RADIO CONTROL SCALE
Jeff Troy 200 S. Spring Street, Ambler, PA 19002
I've been catching up with your Scale-mail little by little. If you've finally heard from me, thank you for your patience. If it takes me a while to answer your letter, please be confident that it will be answered eventually. In the interim, accept my appreciation of your patience.
Manufacturers' News
What's new in the world? How about this: a wonderful organization is in its infancy, and will surely grow into one of the most valuable protectors of antique aeroplanes and related aeroplane treasures. What's more, I don't expect that this growth will take too long. The fledgling organization is called The First Warplanes, and it is dedicated to the preservation and re-creation of the WW I aviation era.
A quick look through The First Warplanes' board of directors should entice any genuine WW I enthusiast to sign on. Doug Champlin's name is listed first. He operates the Champlin Fighter Museum in Mesa, Arizona, whose immaculate restorations are among the finest available anywhere.
Since the first Top Gun Invitational Tournament was in Mesa in 1987, my wife and I were able to visit Mr. Champlin's museum after the contest. I met Doug Champlin in his office and expressed my interest in the 1914 Rumpler Taube and the magnificent all-black Fokker Dr.I on display. Mr. Champlin was kind enough to give me hands-on access to the aeroplanes (inside the ropes) and he loaned me a stepstool to help me photograph the cockpits at their best angles. The man is most gracious and surely must be a tremendous force in his role as a TFW board member.
Next on the directors' list is Jim Dietz. If you're any kind of WW I or WW II aviation art buff, you should know this man's name almost as well as your own. Few artists can inspire any reaction from me other than indifference, but James Dietz's works pull admirers right into their plots. A spectacular S.E.5 Dietz print graces my dining room wall, and three smaller prints decorate one wall of my office.
I don't believe it's possible to look closely at one of Mr. Dietz's paintings without experiencing the emotions that must have been felt by the men who lived through those romantic—albeit threatening—scenes. Dietz has a wonderful gift, and I can't imagine a soul more suitable for involvement in this organization.
Dick Hansen is another of The First Warplanes' board members, and is most familiar to Scale aeromodeling buffs as the subtle force behind many of Proctor Enterprises' promotional campaigns and contest successes. I've had the pleasure to compete with Dick on several occasions, including the US Scale Masters and Top Gun. He is a brilliant modeler, a powerful flier, and definitely one of the good guys.
Several months ago, Dick was thoughtful enough to send information on The First Warplanes to my attention, and my only regret is that it took me this long to put the news into print.
As many of you will surely do, I have written to The First Warplanes for more information about their interesting programs, not the least of which is their involvement in Aerodrome '94, Aerodrome '95, etc. If you love early aeroplanes and would like to do your part to help preserve this fascinating and historical era of aviation, you'll find that this organization's dues are very reasonable and their purpose and dedication are second to none. You can write to:
- The First Warplanes, Inc., P.O. Box 366, Guntersville, AL 35976
On the subjects of Dick Hansen, Top Gun, and the Scale Masters, you may want to contact Dick to request his video list and prices. Dick Hansen Scale Aviation Videos feature contest and fly-in coverage of many of our most interesting RC modeling events.
Dick's tapes are not the usual slickly overproduced vehicles you're familiar with, although they are professionally done. Dick's work is fun to watch and it is very informative. His videos move at a slower, more leisurely pace, allowing you to lock onto a subject and really focus, listening carefully to the builder's and interviewer's comments while you take in a whopping face full of every incredible model you see. Dick has several tapes available (I think there are a total of 22 at this time). To get the whole story, send an SASE to:
- Dick Hansen Scale Aviation Video, 10807 S.E. Stacy Street, Portland, OR 97266
Some months ago, I mentioned Tom Polapink's first-class set of plans for the WW I Pfalz fighter. Part of this plan set is a 1/5-scale three-view drawing of the Mercedes six-cylinder engine that powered the Pfalz and the Fokker D.VII. If you're working along with me on the Uravitch/Aeroplane Works D.VII project, consider contacting Tom for the price and availability of this fine drawing. I doubt that my own D.VII will be elaborate enough an effort to merit a dummy engine this spectacular (then again, it might), but I'm sure the extra effort would look great. Send an SASE to Tom Polapink. If the Mercedes drawing is available separately, ask the price. It's excellent!
Motorbooks International has released several new titles that should interest aviation library builders. New titles include:
- JG 26: Photographic History of the Luftwaffe
- Top Guns, by Donald L. Caldwell
- P-38 Lightning in World War II Color, by Jeffrey L. Ethell
- F4U Corsair, by Nicholas A. Veronico with John M. and Donna Campbell
These books look good. In addition to their full-scale aviation and automotive books and manuals, Motorbooks International also offers many aeromodeling titles that would do a home, office, or RC club library proud. Send an SASE and a current catalog request to:
- Motorbooks International, Box 1, 729 Prospect Avenue, Osceola, WI 54020
Are you a bona fide motorhead? Do you love engines and the smell of castor oil? Does top-notch machine work light your inspirational fire? If any or all of these conditions apply, you really need to get your gritty little hands on a copy of Strictly I.C. (that's Internal Combustion, for the electrically oriented). This specialty magazine is published for serious miniature engine builders and collectors who appreciate the technical side of the small mechanical wonders we would love to see more of in the cowlings of our own Scale models.
If you're heavily into fine machine work, the engines you'll see in Strictly I.C. are to die for. The cover photo of the January 1994 issue depicted a handcrafted quarter-scale Kinner five-cylinder radial, and inside the magazine was everything from Kinner parts drawings and machining tips to a comprehensive article on aeromodeling turbine engines.
Don't take my word for it; send an SASE to:
- Robert A. Washburn, Editor, Strictly I.C., 24920 43rd Avenue South, Kent, WA 98032
Ask for subscription information and a brief explanation of what you might find in a typical issue.
On the contest circuit? Follow it? Don't forget the AMA's new war race, the Mid-America AT-6 Challenge. This model AT-6 air race will be held at the new AMA National Flying Site in Muncie, Indiana, from August 19–21. For more information—or to reserve a racing slot—write to:
- Jay Mealy, AMA Headquarters, 5151 East Memorial Drive, Muncie, IN 47302
Also of interest to Scale fans is the 1994 US Scale Masters Final, September 22–25. It will again be held this year in California, with static judging taking place at Chino Airport on September 22. The Scale Masters Final is an invitational, so there's no signing up to compete, but spectators are always welcome and can expect to be rewarded with a major dose of first-class flying and first-class equipment.
For more information on visiting the US Scale Masters Final or one of the many regional qualifiers, contact:
- Harris A. Lee, Scale Masters Chairman, 4986 Lamia Way, Oceanside, CA 92056
Contest News Flash!
Terry Nitsch swept the field at the 1994 Top Gun Invitational with his ever-threatening, immaculate Bob Violett Models F-86 Sabre Jet "Minute Man." Team Scale was again won by the DiGregorio/Pickney team with their superb Beechcraft D-18 from Nick Ziroli plans. I'm told that the Beech is now officially retired from the contest trail, having been either sold or donated to a prominent aviation museum. Next month, I hope to have more for you from Top Gun '94.
Modeler Mail
Duncanville, Texas's Stephen E. Bennett sent a photo of his immense YB-17A taken by his Fort Worth Planesmen club's photographer buddy, Johnnie Horton (no, not the "Sink the Bismarck" and "Battle of New Orleans" guy!).
Stephen's Fortress is modeled after one of the first thirteen production B-17 aircraft built by Boeing. According to Mr. Bennett, the first YB-17 was the Model 299, which crashed early in the B-17 program.
Not wanting to follow in the wake of its prototype, Stephen's model was detailed according to the K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Stupid) principle. Surface details and scale functions were kept to a minimum and the model's optional operational features include only flaps, on-board glow, and wheel brakes.
The Bennett YB-17A weighs only 26.5 pounds, which is quite respectable for a model of this size. Power is provided by four Saito .45 four-strokes. Total construction time was only fifteen months, which is also quite impressive considering that the model was built from Stephen's plans and features a foam-core wing and stab with a built-up fuselage, vertical fin, and control surfaces.
This is a very nice execution of a rarely modeled version of the 17. Thanks, Stephen — modelers always enjoy seeing this kind of energy. Good luck on its maiden flight.
Don't you just love balsa sticks? My Grand Esprit soaring buddy George Voss sent me a few pictures of his new A/C Citabria while it was still under construction. This is the kind of thing that really sets wood modelers on fire, and George thought you'd get a kick out of seeing it.
I don't have any particulars on the kit or the construction techniques used by George for this project, but the photo of this graceful Giant Scale beauty ought to do its subtle work on you just the same. Long live wood; it feels just right!
Fokker D.VII Build-Along
Right now, I've got my D.VII fuselage pretty well under control. I found no problems in the fuselage dimensions or construction, and you can proceed with your fuselages straight away.
Few changes will be made to the fuselage, and none of them will involve the basic construction of this major component. If you like, however, you can omit the 1/8-inch Lite Ply pushrod guides on each side at the rear of the fuselage.
In a later column, I will show you how to rig scale-like pull/pull cable controls for the elevators and rudder of your aeroplanes, which will doubtless cause your exit guides to be located somewhere other than the kit positions. There will be several more exits, including two through the top side of the Fokker's horizontal stabilizer.
If you finish before I catch up in print, make sure that you don't cover your fuselage until we get a few more items completed together. We're going to pin or tack-glue our stabs and fins in place to get proper positioning for our cable controls, and I'd like to see your engines in place with all the plumbing arranged before you commit to covering all those handy access areas.
The wing modification drawing I promised will come, but I haven't made a final decision on how far I want to chase Tony Fokker's undercamber airfoil for this particular fun-scale project.
Adding a bit of meat to the bottom of the ribs at the leading edge can easily be made to give the impression of undercamber, but if we have to change the mean chord line, it can cause a dramatic change in the way the aeroplane will perform.
There are many of you who would much prefer a Kaos to the aerobatic characteristics of a WW I warbird, and I wouldn't want you to be disappointed or too surprised on your first trip to the flightline. Be patient; I'll weigh things to produce what I feel will be the best compromise between authenticity and acceptability, then you can follow along or leave the kit in its present airfoil configuration. I'll give you the pros and cons of each when the time is right (and when I think I know!).
Well, that's about enough. Until next time, build straight and fly safely. I'll talk with you again.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
