Radio Control: Giant Scale
Avast! It's all over, including the shouting. Bob Martin and the Desert Hawks produced a spectacular Schneider Cup Reenactment on Lake Havasu, AZ for RC Giant seaplanes. From what we've heard, it was some kind of Scale/flying contest. The winner was old friend Bob Heitkamp of Juneau, AK. Bob flew his Supermarine S-5 to ultimate triumph against stiff competition. With a modicum of modesty, yours truly played a small part in Bob's triumph: Last summer I provided a smidgen of documentation for Herr Heitkamp's bird. Bob used to be a member of the Pike's Peak RC Club when he was stationed in Colorado Springs. Although not able to make the trip to Arizona, I was treated to the next best thing. Doc Pepino (Scale Plans & Photo Service, 3209 Madison Ave., Greensboro, NC 27403) shared the two-hour videotape he made of the Schneider "go" with me. It was almost like being there! The Doe offers the tape for $20 plus $2 P&H. He recommends it to any potential contestant for future reenactments, and we heartily agree.
Giants at No. 36
This year's roundup of Giant Scale models at Toledo included some that were about as close to perfection as can be attained by mere mortals. THE GRANDDADDY of RC trade shows is 36 years old. He lives in the magnificent clutter of the Toledo, OH Sports Arena. He's visited by thousands of his grandsons and granddaughters in early April each year. The Weak Signals RC Club sponsors the visits - and makes sure that there are literally hundreds of exhibitors to tantalize, amaze, and delight "the grandkids." The exhibit in question could be none other than the Toledo RC Exposition. The 36th annual event ran from April 6-8, 1990. It was my ninth visit to the northwestern Ohio city, and as usual I was totally fascinated.
Radio Control: Giant Scale
BACK in the Good Old Days following WW II, your author flew Mustangs in the "brown-shoe" Army Air Force. The 40th Fighter Squadron was based at Johnson Air Base near Irumagawa, Japan. We shared the ramp with the 339th Night Fighter Squadron, which flew the mighty twin-engined Northrop P-61 Black Widow. I got to know quite a bit about the bird from two GIs in the 339th. We formed the sum total of the Johnson Model Club, and we flew our Control Line craft from the base's baseball diamond. Our only source of model supplies was in Honolulu-but that's another story.
Radio Control: Giant Scale
WORLDWIDE-that certainly describes the Giant Scale movement. Since its inception, the thrill of flying big RC models has been universal. Early on. Dick Phillips flew the first Quadrapowered Giant in Canada. It was the ubiquitous J-3 Cub. Almost concurrently, the STARs Club of Olean, NY built and flew its squadron of Bristol Bullets, the early ones powered by converted Roper engines. When the IMAA (International Miniature Aircraft Association-Ed.) was formed in Toledo in 1980, France was represented and soon had an IMAA Chapter. England, with its Large Model Society, wasn't far behind.
Radio Control: Giant Scale
"YOU'RE MAD, Dr. Frankenstein, put down that knife!" I'm beginning to feel a lot like that weird scientist-although I haven't created a monster. About three columns ago I suggested that it'd be real neat to be able to purchase sheet fiberglass for use as a model covering to simulate metal. Your response has been of monster proportions! Bruce C. Ihde, a retired crew chief for American Airlines, says that there is such a product, and he used it for side and ceiling panels in airliner baggage compartments and cargo bays. It's called Conolite (generically known as V-board) and comes in 3 × 12-ft.-long (!) sheets. It comes in two thicknesses, 1/32 and 1/16. The thinner stock would be more appropriate for our purposes. Bruce says that both sides of the sheets were smooth but not slick; the weave could be seen and felt. It might need a bit of filler, but it's a good starting point-if you can find a supplier in your local area. Our thanks to Mr. Ihde.
