Letters to the Editor
Senior Moments
Anthony R. Bacich's letter about Senior RC fliers (October 2002 issue) is right on. I am 65 years old and have been trying for three years to fly RC Electrics. I had one successful flight and crashed on the next try minutes later. I even stopped reading the magazines of which I had four different publications at the time and that went on for six months.
Anthony is right about a good number of seniors out there all looking for something to do. However, I wouldn't recommend RC if they haven't been a modeler before.
Dale W. Buchholz Los Gatos, California
In response to Anthony Bacich's comments on Senior Students:
There are many challenges faced with older newcomers, and I commend Tony for his efforts. There's a wealth of information available, so much so that the average beginner can start out far ahead of those who've been at it for years (ref: Bob Hunt's recent comments).
We all progress at different paces, and develop varied interests as we grow in the hobby. But few of us stay "beginners" for long, and half the magazine devoted to newcomers would do a tremendous disservice to the membership as a whole. Balance is always hard to find, but not in this case.
Bob Underwood's newcomers column of recent past, Jerry Festa's beginners' column in R/C Report and other articles provide much-needed insight.
I feel that given the excellent writers in the industry, someone could start up a newsletter or service that would address the specific needs and interests of the new members of the hobby, providing the things that simply wouldn't fit in every issue of MA.
Maybe Mr. Bacich has stirred an interest in meeting the needs of those who want to get started with some sound advice — we know the consequences of bad or misguided advice.
Keith E. Smith Arcanum, Ohio
The White Stripes
Robert Corbitt's letter (Model Aviation, October 2002, p. 9) inquires why some F4U Corsair models display a white outline just forward of the canopy.
Reference 1 (U.S. Navy Carrier Fighters of World War II, Carrollton TX: Squadron/Signal Publications Inc. [1987], ISBN 0-89747-194-6) on page 84 displays two Corsairs with partial white outlines forward of the canopy. One is ace Lt. Kenneth A. Walsh's F4U-1 (No. 13) employed with VMF-124 on Guadalcanal during May 1943.
The second is a Corsair night fighter, F4U-2 (No. 212) employed by VMF(N)-532 on Saipan, July 1944.
But the most famous Corsair sporting a white outline is Ensign Ira Kepford's F4U-1A (No. 29). Ens. Kepford was a member of VF-17 (the "Jolly Rogers") and flew out of New Georgia during September and October of 1943. (See reference 1, page 76.) Kepford was to become a triple ace (with 17 victories) before returning to the States.
A famous picture of Kepford's F4U-1A (with 16 victories) appears in reference 2 (The Complete Book of Fighters by William Green and Gordon Swanborough, revised and updated edition, London: Salamander Books Limited, 1994, ISBN 1-84065-269-1) on page 586. The aircraft sports a complete white outline painted forward of the canopy.
Certainly, of the more than 9,200 Corsairs manufactured most did not carry this marking. But a few did, and modelers are a nostalgic lot. They often choose the color scheme and markings of a famous pilot and Ens. Kepford's airplane is a favorite.
Hope this clears up the matter.
Willord E. Johnson Pleasanton, California
I have a copy of a painting of F4U-1A (No. 29), flown by Lt. (jg) Ira Cassius Kepford 1943/44 with the "Jolly Roger" and 16 kill flags.
There is a more or less white rectangular outline forward of the cockpit on this photo that I have often wondered about. I believe the main fuel tank was in this area but have no idea what the outline was for. I had guessed that it may have been the mother of all duct tapes, and was sealing some sort of access openings or some field repair. I too would be interested in the "straight skinny" on this feature.
I have included a Web address that shows the aircraft that I have, however the area just forward of the cockpit appears to have been touched, removing the outline: www.fightingcolors.com/f4u_page.htm.
Frank Harris Brunswick, Georgia
I am sure that you have received many letters answering the question asked by Robert Corbitt (October 2002) about the white outlines on F4Us. But his question is the first that I knew the answer to. And so I thought it would be neat to send a note just in case nobody else did.
The research that I have done for my TopFlite F4U tells of the clear Plexi that would tape shut the cowlings to keep excess oil from spraying the windscreen. This is shown in photos of many different types of Corsairs. Hope this is the information Robert was looking for.
Thanks for the great magazine.
Jeff Edstrom North Las Vegas, Nevada
Just read through the October 2002 issue of MA. As usual I plan to read it several more times before it finds a place on my coffee table.
In "Letters to the Editor" I read Robert Corbitt's letter and agree with him on the aircraft designations. In answer to his question regarding the "white outline just forward the cockpit" on some F4U Corsair models, during a visit to the "Planes of Fame" museum in Chino, California, Kermit Weeks made mention of the "outlines."
He told me, and showed me, they were actually "duct tape" (or 500 mph tape).
The silver-gray color usually translates white in black and white photos, especially after being in the hot sun for a while. The ground crew on some airplanes taped the panels atop the Corsair's fuselage shut to keep them from rattling, blowing off, leaking fuel fumes and a variety of other reasons. The panels were access panels to the forward fuel tank cap, engine oil tank and 10 gallon ADI water tank.
Modelers usually simulate the tape with white striping tape. I really think the tapes should be silver or gray, but that's my opinion. Thanks again for a fine publication!
Samuel L. Witt Kingman, Arizona
Free Falling
I am just getting back into RC after a 20+ year hiatus. I was a paratrooper in the army just under 50 years ago, therefore my pulse quickened when I saw the article on RC free-fall jumping ("Radio Control Skydiving", page 38, in the October issue of MA. It jumped again when I read in the article, "In August I will be taking my jumpers to the World Free Fall Convention in Rantoul, Illinois." This is the October issue?
I hoped for the best and E-mailed the two addresses in the article that promised information in hopes that it was in the last four or five days of August. Both bounced with a "bad address" notation.
I live on the west edge of Illinois three hours or so from Rantoul and my oldest son lives just 1/2 hour south of there. I called him and found that, as I feared, the contest was several days earlier. I did find out that it is an annual event and I sure hope to make it next year.
Phil Fahrberg Dallas City, Illinois
I just wanted to thank you for finally printing an article I am interested in! The RC skydiving article was fantastic! I (continued on page 166)
Letters to the Editor
contacted John Sedovic and thanked him also. The rest of the magazine was good also; I was getting tired of contest results. Keep up the good work.
Vernon D. Marr Mt. Vernon, Illinois
Twins, Anyone?
I am writing in behalf of all those of us who are very interested in building and flying twin-engine RC model airplanes. We are starving out here. Even though we are getting plenty of feed on the most common types (and at this point let me add, we are very much appreciative), we have in our diet a craving, a desire, a need for input of information on this subject: how to balance, where to place engines, should there be diffs, best designs and where to get them, stability under one-engine flame out, how to control an engine failure, setting up for engine and control surface deflections, and no doubt a host of other concerns to twin-engine enthusiasts.
I am relatively new (three years) to the hobby and I am sure that I must have missed a lot of coverage on this part of it but it seems that it has been somewhat forgotten or is phasing out, like something that is nice to touch on or reflect on once in a while but not to keep updated, to improve on, or worthy of lending much mental effort.
Being a novice, I am probably all or partly wrong in my views about this but whatever the case happens to be, I personally feel the need for more knowledge in the area. I would love to delve into that part of the hobby but with the proper perspective and confidence and a positive feeling which I feel is needed to get the most enjoyment out of it.
Thanks for listening to me. If there is something done to help a little more I will greatly appreciate it. By the way, I am an AMA member and I do love your magazine. I await with anticipation for every issue.
Paul J. Gavin Aliso Viejo, California
Clash on Competition
I am a lifelong modeler, and as such, I had admired the models and efforts of D.B. Mathews for years.
Having said that, I must take exception to his attitude toward winners and losers in competition. In his most recent column (October 2002 issue), Mathews states "When I reported on the AAAC event in 2000, several readers were wanting to know who won. I left the results out of that column because if some team won, logically all the restored that gives a negative impression. In my opinion, everyone involved in this activity came away a winner."
Sorry, but there was only one winner, and the winner should be given due credit for his
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
