Radio Control: SPORT/AEROBATICS — Ron Van Putte
Mail avalanche and the servo tester
Do you know what a mail avalanche is? That's what happens when you offer to send an article and schematic for a servo tester to people who send a SASE, then wait a while and check your mail. During the eight weeks since that offer appeared in my column, I received more than 200 requests for the servo tester article and schematic — more requests than when the article originally appeared. If you keep sending SASEs, I'll keep sending out the information. While you're sending things, how about including a few good black-and-white pictures that can be used with the column?
Flat Top Stormer
Along with requests for the servo tester information, Eric Schaumann asked for more details on the Flat Top Stormer. As he put it, "Can we expect more details on that 'hot-dogging' Stormer mentioned in the January issue?"
I enjoy Sport Scale but usually keep a plane that is interesting to fly. For several years I've flown a Little Stik with a .40; the plane has unlimited vertical performance but does not satisfy all my desires. Outside snaps, inverted spins and knife-edge flight are not possible — perhaps due to rigging or, more likely, my abilities. Maybe the Stormer will be a better way to bore holes in the sky.
Chances are most current R/C fliers have never heard of the Stormer or its derivative, the Flat Top Stormer. If I remember correctly, it was designed by Doug Spreng in the late 1950s or very early 1960s. I saw my first Flat Top Stormer in 1962. Unfortunately, I don't recall if an article was published on it or where and when — if indeed it was published. Can anyone help? Please send information on any article and/or where plans are available; the address is listed at the end of this column.
Uniting clubs — multi-club fun-flys
Another request for the servo tester information contained a useful suggestion. Duain Rothman (Bethpage, NY) wrote that he read back issues of Model Aviation and found upsetting comments about how some clubs treat outsiders visiting an R/C field. Duain proposed a way to unite outsiders and club members: hold fun-fly events between two different clubs.
His points:
- Club members understandably dislike outsiders "invading" their territory unless they plan to join.
- The hobby should be enjoyed and information shared by all.
- Joint fun-flys can break the ice and help unify relationships between clubs.
This is a good idea. If your club doesn't mistreat outsiders, you may be surprised when you visit another flying field — club members often have diverse interests. Multi-club fun-fly events are a great way to break the ice. Our club, Eglin Aero Modellers, hosts at least two fun-flys annually and always invites local clubs to participate. We've run the St. Valentine's Day Massacre Turkey Bird Fun-Fly for about ten years and will probably continue to host it for a long time. Try it.
Bonner Digimite: a correction and a bit of nostalgia
As I get older, I either forget things or remember them wrong. In the February 1983 column I asked if people remembered the Bonner Digimite retailing for $800. Shortly after the column appeared, Gerry Reinhard (Brillion, WI) wrote to correct me — the eight-channel Bonner Digimite never retailed for $800; it was list-priced at $615.
I owned an original pilot-run prototype — it really did work, though thirty-two ounces airborne didn't help much. I dug up some old 1965 magazines and Gerry was right.
What I remember fondly: the eight-channel Bonner Digimite did work well. I also watched the 1965 Nats champion (and later AMA president) Cliff Weirick win the Class III Expert event at the 1966 Wright Brothers Memorial Contest in Dayton, OH, using a Bonner Digimite. He flew against pilots mostly using reed 8-, 10- and 12-channel sets. Back then, newcomers often needed two channels to control a function; there was no airborne trim unless two channels were used to control a servo. To achieve a 12-channel setup you could have elevator, elevator trim, aileron, aileron trim, rudder and throttle — which required six large servos.
Well, that's enough nostalgia.
MonoKote finishing tip (Glass Plus / Windex)
Thanks to an item extracted from the Flypaper newsletter (Milwaukee Flying Electrons, Inc.), here's a tip from Bill Sterka, "Milwaukee's MonoKote Man," for producing show-quality, bubble-free trim when applying MonoKote or EconoKote.
Bill's basic points:
- He prefers EconoKote for trim because it functions at a lower temperature than MonoKote, simplifying installation.
- The trick is to use a liquid glass cleaner (Glass Plus or Windex) to eliminate trapped air beneath the trim.
How to do it:
- Clean the base coat of MonoKote with Glass Plus (or Windex).
- Flood the area to be trimmed with more Glass Plus.
- Lay the pre-cut piece of trim in position over the pool of liquid.
- Work the liquid out from under the trim with your fingers, using them as a squeegee to force air out.
- Use your heat gun to activate the adhesive and bond the trim to the base layer.
The liquid forces any trapped air out, giving a clean, bubble-free trim job. Nice tip — now the only excuses for poor MonoKote work are gone.
Landing — elevator vs. throttle
Several readers said the Novice/Sportsman maneuver suggestions were helpful, and many requested the next topic. The consensus was that a lot of fliers still can't land properly. Since landing is fundamental whether or not you're flying Pattern, here are a few hints.
Fundamental principle:
- The elevator controls pitch attitude.
- The throttle controls altitude (i.e., sink rate).
Many beginners confuse the two and "pump" the elevator during an approach, causing climbing and diving. Remember: for every fixed elevator position there is one throttle setting that gives steady horizontal flight. If elevator is fixed and throttle is increased, the airplane climbs; if throttle is reduced, the airplane descends.
Landing technique:
- Set up a long downwind leg so, when you turn onto final, you have a nice, long descent to the landing.
- Complete the final turn, then reduce throttle to near idle.
- Slowly feed in elevator until the airplane is at a horizontal or slightly nose-up attitude — usually a slight, constant back-stick is held during descent.
- Resist the temptation to keep changing the elevator position; hold it steady and use the throttle to control sink rate.
The trick is to keep the airplane in a steady descent while holding the elevator in a fixed position. The throttle controls the sink rate. With practice, this produces consistent, controlled landings.
If you have questions or want clarification on any of these topics — servo tester, Stormer info, finishing techniques, or landing practice — send them in. The address is at the end of the column.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
