120 MODEL AVIATION
Dealing with exposed servo linkages and other unsightly components
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Scale Stan Alexander
Also included in this column:
• Royalties
• J&B Access Panels
• Grumman Wildcat documentation CDs
Right: Notice the servos and all the linkage below the top
wing on this Curtiss Hawk.
Above: You can see the tail group and the clean lines
with prototypical linkage on this Lockheed Vega by Lloyd
Roberts.
A Fokker E.I showing the lower wing and the prototypical and
functional wing warping cables. There are more on top!
Notice the clean lines on the tail group of this Japanese Ki-27
Nate. No hinges or rods are sticking out.
HAVE YOU EVER gotten home with your new ARF and upon
examination noticed that the aileron servo was sticking out of the
bottom of the wing? Not just the servo arm and rod and clevis, but the
whole top of the servo!
It’s not the best appearance for a Scale model. Even kids at the field
will say “What are those things sticking out under there?” Then you
have to explain that they are the motors that move the control surfaces
of the wing and sometimes the rudder and elevator, depending on how
much time and effort was spent designing the model.
Control surfaces and those dreaded exposed control horns, servos,
and linkages are certainly a problem. Having examined the Don Smith
plans for my Ki-27 Nate and looking at the numerous photos, I’ve
recognized that this is an aerodynamically clean aircraft. There are no
exposed hinges to speak of on the fuselage, and the hinges on the
ailerons have small covers at the top of each control surface.
The plans show servos in the vertical fin for the rudder and in the
back of the fuselage for the elevator. As did many aircraft of the 1930s,
the Ki-27 has little area forward of the wing other than the engine and
cowling. Therefore, I’ll probably locate the servos in the fuselage, as
we do with most large sport or Scale models.
For the wing linkage I have to work out the mechanics of the
ailerons. I don’t want servo doors on the underside of the wing surface,
07sig4.QXD 5/23/07 9:44 AM Page 120
make it look, well, ugly.
In some Scale contests such as FAI F4, servo doors and wing bolts
are a no-no. If it doesn’t belong on the full-scale aircraft, why should it
be on the model?
One of this month’s photos shows a 1/3-scale Fokker E.I that Art
Shelton built. Yes, it’s an E.I—not the more familiar E.III. The E.I had
a shorter wing than the E.III.
The photo shows the lack of ailerons, but many cables actually
warp the wing, per the prototype. Also notice the lack of screws
attaching the wings to the fuselage. The attachment points on this
model are inside the fuselage cockpit area.
An issue that affects companies that produce ARFs is the royalties
they are starting to have to pay to the owners of the full-scale aircraft
they duplicate as models. Not only are owners asking for royalties, but
the companies that produce the full-scale aircraft want a cut too.
A few years ago I purchased a Matt Chapman CAP 231 with the
multicolor paint scheme in blue, turquoise, and white. The outside of
the box showed the airplane with markings, etc., but there were no
markings inside the box. I called the company and a representative said
it didn’t include markings with its scale ARF kits.
It’s to the point where many companies are not using a real fullscale
aircraft for the color scheme and markings, but the “general” kind
of markings found on that type of airplane. I guess full-scale aircraft
owners feel that modeling companies are making money off their
property and that they should be able to collect a royalty.
In Fun Scale you must provide a “plastic model art box top” or one
photo of the full-scale aircraft to receive the five static points. Where
you compete will sometimes dictate how strictly this rule is followed.
For my Great Planes Super Stearman I researched the N number on
the rudder on the Federal Aviation Administration Web site and found
the owner’s address. I wrote to him and asked for a photo of the fullscale
aircraft, and he sent a disc containing static and in-flight shots of
the 450-horsepower biplane.
A good friend recently built a Staggerwing and tried to find
documentation on that particular aircraft. There weren’t any exact
matches because of the dilemma with royalties.
There are many airplanes out there like that. If there’s a model you
plan to compete with, it’s a good idea to find out if a full-scale version
exists before you put out your hard-earned money.
I intend to ask a few modeling companies why they don’t include
markings for different airplanes and let the builder add the markings to
the aircraft. Wouldn’t this give the modeler more creative freedom
without the company having to pay the royalty to the owners or to an
aircraft company? What a sad state of affairs this is for modelers.
New Products: In keeping with the servo-linkage theme, J&B Access
Panels has added products to its line that help modelers with servo
linkage and hiding it below the surface of the model’s skin. The
company has a variety of access panels,
with servo mounts and screws included
with the different pieces for your airplane.
The access panels have many different
applications, such as for Scale, sport, and
Giant Scale models. J&B offers four sizes
of panels. The parts are laser cut, and the
fit and finish are accurate.
Some of the applications would use
only four screws per panel, but you can
add up to eight with the supplied
hardware. A handy pocket-size guide to
assembly and use of the different panels
comes with each one.
Prices range from $6 to $8 plus
shipping and handling. Contact J&B
Access Panels at 140 Springhill Ave.,
Bowling Green KY 42101; Tel.: (270)
124 MODEL AVIATION
781-6780; E-mail: http://j-baccess
panels.com.
Bookshelf: I’ve mentioned a couple
documentation CDs by Model Activity
Press, and this month’s is the last one I
have for review. Grumman FM-2 Wildcat
presents the model with British World War
II markings including invasion stripes. This
CD contains 95 photos.
The Wildcat was the US Navy’s firstline
fighter at the beginning of World War
II. First ordered in 1939, close to 8,000
were built for the US and all our allies.
In the Pacific Theater, if a carrier later
in the war couldn’t handle the Hellcat it
would receive the Wildcat. It was smaller
and the ship could hold more of them.
Many detail shots on the CD show the
hinges for all control surfaces and the
internal linkage, which isn’t seen on more
modern aircraft. These shots were taken at
either a fly-in or an air show, and the color
and presentation are great. You can tell that
this is an operating aircraft and not a
hangar queen because the paint has been
chipped off in a few places.
The complicated main gear and all the
struts, pumps, and fittings are also
presented. Several detail shots show all the
Phillips-head and straight-head screws, as
well as the many rivets that adorn the
aircraft frame. Also, all the hinge detail is
presented for modeling purposes.
Contact Model Activity Press Ltd. at
63-65 Woodside Rd., Amersham, Bucks,
HP6 6AA, Great Britain; Web site:
www.modelactivitypress.com. If you call,
remember the time difference. The number
is 011-1494-433453.
Upcoming Events: The U.S. Scale Masters
Championships will be held October 11-14
at Hemet, California, which is located
between Los Angeles and San Diego. The
Hemet Model Masters will host the contest
at its Simpson Field, which is paved. Sorry,
but I don’t have the field dimensions.
For more information, rules, a hotel
listing, and photos, check out www.scale
masters.org.
Fair skies and tailwinds. MA
Call Toll Free: 888-829-4060
7414 Burton
