Full-scale and model aircraft at EAA AirVenture
by Stan Alexander
onawing4602@att.net
It’s the middle of winter and I hope everyone is getting some building done this year. During the winter when we can’t get out to the field and fly as much as we would like, it’s always good to keep your hand-to-eye coordination working. This will help you out when you are able to fly later in the year.
I use a RealFlight flight simulator, available at my local hobby shop. There are a host of types of aircraft and helicopters from which to choose. I use a 40-inch screen mounted in the corner of the room for the simulator. No, it doesn’t match flying at the field, but it will help you when you get out there for the first time in a few months!
Ted Teach’s Ryan ST/ST-A
When I have the opportunity to go to EAA AirVenture, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, I am usually drawn to two particular sections: the warbirds and the classics/antiques. This year, sticking out like a shiny lightbulb, was an aircraft that is often modeled and manufactured as an ARF, but is rarely seen as a full-scale airplane.
Ted Teach flies both Free Flight and Control Line in Michigan. He also flies full-scale and restored a beautiful Ryan ST/ST-A. Photos of the painstaking restoration were on display at the 2016 EAA AirVenture Oshkosh with the airplane, which looked like a work of art.
Ted won the top trophy, the Antique Grand Champion Gold Lindy, with this highly polished version. I’ve included a few photos of the aircraft in the online portion of my column. Congratulations, Ted!
Tom Wolf’s Cessna L-19 Bird Dog
I often receive information about new and beautiful models from true craftsmen across the country. This month I want to feature Tom Wolf’s Cessna L-19 Bird Dog.
Tom scratch-built his Cessna with conventional built-up balsa, Lite Ply, and plywood. The finish is epoxy fiberglass and Klass Kote paint. The large markings were masked and painted, the registration number is a vinyl transfer from Callie Graphics, and the small markings are custom dry-transfer markings by Pro-Mark.
The aircraft includes a highly detailed cabin with instruments and safety
Tom Wolf’s L-19 is in the front, with the full-scale aircraft behind. Impressive!
Tom with his latest model, a Cessna L-19. He finished fourth at the U.S. Scale Masters Championships.
harnesses from IFlyTailies. The scratch-built pilot’s seat is mounted on rails and slides forward and rearward as per the full-scale aircraft. The seat and the cabin side-panel leather upholstery were done by Tom’s wife, Debbie. Access to the cabin is through a scalelike functional door and hinged window.
The fiberglass cowl includes functional access doors to the engine choke, mixture needles, ignition switch, and brake air fitting. The model also features functional navigation and landing lights from RAM, as well as pneumatic disk brakes with a proportional controller from Robart Manufacturing. The tires are from CB Associates and mounted on custom aluminum hubs and hub covers. The main landing gear is made from heat-treated 4130 steel. The leaf spring tail gear was formed from spring steel.
A Futaba 10CAG radio driving eight servos provides control for the model. Power is a Saito FG57T twin four-cycle gas engine (57cc displacement) that provides plenty of power for the 121-inch wingspan, 38-pound model. The big Cessna cruises in a scalelike manner at approximately ⅓ throttle, and takeoff and climbout only require roughly half throttle.
Tom accumulated flight time in preparation for the 2016 U.S. Scale Masters Championships in Davis, California, where he finished fourth in Expert class. Tom’s static score for the Bird Dog came out to 99.25, which he was happy about.
Upcoming Events
The Toledo Show: R/C Model Expo is just around the corner. By the time you receive this, it will be approximately a month away. There are several great trade shows across the country and this is arguably one of the best. It features plenty of manufacturers, models, and every product you can imagine. It will be held April 7-9 this year.
On my trip last year, I made a stop at the WACO Air Museum in Troy, Ohio. You can read all about it online in “Plane Talk” at www.ModelAviation.com.
During the 2016 show, I saw several Hitec radio systems that I liked. Even with their six-channel system (which is less expensive), they still have the slide levers on the sides of the radio, which are great for flaps and other scalelike operations.
I like to add a great transmitter tray to any radio that I use. It improves your flying, either at the home field or during the Scale Nats. Hope to see you there!
Fair skies and tailwinds.
SOURCES:
National Association of Scale Aeromodelers (NASA)
www.nasascale.org
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh
www.eaa.org/en/airventure
U.S. Scale Masters
www.usscalemasters.org/forumsfmf2
The Toledo Show: R/C Model Expo
www.toledoshow.com
Hitec
(858) 748-6948
www.hitecrcd.com
