Author: Stan Alexander
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/05
Page Numbers: 110,111,112
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Radio Control Scale - 2009/05

Stan Alexander [[email protected]]

So many Scale models to build …

As part of the country digs out from one of the worst winter seasons in several years, many of us are hovering near heaters in our workshops. There are several space heaters you can use, but be sure to ventilate the area well when they are on. Especially with all the chemicals we use, there is a real concern about fire.

Finding that next scale model: searching for an aircraft can become a hobby in itself. You have to find documentation, drawings, and photos of the full-scale aircraft you are interested in modeling. Where can you find this material?

Also included in this column:

  • Covering and hinging the PA-11
  • See you at one of these events
  • Around Scale

Scale Plans and Photo Service has been sold. Anne Pepino has finally retired, and we haven't heard anything from the new owner about what he plans to do with the business.

Some other scale sources have either gone out of business or stopped production. Ikon Northwest has stopped manufacturing its line of large-scale kits. Skyshark R/C has dropped its lineup of scale kits and now produces only a few scale ARFs and short kits. It appears that a company in China has bought Skyshark's kit line and will be producing ARFs with it.

You might think that the hobby-industry news is all doom and gloom. However, there are a few companies that cater to competition Scale and what I call "local field" or electric-powered scale models.

Bob Holman Plans is still in business and selling plans, documentation, parts, etc. Glenn Torrance Models has a limited kit line as well as some of the best products for those who model World War I aircraft.

Proctor Enterprises, which I mentioned in an earlier column, has one of the finest kit lines around for the WW I buff and documentation for all of its kits. I've also mentioned John Valentine of Top Notch Product Company, who is assembling a new line of kits for modelers who enjoy electric or small-scale ventures.

Longtime designer Nick Ziroli of Nick Ziroli Plans sells fiberglass parts, wood kits, and accessories for everything from a Fokker Dr.I to the Panther F9F jet. His line includes many beloved WWII subjects. One of my favorites is the Ryan NYP that Charles Lindbergh flew to Paris.

The sources are out there; you just have to look to find them.

The Piper PA-11 is coming along

The Piper PA-11 is coming along, and I've painted the interior where it might be seen from the outside. I began that job by priming it with a coat of Nelson Hobby Specialties' white paint (item MK 204). The white gives the yellow and blue a bright base color.

I'm not going to attempt to add a full interior to the PA-11, but it would be possible in a model this size with further planning, especially with today's radio equipment. The servos in the fuselage are mounted at the back of the cabin under the rear window area.

Before painting the outside of the fuselage, I do several prep tasks. I dust the shop and vacuum the area where I intend to paint. Having dust floating around overhead while painting will cause more problems than you can imagine.

When covering any model, I start from the bottom and work my way up. I cover the bottom, then the sides, and finally the top of the fuselage. The same goes for the wing and stabilizer: cover the bottom and then the top of the flying surfaces.

Adding the hinges to the tail surfaces is a piece of cake. I mark the hinge positions with a small felt-tip marker, then drill a 1/8-inch-diameter hole through the stabilizer, rudder, etc. Use a drill with variable speed and set it to the slowest speed when making these holes.

Make sure you are on the center of the surface you are drilling and that the angle of the control-surface hole matches the components. This is crucial!

After drilling these holes, I add a wheel collar to a 5/32-inch drill bit so it will not go deeper than 1/4 inch. By enlarging the hole slightly where the hinge pin is located, it creates a relief that allows the hinge pin to be inserted easily and operate without binding. It's a much cleaner installation.

Upcoming Events

Close to this time of year, many of us have our new scale models out and are doing test flights, getting ready for or beginning the flying season. It's a good time to get together with like-minded people from across the country.

This is a great time to go to a scale contest or fly-in. You see old friends and meet people who have the same interests you have.

If you're a beginner or have never flown in competition, consider spending a weekend at a local contest. To find such an event, look at the AMA "Contest Calendar" that is near the back of this magazine or consult the most up-to-date schedule online. There you will find a listing of every sanctioned AMA contest for all types of aeromodeling, including Scale.

Around Scale

George Maiorana is known for building unique, large electric-powered models, but I haven't heard anything from him in some time. He has been working on a masterpiece: George spent 4½ years scratch-building a Tupolev Tu-95MS "Bear."

"Bear" is the code name the Allies gave the full-scale Russian bomber/reconnaissance aircraft that served multiple roles in the Cold War. It had a 9,000-mile range with turbojet-driven contrarotating propellers.

George duplicated the four-blade propellers and all the gears to make them work. He covered the Tu-95 with real aluminum from Flite Metal. This material has been used on several high-quality models at the Nationals as well as at Top Gun in recent years.

The Tu-95's fuselage, cowlings, vertical fin, flaps, and control surfaces are epoxy/fiberglass construction from molds that George made. The wings and horizontal stabilizer are foam cores covered with 1/64" plywood. George designed and fabricated the landing gear from aluminum stock, and he equipped the aircraft with fully operational Fowler flaps.

George flew the Bear unofficially at the Nationals this past year for the first time. After all the work he has put into this model, and others, he isn't about to take unnecessary chances with its systems failing. It's great to see new models—especially something as spectacular as this one.

The Tu-95 spans 108.6 inches, has a wing area of 1,400 square inches, weighs 32 pounds, and has a scale ratio of 1:18.5. The radio is a Futaba 14MZ, and power is provided by four MaxCim 13Y brushless motors.

The custom-made propellers consist of 12x10s in the front and 12x12s in the rear, mounted on a custom contrarotating gearbox. The batteries are Revolectrix 5S Li-Polys (4,800 mAh each).

The Focke-Wulf Fw 189 had a layout somewhat similar to that of the P-38. It featured a centralized fuselage pod with twin tailbooms and twin rudders.

Unlike the P-38, the Fw 189 used conventional landing gear, with the tailwheel retracting into the horizontal stabilizer. The main gear retracted straight back into the nacelles, just behind the engines. The gear involves many struts and gear doors, which can make it either a scale modeler's joy or nightmare.

A 49-page book, Focke-Wulf Fw 189 In Action, contains more than 124 photos of the different types of Fw 189s and their crews, along with technical drawings and three-views that appear to be 1/72 scale. The full-scale airplane spanned 60 feet 4.5 inches with a length of 39 feet 5.5 inches. At 1/8 scale, a model would still span more than 90 inches.

The Fw 189 has unique features besides the retractable gear, including the huge glass area in the nose (fuselage pod) and the small inline engines. The engine nacelles would make great vehicles for electric power.

Many scale modelers work hard trying to come up with something different. If you built this model, you wouldn't have to be concerned about seeing two or three on the flightline at the fly-in or scale contest.

Focke-Wulf Fw 189 In Action is published by Squadron Signal Publications. Look for it at your local hobby shop or on the Internet. It costs less than $10.

Fair skies and tailwinds! — Stan Alexander

Sources

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