Author: Sal Calvagna
Edition: Model Aviation - 2011/05
Page Numbers: 100,101,102
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Radio Control Giants - 2011/05

ASM 120-inch B-17G Flying Fortress

Sal Calvagna [[email protected]]

Welcome back to the RC Giants column.

ARFs have come a long way since the Pilot EZ series of the 1980s. Extremely popular in the aerobatics arena in sizes as large as 46%, giant-scale ARFs are now available in more complex warbird types, such as the Advanced Scale Models (ASM) "Shoo Shoo Baby" Boeing B-17G. ASM didn’t pick just any B-17 to model; this famous bomber has an interesting history.

The company’s 1/10-scale Flying Fortress has a 120-inch wingspan. The fuselage is 87 inches long, and the model has an all-up weight of 29–34 pounds. The aircraft features a three-piece wing, two-piece fuselage, and two-piece stabilizer for easier transportation.

The fuselage is constructed using plywood formers and carbon-fiber longerons. The outer skin is ABS plastic, with scale details already molded. The B-17G was designed to be powered by four .35–.40 two-stroke or four .52 four-stroke glow engines, or by appropriately sized electric motors. The model comes painted in olive drab with clear molded windshields and turrets. It also has working gear doors when used with the optional retracts.

With gear installed, the Flying Fortress requires a six-channel radio system to operate the ailerons, flaps, elevator, rudder, retracts, and throttles. In the glow-powered version, a total of seven heavy-duty and four standard servos are required.

The 1/10-scale ASM B-17G Flying Fortress ARF sits on the tarmac, ready for another mission. Although the large model spans 120 inches, its three-piece wing, two-piece stabilizer, and two-piece fuselage make for easier transportation. The ARF accepts a wide range of power systems and includes flaps.

Historical note: the aircraft that would become Shoo Shoo Baby arrived in England on March 2, 1944. It was delivered to the 91st Bomb Group on March 23 and began flying missions the next day. In a short timeframe, the aircraft flew 24 combat missions. Its last was to bomb the Focke-Wulf component factory at Poznan, Poland, when it was listed as missing in action on May 29, 1944. The B-17G lost one engine on the way to Poznan and another after the bombing run, forcing it to land at a field in Sweden. Since Sweden was a neutral country, the bomber and crew were interned. A deal was struck that allowed Sweden to keep a number of US aircraft that had landed in the country in exchange for the return of approximately 300 American crew members.

The Flying Fortress was converted to an airliner and flown by SILA, which is now Scandinavian Airlines. The aircraft was sold in late 1945 to a Danish carrier and then to the Danish Army Air Corps in 1948. It was acquired by the Danish Naval Air Service in 1949 and then by the Danish Air Force in 1952. The B-17G was retired in 1953 and sold to a French company a couple of years later. Last flown in 1961, the French government donated the aircraft to the US Air Force in 1972. It was restored between 1978 and 1988, after it had been flown more than 60,000 man-hours. In October 1988 the restored bomber was flown to the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio.

ASM products are available from Hobby People. For more information and photos of the B-17G Shoo Shoo Baby ARF, please visit the company’s website.

Top Flite Mustang — "Voodoo" Reno Racer (Ron Savage)

Ron Savage of Davie, Florida, built his beautiful version of the Voodoo Reno racer from a Top Flite giant-scale Mustang. It spans 84.5 inches, is 73.5 inches long, and has a wing area of 1,245 square inches. The all-up weight is approximately 20 pounds, with a wing loading of 32–35 ounces per square foot.

The Mustang is covered in fiberglass cloth and painted with PPG paints. It is powered by a DLE50 gas engine swinging an APC 22 x 12 propeller. Ron used liquid mask to paint the checkerboard pattern; he painted everything except the “Voodoo” and the “5” on the stabilizer. According to Ron, this is one of his best-flying models.

Carrying on the tradition of air racing in Cleveland, Ohio, from the 1920s through the 1940s, Bill Stead organized an air race near Reno, Nevada, in 1964. Thus the Reno National Championship Air Races was born. This contest has been going strong for more than 47 years; it was interrupted only in 2001, when all aircraft were grounded following the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C. The Reno Air Races are touted as the world’s fastest motorsport and bring thousands of racing and aircraft enthusiasts from around the world.

1/3-scale Balsa USA Sopwith Pup (Vernon Pain)

Vernon Pain of Plantation, Florida, finished his 1/3-scale Balsa USA Sopwith Pup as a replica of Captain S.H. Pratt’s A7327, 46 Squadron Sopwith Scout. This large, impressive World War I model spans 108 inches, is 77 inches long, and has a total wing area of 4,428 square inches.

The kit, made in the U.S., comes with rolled full-size plans, instructions, and illustrations. It features premium-quality AAA balsa, birch aircraft-grade plywood, and premium model-grade light plywood. Also included are a spun-aluminum cowl, flying and landing wires, and scale three-view drawings.

The Pup took Vernon roughly 10 months to complete; his friend Marty Weiss helped with the framing. The covering is Solartex finished with latex paints. All ribs were taped, and all markings were hand-painted. A 3W-70 gas engine provides the power, and a JR 2.4 GHz radio system is used for control.

Vernon is originally from England, and he spent many years in Australia before moving to Florida. He has recently taken ill, and he wrote, “What a great bunch of mates I have in this hobby who, along with my family, have been a fantastic source of support.”

For more information about the 1/3-scale Sopwith Pup or any other Balsa USA offerings, please visit the company website.

Historical note: The Sopwith Pup entered service with the British Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service in late 1916. It immediately became a favorite with pilots because its light weight, generous wing area, and dual ailerons gave it excellent flying characteristics. The Pup outclassed the German fighters of the time, including the Albatros D.III. Flying ace James Thomas Byford McCudden stated:

“... when it came to maneuvering, the Sopwith Pup would turn twice to an Albatros’ once. It was a remarkably fine machine for general all around flying. It was so extremely light and well surfaced that after a little practice one could almost land it on a tennis court.”

However, the Pup was outclassed by newer German fighters by the spring of 1917. The aircraft was also used in early carrier experiments: in the summer of 1917 a Pup became the first airplane to land aboard a moving ship and carrier operations began in early 1918. Other Pups were deployed to cruisers and battleships, launched from platforms attached to the main gun turrets.

The Pup’s official name was the “Scout”; however, those who flew it called it the “Pup” because it looked like a smaller version of the Sopwith 1½-Strutter.

That’s all for this month. Spring is here, and that means flying season is upon us. So go have fun, but please be careful. MA

Sources

Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.