Radio Control Scale - 2009/05

110 MODEL AVIATION
Also included in this column:
• Covering and hinging the PA-11
• See you at one of these events
So many Scale models to build …
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Scale Stan Alexander
The author will use Robart hinge points on all of the PA-
11’s control surfaces. The hole drilled for the hinge must
be relieved to account for the rotation pin.
There is still neat information out there about the Piper PA-11, such as in
old magazines. This is an ad in Air Trails.
George Maiorana started his Tu-95 “Bear” project almost five
years ago. The scratch-built model is finished with real
aluminum from Flite Metal.
Above: George’s Tu-95 features incredible
detail around the engines and functional
contrarotating propellers. MaxCim motors
provide the power.
Below: Studying the undercarriage gives you
an idea of George’s genius. Every part of the
landing-gear mechanisms is handmade.
AS PART OF the country is digging 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 the documentation for, drawings of, and
photos of the full-scale aircraft you are interested in modeling. Where can
you find this material?
05sig4.QXD 3/24/09 12:50 PM Page 110
Make sure you are on the center of the surface you are drilling
and the angle of the control-surface hole with 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 broadening the
width of the hole a bit, it is relieved, to allow the hinge where the
pin is located 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 sort of interest
you have.
It’s usually near this time of the year that I mention the Mint
Julep in Kentucky or some other Scale contest in another part of the
country, and with good reason. If you’re a beginner or have never
flown in competition, you should 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. The most up-to-date schedule is
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 sometime. He has been working on a masterpiece. George
spent 41/2 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 engines swinging
contrarotating propellers.
George duplicated the four-blade propellers and all the gears, etc.
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 the past several
years.
The Tu-95’s fuselage, cowls, 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
12 x 10s in the front and 12 x 12s in the rear,
mounted on a custom contrarotating
gearbox. The batteries are four FMA Direct
Revolectrix 5S Li-Polys (4800 mAh each).
Bookshelf: Focke-Wulf Fw 189 In Action
(ISBN 0-89747-310-8) by George Punka
highlights an often-ignored WW II aircraft.
It was used mostly on the Eastern Front by
Germany in the reconnaissance role, but it
could also carry 440 pounds of bombs.
The Fw 189 was known for being
rugged. It could take a lot of punishment and
still bring its crew of three back to the base.
This aircraft had an unusual configuration
May 2009 111
Another of George Maiorana’s masterpieces is a Soviet copy of the B-29, complete with a
rotating radar dome. This model also features electric power.
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 N’wst 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 out there 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 stuff 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 and wood kits and accessories for everything from a
Fokker Dr.I to the Panther F9F jet. His line includes many beloved
WW II 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, 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 will give 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’m going to do
several things to the airframe. But before I start, I dust the shop and
vacuum the area where I intend to paint. Having dust floating
around overhead while painting anything will cause more problems
than you could imagine.
When covering any model, I start from the bottom and work my
way up. I do the bottom, the sides, and then the top of the fuselage.
The same goes for the wing and stabilizer; I cover the bottom and
then the top of the flying structure.
Adding the hinges to the tail surfaces is a piece of cake. I mark the
hinge positions with a small felt-tip marker, and then drill a 1/8-inchdiameter
hole through the stabilizer, rudder, etc. Use a drill with a
variable speed, and set it to the slowest speed when making these holes.
05sig4.QXD 3/24/09 12:16 PM Page 111
that was similar to that of the P-38. It had a
centralized body, or pod, with two engines
and twin tailbooms, as well as twin rudders.
Unlike the P-38, the Focke-Wulf used
conventional landing gear, where the tail
wheel retracted into the horizontal
stabilizer. The main gear retracted straight
back into the nacelle, just behind the
engines. The gear has many struts and gear
doors, to make it either a Scale modeler’s
joy or nightmare.
This 49-page book has more than 124
photos of the different types of Fw 189s and
their crews, along with technical drawings
and three-views, which appear to be 1/72
scale. This was a large airplane, spanning
60 feet, 4.5 inches, and 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 in-line engines. The engine nacelles
would make a great vehicle 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! MA
Sources:
Skyshark R/C
(928) 854-6100
www.skysharkrc.com
Bob Holman Plans
(909) 885-3959
www.bhplans.com
Glenn Torrance Models
(919) 765-0814
www.flygtm.com
Proctor Enterprises
(503) 651-1918
www.proctor-enterprises.com
Top Notch Product Company
(615) 866-4327
www.topnotchkits.com
Nick Ziroli Plans
(631) 467-4765
www.ziroliplans.com
Nelson Hobby Specialties
(817) 431-9898
www.nelsonhobby.com
AMA Contest Calendar:
www.modelaircraft.org/events/calendar.aspx
Flite Metal
(281) 530-8925
www.flitemetal.com
Squadron Signal Publications
(877) 414-0434
www.squadron.com