RADIO CONTROL GIANTS
Sal Calvagna, 1335 Broadway Ave., Holbrook NY 11741; E-mail: [email protected]
WELCOME TO the July RC Giants column. I hope that everyone is enjoying the summer.
If you haven't already, please try to attend a local modeling event this season. They're a lot of fun—especially if you go with some friends. Support your hobby!
Companies come and go; it's a fact of life. Even icons of the industry such as Pan Am and TWA airlines have gone. Automobiles that carry the name Plymouth and Oldsmobile are no longer manufactured. It brings to mind a line in the movie Patton, starring George C. Scott, where he is reminded that "all glory is fleeting."
This also holds true for the modeling industry icons such as Williams Bros., which recently closed its doors after decades of providing great products and services to modelers around the world. Probably most familiar to RC Giant modelers was the company's line of excellent 1/4-scale Vintage, Golden Age, and Smooth Contour wheels, and its 1/4-scale Vickers and Spandau machine-gun kits. Hardly a World War I model could be found without having a set of Williams Bros. 6 5/8-inch Vintage wheels and one of the company's 1/4-scale machine guns.
The impact from the loss of Williams Bros. was felt almost immediately. It was so profound that one manufacturer of airplane kits quipped that he would have to start designing World War I reconnaissance floatplanes if a solution was not found.
I am happy to report that for some of Williams Bros. products, a solution has been found. Balsa USA of Marinette, Wisconsin, now manufactures Vickers, Spandau, and Lewis laser-cut, wood machine-gun kits in 1/4 and 1/3 scale.
These kits are constructed from balsa, basswood, plywood, paper, and even aluminum parts. Also included are plans, photo-illustrated instructions, and tips for painting and finishing. The finished guns are extremely lightweight.
Balsa USA displayed the new kits at the 2005 Toledo Show and they look wonderful. If you are in need of armament for your World War I Giant, call Balsa USA at (800) 225-7287 or visit its Web site at www.balsausa.com.
Having the proper machine gun(s) to accessorize your RC Giant model for that scale appearance is important, but what good is it if you can't roll out for takeoff in order to return the enemy?
Great news! Du-Bro of Wauconda, Illinois, has designed a 7-inch-diameter Vintage wheel that will look great on your early model aircraft. The wheel is scale in appearance, with one side flat and the other conical, just like the full-scale version.
Revolution in Evolution: Horizon Hobby
Horizon Hobby, the distributor of the Evolution line of two-stroke glow engines, has announced that it is expanding the Evolution line to include three gasoline-ignition-type engines for Giant Scale. They are purpose-built for RC aircraft, unlike others that have been adapted for model use.
The three sizes are the 26GT which has a displacement of 1.55 cu. in. (25.5cc), the 35GT which has a displacement of 2.15 cu. in. (35.2cc), and the 58GX which has a displacement of 3.6 cu. in. (58.2cc). All three have ball-bearing-supported crankshafts, electronic ignition modules for easy starting, and the ever-popular Walbro carburetors. They should be available to modelers at this time.
Since I was able to hold all three at the Toledo show, my immediate reaction was to note how compact in size they were for their rated power output. These engines will readily fit the firewalls/cowlings and will be easier to install on more types of models than traditional gas engines.
For more specifications for these great-looking gas engines, visit the Horizon Hobby Web site at www.horizonhobby.com or call (217) 352-1913.
FunAero R/C Airco D.H.5
It was great to see Mike Bell of FunAero R/C at the Toledo Show proudly displaying his newest laser-cut kit: the Airco D.H.5. The model is legal by International Miniature Aircraft Association (IMAA) standards and has a wingspan of 63 inches.
Its overall weight is approximately 11 pounds, and it can be powered with a 91-120 four-stroke glow engine or an equivalent two-stroke glow or a small gas engine that is roughly 20cc. Mike says that the model will come with a Vickers gun, prebent cabanes, and a shock-absorbing landing gear. As with other FunAero R/C models, the kit will feature a fully illustrated manual.
The Airco D.H.5 was designed by Geoffrey de Havilland and is an interesting World War I subject. The upper wing was placed behind the pilot to help with his forward field of view; however, during battle it impeded the pilot’s rear view, which was also important during aerial combat.
Since the aircraft was underpowered and sluggish on the controls, it was immediately outclassed by the German fighters of the day. But it did fare well with ground-attack missions. Roughly 550 D.H.5s were produced.
For additional information about this interesting model, please call Mike at FunAero R/C at (803) 499-5487 or visit the Web site at www.funaero.com.
IMAA Giant Scale Handbook
The IMAA has released its first Giant Scale Handbook. It contains cross-referenced listings of more than 170 Giant Scale engines, 250-plus plans, and 50 or more servos used in Giant Scale applications.
The publication includes many technical articles about building and finishing techniques. It has feature articles regarding the secrets of MonoKote covering, understanding the Ackerman principle of control-linkage geometry, and much more. It sells for $12.95 plus $5 for shipping and handling.
Orders can be placed by calling (505) 792-4458 or you can purchase it through a secure VeriSign shopping-cart server at www.fly-imaa.org/imaa/announce/handbook.html.
GTM Hanriot HD-1
Glenn Torrance of Glenn Torrance Models (GTM) was in his booth at Toledo 2005 with his latest laser-cut kit: the Hanriot HD-1. The museum-quality kit boasts more than 1,100 parts and is a faithful reproduction of the famous World War I fighter. The model spans 86 inches and weighs approximately 10 pounds. Glenn says that the street price for the Hanriot is going to be $675.
The Hanriot was a successful, high-performance fighter that was not adopted by the country that designed and built it. Evidently France became dependent on the Nieuport and later the Spad VII fighters.
Although France did not use the HD-1, it allowed Hanriot to sell it to the Allied Forces. The Belgian government and the US Navy bought some, but the vast majority was sold to the Italian Air Force, the Aeronautica del Regio Esercito. More than 800 HD-1s went to Italy, where they were used until 1925.
If you’re interested in the Hanriot, you can find out more by visiting the GTM Web site at www.gtmodels.com or call Glenn at (919) 423-8530.
Gas Engines, Giant Planes
Don and Judy Apostolico of Don’s Hobby in Salinas, Kansas, have released their latest book, Gas Engines, Giant Planes. It was written to provide the information necessary to safely and successfully operate gas engines and large model airplanes.
There’s much information packed into this book, covering topics from balancing spinners and propellers to setting up smoke systems. The book is full of useful tips and is available for $12.95 directly from Don’s Hobby shop. If you would like a copy, you can call Don and Judy at (800) 972-6273 or write to them at 1819 S. Broadway, Salinas KS 67401.
Whether it’s new kits such as the Airco D.H.5 from FunAero, the Hanriot HD-1 from GTM, or new Evolution gas engines from Horizon Hobby, RC Giants are alive and well. New products and services are coming out regularly, and companies such as Balsa USA and Du-Bro are filling the void to keep RC Giant modelers building and flying.
Thank you for all your hard work. Now let’s see more of their products in the air!
I’ll be back next month. MA
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
