Radio Control: Old-Timers
HOLLINGER'S NOMAD. This month's subject must rank as one of the most unusual, structurally complex, and outstandingly beautiful Old-Timers. It also exhibits superlative aerodynamics and may well be a real "sleeper." Take a good look at the three-view and the photos of this wondrous machine. See the excellent moments, generous stab area, and force arrangements. This is a most unusual setup with the thrust line, wing, and stab all on the same line. A relatively thick stab section, a really thick smmetrically-sectioned rudder, and generous poly-dihedral should produce a model with an exhilarating climb and good floating glide. The original drawings show an O&R .60 engine, 31/2-in. M&M airwheels, and a handcarved spinner. Although the plans call out a wing area of 61/2 sq. ft., my ruler doesn't agree. While the 78-in. span and 12-in. chord would multiply out to 936 sq. in. (61/2 sq. ft.), all of the curves and cutouts reduce that figure to more like 850 sq. in. (5.9 sq. ft.) or so.
Radio Control: Old-Timers
COOVERTS Berryloid Winner. This pretty Old-Timer was published in the November 1938 issue of Air Trails. The Berryloid Trophy was presented to the Gas model with the best finish at the prewar Nats by the Berryloid company of Detroit, MI which was a pioneer manufacturer of finishes and adhesives. In the postwar period this type of award was made by the Testors company. The Berryloid-winning model had to fly in order to be eligible for the award, but the primary idea was to recognize finish and workmanship. Harold Coovert was known primarily for incredibly beautiful Rubber Scale designs, and that background certainly shows in this Brown-powered Free Flight design. This writer has seen two examples of this design fly, and they exhibit marvelous eye-appeal-but not much in the way of thermaling ability. Frankly, the design is a bit shy of wing.
Radio Control: Old-Timers
SHERESHAW'S NIMBUS. This month we present a really rare bird. While most of Ben Shereshaw's designs are frequently seen both in competition and for sport, the model in the photos is the first one of its kind that I can recall ever seeing in a modern-day publication. There is certainly a reason for this, but it's not that the Nimbus is a bad design, aerodynamically. Rather, the problems lie in two areas: 1) The construction system is a nightmare; 2) The drawings available are grossly in error. As published in the June 1937 Model Airplane News (not June 1938 as listed in John Pond's catalog), the fuselage was built up using a series of full-depth bulkheads held together with four longerons. No crutch or frame was used! In other words, one attempted to develop a straight fuselage by eyeballing the thing in midair while attaching the longerons.
Radio Control: Old-Timers
LI'L MISERY. This month's feature Old-Timer is a rare bird, indeed. It was designed by John Worth (who is now AMA's Executive Director) and published in the July 1942 issue of Air Trails. I, like many others, have looked at those old drawings with only casual interest, dismissing the Li'l Misery as an exercise in tailless aerodynamics and little more. John Worth now tells us: "In the early Forties, Dick Coen and I had a great arrangement for trying out new ideas. I would draw them up, and he would build them. Li'l Misery was one of these, and it was an immediate success.
Radio Control: Old-Timers
SPOOK. This month's featured Old-Timer is one of my personal, all-time favorites, although I've never built one. That the Modelcraft Spook is possessed of a distinct esthetic appeal is undeniable. The distinctive gull wing and long, thin outlines combine with pretty fair aerodynamics to create what has become a truly classic Old-Timer. I've always had a sneaking suspicion that the Joe Weathers Mystery Man published in the June 1939 Air Trails might have had an influence on Barney Snyder's Spook, which was introduced in June of 1940. After all, Weathers was living in San Diego, and Modelcraft had a shop and kit operation in Los Angeles.
