The Cessna C-165 Airmaster build
by Stan Alexander
onawing4602@att.net
It’s a new year with many changes for your columnist—including more time to fly and build!
I’ve mentioned my Cessna C-165 Airmaster in past columns and as I build it, I find bits and pieces that I want to modify. I’m trying to limit this because every modification cost me a lot of time when I built my Pietenpol Air Camper.
Am I a fast builder? Well, I haven’t been in the past, but I hope to change that with the Airmaster’s construction.
The Airmaster’s wing tube has been fitted to the wing panels and there was only one rib that needed sanding to snugly slide into position. I plan to use a combination of glues, including Elmer’s wood glue, medium Zap, and 5-minute and 30-minute epoxy.
I’ve started the fuselage construction with the longerons and crossmembers for the tail section. This will later be glued to the cabin center section on the fuselage.
I first had to bend the ⅜-inch spruce sticks. I accomplished this with a mixture of water and alcohol. After soaking the sticks, I bent the lower longerons into place. T-pins held them in place while the uprights of ¼-inch spruce and balsa were used.
I tried to assemble the “kit” for the model before construction began, but I’m sure there will be small pieces that I will still need.
RCScaleBuilder.com
I would like to share some background about RCScaleBuilder.com that was written by the website’s owner, Mike Chilson.
“It started as an idea in 2002 at the Rally of Eagles event while I was socializing with other modelers one evening. We all agreed it would be great to have our own community to share ideas and techniques, allow folks new in this aspect of the hobby to get help when they needed to, ask questions, communicate with designers, kit manufacturers, other vendors, and most importantly, to help inject a little life back into RC Scale modeling.”
One of the things I like about the RCScaleBuilder website is that Mike has a rigid set of rules to keep things positive, informative, and lighthearted. By joining the site with your own password, it keeps spammers out, and allows in those who are truly interested in a great place for useful information about building. The forum is composed of Scale modelers from around the world.
Major plans designers are represented on the forum section, which is where modelers show how they construct their aircraft—part by part. There are also documentation services and kit and plans builds with multiple pages of
Mint Julep
The 2016 Mint Julep Scale Open will be held May 20-22 at the Rough River Dam State Resort Park, in Falls Of Rough, Kentucky. The site has a paved full-scale runway that is suitable for any type of scale model you might like to bring. There is also grass from which to fly World War I aircraft.
All of the usual AMA Scale classes will be held. The contest directors (CDs), Dale and Jeremy Arvin, wanted me to let everyone know that if you plan to make your reservations at the park hotel or cabins, do so early because they are in limited supply.
2016 Scale Nats
The dates have changed! For the last several years, the Scale Nats has contended with other events in Muncie, Indiana, taking hotel rooms to the point that modelers had a hard time finding a place to stay. If they did find a place to stay, the prices were as if they were in sunny Florida on the beach, but this has changed. The dates are set for June 22 for practice, June 23 for static judging and practice, and June 24-25 for the flight competition. Make your reservations early!
This year, Site 4 with the grass runway will be used for RC Scale. We hope to see many more World War I aircraft in competition. I’m looking forward to the 90th Scale Nats this year.
Fair skies and tailwinds.
SOURCES:
RCScalebuilder.com
www.rcscalebuilder.com
One Eighth Air Force
Gunsmoke US Scale Masters Qualifier
Paul Goldsmith, CD
pt19nut@aol.com
(602) 323-7753
www.oeaf.org
U.S. Scale Masters
www.usscalemasters.org
Mint Julep Scale Meet
Dale Arvin, CD
812-987-2224
National Association of Scale Aeromodelers (NASA)
www.nasascale.org
AMA Nats
www.modelaircraft.org/events/nats.aspx
