SCALE FLY-INS
AND DAWN
PATROLS
By Stan Alexander | onawing4602@att.net
SCALE FLY-INS AND DAWN PATROLS have become popular in the past 10 years or so. Some are for warbirds and classics, while others are for World War I or pre-WW I types of aircraft. Others are straight jet events, such as the ever-popular Jets Over Kentucky.
If you have a WW I scout-type aircraft, such as a Nieuport 17 or the Eindecker E.III, you could participate in most of the events noted, except for jets. With some work and extra parts, you could make a Scale model from a Sport Scale kit as well. My point is that there is something for anyone who wants to fly a Scale model.
We tend to see increasingly larger models at fly-ins, as well as at contests. Why? They fly better. You have to counter this, however, with whether it will fit in your car, truck, or whatever you plan to haul it in. Trailers are extremely popular and work well if you have a place to put them.
Balsa USA
Balsa USA is arguably the largest kit producer in the US at this time, if not the world. The company’s kits dominate the market in WW I-series aircraft. Many Scale modelers would love to see Balsa USA start marketing Golden Age aircraft as well. It also has smaller 1/6-size models and nearly anything you need to add to or finish your next model. The company offers Sport Scale models built to fly well, much like some of the older Top Flite models that we saw back in the 1970s.
One of my favorite models is Balsa USA’s 1/4-scale Fokker D.VII kit. It has an 88-inch wingspan, which is usually a good size for both flying and transportation. We have seen these flown on gas, glow, and electric power. Color
schemes are abundant for the aircraft type, but lozenge fabric is often hard to find, and when you do find it, the price is through the roof for just one roll of lozenge fabric.
A popular model for Dawn Patrol is the Eindecker E.III. Balsa USA offers two sizes of it and it truly is Sport Scale, or Fun Scale if you compete with it. The one I have is the larger of the two—the Eindecker 90. Engine sizes are listed for a .46- to .60-size or .61- to .90-size FS glow engine. It doesn’t have an equivalent listed for gas or electric power. I’m guessing a 90-size electric motor would fly the model at a scalelike speed.
I’m going to go with a 20cc Stinger gas engine from Legend Hobby. This should swing a large propeller with lots of torque. I’ll also beef up the center section to fly this engine. It has an 80-inch wingspan, which should be a nice size at my local field or at a Dawn Patrol event sometime this summer. I just wish that Balsa USA would come out with a 1/3-scale version of the Eindecker III, which would be impressive.
SR Batteries Eindecker
Ken Alcorn brought his SR Batteries model of the Eindecker (no longer available) to the Nats. This one has more scale details and is a 1/4-scale version that features a 100-inch wingspan, a G26 engine, Solartex natural linen finish, and a Spektrum radio system. Check out the details in the photos!
100th Anniversary of the AMA Nats
This year’s AMA Nats marks the 100th anniversary of the first Nats, and I have it on good authority that AMA is planning some special events for it. For Scale, it also marks the return to FAI Scale competition, with the team selection being held during the Scale Nats for both RC (F4H) and Control Line (F4B) classes.
It’s extremely important that you register now if you plan to compete to join the US team. Don’t wait until the Nats—that’s not how this works. Romania will be the host country and it does a great job holding international events. For people from the US who travel there, everything is inexpensive. Transportation is the most expensive part of the trip.
F4H and F4B
FAI F4H and F4B classes operate under relaxed Sport Scale-type rules for FAI standards. They aren’t really what we would call Sport Scale, but they’re close. You are only allowed five photos of the subject aircraft, along with color documentation and scale drawings. There is an article on
SOURCES:
Balsa USA
(800) 225-7287
www.balsausa.com
Legend Hobby
(833) WAR BIRD
www.legendhobby.com
Proctor Enterprises
(503) 668-8612
www.proctor-enterprises.com
the National Association of Scale Aeromodelers (NASA) website about static rules for this competition. F4H and F4B both use the same static rules.
From the Shop
When working on a model or assembling it, having a magnetic screwdriver or socket head driver can be a real advantage. You can buy sets of these, but unless you pay a
small fortune for them, they don’t seem to work very well. Having a set of magnets to magnetize some of your tools really helps!
Fair skies and tailwinds.
