Radio Control: Soaring
Byron Blakeslee 3134 N. Winnebago Dr. Sedalia, CO 80135
Vintage Scale — Triton Models (Greg Harding)
Triton Models is Greg Harding's company in Kotzebue, Alaska. You may have seen his ads for a 1/6-scale, 124‑in. span DFS Reiher. He has recently introduced a 1/5‑scale Kirby Kite.
Greg on Triton and himself:
- He started the business a little over a year ago; it remains mostly part‑time while he flies full‑size airplanes (Cessna ag‑trucks converted to tankers).
- His aim is to produce scale‑accurate kits that are as easy to build as possible. Fiberglass fuselages are used to simplify construction.
- The Kirby Kite is a rare, attractive model; Dale Busque helped with the plans. Early buyers of the Kite were mostly customers who already owned Greg's Reiher kit.
- Greg plans to expand Triton’s line of mostly vintage sailplanes. Upcoming kits mentioned: a 1/4‑scale HP‑18 and a 1/4‑scale Schweizer 2‑22.
- He also offers fun items: T‑shirts (designs include “Real Sailplanes Have Gull Wings”), a pre‑WWII German NSFK decal originally made for the Reiher kit, and a 4.5‑ft. powered, radio‑controlled semi‑scale Goodyear blimp.
Triton contact and ordering:
- New mailing address (company move to Pennsylvania): Box 103, R.D. 1, Reading, PA 19607.
- Current hand‑printed brochure available by SASE.
- Prices (as listed): Kirby Kite kit $230 + $12 shipping; T‑shirts $12; decal $5; blimp $49.95.
- Note: Triton originally based in Kotzebue, AK; prices and availability may change (Reiher price was noted to increase historically).
Vintage Scale — Cliff Charlesworth (England)
Cliff Charlesworth is well known for authentic, well‑engineered quarter‑scale plans. He recently added the T61 Falke motor glider to his list.
T61 Falke:
- Scale: 1/5
- Span: 3.75 meters
- Suitable power: .45–.80 cu. in.
- Performance: excellent under power and on the glide
- Plans: three large sheets, price 16 pounds sterling per set
- Cowlings and canopies available
Other quarter‑scale plans available from Cliff include: Ka‑3, Ka‑8, ASK 13, ASK 18, Grunau Baby, Hütter 17, DFS Reiher II, Olympia 2, DFS Meise, Lo 100, and Mü‑13.
Ordering from Cliff:
- Address: 41 Spring Road, Frome, Somerset BA11 2JN, England.
- Payment must be in British pounds sterling — obtain a bank draft denominated in pounds or an international money order through your bank.
Vintage Sailplane Association (VSA)
The Vintage Sailplane Association is the national organization for full‑size vintage glider enthusiasts. Many modelers join to follow full‑size events as well as modeling activities. Jack Hiner (SOAR club) is cited as Northern District vice‑president for VSA.
Thermal‑finding and low‑altitude tactics (practical tips)
Key points for finding lift and dealing with sink:
- Thermals often break loose and drift downwind; thermals encountered at launch height frequently originated upwind of the field.
- When low (a couple hundred feet), search above structures, tree lines, or hills with large open areas upwind — weak thermals drifting across open areas can be kicked off by obstructions and strengthen.
- Look for sheltered areas (small valleys or among buildings) where air can warm without being blown away. Parking lots are usually poor candidates because the air is flushed through too quickly.
- If the whole field cycles (all lift disappears and then returns), observe the pattern closely. On windier days you may still catch good air by launching immediately and heading downwind.
- On calm days with large‑scale cycling: if forced to fly during a sink cycle, fly straight, far, and fast out of the bad air to reach better conditions.
- Fly aggressively — actively search for thermals rather than waiting for them to come to you.
Note: These tactics apply to all sailplane sizes — from Two‑Meter floaters to larger "Super Ship" designs.
Timbs Engineering — High‑starts
Norm Timbs offers ready‑to‑use high‑starts in three models. All prices include shipping; tubing is continuous natural latex, line is 60‑lb test nylon twine.
- Standard
- 800‑ft. high‑start
- 100 ft. of 5/16‑in. tubing (1/8‑in. wall)
- 400 ft. of line on a 12‑in. reel
- Parachute included
- Suited for thermal sailplanes 2–3 m span
- Introductory price: $45
- Half‑Start
- 400‑ft. high‑start
- 50 ft. of 1/4‑in. o.d. tubing (1/8‑in. wall)
- 200 ft. of line on a 10‑in. reel
- Parachute included
- Good for hand‑launch through two‑meter gliders
- Introductory price: $32
- Mini‑Start
- 100‑ft. high‑start
- 12.5 ft. of 1/8‑in. o.d. tubing (1/16‑in. wall)
- 60 ft. of line on a compact reel
- Pennant included
- Designed as an alternative to throwing a hand‑launch glider
- Introductory price: $17.50
Additional notes:
- All required parts included, except two snaps; Standard and Half‑Start include a cordwheel.
- Norm plans to introduce more products: high‑performance winch equipment, composite materials, and aluminum flying‑staff bellcranks.
Timbs Engineering contact:
- 1672 Los Ojos Valley Rd., Los Osos, CA 93402
- Tel: 1‑805/528‑5420
Futaba narrow‑band upgrade program
Futaba offered an upgrade program to meet AMA's narrow‑band initiative covering October 1, 1990 to March 31, 1991. Not all models are eligible; specific treatments varied by model.
- AM transmitters: modified for narrow‑band output (some models can be switched to FM)
- AM and FM receivers: exchanged for narrow‑band versions
- Costs (approximate): $10 for an AM transmitter upgrade up to $90 for a PCM 512 narrow‑band receiver; common receiver exchanges ranged $35–$65
For exact details on particular sets contact:
- Futaba Corporation of America, 4 Studebaker, Irvine, CA 92718
Airtronics 401 gear repair
A service was noted in a club newsletter: Pete Russell in San Jose will replace the plastic output gear on Airtronics 401 servos with a steel gear to improve durability.
Photos and contest notes
- Bob McGowan won big at the Masters Soaring meet (photo captions mentioned Falcons in the Standard class — Falcon 800 and Falcon 880; Mark Allen's design noted as a strong recent competitor).
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Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
