Control Line Scale
Bill Boss [email protected]
Overview of Scale-modeling products at the WRAM Show
Also included in this column:
- An inspiring Scale resource
The February 22–24, 2008 weekend was when many modelers in the New York, New Jersey, and Long Island metropolitan area headed to the Westchester County Center in White Plains, New York, for the yearly Westchester Radio AeroModelers' (WRAM) Show.
Those who attended had the opportunity to not only see what the roughly 150 exhibitors had on display, but to have face-to-face discussions with them about the products. It was also a chance for many of us to meet modeling friends we might see only during the summer at competitions and flying sessions.
In addition, the show featured a static-model competition, RC car racing, electric-flight demonstrations, a model-building program, and how-to seminars. On display was a 1914 Morane-Saulnier monoplane from Cole Palen’s Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome collection in Rhinebeck, New York. The type of Morane-Saulnier on display was said to have been designed for Roland Garros to fly in the 1914 Monaco aviation rally.
This year I had the pleasure of a longtime modeling friend from the old New York Scale Team, Warren Truppner, accompanying me to the show. Some of you might remember seeing the team at local and national competitions from the 1960s until the early 1980s. It’s good to have someone along for discussion about what might be new and what others might be interested in reading about.
Electric flight was evident throughout the show because of the large number of models and equipment on display to promote it. One exhibit I found most interesting was Maxx Products International, which displayed the Himax contrarotating-motor system for driving two propellers at the same time—in opposite directions.
If you have ever thought about building a Scale model with contrarotating propellers and are into electric flight, these motors can be the answer. At present there are four units available:
- CR6320
- CR3516
- CR5025
- CR2816
Each unit is essentially two motors in tandem; the front motor has a hollow armature shaft through which the rear motor shaft is placed. Himax has a complete line of brushless motors, plus controllers and accessories. Another interesting Himax product was a variable-pitch-propeller control device and motor. Using a motor with a hollow armature shaft, a control rod for the variable-pitch unit is placed through the motor and can be actuated by a servo. I imagine this propeller control would be especially effective on many small indoor models. For a complete listing of Himax products, visit the Maxx Products International website.
Are you looking for a scale pilot to add realism to your latest project? Contact Vailly Aviation for a listing of pilots available in bust or full-figure civilian and military configurations. They are offered painted or unpainted and range from 1/9 to 1/3 scale. In addition to pilots, Vailly offers accessories such as plans, fiberglass cowlings, canopies, exhaust stacks, and more for several large-scale warbirds, including:
- P-47
- Fw 190
- Hawker series: Hurricane, Typhoon, Tempest, Sea Fury
Dave Brown, our most recently retired AMA president, was at the WRAM Show with a strong display of products: Vortech spinners, Lite Flite wheels, Dave Brown retracts, and several types of motor mounts. He also demonstrated the RCFS2001 flight simulator. The RCFS2001 combines good graphics and flight characteristics, provides the choice of airplane or helicopter, and features four real flying fields, including the AMA site at Muncie, Indiana. The simulator lets users customize control sensitivities, stability, airfoil, propeller, weight, and many other parameters as they progress. There are add-on aircraft libraries available (aerobatic airplanes, trainers, park flyers). Whether you are an RC pilot or a CL flier considering RC, the simulator is a good place to start or to sharpen flying skills.
Marv Laster of eHobbyTools had an extraordinary display of hobby-related tools; it was hard to pass by without stopping. He offered a great assortment of pliers, clamps, hobby knives, drill bits, pin vises, screwdrivers, nut drivers, and more. Notable items included:
- A small set of SAE open-end wrenches in sizes from 1/8" to 1/4"
- A tap-and-die set with thread sizes from 90 and 0-80 to 4-40, with two taps for each die size
Both of those items would be useful to almost any Scale builder. Another item I liked was a lighted magnifying device in several sizes for desk or workbench use, helpful when working on cockpits and other fine details.
The WRAM Show features mainly RC interests, but CL modelers could use many of the items and airplanes exhibited this year. Several scale and sport models from Top Flite, Great Planes, E-flite, and Hangar 9 are intended for RC but could be converted to CL with a little ingenuity. Most models at the show were for electric flight and .40- and .60-size glow engines.
I realize that today’s focus at most aeromodeling shows is toward RC, but many manufacturers would do well to include plans in their kits that permit conversion to CL. The placement of a bellcrank in the plans is often all that would be needed. CL modelers also have access to multichannel electronic systems (encoders and decoders) that can take the place of a radio transmitter and receiver. Servo placement for operational features such as flaps, throttle, and retracts could be the same as for an RC system.
Warbird Legends
A nonmodeling friend recently visited for dinner and to see some models I have hanging in the basement. My PT-19 from the 1960s and Mosquito bomber from the 1980s drew the most interest. He was impressed by the detail and the time we put into Scale projects. About two weeks after our get-together he gave me the book Warbird Legends, a thoughtful gift prompted by a Mosquito layout he saw in a bookstore.
Warbird Legends is an excellent book for anyone who loves World War II aircraft. It contains 243 pages covering the history and performance details of 20 of the greatest aircraft of the period, including the P-51 Mustang, P-40 Kittyhawk, Bf 109G, Spitfire, and Hurricane. The aircraft are shown in the color schemes many pilots used in combat. John M. Dibbs’ aerial photography is magnificent, and Tony Holmes presents history and performance details in an easy-reading fashion.
Warbird Legends is published by Zenith Press (part of MBI Publishing Company). You can find the book in Barnes & Noble and similar stores, and it is often available for under $20 on sale.
Please send ideas, notices of upcoming CL Scale events, contest reports, shop hints, and news of current projects to my e-mail address at the top of the column or by regular mail. Photos from 35mm film are fine; if you send digital photos, please submit them on disc.
By the time you read this column, the flying season will be in full swing and there should be CL Scale activities worth reporting. I hope to hear from many of you.
MA
Sources
Bill Boss 77-06 269th St. New Hyde Park, NY 11040
Dave Brown Products (513) 738-1576 www.dbproducts.com
eHobbyTools (215) 750-9016 www.ehobbytools.com
Maxx Products International (847) 438-2233 www.maxxprod.com
Vailly Aviation (631) 732-4715 www.vaillyaviation.com
Zenith Press (800) 766-2388 www.zenithpress.com
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
