Modeling Spoken Here - 2006/06

ruth be known, I am far more
interested in innovation and new
modeling concepts than I am in
flying and/or competing. I guess
that is something I received in the genes
from my father, James A. Hunt, who was an
extremely gifted machine designer and
automation engineer.
Dad was always chiding me not only to
think outside the box, but to think from
every angle and perspective outside the box.
Just because something is, or has been, done
in one particular manner for years doesn’t
mean there are not better, faster, more
efficient, simpler, and, in our case, lighter
methods of doing it.
Sometimes we don’t even think to
improve upon something that works well
until some innovative person submits a
totally new thought on the subject, and then
we get kick-started into re-examining it.
Amazingly we often find a whole new
wave of ideas to apply to the heretofore
mundane subject, and the result is a
“sudden” shift in the paradigm that yields
dozens of new concepts and/or designs that
shoot creatively from the original thought.
Sound familiar?
Yes, sometimes it takes only a small
innovation to kick open the door of
inspiration. And, sadly, more often than not
the inventions that result are in no way
credited to the one who opened the
floodgates of new thinking in the first place.
Does that sound familiar?
Fortunately innovators and forward
thinkers have their own way of keeping
score and find solace and satisfaction in the
fact that they were the ones who pointed the
way to the new horizons. What’s that you
say? Yeah, I agree; getting paid a regular
royalty check would be far more tangible
and practical.
What set me off thinking in this direction
this month? There are three articles in this
issue that were written by men I consider to
be innovators, and I’m going to take this
opportunity to comment on the articles and
the men.
The first of these is a construction article
about a rather simple-looking RC fun
design. My old friend Dick Sarpolus is
responsible for this one, and it appears to be
just another in a long line of simple-to-build
models that he has designed throughout the
years.
He has this uncanny ability to come up
with neat-looking models that are also
extremely easy to construct. I believe that
the simplicity of his designs gave many
modelers the courage to try scratch building
and contributed greatly to the number of
model builders that are alive today.
Dick’s Lotsa Amps design breaks some
new ground by being among the first of a
new breed of dedicated “40”-size electric
sport models to be published. There is an
Aeromodeling Editor Bob Hunt
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abundance of smaller electric model designs
to choose from in plans form, but not too
many dedicated larger models. Sure,
conversions from glow to electric are the
norm now, but this new Sarpolus design is
designed from the start for the electric
modeler.
Dick wanted to bring his style of design
and construction to the electric field in such
a manner that those who might be
considering giving model building a try
would not be intimidated by techniques that
were too advanced. Dick is such a gifted
designer/builder that he could have easily
produced a much more esoteric model, but
the true genius he has is the ability—and
willingness—to design models that we all
can build and enjoy. Give his design a try!
Another form of genius is that which
takes existing great ideas and makes them
even easier to use or understand. The Great
Planes Slot Machine is a truly wonderful
device in its stock form, allowing modelers
to achieve consistent and accurate hinge
slots in model surfaces. However, it can be a
bit challenging to operate. Without a fixture
to hold the parts in precise alignment, there
is a component of difficulty to using the tool
and a bit of skill required.
My good friend Dan Rutherford, who is
an innovative thinker in his own right,
introduced me to Derek Moran, who has
submitted several how-to article ideas that
show true inspiration and OTBT (Outside
The Box Thinking). Many of these ideas are
specific to certain modeling disciplines, and
therefore will have limited appeal, but a few
of his ideas and/or inventions will make
modeling easier for all of us.
A case in point is Derek’s Slot Machine
Fixture, which allows perfect alignment of
the Slot Machine to any surface that has to
be inlet for hinges. Simple idea? You bet!
Modeling Spoken Here
6 MODEL AVIATION
Modeing Spoken Here continued on page 156
… sometimes it takes only a
small innovation to kick open
the door of inspiration
06sig1.QXD 4/25/06 1:51 PM Page 6