Radio Control Giants
Sal Calvagna
Ron Prestin's completed FunAero S.E.5a
WELCOME TO the RC Giants column and 2011. I hope that all readers and their families have a happy and healthy new year.
Wow! The first decade of the 21st century is now behind us. I can’t believe how quickly time passes.
We witnessed amazing progress in our hobby—2.4 GHz radio systems, outrunner motors, and lithium battery technology, to name a few. Let’s see what the next 10 years have in store for us.
The December 2009 column featured a how-to about fabricating fuselage lacing on World War I–type models by Ron Prestin of Huntington Station, New York. This piece generated e-mail correspondence from readers, and a follow-up from one described how he used the information to lace his airplane.
Ron has completed the S.E.5a, which he built from a FunAero R/C kit. It is 1/4 scale and powered by a 42cc gas engine. For more information about this kit, please visit the FunAero website.
The S.E.5a — brief history
The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a entered service in March 1917 and quickly became a favorite of Allied pilots. It was easy to fly and extremely fast.
Although it was not as maneuverable as aircraft such as the Fokker Dr.I, the S.E.5a was fast, strong, and a stable gun platform. Many Allied aces such as Billy Bishop, Albert Ball, and James McCudden flew the airplane.
“It was very fine to be in a machine that was faster than the Huns, and to know one could run away just as things got too hot,” wrote James McCudden.
Along with the Sopwith Camel, the S.E.5a was responsible for regaining air superiority in 1917. One of its advantages compared with the Camel was superior performance at higher altitudes.
In addition, as the size and horsepower of rotary engines were reaching their limits, the centrifugal forces and gyroscopic effects on airframes and pilots became too much to manage. The Hispano-Suiza engine—which powered the S.E.5a—was advanced for its time, employing overhead cams, an aluminum block, and steel liners. It also had a forced lubrication system and dual ignition.
More important was that even a novice could operate the engine. This was extremely important because many of the pilots arriving at the front had fewer than 20 hours of flying time; an aircraft that was easy to fly with an engine that was easy to operate quickly became a winning combination.
So go install your favorite engine in a FunAero S.E.5a and make your own winning combination. Let’s take on some of those Fokkers!
Tony and Fran Mirti — 1935 WACO YKC-S Standard Cabin
Shown are Tony and Fran Mirti of Southborough, Massachusetts, with Tony’s 1/5-scale 1935 WACO YKC-S Standard Cabin built from Charlie Nelson plans. It weighs 16 pounds and is powered by a Magnum 1.60 twin glow engine.
The model is covered with Stits covering and Poly Tone paint. Tony made the cowl and wheel pants.
The photographs were taken at a Scale Masters qualifier held in Eastport, New York. The model is beautifully constructed, and it flew wonderfully.
Based on the earlier F-series airframe, the WACO Standard Cabin series was the company’s first successful cabin biplane design. Through continued improvement, engine upgrades, and sesquiplane configurations, a total of approximately 350 were built. Only 22 YKC-S models were built, and only one is still airworthy today.
Dennis Hernandez and Linda Ciccolella — Nieuport 11
A picture shows Dennis Hernandez and Linda Ciccolella of Bellmore, New York, with Dennis’s 1/4-scale Nieuport 11 built from enlarged Proctor Enterprises plans. It was covered with Solartex and finished as the Italian N2123 of WWI, which was flown by Sgt. Alvaro Leonardi of 80a Squadriglia of the Italian Air Service. He survived the war with eight confirmed victories.
Macchi built the original aircraft under license in 1917. The character painted on the fuselage was called “Fortunello,” which means “lucky” and is based on a comic strip character—the Italian version of Happy Hooligan. Fortunello was popular with 80a Squadriglia members; it was featured in slightly different versions on numerous aircraft.
Air-to-air combat was born in the opening months of WWI. The first purpose-built combat aircraft were the Morane-Saulnier and Vickers. However, the German Air Service achieved air superiority with the introduction of the Fokker Eindecker in mid-1915.
That was mainly because of the synchronized machine gun that could fire through the propeller arc without striking the blades. It certainly wasn’t because of the Eindecker’s handling; it employed wing warping for roll and was difficult to fly. The Eindecker made it difficult for the Allies to acquire sorely needed intelligence from aerial reconnaissance.
When the diminutive Nieuport 11 entered service in early 1916, it was more than a match for the Fokker Eindecker. The Nieuport featured ailerons and a fixed stabilizer, which made it much easier to fly than the Eindecker. It also had a machine gun mounted on the upper wing that fired over the propeller arc.
Some Nieuport 11s were fitted with rockets on the V struts for attacks on observation balloons and airships. Along with other Allied designs, the Nieuport 11 put an end to the Fokker scourge. Synchronized guns were to become standard equipment, and Nieuports as well as future Allied aircraft were fitted with them.
The Nieuport 11 wasn’t without its drawbacks, though. The much smaller lower wing supported an interplane V strut. The lower wing was weak and would twist under load at high speeds, even breaking apart in flight.
Although its operational career was short, the Nieuport represented an important step forward in fighter aircraft design.
Getting to an event — Alex DiLena Jr.
How do you get to an aeromodeling event? If you’re Alex DiLena Jr. of North Seaford, New York, you drive a 1968 Chevy station wagon painted in a P-40 color scheme, complete with a shark’s mouth and kill markings.
For fellow commuters who are unfamiliar with the P-40 theme, the 1/5-scale P-51 Mustang weather vane model attached to the roof is a dead giveaway to Alex’s love for aviation and RC. He works as an artist who can pinstripe any automobile to your liking.
I wish all readers the best for 2011 and great success in all of your modeling endeavors.
MA
Sources
- FunAero R/C, (803) 499-5487, www.funaero.com
- International Miniature Aircraft Association, www.fly-imaa.org
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
