Radio Control: Scale
Bud Atkinson
INTEREST IN 1/2-A Scale and Stand-Off Scale in general is snowballing. I've received much interesting mail on the subject. There are reasons for this. Advantages include small flying space needed, much lower cost, and less noise.
Jerry Farr sends the accompanying picture of his 1/2-A Citabria. It is powered by a Cox .049, weighs 17 oz. with 198 sq. in. of wing area. It uses a World Expert System for elevator and rudder controls. Jerry also has in the works a B-26 with bomb drop and a C-47 which drops paratroopers. He also had some very interesting comments on proposed rules and 1/2-A scale-type events. Evidently, there are numerous scale 1/2-A fliers in and around Texas where he comes from. As reported last month their all-scale contest has a 1/2-A Scale event.
With the many new 1/2-A scale kits and accessories, and new small lightweight radios available, now we should see a really big year in both 1/2-A Scale and Stand-Off. In general there is no limit to what can be scaled and successfully flown.
An interesting letter and two fine pictures from Bob Smurthwaite, head man at G-S Products in Oregon. Many old-timers will recognize the beautiful Howard DGA-15 that was built by Benny Howard in the '30s. (DGA stood for damn good airplane—and that all Howard airplanes were!) Bob reports kits will be available in two versions, with floats and on wheels. No date or price yet. Span is 57 inches, engine a 40 to 60. The prototype won the Scale Northwest Seaplane Championship last year. G-S Products will have other old-time greats of the '30s and '40s. An easy new construction method is used for building their new kits. A Stinson SR-6 Reliant (the straight-wing) also is in the works.
While on the subject of old-timers of the '30s and '40s, I'm sure you have seen the ads for the radial cowling available from World Engines. I received one. It's a fine piece of work. The rocker arm covers are excellently done. Diameter is 5 inches. That works well with a 40-size scale model. The cowl is intended for World's Mr. Mulligan scale kit but may be used on any of the radial-engine classic scale birds. Also many biplanes, such as the Jungmeister.
There are many publications concerning all-time great aircraft. One I heard of is published by the Arco Publishing Co., 219 Park Ave. South, New York, NY 10003. They specialize in WW-II aircraft. The "deHavilland Mosquito," written by Mr. Hardy of England, is of great interest. It is a complete history. The Mossie, one of the most versatile aircraft of WW-II, was constructed entirely of wood. It was unusual in WW-II since all service aircraft by then were constructed of metal. The Mosquito also was used by our 8th Air Force in England.
Here is a listing of some of the coming contests. Kansas City Radio Control Assn., Scale and Pattern will be held June 11-12 — we have an excellent 600-ft. runway for Scale. Sig's contest, although not strictly Scale, will be held June 18-19. In case you don't belong to the Biplane Ass'n, biplanes do not necessarily have to be Stand-Off Scale, but points are awarded if the biplane resembles a full-size ship. Also, a new event has been added to the Biplane Ass'n. meet in which monoplanes will compete strictly against other monoplanes, but they must be copied from full-size acrobatic aircraft, such as the Chipmunk and Zlin. World War II fighter planes, such as a P-51, Me-109, or Zero, actually are not acrobatic aircraft.
A scale contest notice from Bob Strobel, 12000 Tecumseh, Redford, MI 48239 (phone 313-937-8678). Date is June 26. Three events will be held: WW-I, WW-II and non-military. Sponsored by the Midwest R/C Society. That's it; off for Toledo!
Bud Atkinson, 734 North 6th Street Terrace, Blue Springs, MO 64015.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
