Radio Control Giants - 2011/04

98 MODEL AVIATION
WELCOME BACK. Spring is right around
the corner, and those of us who live in colder
climates are looking forward to a change in
the weather so that we can resume flying
models and other outdoor activities. At least
those are the thoughts I should have as I put
the finishing touches on this column.
The reality is that I am writing this in
early January. It’s roughly 30° outside and
we have just experienced our second
snowfall, so it’s difficult to be enthusiastic
about flowers blooming, birds flying, and
piloting giant-scale models!
We MA contributing editors (columnists)
submit our columns three months in
advance. So here I am, trying to button up
this submission during a frigid January
evening in the Northeast.
Nevertheless, I have some new-product
information and a great 1/3-scale project to
share with you. Hang in there; better
weather is on its way!
The newest release from Sullivan Products
is a heavy-duty Multi Fuel Stopper Kit (part
S469). It features a new stopper material
that is resistant to all fuel types, including
gasoline, glow, and smoke oil.
A machined-aluminum blue cap and
washer are threaded for 4-40, for extra
tightening torque. The kit includes two sets
of 1/8- and 1/32-inch-diameter brass tubes,
clunk, and 4-40 screw. The kit fits all sizes
of Sullivan tanks.
Sullivan Products is located in Baltimore,
Maryland, and has been in business since
1940. Matthew Sullivan started the company,
and its first products were lines, handles, and
connectors for CL flying. Sullivan still
makes many of those items.
For more information about the Multi
Fuel Stopper Kit and the myriad other great
offerings from the company, visit the Web
site.
Andy Marone ofManorville, New York, sent
me photos of his own-design 1/3-scale
Sopwith Triplane. He designed the
model using Replicraft drawings as a
reference. It spans 106 inches and is
76 inches long.
Andy used scale-type construction
throughout, along with scale cable
controls. The horizontal stabilizer is
adjustable in incidence, and the
airframe has more than 1,000 screws
and bolts.
Power is a two-cylinder, fourstroke
Roto 85cc engine. The landing
gear is made from streamline steel
tubing, which almost exactly
replicates the full-scale aircraft.
One unusual fact is that little
balsa is used to construct the
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Giants Sal Calvagna
New heavy-duty Multi Fuel Stopper Kit
Also included in this column:
• Andy Marone’s Sopwith
Triplane under construction
• New 1/3-scale WW I wheels
from Williams Brothers
Above: Andy Marone (Manorville NY)
designed and built his beautiful 1/3-scale
Sopwith Triplane using Replicraft
drawings for reference.
Left: Andy likes to add many scale
details to his projects. Check out the
rudder bar and elevator/aileron control
stick; both move with their respective
control surfaces.
The Heavy Duty Multi Fuel Stopper Kit is
new from Sullivan Products. The stopper
material resists all fuel types and fits all
sizes of Sullivan tanks.
Triplane. All ribs are made from 1/16
aircraft-grade plywood, laser-cut from
AutoCAD files. Andy says that he will
cover the model with Sig Koverall and
include fuselage stitching so that he can
access the fuselage to install turnbuckles in
the scale location!
In 1916 the Sopwith Aviation Company
was looking for a new fighter design. The
experimental division, under chief engineer
Herbert Smith, designed an aircraft sporting
three narrow-chord wings to provide the
pilot with a greatly improved field of view.
The wings were to be fitted to a fuselage
and tailplane that closely resembled that of
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April 2011 99
The Williams Brothers Model Products
advertisement for the new 1/3-scale WW I
wheels. They will be available in two styles:
Allied and German.
the Sopwith Pup. All three wings were fitted
with ailerons, and the tailplane incidence
could be trimmed for hands-off flight.
The prototype first flew in May 1916,
and Harry Hawker was the test pilot. After
the first few minutes of flight, to the
amazement of onlookers, Harry looped the
Triplane three times in succession. The
aircraft became an instant success when
evaluated in combat later in 1916.
By early 1917, the Sopwith Triplane
outclassed the extremely successful
Albatros D.I. The “Tripehound,” as it was
called, could outclimb and out-turn the
Albatros, and it was 15 mph faster.
Anthony Fokker was so impressed with
the Sopwith that he went to extraordinary
measures to secure a downed Triplane so
that it could be evaluated. The result was
the Fokker Dr.I triplane, which Reinhold
Platz designed, although it was vastly
different from the Sopwith version.
Sopwith Camels replaced Sopwith
Triplanes during the summer of 1917.
Although the latter enjoyed a short career,
with only approximately 150 built, it was
the first of its kind, and it influenced a host
of triplane and quadraplane designs by
German manufacturers in efforts to match
its performance.
Williams Brothers Model Products of
Round Rock, Texas, is in the process of
designing molds for a 1/3-scale World War I
wheel. Its overall diameter will be 9.2
inches, with a tire cross-section of 1.3
inches.
The wheels will come in two styles:
Allied and German. The German axle width
will be 2.1 inches, while the Allied wheel
will be 2.3 inches at the hub. Each wheel
will have an axle diameter of 1/4 inch and
can be drilled out to a maximum size of 3/8
inch.
For more information about the 1/3-scale
wheels and other great Williams Brothers
products, please contact the company.
Following are some words from company
president Daniel J. Brett regarding
Williams Brothers Model Products and
what’s in the pipeline for giant-scale
modelers.
“Williams Brothers Model Products is
entering its 6th year under new ownership,
and after a lot of work putting everything
back into production, we are now going to
pick up where the original brothers left off,
and continue to work to fill the needs of
modelers for specialized products to
support their scale aircraft.
“We have heard the cry of the 1/4 and 1/3
scale modelers for support of WWI aircraft,
and we are pushing forward to break
through and deliver—ready or not!
“Our move to the new, larger location
has been a bit of a strain, and I thought
we’d have to push off another year, at least,
before we could have the cash flow to
support such an undertaking, but my
wonderful employee Lisa (a real blessing to
have) took it upon herself to see if we could
raise the cash for the new molds by
promoting a pre-buy of 1/3 scale wheels. If a
guy ever had a George Bailey moment, that
was it.
“The response from the Dawn Patrol
community was really great, and I am
humbled by the amount of customer support
we have during these tough economic days.
Another reason I really enjoy, as many do,
the WWI era of flight—there is a bond
between us all that desires to maintain the
honor and chivalry of the time. That is the
kind of thing that really drives me to
continue moving forward and striving to
build this company up.
“This initial plan is to build molds to
support a 700mm x 100mm wheel as was
used by Palmer for the Allies and Fokker
for the Central Powers. That works out to
approximately 9.2 inches in diameter.
Being fairly large molds, this allows us to
make one tire mold to start, and the two hub
molds needed. We were very blessed to
acquire the larger machine needed and that
made possible what wasn’t before, and
opened the door for such a project.
“The big hope is that this wheel will
help advance the company and deliver the
support we need to push into other projects,
such as the larger aero guns, cylinders, and
pilots—and maybe a few other new ideas.
We actually have a fellow working on CAD
drawings for a new Lewis gun in 1/4, 1/5,
and 1/3 scale for the next project to get us
into developing a process for our first
plastic model molds.
“We constantly are looking at new
technologies to update and speed up the
process from concept to product, and
eventually become a mold making shop
ourselves, as the original brothers used to
be, and be much more free to create.
“We intend to keep everything Made in
USA as I well know that capability has
much more power than money, and that is
what will make this company strong in the
long run, and survive. So, we are committed
to stay in the trenches and go ‘over the top’
for our customers!”
I’ll be back here next month. MA
Sources:
Sullivan Products
(410) 732-3500
www.sullivanproducts.com
Williams Brothers Model Products
(512) 846-1243
www.williamsbrothersmodelproducts.com
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