RADIO CONTROL: Scale
Jeff Troy 19 East Mt. Pleasant Avenue, Ambler, PA 19002
Shows and events
The 30th annual WRAM (Westchester Radio Aero Modelers) show in White Plains, New York was February 27–29. The three-day event was well run and drew a terrific crowd. The pleasant trip to my hometown of New York was followed by an April 3–5 journey to Ohio for the Weak Signals R/C Expo at Toledo. Between the two conventions, a number of new product releases and industry movements were announced.
Manufacturers' news
- Horizon Hobby / ISC International and Indy R/C
ISC International and Indy R/C, the U.S. importers and primary retailers of Zenoah engines, have been acquired by Horizon Hobby Distributors in Champaign, Illinois. Horizon will move the operation to Champaign, where ISC's Jimmy Goad will continue to work with the company. In addition to Zenoah and other lines available through ISC, Horizon has secured U.S. distribution rights to the MDS engine line. These Russian-made two-strokes offer an outstanding combination of performance, reliability, and a three-year warranty at very fair prices. Formerly available through Estes Industries, the MDS line should be a winner for Horizon. At Toledo I spoke at length with Rick Stephens of Horizon, who indicated there will be more developments to come.
- Hitec RCD — HS-50 microservo
For 1/2A scale enthusiasts, Hitec showed a new HS-50 microservo at Toledo. Smaller than anything seen to date, the HS-50 will almost fit inside the diameter of a quarter and weighs about a half-ounce. A set of these servos, combined with Hitec's micro receiver and a carefully built airplane, will greatly help current 1/2A kits. Add flaps, Robart's reengineered 1/2A retracts, and a Norvel AME or BigMig .061 engine, and you can stretch the performance and believability of these small models. Contact: Hitec RCD, 10729 Wheatlands Ave., Suite C, Santee, CA 92071.
- House of Balsa — 1/4-scale reissues
House of Balsa has reissued many models from its original 1/4-scale line. These 36-inch-span, 1/4-scale kits feature select woods, shaped and sanded parts, formed fuselage tops with canopies, quality hardware, decals, excellent plans, and step-by-step instructions. Available models include a short-nose Fw 190, bubble-canopy P-51 and P-47, Me 109, and two civilian types—the V-tail Beechcraft Bonanza and a de Havilland Chipmunk. The kits use an open-bay D-tube wing with upper and lower leading edge sheeting, built-up fuselage construction, and 3/32-inch balsa tail surfaces. Fixed main gear is included, though Robart precision retracts are an attractive optional install. Contact: House of Balsa, 10101 Yucca Rd., Adelanto, CA 92301. Robart Mfg.: 625 N. 12th St., St. Charles, IL 60174.
- Norvel — B15 R/C Premium Sport (.15)
Norvel introduced a new .15 engine for 1998: the B15 R/C Premium Sport. It weighs 5.7 ounces with the muffler and can swing a 7x4 prop at 3,800–19,700 rpm. The B15 weighs slightly less than its ball-bearing A15 counterpart and has an operating curve well suited to scale flying, whereas the A15 is more appropriate for high-rpm combat or racing. Both A15 and B15 use Norvel's AAO (Anodized Aluminum Oxide) Ceramic Seal™ cylinder/piston technology, claimed to offer longer life, cooler running, greater efficiency, and more power. Contact: Norvel, 2244 E. Enterprise Parkway, Twinsburg, OH 44087.
- Replica Engines — quarter-scale engine replicas
Replica Engines offers accurate quarter-scale operating engine replicas. Notable is the nine-cylinder Gnome Monosoupape rotary: a nine-inch-diameter metalwork piece that will turn itself and a 24x10 propeller at about 2,400 rpm. The spark-ignition Gnome features hardened and ground valves and crankshaft, planetary timing gears, and a displacement of 397 cubic inches. Replica Engines also offers an attractive running display stand (with a stub propeller) for those who prefer to display the engine without mounting it in an airplane. Contact: Replica Engines, Top O' the Lake Rd., Gulliver, MI 49840.
- Top Flite kits and Century Jet Models retracts
Top Flite's new Beechcraft Bonanza and Spitfire Mk. IX kits have seen much interest since release. Gar Farris of Century Jet Models created custom air-operated retract sets for both aircraft, displayed at WRAM and Weak Signals. The sets are sturdy, with angled main legs and axles for the Spitfire and a trike setup for the Beechcraft; operating oleo struts are included. Contact: Century Jet Models, 11216 Bluegrass Parkway, Louisville, KY 40299.
- Dave Platt — Black Art video
Radio Control Scale Nationals Champion and AMA Hall of Fame honoree Dave Platt released a videotape, Black Art, demonstrating his weathering techniques. The nearly two-hour video uses Dave's newest plan offering, the North American T-28 Trojan, as the subject. Beginning with a freshly painted model, Dave applies a series of enhancements to achieve striking, realistic weathering—explained clearly and concisely throughout. To order Black Art: Dave Platt Models, 1306 Havre NW, Palm Bay, FL 32907.
- Bob Holman Plans — Dennis Bryant's 1/4-scale S.E.5a
Dennis Bryant's 1/4-scale S.E.5a is available as a plan set from Bob Holman Plans. The 1/4-scale airplane spans 80 inches, weighs approximately 15 pounds, and is designed for 15–30 cc engines. The plan set includes an instruction manual; a scale drawing is available separately. Bob Holman also offers a 17-piece set of laser-cut parts for the model. Contact: Bob Holman Plans, Box 741, San Bernardino, CA 92402.
Modelers' projects
Sid Sherman of Philadelphia, PA sent photographs of his latest project: a Proctor JN-4J Jenny. Sid reports: "All controls are cable-operated, as per the full-scale Jenny. I have about 1,500 hours on the bones, and I estimate at least another 500 hours for covering, rib stitching, and rigging to complete this airplane." The Proctor kit is one of the finest ever produced, spans 87 inches, and includes more than 100 turnbuckles. Sid's model will use an Enya 60-4C four-stroke; he hopes to test-hop the airplane in late spring.
In closing
Join me in wishing happy landings to the late Vernon "Vern" E. Krehbiel, founder of V.K. Model Aircraft Company. Known to many WWI and sport modelers for his Scale Dr.I, Camel, Nieuport, and Cherokee designs, Vern set a standard for kit quality that is rarely equaled today. In September Vern Krehbiel will be inducted into the AMA Hall of Fame.
Next month I'll have photos of some of the magnificent scale models on the Toledo Weak Signals static tables. Until then, build straight and fly safely. We'll do this again.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
