RADIO CONTROL: SCALE
Jeff Troy, 200 S. Spring Street, Ambler, PA 19002
BUILDING SEASON was rapidly approaching at the time of this writing; however, the season must surely be in full swing as this is being read. Fittingly, the construction segments of the Uravitch/Aeroplane Works Fokker D.VII project will begin shortly, and judging by the letters I've received, a number of you will be building this model. I'll get to the Fokker a bit later on in this column, but first, I'll try to satisfy those of you who are chomping at the bit for this month's Docu-Search.
Docu-Search
- D. Scott Weidman — 6107 Squire Lane, Alexandria, VA 22310
Researching the Curtiss-Wright T-32 Condor, a twin-engine cabin biplane of the 1930s. Requests photos, three-views, or a Profile Publications issue for copying.
- Earl Kovell — Box 160-35, R.D. 4, Franklin, PA 16323
Interested in the OX-5 engine. Mr. Kovell is a master machinist who handcrafts fully operational scale model engines and seeks three-views, photographs, or other OX-5 literature.
- Jim Dukes — P.O. Box 4476, Medford, OR 97501
Would like a copy of Profile Publication number 91. If you have a copy, please make a copy for him. Jim and I wonder if any documentation service has a complete set of Profile Publications available for modelers; several issues were on file in the Lee Renaud Library at AMA's former headquarters in Reston, but availability is uncertain.
- Richard J. Pellecchia — 15425 S.W. 84th Ave., Miami, FL 33157
Interested in the P-51 Mustangs flown in the movie Empire of the Sun, specifically color and markings documentation. He describes a livery with "sort of a lightning bolt running horizontal across the fuselage from the insignia to the nose." Any help appreciated.
- Ray Lynch — 10515 Burr Oak, San Antonio, TX 78230
Nearing completion on a Byron AT-6/SNJ and needs to document colors to a Pantone or other reproducible source. A caption in Squadron/Signal's AT-6 in Action (page 20) describes RAdm Aubrey Fitch's SNJ-2 in 1941 as having a "command blue" fuselage and "chrome yellow" upper wing surface. Requests assistance from readers familiar with color-matching.
Products and Services
I am frequently sent photographs, pre-releases, and product announcements from the industry's manufacturers. While I can't personally test every product, when something seems useful to the Scale community I'll pass the information along so you can decide if it suits your needs. Here are this month's items:
- Motorbooks International — 729 Prospect Avenue, Osceola, WI 54020
Two new publications (as of August 1993):
- Red Flag: Air Combat for the 1990's, by Michael Skinner and George Hall, The Power Series, 2nd edition. MBI catalog number 119052AP.
- B-24 Liberator, by Frederick A. Johnson, Warbird History series, covering the combat and development history of the Liberator and Privateer bombers. MBI catalog number 119007AP.
- Midwest Products Co. — 400 S. Indiana Street, P.O. Box 564, Linn, IN 46342
Announced an updated press release for a new 1/6-scale, IMAA-legal AT-6 Texan. The kit will feature all-wood, fully sheeted wing construction with built-in washout (no sheet-foam tip sections), a one-piece vacuum-formed cowl, wing center-section fairing, and canopy with framework. Flying weight is expected to be 10–15 pounds depending on equipment and finish. Wingspan is 83 inches. Robart Manufacturing offers a special set of AT-6 retractable gear with installation instructions included.
- Dave's Custom Models — 278 Spring Circle Drive, Austin, TX 78736
Added a Hawker Typhoon 1b kit. Features an epoxy-glass fuselage with the fin molded in, cowl, spinner, extruded foam cores, and two template sheets. Wingspan is 92 inches; recommended power plant is a G-38. Wing thickness up to 3/4 inch; wide-track gear for easier taxiing and landing.
- All-American Kit Cutters — 365 Dutch Neck Road, Hightstown, NJ 08520
Will cut kits from any plans available. Each AAKC kit is hand- and machine-cut, 100% die-cut, inspected, and guaranteed for completeness and accuracy. They stock kits for many well-known designers (Holman, MAM, Pepino, Don Smith, Don Kinkaid, etc.) and may already have many plans or cut kits in inventory. Contact Doug McMillan for pricing and availability.
The Uravitch/Aeroplane Works Fokker D.VII
You have sent so much D.VII information that my sidewalk is wearing down from trips to the mailbox. One of the most pleasurable packets came from Bill Hannan of "Hannan's Runway" (as published in Model Builder). Bill sent portions of his article "Ten-Cent Time Machines," which appeared in selected issues of Flying Models from February 1991 through February 1992.
Although Bill's series focuses on rubber-powered models, "Ten-Cent Time Machines" offers much useful information on searching and documenting the Fokker D.VII. Several models and plans are shown, and there is useful discussion on colors and markings for the D.VII as used in the Howard Hughes film Hell's Angels. When I've fully digested it, I'm sure I'll have learned a trick or two to pass on. If you have a moment, request his catalog and $1 handling from Bill Hannan, Hannan's Runway, Box 210, Magdalena, CA 99554. Thank you, Bill — great stuff here.
I also received a thorough packet from Bob Johnson of Mercer, New York. Bob has recently completed his own D.VII from the Uravitch plans and suggested the color scheme he used as an alternative to the lozenge pattern. The scheme belonged to Baron von Raben's Jasta 18 aircraft — a striking but relatively simple red-and-white pattern. Bob included a copy of "D.VII decor" by Greg VanWyngaarden and Dan-San Abbott, which discusses almost every facet of the D.VII's colors and markings in depth. He also sent helpful construction notes on the Uravitch model that will be referenced during our construction phase. Thanks, Bob.
New Jersey buddy Larry Hill also sent materials, including Profile Publications number 25, "The Fokker D.VII." I've copied it and added it to my research file. He also sent several pages of an article (source unknown) with useful text on the Dr. I and D.VII. Thank you, Larry.
So where am I with this aeroplane? Well, I'm not quite ready to get started yet — it's a veritable library of information. However, there is one thing I have learned for sure about the presence of other enthusiastic Scale modelers: it now appears that what started as a fun-scale project could be dangerously close to getting out of control. If I am not very careful about how I apply all the information you've sent, this could get away from me. Thank you all!
Reader Projects
- Jerry Smith sent a photograph he took of Mike Barbee's BT-13, built from a Bert Baker kit. Mike's model is powered by a SuperTigre 3000 and weighs 18 pounds. I noted particularly the two-part base coat–clear coat Deltron automotive paint scheme and the excellent high-gloss finish. Several years ago, after finishing my detailing book, I met Mike Barbee, who showed me his lightweight, high-gloss finishing methods used on Pattern and Pylon models. If he agrees, Mike may contribute a few paragraphs on painting with Deltron for this column. (Hear that, Bud? It's a plea. How about it?)
- Rulon W. Smoot — Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Just finished a 1/5-scale de Havilland Beaver from an Ikon N'urst kit. The Beaver spans 98 inches, weighs slightly over 15 pounds, and flies on an O.S. 90 four-stroke. Rulon considered floats but that would have required a .120 four-stroke; he is pleased with the performance on the .90. The model is covered with white Carl Goldberg Models UltraCote trimmed in black and features operational flaps and navigation lights.
Well, that's about it for me this month. Every now and then, a little sleep is a good thing, so I think I'll get some. Until next issue, build straight and fly safely. I'll talk to you again.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
