RADIO CONTROL SCALE
Stan Alexander 3709 Valley Ridge Dr., Nashville TN 37211 E-mail: onawing@mindspring.com
Centennial of Flight
THE CENTENNIAL of powered flight is here. Could it have been 100 years ago? From the Wright Flyer to the modern RPVs (Remotely Piloted Vehicles), space flight, and stealth aircraft of today, "We’ve come a long way, baby."
Several upcoming events will be special to scale modelers as well as anyone interested in aviation—models, full-scale, or whatever. Visit the Centennial of Flight Web site at www.centennialofflight.gov. It has a calendar of events throughout 2003, which will culminate with the December 17 re-enactment of the first flight using a replica of the 1903 Wright Flyer at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
If you can’t go to Kitty Hawk, there are plenty of other events in the Dayton, Ohio, area and at many air shows across the country.
Oshkosh (AirVenture)
Air shows are great places to obtain documentation and talk to full-scale pilots. One of the best for my money is the Oshkosh, Wisconsin, fly-in. It’s called AirVenture now, but to those who have attended it will always be just "Oshkosh."
During AirVenture 2003, held July 29–August 4, special events are planned for the centennial celebration. Check the Experimental Aircraft Association’s (EAA’s) magazine Sport Aviation or the Web site at www.fly-in.org for more information. The EAA already lists dates for 2004 and 2005 AirVentures—why? With approximately 850,000 people attending and 120,000 aircraft landing and taking off during that week, it’s a busy place and local lodging fills quickly.
If you plan to go to Oshkosh, make reservations early. Nearby hotels fill fast; if you wait until May you might not find a bed within 60 miles of the site.
When you arrive at Oshkosh, get there early in the morning. Scope out the section of aircraft you want to examine, then at roughly 10 a.m. return and take all the photos you want of these beautiful aircraft up close—just don’t touch. On the north/south runway there are 137 rows of airplanes to look at, and that’s just the civil and classics. The warbirds section is closed off early each day for the air show, so you either get there early or you may miss it. Daily air shows are usually around 2 p.m., but times can vary because of weather.
If you have never been to Oshkosh, buy all the film you think you might need—and double it. You can always return unused film to the store, but you’ll likely use it. Modelers have been known to shoot 70 rolls of film in a week. Imagine 125 AT-6s flying over at once, 25 P-51D Mustangs in a flyby, or a squadron of WACOs landing one after another. When the AT-6s fly over, it shakes the ground and makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up.
While you are at Oshkosh, stop by the AMA booth and see Herman Cholewinski (Indianapolis, IN) and his Pitts S-1S-11B. A new-style paint scheme really brings the Pitts to life. Nick Ziroli’s Boeing Stearman, powered by a Robart radial engine, flies at Top Gun and is very realistic in flight. The AMA booth is also where members sign up. There are hundreds of other booths to see as well. I could go on and on about the event, but why not experience Oshkosh yourself? You’ll regret it if you don’t.
Correction
In the January column I reported that there would be a Scale indoor Radio Control (R/C) National Championships. That wording is incorrect. Steve Kaulf, AMA's Technical Director, wrote that "for an event to be sanctioned by AMA to be a National event it must be either an AAAA or a AAAA event. AAAA events must be run by a Special Interest Group and require EC [Executive Council] approval to host the event." I’m sure this event's name will be changed and any other requirements needed to sanction the event will be the responsibility of the Contest Director.
Upcoming events
There will be several shows, contests, and fly‑ins in the next few months:
- Toledo Expo: April 4–6. A great chance to examine new equipment, meet new friends, and attend seminars.
- Top Gun Invitational: April 23–27.
- Mint Julep Scale R/C: May 16–18 in western Kentucky.
- NASA Scale Road Show: A series of short seminars related to scale modeling and competition. For details go to www.scaleaero.com/nasascale.htm.
The NASA Scale Road Show included presenters such as Nick Ziroli Jr. and Sr., Bob Underwood, Terry and Sheila Nitsch, Mike Barbee, Dave Fogarty, George Maiorana, Dave Pinegar, and Jim Rediske. Seminar topics have included:
- Effective Practicing for Competition
- Better Piloting Skills
- Why You Should Compete in Scale Contests
- Competing with Electric Scale Models
- Fabrication of Small Parts and Control Systems
- Choosing an Airplane for Competition
- Paint and Pigments
I hope to see you there.
One-Eighth Air Force (West Coast)
On the West Coast, a group of modelers who have been together since 1976 have promoted scale competition. The One-Eighth Air Force began late in the summer of that year. Kent Walters, Bob Frey, Dave Linne, Al Casey, and several others organized a regional scale fly‑in in March 1977. Today the membership includes many out‑of‑state members as well as local-area members.
The 2003 One‑Eighth Air Force fly‑in will be held March 22–23 at the Sun Valley Flyers' Cave Buttes Park flying site, just north of Phoenix, Arizona, at the intersection of Cave Creek and Jomax roads. Everyone is invited; you don't have to be a member to attend.
Al Casey and Michael Peck report that as long as modelers continue to attend the fly‑ins, the One‑Eighth Air Force will remain in business, perpetuating what may be the oldest event of its type in existence.
For more information and membership, contact: Commander Michael Peck 8731 W. Meadowbrook Ave., Phoenix AZ 85037 Tel.: (623) 872-0176 E-mail: peckster1@earthlink.net
There is no Web site at this time.
Gunsmoke / US Scale Masters
The Gunsmoke US Scale Masters Qualifier is held in the Phoenix area in March. Dates aren’t firm yet. For information about available classes, contact Austin Goodwin at (480) 357-1816. Also check the US Scale Masters Web site at www.scalemasters.org for information about this and other Scale Masters qualifiers.
Space shuttle and 747 piggyback
While watching the news I saw that the space shuttle Atlantis took off on another mission to build the International Space Station. What a wild ride that must be. I’ve included photos that Tim Ambler of the 101st Airborne took at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, of Atlantis riding piggyback on a modified Boeing 747 during a stopover on a return trip to Florida.
NASA used R/C models while testing this concept to make sure it would work. Imagine the possibilities of flying scale models of these two aircraft. The space shuttle is mounted to the 747 by its landing-gear mounts. Note the additional stabilizers on the 747's horizontal fins. The space shuttle's exhaust nozzles are covered by an aerodynamically shaped tail cone. It would be great to have a walk-around of this combination sometime.
Requests
Ruben Nolf is looking for a Seidel radial engine or any dealer who still sells them. I thought Seidel was out of business; if it isn't, please let Ruben and me know. He is working on an 89‑inch‑span Flair Boeing Stearman. He said Proctor used to sell the engines, but the company has had no contact with Seidel in approximately five years.
Contact Ruben at rnolf@wa-net.com.
Herman Cholewinski’s Pitts S‑1S‑11B
This one almost got away. Herman Cholewinski's Pitts S‑1S‑11B is a work of art. He enters the model in Fun Scale Open competition. The Pitts is 35% scale, has a wingspan of 76 inches, is 76½ inches long, and weighs 27 pounds. It is powered by a Brison 5.8 gas engine, swings a 24 x 10 Zinger propeller, and features a smoke system. Control is provided by a Futaba 1024 PCM radio.
Herman covered the Pitts in MonoKote with a twist. The MonoKote wing panels were ironed together on a glass surface prior to covering. He used a stencil underneath the glass as a guide. The red-and-blue panels were overlaid on chrome MonoKote, giving a candy-apple effect that black-and-white photos just don’t do justice to. The preassembled panels were ironed around the edges of the wing, and a heat gun was used to permanently attach and shrink the panels.
Herman's club is Indy R/C South, and he really enjoys multi-winged aircraft. Look for a new Fokker Dr.I triplane this contest season. My thanks to Model Aviation contributor Steve Ashby for the photos and information.
It’s been a busy month, but remember: fair skies and tailwinds.
MA
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
