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thunderationn · 4 years ago

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A Fleet Biplane with History

Recently, a new aircraft has been added to the lineup of vintage aircraft based at the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in the form of a Fleet Biplane Model-1. Own and piloted by David Trost, this Fleet Bipe is an original, not a replica and it also has an interesting history that reaches back to the February 1967 issue of Model Airplane News.

Above, The new Fleet Biplane on the flightline at the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome.

David’s Fleet, wears the markings that represent the Navy’s N2Y-1 version. It was designed with upper wing hooks to catch a trapeze suspended under an Navy airship. Once attached, the aircraft would be hoisted aboard and secured in the hanger-like interior of the airship. Seven such N2Y-1 planes were built and successfully demonstrated in trials with the Airships USS Akron and USS Macon in the early 1930s.

Above, David Trost in the cockpit of his impressive Fleet Biplane.

The N2Y-1 parasite aircraft were also used to train pilots that would subsequently fly the longer distance single-seat F9C Sparrowhawks reconnaissance aircraft. The two-seater N2Y-1 also acted as service aircraft, flying passengers to the in-route airships.

February 1967 issue of Model Airplane News

Above, Bill King poses with his 68 inch span Fleet Biplane.

Bill King, an very active part of the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, both on the ground and in the air, designed and published his plans for a Fleet Model-1 biplane. It was finished in the markings of a N2Y-1 and featured the extended vertical fin of the full-size aircraft. Bill was an active radio control modeller for many years, and was a founding member of the Rockland County Radio Control Club and in the early sixties, Bill became involved with Cole Palen’s Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome. Bill was a licensed aircraft mechanic and a pilot, and was active at the Aerodrome for 50 years on the ground and in the air, flying his own 1944 Tiger Moth among other vintage planes. Bill and his older brother Dick were a big part of the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome family and were very much involved with the day to day operation of the famous air museum. Bill passed away in 2016.

The plans are still available at the Airagestore.com website and it uses traditional balsa and plywood construction. Click Here.

ORIGINAL HISTORY

The Fleet Model 1 (originally the Consolidated Model 14 Husky Junior) and its derivatives were a family of two-seat trainer and sports biplanes produced in the United States and Canada in the 1920s and 1930s. They all shared the same basic design and varied mainly in their power-plants.

Originally created as a means for Consolidated to enter the civil market, the company abandoned this ambition shortly before the completion of the first prototype. The manufacturing rights were purchased by designer and Consolidated company president Reuben Fleet to put into production under his new enterprise, Fleet Aircraft. It was an immediate success, and in the first year of production alone, over 300 machines were sold. Consolidated quickly responded by buying Fleet Aircraft and retaining it as a subsidiary while opening a second production line at Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada. The Canadian manufacturing was a great success, with some 600 examples built for the Royal Canadian Air Force as the Fleet Fawn (Model 7) and Fleet Finch (Model 16).

SPECS

Crew: 2

Length: 20 ft. 9 in.

Wingspan: 28 ft.

Height: 7 ft. 10 in.

Wing area: 195 sq. ft.

Empty weight: 1,063 lb.

Gross weight: 1,820 lb.

Fuel capacity: 55 US gal.

Powerplant: 1 × Warner Scarab 7-cylinder radial engine, 110 hp.

PERFORMANCE

Maximum speed: 113.5 mph.

Cruise speed: 88 mph.

Service ceiling: 12,200 ft.

Rate of climb: 730 ft./min.

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thunderationn · 4 years ago

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Install a Sliding Canopy

Many scale modelers simply can’t leave well enough alone. They often find ways to improve their scale projects. With the VQ Warbirds Corsair ARF as a base model, A complete makeover to add lots of details is fun, but to kick it up a notch, a sliding canopy is one of the several sub projects that add life to the model warbird.

Here’s the Starting Point of the ARF Corsair

The Corsair comes with a molded-in floor allowing for only a pilot bust but I cut it away to installed a full-depth depth cockpit. I used the parts from a Ty’s Models cockpit kit, available from VQ Warbirds, to add a little extra detail to Pappy’s “office.” With all that taken care of, it was time to work on the canopy.

SLIDING CANOPY

I felt it was a shame to hide my scale Pappy under a full canopy so for this project I wanted the canopy to be functional. In the past I have only ever made canopies open manually, but for the Corsair, I went the extra mile and make the canopy open with my transmitter.

The canopy alone is very flimsy and brittle and running it under warm water before cutting helps ease trimming. I wasn’t confident that it would hold up so I ordered a replacement from VQ Warbirds which is identical in size and shape. I needed to stiffen the canopy frame so it would hold its shape while opening and closing. Using the original, un-cut ESM canopy, I taped it to the fuselage and made a simple external balsa frame to keep the canopy’s shape once I removed it from the fuselage.

External Bracing in place

I then removed the balsa cradle and canopy from the fuselage and sprayed the inside with some universal mold release. I then laid in two layers of carbon fiber cloth and allowed the epoxy to cure overnight. After popping it out of the canopy, it was trimmed to shape and became the perfect internal frame for my sliding canopy.

A little spray of mold release inside the canopy prevents the layup from sticking in place.

After the resin cures, the carbon fiber molding pops right out.

Nice and smooth and it fits the canopy shape perfectly.

Carbon fiber framework cut to shape.

For the guide rails, I used some slotted square brass rails and carefully installed them in the fuselage sides and along the inside edge of the cockpit opening. Ball links are used to capture canopy inside the rail and allows it to move with the use of a single, long-stroke air cylinder located forward of the instrument panel.

Guide Rails made from K&S Square Brass Tubes slotted with a Moto-Tool and Cutoff disk.

Guide Rails in position.

This arrangement gives a “push to open” and a “pull to close” operation. I cut the carbon fiber frame to shape with a Moto-Tool and a cut-off disc and then I glued the clear canopy to the inside of the frame. The canopy be removed from the rails by unscrewing the ball links which pass through the frames.

Operation

If I had more channels on my transmitter I’d put the canopy function on its own switch. At the time I built the model, I only had an 8-channel radio so I slaved the canopy function off the flap channel with a Y-harness.

Internal Drive setup to open and close Canopy.

I set it up so canopy does not open during landings (with one notch of flaps dialed in.) The model doesn’t need full flap to land. After landing I add another notch of flaps and the canopy sides open. The flaps do move down a little bit more but it only on the ground and does not affect anything else. With a 10-channel radio, it would be simple to assign the canopy function to its own channel and open it on command.

Which way to the front!?

Having this bit of animation added to any scale plane greatly increases it realism and sends the “Wow Factor” right off the charts. For a little bit of work, you get a lot of attention. Give it a try, you’re buddies will be amazed!

Canopy all buttoned up, ready for takeoff.

Doesn’t look like an ARF anymore! Weathering helps a lot too!

Article and photos by Sean McHale

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thunderationn · 4 years ago

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Aerobatic Scale Biplane — Smoking WACO YMF-5

Expert scale modeler and pilot Mitch Epstein, enjoys flying his impressive WACO YMF-5 civilian biplane and has been a successful competitor with it. Mitch’s WACO is a modified AMR kit that he powered with a powerful Moki 215 radial engine, turning a 32×18 propeller.

Mitch covered the biplane with Nelson fabric, and finished his Waco with automotive Dupont basecoat/clearcoat paint, and homemade graphics. For radio gear Mitch uses a JR 10x transmitter, and onboard he has dual LiFE 6.6V 2300mAh battery packs and switches. Feeding the radial engine is a 50oz fuel and next to it is a 50oz smoke oil tank for his “Showtime” smoke system’s variable speed pump.

Some changes Mitch made to the AMR kit were to add corrugations to the ailerons, Airfoil shaped flying wires, scale hinging on the ailerons and elevators, full instrument panels and cockpits, rib stitching with pinked surface tapes, scale tail-wheel and fairing, wheel pant fairings, landing gear upper fairings, hidden cowl mounts and all attachment hardware using countless #0 Philips head screws.

The “N” struts are modified in order to replicate the adjustability of the full scale. Rib stitching was replicated using short pieces of fishing line glued over the ribs and covered with pinked edge tape. Paint used was DuPont automotive basecoat/clearcoat in order to obtain the shiny finish of the original. I also installed a navigation and landing lights.

After countless flights, Mitch says the WACO really feels dialed in and is a wonderful airplane to fly! Mitch has placed 4th in the Expert class at the 2010 Top Gun event and also received the pilot’s choice Best Civilian. The WACO also earned a Best of Show at the 2010 WRAM Show. Mitch’s WACO was also featured in the December 2010 issue of MAN and was the issue’s cover plane.

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thunderationn · 4 years ago

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What’s your Favorite Scale Detail?

The editors of Model Airplane News are really into scale RC airplanes. When you build a scale project, its like working on and assembling several smaller scale projects, then adding them all together to come up with one impressive aircraft. Some modelers love detailing the outside surfaces of their models with panel lines and rivets, while others enjoy detailing the inside of the cockpit. As the summer months are now upon us and there are a bunch of scale events to attend and fly at, we’d like to ask: “What turns you on about scale airplanes?” Those small additions that really help bring your model airplane to life.

Tell us what your favorite piece of scale detail is? Working flaps, scale propeller, dummy engine, retracts? How about a functional bomb drop or a sliding canopy? Instrument panels, machine guns, accurate nose art? Tell us what you like and why. When it comes a top notch scale airplanes, it’s all in the details

Dummy rotary and radial engines? This one from Nick Ziroli Giant Scale Plans. ziroligiantscaleplans.com

Scale Propellers? These are from Falcon Propellers. falcompropellers.com

Accurate cockpit and instrument panel details? This was built from an Arizona Model Aircrafter laser cut kit. Servos under the pilot seat move the joy stick! arizonamodels.com

Accurate Airplane Markings and Insignia? Red5Designs.com makes it easy with stick-on markings.

Scale, period-accurate pilot figure? Who else but Warbird Pilots?

And for Jet aircraft also! warbirdpilots.com

Vintage Wheels? Du-Bro Products has all sorts of types and sizes.

Be sure to watch for our upcoming December 2021 issue of MAN. Our annual Scale Special issue, it will include many popular scale accessories and planes. dubro.com

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thunderationn · 4 years ago

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Secrets to Hovering — Master this 3D Move

Of all 3D maneuvers, it’s possible that none represent 3D flying more than hovering. While learning to hover can be extremely challenging, you can make it easier for yourself by knowing the primary forces involved. Control while hovering is maintained solely by the propeller thrust or “prop-wash” over the tail surfaces and the inboard portions of the ailerons. It typically takes approximately half throttle to maintain a stationary hover but that usually provides only marginal control. Therefore, you need to continually pump the throttle higher while hovering in order to generate more propwash over the surfaces without holding the higher throttle positions long enough to cause the airplane to climb.

Next, understand that the “propwash,” generated by the turning propeller, spirals around the fuselage and strikes the left side of the vertical tail, thus producing a strong left yaw tendency during hover. Consequently, you’ll need constant right rudder inputs to keep the fuselage vertical. (Note: Building in a couple degrees of right thrust lessens the effect of the propwash while hovering, but it does not eliminate it.)

A great deal of the propwash also strikes the underside of the left stab, causing the plane to pitch forward during hover. Therefore, barring any wind, you can expect to regularly need up-elevator along with right rudder to keep the fuselage vertical while hovering.

There is also considerable left rotational torque while hovering, so you’ll need to hold in large amounts of right aileron to keep the wings stationary. If the plane continues to torque to the left despite holding in full right aileron, you may have to increase the right aileron travel. If you can’t keep the plane from torquing even with full aileron, you’ll have to boost the throttle higher each time the plane starts to torque to further increase the effectiveness of the ailerons.

CONTROL TECHNIQUE

The standard entry into a hover starts by slowing the airplane and then abruptly pulling to vertical, causing the airplane to suddenly stop all forward movement. Be aware that you most likely will need to input some right rudder and aileron to counter the propeller forces while pulling up to vertical. Then immediately start pumping the throttle to maintain the same height as well as control.

A hover will quickly unravel if you are late correcting a deviation, so keep your fingers moving at all times, even when the airplane appears momentarily stable. This will make sure that you’re always ready to respond to deviations the instant they occur.

As a rule, if the tail swings more than five degrees from vertical while hanging on the prop, it will be very hard to stop the deviation due to the pendulum effect. To minimize over-controlling, you must try to limit your rudder and elevator corrections during hover to small brief bumps or jabs.

If a deviation is larger than five degrees and requires a larger correction, any large correction will have to be immediately followed by a quick opposite jab to keep the response from escalating.

Try to limit over-controlling by keeping your inputs tiny and brief, and if you must input a larger bump, immediately input an opposite bump to limit the response.

ADVANCED HOVER TIPS Since a sustained hover demands immediate corrections, use of too much expo will delay the control response and thus hinder hover success. If you feel that the plane is lagging behind your control inputs, reducing the expo settings will likely improve your ability to hover.

CG Considerations

It has long been said that an aft CG makes an airplane easier to hover. While a tail-heavy condition helps flat spins and tumbling maneuvers, after years of 3D flying and testing, neither an aft nor forward CG has proven to have much impact on hovering flight. In fact, more and more professional 3D pilots set up their planes these days slightly nose-heavy to make them more predictable and less erratic. All things considered, most pilots are best served to go with a “neutral” CG (near the wing’s thickest point or approximately one third of the wing chord) to achieve the best overall performance.

Although it’s rarely possible to achieve a perfectly vertically balanced airplane, i.e., with the tail hanging straight down, getting it as close as possible can make the airplane lock into a much easier hover. If you can, try to position the batteries and other items as high as possible in the fuselage to offset the weight of the landing gear, etc.

On the other hand, if over-controlling seems to be a persistent problem, i.e., the corrections you make typically end up causing more deviations. To solve this, in addition to practicing smaller control inputs, try increasing your expo percentages.

If your airplane exhibits an especially strong tendency to pitch forward while hovering, putting in additional up-elevator trim will certainly help. But the trick that works best is to aim to hover with the fuselage tilted a couple degrees toward the canopy.

Some 3D pilots like to determine the exact power setting that their airplane hovers at and then they flatten the throttle curve a bit around that setting to make the throttle less sensitive. On a similar note, using a lower pitch propeller affords a larger power sweet spot during hover in which the throttle is less sensitive and therefore less prone to over-controlling.

CONCLUSION

To avoid over-controlling, try to limit your rudder and elevator corrections to small, brief bumps or jabs when working to keep the fuselage vertical during hover.

While there will always be pilots who try to impress others by throwing the sticks into the corners until altitude forces them to recover, they don’t come close to knowing the satisfaction that comes from learning to hover. It may be challenging, but you can take confidence from knowing that you’re now armed with the knowledge to learn at a rate much faster than most! Good luck.

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thunderationn · 4 years ago

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WW I Award Winner: Brian Perkins’ Bristol Scout

Close up or on the wing, Brian’s Bristol Scout is an amazing scale masterpiece

There were so many great models and talented RC builders and pilots at the Annual WW1 RC Jamboree, it was impossible to check out all of them at the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome. One excellent flyer that shows up regularly is Brian Perkins from Kingston, Ontario Canada with his 35% scale Bristol Scout. Brian scratch built his Model-D and it is a true masterpiece. Brian always flies up a storm during the Jamboree and he has won many awards over the years for his efforts. Check out our flightline video interview below:

youtube

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thunderationn · 4 years ago

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de Havilland DHC-1 Chipmunk

It all Started With Bubble Gum

by Budd Davisson

It’s funny what you remember about your roots in aviation: I remember, for instance, how hard I used to search for airplane bubble gum cards. The gum was usually mouse colored and shattered on impact, but the cards were works of art guaranteed to fire a 12-year-old imagination. Even then, however, I prided myself on my good sense; I didn’t eat the gum and I lived for the day I got a deHavilland Chipmunk card.

The Chipmunk is, was, and always will be, one of aviation’s pleasures for the eye. As a teenager, I liked the way it looked. And, although I’m a hell of a long way from being a teenager, I still like its looks. The Chipmunk is ageless. I, unfortunately, am not. I am, however, one of the many thousands who agree com-pletely on the aesthetics of the Chipmunk; it is an airplane with the lines, performance and pedigree of a pure-bred. So, what’s not to like?

The Chipmunk, believe it or not, is the direct successor to the Tiger Moth as the RCAF/RAF primary trainer. After the British had squeezed all the service they possibly could out of the hopelessly dated mess of wire and fittings that was the Tiger Moth, they skipped directly to the Chipmunk, an airplane light years away from the Tiger Moth in design.

Where the Tiger Moth was possessed of every trick of the bridge-building trade circa 1925, the Chipmunk was state of the art aircraft design for its day, circa 1946. Made to perform on exactly the same engine as the Tiger Moth, the 145 hp Gypsy Major, the Chipmunk outperformed the Moth in every possible way and still managed to have the same forgiving landing characteristics. To do that, with one less wing, means the airplane has to be light . . . and it is. The wings utilize a metal torque box forward of the main spars, but the aft sections are fabric covered, as are all controls. The fuselage is covered with the lightest possible metal with what looks to be a thousand stringers running to and from inside to stiffen things up.

The aerobatic Chipmunk “Specials” such as Art Scholl’s or Bob Russell’s are obviously very beefed up versions that bear little or no resemblance structurally to an original Chipmunk. The fuselage is usually double skinned, the center section strengthened every way possible, the tail volume is increased and attach fittings beefed up. As originally designed, the ‘Munk could, and would, do excellent, graceful acrobatics, but they were of the low-G variety rather than the all out, vein-busting airshow or competition types we see today.

As with everything British, there are dozens of variations on the Chipmunk theme. Early specifications for the airplane call for three slightly different variants of the British versions, T.10, T.20 and a civil T.21. The Canadian built ‘Munks were either DHC-1 Bs or DHC-1 C. With the exception of the two-piece, bird-cage canopy on some of the British models, they all appear identical from the outside. Structurally, however, the Canadian built aircraft are preferable because of a series of mods made late in the production program.

Although there were a total of 1400 Chipmunks produced (1200 British and 200 Canadian) and hundreds have been imported into the U.S., there are really very few of them around in original condition. Many Chipmunks have been clipped, beefed, re-engined and lightened for aerobatics, and others have been Americanized for convenience with a Lycoming or Continental replacing the cute, but aging, Gypsy Major. In fact there are so few absolutely original Chipmunks around these days that when one does make an appearance, it is an occasion worthy of a few snapshots.

Richard Bidlack of Fremont, Ohio is one of those few who has chosen to repair and maintain his Chipmunk rather than go the modification route. His airplane is so authentic that the fuselage paint is what it was sporting when it was released by an RAF Flying School. Only the wings have been refinished. The originality extends to the inside, where all is still British, as it was when loaded on the boat. The ridiculous brake system is still intact, as is the shotgun shell starter, the nautical style horizontal compass, and all the other quaint and very British accoutrements that make RAF/ RCAF aircraft what they are.

I had the opportunity to strap on Bidlack’s airplane and sample the classroom through which every British and RCAF aviator of the 1950’s went. It was also an opportunity to wonder at the incredible diffusion that must exist within the British aerospace industry. I say ”diffusion” because here is a typical early British /Canadian design, and the ‘Munk is an excellent design, but when you get right down to working with the systems, some of the excellence gets bogged in workings that vary from being ridiculously simple to Goldbergian complicated. A case in point is the Chipmunk braking system.

There are no separate brake pedals. Rather, there is a brake lever on the left side of the cockpit with a ratchet affair that allows you to set it partially on. With the lever partially pulled, you get both brakes if you have the rudder bar centered, or one brake if a rudder pedal is depressed. This sounds fine except that when taxiing, you find yourself working the brake lever with your left hand and crossing over with the right hand to use the throttle. This leaves the stick to do whatever it wants to. On rollout, to make a turn off the runway or to do any kind of quick maneuvering to clear the runway, you have to let go of the stick or the throttle and grab the brake, a decidedly unnatural thing to do.

Where the braking system is complex, a central portion of it, the rudder system, is simple in the extreme, as it is nothing more than a bar with a bolt in the middle of it. So, your feet, situated on either end of the bar, travel in a little circle when you use the rudders. The carb heat is equally simple, a cable with a latch on the end that you pull back and latch down when ready to reduce power.

Since the shotgun shells for the six-shooter style cartridge starter in the Chipmunk cost from $5-$10 each, Bidlack props his airplane to get it started. This involves priming the machine until it starts to vomit raw gas, then pulling it through a certain number of times to wet all four cylinders before throwing the mags on. Then, when mags are on, you get some hapless soul who has a great love for aviation and well developed shoulders to do your slave labor. This particular day the engine was hot and we were just about to start on the second shift of proppers before we got the boiler lit.

Taxiing the airplane was, at first anyway, a challenge to my natural instincts. Although I was strapped into the front pit, the normal solo position, and had fair visibility, I felt uncomfortable as hell trying to taxi an airplane with the stick flopping around free. The airplane didn’t seem to mind, but it was certainly starting to tweak my nerves. The rudder will almost, but not quite, steer the airplane itself (there is no tailwheel steering) so occasionally, I’d have to reach down with the left hand tug on the brake lever to tighten a turn.

When you’re taxiing something military, even something as docile and benign as a Chipmunk, a neat little quiver starts to work its way from your butt to your brain; flat black paint, placards in a language that only vaguely resembles American English, controls and knobs that are of a size and placement that say they mean business. Although it is a trainer, it’s a military trainer and that removes it a far, far reach from a C-150 or a Cherokee.

I worried mildly about getting the ‘Munk aimed more or less straight down the runway for the initial part of the takeoff roll. I had visions of a flurry of hands and feet filling the cockpit, as I would try to get some braking action, while advancing the throttle, to keep it straight until the rudder had enough air in it. However, upon poking the 145 fine English ponies in their rumps, I found that the slightest amount of prop wash was enough for that sail-sized rudder to keep things lined up.

The little 145hp Gypsy engine is identical to the original Tiger Moth engine and turns a special, twisted-metal prop that requires the mounting pads serial numbered to that exact prop and they aren’t easy to find.

It seems deHavilland has a fetish for rudders. Everything they’ve ever designed had enough rudder area for two or three airplanes and the Chipmunk is no exception. When I picked the tail up on takeoff, I found myself having to be a little careful and use rudders sparingly because the slightest amount of rudder pedal was enough to send the nose hunting off in the daisies. It was far from being sensitive, but there is no doubt that your feet have complete control of your destiny when on the runway.

There is something very tangible about the way the Chipmunk lifts you off the runway. It isn’t a violent lurching where the engine plays as important a role as the wings and it isn’t a vague separation of pavement and rubber. There is a very real feeling that the wings have filled with buoyancy and have overcome gravity with the miracle of their airfoil shape.

Only in sailplanes have I been conscious of the feeling of flight begun, of the absolute separation of flight and lesser activities’ on the ground. In the Chipmunk, I had that feeling. It actually flew into the air. It wasn’t dragged, clawing and screaming, into an environment it would rather avoid. It eagerly lifted itself into a place where it knew it belonged. And it made me, the passenger/ pilot, feel as if I belonged as well.

The moment the Chipmunk is off the ground and doing its best to climb at 700-800 fpm, you know you have ahold of one of the finest sets of controls in the world. Everything about the stick and rudders is smooth and light. There is no friction and the forces are almost insignificant. However, to give the pilot a chance at precision control without oversensitivity, the stick ratios are fairly long; you have to move the stick a reasonable amount to effect the change you desire. It is the best of all possible combinations because the light forces and immediate response of the airplane combine with the right amount of stick movement to make it an almost unbearable joy to ask the Chipmunk to take you where you please.

Considering the airplane’s size (34 foot span) and weight (2100 pounds loaded), it is notable that only 145 horses can make it perform as well as it does. 700-800 feet per minute climb puts it right up with the 7KCAB Citabria and Decathlon which have more horses, and the 115-120 mph cruise is about what a Cherokee does. So it need apologize to no one for its normal performance specs.

What performance specifications don’t reflect is the explosion of emotion that comes from being able to pull up into an absolutely effortless four-point roll. In most airplanes, such a maneuver is done against the airplane’s own wishes, it fights you and you have to force it to deliver every nuance a hesitation roll holds. Not so with the Chipmunk. It is ahead of you all the way because it gives the feeling that it enjoys doing rolls and loops much more than you do. Without an inverted system it coughs and chokes from lack of nourishment when you put negative Gs on it, but otherwise, it is possessed of grace and dignity in all of its maneuvers.

The airplane’s stalls just about aren’t. As the airspeed falls under 40 knots, the stick will begin rattling and shaking and the airplane starts bucking, telling you it’s about to stall. A few knots slower and all the commotion settles down to a continuous buffet as the stick comes back against the stop and the airplane mushes gently forward. Flaps down, the effect is the same, although a slight break can be forced by accelerating the stall in a bank.

When doing anything at reduced power settings, Bidlack cautioned that carb heat absolutely had to be employed. Apparently the Gypsy is notorious for spitting ice cubes out the tail pipe at temperatures as high as 85 degrees. Some RAF and RCAF training squadrons had the carb heat permanently in the “on” position.

Coming back into the pattern, Bidlack leaned forward over the back instrument panel and told me to carry about 65 knots on final and to wheel land it. Apparently it three-points okay but it wheel lands even easier and since I had no brakes to speak of for control, I was perfectly happy to take the easy way out.

As I turned onto a short final, it became obvious that this was probably an airplane in which a side slip was used a lot because it just doesn’t want to come down. Those same slabs of lift on each side of the fuselage that made the takeoff so enjoyable also keep the Chipmunk in the air a long time with no power. I had a healthy head wind, so a slip wasn’t necessary, but even so, I didn’t come down exactly where I wanted.

As the runway came leisurely up to meet us, I leveled off at what I hoped was several feet high and began holding it off waiting for it to decide to descent. And I waited . . . and waited. Finally, at some number that hardly shows on the airspeed indicator, it decided to come down and I gently felt for the pavement. Chunk! I kissed the runway a little harder than I hoped and got a slight hop. Bidlack shouted that the mains hadn’t even left the ground, but even so, when things felt solid again, I pinned the airplane down with just a bit of forward stick. In that position, rolling on the mains, it felt as solid as a tri-gear bird, with visibility to match. Once again the rudder told me that it was more than capable of handling the job and reminded my feet that excessive force was going to be rewarded with excessive dancing around on the runway.

When the tail came down and I began thinking about turning off the runway, Bidlack shouted for me to just let go of the stick and do the old cross-the-cockpit hand-jive with the throttle and brake again. Very, very strange!

As I swung into a parking slot I pushed the mixture all the way forward, that’s right, forward, because it works backwards. Still the engine didn’t show any signs of strangling, so I twisted around and asked Bidlack how to shut this thing off. He described a gizmo down in front of my right knee, which looked like a giant hand grenade pin. I wrapped a finger through the ring and pulled. Instantly the engine acted as if I had a hold of its windpipe and died. I couldn’t help but smile a little at the crudeness, but efficiency of the shutdown procedures.

There are plenty of Chipmunks to be had these days, most of them being Canadian models with bubble canopies and the various modifications. Even when they first began to show up as surplus, they weren’t cheap, because everybody immediately recognized them for what they were . . . an affordable light plane with a warbird’s tendencies.

I’ve often wondered, even as a kid, why the RAF/RCAF should have picked such a trivial name as “Chipmunk” for their new airplane. I mean, a service with a history of names like Spitfire, Sea Venom or even of Tiger Moth or Fox Moth surely could have found a better name. Or so I thought. Upon flying the airplane, I now find the name fits it perfectly. It has the kind of perky personality that you’d expect of a chipmunk. It’s joyous and full of fun and generally likes to cavort and play in the sun.

So the name is as right as everything else about the Chipmunk.

–BD

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thunderationn · 4 years ago

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Monster Bronco’s First Flight

Talk about first-flight jitters! Watch as Jörg Albrecht takes his slightly smaller than half-scale OV-10 Bronco out for its first flight and technical inspection.The 192-inch-span, built-up model weighs 210 pounds and is powered by two JetCat SPT 10 Turboprop turbines. Jörg designed the plane as well as its gears and brakes. Special thanks to Matthias Kerstan for making the video and to RCScaleAirplanes for posting it.

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thunderationn · 4 years ago

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Pro Tips for First Flight Success

Learning to fly is always easier and more fun with the aid of an experienced instructor. He will help you avoid those first few beginner mistakes and will help your airplane live a lot longer.

The Sportsman S+ RTF with SAFE Technology from Hobby Zone is one of the new generation trainer/sport fliers that comes with onboard stabilization. It makes learning to fly very easy.

For the first-time RC modeler, today is a great time for getting started in the hobby. The newest generation of easy-to-assemble, almost-ready-to-fly planes come in a wide variety of types and sizes. From electric-powered park fliers and microscale designs to your basic engine-powered, nitro-burning sport and trainer planes, the amount of work on the bench is minimal. Compared to the good old days, our newest RC planes aren’t very labor-intensive to assemble. Many even come out of the box completely ready to fly without any assembly required. “Plug and play” is a big part the hobby today, and it very easy to be successful. Really, the hardest part is deciding which model plane and radio system you want. Whether it has an electric power system or has an engine bolted to the firewall, once you decide on the airplane you like, you’ll need a flight plan to earn your RC wings. Let’s take a look at some of the basic techniques that you’ll need to know to be a successful RC pilot.

GETTING STARTED

If you are the social type who enjoys talking about RC planes as much as learning how to fly them, joining a local club is the way to go. Meeting monthly affords you the opportunity to get together with other like-minded RC addicts; it’s a lot like group therapy for the aviation minded. Clubs usually have a permanent flying field, and membership costs are relatively inexpensive compared to all the benefits you receive. Being a club member, you’ll quickly find out where local instructors hang out. The hobby is a great way to make new friends and to find useful hobby resources. Reading Model Airplane News is also a great way to start.

RADIO GEAR

One of the first tricks to learn deals with control reversal. When the airplane is headed toward you instead of flying away, left and right turns feel reversed. To level your wings, simply move the control stick toward the lower wingtip. This will keep you flying straight and level.

For the beginner, it’s best to start with a RTF (ready-to-fly) airplane that comes in a complete package, which includes everything you’ll need to fly your plane, including the radio. This way, there are no decisions to make and you know everything will work the way it is suppose to. For the modeler who is looking to stay in the hobby for the long haul, the purchase of a radio system is a good investment.

A standard full-house aileron-equipped plane requires four channels to operate. The basic controls are the throttle, rudder, elevator, and the ailerons. Once past the basics, you’ll want to think about adding more functions, such as flaps and possibly retractable landing gear, so a 6-channel radio system gives you flexibility for future development. Programmable computer radios are very popular because of the amount of adjustments and control mixing that you can do with the various channels. The basic features include dual rates and exponential, servo reversing, servo-travel adjustment, and basic mixing. Computer radios today are very affordable, so consider them a good investment for your future needs. Also, most radios systems come without servos; when you buy your radio, purchase separately the size, number, and type of servo that you’ll need for your particular model.

GROUND SCHOOL

Yes, a lot can be learned with the use of a good flight-simulator program, but nothing speeds your progress more than some quality time one-on-one with an instructor. Having someone help you avoid those first few common mistakes will not only speed your flight training but also help prevent you from having to buy two (or possibly three) replacement trainer planes before you solo.

During those first few flights, a training plan can be developed, with each of your flights having a specific goal. Building on what you’ve learned from previous flights allows you to move on after you master the basics. Learn to taxi around first, then after you and your instructor are comfortable with you controlling your plane on the ground, you can move on to the takeoff, straight and level flight, turning left and right, and flying at slow airspeeds. While on the ground, you’ll learn how to steer with the rudder and how to work the throttle smoothly. After you get the hang of it, you can start flying at low altitudes so that you can get used to flying in the traffic pattern. Then, you’ll begin working on your first few landing approaches.

Throughout the process, remember that this is all about having fun! If you begin to feel stress, tell your instructor and let him take over. You have to take a lot of little steps before you can run. A good tip is to always be aware of the wind direction and how it affects your airplane.

Buddy System

Modern buddy-box training systems have cut the cable between the two transmitters and are now wireless.

By far, the best way to learn how to fly is with a system called a buddy box. A buddy box uses a cable connected between the instructor’s transmitter and that of the student, but newer radios do the same thing wirelessly. The buddy box allows the instructor to take control of your airplane simply by releasing a spring-loaded switch. Should you get into trouble, your instructor can quickly correct the plane and give control back to you. Available from many radio manufacturers, buddy-box training systems are often available from RC airplane clubs.

Until you are signed off for solo RC flight, the instructor will control the model during takeoff and then will fly it up to a safe altitude before transferring flight control to your radio. Compared to using a single radio (where an instructor has to take the radio from the student’s hands to regain control), the buddy-box system is much easier and safer.

This is a typical RC airplane training traffic pattern. Always take off and land into the wind, and use throttle to control your climb and descent rates.

It is always best to train when the wind is calm or at least straight down the runway. This way, the plane will go where you point it.

To fly a straight path when there is a crosswind, you need to crab the airplane (using rudder) so that it faces slightly into the wind. The stronger the wind, the more you have to angle the the plane’s nose into the wind. Practicing this will quickly increase your piloting skills. Remember to keep the wings level.

FIRST FLIGHT

As you gain experience and start to anticipate your model’s needed corrections, the instructor will give you more and more stick time until you’re ready to solo. There’s nothing more exciting that to hear your instructor say, “Go ahead. Take ‘er off this time!”

Takeoffs are actually quite easy. Most trainers and beginner sport planes are designed to be stable, and when you fully advance the throttle, they will want to climb almost by themselves. Concentrate on maintaining a straight path, and apply throttle slowly. If the plane veers off course, correct with a touch of rudder (a little right is usually needed to keep going straight down the runway). As the model gets light on the wheels, pull back a little on the elevator stick; the model’s nose will come up, and the plane will become airborne. Keep the wings level with small aileron inputs, and let the model climb out at a shallow angle. Don’t let the model jump off the ground at a steep angle. Don’t panic—just ease off the elevator stick, and if necessary, apply a little down (push the stick forward slightly) to keep the model at a steady climb angle.

Your instructor will teach you to fly the traffic pattern, and as you improve, he will have you fly at low altitudes until he’s comfortable with your command of the plane. Without you actually knowing what’s going to happen, a good instructor will talk you through the landing pattern and get you lined up for your first attempts. He will remind you to control the airspeed with your elevator (model nose high or low) and adjust your descent rate with the throttle. Once you nail that very first landing, it will be only a matter of time before you solo and can fly unassisted.

BOTTOM LINE Like anything else, to get really good at flying, you’ll need to practice and stay with it. It is an investment of time and effort. In the end, however, the satisfaction you’ll feel when you take off and land by yourself will be well worth the effort. You’ll be a properly trained RC pilot with the entire hobby to enjoy. Whether you want to fly warbirds, racers, or aerobatic airplanes, it all requires training and mastering the skills needed to be successful.

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thunderationn · 4 years ago

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Throwback Thursday — 30% Staudacher

Back in 1999, my favorite plane was this 30% scale GS300 Staudacher from the Aerocraft kit. Designed by Douglas Logan, it was powered by a 3W 60cc rear induction single-cylinder gas engine, was outfitted with JR 8103 radio gear and it was covered and finished with Hangar 9 Ultracoat and Cajun RC custom made decals.

It was featured in the April 2000 issue of Model Airplane News

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thunderationn · 4 years ago

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2021 Top Gun Special Award Winners

Here are the winners of the special awards from this year’s Top Gun Scale Invitational.

Photos by David Hart

Class Sponsor Modeler Aircraft

Best of Class

Civilian (Pilot Choice) Riff Raff Larry Foyt Top Cun

Civilian Runner Up JR Propo Jack Buckley Fairchild 24R

Military (Pilot Choice) Blackbird Finishes BITW T-34 Mentor

Military Runner Up Ray & Robin Hobby Tim Dickey T-34

WW II Sierra Giant Scale Michael Fetyko P-40 Warhawk

Biplane Model Airplane News Chad Cotsomire Stearman PT-17

Golden Age Kolm Engines Rich Feroldi David D-1K

WW I Balsa USA Steve Thomas Nieuport

Pre-WW I Warbirds over the Rockies Craig Bradshaw Jungmeister

Best Jet Elite Aerosports Brett Becker Lockheed U-2C

Pro-Am Pro Your Pal Sal Matt Balazs F-100

Pro-Am Sport PowerBox Americas Tim Lowrie Acro Sport IIS

Multi Performance Desert Aircraft Mike Barbee Beech KingAir

Engineering Performance House of Balsa & Robart Rod Snyder L-59

Outstanding Craftsmanship BVM Tim Dickey PT-23

Unlimited Showing FTE & Zap Glue Joe Castelao T-34 Mentor

Top Buns Fly Girls Mr. Top Gun Brett Becker

Special Recognition Electron Retracts USA Michael Fetyko TBF Avenger

Special Recognition EZ Balancer Henry Castellanos MiG 29

Special Recognition Ray & Robin Hobby Cody Hague Oscar

Everybody Loves You John & Sydni Smith Becky Jackman

Critic’s Choice FTE/Zap Glue Joe Castelao T-34 Mentor

Critic’s Choice Runner Up Jet Central Brian O’Meara F-86 Sabre Jet

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thunderationn · 4 years ago

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Static Judging at Top Gun–An up close look at some of the entries

When it comes to scale competition, there are many excellent events worth traveling to and participating in. But by far, the pinnacle and gold standard for world class scale action has always been the annual Top Gun Scale Invitational. This year, Top Gun continued to set the highest standard of scale competition Hosted by the Imperial RC Club adjacent to the Lakeland Linder Regional Airport and the enthusiasm and overall quality of the event was outstanding.

(Above) The Douglas TBD Devastator is infrequently modeled and it’s a shame. This is classic Naval dive bomber and, while it frequently takes a back seat to it’s brother, the SBD Dauntless, the Team entry from Raborn/Noser really captured the style and spirit of the subject.

As this year’s Chief Static Judge I was provided both the opportunity (and the time) to look “over the shoulders” of the three specialized judges actually scoring each entry in the categories of Accuracy of Outline, Finish, Color and Markings, Craftsmanship and overall Realism.

(Above) The Twin Beech King Air entry of Mike Barbee and Frank Noll looked great from any angle. A veteran of TG competition, the model was awarded 1st place in the Team category. 98.00 static score was well earned.

Of all classes of competition, only five (Masters, Expert, Team, X-Class and Unlimited) require the model to undergo a 15 minute period of static judging using detailed documentation packages submitted by the builder with his entry. The other classes require only a single image of the subject aircraft for documentation and earn a score of 25 points.

(Above) The cockpit on Tim Dickey’s PT-23 is every bit as accurate and nicely done as the exterior.

What are some of the things the Static judges are looking for?

The Craftsmanship judge scrutinizes each model from an “eyeball to surface” distance and very few flaws escape his inspection. Surface detail and overall texture are very important. Are the fasteners and rivets of the proper size, pattern and spacing? Are they of the correct type? If they are applied as glue dots which produce a “raised” fastener and the contestant-provided documentation photos show the surface to be flush riveted, a downgrade is in order. Exposed, non-scale control linkages are another area for potential downgrade. The sames goes for tires; the tires on your Cub, Champ or FW-190 shouldn’t have a “Sullivan Lite Fly” logo visible on them either!

(Above) The tail group of Larry Folk’s Cub Crafter “Top Cub.” 96.25 points in static, 4th place in “Expert”. Exquisite work!

The Accuracy of Outline judge compares the model, positioned 15-feet away, to drawings or photos (provided by the contestant) which clearly show specific elements of the outline like canopy position and shape, wingtip contour, spinner shape and other elements of the outline of the full scale airplane. These variances between the documentation and the full scale airplane are noted directly on the drawing/photos being used by the judge.

(Above) Take a look at the tail group detail on the Davis D-1K designed and built by Rich Feroldi. 1st place in Masters, 95.833 static. Gorgeous model!

The “Finish, Color and Markings” judge uses contestant-supplied data to arrive at a final score of just how well these elements were replicated. The data submitted usually consists of actual color chips used on the full scale airplane along with supporting photos and drawings.

In addition, all three judges assign a numerical score (from 1 through 10 points) for the overall Realism the model conveys from the prescribed judging distance. It still amazes me that so many models are downgraded in realism simply because the builder/finisher assumes that if subtle “weathering” and panel line definition is good, more must be better! Rarely the case….match the documents you’ve prepared for the judges, that’s all he has to work with!

(Above) Two-time “Mr. Top Gun” Bret Becker’s U2C has undergone some minor refinements from last year and ended up with 99.417 static score to take home all the marbles. It is a superb replica!

In what condition are you showing your model? Factory-new, in-service, freshly restored original, well-used; what are you replicating?

Very subtle weathering and paint fading replication, including the crazing of the canopy glass as a result of the various environmental conditions in which the full scale version operated should be simulated to the degree indicated in the documentation. In my view, one element of scale competition that represents its weakest link has always been, and remains, a poorly prepared documentation package. If you assemble you package before you start on the model, you can make the model match what you’ll be presenting to the judges. Too many times, and it is obvious, the modeler tries to “back into” the documentation, assuming “it’s close enough”. If you believe this and don’t put in the necessary effort to get it right, then that Winner’s Circle may continue to elude you!

Looking through the coverage we’ve provided over the years, it should be apparent that the models that shown up truly do represent the complete range of subjects spanning the history of aircraft, and all are equally capable of winning the event. There’s an obvious military and civilian mix of subjects, built by scale modelers with differing tastes and favorites in airplanes. And this is what drives some of the best modelers and fliers in the world to seek that coveted invitation to Top Gun… scale modeling diversity at its finest!

Text & images by Rich Uravitch

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