RADIO CONTROL SCALE
Stan Alexander 3709 Valley Ridge Dr., Nashville, TN 37211 E-mail: onawing@mindspring.com
Overview
In 2003 the first indoor Radio Control (RC) Scale National Championships will take place using AMA Sport Scale rules, including documentation and flight requirements. The event will be held at the Neville Island Sports Center golf dome. The primary differences between outdoor RC Scale and this indoor event are a strict weight limit of 20 ounces and a wing-loading limit of 2.5 ounces per square foot of wing area.
Hosted by the Greater Pittsburgh Aero Radio Control Society, the Nationals will take place August 15–17. Static judging will be held the first evening, with flying during the following two days.
Indoor events have grown rapidly in the past two years, and scale modelers have shown increasing interest. Many smaller, older plan sets for Free Flight (FF) or Control Line (CL) Scale with spans of 50 inches or less are excellent candidates for indoor RC scale competition.
The National Indoor Remote Controlled Aircraft Council (NIRAC), an AMA Special Interest Group, held the first national indoor Scale event after the static portion of the Scale Nationals at Muncie last summer. NIRAC used a different set of rules than most RC Scale modelers are used to. That event was a great beginning and helped lead to the 2003 Nationals. NIRAC continues to work to improve and promote indoor RC flying and competition; expect a complete indoor RC nationals format in the near future, including Scale, pattern, racing, duration, payload, and other events.
Venue and local amenities
The sports center is 10–15 minutes from hotels, restaurants, and shopping, and offers family activities such as miniature golf, ice skating, and a water park. The facility has ample room and is regularly used for club "fly-ins."
Rules and equipment limits
- AMA Sport Scale rules will be used for documentation and static judging.
- Strictly enforced indoor limits:
- Maximum weight: 20 ounces.
- Maximum wing loading: ~2.5 ounces per square foot.
- There are no specific motor limits; however, a geared Speed 400 is recommended as a practical maximum.
- GWS scale models perform very well in this environment.
Classes and eligibility
- Fun Scale
- Will include profile RC models, a departure from standard AMA rules.
- Models such as the Roadkill series will be allowed if made as realistic as possible.
- There is no builder-of-the-model requirement in this class.
- Sportsman
- ARF (Almost Ready-to-Fly) types are allowed.
- Documentation and static-judging requirements are not relaxed.
Scoring and flight requirements
- Sportsman: 100 points are scored in static.
- Other Scale categories: documentation and static requirements are the same as for AMA RC Scale events held outdoors.
- Flight scoring: 100 points per flight with 10 maneuvers, including:
- Required: Takeoff, Fly-Past, Figure Eight, Landing, Realism in Flight.
- The remaining five maneuvers may be selected from options in the AMA Scale rules or documented scale maneuvers chosen by the pilot.
Sponsors and demonstrations
- Sponsors already committed include:
- Mark's Hobby Warehouse
- Island Sports Center
- Brodak Distributing Company
- Demonstration flights at the Nationals will include CL Indoor and FF Indoor. Time permitting, fun-flying will follow official events each day.
For more information, contact Jim Rediske: RediskeJB@aol.com or (724) 457-1730.
Indoor flying advantages and model types
Most indoor models are slow flyers, such as World War I or pre–World War I types. Home-built and lightweight designs also work well. Indoor flying reduces weather and environmental concerns (sunlight, wind, temperature, insects), making it more convenient and generally less expensive to build and operate as contest models.
Plans, unusual types, and resources
Many modelers enjoy rare or unusual scale subjects that aren’t commonly available as kits—only as plans. Bill Hannam’s company specializes in books, plans, and documentation for uncommon aircraft. Some designs in his catalogs have been built full scale or as FF, CL, and R/C models. His offerings include booklet-sized issues with information on Wainwright's Newport, Dooley's Baby Wright, Hamel's Blériot, and products from Windock Datelines.
If you have an indoor Scale R/C model, send a photo and it may be published in this column.
For additional plans and catalogs (refundable with orders), try:
- Runway R/C
210 Masil Ave., CA 95844 Phone: (530) 676-6421 Website: www.runaway.com
Corben Baby Ace — background and project notes
Production of Corben aircraft began in the 1930s and they are still built today by Ace Aircraft Inc. Two types are common: the single-place Corben Baby Ace Model D and the two-place Junior Ace Model E. Both are open-cockpit, plans-built aircraft with optional prewelded assemblies and precut fittings available. The wing uses a Clark Y airfoil with a 54-inch chord.
Stan’s 1/2-scale model is based on an earlier Baby Ace with rounded stabilizer, rudder, and elevators; the newer Model D has a more squared-off, modern look. To convert plans to the newer squared-off outline, put a piece of waxed paper over the plans and redraw the outlines square. If you have access to a Baby Ace or the factory, you can check the profile for accuracy.
Ace Aircraft Inc. 850 E. Tupelo Aviation Way, Toccoa, GA 30577 Website: http://www.aceaircraft.com
Note: The author had some computer problems delaying coverage of the Baby Ace; more detail will follow in the next column.
Evergreen Aviation Museum visit
While attending the Scale Masters Championships in Portland, Oregon, the author visited the Evergreen Aviation Museum in McMinnville. The museum’s centerpiece is Howard Hughes’ "Spruce Goose." Volunteers were working on the jumbo’s outer wing panels during the visit. The Spruce Goose has a wingspan greater than a Boeing 747; its propeller assemblies reportedly weigh about 1,000 pounds each.
The museum houses roughly 30 aircraft, including a Ford Tri-Motor under the Spruce Goose’s port wing panel. Some aircraft have been loaned to other museums. Notable airframes include the Messerschmitt Me 109G-10, the de Havilland Goblin Mk.3, a TBM-3E Avenger, and the Curtiss CW-22F Falcon.
Evergreen Aviation Museum 500 NE Three Mile Lane, McMinnville, OR 97128 Tel: (503) 434-4180 Website: www.sprucegoose.org
Youth involvement and Scale Nationals
At the Scale Nationals this past year, several younger modelers competed for the first time (and some for the second). It’s encouraging to see new and younger participants entering scale competition.
The 2002 Scale Nationals also introduced a few "old-school" events. The announcement has been made that an official Scale FF event will once more be hosted by the Scale Board; Chairman Dave Pritt will be present at the Nationals.
Recommended reading
The Handbook: Douglas Dauntless by Bert Kinzey (Squadron Publications, 1996) is a useful resource. It contains 192 pages of background and history on the Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bomber, scale drawings, exploded views, color photos, and many black-and-white photographs. Some color photos include cockpit and instrument panels, which are useful for documentation. The book also includes a special section on the cockpit and guns. Expect to find it in aviation-book catalogs for approximately $15.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
