Control Line Scale-2011/08

138 MODEL AVIATION
DURING THE past few months I have
received a number of emails concerning two
major CL rules proposals. Proposal CLS 11-
9 tries to define what happens to the
wingspan and tail-assembly span when
building a Profile model. The other is the
rules proposal concerns using the 2.4 GHz
radio system in CL models.
The CLS 11-9 proposal adds a new
Paragraph 2 to the Control Line Profile
event 521 under Model Requirements. This
new paragraph is headed “Design and Static
Judging Guidelines,” and is an attempt to
provide guidelines in Profile Scale
concerning what to do with the section of
wing or stabilizer that would normally be
within the body of a full-fuselage airplane
when building a Profile model.
During the course of a number of email
Rules Change Proposal CLS 11-9
[[email protected]]
Control Line Scale Bill Boss
Also included
in this column:
• 2.4 GHz system
comments
• Gerald Boyd’s
Avro Lancaster
• Cholla Choppers fifth
annual 1/2A contest
messages from various modelers, the
proposal brings to light several problems.
The proposal attempts to keep all aspects of
the Profile model scale, and if the wingspan
or stabilizer span is not kept scale size, the
model would be subject to loss of points
when being judged in competition.
The Corsair sketch illustrates some of the
problems you might encounter when trying
to comply with this new rule. Lines A and B
represent the wing size and shape with a
full-bodied fuselage. Lines B and C
represent the wing extension necessary
when building a Profile model and keeping
the wingspan scale.
Note the thickness of the wing extension
to the Profile fuselage. The added wing
thickness on the Profile fuselage could be
considered out of scale and would be a
reason to deduct points in judging. On the
other hand, if the wing thickness of Lines
A and B is kept, there is a decrease in the
wingspan and it brings the landing gear
closer together. Again, it is a possible loss
of points.
I believe Clark Macomber of Chicago,
Illinois, summed it up well when he
wrote, “Without any compensating
pluses, ‘Paragraph 2’ effectively
eliminates a large proportion of potential
subjects from consideration for Profile
Scale. Corsairs, Stukas, B-25s, and other
subjects with polyhedral cannot meet the
new rule requirements unless unsightly
and almost certainly score-diminishing
changes in the wing-root location or
dihedral are made.”
One of the things we must remember
is that a Profile model can never be truly
scale simply because of the Profile
fuselage. It would be almost impossible
Gerald Boyd has a great
smile while holding his selfdesigned,
scratch-built Avro
Lancaster. The color scheme
is from the 115th Squadron,
East Wretham, March 1943.
Gerald Boyd photo.
Left: The sketch of a Corsair wing
illustrates problems with CL Scale
proposal CLS 11-9 concerning Profile
scale models with polyhedral and
maintaining scale sizes and appearance.
See the column for details. Author
sketch.
Below: Gerald Boyd’s Avro Lancaster
bomber sports a self-made canopy and
gun turret enclosures and the cockpit
has many internal details. Boyd photo.
08sig5.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 6/23/11 12:59 PM Page 138
to emulate the structure of the full-bodied
fuselage in a Profile airplane’s fuselage,
which can vary from ½-inch to 1-inch thick.
Being overly technical concerning scale
sizes and shapes in the Profile events defeats
the purpose of why these events were
established. The original intent was to
encourage those who might have the
slightest interest in Scale to try their hand at
something new.
A judge at 15 feet from the subject
cannot determine if the wingspan or other
features of a Profile model is as scale as the
three-views presented. Judges no longer use
the ruler.
Macomber, also noted that, “a decent
judge can, however, evaluate how well the
character of the subject has been retained,
and that’s what the rules should be asking
him to do.”
Based on the various emails received and
the uncertainty of how “Paragraph 2” could
be applied, I believe it best if the rules
proposal is defeated.
The 2.4 GHz question has generated emails
from CL modelers who have been using the
system without any problems, and are in
favor of passing the proposal. Submitted by
Don Burke from California, a change to CL
General Rule, Paragraph 2 replaces the last
sentence with, “The use of 2.4 GHz radio
systems to accomplish functions other than
providing aerodynamic control of the
model’s elevation on control line models is
allowed.”
Mark Vicento of Houston, Texas, has
been using the 2.4 GHz system in electricpowered
models and notes that it lends itself
to the simplicity of “plug-and-play” for
speed control and servo functions, making it
easier to provide mechanical operations in
CL models.
Joe Eiben of Townson, Maryland, wrote
the following:
“As a lifelong CL Scale flyer (50 years
and 1976 Nats winner), I have sadly
watched the decline in participants and
quality of models in all categories of this
AMA Control Line event. Although there
are several reasons, one has always been an
ongoing issue: the difficulty of operating
mechanical functions.
“Granted, there now exists more than one
electronic system that will allow features
such as raising and lowering flaps and/or
landing gear and the like by sending a signal
through insulated lines. I have personal
experience with these systems, and their
installation and operation is somewhat
involved and not entirely reliable.
“As a result they are not widely
employed and one simply needs to travel to
a CL Scale meet to observe the number of
models flying that compete without
operating features the full-scale aircraft
employs, but the model does not.
Unfortunately, this has come to be accepted
in the CL community and, in my opinion,
detracts from the flight of a fine scale
model.
“AMA has primarily used interference
issues for not allowing mechanical features
to be operated via radio on a CL model.
With the advent of 2.4 GHz technology, I
believe it is time to delete the AMA
directive to not allow the use of RC in CL
models.
“The net result for CL Scale, in my
opinion, will be Scale model airplanes
performing on par with their full-scale
subjects and an influx of new Scale fliers
who can look forward to flying models with
an easy method of operating a multitude of
functions a major leap from just throttle
control. I strongly urge you to support of
this rule change.”
This month’s photos of the Avro Lancaster
are from Canada’s Gerald Boyd. He
designed and scratch-built the semiscale
model from his plans drawings. The
wingspan is 503/4 inches, fuselage length is
34 inches, weight is 45 ounces, and four
Cox .049 engines provide the power.
Its color scheme is taken from the Avro
Lancaster B II bomber DS626 KO-J 115
Squadron from East Wretham, March 1943.
Scale details are taken from Sam
Publications’ “Modelers Data File” The
Avro Lancaster, by Richard Franks.
The dark green and medium brown used
in the camouflage scheme is brushed on
Humbrol enamel, and finish coated with
clear H.D. Design from spray cans. Panel
lines were made using black industrial
Sharpies.
The Avro Lancaster was the Royal Air
Force’s most strategic bomber. The
successor to the Short Stirling and Handley
Page Halifax, it became the Britain Bomber
Command’s most valuable airplane.
In addition to a great number of
missions, the Lancaster took part in sinking
the Tirpitz in a Norwegian fjord in
November of 1947, and in the destruction of
the Möhne, Eder, and Sorpe dams in the
Ruhr Valley.
The airplane had a wingspan of 102 feet,
was 20-feet high, a length of 69 feet, 6
inches, and weighed 70 pounds. It was
equipped with four Rolls-Royce Marlin 12-
cylinder V liquid-cooled engines.
Armament was 10 machine guns and it
could carry a bomb load of 22,000 pounds.
The Lancaster had a speed of 287 mph at
an altitude of 11,500 feet, and a ceiling limit
of 24,500 feet.
Contest Notice: The Cholla Choppers of
Tucson, Arizona, will be hosting its Fifth
Annual 1/2A Multi-Engine Profile Scale
contest on Saturday and Sunday, October 8-
9, 2011, at Christopher Columbus Park.
Two categories will be flown: Limited
and Unlimited. The Limited category will
be for models with pitch control only. No
throttles or other functions controlled by
timers, electronics, or other means will be
allowed.
The Unlimited category is for throttleequipped
models having any number of
functional ground or flight features. Any
glow or diesel engine not exceeding .061
is allowed. However, there is an
exception; the OK Cub .074 can be used.
Scale judging will take place on
Saturday starting at 9 a.m. and official
flights on Sunday also at 9 a.m. This
contest has become popular and
participation has increased in the past
couple of years. This is a low-key event
where contestants help each other and
enjoy a great day of model flying.
For any question and full details about
the contest see the “Sources” listing. MA
Sources:
Bill Boss
7706 269th St.
New Hyde Park NY 11040
Rand McNally World War II Airplanes,
Volume 1
http://amzn.to/imMWQ4
Sam Publications
[email protected]
www.sampublications.com
Humbrol Enamel Paint
www.humbrol.com
Cholla Choppers
http://ccmaconline.org
Gerald Boyd
[email protected]
Joe Eiben
[email protected]
National Association of Scale
Aeromodelers
www.nasascale.org