Author: Stan Alexander
Edition: Model Aviation - 2011/11
Page Numbers: 110,111
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Radio Control Scale

Stan Alexander [[email protected]]

Resurrecting military aircraft

Military trainers have held a special place in scale modelers' hearts for as long as most of us can remember.

With all of the ARFs on the market, it would be great to see a 1/4-scale PT-19 back on the rack at the local hobby shop, or at least online. This particular model is great for a first-time giant-scale pilot. The model can be powered by a variety of engines, has a generous wing area, and is stable in the air as well as aerobatic for a greater selection of maneuvers.

At most fly-ins or in scale competitions you will see models built from the Hostetler plans or an occasional Dynaflite kit-built model. There are also a few of the 1/5-scale PT-19s from the Hangar 9 ARF still flying today. But if you want a new one or a 1/4-scale kit, there are few choices.

There are several different paint schemes for the airplane in addition to the popular blue and yellow. After World War II began, most of these were painted all silver with a black antiglare shield on the upper forward fuselage. Other countries, such as Brazil, also used the PT-19 for training. The first PT-19s were not used by the military, so civilian color schemes are available.

The AT-6 and PT-17 are still on the market in a number of versions, but where is the PT-19?

It’s the time of year when we start thinking about new projects and the occasional ARF or two that we’ll add to our collection. Or that special radio system you’ve been wanting for the upcoming flying season. Tools, field equipment, or new engines could also be on that list. So check it twice and leave it where your honey can find it.

Pietenpol update

Pietenpol airplanes are inexpensive, as easy to fly as a taildragger, and fly slowly. It is a fair-weather airplane, with an open cockpit, and is not made for instrument flying or aerobatics.

The Brodhead Pietenpol Association in Wisconsin held its 36th Annual Brodhead Pietenpol Fly-In in July. There were roughly 22 Pietenpols and at least four Hatz biplanes at this year’s EAA Chapter 431 event. One of the more interesting aircraft was a rare 1936 Rearwin 6000. If you still have one of the old Bridi kits, this would be a great aircraft to model. Check it out on the EAA Chapter 431 website (see Sources).

My scale Pietenpol is coming along and I’ll be at a full-scale fly-in at the end of August, which should produce some more documentation on Pietenpol aircraft. What I didn’t realize until this month is that many Pietenpol builders/owners use Harley-Davidson wheels, tires, and brakes on their full-scale home-built Pietenpol aircraft.

Using 1/64-inch plywood for braces is inexpensive but easy to cut. Use a good pair of scissors to make your triangle braces. The tail surfaces are all sanded and ready for covering. I will look more at the full-scale aircraft before doing hinging work.

I’ve been adding parts to the fuselage, both in the forward section and the tail. The turtledeck is made from 1/8‑inch x 1/4‑inch balsa sticks, which are added to the plywood and balsa formers.

The forward fuselage has 1/8‑inch plywood formers up front, balsa in the back, and balsa covering. After covering the top of the fuselage, the only way to access the interior would be through an additional hatch in the bottom. 5/16‑inch landing gear blocks will be added for the main gear, and a C.B. Associates 1/4‑scale tailwheel bracket has been attached to handle ground maneuvers; it is mounted on a plywood bracket and is simple to add.

On the Web

If you are into antique aircraft and all the sights and sounds around a grass runway, check out the Antique Aircraft Association website. Not only does it feature photos and online newsletters (with a large selection of back issues), but also professional videos.

The videos include:

  • Wings
  • 2010 AAA/APM Fly-In
  • Bleriot Replica Engine Run
  • In a Black Dress
  • Help
  • Operation M*A*S*H*: the 14th Annual Pumpkin Drop
  • Treetop Flyer

I'm sure that by the time you see this in the magazine, there will be a new selection of photos and more from this year's fly-in, which took place during Labor Day weekend.

Around Scale

At Top Gun this year, as always, there is a halftime air show. Some pilots come to the event to compete; others just come for the air shows. The air show is held every day at approximately noon.

One event that Frank Tiano included this year was just for kids. It was a candy drop with a 12-foot Telemaster drop airplane. It must have dropped 15 pounds of candy on the field for an energetic group of kids who ran all over and gathered their treats. This is just another way to get kids involved in your activities at any event or fly-in. It just takes a little planning and commitment. Thanks, Frank.

Bookshelf

This year marks the 100th anniversary of naval aviation here in the United States. It's hard to believe that in 1911, roughly eight years after the Wright brothers' first manned flight, the U.S. Navy started flying aircraft.

It didn't start in Pensacola, Florida, as some may think, but in the San Francisco Bay on January 18, 1911, when a civilian pilot landed a Curtiss pusher onto a makeshift wooden deck on the armored cruiser USS Pennsylvania.

This airplane is featured in the book Aircraft Pictorial 2: SB2U Vindicator by Dana Bell, printed by Classic Warships Publishing. This is a softbound book with 72 pages of large black-and-white photos of the original Vindicator aircraft in different color schemes. The photos include trials for skis and floats.

The Vought Vindicator was a mixed-construction aircraft with an all-metal framework. Forward sections of the fuselage were covered with metal panels, and the rear was fabric-covered past the canopy.

First flown in 1936, the original Vindicator crashed. As with other U.S. Navy aircraft, older models were given to the U.S. Marines as newer versions of the dive bomber were produced. The SB2U-3 used the Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1535 radial with 850 hp. The aircraft initially wasn't fitted with dive brakes, but they were included in later versions.

The Vindicator was also a movie queen. It was featured in the movie Dive Bomber, which was filmed aboard the USS Enterprise before World War II.

This aircraft featured two flap panels in the center section of the wing. Like the Douglas SBD Dauntless, the Vought Vindicator had a large glass canopy for the two-man crew: pilot and navigator/gunner. The wheel retracted back into the wing in the same manner as the Curtiss P-40.

Although not a stellar combat aircraft, this version of the attack aircraft paved the way for the later dive bombers in the U.S. Navy, such as the SBD Dauntless, Grumman Avenger, and the Curtiss SBC-2 Helldiver. After the Battle of Midway, the Vindicator was relegated to training squadrons.

The book also includes color plates for each of the different squadrons that used the Vindicator. Model Airplane News has plans for this aircraft with an 84-inch wingspan. Wood kits are also available from Precision Cut Kits.

If you want something different, this is a good way to fool friends at the flying field; it will be mistaken for an SBD. There is only one left in the world and it currently rests at the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida.

Fair skies and tailwinds. SA

Sources

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