Author: Stan Alexander
Edition: Model Aviation - 2007/11
Page Numbers: 96,97,98
,
,

Radio Control Scale

Stan Alexander [[email protected]]

The case for building a Cub

As I write this I almost wish it were November. The 95° temperatures these days make it a little on the toasty side at the field.

Now is the time to start planning where you'll go next year, whether it's the Nats, a regional Scale contest, or a Scale fly-in. It's also the time when some of us start planning our vacations.

Next year the US FAI Scale team will be going to Poland in July for the World Championships. It's a great time to go and support the team as well as see some of the best Scale competition on the planet.

This is also the time to pick new model subjects, and of the few kits that are left there are probably more Piper J-3 Cubs available than any other aircraft type. Great Planes has several sizes of this aircraft, as does Sig Manufacturing. Carl Goldberg Products has the "Gold Edition" Cub that came out several years ago, and there is a gaggle of electric versions or electric conversions for it.

Documentation for this aircraft is abundant. It kills many Scale judges to see a modeler arrive at a contest with one photo or none at all, with only a color side view of the aircraft he or she has modeled.

There is a host of documentation resources for the Cub, including your local airport in some cases. I enjoy going to full-scale fly-ins, and especially the Experimental Aircraft Association's AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. You never can tell what will show up there from day to day.

But why model a design that has been "done to death"? There are some great reasons for Scale modelers who aspire to fly warbirds and other types. In World War II the Cub was used in a variety of roles, including basic training of civilian and military pilots. At that time a J-3 could be purchased for approximately $1,200. Through the years the design has been modified with clipped wings, air-show rigs for all kinds of stunts, and to fulfill almost any other flying role a lightly loaded aircraft could. Increased horsepower, increased avionics, the huge number of different paint schemes, and other aspects of the aircraft endear it to modelers.

Other trainer types have the same unique status as the Cub, such as the Tiger Moth, the Chipmunk, and the Stearman PT-17. But here in the US we have a large number of Cub kits still available. While model companies seem to be dropping kits in favor of ARFs or RTFs, the Cub has survived. Scale modelers still want to build this aircraft.

A Cub may seem simple, but have you ever looked at all the pinked tapes, screws, rivets, fabric patches, inspection plates, exposed bolts, mounting points, etc., on a full-scale version? There are a bunch of them. Another reason to choose a Cub is that it's an exercise in building a stick-and-fabric aircraft, somewhat like the full-scale counterpart. The model doesn't have the steel-tube fuselage, but several of the construction areas are similar.

Flying this type of airplane, much like any World War I aircraft, will teach you to fly with the rudder. Another reason for using a transmitter tray!

The Cub can be either aerobatic or nonaerobatic, depending on the configuration and the engine size in the full-scale version and the model. Flying scale maneuvers and aerobatics requires you to use the rudder, which many Scale pilots don't. If you don't use the rudder, the turns will look weird and the aircraft will tend to dive in the turns.

I like the clipped-wing versions because their color schemes seem to have more character and are usually anything but yellow. I'll bet you have one in your shop already!

Bookshelf

It may seem a bit late, but I'm writing this in July and the 2007 NASA Scale Resource Guide (the ninth edition) has just been sent out. This is one of the most comprehensive guides for Scale modelers, with documentation sources including published three-views, books, government agencies, libraries, museums, periodicals, journals, photos, and Web sites. It also has a list of Scale construction plans sources.

Gary Parenti is the National Association of Scale Aeromodellers (NASA) resource editor. He has done a great job in the past several years of putting together this excellent resource for the all-volunteer group.

Let's say you are modeling a Piper J-3 Cub for competition. The Resource Guide contains plans sources, three-view sources, and color-chip sources that will help you finish your documentation.

The cost of the booklet is included with membership in the NASA SIG. I'm not sure what the dues will be for 2008, which is coming up soon. You can check the Web site for updates and a list of other member benefits, including the newsletter.

New Products

Transmitter trays from RCA Models are in stock and being shipped. I've shown trays before and there are, or were, several sources for them. The one I've used for years is no longer in production.

At the Toledo Show this spring I saw an interesting new product Randy Navarre had in stock called the TxTray, which is available in several colors. The price is $59.95 plus shipping and handling.

Unlike my old tray it has a neck strap that is padded and much wider than the normal transmitter strap. It is more like a professional strap used to hold cameras with long lenses. It distributes the weight of the item it's holding over a wider area around the neck, making it more comfortable for longer periods of time.

The TxTray allows you to use both your thumb and finger on each stick and doesn't interfere with the transmitter's switches or buttons. By using your thumb and at least one finger you have increased your control on the stick.

A thumbscrew allows adjustment to make sure the transmitter doesn't slide off when you are putting it on or transporting it. You can also alter the shape of the lightweight acrylic hand rests if you find that a different configuration will work better. You use a heat gun to warm the material, bend it carefully, then quickly cool the tray.

Are you looking for something to put your Scale model in while you work on it on the workbench or at the field? RcCRADLES.COM has an adjustable unit that will hold .60- to .120-size warbirds and other models. The version I am showing is the Deluxe, and all you need to assemble it is a Phillips screwdriver. It takes approximately five minutes to put together and is collapsible for transport.

The cradle is adjustable in both the length and the width of the cradle portion, which holds the fuselage, etc. It's handy and works well.

The Deluxe model will extend from 18 to 30 inches in length, while the cradles adjust from 4 to 10 inches wide. This size is $44.95.

Upcoming Events

AMA's Convention in Ontario, California, is coming up soon, in January. Make plans to attend this modeling show. With the Scale competition and indoor electric flying, it should be a great time.

My wife and I went a couple years ago, and next to the Toledo Show this is one of the larger ones I've attended. Jay Mealy and the AMA crew who put this convention together work all year on it, and it is obvious. Be sure to attend to see what's there for all AMA members.

The Scale Squadron has had a booth at the Convention and will again in 2008. Stop by and talk to Randy Wilbur, Sam Wright, or some of the other movers and shakers of the Southwestern Scale scene. This group started the US Scale Masters Championships program years ago. And don't be surprised to see a raffle item or two at the booth.

Sources

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