Radio Control Scale
Stan Alexander [[email protected]]
Recruit members to ensure a future for aeromodeling
Everyone has a common enemy that affects daily life, and that is time. We are so connected by technology as a nation that we might not realize how much of our "free" time is consumed by new gadgets and technological advancements.
The EAA Young Eagles Program has gone on for more than 15 years. The AMA, Sig Manufacturing, and many volunteers have played key roles in making such programs successful, including the one that takes place at EAA's AirVenture. Many future aeromodelers have had their first experiences on a flight simulator or made a flight on a control-line model at such events. At past Scale National Championships, pilots have come together with buddy boxes. At one time the team from Balsa USA brought out Scale models with which kids could make their first flights.
These efforts are great, but we need some sort of national program to bring in members, be they kids or adults, at the local level. The terminology and actions associated with this hobby are second nature to those of us who have been in the hobby for a long time, but it's a foreign language for beginners.
Also included in this column:
- Three-view salvation
- A civil victory at the Scale World Champs
According to some, our hobby loses out in the frenzy. Thus the ARF—or now the RTF—generation is so sizable that it must be acknowledged.
Many clubs have recognized this in the last several years and have created programs, fly-ins, and meet-and-greet events at club fields for the purpose of adding kids and young adults to our ranks. Some of these efforts have been more successful than others.
We need every individual we can get to be involved in aeromodeling for the long term. So we need to share the successes and failures of some of these organizations so that the rest of us can learn how to encourage others, to light a fire within our own groups.
What does this have to do with RC Scale? Everything.
Some of the hardest-hit events and areas within aeromodeling are those that require participants to model—or build—an aircraft. In some cases the Scale rules have been unable to keep up with the changing atmosphere of the hobby.
Clubs and organizations sometimes try to promote Scale modeling and Scale models. Be it from an ARF or a tried-and-true builder point of view, we need to work on it. I have been around Scale competition for some time and have seen the numbers of competitors change.
Not long ago the average event drew 75-80% in Sport Scale, 10% in Designer or FAI class, and the rest in Fun Scale (the ARF class). Today the numbers are the opposite: we see 70-80% of models in Fun Scale, a sprinkling of Sport Scale participants, and even fewer Designer/FAI entries.
Some modelers don't want to be bothered with trying to bring in new members; they have precious little time for their own activities within the hobby. But even if that is true, taking a weekend or two each year to help your club increase its numbers is a great way to ensure that what you enjoy doing will be around for the next generation and for yourself.
But how do we get people interested in Scale modeling or flying models in general? Look at various kids' programs outside of aeromodeling to obtain some ideas. Being proactive at the local club level is another way. Not taking no for an answer is the most important subject to address.
The AMA has worked with both Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts in recent years to promote both model and full-scale aviation. The EAA Young Eagles Program has introduced many youngsters to flying through AirVenture and similar events. The AMA, Sig Manufacturing, and many volunteers have played key roles in making such programs successful.
At past Scale National Championships, pilots have come together with buddy boxes, and teams like Balsa USA have provided models for kids to fly. Share with us what your club does with Scale models to encourage new members!
The 2010 Nationals featured several great models that I had never seen at contests. At this event you get to see a variety of aircraft types; this year was exceptional. Jets, World War I, World War II, civil aviation, and racing subjects were all in competition.
Steve Eagle built his Nieuport 17 to 1/3 scale from a much-modified Balsa USA kit and entered it in Sportsman Sport Scale. This class, which fits between Fun Scale and Expert/Designer, is intended for those with less competition experience.
The Nieuport spanned 104 inches. Steve redesigned the wingtips to give them an undercambered shape, per the full-scale aircraft. He also shortened the nose forward of the wing by 2-1/2 inches for a more scale outline, then reduced the tail surfaces to the correct scale size.
Steve powered the 26-pound model with a 3W-75 gas engine and covered it with Solartex. He added details such as a dummy radial engine, flying wires, bungee shock-absorbing landing gear, scale hinges, and a scale cockpit interior. The model looks great—way to go, Steve! Hope to see you next year.
Three-view salvation
If you've ever looked around for three-view drawings, you probably know how frustrating it can be. Either you can't find a scale representation of what you are looking for at all, or it's done poorly. Some drawings are great and show considerable detail, but there are so many variants of a specific aircraft that you can't find an outline drawing that matches what you want.
While poking around on the Internet I found a site that Richard Ferriere administers that features a wealth of free three-views. It's simple to use, and many manufacturers are represented. Not all aircraft types are featured, but there are civil, military, racing, Golden Age, and jet subjects.
I looked up the Ki-27 Nate by searching under Nakajima, the manufacturer's name, and it was a quick find. It was also simple to find four variants of the Curtiss P-40. The site contains a great deal of aviation-related material, but the drawings were my focus. Check it out!
A civil victory at the Scale World Champs
The 2010 Scale World Championships took place in Czestochowa, Poland, the first week of August. From what I've been told, the weather was great and the competition was fierce. There were 36 competitors in F4C, with 17 in F4H Sport Scale. F4G, the international version of Giant Scale, had 10 entrants.
Team competition is a large part of every World Championships. Teams are made up of three members and a manager, who is sometimes also a competitor; there are no rules stating that the manager must be a different individual. The higher your team places in each competition, the better the chance it has of going to the podium and earning a Gold, Silver, or Bronze medal.
Great Britain took first place in F4C Team competition, with Pete McDermott finishing first, Mick Henderson second, and David Knott third.
Max Merckenschlager of Germany flew his Stinson A1 Trimotor airliner to a win in the individual competition. Second place went to Marc Levy flying his Fouga C.M. 170-R Magister, a jet trainer in air-show colors. The third spot went to Pete McDermott with his large de Havilland D.H.9. All of those models were built from scratch; there were no kits, plans, or premade parts.
The Stinson had a wingspan of nearly nine feet. Its detail was complete on the outside and the inside, down to a toilet-paper roll in the back of the lavatory.
Part of Max's documentation was a strip of fabric with all the colors on it. He got it from the original airplane's owner, who lives in the U.S. What better place to obtain color documentation? Max also acquired a letter of authenticity from the owner regarding the fabric coloring. He used a cloth tape measure to determine all of the dimensions on the full-scale aircraft to make sure he achieved the accuracy level he wanted.
Not only did a multiengine civil subject win the World Championships this year, but a model of a single-engine civil aircraft won the National Championships in the U.S.
Check the Sources list for the web address for this year's World Championships. There you can learn a lot about FAI Scale and the European Scale scene. The 2012 Scale World Championships will be contested in Spain.
Merry Christmas, everyone!
Sources
- Richard Ferriere's Web site: http://richard.ferriere.free.fr
- 2010 Scale World Championships: www.scale-wc2010.pl
- National Association of Scale Aeromodellers: www.nasascale.org
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
