140 MODEL AVIATION
May Norman, 5, will fly her pink Mighty
May Comet Phantom Flash in FAC
competition with the Cleveland Free
Flight Society. Shorty’s Basement sells a
laser-cut kit. Norman photo.
These times are a blessing in disguise
[[email protected]]
Free Flight Scale Dennis Norman
Also included in this column:
• FAC Jet Catapult Scale rises
again
• Magic Hobbies’ The Notcher
• Steve Griebling’s long-motor
conquests
• Correspondence from the
gang
• 2009 FAC Non-Nats and
events of note Bill Warner’s classic Sky Bunny has inspired many new modelers. This version’s Japanese
tissue covering is personalized with the pilot’s name on the underside of the wing.
Norman photo.
Finn Norman, 8, and his grandpa built this A-7D Corsair II that
will be flown in FAC Jet Catapult Scale competition. Patrick
Norman photo.
SOME OF US have been around long enough to know that life is
cyclical, bumpy, and uncertain in the best of times. The current
economic turndown is the latest reminder of this.
Thinking about the last 60 years, it is my observation that hard
economic times often are blessings in disguise. They force us to
stop and reflect not only upon what is wrong, but also what we can
do to make it right again and hopefully even better than before.
These times call for a return to the basics. This message is not
lost on our interest group.
Events such as Dime Scale and Pseudo-Dime Scale (discussed in
my March 2009 column) signify our return to our roots. Even
simple stick models, such as the vintage Comet Phantom Flash
ROG (rise-off-ground) and the classic Sky Bunny, are again
inspiring youngsters and veterans alike to quickly build and fly.
They bring us simplicity and joy during these times of complex
uncertainty.
On the subject of basics, a simple, but delightful, event is making a
return to FF Scale (FFS): Jet Catapult Scale. It is an official class for
Flying Aces Club (FAC) competition that is intended for models of
any man-carrying jet or rocket-propelled aircraft.
FAC rules permit profile fuselages, specify no wingspan limit,
and do not require landing gear. A bonus of 5 points is given for
flying wings or canards, and 1 point is awarded for each scale
engine, pod, tank, or bomb (all of which may also be in profile) that
is not contained within the contours of the airframe.
Models are launched with a stretched-rubber catapult, with no
minimum or maximum times required to be “official.” The flight
score is determined by adding the three best of six flights.
Bonus points are tacked on to the total flight points. If two or
more competitors have identical flight scores, a flyoff is held and
06sig5.QXD 4/23/09 2:14 PM Page 140
June 2009 141
The Notcher from Magic Hobbies is a new tool for making
uniform notches in 1/16, 3/32, and 1/8-inch material. Expansion to
even larger sizes is possible. Norman photo.
Tom Arnold’s propeller-hook design prevents forward bunching of
long rubber motors. Steve Griebling dubbed it the “diamond/bar”
and is satisfied with it. Griebling photo.
Compatible with most stooges, the wobbly peg’s duty is to prevent rearward bunching of
long motors. Griebling photo.
Steve Griebling’s unique rear “wobbly peg” is made from simple components that can be
handmade. Griebling photo.
bonus and scale points are added to the
flyoff score.
Jet Catapult types are especially
attractive to younger modelers, because
their flights are usually short, dramatic, and
repeatable to the point of destruction.
Supervision is needed, however, because
these designs fly quickly and can cause
serious injury if flown carelessly. They
should always be launched away from, and
at a reasonable distance from, spectators.
My grandchildren are flying Catapult
Jets and enjoying them tremendously. The
latest is a scratch-built, 13-inch-span, allsheet
model of the A-7D Corsair II of the
354th Tactical Fighter Wing from the
Vietnam era. My 8-year-old grandson, Finn,
is flight-testing his A-7D before adding the
bonus point-grabbing bombs and fuel tanks.
The March-April 2009 Cloudbusters
newsletter (the bimonthly publication of the
venerable Cloudbusters Model Airplane
Club of Michigan, which is in its 70th year)
features a cover photo of Mike Welshans’
Phantom Flash decked out in checkered
tissue. Inside is a full-size copy of the
classic Comet plans for this 16-inch-span
cutie, complete with the original skull and
crossbones insignia.
Inspired by the Cloudbusters, I have put
the finishing touches on a pink version of
the Flash that I built for my 5-year-old
granddaughter, May. She will probably be
happily chasing it by the time you read this
column.
May loves to fly models and, being
independent, she insists on chasing and
retrieving what she flies. She is on my short
list to help me retrieve my models in
another five years or so.
For details about getting a subscription
to the Cloudbusters newsletter, see the
“Sources” list at the end of this column for
contact information.
A more recent stick design is Bill
Warner’s famous Sky Bunny, which he
designed in the late 1980s as a beginner’s
“scratch-built” model. It builds quickly and
flies magnificently.
06sig5.QXD 4/23/09 1:59 PM Page 141
Bill introduced the Sky Bunny in his
brilliant series, “Hey, Kid! Ya Wanna Build
a Model Airplane?” The articles were first
published in the now-defunct, much-missed
Model Builder magazine between
November 1987 and December 1988.
He was a schoolteacher, and the Sky
Bunny was both a project for teaching basic
construction techniques and a tool for
teaching flying trim. The model featured a
movable wing (for simple CG adjustments)
and flexible card-stock ailerons for the wing,
and trim tabs for the rudder and elevator.
Bill graciously gave me permission to
make his effort available again. If you want
only a copy of the Sky Bunny plans, send
$3 to Air Ace Models. A package including
the plans, build instructions, and full-color
Japanese tissue in “Tiger” markings that is
personalized with the pilot’s name is $15
plus $3 shipping and handling. The builder
must supply wood, wheels, wire, propeller
assembly, etc.
A bound copy of the entire 82-page
“Hey, Kid! ... ” series (including Sky Bunny
plans) is also available from Air Ace
Models, for $20 plus $3 shipping and
handling.
For those who are getting back to basics, a
handy little tool for making uniform stringer
notches has come onto the market. Aptly
called “The Notcher,” it comes with three
adhesive-edged blades at thicknesses of 1/16,
3/32, and 1/8 inch, which are ideal for most
small FFS projects.
Those who are working on larger
projects can make their own blades from
thicker pieces of wood or plastic that they
cut to the size of the blades provided. A
clever design feature assures that all notches
are cut squarely to uniform depth.
For more information about this useful
product, contact Magic Hobbies. The
Notcher is also available from Shorty’s
Basement. Both companies are included in
the “Sources” listing.
As I mentioned in the March 2009 column,
Steve Griebling is using braiding to increase
motor runs. His initial attempts proved to be
troublesome; he learned that long motors
tended to climb his propeller shafts.
He began investigating propeller-hook
designs, to see if one could be made to
effectively contain long rubber motors and
prevent climbing. In discussing this problem
with Tom Arnold, a veteran FACer, Steve
learned about a hook design Tom uses that is
effective with long motors.
Steve calls Tom’s propeller hook the
“diamond/bar” design. It is superior to other
designs, and it makes using rubber or plastic
tubing “chokers” over the front end of rubber
motors unnecessary. Let me know what you
think of it.
Steve has also been seeking to simplify
the “wobbly peg” method of keeping long
rubber motors from bunching at the rear of
the fuselage. The current practice involves
placing a larger-diameter tube over a smallerdiameter
motor peg, but Steve’s design uses
a single peg that is flared at one end.
Unlike conventional motor pegs, which
are snugly fitted in holes in the sides of the
rear fuselage, Steve’s rear peg is placed in
loose-fitting holes, which permits it to
wobble.
That is made possible by using a small
metal cup fitting that is screwed to the side
of the fuselage over the flared end of the
motor peg. When in place, this cup allows
the motor peg to fluctuate freely but keeps
it from falling out of the fuselage.
The cup has a hole in it that is large
enough to accept a winding-stooge wire,
which passes through the cup and the
motor peg and secures the model during
winding. The cup rests on a small piece of
neoprene tubing and is firmly attached to
the fuselage side with a small screw.
When a motor change is needed, the
rubber tubing allows the cup to be moved
aside and the motor peg to be removed.
You can find more details about this
method in Issue 128 of the Crosswinds
newsletter or by e-mailing Steve Griebling.
See the “Sources” list for those addresses.
On the subject of e-mail and letters, the D.C.
Maxecuters got in touch to let me know that
Bill Ceresa, a longtime member, went West on
January 18, 2009. He was a professional artist
and spent 30 years as a medical illustrator for
the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.
Bill produced many cover drawings for
MaxFax: the Maxecuters’ outstanding club
newsletter. He also masterfully built stick-andtissue
models that reflected his artistic gifts.
Known for his willingness to help others, his
sense of humor, and his big smile, Bill Ceresa
typified the best of FAC members.
Condolences to his wife, Rose, and his son,
Bill.
Ronny Gosselin of Montreal, Quebec,
Canada, e-mailed to inform me that he and his
fellow members of FAC 71 Harfane (Snow
Owl) Squadron are well along in their
preparations to attend this year’s FAC Non-
Nats in Geneseo, New York. The event will be
held July 16-18.
Ronny has completed a Morane-Saulnier
MS.406 in Finnish markings. Now he is
working on a Corsair from the 1946 Reno Air
Races and a Fokker F.20 with working landing
and position lights. Both models will be ready
for Geneseo.
The Harfane group’s Bernard Dion has a
new Stuka V1. Luc Martin is doing a Kellner-
Bechereau racer and has finished a model of
the Arsenal VG 39.
Ronny plans to arrive early in Geneseo, to
see the big air show that will be held at the
National Warplane Museum the weekend of
July 11-12. This site will host the FAC Non-
Nats the following weekend.
Bill Hannan sent a warm note to let me
know that he and his lovely wife, Joan, are
enjoying this column. They especially
appreciated the “Geneseo!” coverage in the
January 2009 MA.
According to Bill, he and Joan continue
to downsize their company, Hannan’s
Runway. See “Sources” for contact
information. They now consider themselves
to be “semiretired” although the hoped-for
spare time has yet to emerge.
The Hannans remain philosophical and
sent the following quips.
“A scientist is a person who believes that
anything that works must be obsolete!”
–Anonymous
“Growing old is no more than a bad habit
which a busy person has no time to form.”
–André Maurois
An e-mail from Jack Page raises the
question of why I, and others, have never
mentioned the Hi-Flier brand of Dime kits.
He points out that they were “lighter and,
consequently, much better fliers than
Comet, et al.” Jack built a Hi-Flier Fokker
D.VII kit at the age of 10, and it was one of
the best fliers of his young life.
I told him that it was a benign oversight
on my part and completely agreed that the
Hi-Flier kits were outstanding. One of my
favorites was the 18-inch-span Bellanca
Skyrocket, which I built (and lost) on
several occasions.
Current FAC rules limit Dime Scale
types to a maximum wingspan of 16 inches.
The Hi-Flier models with spans longer than
that are ineligible to compete, since they
prohibit reducing existing plans to conform
with wingspan limits.
Perhaps the issue of shrinking plans to
conform with those span restrictions is a
topic for FACers to discuss.
If you have not already made reservations
for the FAC Non-Nats in Geneseo, do so
without delay. The hotels are probably
booked by now, but accommodations can
be obtained at the State University of New
York at Geneseo, which is within sight of
the flying field. You can find details about
this in the latest issues of the Flying Aces
Club News newsletter.
All fees for the Non-Nats must be
remitted by June 15. Mail a completed
entry form and payment by check or
international money order, to FAC, to
Juanita Reichel. Her contact information is
in the “Sources” list. GHQ will be unable
to refund cancellations after June 20.
The year 2009 marks the 100th
anniversary of the first English Channel
crossing by Louis Blériot. To mark this
historic occasion, the FAC will hold a new
event at this year’s Non-Nats.
The S.L.O.W. (slow, low, or wet) Race
will be held the evening of Friday July 17.
It will be for “plain Jane” pioneer models
of full-scale aircraft built before 1915. The
aircraft are to be built to scale, but wild
color schemes are invited.
The contest will be flown using the
BLUR racecourse as the English Channel.
Airplanes will initially be flown in heats of
three; the “winners” will be the lowest and
slowest to fly within the confines of the
course. The champion will be the slowest
and lowest of all.
Events of note for later this year
include the Magnificent Mountain Men
club’s FAC World War II Combat contest.
It will take place in Denver, Colorado,
Labor Day weekend. Contact Don
DeLoach for more information. You can
find his contact info in the “Sources” list.
The FAC Outdoor Champs will be
flown in Muncie, Indiana, September 10-
11. WESTFAC II, hosted by WESTFAC—
the Western Region Flying Aces Club—
will be held in Gainesville, Texas,
September 25-27. Check out the club’s
Web site for more information. You can
find the address in the “Sources” section.
In addition, the biennial Dawn Patrol
gathering will take place at the National
Museum of the US Air Force in Dayton,
Ohio, September 25-27. This is not a
model contest; it is one of the greatest
opportunities to see World War I
aviation up close. It is free and open to
the public.
Thermals! MA
Sources:
Cloudbusters newsletter:
Ralph Kuenz, editor
Box 402
Shepherd MI 48883
[email protected]
Air Ace Models
(216) 631-7774
www.airacemodels.com
Magic Hobbies
(810) 953-0006
[email protected]
Shorty’s Basement
(740) 223-7471
(740) 225-8671
www.shortysbasement.com
Crosswinds newsletter:
Russ Brown
4909 N. Sedgewick
Lyndhurst OH 44124
Steve Griebling
753 Cliffside Dr.
Akron OH 44313
[email protected]
Hannan’s Runway
(530) 873-6421
www.hrunway.com
Juanita Reichel
3301 Cindy Ln.
Erie PA 16506
Don DeLoach
[email protected]
WESTFAC
www.westernfac.com
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/06
Page Numbers: 140,141,142,143,144
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/06
Page Numbers: 140,141,142,143,144
140 MODEL AVIATION
May Norman, 5, will fly her pink Mighty
May Comet Phantom Flash in FAC
competition with the Cleveland Free
Flight Society. Shorty’s Basement sells a
laser-cut kit. Norman photo.
These times are a blessing in disguise
[[email protected]]
Free Flight Scale Dennis Norman
Also included in this column:
• FAC Jet Catapult Scale rises
again
• Magic Hobbies’ The Notcher
• Steve Griebling’s long-motor
conquests
• Correspondence from the
gang
• 2009 FAC Non-Nats and
events of note Bill Warner’s classic Sky Bunny has inspired many new modelers. This version’s Japanese
tissue covering is personalized with the pilot’s name on the underside of the wing.
Norman photo.
Finn Norman, 8, and his grandpa built this A-7D Corsair II that
will be flown in FAC Jet Catapult Scale competition. Patrick
Norman photo.
SOME OF US have been around long enough to know that life is
cyclical, bumpy, and uncertain in the best of times. The current
economic turndown is the latest reminder of this.
Thinking about the last 60 years, it is my observation that hard
economic times often are blessings in disguise. They force us to
stop and reflect not only upon what is wrong, but also what we can
do to make it right again and hopefully even better than before.
These times call for a return to the basics. This message is not
lost on our interest group.
Events such as Dime Scale and Pseudo-Dime Scale (discussed in
my March 2009 column) signify our return to our roots. Even
simple stick models, such as the vintage Comet Phantom Flash
ROG (rise-off-ground) and the classic Sky Bunny, are again
inspiring youngsters and veterans alike to quickly build and fly.
They bring us simplicity and joy during these times of complex
uncertainty.
On the subject of basics, a simple, but delightful, event is making a
return to FF Scale (FFS): Jet Catapult Scale. It is an official class for
Flying Aces Club (FAC) competition that is intended for models of
any man-carrying jet or rocket-propelled aircraft.
FAC rules permit profile fuselages, specify no wingspan limit,
and do not require landing gear. A bonus of 5 points is given for
flying wings or canards, and 1 point is awarded for each scale
engine, pod, tank, or bomb (all of which may also be in profile) that
is not contained within the contours of the airframe.
Models are launched with a stretched-rubber catapult, with no
minimum or maximum times required to be “official.” The flight
score is determined by adding the three best of six flights.
Bonus points are tacked on to the total flight points. If two or
more competitors have identical flight scores, a flyoff is held and
06sig5.QXD 4/23/09 2:14 PM Page 140
June 2009 141
The Notcher from Magic Hobbies is a new tool for making
uniform notches in 1/16, 3/32, and 1/8-inch material. Expansion to
even larger sizes is possible. Norman photo.
Tom Arnold’s propeller-hook design prevents forward bunching of
long rubber motors. Steve Griebling dubbed it the “diamond/bar”
and is satisfied with it. Griebling photo.
Compatible with most stooges, the wobbly peg’s duty is to prevent rearward bunching of
long motors. Griebling photo.
Steve Griebling’s unique rear “wobbly peg” is made from simple components that can be
handmade. Griebling photo.
bonus and scale points are added to the
flyoff score.
Jet Catapult types are especially
attractive to younger modelers, because
their flights are usually short, dramatic, and
repeatable to the point of destruction.
Supervision is needed, however, because
these designs fly quickly and can cause
serious injury if flown carelessly. They
should always be launched away from, and
at a reasonable distance from, spectators.
My grandchildren are flying Catapult
Jets and enjoying them tremendously. The
latest is a scratch-built, 13-inch-span, allsheet
model of the A-7D Corsair II of the
354th Tactical Fighter Wing from the
Vietnam era. My 8-year-old grandson, Finn,
is flight-testing his A-7D before adding the
bonus point-grabbing bombs and fuel tanks.
The March-April 2009 Cloudbusters
newsletter (the bimonthly publication of the
venerable Cloudbusters Model Airplane
Club of Michigan, which is in its 70th year)
features a cover photo of Mike Welshans’
Phantom Flash decked out in checkered
tissue. Inside is a full-size copy of the
classic Comet plans for this 16-inch-span
cutie, complete with the original skull and
crossbones insignia.
Inspired by the Cloudbusters, I have put
the finishing touches on a pink version of
the Flash that I built for my 5-year-old
granddaughter, May. She will probably be
happily chasing it by the time you read this
column.
May loves to fly models and, being
independent, she insists on chasing and
retrieving what she flies. She is on my short
list to help me retrieve my models in
another five years or so.
For details about getting a subscription
to the Cloudbusters newsletter, see the
“Sources” list at the end of this column for
contact information.
A more recent stick design is Bill
Warner’s famous Sky Bunny, which he
designed in the late 1980s as a beginner’s
“scratch-built” model. It builds quickly and
flies magnificently.
06sig5.QXD 4/23/09 1:59 PM Page 141
Bill introduced the Sky Bunny in his
brilliant series, “Hey, Kid! Ya Wanna Build
a Model Airplane?” The articles were first
published in the now-defunct, much-missed
Model Builder magazine between
November 1987 and December 1988.
He was a schoolteacher, and the Sky
Bunny was both a project for teaching basic
construction techniques and a tool for
teaching flying trim. The model featured a
movable wing (for simple CG adjustments)
and flexible card-stock ailerons for the wing,
and trim tabs for the rudder and elevator.
Bill graciously gave me permission to
make his effort available again. If you want
only a copy of the Sky Bunny plans, send
$3 to Air Ace Models. A package including
the plans, build instructions, and full-color
Japanese tissue in “Tiger” markings that is
personalized with the pilot’s name is $15
plus $3 shipping and handling. The builder
must supply wood, wheels, wire, propeller
assembly, etc.
A bound copy of the entire 82-page
“Hey, Kid! ... ” series (including Sky Bunny
plans) is also available from Air Ace
Models, for $20 plus $3 shipping and
handling.
For those who are getting back to basics, a
handy little tool for making uniform stringer
notches has come onto the market. Aptly
called “The Notcher,” it comes with three
adhesive-edged blades at thicknesses of 1/16,
3/32, and 1/8 inch, which are ideal for most
small FFS projects.
Those who are working on larger
projects can make their own blades from
thicker pieces of wood or plastic that they
cut to the size of the blades provided. A
clever design feature assures that all notches
are cut squarely to uniform depth.
For more information about this useful
product, contact Magic Hobbies. The
Notcher is also available from Shorty’s
Basement. Both companies are included in
the “Sources” listing.
As I mentioned in the March 2009 column,
Steve Griebling is using braiding to increase
motor runs. His initial attempts proved to be
troublesome; he learned that long motors
tended to climb his propeller shafts.
He began investigating propeller-hook
designs, to see if one could be made to
effectively contain long rubber motors and
prevent climbing. In discussing this problem
with Tom Arnold, a veteran FACer, Steve
learned about a hook design Tom uses that is
effective with long motors.
Steve calls Tom’s propeller hook the
“diamond/bar” design. It is superior to other
designs, and it makes using rubber or plastic
tubing “chokers” over the front end of rubber
motors unnecessary. Let me know what you
think of it.
Steve has also been seeking to simplify
the “wobbly peg” method of keeping long
rubber motors from bunching at the rear of
the fuselage. The current practice involves
placing a larger-diameter tube over a smallerdiameter
motor peg, but Steve’s design uses
a single peg that is flared at one end.
Unlike conventional motor pegs, which
are snugly fitted in holes in the sides of the
rear fuselage, Steve’s rear peg is placed in
loose-fitting holes, which permits it to
wobble.
That is made possible by using a small
metal cup fitting that is screwed to the side
of the fuselage over the flared end of the
motor peg. When in place, this cup allows
the motor peg to fluctuate freely but keeps
it from falling out of the fuselage.
The cup has a hole in it that is large
enough to accept a winding-stooge wire,
which passes through the cup and the
motor peg and secures the model during
winding. The cup rests on a small piece of
neoprene tubing and is firmly attached to
the fuselage side with a small screw.
When a motor change is needed, the
rubber tubing allows the cup to be moved
aside and the motor peg to be removed.
You can find more details about this
method in Issue 128 of the Crosswinds
newsletter or by e-mailing Steve Griebling.
See the “Sources” list for those addresses.
On the subject of e-mail and letters, the D.C.
Maxecuters got in touch to let me know that
Bill Ceresa, a longtime member, went West on
January 18, 2009. He was a professional artist
and spent 30 years as a medical illustrator for
the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.
Bill produced many cover drawings for
MaxFax: the Maxecuters’ outstanding club
newsletter. He also masterfully built stick-andtissue
models that reflected his artistic gifts.
Known for his willingness to help others, his
sense of humor, and his big smile, Bill Ceresa
typified the best of FAC members.
Condolences to his wife, Rose, and his son,
Bill.
Ronny Gosselin of Montreal, Quebec,
Canada, e-mailed to inform me that he and his
fellow members of FAC 71 Harfane (Snow
Owl) Squadron are well along in their
preparations to attend this year’s FAC Non-
Nats in Geneseo, New York. The event will be
held July 16-18.
Ronny has completed a Morane-Saulnier
MS.406 in Finnish markings. Now he is
working on a Corsair from the 1946 Reno Air
Races and a Fokker F.20 with working landing
and position lights. Both models will be ready
for Geneseo.
The Harfane group’s Bernard Dion has a
new Stuka V1. Luc Martin is doing a Kellner-
Bechereau racer and has finished a model of
the Arsenal VG 39.
Ronny plans to arrive early in Geneseo, to
see the big air show that will be held at the
National Warplane Museum the weekend of
July 11-12. This site will host the FAC Non-
Nats the following weekend.
Bill Hannan sent a warm note to let me
know that he and his lovely wife, Joan, are
enjoying this column. They especially
appreciated the “Geneseo!” coverage in the
January 2009 MA.
According to Bill, he and Joan continue
to downsize their company, Hannan’s
Runway. See “Sources” for contact
information. They now consider themselves
to be “semiretired” although the hoped-for
spare time has yet to emerge.
The Hannans remain philosophical and
sent the following quips.
“A scientist is a person who believes that
anything that works must be obsolete!”
–Anonymous
“Growing old is no more than a bad habit
which a busy person has no time to form.”
–André Maurois
An e-mail from Jack Page raises the
question of why I, and others, have never
mentioned the Hi-Flier brand of Dime kits.
He points out that they were “lighter and,
consequently, much better fliers than
Comet, et al.” Jack built a Hi-Flier Fokker
D.VII kit at the age of 10, and it was one of
the best fliers of his young life.
I told him that it was a benign oversight
on my part and completely agreed that the
Hi-Flier kits were outstanding. One of my
favorites was the 18-inch-span Bellanca
Skyrocket, which I built (and lost) on
several occasions.
Current FAC rules limit Dime Scale
types to a maximum wingspan of 16 inches.
The Hi-Flier models with spans longer than
that are ineligible to compete, since they
prohibit reducing existing plans to conform
with wingspan limits.
Perhaps the issue of shrinking plans to
conform with those span restrictions is a
topic for FACers to discuss.
If you have not already made reservations
for the FAC Non-Nats in Geneseo, do so
without delay. The hotels are probably
booked by now, but accommodations can
be obtained at the State University of New
York at Geneseo, which is within sight of
the flying field. You can find details about
this in the latest issues of the Flying Aces
Club News newsletter.
All fees for the Non-Nats must be
remitted by June 15. Mail a completed
entry form and payment by check or
international money order, to FAC, to
Juanita Reichel. Her contact information is
in the “Sources” list. GHQ will be unable
to refund cancellations after June 20.
The year 2009 marks the 100th
anniversary of the first English Channel
crossing by Louis Blériot. To mark this
historic occasion, the FAC will hold a new
event at this year’s Non-Nats.
The S.L.O.W. (slow, low, or wet) Race
will be held the evening of Friday July 17.
It will be for “plain Jane” pioneer models
of full-scale aircraft built before 1915. The
aircraft are to be built to scale, but wild
color schemes are invited.
The contest will be flown using the
BLUR racecourse as the English Channel.
Airplanes will initially be flown in heats of
three; the “winners” will be the lowest and
slowest to fly within the confines of the
course. The champion will be the slowest
and lowest of all.
Events of note for later this year
include the Magnificent Mountain Men
club’s FAC World War II Combat contest.
It will take place in Denver, Colorado,
Labor Day weekend. Contact Don
DeLoach for more information. You can
find his contact info in the “Sources” list.
The FAC Outdoor Champs will be
flown in Muncie, Indiana, September 10-
11. WESTFAC II, hosted by WESTFAC—
the Western Region Flying Aces Club—
will be held in Gainesville, Texas,
September 25-27. Check out the club’s
Web site for more information. You can
find the address in the “Sources” section.
In addition, the biennial Dawn Patrol
gathering will take place at the National
Museum of the US Air Force in Dayton,
Ohio, September 25-27. This is not a
model contest; it is one of the greatest
opportunities to see World War I
aviation up close. It is free and open to
the public.
Thermals! MA
Sources:
Cloudbusters newsletter:
Ralph Kuenz, editor
Box 402
Shepherd MI 48883
[email protected]
Air Ace Models
(216) 631-7774
www.airacemodels.com
Magic Hobbies
(810) 953-0006
[email protected]
Shorty’s Basement
(740) 223-7471
(740) 225-8671
www.shortysbasement.com
Crosswinds newsletter:
Russ Brown
4909 N. Sedgewick
Lyndhurst OH 44124
Steve Griebling
753 Cliffside Dr.
Akron OH 44313
[email protected]
Hannan’s Runway
(530) 873-6421
www.hrunway.com
Juanita Reichel
3301 Cindy Ln.
Erie PA 16506
Don DeLoach
[email protected]
WESTFAC
www.westernfac.com
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/06
Page Numbers: 140,141,142,143,144
140 MODEL AVIATION
May Norman, 5, will fly her pink Mighty
May Comet Phantom Flash in FAC
competition with the Cleveland Free
Flight Society. Shorty’s Basement sells a
laser-cut kit. Norman photo.
These times are a blessing in disguise
[[email protected]]
Free Flight Scale Dennis Norman
Also included in this column:
• FAC Jet Catapult Scale rises
again
• Magic Hobbies’ The Notcher
• Steve Griebling’s long-motor
conquests
• Correspondence from the
gang
• 2009 FAC Non-Nats and
events of note Bill Warner’s classic Sky Bunny has inspired many new modelers. This version’s Japanese
tissue covering is personalized with the pilot’s name on the underside of the wing.
Norman photo.
Finn Norman, 8, and his grandpa built this A-7D Corsair II that
will be flown in FAC Jet Catapult Scale competition. Patrick
Norman photo.
SOME OF US have been around long enough to know that life is
cyclical, bumpy, and uncertain in the best of times. The current
economic turndown is the latest reminder of this.
Thinking about the last 60 years, it is my observation that hard
economic times often are blessings in disguise. They force us to
stop and reflect not only upon what is wrong, but also what we can
do to make it right again and hopefully even better than before.
These times call for a return to the basics. This message is not
lost on our interest group.
Events such as Dime Scale and Pseudo-Dime Scale (discussed in
my March 2009 column) signify our return to our roots. Even
simple stick models, such as the vintage Comet Phantom Flash
ROG (rise-off-ground) and the classic Sky Bunny, are again
inspiring youngsters and veterans alike to quickly build and fly.
They bring us simplicity and joy during these times of complex
uncertainty.
On the subject of basics, a simple, but delightful, event is making a
return to FF Scale (FFS): Jet Catapult Scale. It is an official class for
Flying Aces Club (FAC) competition that is intended for models of
any man-carrying jet or rocket-propelled aircraft.
FAC rules permit profile fuselages, specify no wingspan limit,
and do not require landing gear. A bonus of 5 points is given for
flying wings or canards, and 1 point is awarded for each scale
engine, pod, tank, or bomb (all of which may also be in profile) that
is not contained within the contours of the airframe.
Models are launched with a stretched-rubber catapult, with no
minimum or maximum times required to be “official.” The flight
score is determined by adding the three best of six flights.
Bonus points are tacked on to the total flight points. If two or
more competitors have identical flight scores, a flyoff is held and
06sig5.QXD 4/23/09 2:14 PM Page 140
June 2009 141
The Notcher from Magic Hobbies is a new tool for making
uniform notches in 1/16, 3/32, and 1/8-inch material. Expansion to
even larger sizes is possible. Norman photo.
Tom Arnold’s propeller-hook design prevents forward bunching of
long rubber motors. Steve Griebling dubbed it the “diamond/bar”
and is satisfied with it. Griebling photo.
Compatible with most stooges, the wobbly peg’s duty is to prevent rearward bunching of
long motors. Griebling photo.
Steve Griebling’s unique rear “wobbly peg” is made from simple components that can be
handmade. Griebling photo.
bonus and scale points are added to the
flyoff score.
Jet Catapult types are especially
attractive to younger modelers, because
their flights are usually short, dramatic, and
repeatable to the point of destruction.
Supervision is needed, however, because
these designs fly quickly and can cause
serious injury if flown carelessly. They
should always be launched away from, and
at a reasonable distance from, spectators.
My grandchildren are flying Catapult
Jets and enjoying them tremendously. The
latest is a scratch-built, 13-inch-span, allsheet
model of the A-7D Corsair II of the
354th Tactical Fighter Wing from the
Vietnam era. My 8-year-old grandson, Finn,
is flight-testing his A-7D before adding the
bonus point-grabbing bombs and fuel tanks.
The March-April 2009 Cloudbusters
newsletter (the bimonthly publication of the
venerable Cloudbusters Model Airplane
Club of Michigan, which is in its 70th year)
features a cover photo of Mike Welshans’
Phantom Flash decked out in checkered
tissue. Inside is a full-size copy of the
classic Comet plans for this 16-inch-span
cutie, complete with the original skull and
crossbones insignia.
Inspired by the Cloudbusters, I have put
the finishing touches on a pink version of
the Flash that I built for my 5-year-old
granddaughter, May. She will probably be
happily chasing it by the time you read this
column.
May loves to fly models and, being
independent, she insists on chasing and
retrieving what she flies. She is on my short
list to help me retrieve my models in
another five years or so.
For details about getting a subscription
to the Cloudbusters newsletter, see the
“Sources” list at the end of this column for
contact information.
A more recent stick design is Bill
Warner’s famous Sky Bunny, which he
designed in the late 1980s as a beginner’s
“scratch-built” model. It builds quickly and
flies magnificently.
06sig5.QXD 4/23/09 1:59 PM Page 141
Bill introduced the Sky Bunny in his
brilliant series, “Hey, Kid! Ya Wanna Build
a Model Airplane?” The articles were first
published in the now-defunct, much-missed
Model Builder magazine between
November 1987 and December 1988.
He was a schoolteacher, and the Sky
Bunny was both a project for teaching basic
construction techniques and a tool for
teaching flying trim. The model featured a
movable wing (for simple CG adjustments)
and flexible card-stock ailerons for the wing,
and trim tabs for the rudder and elevator.
Bill graciously gave me permission to
make his effort available again. If you want
only a copy of the Sky Bunny plans, send
$3 to Air Ace Models. A package including
the plans, build instructions, and full-color
Japanese tissue in “Tiger” markings that is
personalized with the pilot’s name is $15
plus $3 shipping and handling. The builder
must supply wood, wheels, wire, propeller
assembly, etc.
A bound copy of the entire 82-page
“Hey, Kid! ... ” series (including Sky Bunny
plans) is also available from Air Ace
Models, for $20 plus $3 shipping and
handling.
For those who are getting back to basics, a
handy little tool for making uniform stringer
notches has come onto the market. Aptly
called “The Notcher,” it comes with three
adhesive-edged blades at thicknesses of 1/16,
3/32, and 1/8 inch, which are ideal for most
small FFS projects.
Those who are working on larger
projects can make their own blades from
thicker pieces of wood or plastic that they
cut to the size of the blades provided. A
clever design feature assures that all notches
are cut squarely to uniform depth.
For more information about this useful
product, contact Magic Hobbies. The
Notcher is also available from Shorty’s
Basement. Both companies are included in
the “Sources” listing.
As I mentioned in the March 2009 column,
Steve Griebling is using braiding to increase
motor runs. His initial attempts proved to be
troublesome; he learned that long motors
tended to climb his propeller shafts.
He began investigating propeller-hook
designs, to see if one could be made to
effectively contain long rubber motors and
prevent climbing. In discussing this problem
with Tom Arnold, a veteran FACer, Steve
learned about a hook design Tom uses that is
effective with long motors.
Steve calls Tom’s propeller hook the
“diamond/bar” design. It is superior to other
designs, and it makes using rubber or plastic
tubing “chokers” over the front end of rubber
motors unnecessary. Let me know what you
think of it.
Steve has also been seeking to simplify
the “wobbly peg” method of keeping long
rubber motors from bunching at the rear of
the fuselage. The current practice involves
placing a larger-diameter tube over a smallerdiameter
motor peg, but Steve’s design uses
a single peg that is flared at one end.
Unlike conventional motor pegs, which
are snugly fitted in holes in the sides of the
rear fuselage, Steve’s rear peg is placed in
loose-fitting holes, which permits it to
wobble.
That is made possible by using a small
metal cup fitting that is screwed to the side
of the fuselage over the flared end of the
motor peg. When in place, this cup allows
the motor peg to fluctuate freely but keeps
it from falling out of the fuselage.
The cup has a hole in it that is large
enough to accept a winding-stooge wire,
which passes through the cup and the
motor peg and secures the model during
winding. The cup rests on a small piece of
neoprene tubing and is firmly attached to
the fuselage side with a small screw.
When a motor change is needed, the
rubber tubing allows the cup to be moved
aside and the motor peg to be removed.
You can find more details about this
method in Issue 128 of the Crosswinds
newsletter or by e-mailing Steve Griebling.
See the “Sources” list for those addresses.
On the subject of e-mail and letters, the D.C.
Maxecuters got in touch to let me know that
Bill Ceresa, a longtime member, went West on
January 18, 2009. He was a professional artist
and spent 30 years as a medical illustrator for
the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.
Bill produced many cover drawings for
MaxFax: the Maxecuters’ outstanding club
newsletter. He also masterfully built stick-andtissue
models that reflected his artistic gifts.
Known for his willingness to help others, his
sense of humor, and his big smile, Bill Ceresa
typified the best of FAC members.
Condolences to his wife, Rose, and his son,
Bill.
Ronny Gosselin of Montreal, Quebec,
Canada, e-mailed to inform me that he and his
fellow members of FAC 71 Harfane (Snow
Owl) Squadron are well along in their
preparations to attend this year’s FAC Non-
Nats in Geneseo, New York. The event will be
held July 16-18.
Ronny has completed a Morane-Saulnier
MS.406 in Finnish markings. Now he is
working on a Corsair from the 1946 Reno Air
Races and a Fokker F.20 with working landing
and position lights. Both models will be ready
for Geneseo.
The Harfane group’s Bernard Dion has a
new Stuka V1. Luc Martin is doing a Kellner-
Bechereau racer and has finished a model of
the Arsenal VG 39.
Ronny plans to arrive early in Geneseo, to
see the big air show that will be held at the
National Warplane Museum the weekend of
July 11-12. This site will host the FAC Non-
Nats the following weekend.
Bill Hannan sent a warm note to let me
know that he and his lovely wife, Joan, are
enjoying this column. They especially
appreciated the “Geneseo!” coverage in the
January 2009 MA.
According to Bill, he and Joan continue
to downsize their company, Hannan’s
Runway. See “Sources” for contact
information. They now consider themselves
to be “semiretired” although the hoped-for
spare time has yet to emerge.
The Hannans remain philosophical and
sent the following quips.
“A scientist is a person who believes that
anything that works must be obsolete!”
–Anonymous
“Growing old is no more than a bad habit
which a busy person has no time to form.”
–André Maurois
An e-mail from Jack Page raises the
question of why I, and others, have never
mentioned the Hi-Flier brand of Dime kits.
He points out that they were “lighter and,
consequently, much better fliers than
Comet, et al.” Jack built a Hi-Flier Fokker
D.VII kit at the age of 10, and it was one of
the best fliers of his young life.
I told him that it was a benign oversight
on my part and completely agreed that the
Hi-Flier kits were outstanding. One of my
favorites was the 18-inch-span Bellanca
Skyrocket, which I built (and lost) on
several occasions.
Current FAC rules limit Dime Scale
types to a maximum wingspan of 16 inches.
The Hi-Flier models with spans longer than
that are ineligible to compete, since they
prohibit reducing existing plans to conform
with wingspan limits.
Perhaps the issue of shrinking plans to
conform with those span restrictions is a
topic for FACers to discuss.
If you have not already made reservations
for the FAC Non-Nats in Geneseo, do so
without delay. The hotels are probably
booked by now, but accommodations can
be obtained at the State University of New
York at Geneseo, which is within sight of
the flying field. You can find details about
this in the latest issues of the Flying Aces
Club News newsletter.
All fees for the Non-Nats must be
remitted by June 15. Mail a completed
entry form and payment by check or
international money order, to FAC, to
Juanita Reichel. Her contact information is
in the “Sources” list. GHQ will be unable
to refund cancellations after June 20.
The year 2009 marks the 100th
anniversary of the first English Channel
crossing by Louis Blériot. To mark this
historic occasion, the FAC will hold a new
event at this year’s Non-Nats.
The S.L.O.W. (slow, low, or wet) Race
will be held the evening of Friday July 17.
It will be for “plain Jane” pioneer models
of full-scale aircraft built before 1915. The
aircraft are to be built to scale, but wild
color schemes are invited.
The contest will be flown using the
BLUR racecourse as the English Channel.
Airplanes will initially be flown in heats of
three; the “winners” will be the lowest and
slowest to fly within the confines of the
course. The champion will be the slowest
and lowest of all.
Events of note for later this year
include the Magnificent Mountain Men
club’s FAC World War II Combat contest.
It will take place in Denver, Colorado,
Labor Day weekend. Contact Don
DeLoach for more information. You can
find his contact info in the “Sources” list.
The FAC Outdoor Champs will be
flown in Muncie, Indiana, September 10-
11. WESTFAC II, hosted by WESTFAC—
the Western Region Flying Aces Club—
will be held in Gainesville, Texas,
September 25-27. Check out the club’s
Web site for more information. You can
find the address in the “Sources” section.
In addition, the biennial Dawn Patrol
gathering will take place at the National
Museum of the US Air Force in Dayton,
Ohio, September 25-27. This is not a
model contest; it is one of the greatest
opportunities to see World War I
aviation up close. It is free and open to
the public.
Thermals! MA
Sources:
Cloudbusters newsletter:
Ralph Kuenz, editor
Box 402
Shepherd MI 48883
[email protected]
Air Ace Models
(216) 631-7774
www.airacemodels.com
Magic Hobbies
(810) 953-0006
[email protected]
Shorty’s Basement
(740) 223-7471
(740) 225-8671
www.shortysbasement.com
Crosswinds newsletter:
Russ Brown
4909 N. Sedgewick
Lyndhurst OH 44124
Steve Griebling
753 Cliffside Dr.
Akron OH 44313
[email protected]
Hannan’s Runway
(530) 873-6421
www.hrunway.com
Juanita Reichel
3301 Cindy Ln.
Erie PA 16506
Don DeLoach
[email protected]
WESTFAC
www.westernfac.com
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/06
Page Numbers: 140,141,142,143,144
140 MODEL AVIATION
May Norman, 5, will fly her pink Mighty
May Comet Phantom Flash in FAC
competition with the Cleveland Free
Flight Society. Shorty’s Basement sells a
laser-cut kit. Norman photo.
These times are a blessing in disguise
[[email protected]]
Free Flight Scale Dennis Norman
Also included in this column:
• FAC Jet Catapult Scale rises
again
• Magic Hobbies’ The Notcher
• Steve Griebling’s long-motor
conquests
• Correspondence from the
gang
• 2009 FAC Non-Nats and
events of note Bill Warner’s classic Sky Bunny has inspired many new modelers. This version’s Japanese
tissue covering is personalized with the pilot’s name on the underside of the wing.
Norman photo.
Finn Norman, 8, and his grandpa built this A-7D Corsair II that
will be flown in FAC Jet Catapult Scale competition. Patrick
Norman photo.
SOME OF US have been around long enough to know that life is
cyclical, bumpy, and uncertain in the best of times. The current
economic turndown is the latest reminder of this.
Thinking about the last 60 years, it is my observation that hard
economic times often are blessings in disguise. They force us to
stop and reflect not only upon what is wrong, but also what we can
do to make it right again and hopefully even better than before.
These times call for a return to the basics. This message is not
lost on our interest group.
Events such as Dime Scale and Pseudo-Dime Scale (discussed in
my March 2009 column) signify our return to our roots. Even
simple stick models, such as the vintage Comet Phantom Flash
ROG (rise-off-ground) and the classic Sky Bunny, are again
inspiring youngsters and veterans alike to quickly build and fly.
They bring us simplicity and joy during these times of complex
uncertainty.
On the subject of basics, a simple, but delightful, event is making a
return to FF Scale (FFS): Jet Catapult Scale. It is an official class for
Flying Aces Club (FAC) competition that is intended for models of
any man-carrying jet or rocket-propelled aircraft.
FAC rules permit profile fuselages, specify no wingspan limit,
and do not require landing gear. A bonus of 5 points is given for
flying wings or canards, and 1 point is awarded for each scale
engine, pod, tank, or bomb (all of which may also be in profile) that
is not contained within the contours of the airframe.
Models are launched with a stretched-rubber catapult, with no
minimum or maximum times required to be “official.” The flight
score is determined by adding the three best of six flights.
Bonus points are tacked on to the total flight points. If two or
more competitors have identical flight scores, a flyoff is held and
06sig5.QXD 4/23/09 2:14 PM Page 140
June 2009 141
The Notcher from Magic Hobbies is a new tool for making
uniform notches in 1/16, 3/32, and 1/8-inch material. Expansion to
even larger sizes is possible. Norman photo.
Tom Arnold’s propeller-hook design prevents forward bunching of
long rubber motors. Steve Griebling dubbed it the “diamond/bar”
and is satisfied with it. Griebling photo.
Compatible with most stooges, the wobbly peg’s duty is to prevent rearward bunching of
long motors. Griebling photo.
Steve Griebling’s unique rear “wobbly peg” is made from simple components that can be
handmade. Griebling photo.
bonus and scale points are added to the
flyoff score.
Jet Catapult types are especially
attractive to younger modelers, because
their flights are usually short, dramatic, and
repeatable to the point of destruction.
Supervision is needed, however, because
these designs fly quickly and can cause
serious injury if flown carelessly. They
should always be launched away from, and
at a reasonable distance from, spectators.
My grandchildren are flying Catapult
Jets and enjoying them tremendously. The
latest is a scratch-built, 13-inch-span, allsheet
model of the A-7D Corsair II of the
354th Tactical Fighter Wing from the
Vietnam era. My 8-year-old grandson, Finn,
is flight-testing his A-7D before adding the
bonus point-grabbing bombs and fuel tanks.
The March-April 2009 Cloudbusters
newsletter (the bimonthly publication of the
venerable Cloudbusters Model Airplane
Club of Michigan, which is in its 70th year)
features a cover photo of Mike Welshans’
Phantom Flash decked out in checkered
tissue. Inside is a full-size copy of the
classic Comet plans for this 16-inch-span
cutie, complete with the original skull and
crossbones insignia.
Inspired by the Cloudbusters, I have put
the finishing touches on a pink version of
the Flash that I built for my 5-year-old
granddaughter, May. She will probably be
happily chasing it by the time you read this
column.
May loves to fly models and, being
independent, she insists on chasing and
retrieving what she flies. She is on my short
list to help me retrieve my models in
another five years or so.
For details about getting a subscription
to the Cloudbusters newsletter, see the
“Sources” list at the end of this column for
contact information.
A more recent stick design is Bill
Warner’s famous Sky Bunny, which he
designed in the late 1980s as a beginner’s
“scratch-built” model. It builds quickly and
flies magnificently.
06sig5.QXD 4/23/09 1:59 PM Page 141
Bill introduced the Sky Bunny in his
brilliant series, “Hey, Kid! Ya Wanna Build
a Model Airplane?” The articles were first
published in the now-defunct, much-missed
Model Builder magazine between
November 1987 and December 1988.
He was a schoolteacher, and the Sky
Bunny was both a project for teaching basic
construction techniques and a tool for
teaching flying trim. The model featured a
movable wing (for simple CG adjustments)
and flexible card-stock ailerons for the wing,
and trim tabs for the rudder and elevator.
Bill graciously gave me permission to
make his effort available again. If you want
only a copy of the Sky Bunny plans, send
$3 to Air Ace Models. A package including
the plans, build instructions, and full-color
Japanese tissue in “Tiger” markings that is
personalized with the pilot’s name is $15
plus $3 shipping and handling. The builder
must supply wood, wheels, wire, propeller
assembly, etc.
A bound copy of the entire 82-page
“Hey, Kid! ... ” series (including Sky Bunny
plans) is also available from Air Ace
Models, for $20 plus $3 shipping and
handling.
For those who are getting back to basics, a
handy little tool for making uniform stringer
notches has come onto the market. Aptly
called “The Notcher,” it comes with three
adhesive-edged blades at thicknesses of 1/16,
3/32, and 1/8 inch, which are ideal for most
small FFS projects.
Those who are working on larger
projects can make their own blades from
thicker pieces of wood or plastic that they
cut to the size of the blades provided. A
clever design feature assures that all notches
are cut squarely to uniform depth.
For more information about this useful
product, contact Magic Hobbies. The
Notcher is also available from Shorty’s
Basement. Both companies are included in
the “Sources” listing.
As I mentioned in the March 2009 column,
Steve Griebling is using braiding to increase
motor runs. His initial attempts proved to be
troublesome; he learned that long motors
tended to climb his propeller shafts.
He began investigating propeller-hook
designs, to see if one could be made to
effectively contain long rubber motors and
prevent climbing. In discussing this problem
with Tom Arnold, a veteran FACer, Steve
learned about a hook design Tom uses that is
effective with long motors.
Steve calls Tom’s propeller hook the
“diamond/bar” design. It is superior to other
designs, and it makes using rubber or plastic
tubing “chokers” over the front end of rubber
motors unnecessary. Let me know what you
think of it.
Steve has also been seeking to simplify
the “wobbly peg” method of keeping long
rubber motors from bunching at the rear of
the fuselage. The current practice involves
placing a larger-diameter tube over a smallerdiameter
motor peg, but Steve’s design uses
a single peg that is flared at one end.
Unlike conventional motor pegs, which
are snugly fitted in holes in the sides of the
rear fuselage, Steve’s rear peg is placed in
loose-fitting holes, which permits it to
wobble.
That is made possible by using a small
metal cup fitting that is screwed to the side
of the fuselage over the flared end of the
motor peg. When in place, this cup allows
the motor peg to fluctuate freely but keeps
it from falling out of the fuselage.
The cup has a hole in it that is large
enough to accept a winding-stooge wire,
which passes through the cup and the
motor peg and secures the model during
winding. The cup rests on a small piece of
neoprene tubing and is firmly attached to
the fuselage side with a small screw.
When a motor change is needed, the
rubber tubing allows the cup to be moved
aside and the motor peg to be removed.
You can find more details about this
method in Issue 128 of the Crosswinds
newsletter or by e-mailing Steve Griebling.
See the “Sources” list for those addresses.
On the subject of e-mail and letters, the D.C.
Maxecuters got in touch to let me know that
Bill Ceresa, a longtime member, went West on
January 18, 2009. He was a professional artist
and spent 30 years as a medical illustrator for
the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.
Bill produced many cover drawings for
MaxFax: the Maxecuters’ outstanding club
newsletter. He also masterfully built stick-andtissue
models that reflected his artistic gifts.
Known for his willingness to help others, his
sense of humor, and his big smile, Bill Ceresa
typified the best of FAC members.
Condolences to his wife, Rose, and his son,
Bill.
Ronny Gosselin of Montreal, Quebec,
Canada, e-mailed to inform me that he and his
fellow members of FAC 71 Harfane (Snow
Owl) Squadron are well along in their
preparations to attend this year’s FAC Non-
Nats in Geneseo, New York. The event will be
held July 16-18.
Ronny has completed a Morane-Saulnier
MS.406 in Finnish markings. Now he is
working on a Corsair from the 1946 Reno Air
Races and a Fokker F.20 with working landing
and position lights. Both models will be ready
for Geneseo.
The Harfane group’s Bernard Dion has a
new Stuka V1. Luc Martin is doing a Kellner-
Bechereau racer and has finished a model of
the Arsenal VG 39.
Ronny plans to arrive early in Geneseo, to
see the big air show that will be held at the
National Warplane Museum the weekend of
July 11-12. This site will host the FAC Non-
Nats the following weekend.
Bill Hannan sent a warm note to let me
know that he and his lovely wife, Joan, are
enjoying this column. They especially
appreciated the “Geneseo!” coverage in the
January 2009 MA.
According to Bill, he and Joan continue
to downsize their company, Hannan’s
Runway. See “Sources” for contact
information. They now consider themselves
to be “semiretired” although the hoped-for
spare time has yet to emerge.
The Hannans remain philosophical and
sent the following quips.
“A scientist is a person who believes that
anything that works must be obsolete!”
–Anonymous
“Growing old is no more than a bad habit
which a busy person has no time to form.”
–André Maurois
An e-mail from Jack Page raises the
question of why I, and others, have never
mentioned the Hi-Flier brand of Dime kits.
He points out that they were “lighter and,
consequently, much better fliers than
Comet, et al.” Jack built a Hi-Flier Fokker
D.VII kit at the age of 10, and it was one of
the best fliers of his young life.
I told him that it was a benign oversight
on my part and completely agreed that the
Hi-Flier kits were outstanding. One of my
favorites was the 18-inch-span Bellanca
Skyrocket, which I built (and lost) on
several occasions.
Current FAC rules limit Dime Scale
types to a maximum wingspan of 16 inches.
The Hi-Flier models with spans longer than
that are ineligible to compete, since they
prohibit reducing existing plans to conform
with wingspan limits.
Perhaps the issue of shrinking plans to
conform with those span restrictions is a
topic for FACers to discuss.
If you have not already made reservations
for the FAC Non-Nats in Geneseo, do so
without delay. The hotels are probably
booked by now, but accommodations can
be obtained at the State University of New
York at Geneseo, which is within sight of
the flying field. You can find details about
this in the latest issues of the Flying Aces
Club News newsletter.
All fees for the Non-Nats must be
remitted by June 15. Mail a completed
entry form and payment by check or
international money order, to FAC, to
Juanita Reichel. Her contact information is
in the “Sources” list. GHQ will be unable
to refund cancellations after June 20.
The year 2009 marks the 100th
anniversary of the first English Channel
crossing by Louis Blériot. To mark this
historic occasion, the FAC will hold a new
event at this year’s Non-Nats.
The S.L.O.W. (slow, low, or wet) Race
will be held the evening of Friday July 17.
It will be for “plain Jane” pioneer models
of full-scale aircraft built before 1915. The
aircraft are to be built to scale, but wild
color schemes are invited.
The contest will be flown using the
BLUR racecourse as the English Channel.
Airplanes will initially be flown in heats of
three; the “winners” will be the lowest and
slowest to fly within the confines of the
course. The champion will be the slowest
and lowest of all.
Events of note for later this year
include the Magnificent Mountain Men
club’s FAC World War II Combat contest.
It will take place in Denver, Colorado,
Labor Day weekend. Contact Don
DeLoach for more information. You can
find his contact info in the “Sources” list.
The FAC Outdoor Champs will be
flown in Muncie, Indiana, September 10-
11. WESTFAC II, hosted by WESTFAC—
the Western Region Flying Aces Club—
will be held in Gainesville, Texas,
September 25-27. Check out the club’s
Web site for more information. You can
find the address in the “Sources” section.
In addition, the biennial Dawn Patrol
gathering will take place at the National
Museum of the US Air Force in Dayton,
Ohio, September 25-27. This is not a
model contest; it is one of the greatest
opportunities to see World War I
aviation up close. It is free and open to
the public.
Thermals! MA
Sources:
Cloudbusters newsletter:
Ralph Kuenz, editor
Box 402
Shepherd MI 48883
[email protected]
Air Ace Models
(216) 631-7774
www.airacemodels.com
Magic Hobbies
(810) 953-0006
[email protected]
Shorty’s Basement
(740) 223-7471
(740) 225-8671
www.shortysbasement.com
Crosswinds newsletter:
Russ Brown
4909 N. Sedgewick
Lyndhurst OH 44124
Steve Griebling
753 Cliffside Dr.
Akron OH 44313
[email protected]
Hannan’s Runway
(530) 873-6421
www.hrunway.com
Juanita Reichel
3301 Cindy Ln.
Erie PA 16506
Don DeLoach
[email protected]
WESTFAC
www.westernfac.com
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/06
Page Numbers: 140,141,142,143,144
140 MODEL AVIATION
May Norman, 5, will fly her pink Mighty
May Comet Phantom Flash in FAC
competition with the Cleveland Free
Flight Society. Shorty’s Basement sells a
laser-cut kit. Norman photo.
These times are a blessing in disguise
[[email protected]]
Free Flight Scale Dennis Norman
Also included in this column:
• FAC Jet Catapult Scale rises
again
• Magic Hobbies’ The Notcher
• Steve Griebling’s long-motor
conquests
• Correspondence from the
gang
• 2009 FAC Non-Nats and
events of note Bill Warner’s classic Sky Bunny has inspired many new modelers. This version’s Japanese
tissue covering is personalized with the pilot’s name on the underside of the wing.
Norman photo.
Finn Norman, 8, and his grandpa built this A-7D Corsair II that
will be flown in FAC Jet Catapult Scale competition. Patrick
Norman photo.
SOME OF US have been around long enough to know that life is
cyclical, bumpy, and uncertain in the best of times. The current
economic turndown is the latest reminder of this.
Thinking about the last 60 years, it is my observation that hard
economic times often are blessings in disguise. They force us to
stop and reflect not only upon what is wrong, but also what we can
do to make it right again and hopefully even better than before.
These times call for a return to the basics. This message is not
lost on our interest group.
Events such as Dime Scale and Pseudo-Dime Scale (discussed in
my March 2009 column) signify our return to our roots. Even
simple stick models, such as the vintage Comet Phantom Flash
ROG (rise-off-ground) and the classic Sky Bunny, are again
inspiring youngsters and veterans alike to quickly build and fly.
They bring us simplicity and joy during these times of complex
uncertainty.
On the subject of basics, a simple, but delightful, event is making a
return to FF Scale (FFS): Jet Catapult Scale. It is an official class for
Flying Aces Club (FAC) competition that is intended for models of
any man-carrying jet or rocket-propelled aircraft.
FAC rules permit profile fuselages, specify no wingspan limit,
and do not require landing gear. A bonus of 5 points is given for
flying wings or canards, and 1 point is awarded for each scale
engine, pod, tank, or bomb (all of which may also be in profile) that
is not contained within the contours of the airframe.
Models are launched with a stretched-rubber catapult, with no
minimum or maximum times required to be “official.” The flight
score is determined by adding the three best of six flights.
Bonus points are tacked on to the total flight points. If two or
more competitors have identical flight scores, a flyoff is held and
06sig5.QXD 4/23/09 2:14 PM Page 140
June 2009 141
The Notcher from Magic Hobbies is a new tool for making
uniform notches in 1/16, 3/32, and 1/8-inch material. Expansion to
even larger sizes is possible. Norman photo.
Tom Arnold’s propeller-hook design prevents forward bunching of
long rubber motors. Steve Griebling dubbed it the “diamond/bar”
and is satisfied with it. Griebling photo.
Compatible with most stooges, the wobbly peg’s duty is to prevent rearward bunching of
long motors. Griebling photo.
Steve Griebling’s unique rear “wobbly peg” is made from simple components that can be
handmade. Griebling photo.
bonus and scale points are added to the
flyoff score.
Jet Catapult types are especially
attractive to younger modelers, because
their flights are usually short, dramatic, and
repeatable to the point of destruction.
Supervision is needed, however, because
these designs fly quickly and can cause
serious injury if flown carelessly. They
should always be launched away from, and
at a reasonable distance from, spectators.
My grandchildren are flying Catapult
Jets and enjoying them tremendously. The
latest is a scratch-built, 13-inch-span, allsheet
model of the A-7D Corsair II of the
354th Tactical Fighter Wing from the
Vietnam era. My 8-year-old grandson, Finn,
is flight-testing his A-7D before adding the
bonus point-grabbing bombs and fuel tanks.
The March-April 2009 Cloudbusters
newsletter (the bimonthly publication of the
venerable Cloudbusters Model Airplane
Club of Michigan, which is in its 70th year)
features a cover photo of Mike Welshans’
Phantom Flash decked out in checkered
tissue. Inside is a full-size copy of the
classic Comet plans for this 16-inch-span
cutie, complete with the original skull and
crossbones insignia.
Inspired by the Cloudbusters, I have put
the finishing touches on a pink version of
the Flash that I built for my 5-year-old
granddaughter, May. She will probably be
happily chasing it by the time you read this
column.
May loves to fly models and, being
independent, she insists on chasing and
retrieving what she flies. She is on my short
list to help me retrieve my models in
another five years or so.
For details about getting a subscription
to the Cloudbusters newsletter, see the
“Sources” list at the end of this column for
contact information.
A more recent stick design is Bill
Warner’s famous Sky Bunny, which he
designed in the late 1980s as a beginner’s
“scratch-built” model. It builds quickly and
flies magnificently.
06sig5.QXD 4/23/09 1:59 PM Page 141
Bill introduced the Sky Bunny in his
brilliant series, “Hey, Kid! Ya Wanna Build
a Model Airplane?” The articles were first
published in the now-defunct, much-missed
Model Builder magazine between
November 1987 and December 1988.
He was a schoolteacher, and the Sky
Bunny was both a project for teaching basic
construction techniques and a tool for
teaching flying trim. The model featured a
movable wing (for simple CG adjustments)
and flexible card-stock ailerons for the wing,
and trim tabs for the rudder and elevator.
Bill graciously gave me permission to
make his effort available again. If you want
only a copy of the Sky Bunny plans, send
$3 to Air Ace Models. A package including
the plans, build instructions, and full-color
Japanese tissue in “Tiger” markings that is
personalized with the pilot’s name is $15
plus $3 shipping and handling. The builder
must supply wood, wheels, wire, propeller
assembly, etc.
A bound copy of the entire 82-page
“Hey, Kid! ... ” series (including Sky Bunny
plans) is also available from Air Ace
Models, for $20 plus $3 shipping and
handling.
For those who are getting back to basics, a
handy little tool for making uniform stringer
notches has come onto the market. Aptly
called “The Notcher,” it comes with three
adhesive-edged blades at thicknesses of 1/16,
3/32, and 1/8 inch, which are ideal for most
small FFS projects.
Those who are working on larger
projects can make their own blades from
thicker pieces of wood or plastic that they
cut to the size of the blades provided. A
clever design feature assures that all notches
are cut squarely to uniform depth.
For more information about this useful
product, contact Magic Hobbies. The
Notcher is also available from Shorty’s
Basement. Both companies are included in
the “Sources” listing.
As I mentioned in the March 2009 column,
Steve Griebling is using braiding to increase
motor runs. His initial attempts proved to be
troublesome; he learned that long motors
tended to climb his propeller shafts.
He began investigating propeller-hook
designs, to see if one could be made to
effectively contain long rubber motors and
prevent climbing. In discussing this problem
with Tom Arnold, a veteran FACer, Steve
learned about a hook design Tom uses that is
effective with long motors.
Steve calls Tom’s propeller hook the
“diamond/bar” design. It is superior to other
designs, and it makes using rubber or plastic
tubing “chokers” over the front end of rubber
motors unnecessary. Let me know what you
think of it.
Steve has also been seeking to simplify
the “wobbly peg” method of keeping long
rubber motors from bunching at the rear of
the fuselage. The current practice involves
placing a larger-diameter tube over a smallerdiameter
motor peg, but Steve’s design uses
a single peg that is flared at one end.
Unlike conventional motor pegs, which
are snugly fitted in holes in the sides of the
rear fuselage, Steve’s rear peg is placed in
loose-fitting holes, which permits it to
wobble.
That is made possible by using a small
metal cup fitting that is screwed to the side
of the fuselage over the flared end of the
motor peg. When in place, this cup allows
the motor peg to fluctuate freely but keeps
it from falling out of the fuselage.
The cup has a hole in it that is large
enough to accept a winding-stooge wire,
which passes through the cup and the
motor peg and secures the model during
winding. The cup rests on a small piece of
neoprene tubing and is firmly attached to
the fuselage side with a small screw.
When a motor change is needed, the
rubber tubing allows the cup to be moved
aside and the motor peg to be removed.
You can find more details about this
method in Issue 128 of the Crosswinds
newsletter or by e-mailing Steve Griebling.
See the “Sources” list for those addresses.
On the subject of e-mail and letters, the D.C.
Maxecuters got in touch to let me know that
Bill Ceresa, a longtime member, went West on
January 18, 2009. He was a professional artist
and spent 30 years as a medical illustrator for
the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.
Bill produced many cover drawings for
MaxFax: the Maxecuters’ outstanding club
newsletter. He also masterfully built stick-andtissue
models that reflected his artistic gifts.
Known for his willingness to help others, his
sense of humor, and his big smile, Bill Ceresa
typified the best of FAC members.
Condolences to his wife, Rose, and his son,
Bill.
Ronny Gosselin of Montreal, Quebec,
Canada, e-mailed to inform me that he and his
fellow members of FAC 71 Harfane (Snow
Owl) Squadron are well along in their
preparations to attend this year’s FAC Non-
Nats in Geneseo, New York. The event will be
held July 16-18.
Ronny has completed a Morane-Saulnier
MS.406 in Finnish markings. Now he is
working on a Corsair from the 1946 Reno Air
Races and a Fokker F.20 with working landing
and position lights. Both models will be ready
for Geneseo.
The Harfane group’s Bernard Dion has a
new Stuka V1. Luc Martin is doing a Kellner-
Bechereau racer and has finished a model of
the Arsenal VG 39.
Ronny plans to arrive early in Geneseo, to
see the big air show that will be held at the
National Warplane Museum the weekend of
July 11-12. This site will host the FAC Non-
Nats the following weekend.
Bill Hannan sent a warm note to let me
know that he and his lovely wife, Joan, are
enjoying this column. They especially
appreciated the “Geneseo!” coverage in the
January 2009 MA.
According to Bill, he and Joan continue
to downsize their company, Hannan’s
Runway. See “Sources” for contact
information. They now consider themselves
to be “semiretired” although the hoped-for
spare time has yet to emerge.
The Hannans remain philosophical and
sent the following quips.
“A scientist is a person who believes that
anything that works must be obsolete!”
–Anonymous
“Growing old is no more than a bad habit
which a busy person has no time to form.”
–André Maurois
An e-mail from Jack Page raises the
question of why I, and others, have never
mentioned the Hi-Flier brand of Dime kits.
He points out that they were “lighter and,
consequently, much better fliers than
Comet, et al.” Jack built a Hi-Flier Fokker
D.VII kit at the age of 10, and it was one of
the best fliers of his young life.
I told him that it was a benign oversight
on my part and completely agreed that the
Hi-Flier kits were outstanding. One of my
favorites was the 18-inch-span Bellanca
Skyrocket, which I built (and lost) on
several occasions.
Current FAC rules limit Dime Scale
types to a maximum wingspan of 16 inches.
The Hi-Flier models with spans longer than
that are ineligible to compete, since they
prohibit reducing existing plans to conform
with wingspan limits.
Perhaps the issue of shrinking plans to
conform with those span restrictions is a
topic for FACers to discuss.
If you have not already made reservations
for the FAC Non-Nats in Geneseo, do so
without delay. The hotels are probably
booked by now, but accommodations can
be obtained at the State University of New
York at Geneseo, which is within sight of
the flying field. You can find details about
this in the latest issues of the Flying Aces
Club News newsletter.
All fees for the Non-Nats must be
remitted by June 15. Mail a completed
entry form and payment by check or
international money order, to FAC, to
Juanita Reichel. Her contact information is
in the “Sources” list. GHQ will be unable
to refund cancellations after June 20.
The year 2009 marks the 100th
anniversary of the first English Channel
crossing by Louis Blériot. To mark this
historic occasion, the FAC will hold a new
event at this year’s Non-Nats.
The S.L.O.W. (slow, low, or wet) Race
will be held the evening of Friday July 17.
It will be for “plain Jane” pioneer models
of full-scale aircraft built before 1915. The
aircraft are to be built to scale, but wild
color schemes are invited.
The contest will be flown using the
BLUR racecourse as the English Channel.
Airplanes will initially be flown in heats of
three; the “winners” will be the lowest and
slowest to fly within the confines of the
course. The champion will be the slowest
and lowest of all.
Events of note for later this year
include the Magnificent Mountain Men
club’s FAC World War II Combat contest.
It will take place in Denver, Colorado,
Labor Day weekend. Contact Don
DeLoach for more information. You can
find his contact info in the “Sources” list.
The FAC Outdoor Champs will be
flown in Muncie, Indiana, September 10-
11. WESTFAC II, hosted by WESTFAC—
the Western Region Flying Aces Club—
will be held in Gainesville, Texas,
September 25-27. Check out the club’s
Web site for more information. You can
find the address in the “Sources” section.
In addition, the biennial Dawn Patrol
gathering will take place at the National
Museum of the US Air Force in Dayton,
Ohio, September 25-27. This is not a
model contest; it is one of the greatest
opportunities to see World War I
aviation up close. It is free and open to
the public.
Thermals! MA
Sources:
Cloudbusters newsletter:
Ralph Kuenz, editor
Box 402
Shepherd MI 48883
[email protected]
Air Ace Models
(216) 631-7774
www.airacemodels.com
Magic Hobbies
(810) 953-0006
[email protected]
Shorty’s Basement
(740) 223-7471
(740) 225-8671
www.shortysbasement.com
Crosswinds newsletter:
Russ Brown
4909 N. Sedgewick
Lyndhurst OH 44124
Steve Griebling
753 Cliffside Dr.
Akron OH 44313
[email protected]
Hannan’s Runway
(530) 873-6421
www.hrunway.com
Juanita Reichel
3301 Cindy Ln.
Erie PA 16506
Don DeLoach
[email protected]
WESTFAC
www.westernfac.com