RADIO CONTROL SCALE
Jeff Troy, 19 East Mt. Pleasant Avenue, Ambler, PA 19002
Manufacturers' News
Some of you may be asking yourselves, "Where in the %!*&^ is Chuck Gill?" The answer is pleasant; after a lengthy medical challenge, Chuck and his kit business, The Aeroplane Works, are back in production and ready to fill your orders. As of mid-July, more than 250 kits for Nick Ziroli and Rich Uravitch designs were in stock and ready to ship.
I have three Aeroplane Works kits in my stash, and each is an example of some of the finest craftsmanship and quality wood selection available in the hobby industry. I've jokingly said that the packing materials used in Chuck's kits are probably better than the wood in some of the other kits. For the latest pricing and selection, send $1 to Chuck at The Aeroplane Works, 2134 Gilbride Rd., Martinsville, NJ 08836.
I received an in-depth listing from Wise Owl Worldwide Publications, a company that brings Datafiles and Datafile Specials into the United States from Albatros Productions in England. Wise Owl also handles Hall Park Books and the Nexus Plans Handbook. For more information, write to Wise Owl Worldwide Publications, 4314 West 238th St., Torrance, CA 90505-4509.
Plans for Jerry Bates' 82-inch Curtiss P-40 Warhawk are available from Bob Holman. Suggested power for this 1/5.5-scale warbird is the SuperTigre 2500. Write to Bob Holman Plans, Box 741, San Bernardino, CA 92402.
Early this year at the WRAM (Westchester Radio Aero Modelers) show in White Plains, NY, Innovative Model Products showed a very nice 1/6-scale Supermarine Spitfire. The model spans 73.56 inches and will accept almost any engine from a .90 two-stroke to a 2.4 four-stroke. The Spitfire's features include machine-cut foam wing and stab cores, a Flexi-Glass fuselage, and a carbon-fiber wing spar. Available accessories include retracts and struts, a cockpit kit, bombs and tanks, a static propeller and spinner, and much more. Write to Innovative Model Products, Box 333, Remsen, NY 13438.
Gus Morfis has a slick little 38-inch Grumman F4F Wildcat plan that answers the call for those who enjoy keeping their scale projects simple—even if they're "heavy metal." The finished model packs 260 square inches into an airframe that flies comfortably on a .15 two-stroke and goes like a rocket on a .25. The Wildcat's intricate landing gear normally presents a major obstacle to modelers, but Gus figured that the easiest way to beat the gear was to omit it altogether, keeping the airframe lighter, the airflow cleaner, and the project simpler. Gus has a large selection of 1/12-scale fighter plans. Write to Gus Morfis, 4709 Green Meadows Ave., Torrance, CA 90505-5507.
Albert Tejera of Tejera Microsystems Engineering has an interesting array of electronic products, including the Timing Stick—an auto-advance timing system designed to replace old mechanical throttle-advance systems on glow engines. The Timing Stick features TME's exclusive Over-Rev Kill, which can stop an engine instantly if a propeller blade is thrown in flight, preventing the out-of-balance shake that can tear a model airplane to pieces. For details, write TME, Box 34068, Tampa, FL 33694.
This .40-size Dynaflite Spitfire is by Silas Seandel of New York City. It has a Saito .56 four-stroke and uses a 12 x 7 two-blade propeller.
Joe Parrott's 81-inch Dynaflite Spitfire has a Saito 1.5 four-stroke. "A great airplane to own and fly," said Joe.
Modelers' Projects
Ken Bell (Fontana, WI) did a convincing job on his 60-inch S.E.5a from Tom Connor plans. The nine-pound model flies very well on an O.S. .61 and Futaba gear that operates pull-pull controls on the rudder and elevators. It is covered with Clancy Aviation's Exxatex, and the markings are from Major Decals. Ken's letter stated that a laser-cut former-and-rib kit is available from Tom Connor.
Joe Parrott (Knoxville, TN) built a Fokker D.VII from Joseph Nieto drawings. The model featured a painted lozenge-pattern Coverite and was powered by a Saito 1.5 four-stroke. This 17-pound airplane was an excellent performer until it fell victim to aileron reversal on its 19th flight.
Roy C. Boeue Jr. (Canastota, NY) built a very nice 21-pound Dr.I triplane from Nick Ziroli plans, handled confidently by the Hornet .24 engine. Roy was happy to have Nick Ziroli spot for him at a fun-fly in upstate New York: "Nick was great to talk to and was very helpful. All of the Ziroli planes would make good projects."
Docu-Search
- Daniel E. Witter is interested in Don Thorson's Ford Tri-Motor that was pictured in an earlier column. He would like plans, photos, drawings, and anything else available. Daniel lives near the home of what is reputedly the "Shortest Airline in the World," with four Fords performing the mail delivery job from Port Clinton to Put-in-Bay, Ohio—about 12 miles each way. If you have anything to share, write to Daniel at Witter Haven Campground and Marina, 1100 Richey Rd., Port Clinton, OH 43452.
- Eric Ortiz is searching for a clear view of Joe's Joker nose art/insignia for his F4U-1 Corsair; the full-scale airplane belonged to Marine Corps VMF-115 during WWII. Eric has scoured the Internet and contacted everyone he could, with little avail. If anyone can help, please respond to Eric at 501 10th Place, Kenosha, WI 53140, or e-mail eric@caro.net.
- Fans of the Kawanishi K-8B (possibly K-88) may be able to lend a hand to John Carlson. The Kawanishi is a Japanese twin-float seaplane, with dual open cockpits and a parasol wing. John has seen a Bill Noonan rubber plan with a hand-marked #FSP06812 in the lower right-hand corner, but he is unable to determine where or when this plan was published. If you can help, write to John at 2208 Oswego Place, Tulsa, OK 74114.
- Michael Di Julio is interested in documentation for the Aermacchi MB-339 PAN used by the Frecce Tricolori (Italian Flight Team); the Canadair CT-114 Tutor used by the Canadian Snowbirds; and the Beech 18 flown by the RAF Red Arrows. If you have drawings, plans, or other suitable documentation, let Michael know at 2510 119th St. Ct. W., Milan, IL 61264.
- Duane Dahnert is interested in a 1/4-scale model of the Grumman G-22, the Gulf Oil version of the F3F Gullhawk that was flown to fame by Al Williams. Duane has good three-views but could benefit greatly from plans for the model and the retracting gear system. He has previously contracted operating gear for a 1/5-scale Wildcat, so the G-22 gear should be right up his alley. If you can help, write to Mr. Dahnert at 7209 Bryant Ave. S., Richfield, MN 55423.
Spitfire Build-Along
The tail feathers have been sheeted and sanded, and the fuselage is in the middle stages of construction. There are no modifications to report yet, but there will be when I get into the engine compartment. In the interim, I have a pair of comments and photos sent by readers who have been flying their Spitfires for a while. I hope the following whets your appetite:
"If you can build and fly while living or working in my native city of Manhattan, you can do it anywhere." Silas Seandel has done a terrific job with his .40-size Dynaflite Spitfire; in concept and construction it is almost the same as our somewhat larger build-along project. Silas added wing fillets, panel lines and rivets, weathering, a scale-like exhaust, and a pair of B&D retracts. At 6 1/2 pounds, he claims the model is a flawless performer on a Saito .56 four-stroke with a 12 x 7 two-blade propeller.
Joe Parrott's 81-inch Dynaflite Spitfire is an excellent example of what the build-along exercise strives to prove: with an off-the-shelf scale-for-fun kit and a little imagination, the typical sport modeler can overcome reservations and successfully build and fly a good-looking entry-level scale airplane. Joe's model incorporates many of the embellishments that the build-along will outline, including wing fillets, an inverted four-stroke, and Robart retracts. As an intermediate flier, Joe feels that his Spitfire is "a great airplane to own and fly."
It would be a serious oversight if I neglected to commend the Academy of Model Aeronautics on the Model/Hobby Expo, the spectacular Radio Control open house at Muncie in June. The grand event was not specifically for Scale; it played host to aircraft of all descriptions, cars, trucks, boats, and even a fully scenic O-gauge model railroad. A surprising number of modelers and non-modelers turned out for the celebration in spite of poor weather, and next year's performance might be even better. My compliments to the AMA on the colorful welcome mat that they laid out for their visitors.
Until the next installment, build straight and fly safely. We'll do this again. +
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
