SOURCES FOR RC SCALE BUILDERS
By Stan Alexander | onawing4602@att.net
IT’S TIME TO START finding and ordering parts and other items for that next Scale project! Some sources are gone now, but many others still remain. For instance, Bob Holman Plans is still in business and has been for more than 50 years, offering plans, short kits, etc. Check it out.
The RCScaleBuilder.com (RCSB) RCSB Scale Vendor Resource Guide has to be one of the handiest lists of Scale sources for many products and companies. The guide, which is available when you subscribe to the website as a site supporter, has electric motors, markings, pilot figures, reference material, spinners, propellers, fan blades, engines, hardware, plans designers, landing gear, wheels, tools, kit cutters, publications, websites, fiberglass/casting supplies, paint and finish systems, and radio sources. These are just a few of the sources in the 47-page guide.
If you’ve ever built a Scale kit, such as one from Balsa USA or many others, you can find build threads in the forums. What does a build thread do for you and your kit? It gives you pointers along the way during construction to help you understand what you see on the plans and/or in the building manual. If you’re not sure whether you want to jump off into the world of plans- or scratch-building, this is a good place to start and find the information that you need.
Join the RCSB community and follow along with some of the best builders worldwide as they construct their masterpieces. Mike Chilson does an excellent job on it and the RCSB Scale Vendor Resource Guide. The membership is well worth the $25 per year to receive the guide and other benefits.
RCSB’s RCSB Scale Vendor Resource Guide is worth the price of membership. The Scale resources are updated regularly.
From the Shop
Sometimes the simplest building techniques can be the best and quickest to use. I’m so glad that Du-Bro has brought back its Kwik Sand Hand Sanders because they have multiple uses in the shop.
Beyond using them for sanding, at some point you will need to rip a sheet of balsa to make capstrips by placing the sheet balsa on your workbench and taping it down. Take the sanding bar (you don’t need sandpaper), hold it down tight to the balsa, and use a razor blade or X-Acto knife to carefully measure and cut the width that you need. It’s also great for cutting smaller, straight pieces to skin a wing, in addition to being used as a straightedge.
NASA and Its Raffles
The National Association of Scale Aeromodelers (NASA) was founded many years ago and has grown and changed, as has the face of Scale modeling here in the US. NASA supports RC, Control Line (CL), and Free Flight Scale modeling on its Facebook page, website, and in a newsletter as well.
The AMA Special Interest Group (SIG) runs the RC and CL Scale Nats at AMA’s International Aeromodeling Center in Muncie, Indiana. Through raffles, it sponsors RC Scale competitions every year. This year, NASA is up to approximately 16 contests nationwide.
One of the raffles is from CH Ignitions for a seven-cylinder radial engine that retails for $3,300. The raffle will support
recommended by Dale Arvin and his experience with it. I’m looking forward to getting this one up in the air. I still need to solder and mount the gear for it and do a lot of sanding.
Fair skies and tailwinds, and wish our FAI Scale teams luck in August!
the RC F4C and CL F4B Scale teams going to Romania to compete in the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) F4 World Championships for Scale Model Aircraft.
Legend Hobby has been an ongoing supporter, but this year, the company really came through for the NASA raffle with an 86-inch wingspan Douglas AD-5 Skyraider model that is decked out in U.S. Navy colors. The ready-to-fly raffle prize includes a Stinger 63 engine, a JR PROPO T14×4 radio, a receiver, servos, Robart Manufacturing retracts and scale wheels, a dummy pilot from Warbird Pilots, switches and batteries from ElectroDynamics, and a dummy engine from Scale RC Engines—that’s just the first prize!
The second prize is a Jerry Bates 91-inch wingspan full kit from Bob Holman Plans with scale retracting gear, all donated by RCSB.
Other prizes include a Desert Aircraft DA-85 engine and an all-wood airplane stand. I would have to say that the manufacturers have been very generous this year!
What happens to the funds that are collected? NASA supports clubs that hold Scale contests and provide the paperwork with a generous check to help with expenses. This would be a great way for other SIGs or clubs to build contests for their segments of the hobby.
Our thanks go to all of the manufacturers, as well as NASA President Mike Barbee, Vice President Steve Eagle, and Carl Handley for their quick work assembling the Skyraider and having it ready for the Toledo Swap Meet & Expo.
I’ll have more on the Balsa USA Eindecker next time. I have decided to install an NGH G17 gas engine in it, as recommended by Dale Arvin and his experience with it. I’m looking forward to getting this one up in the air. I still need to solder and mount the gear for it and do a lot of sanding.
SOURCES:
Bob Holman Plans
(909) 556-6543
www.bhplans.com
Du-Bro
(800) 848-9411
www.dubro.com
CH Ignitions
(561) 927-6171
www.ch-ignitions.com
Legend Hobby
(833) 927-2473
www.legendhobby.com
JR PROPO/Dee Force
www.deeforce.net
Robart Manufacturing
(630) 584-7616
www.robart.com
Warbird Pilots
(203) 528-4352
www.warbirdpilots.com
Desert Aircraft
(520) 722-0607
www.desertaircraft.com
