114 MODEL AVIATION
Don’t forget to build a Viking for the 1/2A One Design event
at the 2011 AMA Nats. Plans for the original are available from the
National Free Flight Society (NFFS), listed as Viking 1/2A. The
reduced-size version is available as a kit from BMJR Model Products.
george White, president and webmaster of the Pensacola Free Flight
Team (PFFT), did a great job on his Dime
Scale Comet Curtiss P-6E.
He finished it with green Esaki tissue and
sprayed glossy wood-tone floral spray on the
fuselage. The flying surfaces are doped
yellow tissue. The decals were laser-printed
onto 20-pound bond paper.
Paul Grabski, a fellow Pensacola modeler,
built a Dime Scale Megow Taylorcraft
floatplane. It weighs 14.4 grams with a 3-
gram motor and is finished with red and
silver floral spray. That is a real ultralight!
Neither model has been test-flown, but
they look promising. The Penn Valley Hobby
Center sells kits for each. The PFFT Web site
is a wealth of FF rubber tips and information.
While you are there, consider subscribing to
the PFFT newsletter.
Karl geis, a prolific and talented model
builder, completed yet another project from
his early modeling memories: a Buster.
Gerald Zeigenfuse designed the model, and it
was featured in the December 1957 Model
Airplane News.
Karl built a Buster in 1967 and gave it to a
kid in his model club who had lost his in a
thermal. Karl was leaving
California at the time for a new
teaching career in Butte,
Montana, and has missed his
model all these years.
Spanning 30 inches, the
pretty Buster flies well. Al
Lidberg noticed how thin the
propeller blades were and
suggested that Karl fiberglass
them. Karl thanks Al Lidberg
and Al Pardue for tips on how to
accomplish that task, because he
had never done it.
At their suggestion he
applied three coats of nitrate dope to the propeller, using that base to
adhere 3/4-ounce fiberglass cloth. A few more coats of nitrate dope
were used to finish the propeller.
Karl was extremely pleased with the results. He is going to make
a folding propeller for the model, to see how much difference there is
in performance between the freewheeler and the folder. Karl used his
[[email protected]]
Free Flight Sport Gene Smith
Build your 1/2A Viking for the Nats
Also included in this column:
• Two Dime Scale models
• Karl’s Buster
• Comet Curtiss Robin
• de Havilland D.H.95 Flamingo
• Bill Schmidt Piper PA-11 on floats
Above: George White built
this slick Dime Scale Curtiss P-
6E, which he finished with
green Esaki tissue. White
photo.
Right: Paul Grabski built this
superlight 14.4-gram Dime
Scale Taylorcraft on floats.
Grabski photo.
Built to Comet plans, this good-flying Curtiss Robin flies well, spans 22 inches, and weighs
18 grams. Scigs photo.
01sig4x.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 11/22/10 8:34 AM Page 114
January 2011 115
Bill Schmidt drew the plans for his immaculate Piper on floats. He
finished it in Bahama Blue and Lock Haven Yellow, as were used
on the full-scale PA-11. Schmidt photo.
Vance Gilbert explains the finer points of his great-flying
Flamingo. It was built using Dave Rees-style construction, with
1/20-inch sliced ribs and spars and 1/16 square fuselage stringers.
Karl Geis built this Buster to replace one he gave away many years
ago. He used his favorite covering method: Japanese tissue over 1/4
mil Mylar. Geis photo.
favorite covering method: Japanese tissue over 1/4 mil Mylar.
Plans for the Buster were included in Free Flight Quarterly
issue 36. You can obtain 3/4-ounce fiberglass cloth from Hobbico
or one of its dealers.
David Scigliano did a fantastic job building his Comet Curtiss
Robin. To have this 22-inch-span model come out at 18 grams, he
must have used some incredibly light wood. He used a 6-inch
propeller with 3/32-inch rubber and a trim tab under the left wing.
So far David has made a basic trim flight with the Robin, and it
performed great. He is awaiting a pair of 1-inch vintage wheels
before taking the model out for a real flight.
Vance Gilbert is a well known and skilled member of the Flying
Aces Club (FAC). His musical and entertainment talents are
appreciated at the FAC Nats. Known for selecting unique subjects
to model, Vance has exceeded expectations with his de Havilland
D.H.95 Flamingo.
The full-scale aircraft first flew in December 1939, just in time
to see service with the Royal Air Force and British Overseas
Airways Corporation during World War II and immediately
afterward.
Vance’s Flamingo spans 35 inches and weighs 54 grams empty.
That is exceedingly light for such a large model. Vance built the
design to that light weight by using Dave Rees-style construction,
with 1/20-inch sliced ribs and spars and 1/16 square fuselage
stringers.
Despite the fact that the propeller hook-to-peg distance is only
6 inches, Vance can use two loops of 3/16-inch rubber that are 24
inches long in each nacelle. The 8-inch-diameter propellers are
plastic from a cottage cheese container. Their pitch is
approximately 1.1:1 pitch:diameter. They counter-rotate, with their
tips going out at the top.
The covering is Micro X Old World White tissue, preshrunk
and painted on a frame. The silver is Testors paint or aluminum
acrylic. The tissue was applied with glue stick and sealed with a
mist of Krylon Crystal Clear.
The D.H.95 doesn’t like to be overpowered and hauled up into
the air. With excess power, the flying speed goes up and any flight
anomalies seem to be amplified. A previously gentle left turn
becomes a steep left bank, etc. Easy does it is the rule.
A key fact to remember is that lightweight models can fly
slower than heavy models. Therefore, light models are easier to
trim than heavy models.
I agree with Vance that we no longer need to arbitrarily dismiss
modeling subjects with short hook-to-peg distances. Despite its
relatively short nacelles, the Flamingo flew beyond all of Vance’s
wildest dreams.
Its last flight at the FAC Nats in Geneseo, New York, last year
was approximately 73 seconds. It climbed out gently, as usual.
Once the model was overhead, Vance did something he never
had; he lay down in the grass to enjoy the flight. Ahh. It was good
enough for third place in FAC Scale, which, thanks to Vance’s
memory of that long, pretty, floating flight, didn’t matter much.
How do you select motors for twins, such as the D.H.95? There
are several formulas for determining rubber motor size for a
single-engine model. Those formulas use the empty weight of the
aircraft.
Lacking a similar formula for twins, Vance uses the empty
weight to give him a basic idea of the model’s potential and what
it might need for power. The less the airplane weighs, the less
power it needs.
Vance knows from experience where to start in choosing a
rubber motor. That’s why I like to include weight, motor, and
propeller used when I feature models in this column. Those of you
who are starting out in this hobby or those who have some
experience but want to improve your skills can take advantage of
the voices of experience.
To learn more about Vance, check out his Web site.
Since I mentioned that there are formulas for calculating rubbermotor
size for Scale models, some of you might wonder what they
are. To see a spreadsheet formula for that calculation, go to the
NFFS Web site. Select “Shopping & Publications” and click on
“NFFS Digest Online.” There you will find an Excel program by
Bob Hodes.
Fill in the blanks and it will give you a good starting point for
your model’s motor. You are given a choice of motor weight as a
percentage of empty model weight and a choice of motor length as
a multiple of hook-to-peg distance.
01sig4x.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 11/22/10 8:35 AM Page 115
116 MODEL AVIATION
For sport-flying, pick the lower end of
the ranges that the program suggests.
Choose the upper end of those ranges for
competition flying.
Bill Schmidt is especially proud of his Piper
Cub Special PA-11 on floats.
The full-scale aircraft was a result of
cleaning up and modernizing the old J-3 in
1947. It featured a revised fuel system with
the tank in the wing instead of in your lap.
The boot cowling was lowered, and a
pressure engine cowling fitted that totally
covered the power plant. The cabin interior
was changed from doped fabric to metal
panels.
A new 90-horsepower Continental engine
was installed, which gave the PA-11 a
tremendous increase in performance over the
old 65-horsepower engine that the J-3 Cub
had. The Piper Cub Special was built for only
a year or so and was then further updated to
be the PA-18 Super Cub with a 150-
horsepower Lycoming.
Bill built the model from his plans. He
finished it in Bahama Blue and Lock Haven
Yellow, as were used on the full-scale
airplane. The N number is that of the first
factory prototype that the FAA certified.
The lettering on the model was created
with a Dymo tape machine, which is
available for roughly $30 at Wal-Mart and
similar outlets. Bill had the special tail logos
made on water-slide decals.
The PA-11 has a 27-inch wingspan and
weighs 49 grams less the motor. The propeller
is an 8-inch Peck-Polymers cut to 61/2 inches,
to clear the floats. The model is covered with
Japanese tissue, except for the bottoms of the
floats; those are covered with Polyspan for
added strength and puncture resistance.
The Piper Super Cruiser PA-12 was
finished in the factory colors of Diana Cream
and Tennessee Red. Color-trimming the
curvature of the front end and cowling was
achieved using narrow strips of party-store
domestic tissue butted together and touched
with thinner on a small brush.
The finish is nontautening nitrate dope.
Randolph nitrate dope from Randolph Aircraft
Products is item A-1690. You can purchase
the Piper floatplane plans and a set of tail
logos for $10; call Bill to do so, at the number
in the following listing. MA
Sources:
National Free Flight Society
http://freeflight.org
BMJR Model Products
(321) 537-1159
www.bmjrmodels.com
Pensacola Free Flight Team
http://pensacolafreeflight.org
Penn Valley Hobby Center
(215) 855-1268
(215) 368-0770
www.pennvalleyhobbycenter.com
Free Flight Quarterly
http://freeflightquarterly.com/wordpress
Hobbico
(800) 637-7660
www.hobbico.com
Vance Gilbert
www.vancegilbert.com
Bill Schmidt
(316) 744-0378
Randolph Aircraft Products
(800) 362-3490
www.randolphaircraft.com
877.538.3268
!"#$%&'&!()*+
Visit our website for more specials!
Online ordering available.
*',-+.&&.*":-$/ -#$%&
!"-#$%&-'&!
HET-RC Mig 15
$124.99
SCHUBELER
DS-30-DIA HDT
70mm Fan Unit
$249.99
JetapultTM
Launching System $69.99
HET F-15 Bicentennial
$159.99
M
4
124
F Bicenten l
ennia
01sig4x.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 11/22/10 8:36 AM Page 116
Edition: Model Aviation - 2011/01
Page Numbers: 114,115,116
Edition: Model Aviation - 2011/01
Page Numbers: 114,115,116
114 MODEL AVIATION
Don’t forget to build a Viking for the 1/2A One Design event
at the 2011 AMA Nats. Plans for the original are available from the
National Free Flight Society (NFFS), listed as Viking 1/2A. The
reduced-size version is available as a kit from BMJR Model Products.
george White, president and webmaster of the Pensacola Free Flight
Team (PFFT), did a great job on his Dime
Scale Comet Curtiss P-6E.
He finished it with green Esaki tissue and
sprayed glossy wood-tone floral spray on the
fuselage. The flying surfaces are doped
yellow tissue. The decals were laser-printed
onto 20-pound bond paper.
Paul Grabski, a fellow Pensacola modeler,
built a Dime Scale Megow Taylorcraft
floatplane. It weighs 14.4 grams with a 3-
gram motor and is finished with red and
silver floral spray. That is a real ultralight!
Neither model has been test-flown, but
they look promising. The Penn Valley Hobby
Center sells kits for each. The PFFT Web site
is a wealth of FF rubber tips and information.
While you are there, consider subscribing to
the PFFT newsletter.
Karl geis, a prolific and talented model
builder, completed yet another project from
his early modeling memories: a Buster.
Gerald Zeigenfuse designed the model, and it
was featured in the December 1957 Model
Airplane News.
Karl built a Buster in 1967 and gave it to a
kid in his model club who had lost his in a
thermal. Karl was leaving
California at the time for a new
teaching career in Butte,
Montana, and has missed his
model all these years.
Spanning 30 inches, the
pretty Buster flies well. Al
Lidberg noticed how thin the
propeller blades were and
suggested that Karl fiberglass
them. Karl thanks Al Lidberg
and Al Pardue for tips on how to
accomplish that task, because he
had never done it.
At their suggestion he
applied three coats of nitrate dope to the propeller, using that base to
adhere 3/4-ounce fiberglass cloth. A few more coats of nitrate dope
were used to finish the propeller.
Karl was extremely pleased with the results. He is going to make
a folding propeller for the model, to see how much difference there is
in performance between the freewheeler and the folder. Karl used his
[[email protected]]
Free Flight Sport Gene Smith
Build your 1/2A Viking for the Nats
Also included in this column:
• Two Dime Scale models
• Karl’s Buster
• Comet Curtiss Robin
• de Havilland D.H.95 Flamingo
• Bill Schmidt Piper PA-11 on floats
Above: George White built
this slick Dime Scale Curtiss P-
6E, which he finished with
green Esaki tissue. White
photo.
Right: Paul Grabski built this
superlight 14.4-gram Dime
Scale Taylorcraft on floats.
Grabski photo.
Built to Comet plans, this good-flying Curtiss Robin flies well, spans 22 inches, and weighs
18 grams. Scigs photo.
01sig4x.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 11/22/10 8:34 AM Page 114
January 2011 115
Bill Schmidt drew the plans for his immaculate Piper on floats. He
finished it in Bahama Blue and Lock Haven Yellow, as were used
on the full-scale PA-11. Schmidt photo.
Vance Gilbert explains the finer points of his great-flying
Flamingo. It was built using Dave Rees-style construction, with
1/20-inch sliced ribs and spars and 1/16 square fuselage stringers.
Karl Geis built this Buster to replace one he gave away many years
ago. He used his favorite covering method: Japanese tissue over 1/4
mil Mylar. Geis photo.
favorite covering method: Japanese tissue over 1/4 mil Mylar.
Plans for the Buster were included in Free Flight Quarterly
issue 36. You can obtain 3/4-ounce fiberglass cloth from Hobbico
or one of its dealers.
David Scigliano did a fantastic job building his Comet Curtiss
Robin. To have this 22-inch-span model come out at 18 grams, he
must have used some incredibly light wood. He used a 6-inch
propeller with 3/32-inch rubber and a trim tab under the left wing.
So far David has made a basic trim flight with the Robin, and it
performed great. He is awaiting a pair of 1-inch vintage wheels
before taking the model out for a real flight.
Vance Gilbert is a well known and skilled member of the Flying
Aces Club (FAC). His musical and entertainment talents are
appreciated at the FAC Nats. Known for selecting unique subjects
to model, Vance has exceeded expectations with his de Havilland
D.H.95 Flamingo.
The full-scale aircraft first flew in December 1939, just in time
to see service with the Royal Air Force and British Overseas
Airways Corporation during World War II and immediately
afterward.
Vance’s Flamingo spans 35 inches and weighs 54 grams empty.
That is exceedingly light for such a large model. Vance built the
design to that light weight by using Dave Rees-style construction,
with 1/20-inch sliced ribs and spars and 1/16 square fuselage
stringers.
Despite the fact that the propeller hook-to-peg distance is only
6 inches, Vance can use two loops of 3/16-inch rubber that are 24
inches long in each nacelle. The 8-inch-diameter propellers are
plastic from a cottage cheese container. Their pitch is
approximately 1.1:1 pitch:diameter. They counter-rotate, with their
tips going out at the top.
The covering is Micro X Old World White tissue, preshrunk
and painted on a frame. The silver is Testors paint or aluminum
acrylic. The tissue was applied with glue stick and sealed with a
mist of Krylon Crystal Clear.
The D.H.95 doesn’t like to be overpowered and hauled up into
the air. With excess power, the flying speed goes up and any flight
anomalies seem to be amplified. A previously gentle left turn
becomes a steep left bank, etc. Easy does it is the rule.
A key fact to remember is that lightweight models can fly
slower than heavy models. Therefore, light models are easier to
trim than heavy models.
I agree with Vance that we no longer need to arbitrarily dismiss
modeling subjects with short hook-to-peg distances. Despite its
relatively short nacelles, the Flamingo flew beyond all of Vance’s
wildest dreams.
Its last flight at the FAC Nats in Geneseo, New York, last year
was approximately 73 seconds. It climbed out gently, as usual.
Once the model was overhead, Vance did something he never
had; he lay down in the grass to enjoy the flight. Ahh. It was good
enough for third place in FAC Scale, which, thanks to Vance’s
memory of that long, pretty, floating flight, didn’t matter much.
How do you select motors for twins, such as the D.H.95? There
are several formulas for determining rubber motor size for a
single-engine model. Those formulas use the empty weight of the
aircraft.
Lacking a similar formula for twins, Vance uses the empty
weight to give him a basic idea of the model’s potential and what
it might need for power. The less the airplane weighs, the less
power it needs.
Vance knows from experience where to start in choosing a
rubber motor. That’s why I like to include weight, motor, and
propeller used when I feature models in this column. Those of you
who are starting out in this hobby or those who have some
experience but want to improve your skills can take advantage of
the voices of experience.
To learn more about Vance, check out his Web site.
Since I mentioned that there are formulas for calculating rubbermotor
size for Scale models, some of you might wonder what they
are. To see a spreadsheet formula for that calculation, go to the
NFFS Web site. Select “Shopping & Publications” and click on
“NFFS Digest Online.” There you will find an Excel program by
Bob Hodes.
Fill in the blanks and it will give you a good starting point for
your model’s motor. You are given a choice of motor weight as a
percentage of empty model weight and a choice of motor length as
a multiple of hook-to-peg distance.
01sig4x.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 11/22/10 8:35 AM Page 115
116 MODEL AVIATION
For sport-flying, pick the lower end of
the ranges that the program suggests.
Choose the upper end of those ranges for
competition flying.
Bill Schmidt is especially proud of his Piper
Cub Special PA-11 on floats.
The full-scale aircraft was a result of
cleaning up and modernizing the old J-3 in
1947. It featured a revised fuel system with
the tank in the wing instead of in your lap.
The boot cowling was lowered, and a
pressure engine cowling fitted that totally
covered the power plant. The cabin interior
was changed from doped fabric to metal
panels.
A new 90-horsepower Continental engine
was installed, which gave the PA-11 a
tremendous increase in performance over the
old 65-horsepower engine that the J-3 Cub
had. The Piper Cub Special was built for only
a year or so and was then further updated to
be the PA-18 Super Cub with a 150-
horsepower Lycoming.
Bill built the model from his plans. He
finished it in Bahama Blue and Lock Haven
Yellow, as were used on the full-scale
airplane. The N number is that of the first
factory prototype that the FAA certified.
The lettering on the model was created
with a Dymo tape machine, which is
available for roughly $30 at Wal-Mart and
similar outlets. Bill had the special tail logos
made on water-slide decals.
The PA-11 has a 27-inch wingspan and
weighs 49 grams less the motor. The propeller
is an 8-inch Peck-Polymers cut to 61/2 inches,
to clear the floats. The model is covered with
Japanese tissue, except for the bottoms of the
floats; those are covered with Polyspan for
added strength and puncture resistance.
The Piper Super Cruiser PA-12 was
finished in the factory colors of Diana Cream
and Tennessee Red. Color-trimming the
curvature of the front end and cowling was
achieved using narrow strips of party-store
domestic tissue butted together and touched
with thinner on a small brush.
The finish is nontautening nitrate dope.
Randolph nitrate dope from Randolph Aircraft
Products is item A-1690. You can purchase
the Piper floatplane plans and a set of tail
logos for $10; call Bill to do so, at the number
in the following listing. MA
Sources:
National Free Flight Society
http://freeflight.org
BMJR Model Products
(321) 537-1159
www.bmjrmodels.com
Pensacola Free Flight Team
http://pensacolafreeflight.org
Penn Valley Hobby Center
(215) 855-1268
(215) 368-0770
www.pennvalleyhobbycenter.com
Free Flight Quarterly
http://freeflightquarterly.com/wordpress
Hobbico
(800) 637-7660
www.hobbico.com
Vance Gilbert
www.vancegilbert.com
Bill Schmidt
(316) 744-0378
Randolph Aircraft Products
(800) 362-3490
www.randolphaircraft.com
877.538.3268
!"#$%&'&!()*+
Visit our website for more specials!
Online ordering available.
*',-+.&&.*":-$/ -#$%&
!"-#$%&-'&!
HET-RC Mig 15
$124.99
SCHUBELER
DS-30-DIA HDT
70mm Fan Unit
$249.99
JetapultTM
Launching System $69.99
HET F-15 Bicentennial
$159.99
M
4
124
F Bicenten l
ennia
01sig4x.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 11/22/10 8:36 AM Page 116
Edition: Model Aviation - 2011/01
Page Numbers: 114,115,116
114 MODEL AVIATION
Don’t forget to build a Viking for the 1/2A One Design event
at the 2011 AMA Nats. Plans for the original are available from the
National Free Flight Society (NFFS), listed as Viking 1/2A. The
reduced-size version is available as a kit from BMJR Model Products.
george White, president and webmaster of the Pensacola Free Flight
Team (PFFT), did a great job on his Dime
Scale Comet Curtiss P-6E.
He finished it with green Esaki tissue and
sprayed glossy wood-tone floral spray on the
fuselage. The flying surfaces are doped
yellow tissue. The decals were laser-printed
onto 20-pound bond paper.
Paul Grabski, a fellow Pensacola modeler,
built a Dime Scale Megow Taylorcraft
floatplane. It weighs 14.4 grams with a 3-
gram motor and is finished with red and
silver floral spray. That is a real ultralight!
Neither model has been test-flown, but
they look promising. The Penn Valley Hobby
Center sells kits for each. The PFFT Web site
is a wealth of FF rubber tips and information.
While you are there, consider subscribing to
the PFFT newsletter.
Karl geis, a prolific and talented model
builder, completed yet another project from
his early modeling memories: a Buster.
Gerald Zeigenfuse designed the model, and it
was featured in the December 1957 Model
Airplane News.
Karl built a Buster in 1967 and gave it to a
kid in his model club who had lost his in a
thermal. Karl was leaving
California at the time for a new
teaching career in Butte,
Montana, and has missed his
model all these years.
Spanning 30 inches, the
pretty Buster flies well. Al
Lidberg noticed how thin the
propeller blades were and
suggested that Karl fiberglass
them. Karl thanks Al Lidberg
and Al Pardue for tips on how to
accomplish that task, because he
had never done it.
At their suggestion he
applied three coats of nitrate dope to the propeller, using that base to
adhere 3/4-ounce fiberglass cloth. A few more coats of nitrate dope
were used to finish the propeller.
Karl was extremely pleased with the results. He is going to make
a folding propeller for the model, to see how much difference there is
in performance between the freewheeler and the folder. Karl used his
[[email protected]]
Free Flight Sport Gene Smith
Build your 1/2A Viking for the Nats
Also included in this column:
• Two Dime Scale models
• Karl’s Buster
• Comet Curtiss Robin
• de Havilland D.H.95 Flamingo
• Bill Schmidt Piper PA-11 on floats
Above: George White built
this slick Dime Scale Curtiss P-
6E, which he finished with
green Esaki tissue. White
photo.
Right: Paul Grabski built this
superlight 14.4-gram Dime
Scale Taylorcraft on floats.
Grabski photo.
Built to Comet plans, this good-flying Curtiss Robin flies well, spans 22 inches, and weighs
18 grams. Scigs photo.
01sig4x.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 11/22/10 8:34 AM Page 114
January 2011 115
Bill Schmidt drew the plans for his immaculate Piper on floats. He
finished it in Bahama Blue and Lock Haven Yellow, as were used
on the full-scale PA-11. Schmidt photo.
Vance Gilbert explains the finer points of his great-flying
Flamingo. It was built using Dave Rees-style construction, with
1/20-inch sliced ribs and spars and 1/16 square fuselage stringers.
Karl Geis built this Buster to replace one he gave away many years
ago. He used his favorite covering method: Japanese tissue over 1/4
mil Mylar. Geis photo.
favorite covering method: Japanese tissue over 1/4 mil Mylar.
Plans for the Buster were included in Free Flight Quarterly
issue 36. You can obtain 3/4-ounce fiberglass cloth from Hobbico
or one of its dealers.
David Scigliano did a fantastic job building his Comet Curtiss
Robin. To have this 22-inch-span model come out at 18 grams, he
must have used some incredibly light wood. He used a 6-inch
propeller with 3/32-inch rubber and a trim tab under the left wing.
So far David has made a basic trim flight with the Robin, and it
performed great. He is awaiting a pair of 1-inch vintage wheels
before taking the model out for a real flight.
Vance Gilbert is a well known and skilled member of the Flying
Aces Club (FAC). His musical and entertainment talents are
appreciated at the FAC Nats. Known for selecting unique subjects
to model, Vance has exceeded expectations with his de Havilland
D.H.95 Flamingo.
The full-scale aircraft first flew in December 1939, just in time
to see service with the Royal Air Force and British Overseas
Airways Corporation during World War II and immediately
afterward.
Vance’s Flamingo spans 35 inches and weighs 54 grams empty.
That is exceedingly light for such a large model. Vance built the
design to that light weight by using Dave Rees-style construction,
with 1/20-inch sliced ribs and spars and 1/16 square fuselage
stringers.
Despite the fact that the propeller hook-to-peg distance is only
6 inches, Vance can use two loops of 3/16-inch rubber that are 24
inches long in each nacelle. The 8-inch-diameter propellers are
plastic from a cottage cheese container. Their pitch is
approximately 1.1:1 pitch:diameter. They counter-rotate, with their
tips going out at the top.
The covering is Micro X Old World White tissue, preshrunk
and painted on a frame. The silver is Testors paint or aluminum
acrylic. The tissue was applied with glue stick and sealed with a
mist of Krylon Crystal Clear.
The D.H.95 doesn’t like to be overpowered and hauled up into
the air. With excess power, the flying speed goes up and any flight
anomalies seem to be amplified. A previously gentle left turn
becomes a steep left bank, etc. Easy does it is the rule.
A key fact to remember is that lightweight models can fly
slower than heavy models. Therefore, light models are easier to
trim than heavy models.
I agree with Vance that we no longer need to arbitrarily dismiss
modeling subjects with short hook-to-peg distances. Despite its
relatively short nacelles, the Flamingo flew beyond all of Vance’s
wildest dreams.
Its last flight at the FAC Nats in Geneseo, New York, last year
was approximately 73 seconds. It climbed out gently, as usual.
Once the model was overhead, Vance did something he never
had; he lay down in the grass to enjoy the flight. Ahh. It was good
enough for third place in FAC Scale, which, thanks to Vance’s
memory of that long, pretty, floating flight, didn’t matter much.
How do you select motors for twins, such as the D.H.95? There
are several formulas for determining rubber motor size for a
single-engine model. Those formulas use the empty weight of the
aircraft.
Lacking a similar formula for twins, Vance uses the empty
weight to give him a basic idea of the model’s potential and what
it might need for power. The less the airplane weighs, the less
power it needs.
Vance knows from experience where to start in choosing a
rubber motor. That’s why I like to include weight, motor, and
propeller used when I feature models in this column. Those of you
who are starting out in this hobby or those who have some
experience but want to improve your skills can take advantage of
the voices of experience.
To learn more about Vance, check out his Web site.
Since I mentioned that there are formulas for calculating rubbermotor
size for Scale models, some of you might wonder what they
are. To see a spreadsheet formula for that calculation, go to the
NFFS Web site. Select “Shopping & Publications” and click on
“NFFS Digest Online.” There you will find an Excel program by
Bob Hodes.
Fill in the blanks and it will give you a good starting point for
your model’s motor. You are given a choice of motor weight as a
percentage of empty model weight and a choice of motor length as
a multiple of hook-to-peg distance.
01sig4x.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 11/22/10 8:35 AM Page 115
116 MODEL AVIATION
For sport-flying, pick the lower end of
the ranges that the program suggests.
Choose the upper end of those ranges for
competition flying.
Bill Schmidt is especially proud of his Piper
Cub Special PA-11 on floats.
The full-scale aircraft was a result of
cleaning up and modernizing the old J-3 in
1947. It featured a revised fuel system with
the tank in the wing instead of in your lap.
The boot cowling was lowered, and a
pressure engine cowling fitted that totally
covered the power plant. The cabin interior
was changed from doped fabric to metal
panels.
A new 90-horsepower Continental engine
was installed, which gave the PA-11 a
tremendous increase in performance over the
old 65-horsepower engine that the J-3 Cub
had. The Piper Cub Special was built for only
a year or so and was then further updated to
be the PA-18 Super Cub with a 150-
horsepower Lycoming.
Bill built the model from his plans. He
finished it in Bahama Blue and Lock Haven
Yellow, as were used on the full-scale
airplane. The N number is that of the first
factory prototype that the FAA certified.
The lettering on the model was created
with a Dymo tape machine, which is
available for roughly $30 at Wal-Mart and
similar outlets. Bill had the special tail logos
made on water-slide decals.
The PA-11 has a 27-inch wingspan and
weighs 49 grams less the motor. The propeller
is an 8-inch Peck-Polymers cut to 61/2 inches,
to clear the floats. The model is covered with
Japanese tissue, except for the bottoms of the
floats; those are covered with Polyspan for
added strength and puncture resistance.
The Piper Super Cruiser PA-12 was
finished in the factory colors of Diana Cream
and Tennessee Red. Color-trimming the
curvature of the front end and cowling was
achieved using narrow strips of party-store
domestic tissue butted together and touched
with thinner on a small brush.
The finish is nontautening nitrate dope.
Randolph nitrate dope from Randolph Aircraft
Products is item A-1690. You can purchase
the Piper floatplane plans and a set of tail
logos for $10; call Bill to do so, at the number
in the following listing. MA
Sources:
National Free Flight Society
http://freeflight.org
BMJR Model Products
(321) 537-1159
www.bmjrmodels.com
Pensacola Free Flight Team
http://pensacolafreeflight.org
Penn Valley Hobby Center
(215) 855-1268
(215) 368-0770
www.pennvalleyhobbycenter.com
Free Flight Quarterly
http://freeflightquarterly.com/wordpress
Hobbico
(800) 637-7660
www.hobbico.com
Vance Gilbert
www.vancegilbert.com
Bill Schmidt
(316) 744-0378
Randolph Aircraft Products
(800) 362-3490
www.randolphaircraft.com
877.538.3268
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