RC Giants
WELCOME BACK to the Radio Control (RC) Giants column. As I have stated previously, the vast majority of the photos I receive from Model Aviation readers are of Scale model aircraft. This is certainly no problem! I really enjoy and appreciate large RC aircraft that are modeled after the full‑scale versions.
In addition to larger models' many other fine attributes, I see them as miniature history lessons. Those who build/fly these models learn quite a bit about the real deal. Most modelers are eager to show and tell about their labors of love. What a great way to keep history alive!
Since I am able to attend a few of the regional events that host the larger models, such as the ever‑popular warbird events, I get a firsthand look at what subjects are favorites among modelers.
The AT‑6 or Navy SNJ are extremely popular modeling subjects. The same holds true for the P‑51, the F4U, the P‑47, the P‑40, the PT‑19, the Me 109, the A6M, the Fokker Dr.I, and a host of other World War I aircraft. It is safe to say that one or more of these subjects will be found at any good‑size warbird show.
I like to build models that you would rarely find at an event, and not because I have to be different! I do this because there is a whole lot of history that doesn't get told. Almost anyone who builds model airplanes knows what a Mitsubishi A6M Zero is. Along with the P‑51 and the Me 109, the Zero is one of the most recognizable fighters of World War II. Even those who are not modelers can identify a Japanese Zero.
Now how many of you know what a Mitsubishi A5M "Claude" is? Very few! So for this month's column I bring to you a forgotten piece of history and a brief look at the Claude.
Why a Claude? The A5M had a radial up front, an open cockpit, and lacked retractable landing gear. Besides saving hundreds of dollars on retracts, it would be much easier to mount an engine and fabricate an engine cowl that is round versus inline.
The A5M had beautiful lines and came in some unique color schemes. Using my set of Model Warplanes 1996 compiled by John C. Fredriksen (ISBN 1‑888665‑04‑1), I was able to locate a modeling company that had plans for the Claude. That company was Innovative Model Products.
Development:
In response to the Imperial Japanese Navy's (IJN) 9‑Shi specifications for an advanced fighter aircraft in 1934, the Mitsubishi design team led by Jiro Horikoshi took on the challenge.
The first prototype of the A5M flew on February 4, 1935. It was a cantilever monoplane with fixed landing gear and an open cockpit. (The pilots rejected a closed cockpit.) Jiro exceeded the requirements and designed a fighter with the speed performance of a monoplane with the ability to outmaneuver a biplane.
The Mitsubishi A5M, or Type 96, naval fighter was the IJN’s first monoplane. It was the world’s first carrier-borne, single-seat, low-wing cantilever monoplane fighter to achieve service. In addition to being an extremely clean all-metal, stressed-skin aircraft, the A5M was one of the most maneuverable fighter monoplanes ever built.
Jiro later achieved international recognition for his Zero-Sen fighter.
Service:
The A5M entered service as the A5M1 early in 1937, and the A5M2 version was deployed operationally for the first time in September of that year in the Shanghai region.
The aircraft carrier Kaga was the first carrier to return to Japan to replace its Type 90 biplanes with the Type 96 monoplane fighters. The Japanese immediately won air superiority with its new Mitsubishi fighters and had an operational fighter that was superior to that of its Western counterparts.
The later A5M4 version offered increased power and range with the adoption of a centerline drop tank as standard equipment. The aircraft was powered by a Nakajima Kotobuki 41 nine-cylinder, air-cooled radial engine that produced 780 horsepower. The A5M4 began replacing earlier versions in late 1938 and fought some of the last Soviet units and Chinese over Hankow.
Although the A5M remained numerically most important Navy fighter in 1941, it was largely phased out of first-line service when the Pacific War commenced. A total of 1,095 Mitsubishi A5Ms of all types were manufactured. There are no known examples of this type existing anywhere in the world.
Specifications:
Designation: Mitsubishi A5M4/Type 96 naval fighter Name: Kyuuroku Sen/code name Claude Power plant: Nakajima Kotobuki 41 nine-cylinder radial, 780 horsepower Performance: 270 mph at 9,850 feet Range: 745 miles Empty weight: 2,784 pounds Loaded: 4,019 pounds Span: 36 feet, one inch Length: 25 feet, four inches Armament: Two 7.7mm type 89 machine guns, two 66-pound bombs
Model Construction:
The Claude spans a respectable 96 inches and was built from the enlarged Claude Baskin plans. It is powered by a Zenoah G-62 and swings a 22 x 10 propeller. Total weight is 32 pounds.
The model was constructed using the standard stick-built method. All the formers are Lite Ply with the fuselage sheeted with 1/16 balsa. The wing is built with 1/8 Lite Ply ribs in the center section and 1/8 balsa ribs in the outer panels. The wing is sheeted with 3/32 balsa, and the whole aircraft is covered with one-ounce fiberglass cloth and finishing resin. The rudder, elevators, and ailerons are covered with Solartex.
Similar to many AT-6 model designs, I built the A5M4 wing in three sections. The center-section houses the inboard flaps and the servo that drives them and the landing gear which has operating oleo struts. The outer wing panels house the aileron servos (one for each aileron) and the outboard flaps which are driven by a 4-40 rod from the center-section main flaps. The aileron servos are installed on a hatch cover which is part of the lower wing surface.
One interesting feature is that the aileron pushrod protrudes through the top of the wing panel, as on the full-scale aircraft. This makes for a nice scale installation for those of you who are interested in that extra touch.
On this model, the rudder, tail wheel, and elevators are driven by pull-pull cables and are attached internally. There are no horn showings. This also adds to scale realism. For the front end, I built a removable firewall held on by eight 10-32 socket-head bolts. The firewall houses the fuel tank and throttle servo which are mounted to a Lite Ply tray built into the rear of the firewall. Remove these eight bolts, and the engine, tank, and servo come right off the fuselage.
The complete complement of servos is as follows: one quarter-scale servo for the elevators; one quarter-scale servo for the rudder and tail wheel; one quarter-scale servo to operate flaps; one high-torque servo for each aileron; and one standard servo for throttle.
Balancing:
As with other Japanese fighter aircraft, a short nose moment means that nose weight is inevitable. Try to build the aft fuselage as light as possible to avoid having to attach a 16-pound AMF bowling ball to the nose just to balance the model! Just kidding!
It is not as serious as that, but keeping this in the back of your mind while building will help reduce the amount of weight needed up front later. I added three pounds up front to balance my airplane.
Finish:
The model is finished in lacquer PPG silver paint and Krylon® red. It is modeled after Lieutenant Tamotsu Yokoyama's aircraft; he was the leader (Buntaichō) of the fighter element from the carrier Sōryū.
The Hinomarus (the suns on Japanese flags) were masked and printed on, as were the numbers and characters on the wings. The characters and numbers on the fuselage and tail were made from easily obtained vinyl material. The information plates on the cowlings and rear fuselage were drawn on with permanent markers.
Flying:
The A5M4 has a nice, long fuselage moment, so takeoff and rollout were straight and true. As power is applied and groundspeed increases, the tail comes up nicely. A little elevator input and the A5M4 lifts off.
Ailerons are extremely effective on this model and make for a quick roll rate. The elevators are on the small side for a model this size, so speed and some flaps help on landing. The aircraft performs well and looks great in the air with those beautiful elliptical wings.
Research:
While I have listed the sources that were used in researching this aircraft, I would like to make special mention of the Japanese Aircraft & Ship Modeling Web site and the helpful knowledgeable people responsible for administering this page. It is a must-visit site for those looking for information about Japanese aircraft.
Special thanks to James F. Lansdale for his assistance in acquiring rare photos of this lesser-known aircraft that I could use in this column.
That's all for this month. As winter and (hopefully) the building season nears, I would love to hear about your next RC Giant project or projects. Keep those E-mails and photos coming.
Sources:
- Japanese Aircraft & Ship Modeling
- "Japanese Aircraft" by William Green and Gordon Swanborough, published 1981, ISBN 0-89747-121-0
- "Pratt & Whitney Piston Engines" by Ray Wagner, 1991, San Diego Aerospace Museum
- (Additional source listings as printed)
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
