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.
Look Alikes?
On page 74 of the March 1981 Model Aviation is a picture of Micheline Madison, Frank Ehling, and Penny Hudson. Now, take a closer look and tell me if the three don't bear a startling resemblance to Ann Miller, Lloyd Nolan, and Shelly Winters. You don't have to be an old-timer to appreciate the likenesses, either, because all three are still around and busy.
In closing, I would like to give a special word of thanks to Micheline, who does such a good job on our FAI programs.
Bill Lovins Denver, CO
New Dimension of RC Flight
In response to the letter in the March issue, page 126 (concerning the concept of pivoting the wing and stabilizer to change the angle of attack), we sailplane pilots may have the answer.
Several European fliers use just such a system for ailerons and change of incidence for speed vs. slow flight. Just this past year, Mr. Rudy Coleman of the Long Island Silent Flyers built and flew a ship called Decade 80. That sailplane used pivoting wings about the main spar. I can personally vouch for the idea after seeing it in flight. Rudy currently has under construction a new sailplane using pivoting wings. These are his own designs.
Pattern fliers, take a look at some of these new sailplanes. We both can learn something from one another.
John F. Clarke New Hyde Park, NY
Mr. Chamberlin makes a good point in suggesting that control can be obtained by tilting the wing. This concept has been used, in part, in the Flying Flea and Spratt "controllwing" aircraft. Look at it this way: to respond to control inputs, the air sees a difference in angle of attack between the wing and horizontal stabilizer. The air doesn't care which surface moves.
I have made several RC models using wing tilt for longitudinal and lateral control. The concept works fine. I seem to recall a Control Line model by Carl Goldberg that utilized large wing flaps instead of elevators. It would seem that the ultimate use of the control-wing concept would be for a precision Control Line stunter in which the fuselage would align with the wind instead of having to tilt to cause the wing to lift.
By the way, the Boeing B-17 had a symmetrical airfoil.
John Hunton Annandale, VA
B-26 Marauder Group Reunion
The 397th Bomb Group, with its 596th, 597th, 598th, and 599th Bomb Squadrons, will hold its fifth reunion on September 24–27, 1981, at the St. Louis Airport Hilton Inn, St. Louis, MO. Former members of this WWII 9th Air Force B-26 Marauder group are asked to contact:
397th Bomb Group Assn. Nevin F. Price, Secretary P.O. Box 1786, Rockville, MD 20850 Phone: (301) 460-4488
Help for Beginners
In the past few months there have been several letters to various magazines by beginners. Each, in turn, bemoans the lack of flying instruction available.
I am not aware of any formal instruction programs in my area that take a fledgling under wing. But most fliers that I know of, including myself, are willing and have helped newcomers successfully fly their planes.
Perhaps some newcomers expect too much. After we help them become capable of launching, flying in a reasonably controlled manner, and landing on the field, the rest is up to them. I learned to fly by practice—crashing, rebuilding, practice, and then practice some more. You only become better by working at it.
Newcomers should also realize that many of us go to the field to fly and better our skills. In addition, most live some distance from the field and have just a few hours on Saturday, or perhaps Sunday, to fly.
Make no mistake! I enjoy teaching, and do so willingly. Why? I feel I learn more than the student, but please don't expect me to devote all my time to teaching. Those contests come along quickly.
Please find enclosed a copy of a blurb that my club, the Long Island Silent Flyers, is thinking of printing. They are intended to be passed out at local hobby shops and at the flying field.
John F. Clarke New Hyde Park, NY
The draft information sheet which was included looks very good to us, and we hope the club has gone ahead with printing and distribution. Included is a general description of RC soaring, methods of launching, suggested beginning sailplane kit and radio configuration, location of the flying field, club contact people (with phone numbers), and a brief list of local/regional requirements for use of the field (AMA and FCC licenses, county permit).
- General description of RC soaring
- Methods of launching
- Suggested beginning sailplane kit and radio configuration
- Location of the flying field
- Club contact people (with phone numbers)
- Brief list of local/regional requirements (AMA and FCC licenses, county permit)
Taylor/Piper J-2
I wish to correct Don Srull about the J-2 Cub. He called it a Piper Cub J-2, but it was not Piper—it was a Taylor aircraft. (Reference: February 1981 issue, Srull's Taylor E-2 construction article.)
I learned to fly in a 1936 model J-2 Cub with Continental's A-40 engine. I had always noticed the name tag riveted onto the instrument panel about midway on the V-shape of it. The designation was Taylor Aircraft, showing serial number and type of engine.
I started flying this airplane in 1938. I quit during WWII, then resumed after the war was over. I guess I put in about 100 hours of flying in it.
The first airplane that I know of with the name of Piper was a 1937 or 1938 model J-3 Cub with Continental's A-40 engine—after Piper bought out Taylor.
The first J-3 Cub had a tailwheel but no brake. It was underpowered for dual instruction, but all right for solo flying. Then they began putting in Continental 50 hp engines (also Franklin 50s) with a mechanical brake on the tailwheel. They finally ended up putting in Continental 65s or Lycoming 65s with hydraulic brakes.
P.S. The reason I am ordering Don Srull's Taylor E-2 full-size plan is because I bought a Taylor Cub kit over 30 years ago; this is of the J-2, and about the same size as Srull's E-2. I still have the kit, which was put out by Henry Engineering Co. of Burbank, CA (Veeco Products). Also, I built a rubber-powered model of the E-2 in the early 1930s. The wingspan was somewhere around 18 to 24 in. I am planning to build the J-2 and E-2 models sometime after I retire.
J.C. Kingston Dallas, TX
We thought Don Srull would be interested in Mr. Kingston's observations and comments, so we sent him a copy of the letter. Srull's response follows.
Mr. Kingston is correct about the J-2 being properly called a Taylor Cub, since it originally came out of the Taylor Airplane Co. in 1936. Production of the J-2 did continue into 1938 after Taylor left the company—and its name was changed to Piper Aircraft—so some J-2s were produced by Piper. Nevertheless, since Mr. Taylor designed the J-2, it certainly is a Taylor Cub.
Don Srull McLean, VA
Heiner's Schweizer TG-3A
Enclosed you will find a check to cover the cost of full-size plans for the TG-3A (No. 317) sailplane.
It may be of interest to you that I have just completed a restoration of a full-size TG-3A, and hope to have it flying in a few weeks. It has, indeed, been a labor of love. You see, I worked for the Schweizers in 1942, and knew Ernie, Paul, and Bill quite well—having been born and raised in Elmira, NY.
I am a retired schoolteacher, and thought it would be a fine project to build a model of my ship. Jack Heiner is to be highly commended for the authenticity he has gained in his model of the TG-3A.
Carl E. Groom Tucson, AZ
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
