Control Line: Scale
GREETINGS! In case you didn't notice, this is a different Mike writing this month. And I feel somewhat like the person who gets on TV for the first time and can't resist waving to mom. What I mean is, even though I know it may bore some of you, I want to use this first opportunity to write about a couple things that you won't be able to look at, cut, sand, or glue. Every year, statistics from the Nats show that CL Scale (and Scale in general) was one of the most popular events among contestants and spectators alike. And the number of sanctioned CL contests each year that include Scale also indicates a lot of interest and activity. Now the task that I've accepted is to convince all of you busy CL Scale builders to quit sanding and eye-balling enough to help fill this monthly column space with newsworthy and constructive items.
Control Line: Scale
NATIONAL SCALE SOCIETY is the official, temporary name of the new organization of scale modelers that we've been reading about for several months. Now you can do more than just read about it. You can join by sending $5.00 to Sec./Treas. Noel Allison; 4174 West 120th St.; Apt. C; Hawthorne, CA 90250. The dues provide membership for 1978 and a subscription to the monthly newsletter. According to Bob Underwood, the President of N.S.S., once there is a membership roll a permanent, possibly more suitable, name and logo can be decided upon by the membership. I'm enthused about the potential of a scale society to benefit all FF, CL, and RC scale enthusiasts, whether they are sport or competition minded. With an active newsletter, the techniques can provide direction in subject research, respond to questions about our methods, talk about new and old products, and just spread the good word about the most exciting event in modeling.
Control Line: Scale
A MONTH AGO, somewhere between first long-hand draft and the typewritten copy, I misplaced a page of data on Ray Smith's Nats winning ME-109. To an unquenchable scale addict like myself, that was an unpardonable crime. Lest Ray think that I don't appreciate his taking time to fill us in, here is what you should have read last month. Ray built his own J-Roberts type control system. It uses four lines, three of them electric, to operate his model's operational features. The options he uses are throttle control (mechanical), retractable landing gear (electric), flaps (electric), bomb drop (mechanical), and fuel shutoff (mechanical). Also, all controls in the cockpit work with the control surfaces, both the main and tail landing gear have full working oleos, and the oil cooler doors open and close. Ray uses a 12-5 prop, instead of a 12-6 as I said last month.
Control Line: Scale
AIR FORCE Major Roland Baltes of San Pedro, California was the third qualifier for the 1978 U.S. CL Scale Team, flying an impressive 65-in. span Junkers JU-88 at the Riverside Nationals. The German JU-88 was a twin-engined medium bomber used extensively (only the Me-109 and Fw-190 were produced in greater numbers) by the Luftwaffe throughout World War II. It gained a reputation as being then nearest thing to an all-purpose airplane that had ever been built, and it was by far the best of the Luftwaffe's rather mediocre bomber fleet. Its unique adaptability found different versions fighting on all the German fronts in the divers roles of day fighter; night fighter; level, dive, and torpedo bomber; ballon destroyer; mine layer; ground attack aircraft; reconnaissance and communications aircraft; and, towards the end of the war, a flying bomb.
Control Line: Scale
THIS IS the first column I've been able to put together entirely along the format, or concept, that I originally envisioned as being the most beneficial and enjoyable to a wide range of CL Scale modelers. This issue has contributions from several readers from different parts of the country and different levels of scale experience. Some names are possibly familiar to you, some not. What they have in common are interesting ideas or techniques that they want to pass on for your future reference and possible use. I thank these fellows for taking the time to write, and encourage others to do the same. 1977 Nats Champ Ray Smith (see Feb. '78 MA CL Scale) sent data on one of his earlier scale ships, a Douglas A-26 In-Invader. Historically, the full-size Invader is significant in that it is generally acknowledged as the best, most destructive of WW2's lightweight piston-powered twin-engined bombers.
