5161 E. Memorial Dr., Muncie IN 47302
Letters to the Editor
Scale World Champs Clarification
The article about the World
Championships in the February issue of
Model Aviation unfortunately opens the
possibility of an incorrect impression
concerning Lloyd Roberts’ model.
My explanation in the submitted text,
while clear to me, was admittedly vague to
someone not directly associated with Scale
competition. As a result, the editing process at
the magazine level omitted a phrase which
was necessary for a correct interpretation.
Lloyd’s model represents a reproduction of
a full-scale Fly Baby he built a number of years
ago. While it is similar to the more commonly
modeled Bauer Fly Baby, there are a number
of significant modifications as compared to the
Bauer version. The model Lloyd presented for
the competition depicts the aircraft he had
built, not the Bauer version.
I very much regret the confusion caused by
my presentation of the text to Model Aviation
and apologize to Lloyd for having created a
false impression concerning his model
Bob Underwood
St. Peters, Missouri
Famous Modeler
Many legends of aviation, astronauts,
designers, and flying heroes had their beginning
with model airplanes. Some still enjoy this
greatest of all things to do. I have heard that way
back in the 1944-45 era a famed beauty built
models. She worked for Lockheed Aircraft in its
Radio Plane Division. Lockheed’s effort was
design and fabrication of RC target drones.
Norma Jean Dougherty made her
contribution to the war effort by helping
assemble these state-of-the-art models.
There is no way to estimate how many boys
are alive today by developing shooting skills
in an inexpensive manner. She did her part
enthusiastically.
A fetching beauty, this young teenage girl
was discovered by photographers while she
worked at Lockheed. Great things sometimes
happen from humble beginnings. And this was
her start to worldwide acclaim. This young
model builder became theMarilyn Monroe!
I have often thought that if Marilyn had
continued with her interest in model
airplanes, her life would have been happier,
and without tragic end.
Marilyn would be 74 years old now, with
me two years older. I would love to be able
to fly Mulvihill models with her today.
George Perryman
Smyrna, Georgia
They Were Right
The folks at Performance R/C Hobbies
told me that if I wanted to learn to fly, the
place to go was the local club—the Bell/Air
R/C Flyers in my area.
After a small disaster which took some
time and glue, I made contact with someone
from the club. I had lots of questions, which
they were more than happy to answer. I
joined and was appointed an instructor who
gave of his time and wisdom.
Well, I soloed last week and although my
knees still shake a little, I’m having a ball. To all
those that are thinking about it, all I can say is,
boy, were they right; not only do these people
promote their hobby, they bend over backward
to help anyone who might ask for their help.
Since joining the AMA I have truly
enjoyed your magazine, and wanted you to
know they were right.
Joe Galeskas
Bellingham, Washington
Word of Caution
It was a beautiful summer evening. It was
about 80 degrees out, with very little wind.
We had about 20 club members out this
evening, and we were all having a great time.
I was preparing to fly my Goldberg
Ultimate Bipe, and I was being strongly
encouraged to hurry up and “get it into the
air!” (Some people would consider this
harassment, but all in fun.)
So I fueled up the plane (constantly
being “encouraged”), and put the glow
driver on the O.S. 120 four-stroke engine
and started it. It was running great, as usual,
so I reached over the top with my right hand
so I could remove the glow driver with the
other hand so I could “get it in the air!”And
suddenly it happened! Game over!
In my enthusiasm to fly, I was guilty of a
brief moment of carelessness. I did not reach
high enough to grab the top wing and the
prop got me! I want you to know that APC
props on 120 four-stroke engines have no
mercy on fingers!
I got to the hospital emergency room, and
the only word used to describe my injury was
“mangled!” I had two fingers injured, and
required an orthopedic surgeon to repair them.
This may sound like a typical “rookie”
mistake, but I want you to know that I have
been in the hobby for 12 or 13 years, and
have flown many hundreds of flights.
My point is that it is easy to become so
comfortable with what you are doing that
you can easily become careless, be it ever so
briefly, and get seriously injured. These toys
are not toys! So be careful, and have fun.
By the way, my fingers have healed up
as good as new. I was very lucky, this time.
Tom Ball
Byron Center, Michigan
Modeling Spoken Here
I just read your editorial in February’s
edition of Model Aviation. It rekindled one of
my ideas that may have merit in the context of
the “sport” versus “hobby” argument.
I’ve given thought to the barriers between
modeling and the general (younger)
population. One is the initial expense for a
sport that is not widely known or recognized.
In an effort to create an inexpensive Control
Line model, I’ve considered the possibility of
“whip” Control Line gliders.
Eliminating the need for an engine, fuel,
and associated starting equipment dramatically
reduces initial expense. Also, without all the
demands present for an engine-powered craft
(vibration, mounting of a fuel tank, finishes
that are fuel resistant, and so on), the design
can be built around more crash-resistant
materials such as flexible foam over carbonfiber
spars, making for a more durable craft.
The flier would use a fiberglass or
carbon-fiber rod strapped to his or her arm,
which is outfitted with wire guides (like
those on a fishing rod), to propel the model
using a whipping action.
From a competition standpoint, events such
as “Whip Stunt,” “Whip Speed,” “Whip Rat
Racing,” “Whip Scale,” and (dare we consider)
“Whip Duration” would be possible.
Since the event would probably be flown
on a grass sports field, cleats would be
required. Now the event can be plugged into
existing advertising, perhaps involving highprofile
sporting shoe sponsors.
This would be an event suitable for
athletic people and, therefore, unarguably a
sport. What’s more, the common objection
of noise is eliminated, and the event could
even be flown indoors!
I think the thought of promoting modeling
as a sport is a step in the right direction. I
currently must travel one and a half hours to
the nearest club. Given the present concern of
starting my own club and approaching
organizations such as recreation departments,
I believe the “sport” approach would find
greater support and acceptance.
Thanks for a thought-provoking article.
Marty Cwiakala
Irmo, South Carolina
Congratulations and good luck in your
new position at Model Aviation. I enjoyed
your editorial in the January issue.
Your modeling career kind of parallels
mine. I’ve been building model planes for as
long as I can remember. My father built a few
models when I was very young and I was
hooked. He stopped and I took it from there.
In the past 60 years there have been very
few days that I have not been cutting,
gluing, sanding, or painting balsa wood. It’s
a great hobby that can develop many skills.
It was nice to see two photos of the
Swoose in “Focal Point.” I must clarify the
fact that the Swoose is not my design. I
don’t want to take credit away from the
original designer Captain A. Stolzenberger.
He had this beautiful design published in
the October 1946 issue of Model Airplane
News. It was a 32-inch wingspan Free Flight
seaplane model with an Atom .09 ignition
engine in it. I built one this size in the late
’50s with a McCoy .09 diesel. It flew great.
In 1967 I doubled the size of it and made it
Radio Control. This also flew great. In 1989 I
Continued on page 154
April 2001 9
built the one that was published in the October
’89 MAN. I still have it and fly it with the same
Fox 50 and Expert radio. It seems every 10
years or so I need a Swoose fix. I’m overdue.
Again, congratulations.
Nick Ziroli Sr.
Little Falls, New York
Just read the subject article. As a 70-yearold
aeromodeling builder/flier, I think that a lot
of people writing for and writing in to modeling
magazines (including the “Presidents
Perspective” article and also some others) are
really not addressing what we do from the point
of view that what a lot of us do is “art.”
It’s obvious to those of us who view the
results of our handiwork and what we have
accomplished. The fact is, it is really
“performance art.” That is what makes it
difficult for some outsiders to understand
and to attempt an involvement.
However, there is a small segment of the
population that still does view airplanes as
something other than for public transportation
or military use, and hence they enjoy a good
show when they encounter one. No matter
whether it is full-scale or on a smaller scale.
Joe Wozniak
Laurel, Maryland
Flying Aces Nats
I should like to take this moment to
congratulate Mr. Fernando Ramos for his
excellent coverage [in the January 2001
issue] of the Flying Aces Club Nationals
this past summer at Geneseo.
The photo coverage as well as the
written description are excellent. Mr.
Ramos depicted the events as he saw them
unfolding and the photo story matched his
written word description perfectly.
To those in attendance that piece
refreshes the memory of all those who
were fortunate to have been there, either
as spectators or competitors, and should
make those who could make it try and
come back again, and those who missed
the great show resolve to get to the next
big one.
Model Aviation also deserves a big
thank you for running the photos and the
article and to give that many pages to an
event which has always had an
international flavor, besides bringing
modelers from all over this great country.
This coverage by Model Aviation and
Mr. Ramos can only point up the fact that
flying Scale Rubber is not dead and is
thriving due in no small measure to the
guidance of groups such as the Flying Aces
Club, with its many squadrons as well as
many other similar-interest units.
Certainly the myriad of models depicted
is but a small part of the fantastic number
and variety of flying machines to be seen.
It is truly difficult to see everything,
because there always seems to be
something going on at one location or the
other, usually down the field from where
you may have just left.
The fellowship and ambience have to
be witnessed and felt firsthand to be
appreciated.
So, once again thank you Mr. Ramos
for your great coverage and to Model
Aviation for publishing same. Well done.
As one who was there and tried to see it
all, I was glad to see in print some of what
I may have missed.
Fran Ptaszkiewicz
Tonawanda, New York
Club Rewards
[The above photo is an example] of the 3 x
5-inch frequency pins awarded to the last four
winners of our club’s Model of the Month
contest. It’s not that our club has anything
against ARFs [Almost Ready to Flys], it’s just
that we make an effort to acknowledge the
members who still take the time to roll their
own.
The rules are simple: the model must be built
154 M ODEL AVIATION
Continued from page 9
Letters
Continued on page 174
174 M ODEL AVIATION
Continued from page 9
Letters
built the one that was published in the October
’89 MAN. I still have it and fly it with the same
Fox 50 and Expert radio. It seems every 10
years or so I need a Swoose fix. I’m overdue.
Again, congratulations.
Nick Ziroli Sr.
Little Falls, New York
Just read the subject article. As a 70-yearold
aeromodeling builder/flier, I think that a lot
of people writing for and writing in to modeling
magazines (including the “Presidents
Perspective” article and also some others) are
really not addressing what we do from the point
of view that what a lot of us do is “art.”
It’s obvious to those of us who view the
results of our handiwork and what we have
accomplished. The fact is, it is really
“performance art.” That is what makes it
difficult for some outsiders to understand
and to attempt an involvement.
However, there is a small segment of the
population that still does view airplanes as
something other than for public transportation
or military use, and hence they enjoy a good
show when they encounter one. No matter
whether it is full-scale or on a smaller scale.
Joe Wozniak
Laurel, Maryland
Club Rewards
[The above photo is an example] of the 3 x 5-
inch frequency pins awarded to the last four
winners of our club’s Model of the Month
contest. It’s not that our club has anything
against ARFs [Almost Ready to Flys], it’s just
that we make an effort to acknowledge the
members who still take the time to roll their own.
The rules are simple: the model must be built
by one or more club members from either plans
or a kit. Two of the club’s senior members, Rudy
Kumpf and Kim Reid, then select the winning
model based not only on its construction, but
also on the experience of its builder.
In that way, a member who started flying
with an ARF trainer, but decided to build a sport
kit like a Four-Star 40 for his second model, has
as good a chance of winning, as does a master
builder like our Leader Member Gene Rogers.
The costs involved are minimal: a 1⁄4 sheet of
photo paper, a backing, and a wood clothespin.
The club does all its own photography, and pins
have been produced from both digital images as
well as scanned original photographs.
Roger W. Chillemi, Suffolk Falcons secretary
Hampton Bays, New York
Flying Aces Nats
I should like to take this moment to
congratulate Mr. Fernando Ramos for his
excellent coverage [in the January 2001
issue] of the Flying Aces Club Nationals
this past summer at Geneseo.
The photo coverage as well as the
written description are excellent. Mr.
Ramos depicted the events as he saw them
unfolding and the photo story matched his
written word description perfectly.
To those in attendance that piece
refreshes the memory of all those who
were fortunate to have been there, either
as spectators or competitors, and should
make those who could make it try and
come back again, and those who missed
the great show resolve to get to the next
big one.
Model Aviation also deserves a big
thank you for running the photos and the
article and to give that many pages to an
event which has always had an
international flavor, besides bringing
modelers from all over this great country.
This coverage by Model Aviation and
Mr. Ramos can only point up the fact that
flying Scale Rubber is not dead and is
thriving due in no small measure to the
guidance of groups such as the Flying
Aces Club, with its many squadrons as
well as many other similar-interest units.
Certainly the myriad of models
depicted is but a small part of the fantastic
number and variety of flying machines to
be seen. It is truly difficult to see
everything, because there always seems to
be something going on at one location or
the other, usually down the field from
where you may have just left.
The fellowship and ambience have to
be witnessed and felt firsthand to be
appreciated.
So, once again thank you Mr. Ramos
for your great coverage and to Model
Aviation for publishing same. Well done.
As one who was there and tried to see it
all, I was glad to see in print some of what
I may have missed.
Fran Ptaszkiewicz
Tonawanda, New York
Transmitter Issues
In the January issue of Model Aviation
magazine, Gary Shaw recommends turning
on your receiver before your transmitter in
his “Safety Comes First” column.
I understand Gary’s reasoning in
using this as a way to see if anyone else
is already on your channel. In reading it I
also think Gary didn’t mean it as a big
thing and kind of mentioned it in passing.
The problem is, it has come to my
attention that modelers out there are taking
his statement as being, “Model Aviation
says you should always turn on your
receiver before your transmitter!” Now,
that isn’t what Gary said, but it’s the way
some people are interpreting it.
For the record, you should always turn
on your transmitter first. If you don’t, you
can ruin your servos by having them overrotate
in one direction or the other. You
can also damage control surfaces or your
carb by excessive pushrod travel. And, if
you’re an Electric flier, you can suddenly
have your motor jump to life and someone
could get seriously hurt by the prop.
Gary might want to clarify this point in
a future column.
Thanks.
Larry Sribnick
President, SR Batteries
While flying RC [Radio Control]
aircraft, I have experienced a number of
occasions where the contributing factors
to erratic in-flight behavior, sometimes a
crash, could very well be attributed to
someone else turning on a transmitter
with the same frequency as the one in
use by me.
So many other factors are present that
would result in the same end that it is
almost impossible to identify the true
cause. Vibration, radio frequency
generated by some other component on
board, a bad switch and a cell going bad in
a battery pack are just a few.
However, there are solutions that would
detect or prevent anyone else turning on a
transmitter with the same frequency as
someone else flying.
1. Provide an electronic switch on each
transmitter that would detect a signal of
the same frequency from some other
source and prevent the master switch from
activating the transmitter.
2. Provide an indicator or sound
device on each transmitter that becomes
active if a signal is received that does
not match the position of the control
sticks or switches on your transmitter
while you are flying.
These are by no means the only
possible solutions to this problem. Yet it
illustrates at least two ways that the AMA
and the manufacturers of these transmitters
could be proactive.
Ronald A. Testa
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Model Aviation Archives
Yesterday I received my copy of the
Digital Publishing archives of Model
Aviation. As a past Control Line Scale
columnist, it was sad the day I had to
dispose of all my past copies of all my
magazines. This effort by Digital
Publishing is so well done I must
recommend this to all modelers young
and old.
It gives you access to information that
would take hundreds of hours to find.
Not only can you read every
magazine, page by page, you can look up
specific subjects using a single word or
multiple words.
What a country.
Dick Byron
Grand Prairie, Texas