Free Flight Duration - 2007/11

Moffett attains Model of the Year status
[[email protected]]
Free Flight Duration Louis Joyner
Also included in this column:
• Other Models of the Year
• Clearphane covering
• Ink-jet tissue-graphics method
The Rogue 2 designed by Bob Bienenstein was one of the Models
of the Year featured in the 2007 NFFS Symposium.
A high, wide pylon provides required fuselage cross-section. A twopiece
wing allows easier storage. The 19-inch-diameter propeller
uses the Morrill Simple Torque front end.
Paul Crowley hooks up the propeller on his Rogue 2; Bill Shailor’s
waits on its winding stooge. The small top rudder has been
eliminated on subsequent versions.
Rocky Lopez’s drawing from the 2007 Sympo shows the Rogue 2’s
clean lines. Dashed ground lines show its takeoff position. Yes, this
Rubber model will do VTOs!
BOB BIENENSTEIN’S Rogue 2 Moffett was one of the Models of
the Year featured in the 2007 National Free Flight Society (NFFS)
Symposium.
The Moffett event began in 1933 to honor Rear Admiral William
A. Moffett, who was killed in the crash of the airship Akron that year.
The event languished from 1941 until its revival in 1991 through Jim
Bennett’s efforts.
118 MODEL AVIATION
11sig4.QXD 9/21/07 9:57 AM Page 118
The current Moffett rules limit the total projected
wing and stabilizer area to 13 square decimeters (202
square inches). The fuselage length cannot exceed
wingspan and a minimum cross-section of L2/150 is
required. Minimum airframe weight is 50 grams per
100 square inches of wing area.
There are no restrictions on the weight of the
rubber motor used. Models must rise off ground
(ROG).
Bob Bienenstein’s Rogue 2 evolved from his
earlier diamond-fuselage Bandit design. Along the
way Bob has tried a variety of things including
different wing airfoils, rudder configurations, and
wing constructions.
Several of Bob’s Detroit Balsa Bugs clubmates,
including Bill Shailor and Paul Crowley, also fly the
Rogue 2. At this year’s Nats the three were flying
side by side, so it was easy to see the subtle variations
among the permutations.
Having other modelers building and flying the model provides
feedback that helps improve the overall design.
“I’ve been learning all my life,” said Bob. (He seems to be learning
a lot. He has won the Mulvihill Trophy six times, beginning in 1947,
and won the Moffett Trophy four times.)
This year Bob flew his “wet” model that features Union Jack wing
and stabilizer construction and Mylar covering for damp conditions.
Power is 22 strands of 1/8-inch rubber that is 25 inches long. That’s
enough power to allow a VTO (vertical takeoff) launch, which is
actually safer than a conventional ROG launch. Motor run is 70
seconds.
2007 Models of the Year: Following is a list of the other models
honored by the NFFS.
• The Astrostar 404 is Terry Kerger’s update of Terry Thorkildsen’s
1988 design. Cody Secor used this model to win the Junior FF World
Championships last year.
• Jack Emery’s F1G Coupe uses composite carbon-fiber construction
and features a folding-wing DT.
• Graham Selick’s Accorte II CO2 model has accrued a total of eight
Nats wins in the F1K and Unlimited CO2 events. The 34-inch-span
design weighs roughly 60 grams.
• Marvin Mace’s AMA Gas Super Marval is the bunt version of his
1993 Model of the Year Marvel. Wing construction uses a traditional
balsa D-box. A K&B 3.5 powers the 564-square-inch airplane.
In addition, Sergio Montes received a special award for his Free
Flight Quarterly. The international publication is now in its sixth year.
To order a copy of the 2007 Sympo or for other information about
the NFFS, visit the Web site.
Right: Neat model identification on John
Pratt’s F1B combines AMA number and
“if found” info. Characters are printed as
mirror image on back side of white tissue
then attached with thinner.
Below: For this small Rubber model
John printed color graphics on the dull
side of white tissue and then covered
the wing conventionally.
Hank Nystrom uses inexpensive Clearphane to cover smaller
models such as this Rex Hinson-designed E-36 Sparks from the
BMJR kit.
November 2007 119
11sig4.QXD 9/21/07 10:05 AM Page 119
Colorful Covering: Hank Nystrom has
found an inexpensive source of colored
transparent plastic film. The brand name is
Clearphane, and it is sold at craft stores for
wrapping gift baskets.
“Right after Easter is the best time to
buy,” said Hank. “It’s usually on discount.
It’s really cheap.”
As when using many plastic films, the
model structure must be coated with a heatactivated
adhesive beforehand. Then the
covering is attached using a trimming iron,
after which a 300° MonoKote iron is used to
tighten the covering.
“I’ve used it for years,” said Hank. “I’ve
used it on 1/2As no problem.”
However, as with most plastic-film
Jet Adhesives
PO Box 633, Deerfield, IL 60015
1-866-538-4583
www.jetglues.com
Often
Imitated.
Never
Equaled.
Chrono-stabilized for
extra-long shelf life.
Gasket-sealed
lids to prevent
leakage.
Unsurpassed
bond
strength.
Exclusive
formulations
developed to
withstand heat
and vibration
Specially treated,
clog-resistant tips
and attached caps.
Easy-to-squeeze
see-through
containers.
CA’s.
We set the standard.
covering materials, the thin plastic
contributes little to a wing’s structural
rigidity.
“I used it on an A/B Spacer,” said Hank.
“It was too much airplane for this covering.”
Tissue Graphics: I’ve been cutting
individual numbers from tissue for years. I
stack three or four small pieces of tissue and
then tape down a printed paper outline of the
letter. The straight lines are easy, but the
curves are difficult to do neatly.
Then I dope the numbers one at a time,
keeping them straight and properly spaced.
It’s not one of my favorite things to do. At
the Nats John Pratt showed a quicker and
easier method using an ink-jet printer.
He designs the numbers, selecting the
typeface and size he wants. For the model
number on his F1B airplane John adds the
“USA” prefix that is required by FAI rules.
He also includes a line of smaller type below
with contact information in case the model is
lost.
Then John flips the number in the
computer to create a mirror image. (The
command is “Flip Horizontal” in the
Photoshop software on my computer.)
John attaches an 8.5 x 11-inch sheet of
white tissue, glossy side down, to a sheet of
printer paper using repositionable spray
mount. He found that this works much better
than taping the tissue to the heavier backing
paper.
He runs the paper/tissue combination
through the printer with the dull side of the
tissue up. (Make sure to check how your
printer feeds; some pull the paper through a
180° “half loop” so the up face in the paper
tray becomes the back of the document. Just
remember that you want the printer to print
on the dull side of the tissue.)
After allowing the ink to dry, John
carefully peels it off the backing paper and
trims the excess tissue away with four
straight cuts. Then he attaches the block of
numbers, right side up, to the model using
thinner.
(John covers his model with Polyspan,
which requires a dope finish. If you are trying
this technique on a model that is covered with
plastic film, you’ll need to apply a coat of
clear dope in the area and allow it to dry
before attaching the tissue numbers.)
John has also tried printing directly on the
tissue used to cover the model. For a small
sport Rubber model he designed graphics for
each wing panel and for the fuselage sides.
They were printed on the dull side of the
tissue and allowed to dry. The model was
covered conventionally, misted with water to
shrink the tissue, and then doped.
The limiting factor is the maximum size
of paper your printer can accommodate. (Be
sure to run a test sample using your printer
inks since different ink brands could react
differently to thinner.) MA
Sources:
National Free Flight Society
www.freeflight.org