SMALL-FIELD FLYING
UPSCALED RC CONVERSIONS
By Pat Tritle | patscustommodels@gmail.com
THIS SUMMER LITERALLY flew by. It was an exceptionally wet and windy year here in the high desert, so flight opportunities were somewhat hindered. Because of the downtime, I was able to finish all of my summer projects and get them flown and trimmed before our field closed to prepare for the annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in New Mexico in October.
In retrospect, though, it’s been a fantastic year in modeling, with the completion of five new projects that range from a multiengine airliner, to a double-scale Free Flight (FF) aircraft, to an RC conversion. Among those was also the aileron conversion of the Dumas 40-inch wingspan, three-channel Stinson Voyager. Now that our flying field is closed, we’ll be flying in a much smaller venue, so the double-scale Dos Alas and the four-channel Stinson will come in handy.
Because we’re heading into a new building season and I have talked before about FF-to-RC conversions, upscaling nonscale Sport FF models is definitely a recipe for success. After all, if a small model is stable enough to fly well on its own, it can’t help but do well as a larger RC model.
For the more adventurous modelers among us, it’s a whole new way to pursue the skyways less traveled, and with all of the plans sources, such as AeroFred.com and Outerzone, the number of possibilities is staggering.
For those who are not quite confident enough to take on a project as big as an up-scaled RC conversion of the older designs, starting more simply with a four-channel conversion from an existing three-channel kit might be just the ticket. Typically, cutting in ailerons is not a major undertaking. Simply look at existing four-channel designs that are similar to the model you’re building and emulate those techniques. Because much more dihedral is needed to turn a “rudder-only” model, the dihedral will need to be reduced to approximately 2° or so when ailerons are added.
Companies such as Dumas Products, Brodak Manufacturing, Stevens AeroModel, Manzano Laser Works, Herr Engineering, and many others offer a number of three-channel kits, so finding a starting point shouldn’t be a problem.
From One Multiengine Lover to Another
For those who love multiengine models, John Donnelly has mastered that art form. Included in the lineup are the B-17, Lockheed “Connie” Constellation, the B-29, B-24, and a C-54 conversion from a DC-6 kit. All of the models were built from Dare/Brodak kits, including the Ercoupe, which doesn’t qualify as a multiengine, but because it’s a multitail aircraft, I’ll welcome it to the pack as well.
John describes the kits as, “a lot of fun to build, and they fly great.” Building any multiengine model is a big undertaking, but having done five of them, he’s a dedicated lover of multis for sure.
Sliding back into the realm of four-channel conversions, our old friend Michael Myers has taken it a step further. Michael is probably one the most prolific and diverse modelers I’ve had the pleasure of knowing, and I always look forward to seeing his next creation. This time around, he tried his hand at wing warping for lateral control.
The project began with the Dare/Brodak Andrew Hewitt-designed, 56-inch wingspan Moraine-Saulnier L/F kit. All of the flight controls are set up with pull-pull cables, and the wing warping was accomplished using a single servo running a bellcrank to drive the closed-loop cable system. The model was covered with Polyspan and painted with latex paint.
In Michael’s “post-maiden flight report,” he stated that the model flies great and the warping system works very well.
Stepping back—or should I say up—to the FF realm, Bill Hanshaw dropped in
with a photo of his Indoor 19-inch wingspan FF design. I’ll bet on those nice, calm days it could be flown successfully outdoors as well.
To keep the flying weight in check, Bill bowed all of the curved outlines with laminated 1/32 x 1/16-inch balsa. The new design also incorporates a “split rib” wing, which is essentially nothing more than a straight bottom with a curved top section and only a single main spar to hold the curve. It’s a beautiful design and looks like it has all of the makings for a terrific little flyer. I’ll keep you posted as soon as the model is finished and the flight reports are in.
Last but certainly not least, Tom Schaefer reduced the 28.3-inch wingspan built-up Pairadox to an 18-inch wingspan with profile tailbooms and fuselage. Tom flies in a somewhat small schoolyard, so he has to build smaller models to prevent his little
gems from being eaten by the surrounding trees. The model flew fairly well right off the board, and with a bit more trimming, it will do well in his smaller venue.
With that, I’m going to have to wrap things up. Once again, I’m impressed with the variety of models this month. From John’s multiengine fleet of aircraft, to Michael’s Wing Warper, to the simpler FF offerings from Bill and Tom, they are impressive to say the least.
Now that we’re full into the new building season, keep the good stuff coming, and do feel free to send photos of your latest projects. I love seeing what you’re up to, and even more, I love sharing your work with all of our like-minded modeling friends out there.
SOURCES:
Outerzone Vintage and Old-Timer Plans
admin@outerzone.co.uk
www.outerzone.co.uk
AeroFred.com
https://aerofred.com
Sig Mfg. Co., Inc. (Herr Engineering)
(641) 623-5154
www.sigmfg.com
Brodak Manufacturing & Distributing Company, Inc.
(724) 966-2726
www.brodak.com
Stevens AeroModel
(719) 387-4187
www.stevensaero.com
Manzano Laser Works
www.manzanolaser.com
