Radio Control: Soaring
Dan Pruss
New Products
A couple of new items have hit the market that ought to make life more fun on the workbench.
- Aerospace Composite Products (George Sparr) — Carbon Fiber Tape and Carbon Fiber Ribbon. The tape is 1/2-inch wide; the ribbon is 1/8-inch wide. There is also Kevlar tape and fiberglass tape. One-half ounce per square yard glass cloth rounds out the line. For full particulars, including prices, write:
Aerospace Composite Products 28 Crosswood Rd. Farmington, CT 06032
- Hobbypoxy — Fast Fill Grain Filler. This is a one-part (no mixing of parts A and B) filler that fills grain fast. It is white in color, the consistency of milk, brushes on smoothly and easily, air-dries quickly, and is easy to sand. MonoKote adheres to it very well. For the latest on model-building techniques, send a SASE to:
Hobbypoxy Products, Pettit Paint Co., Inc. 36 Pine St. Rockaway, NJ 07866
- Davey Systems — Ariel. A contribution to the growing Hand-Launch class (Class A). The Ariel is a 59-inch wingspan model designed for slope, high-start, or winch launches. It includes 1/4 x 1/4-inch spruce spars. Flying weight is 15 ounces with 370 sq. in. wing area for a 5.5 oz. per sq. ft. wing loading. The airfoil is patterned after the popular Eppler 193.
Note on Hand-Launch Sailplane specifications: The new AMA rules for 1986 list this class as 1.5 meters, which puts the wingspan at just a tad over 59 inches maximum. There are additional changes in the rule book (for example, RC Sport Scale Sailplanes can now weigh up to 25 pounds) — read the new rule book for full details.
- Airtronics — Cumic Plus. A new kit with unique features including a three-piece, bolt-on wing, a fiberglass fuselage, and the option to build either a 100-inch or a 117-inch version. Material is provided for the 117-inch version. The Cumic Plus airfoil is fashioned after the Eppler 205, and wing kits will be available separately. The cost of the complete kit is $164.95, which includes the fiberglass fuselage.
News from Other Fliers
A letter and picture from Nova Scotia came from John O'Sullivan, one of the active contributors to the Soaring scene there. Their activities are similar to those in the U.S., though with fewer fliers. Models range from Gentle Ladies to Sagittas, along with a percentage of scratch-builders.
- Foreground model (John O'Sullivan's design): Fiberglass fuselage with a 100-inch wing. Airfoil: Eppler 193. Controls: rudder, elevator, and spoilers. All-up weight is 36 oz., giving a wing loading of 6.5 oz. per sq. ft.
- Background model (F3B version): Same dimensions as the foreground model, but with glassed wings, flaperons, an Eppler 214 airfoil, and a weight of 61 oz., yielding a wing loading of 10.5 oz. per sq. ft.
Scale Sailplanes and Cliff Charlesworth
One of the most prolific scale model designers and builders in the world is Cliff Charlesworth. At least two of his designs have become popular in the U.S.: the ASK-13 and the ASK-18. Both are large, quarter-scale, four-meter models that appeal to the traditional model builder for their scale-like construction techniques.
Mr. Charlesworth often searches for subjects with complex structures and details. His latest challenge was a KA-3. This is also quarter-scale, but because the full-scale machine is small, the quarter-scale version spans only 2.5 meters. Attention to detail is evident in the construction and photographs. Flight performance has been satisfactory, with the best flight to date in thermal conditions lasting 49 minutes.
Scale sailplane flying in Great Britain is well supported: last summer one annual meet filled all 40-plus slots, with nearly the same number of entrants turned away. The full-scale Vintage Glider Club of Great Britain has helped promote scale flying by providing drawings and technical details on many machines—similar to the Vintage Association in the U.S.
Mr. Charlesworth has detailed plans available for the following models:
- Grunau Baby 2B — quarter-scale, wingspan 2.39 meters
- KA-3 — quarter-scale, wingspan 2.50 meters
- ASK-13 — quarter-scale, wingspan 4.0 meters (canopy available)
- ASK-18 — quarter-scale, wingspan 4.0 meters (canopy available)
- Hutter H-17 — one-third scale
Prices vary depending on model size and number of sheets per plan set. For further information, write: Mr. Cliff Charlesworth 41 Spring Road Frome, Somerset BA11 2JN England
Even if you're just a plan-saver, any one of these will provide a treat.
LSF Regionals
This year the League of Silent Flight (LSF) plans to sponsor about 15 regional contests. The format will be similar to past contests: a two-day soaring contest hosted by local clubs on any weekend in late August or early September. For further information, contact:
LSF President Skip Show, LSF/166 8170 Electric Ave. Vienna, VA 22180 Phone: (703) 698-7422
Good lift.
Dan Pruss 131 E. Pennington Ln. Plainfield, IL 60544
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
