RC Giants
Sal Calvagna
I ENJOY building larger models, but flying them is also a blast! Don't take my word for it; try it yourself!
Furthermore, the enjoyment is compounded when attending one of the ever-popular Giant Scale events with great flying and good friends. All I ask for is a couple of good burgers and light winds!
For those who are interested, I will be attending this year's annual Rhinebeck Jamboree held at the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in Rhinebeck, New York. The Jamboree allows models of aircraft from the dawn of flight through aircraft built and flown prior to December 31, 1939; however, no aircraft that flew in combat during World War II are permitted. Although the event is not limited to Giant Scale models, there is certainly an overwhelming number present.
The dates for this year's event are September 10-11. For the price of admission to the Aerodrome, you get to see quality models flying in the morning and a full-scale air show in the afternoon. It is certainly worth the trip!
Additional information about Rhinebeck can be found at www.oldrhinebeck.org. If you make it there, stop by and say hello. I'm the heaviest guy with the camera.
The photographs show a few of the variety of quality models I found at the Weak Signals' annual Toledo Show. I had the opportunity to take them when the show was not open to the general public.
One of the models that clearly stood out from the crowd was a 1/2-scale Gee Bee R-2 racer from the early 1930s. One of the reasons why it was so impressive was its sheer size; however, size alone is not what makes this model so attractive. The signature Gee Bee scalloped paint scheme, the barrel fuselage shape, the wheel pants, and beautiful colors contributed to an eye-catching, superbly finished model.
The Gee Bee is owned by Tim and Karen Johnson. It was built from a G & L Hobbies kit by Tim Johnson and Jeff Quesenberry. It has a 13-foot wingspan, uses 10 JR 8611 servos, and employs a Duralite Power Box with two 4000 mAh batteries to drive those digital servos.
This model is a copy of the now-famous Gee Bee R-2 replica that was flown for years throughout the 1990s and into early 2000s by Delmar Benjamin. I had an opportunity to see Delmar fly the Gee Bee at the Santa Barbara Airport in the early 1990s, and it was quite a performance. I was amazed at the climbing knife-edge maneuver that the aircraft easily performed.
I would like to see the 1/2-scale model fly one day, but if you want to see a video of the kit in flight now, you can visit the company's Web site at www.glhobbies.com.
Is it an A-26 or B-26? Mike Barbee's model is finished in an Aerial Forest Fire Suppression scheme from Air Spray Ltd. that is based out of Calgary, Canada. The model was built from a Precision Cut Kit from Don Smith Plans. It spans 120 inches, weighs 40 pounds, and is powered by two Moki 2.10 glow engines.
While competing at Top Gun 2005, the model experienced a hard tree landing after an engine-out condition. I hope Mike will be able to repair this beautiful model.
The A-26 was the last aircraft to be designated as an attack bomber, which is why it started life as an A-26. It had replaced the A-20 Havoc, or, as the British called it, the "Boston."
Tondelayo is Greg Hahn's 120-inch-wingspan, 46-pound North American B-25D-20 Mitchell bomber. The model is built from enlarged Ziroli plans and is powered by two Fuji BT-43EI gas engines. The Fuji engines are powering 20 x 10 three-blade propellers.
The model has Robart landing gear and Glennis wheels and brakes. Greg used acrylic enamel paint for coverings.
The B-25 was finished in a 5th Air Force, Army Air Corps, 500th Bomb Squadron, 345th Bomb Group, Pacific Theater scheme. The full-scale aircraft was piloted by Lieutenant Frederick W. Dick. Greg flew this model at Top Gun 2005 and came in first in Expert class.
Congratulations to you, Greg!
Airborne Media Aero-Pacs: If you're looking to dress up your Scale project, Airborne Media of Liberty Township, Ohio, might have what you're looking for. The company has launched a new way to deliver scale documentation in digital form in what it calls an Aero-Pac CD.
Each Aero-Pac is devoted to a single airframe and contains exterior walk-around shots, exterior and interior details, enhanced close-ups, three-views, and more. All wording, nomenclature panels, etc. are photographed head-on for easier duplication. Even rivets and panel lines are documented. In addition, color prints can be easily made on your printer—small or large.
With such sharp imaging and head-on detail shots, I can easily imagine using the Aero-Pac to make decals on your home computer using water-transfer paper. Aero-Pac CDs are viewable with any modern Web browser and are compatible with a Mac or PC platform.
Airborne Media also has fine-art prints, aircraft in profile sets, how-to videos from Robins View Productions, and other great offerings. The company is located at 4741 Burton Dr., Liberty Township OH 45044. You can call (888) 829-4060 or visit the Web site at www.airbornemedia.com.
I have purchased a copy of the CompuFoil3D program from designer Eric Sanders. I am hopeful that I will have the opportunity to spend some time working with this program so that I can write a few words in an upcoming column about the process of designing wings. Keep an eye out.
In the interim, have a great RC summer. MA
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
