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
Onestone Revisited
The enclosed photo is of me and the Onestone aileron trainer designed by L. F. Randolph which was built from your full-size plan. I've been a modeler for 45 years but am just now getting into RC.
The plane balanced properly without any additional weight, and it trimmed out perfectly. A friend (and expert flier), Harold Carlson, exclaimed after shaking it down for me, "This is a pussycat!"
I plan to get much practice with the ailerons (3/16" throw) before I try anything too fancy. I've been flying the Onestone for about a year (three channels at first). I found out that there is no hands-off flying with ailerons and a symmetrical airfoil. I'm enjoying the ship very much.
My Onestone is powered by a standard OS Max .40, which is just the right power for any imaginable action. It weighs around 4 lb. I'm using a Kraft Sport Series six-channel radio.
Thanks to MA and Mr. Randolph for this wonderful "pussycat" of a ship.
John Stephenson Lakeland, FL
We are privileged to have presented a number of designs by L. F. Randolph in these pages—the most recent of which was the 1/4A Neighbion in the July 1982 issue. The Onestep was in the July 1979 issue; plans for it are still available (Plan No. 270, $5.00). Randolph has a special knack for designing easy-to-build sport RC planes which also serve equally well as trainers at various levels.
Likes Sport Models
Please keep up the outstanding work that is being done on Model Aviation; truly dedicated to the sport flier.
I enjoyed the SE-S article in the January issue. When I was in junior high I was so disappointed when I purchased model magazines, because only once in a while would they have something I could build. I couldn't afford the money for the Pattern planes or Scale jobs that seemed to dominate. I built a lot of 3/4A control-line stuff back then. I'm glad you have something for the neophyte.
You cannot say that modeling has not affected my life. I am presently working for Douglas Aircraft Co. in the Engineering Test Section. My father introduced modeling to me at age six. I built my first—an Air Force DC-3 (C-47) model. At one time my brothers and I had an air force of 80 plastic models and I had 12 rubber-powered scale models.
I hope that Model Aviation continues to offer plans and articles that reach out to the majority of fliers.
George Hostler Long Beach, CA
We try to target many of our articles and construction plans to sport fliers (which in the broadest sense means anyone who is not a contest flier). Thanks for the kind words, George.
What Makes An Airplane Fly?
That question has been discussed and argued about by adults for years. But what kind of answers would you get if you put that question to boys and girls 15 years of age and under? We decided to find out.
In conjunction with the 6th Annual Symposium at Syracuse, NY this past February, our club (STARS of Syracuse) conducted a free drawing (for model airplane kits) for children of this age who wrote their answers to the question.
We had a variety of answers. Some chewed the pencil ends while others cast their eyes to the ceiling in deep thought. But, by golly, they all answered.
Kids are funny. Many people make the mistake of talking down to them. But if you talk to them as people, and ask them grown-up questions, you'll be surprised at the results. Oh, we had run-of-the-mill answers and funny ones as well, but there were some technically sound and very practical answers.
By far, the most popular answer was "engine" (29 answered this way). "Wings" came in a close second, with 22. Thirteen answered "pilot, engine, wings." Six answered "air currents," and various combinations of propeller, elevator, rudder, and pilot accounted for many others.
One little boy wrote "hard work," and another "the way it's built." One wrote "motor." Still another (no doubt a future RC pilot) wrote "transmitter and receiver." A small girl wrote "big rubberband and wind."
Here is a collection of some of the more practical answers: "When the airplane picks up enough speed so that the airfoil achieves lift." "The wind divides into two parts. One direction goes to the top, the other goes to the bottom of the wings." "Lift over drag is what makes an airplane fly." "The power from the engine gets the plane moving and air lifts the wing and lifts it up." "Forward motion and lift created by wings." "As the wing moves through the air the airfoil causes low pressure above the wings and high pressure underneath which causes it to fly." "The pressure of the air flowing over the airfoil lifts the airplane." "Air going over the wings makes lift. The faster the air goes over the wing, you get more lift."
Finally, one youngster had all this to say: "An airplane flies because of a low pressure vacuum created on the top of the wing. This is due to the top being more curved than the bottom. The air flows faster along the smooth bottom creating a high pressure area. The wing is sucked up into the vacuum, thus lifting the whole plane. The prop moves by pushing air past it with incredible force. As the plane moves, the air passes over the wing faster, creating more lift. The horizontal stabilizer surfaces keep the plane going in the right horizontal direction. The vertical stab area overcomes the drag of the ailerons, which roll the plane, making the lift go in one direction."
We had 143 sign up for the free drawing. They had some interesting answers, wouldn't you say? Among them we see future pilots in modeling, full-scale aviation, and maybe even the space program.
John A. Sadler N. Syracuse, NY
Florida Larks
I wonder if you would be able to print the enclosed pictures. The Pitts is from a House of Balsa kit, and it has a K&B .61 for power. It won Model of the Year in our LARKS club, of which I am president.
We are located in the Eustis–Tavares area of Florida and have about 35 members. We have just installed a 350-ft. clay runway.
The other plane is a Sig Kavalier. It has a K&B .61 and front brakes. Flies beautifully. Earlier this year we had a LARKS banquet at a local restaurant and were privileged to have Don Lowe, who now lives in Florida, as guest speaker. He is just a super person.
Bill Nelson Leesburg, FL
Too bad we can't print the pictures in color just as the original prints were. They're both beautiful.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
