Radio Control: Giant Scale
John A. de Vries Colonel, USAF, Ret. 4610 Moffat Ln. Colorado Springs, CO 80915
I'm serving up a kind of potpourri this month. Things are looking up for us Big‑Bird builders: after years of scratch‑building, more Giant Scale kits are arriving in local hobby shops. Building from a kit is a lot easier with the prefabrication and included parts, and accessory suppliers are offering more bits and pieces suitable for large RC model construction.
New Giant Scale Products from Sig
Recently the folks at Sig sent a goody box illustrating this trend. Highlights from Sig's latest Giant Scale lineup:
- Tiller arms — sturdy plastic levers designed to transfer control movement from servo to rudder and elevator; usable with both wire and pushrod systems.
- Combination wheel‑collar/pant‑mounting brackets — bolt inside the wheel pant assembly, slip over the axle wire, tighten a couple of setscrews; simple, functional, and hidden to retain scale contours.
- Large two‑sided rudder/elevator horns — well suited to pull‑pull control systems (the safest approach).
Computer Airfoil Program
I've been exploring the interrelationship between personal computers and Giant Scale models. Chuck Anderson of Tullahoma, TN (modeling interests: sailplanes) developed a computer airfoil‑drawing program that adapts well to our hobby. The program accepts airfoil ordinates and draws precise airfoils with chords up to 45 inches.
- To request information, contact: Chuck Anderson, P.O. Box 305, Tullahoma, TN 37388. Enclose an SASE; Chuck will send an information sheet listing supported computers and printers.
- Note: the program was designed for dot‑matrix printers. I can run it on my machine, but printing on my HP laser hasn't worked yet — I'll try it on a friend's dot‑matrix setup.
Byron Originals F4U Corsair (Dale Alyea)
Dale Alyea, former IMAA VP, showed me a Byron Originals F4U Corsair powered by a Sacha‑Dolmar .42. Notable features: Robart retracts, Byron three‑bladed prop, Ace Silver Seven radio.
- First flight ended wheels‑up — possibly because Dale omitted the Ace Noise Traps radio installation.
- After adding the traps, repairing the damage, moving the CG forward to compensate for aft‑retracting gear, and adding a second battery dedicated to servos, the aircraft performed well. As Dale reports: "The aircraft flew and made air shows; there's no nose‑up tendency with flaps deployed and a tad of power necessary on landings to keep the nose up."
Directory of Large Scale Plans (ViP Publishers)
ViP Publishers, Inc. has published Directory of Large Scale Plans, written by Dick Phillips. The book reviews in depth 50 large‑scale plans, includes a 5 x 7 photo of each aircraft, and provides documentation and accessory sources.
- Price: $11.95 plus $1.50 P&H.
- Order: ViP Publishers, P.O. Box 16103, Colorado Springs, CO 80935.
Collectors' Item Syndrome
Unlike some hobbies where items are bought and stashed as investments, Giant Scale tends to remain practical and operational. A walk down a Giant model flight line reveals ancient radios still functioning (on discontinued frequencies), engines still turning big props — real, working collectors' items. If you want to see genuine collectors' engines and gear, visit Hurst, Bowers...
Engine Longevity: How Long Will a Giant Scale Engine Last?
A question for the readership: given reasonable care and maintenance, how many hours can a Quadra, Zenoah, or similar Giant Scale engine be expected to run before wearing out? I've heard of in‑flight failures due to manufacturing defects, crank damage, over‑revving, etc., but I haven't yet talked with a modeler who simply wore out one of our big gas burners through normal use.
Factors that affect engine life include:
- Number of flights (heat‑up/cool‑down cycles)
- Cowled vs. uncowled installations (cooling differences)
- Correct prop size and mixture settings during service life
- Operating in overly heavy models or running an over‑propped setup frequently
If you have a "grizzled vet" engine still flying one of your birds and can provide an honest estimate of total running hours and service history, I'd like to hear from you. I'll compile and share the data in a future column so modelers can better anticipate what to expect from their investments.
(Use the address at the top to contact me.)
Other Notes
- Road Runners are being successfully flown in the thin air of Wyoming and Colorado.
- Ed's latest nonscale Giant design is the Wily Coyote — a low‑winger sized for a .12 (1.20) type motor, intended as a "Road Runner eater." It's currently in test flights; I hope to have a photo and more details next month.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
