CL Combat
From my friend Curtis Mattikow in New York. Following is his report.
The JR DS368 Ultra-Torque Micro Premium Digital servo put out the same or more power (3.5 oz.-in.) than a standard servo at half the weight. 8.0 ounces, compared with 1.5 ounces for (another brand), a typical standard servo.
They are somewhat larger than a microservo, more like a miniservo, having four mounting lugs—a big help. If you had a microservo that put out enough power, would you feel good about having only two screws mounting your single elevator servo on a .40-sized model? Not me. But I would not hesitate to use a DS368 anywhere you might use a standard servo. More power, less weight—a big help with balance on some of our short-nosed Old Timers.
This is the fastest, most accurate servo I have ever used. RT rates 0.21 seconds/60 degrees, and while I cannot measure that, you have to see it in action to believe it! They are blindingly fast—considerably faster than a regular servo, and always return to the exact same center. Control of the model is noticeably sharper and more accurate, making the pilot look good.
Are they overkill for Old-Timers? Perhaps for anything under .15 size, but for anything larger they are worth it. I feel comfortable when committing a vintage model and a rear engine to the vicissitudes of the thermal god because at least these servos are not going to let me down!
Neither Curtis nor I are employed by JR or Horizon Hobby, nor have we any financial interest in either firm. Nor do I have any idea what the new writing is about since all of my control inputs are done via thin steel wires attached to a handle.
SAMT triumph, 24/02: The Society of Antique Models announces annual championships will be held August 26-30 at the AMA flying site in Muncie IN. A full schedule of Old-Time and Antique FF, RC, and Nostalgia events is planned, as are several special one-design events. See the AMA Contest Calendar for more information.
A while back I asked for photos of models built from Cleveland kits. That brought a pleasant response. It's not possible to feature all of them here, but I will list what I could. There is apparently great interest in these delightful scale designs, helped no doubt by the current availability of plan reprints.
Paul Fihl, Monmouth ME, sent photos of a Cleveland FBF Bennett built in 1951 while stationed at NAS (Naval Air Station) Benicia as a Control Line (CL) model. The model was fully planked, nicely finished, and was powered by a spark ignition O&R .60.
Another fan of Cleveland designs, Tim Corridon of (all places) Cleveland OH, sent pictures of his highly detailed C-D models, all of which fly FF or RC. Some are rubber-powered, and others, in scale, use .78 or .45 Cox or electric power. The level of workmanship and detail are outstanding.
Tim also revealed some exciting news regarding Cleveland designs, although I promised not to reveal it here, that word might be “on the street” by now. If not, it should be soon.
Tom Kutney, South Fork CO, sent photos of his Cleveland Playboy Jr. powered with an O.S. .10 glow engine. The model is covered with white silkspan trimmed with additional silkspan that was dyed red.
Tom wrote that he enjoys a nostalgic break from the screamers that we fly at the local air stretch on the weekend, and hopes that his efforts will encourage other modelers to try an Old-Timer; this has been real fun.
A Cleveland model that some may recall is the CLB-25 that won Senior Scale at the 1949 Nationals. Powered by two Atwoods—.49 and a .51—it was built and flown by Dale Kinn, then of Salinas KS. Later known for his monoline speed exploits, Dale currently resides in California and still has the model. Several years ago I was privileged to see that real bit of modeling history.
I have many reminders: Jim Walker’s Firebaby? An early, possibly the first, Ready-to-Fly CL model. It was inch-span, all-blanks model available with an O.K. Cub .049 and later a .065 Royal Spitfire engine. The fuel tank was balloon mounted under a clear plastic canopy. Lightweight and tough as nails, the main difference between the Firebaby and the later crop of overweight plastic toys was that the Firebaby actually flew.
At one of our Vintage CL Stunt annuals a few years back, I was privileged to receive a little new Firebaby/Cub .049 from some of the participants. It was assembled from parts gathered by several modelers across the country. Though I may never fly it, I often pick it up and look it over, and suddenly I’m back in the 1950s again. (That’s our kind of therapy, I know.) I don’t suppose anyone out there ever felt the same about model airplanes.
Kermit Walker, Lodi CA, sent some useful additions to the March column’s topic of laminated parts. His experience has been that 100% liquid ammonia works best for softening the strips. He sprays it on rather than soaking the strips.
“I’ve found that the best glue for me is Titebond (the original, not Titebond II),” wrote Kermit.
He added several other hints, including a technique to help speed drying or curing. Laminated parts are an excellent replacement for curved bamboo and/or aluminum tubing often seen as wing and stabilizer tips or vertical fin outlines on Old-Timers.
If you’d like a copy of Kermit’s thoughts on the subject, send me a long self-addressed, stamped (one-stamp) envelope (SASE).
Let me hear from you. Any category up to 19.5 or so is welcome here. In other words, pretty much anything from the time when people built their models rather than when they bought them. (Oh boy, more mail. Don’t forget the SASE.) LAC
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
