Radio Control: Scale
GLOW HEAT for Older Engines: The Ross twin .60 engines were always a favorite of scale modelers because they were easily fitted into the cowl of any plane that used a flat four- or six-cylinder engine. The appearance of two cylinders through the open cowl front offered very desirable scale authenticity. The Ross carburetor was good for its day, but modern carbs afford a much greater reliability at idle. The tendency for one glow plug to cool off and quite while idling was always a possibility and the firing cylinder could not overcome the drag of the dead piston and rod while maintaining level flight in a heavy ship. The addition of airborne batteries for supplying glow heat meant adding more weight but was good insurance against an unwanted landing with only half an engine.
Radio Control: Scale
INFORMATION SOURCES: The book "Veteran and Vintage Aircraft" by Leslie Hunt (The Garnstone Press Limited, 59 Brompton Road, London SW3 1DS) contains a listing of the world's aeronautical museums and collections of civil and military, as well as individual display and privately owned aircraft. The era covered includes the two World Wars and the period between. Nine thousand fascinating and rare machines are described and listed according to location with a cross index to plane names. The book contains a list of useful addresses and the locations of the world's major aviation collections, a large percentage of which are here in the U.S. Knowing where to gather information on the plane of your choice is a long step in the direction of accurate documentation and construction.
Radio Control: Scale
WE RECENTLY received a letter indicating that someone is trying to breathe new life into the AMA Precision Scale event. This from Larry D'Attilio, contest director for the Milwaukee Flying Electrons Seventh Annual Pattern-Scale Contest. In addition to his duties as CD, Larry is highly qualified to speak on the subject of RC Scale, as he is a top grade scale modeler. The first portion of his letter is an announcement of the coming contest. Following that are some probing questions, with enlightening answers, concerning our hobby and sport, from the view-point of a contest oriented person. "The Milwaukee Flying Electrons, one of America's largest R/C clubs is hosting its Seventh Annual Pattern-Scale Contest on August 19 and 20, 1978 in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin (a suburb of Milwaukee).
Radio Control: Scale
EXPERIMENTAL Aircraft Association members, for a number of years, have been building planes that are reduced-size versions of military aircraft. Their problems in scaling down are similar to those encountered by modelers. Ben Owen of EAA headquarters staff, who is also an AMA modeler, has summarized the scaling technique as follows: What this proves, or shows, is that there are different reductions in each measurement in scaling. For convenience, engineers have historically used linear measurement when scaling. The fact that a linear reduction of 1/2 does not mean 1/2 of the area or 1/2 of the weight or volume should be clearly kept in mind. Examples:
Radio Control: Scale
PROTECT THOSE PLANES: 1977 was the year of travel for us. Two trips to each coast, most of which was in the family van, could have been damaging to the scale models that rode over the short, thick, truck springs. A sectional sofa from our living room, with springs, and a five-inch-thick foam upholstery pad, is carried in the van for protection; the models ride in regal splendor, safe from vibration and road shocks. Four years ago, when the van was new, we carried the Douglas M2 Mail-plane without protection for 1600 miles through New England, and then to the Kitchener-Waterloo Scale Rally in Canada. On its first flight the aileron servo locked in right turn and the Douglas spiraled steeply to its end, or so we thought. One of the wires to the aileron plug had crystalized due to vibration. Even when carried in a car or wagon, planes should be protected with foam when being transported for any distance.
