Radio Control: Giant Scale
John A. de Vries Colonel, USAF, Ret. 4610 Moffatt Ln. Colorado Springs, CO 80915
Worldwide interest
Worldwide — that certainly describes the Giant Scale movement. Since its inception, the thrill of flying big RC models has been universal.
- Early on, Dick Phillips flew the first quad‑powered Giant — Canada’s ubiquitous J‑3 Cub.
- Almost concurrently, the STARS Club (Olean, NY) built and flew a squadron of Bristol Bullets, the early ones powered by converted Roper engines.
- The IMAA (International Miniature Aircraft Association) was formed in Toledo in 1980; France was represented soon after. England’s Large Model Society and other groups followed.
- German model magazines noted a half‑size Fokker Dr.I triplane that flew. South Africa has Giant Scale aficionados. New Zealand modelers are well up on the Big Bird bandwagon with homegrown designs readily available.
Phil Kent (RCM&E, U.K.) has sent a bunch of photographs documenting Giant Scale activity overseas.
New Zealand — Warren P. Russell
I received a goodie package from Warren P. Russell of New Zealand Aero Products (P.O. Box 17, Invercargill, South Island, New Zealand). Warren is a talented draftsman, a consultant to the RNZAF on color schemes and markings, an author, publisher and researcher.
Plans included
- Quarter‑scale Piper Pawnee — fully working dust hopper; 108‑inch wingspan.
- 1/3‑scale Yeoman YA‑1 Cropmaster 250R — working hopper; 76‑inch wingspan (looks a bit like a Mooney Mite with a thyroid condition).
Warren also has four models in development:
- Cessna 152 Acrobat — 99.5‑inch span.
- Transavia Skyfarmer (Airtruk) — 117.8‑inch span.
- Quarter‑scale Hall/Springfield Bulldog Racer (1932) — 78‑inch span.
- 1/13‑scale C‑47/DC‑3 using two .30/.40 engines — 83.5‑inch span.
Plans are priced at about $30 U.S. (based on current exchange rates; New Zealand dollar ≈ 60 U.S. cents).
Book included
Warren included a book on the use of F4U Corsairs in New Zealand service. It documents the service history and individual color schemes of the F4U and FG‑J Corsairs — a detailed and fascinating study.
Fowler flaps and the Lockheed P‑38
Last spring we ran a how‑to on using Fowler flaps for Giant models. The article created interest in England (Dave Boddington, RCM&E) and Charles Fowler of Landrum, CA supplied the data.
Charles recently reported his mechanism, suitably modified, is being used on a 1/5‑scale Lockheed P‑38 being built by Harold Hayhurst of Vero Beach, FL. We’re eagerly awaiting construction photos.
UK club developments
Stuart Tucker (Leatherhead Model Flying Club, Surrey) reports that larger RC models will be permitted to fly at club sites rather than requiring restricted flying fields. Model weights up to 7 kg (15 lb) — within the lighter Giant category — will be allowed. Big RC models are becoming more universally accepted.
Safety — control direction incident
This item is appropriate for John Preston’s "Safety Comes First" column and covers the full RC spectrum.
A local modeler prepared a Kadet Senior for flight. He started the engine and, as customary, checked control directions. The ailerons were working backwards. He flipped the reversing switch under the transmitter cover to correct it — and suddenly the engine roared to full bore and the Kadet headed across the club field. He had inadvertently reversed the engine servo.
He turned the transmitter around to get the sticks aligned, but both the engine and aileron sticks were operating backwards, and controlled flight was impossible. The model was essentially lost to controlled recovery.
Lessons learned:
- Always check control direction before the engine is started.
- Perform any reversing (servo direction) before cranking the engine.
Scale accessories — engines and nose art
Williams Bros. plastic engine cylinders
Williams Bros. has begun shipping quarter‑scale Wright and Pratt & Whitney plastic engine cylinders. I acquired seven for my hangar case and they’re very well done.
Notes on installation:
- The Ryan prototype used a Wright J‑6‑9 arrangement, which differs from the Wright J‑5 arrangement the Williams cylinders represent.
- On the J‑5 the pushrods are on the front and the exhaust pipes exit the rear; the J‑6 has pushrods at the rear and exhaust pipes leading to a collector ring at the front.
- This reversal can be accommodated by using the plastic scale cylinders and carving balsa exhaust pipes.
- Only seven cylinders are being used in my model; the Quadra arrangement occupies space equivalent to two of the original cylinders on the prototype Ryan.
Coverite nose‑art stickers
Coverite (420 Babylon Road, Horsham, PA 19044) offers 15 different nose‑art stickers depicting WWII bomber pilots (suitable for large fighters, too). Details:
- Approximately 4 inches in diameter.
- Up to six colors printed on cast vinyl.
- Adheres to virtually any clean surface.
- Fuel‑proof.
Closing
Big RC models — Giant Scale — continue to grow worldwide in popularity, with new designs, accessories and club acceptance expanding the hobby.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
