman assured me that he would send me all of the information that I would need for a scale project.
Your readers may be interested in this information. He says they have produced a booklet of plans and have plans for over 150 aeroplanes and would be more than happy to send anyone any information that they need for a small fee. If anyone is interested they may contact Mr. Ron Moulton, c/o Model & Allied Publications Ltd., P.O. Box 35, Bridge St., Hemel Hempstead, Herts., HP1 1EE, England, or phone 01144 442,412-21. If anyone is going to call remember that they are about 5 hours ahead of Eastern standard time.
Thank you very much for putting me on the right track to obtain the information that I needed for my project.
Robert L. Brown Midland, MI
Brown was one of those readers who picked up on the Swallow in the "Magical Kingdom," May 1979 issue. He wanted plans and we supplied the above source—suggest you guys take advantage of a good thing.
Wants U.S. Pen Pal
I have read your "Basics of Radio-Control Modeling" and know there are many, many modelers in U.S.A. I would like to correspond with some of them but don't have any information.
My personal history is as follows. Name: Tadashi Isono, Age 37 Address: 76 Narawa Sodeguramachi, Kimitsugun Chiba, Japan Zip 299-02 Occupation: Stationer Kinds of model interested in: Airplane, Helicopter.
I am looking forward to an answer with my much appreciation for your kindness.
Tadashi Isono Kimitsugun Chiba, Japan
Potential Burp?
I'm thinking of flying Jet Speed (I fly Fast Combat now) and am wondering if you could pass this along to either Mr. Hempel, or Mr. Upton, or someone who has experience with jets.
What I primarily need to know is if there are any current designs for Jet Speed planes for which I could get plans. Also, which is most recommended: a Dyna Jet, or a Raven? Assuming they aren't kept secret, what are some of the reworking processes done on jets to make them faster (other than cutting off the air nozzle, and enlarging the holes in the flowjector on the Dyna Jet)? Does Curtiss Dyna still make the Dyna Jet?
Any information you may be able to supply me with will be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.
Cam Dix Ontario, Canada
We have put Mr. Dix in touch with Mike Langlois who did the wizard article on the CL Super Burp in the December 1978 issue. MA publishes occasional state-of-the-art articles on the more obscure types of models and competition, for just such purposes—to get the data down somewhere as long-lasting references. By now it is possible bellowing sounds are wafting across Cam's hometown of Don Mills, if not the entire province of Ontario. And, yes, we do understand that Curtiss still has Dyna Jets. Also, one of the discount advertisers has offered this item recently.
Likes Half-A Scale
Just a few lines to let you know that I think your choice of construction projects is excellent. I was particularly impressed with the Wildcat (do Bowers and Srull have any more of these around?) and the B-25 in the March issue. I would like to encourage you to publish additional Frank Baker multis—the A-26 looks very interesting.
J. C. Sloane East Hanover, NJ
Alas, J.C., we don't. But we've got one in the works. Hurst is cooking up a Lockheed Air Express.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
