RC Giants
John A. de Vries, 4610 Moffat Ln., Colorado Springs CO 80915
Crosswind landings — letters from readers
Weldon Smith of Cary, IL writes:
"The reason jets (transports) don't drop a wing into the wind on a crosswind landing goes back to the 707 and DC-8. Those engine pods were too vulnerable!
"I hope no one tries to slip into the wind as you describe it. With the rudder into the wind, the plane will slip downwind."
Weldon is right, and I must have flown a different kind of airplane. The possibility of shearing off one of those underwing engine pylons is reason enough not to slip a jet transport into a crosswind landing.
As the man said, "Sorry 'bout that."
I still recommend a forward slip as a way to keep your Giant lined up with the runway in crosswind conditions.
Choosing your first Giant Scale model
Another letter contained a rather obscure request.
The reader admitted that he'd been building and flying "little ones," and he intended to go Giant. He wondered which scale model was "the best" for his initial Giant Scale project.
The options were — and are — relatively unlimited, and it took me almost a week to sort them all out before I made a recommendation.
Part of the decision involved how competent the writer was as a builder and a flier. Since his letter indicated that he wasn't a beginner, the field of designs wasn't too limited.
Then the question arose: kit or scratch? The letter indicated that the kit route would probably be the proper way to go.
Then I ran up against the de Vries wall of prejudice; I favor aircraft of the "Golden Years" of pre-World War II models. Add the local preference for racing aircraft and airplanes from World War I, and you might be able to predict what I suggested as the proper first Giant project: the new Stinson Gull Wing kit from Top Flite.
I don't know if the writer followed my advice, but thank goodness he didn't ask which engine he should use. Hopefully the kit's instruction manual will provide that information.
The "prejudice" was working overtime; the Stinson Gull Wing was the first airplane I ever flew.
Do your research — and read the ads
Any scale modeler worth his/her salt knows that there's a great deal of reading to be done before, during, and after building and flying a Giant. Research is a fact of life, and it's part of the fun in scale RC.
However, one information source seems to be neglected. It's right out there, in front of everybody who reads the model-airplane magazines: the advertisements!
You'd be surprised by all the mail I receive with questions that could be answered by even the most cursory glance at the ads in the magazines.
Even more surprising is that most major model suppliers include a Web address or a toll-free telephone number in their ads — both of which make it much easier for the average model builder to acquire tools, plans, supplies, accessories, and special hardware.
Give the ads a good look, and check the wingspans of the advertised kits/plans; the magic numbers are:
- 80 inches for monoplanes
- 60 inches for biplanes
- true 1/4-scale for the rest
Engine restoration — a 20-year mystery solved
Every once in a while, you come up smelling like a rose. I lucked into resolving something that has been bugging me for more than 20 years!
Way back then I had a Spitfire model that took a .60 engine, and I had a beautiful new Enya .60 that really fit the aircraft.
The Enya held up well before I recovered the Spitfire, except in one particular area: it would foul at the rear of the carb, and no matter what I tried, it would foul at the rear of the carb.
I'm talking a lot of black, sticky, gooey varnish!
Fortunately, the Spitfire crash didn't bend the engine's propeller shaft, and it still ran well afterward — despite its ugly appearance.
The inside of the engine was nice and clean, so I oiled it up and put it away "until later." I didn't have the foggiest idea how to return the Enya to pristine condition, so it languished throughout the years in the "engine drama" of my workshop.
That was until Dave Gierke (Dave Gierke Flying Models, Box 83, Bowmansville NY 14026) came to my rescue; he sent me an eight-ounce can of Demon-Clean™ engine cleaner to try out.
After plugging the old Enya's exhaust stack and intake with bits of paper towel, I applied the cleaner with an epoxy brush.
As recommended, I protected my hands with rubber gloves and used a plastic hood to protect my eyes and face.
The liquid was applied over an old cake tin (the instructions suggest a pie tin, but I didn't have one), and it went on easily.
To make sure every nook and cranny was covered, I drilled a hole in a hunk of wood as a stand-off engine holder (actually, it was one of those free paint-stirring paddles you get when you buy a gallon of paint). I tightened it up on the prop shaft.
I let things set for approximately 45 minutes after thoroughly applying Demon-Clean™, then I brushed the engine under hot tap water. I used an old toothbrush for this exercise, and I really scrubbed things well.
Wonder of wonders — I had a like-new Enya .60 after I dried it off completely.
Dave's instruction sheet also touts Demon-Clean™ to remove interior varnish. The cleaning technique is the same, except that you have to disassemble the engine.
The only caution the instructions note is that the cleaner shouldn't be used on painted or anodized surfaces. Demon-Clean™ can be left on metal surfaces for weeks, with no adverse effect. It's great stuff!
If you're antsy about disassembling a varnished engine for cleaning, Dave sells a book detailing how it's done.
Making a pilot for your Giant
If you need a "pilot" for your Giant Scale model, retreat to your closest mart or drug store.
Wend your way to the section of baby shampoo and bath bubbles — now they're packaged in bottles with plastic cartoon heads for tops. All the tops need is a set of shoulders, and Toy Story's Woody or Buzz Lightyear, Mickey Mouse or Minnie Mouse, or whoever will pilot your latest creation.
A spritz of clear epoxy should make the pilots fuseproof, in case you're using a glow engine in your Giant.
Have fun, and I'll be with you next month if the creek don't rise!
MA
July 2000 101
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
