Radio Control Giants
Sal Calvagna [[email protected]]
Modify your Walbro choke for RC operation
The gasoline engines we typically use in our larger RC models generally use some version of the ubiquitous Walbro carburetor. Used in overwhelming numbers on two-stroke gas-powered weed whackers, chain saws, and other small landscaping and gardening equipment, the Walbro carburetor is easy to use and adjust and is extremely reliable.
Standard operating procedures differ between landscaping equipment and RC models. In RC we usually drain the fuel tanks of our aircraft back into our fuel containers at the end of the flying day. With landscaping equipment, this is rarely done; the remaining fuel typically stays in the tank for use on another day.
Another difference is that most small two-stroke machines usually have a fuel bulb to prime the engine when it's cold. Our model engines lack this fuel bulb to assist in priming. What we do have in common is the brass butterfly choke plate. Two-stroke gas engines like to be well primed for a cold start.
A frequent scenario at the flying field is a modeler with one hand over the closed butterfly to make a good seal while the other hand moves the propeller back and forth through the compression stroke to draw fuel into the carburetor. Fuel doesn't easily draw into the carburetor from the fuel tank because there is a sizable hole manufactured into the butterfly plate. This hole is approximately 3/32 inch in diameter and allows air to be ingested, reducing the amount of draw from the fuel tank.
The easiest way I've found to remedy this is to remove the butterfly choke plate; it's held on with only one screw in the center. Lay the plate flat on a nonflammable surface and fill the hole with a bit of solder using a hot soldering iron. Now you have a more effective choke — no more gas-soaked thumbs!
Sperry Messenger
Gene Oshrin of Bridgehampton, New York, is shown with his 1/4-scale Ikon N'Wst Sperry Messenger. The model spans 60 inches and is 50 inches in length. It's powered by a .91 four-stroke glow engine and painted with DuPont automotive paint. Gene modeled his Messenger after the full-scale airplane that was based at McCook Field in 1922.
The Sperry Messenger was the smallest manned aircraft ever used by the United States Army. Built between 1920 and 1926, it was able to land in small clearings such as forward areas to pick up and deliver messages from field commanders. It was structurally simple, easy to maintain, and, at a minimal cost of $4,000 per airplane, practical for its designed task.
The aircraft was built by the Lawrence Sperry Aircraft Company of Farmingdale, New York. Although the military designated the aircraft as the M-1, M-1A, or MAT and ordered it not to be called the Sperry Messenger, reporters watching the first flight coined the name and it stuck.
The airplane was powered by a small 60-horsepower three-cylinder radial. Lawrence Sperry, who lived in Garden City, New York, used to take off and land on the road directly in front of his home. He once landed his Messenger in front of the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., and later in front of the Jefferson Memorial.
In 1923, Lawrence Sperry made a forced landing in the English Channel and apparently drowned trying to swim ashore. In all, 42 Sperry M-1 Messenger aircraft were built.
Gene became interested in completing the kit when he was involved with restoring an original Messenger. He had the opportunity to use the original drawings to assist in completing his 1/4-scale model. The kit may still be available from Ikon N'Wst:
- Ikon N'Wst, 3012 N. Altamont, Spokane, WA 99207
- Phone: (509) 533-1649 or (800) 717-4508
Nice job, Gene!
Jalopaplane
I had the pleasure of being present at the first flight of one of the strangest-looking models I have ever seen: the Eddie A. Aircraft 83-inch-wingspan Jalopaplane built by my friend Ed Hirschfeld of Selden, New York.
For many years I had seen this model on its display stand at the annual Westchester Radio Aeromodellers Show in Westchester, New York; however, I had never heard about or seen one of these models fly. I'm happy and surprised to say that it flew extremely well.
Ed used the recommended Zenoah G-23 gas engine for power and covered the model in Solartex material. The aircraft is unique — at first glance it looks sort of like the platypus. I guess the next step for Ed is to find a suitable pilot figure for such an unusual model. Good luck, Ed!
For readers interested in this model, I believe you can purchase one from Eddie A. Aircraft:
- Eddie A. Aircraft, 917 Marie Ct., Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417
- Phone: (201) 337-6159
Bill Hofmann’s F4U
Bill Hofmann of Port Jefferson Station, New York, built a beautiful Byron Originals F4U Corsair. It is shown on approach after its first flight. The model spans 85 inches, is 68.5 inches in length, and weighs approximately 25 pounds.
Bill installed a Zenoah G-62 gas engine to power a Bolly 20 x 12 propeller. The model has Robart retracts, and Bill even added a retractable tailhook for carrier operation.
The actual development of the Corsair started in 1938 when the U.S. Navy issued a request for a new single-seat fighter. The prototype first flew in May 1940, and after many design changes the first production model was finally delivered in July 1942. Further changes were made for carrier-operations approval.
More than 12,000 of the airplanes were eventually built by Chance-Vought, Goodyear, and Brewster. Production of the F4U Corsair ended in 1952.
Although the Corsair acquired many nicknames including "Whistling Death" and "Bent-Wing Bird," the most unfavorable was "Ensign Eliminator." This name was given because the cockpit was placed farther back than on most carrier-based aircraft, making carrier landings extremely difficult and resulting in many inexperienced pilots crashing on landing.
In its defense, some who have flown the Corsair and the P-51 Mustang state that the P-51 exhibited a greater propensity to roll on its back than did the F4U. Moreover, the Corsair was a far more forgiving aircraft when entering a stall. Although it would drop its right wing abruptly, the aircraft gave plenty of advanced warning of an impending stall by entering a pronounced buffeting roughly 6–7 mph before the wing dropped.
The question is still asked today—more than 60 years later—what the best fighter aircraft of World War II was. There's evidence to support the argument that the Chance Vought F4U-4 Corsair was the finest all-around fighter of the war. It certainly qualifies as the best fighter/bomber.
The F4U-4 arrived in combat late in World War II—in early 1945—so it had only about six months to establish its combat record against the Japanese. It did remain in service throughout the Korean War, where, along with the F4U-5, it gained an outstanding reputation for delivering ordnance with great accuracy.
Comparative points:
- The F4U-4 had a roughly 30 mph speed advantage over the P-51D.
- The F4U-4 had about a 20% better climb rate than the P-51D.
- The F4U-4 was the premier load-carrying, single-seat fighter of the war.
The United States Army Air Force admitted that the F4U could absorb more battle damage than the tanklike P-47. The F4U could also outrun the P-51 at slower speeds; in fact, the F4U could fly 30 mph slower than the speed at which the Mustang stalled. The Mustang did have better pilot visibility and a large edge in flight endurance.
So there you have it: the next time someone brings up the subject, you have more ammunition. Fire away!
Although Byron Originals is no longer in business, you can purchase many of the company's designs from Iron Bay Model Company:
- Website: www.ironbaymodelcompany.com
- Phone: (304) 232-7511
- Mailing address: Box 6383, Wheeling, WV 26003
I want to take this opportunity to wish all of you a happy and healthy holiday season. Now is the time to start your next winter project. Let me know if you need a hand, and please send me some photos of your current project — I'm sure all my readers would like to see what's on your building board.
—MA
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
