Radio Control: Giant Scale
John A. de Vries 4610 Moffat Lane Colorado Springs, CO 80915
AVID FLIER, Renegade Spirit, ProTech PT-2—have you seen one? Or a HiMAX, a miniMAX, a Challenger II, a Phantom, a Kestrel Hawk? There are a lot of them around along with a host of other homebuilts and ultralights. If your taste runs to British design, there's the Streak Shadow. The point: there are literally hundreds of small, good-flying, man-carrying aircraft that have never been modeled and many of them would make spectacular Giant Scale birds.
- Examples include: AVID FLIER, Renegade Spirit, ProTech PT-2, HiMAX, miniMAX, Challenger II, Phantom, Kestrel Hawk, Streak Shadow.
Few if any RC drawings exist for many of the ultralights or the smaller homebuilts. That's difficult to understand because data to produce them is readily available. Designers and manufacturers universally provide data packs for the home builder who might build the full-scale versions. The data packs usually include scale three-views (½ is a popular size), specification lists, and photographs of the completed aircraft. The more forward-looking designers often provide VCR tapes that cover construction and flight shots of their birds. Prices for these documentation packages run from $15 to $30, depending on their completeness and complexity.
Since the airplanes we're discussing are so simple, even the most ham-handed draftsman can produce usable RC model drawings with a minimum of effort. There are lots of straight lines, constant-chord wings and slab-sided fuselages in these designs.
Another factor that lends desirability to modeling ultralights and the less complex homebuilts is their size. They're relatively small in prototype form, so ¼-scale or ½-scale models will be easily transportable. Many of the prototypes are slow fliers, so models of them should be eminently flyable. For the aerobatically inclined Giant Scale modeler, several mini bipes have been stressed to 9 Gs; the miniatures will inherit satisfying maneuverability. Several designs include provisions for floats and skis in addition to wheeled landing gear in case you want the bird to fly off the local lake.
Sources for photos and data packs
A prime source for the photos and data packs described above is the monthly magazine Kitplanes, although several other homebuilder periodicals also carry similar advertisements. The EAA's Sport Aviation magazine is replete with similar ads.
If you're like me and save model magazines for future reference, the three-views, how-to articles and scale data are invaluable when needed. However, finding a specific article in a stack of magazines can be frustrating. Model Maniacs—yep, that's the name—has come to the rescue. They're producing yearly indexes to Model Aviation, Model Airplane News, Radio Control Modeler and Kitplanes. An $8 1990 version is available. Contact Model Maniacs, 5663 Balboa, Ste. 242, San Diego, CA 92111.
Vintage Giant Scalers and hard-to-find documentation
Robert L. Eckard has uncovered a veritable gold mine of quality information for vintage Giant Scalers and suggests contacting Steve Macaig, Aviation History, 530 Allentown Road, Parsippany, NJ 07054. Steve's information, plans and memorabilia go back to 1930s vintage birds. Mr. Eckard notes Steve is very helpful and knowledgeable.
Dick Phillips, partner in ViP Publishers, reports that John Clark of Clark Airscrews (RR #4, Tottenham, Ontario, Canada L0G 1W0) has acquired rights to the Barklay Tiger Moth Giant Scale kit and will reintroduce this landmark bird to the modeling public, probably before this column appears in the August 1991 issue.
Since his retirement, old friend Bob Holman has increased his line by leaps and bounds. Not only does he have many spectacular Giant Scale plans, but he also produces kits and fiberglass components for several of them. Examples include:
- A 79 in. span Sopwith 1½ Strutter (WW I)
- A 92 in. span P-51D by Doss Steel (developed from factory microfilms)
- Jewel-like main gear retracts and tailwheel/tail hook assemblies for his 76 in. Vought F4U kits (produced by Earl Aune)
Bob Holman Plans is a good place to start if you're looking for kit-built big ones. Contact: Bob Holman Plans, P.O. Box 741, San Bernardino, CA 92402. Phone: 714/885-3959. A large SASE would be appropriate.
Correction and racer plans
I goofed in the May 1991 column in my discussion of Giant Scale plans for Golden Age racers. Jim Bert wrote to chide me and reminded me that he has several great racer drawings. If you want to build large-scale racers, contact Bert at 219 White City Blvd., Springfield, IL 62703. He has drawings for:
- Art Chester's Jeep
- Chester's Gee Bee Senior
- Wedell-Williams Racer and Miss Champion
- Tony LeVier's Schoenfeldt Firecracker
- Benny Howard's Mister Mulligan
- Howard Hughes's H-1
Bert gives AMA members a 12% discount on listed prices; drawings are shipped rolled in a tube.
New plans: Wendell Hostetler
A plug for Wendell Hostetler: his latest design is a spectacular set of plans for a Diabolo 1204M, a sleek mid-wing acrobatic craft at 35% scale. The model spans 97 inches and is 75 inches long. Flying weight is 18–21 lbs.
Wendell has lots of accessories for the bird including cowl, windshield, dual landing gear, decals and, for the first time, custom kits. Having examined the drawings in detail, they are up to Mr. Hostetler's very high standards. Price is $29.50 for two 42 x 100 inch drawings plus $3.50 P&H. Contact Wendell Hostetler, 1041 Heatherwood Lane, Orrville, OH 44667. Phone: 216/682-8896.
Back with you next month!
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
