hoLIdayS? Christmas shopping?
Everyone should receive this magazine
sometime near the end of November, so we
still have time to check the catalogs for
books, parts, and maybe even an engine that
you have put off buying all year for that new
Scale model.
It might help to leave a list, or maybe a
catalog or two, laying around with certain areas
highlighted. It usually works around here.
have you started your new Scale model for
the next flying season? Or you may be able to
fly all year where you live.
I hope to pique your interest in building
for the next few months. One idea I’ve
adopted is to do something on my current
project each day. This helps to keep me
focused on the project at hand, rather than
having thoughts of building another model
with one still on the workbench.
There aren’t those of you out there who start
two or three models at the same time, are there?
The photos of Kent Walters’ Douglas SBD
Dauntless in the September column stirred
interest in this historic US Navy
scout/bomber.
Kent wrote to let me know he had replaced
the O.S. .91 engine with an O.S. 1.08.
I received an E-mail from Pete, who asked
for more information about the airplane. Here
it is, for everyone. According to Kent:
“The SBD-3 Douglas Dauntless you saw
in the article is a 74-inch-wingspan model
(1⁄6.7 scale) and weighs in at 24.5 pounds
bombed up and fueled up.
“The model is essentially scratch-built,
but I say that carefully, since my plans that I
used have origins from earlier Bob Holman
plans that were enlarged and significantly
revised over the 25+ years I have competed,
for better accuracy in competition.
“As a result of these size changes, I had
to also make my own cowl and the plug for
vacuum-forming the canopy, rather than use
those available from Bob Holman for the
68-inch-size model.”
Kent has flown the Dauntless dive-bomber
in one form or another for many years. If he
attended a contest with a J-3 Cub, I’m afraid
many people would pass out from the shock!
You can purchase the original 68-inchspan
Dauntless plans from Bob Holman
Plans, Box 741, San Bernardino CA 92402;
Tel.: (909) 885-3959; Fax: (909) 889-9307;
E-mail: [email protected].
Bob has a large selection of plans,
semikits, fiberglass kits, and laser-cut parts
for most designs he carries. If you’re serious
about Scale modeling, you might want to
have his catalogs on hand.
Top gun Invitational Update: The more
Stan Alexander, 3709 Valley Ridge Dr., Nashville TN 37211; E-mail: [email protected]
RADIO CONTROL SCALE
George Yeager sent this photo of the original R614K Travel Air
Mystery Ship during its restoration; shown in 1995.
John Thompson’s 48-inch-span Jetstream 41 under construction.
The model is built-up from balsa and very little plywood.
More construction on the PT-19. The bottom part of the firewall was cut off, to
accommodate the stock Saito muffler. Has Du-Bro engine mount, Saito engine.
January 2001 125
things change, the more they stay the same!
Top Gun will be back at the West Palm
Beach Polo Club (FL) this spring.
There are some new safety rules for jets
this coming year, which should be published
by the time this column is out.
The flightline will still be canted like this
past year, to keep the microwave tower out
of harm’s way.
April 25-29 are the dates, and you can
obtain more information for special rates on
rooms and travel by contacting Cindy Burkley
at Southport Travel, (800) 735-0401 or (800)
752-5615. For contest information, contact
Frank Tiano Enterprises at (561) 795-6600.
don Smith Scale Plans: I received a set of
Don’s Fw 190A-8 plans, and this is a
possible modeling subject. It could be a
building project for someone who really
likes Fw 190s.
The A-8 was a later model of the Fw 190,
with a longer nose than the earlier A-0 to A-
4 versions. However, the A-8 version of the
Fw 190 was built before the “Dora,” or
inline-powered D versions.
The model has a wingspan of 89.6 inches,
a length of 76.4 inches, and a wing area of
1,405 square inches.
Don’s plans are some of the most
complete sets I’ve seen. Eight sheets of plans
and details arrive in the tube.
The three-view source from which Don
drew the plans is listed, which is helpful; the
builder won’t have to hunt for it, or buy
several sets that don’t look anything like
what he or she is trying to build.
All Scale plans designers should
include—with their plan sets—the threeviews
or where the three-views and Scale
drawings can be obtained.
There are sheets just for scale details,
such as flaps, tailwheel, rivets on the
fuselage, and flying surfaces.
Retract information is included, and you
should realize the investment you will have
to make if you decide to build a model this
size; a set of retracts will cost more than
$300.
This is one of the best Fw 190 plan sets
I’ve seen. Clean up the shop, lay everything
out, and get started.
PT-19: Several people who are building this
model have had some of the same problems I
have. The part that really puzzles everyone is the
statement in the instruction booklet under “28,”
as follows:
“Installing the 1⁄16 birch ply dihedral
brace: Start by cutting the root flush with W-
1. Sand the roots the approximate angle to
allow for 9 inches under one tip with the
other panel flat on the table. This was the
dihedral used in the prototypes. The actual
scale dihedral is much more, as detailed on
the drawing. If you want to use the scale
dihedral you will need to cut new ply braces
and re-set the W-1 ribs.”
As instructed before, clamp the two wing
panels together. Check the scale dihedral,
mounted to the fuselage with more clamps,
and make sure all parts are squared and
centered.
I used the figure of 10 inches at the last rib
before the tip; do this with the other wing
panel flat on the workbench. That number was
very close to the correct scale dihedral.
I did not cut the dihedral brace, but
rather cut the center wing rib. I replaced the
1⁄16 birch dihedral brace with two 1⁄8
plywood dihedral braces, which were cut on
the band saw. I used 1⁄8 plywood for the
wing center rib, which replaced the birch
Lite Ply.
This may be overengineered, but I don’t
want to make one hard landing and punch a
landing gear through the upper wing panel.
I tried several engine mounts, and finally
decided on the Du-Bro mount for a Saito
1.2-1.5 engine.
To make everything fit inside the
cowling, I cut off the bottom portion of the
firewall to make room for the stock Saito
muffler. This allows the exhaust to exit the
bottom of the model while still concealed
inside the airframe.
When mounting the flying surfaces to the
fuselage, be sure the distances between the
surfaces are equal on all parts of the model. It’s
best to identify and fix any problems now,
The National Association of Scale
Aeromodelers publishes this guide for
modelers looking for documentation.
instead of after the covering has been completed.
That goes for any model—not just Scale.
Put the model in its cradle, and make
sure the distance from the bottom of the
fuselage to the workbench is equal on each
side. Check along both sides of the fuselage,
from the front to back. (This can also help
you identify warps in the fuselage.)
Mount the wing and tail feathers in
position, measuring the distances from one
to the other on the left and the right side
(they should match).
Making sure the flying surfaces are true
and having the proper center of gravity can
make flying fun; if you don’t do these
things, flying will seem like work at best.
Travel air Mystery Ship Update: George
Yeager sent a letter and a photo of the
original R614K during restoration, and it’s
shown here in 1995.
“Yes the striping is green,” wrote
George. This aircraft has the type certificate
with the number RB0001.
I also received a letter from George
Schultz of the Staggerwing Museum
Foundation, Inc. He informed me that the
Staggerwing Museum now has the Travel
Air Mystery Ship replica built by Jim
Younkin and the original R614K, which
won at the National Air Races in 1929.
R614K was restored and flown to the
museum; however, it crashed on the way
and the pilot was killed. The remains of the
airframe are at the museum.
For more information on the Mystery Ships,
contact Staggerwing Museum Foundation Inc.,
Box 550, Tullahoma TN 37388; Tel.: (931) 455-
1974; Fax: (931) 455-2577.
The museum also has the serial number 1
Beechcraft staggerwing airframe with fixed
landing gear.
aMa’s Special Interest Groups (SIGs) were
organized to help modelers further enjoy a
particular facet of the hobby, and to help run
the National Championships.
You can join the National Association of
Scale Aeromodelers (NASA) SIG whether
you are interested in competition or just in
flying Scale models.
Several great features are included with
membership, including the bimonthly
newsletter, a patch, and a decal.
The NASA Web site
(www.scaleaero.com/amascale.htm) is very
good, and you can link up to other Scale sites,
museums, and companies with Scale products,
and ask other modelers for information.
NASA also publishes the NASA Scale
Resource Guide for all modelers who are
looking for documentation. This booklet, written
by NASA production editor Gerald Deneau,
includes lists for paint guide sources, photo and
three-view sources, government agencies, book
sources, Scale model plans companies, specialist
organizations, and type club lists.
It’s well worth the $15 membership fee
for AMA members, $17 Canadian, and $22
Foreign. For information, contact NASA
Secretary-Treasurer Bonnie Rediske, 128
Darnley Dr., Moon Township PA 15108.
Next time I’ll write about the US Scale
Masters Championships organization!
I have more information about the
Jetstream 41, also from the September issue.
I received several E-mail messages about
the model, and I contacted John Thompson
for additional details.
The model is all-built-up from balsa and
very little plywood. The wingspan is 48 inches.
The motors are Graupner Speed 480 BB
Race engines with direct drive, and the model
has Graupner 7 x 5 Speed propellers. Fuel is
provided by an eight-cell 9.6-volt Sanyo 2000
pack, and the speed controller is a Schulze
Slim 35 BEC (Battery Eliminator Circuit).
All-up weight is 64.55 ounces, with a
wing area of 264 square inches. The wing
loading is 35 ounces per square foot.
The landing gear plugs into the airframe,
and is removable for flight.
as the old saying goes, “Don’t just sit
there—build, build, build!
Fair skies and tail winds. MA
