RADIO CONTROL SCALE
Jeff Troy, 19 E. Mt. Pleasant Ave., Ambler PA 19002
DOCU-SEARCH
Are you searching for an unusual plan or three-view? One that you've had a hard time locating through your own research efforts or the commercial documentation services? Docu-Search might be a cost-free solution to your documentation dilemma.
Send a brief letter or a postcard to me at the above address, indicating exactly what you need. If it's not a commercially available item, I'll publish your request in Model Aviation's "Radio Control Scale" column, where it can be read by more than 150,000 modelers worldwide.
MA's readers are quick to help when they have what you need. George Olson has been trying to locate plans for a Cessna 195 for .60 to 1.20 power. Three-views should be fairly easy to come by, but good full-size plans might be another story.
If any of you have or know of something available, please contact George at 3918 151st Ave. SE, Bellevue WA 98006.
How-to subjects are interesting. Ivo Lucchitta is seeking appropriate how-to guidance for a sliding canopy he wants to install on his 1/5-scale de Havilland Chipmunk.
Ivo is reasonably confident that he could devise a sliding system, but he's also sure that this particular problem has long been resolved by the Scale community—and he's not one to waste time reinventing the wheel.
Ivo would like to know the best way to construct the rails, how to accurately cut the canopy at the separation between the fixed and sliding parts, and how to actuate the canopy from a servo in realistically slow motion.
Sliding canopies are beyond my usual wing-warping, landing gear-castering repertoire, so perhaps one or more of you will lend Ivo a hand. Please contact Ivo Lucchitta at 6969 Snowbowl View C., Flagstaff AZ 86001.
Readers' Projects
Bob Penko sent several photographs of his scratch-built de Havilland Comet. Bob's unique model features a rolled 1/32 plywood fuselage.
The big Comet spans 80 inches and uses a pair of K&B .40 two-strokes. The engines feature baffles and mufflers, cleverly disguised as dummy opposed cylinders for increased realism outside the nacelles.
Bob hails from Euclid, Ohio, and he says that his new Comet flies very well.
The Brewster Buffalo may not be the most graceful fighter ever flown. However, as are the British S.E.5 Scout, the P-61 Black Widow, and the F-84 Thunderjet, the Buffalo is one of those unusual airplanes whose distinctive outline haunts you, grows on you, and ultimately wins you over.
Texan Carl Hock built a colorful pair of good-guy/bad-guy Buffalos. Both fighters were modeled in 1/12-scale, from Gus Morfis plans.
Manufacturers' Products
While checking out the hundreds of exciting exhibits at the Weak Signals' Toledo show, I was surprised to see a very large and very impressive P-38 at the Robart Manufacturing booth.
Robart? P-38? Okay, I know the company makes outstanding retracts. I know it has an extraordinary nine-cylinder, big-bore radial engine. I also know that Robart has a zillion little molded-nylon and machined-metal accessories, to make my models more accurate in appearance and more functionally superior.
What I never knew is that Robart has a P-38. How could I have missed this one?
Robart's Lockheed P-38 Lightning is based on Nick Ziroli's performance-proven design. Spanning 114 inches, the model is built around a gel-coated assembly that consists of the wing center section, the center-mounted cockpit pod, and two fuselage booms.
All of this comes molded in a one-piece fiberglass component. Cowls, a nose cone, upper and lower fins, radiators and liners, a canopy, wing panel cores, a wood kit, and many Robart accessories are included.
Robart has the ideal set of tricycle-gear retracts to complement the massive kit. It also offers a retract and gear door air-control kit, and a detail accessory kit. The latter includes upper and lower scoops, fuel tank caps, turbo charger vents, and much more.
For pricing, complete specifications, or additional information, contact Robart Mfg., Inc., Box 1247, St. Charles IL 60174; Tel: (630) 584-7616.
Two interesting items from Hangar 9 were on display at the Horizon Hobby Distributors booth. One was a clever set of propeller blade protectors.
RC Scale
Lined on the interior with black neoprene, Blade Gloves are available in four sizes:
- 8 to 11 inches
- 12 to 16 inches
- 18 to 22 inches
- 24 to 35 inches
Hangar 9 has been a strong player in the recent popularity of Almost Ready-to-Fly models, but this time the company has really outdone itself.
The Extra 330L is a 1/3-scale, 90% factory-assembled airplane, for those who want a Giant Scale aerobatic model, but don't want to take months to construct it.
The Extra 330L was designed by Mike McConville—seven-time Tournament of Champions competitor.
The model has plug-in wing and stabilizer panels for greater transportation convenience, and quicker setup and knockdown. It's covered in four colors of Carl Goldberg Models UltraCote®, and is ideal for realistic air-show-style flight performance.
For more information about Blade Gloves, the Extra 330L, and other Hangar 9 kits and accessories, contact Horizon Hobby Distributors, 4105 Fieldstone Rd., Champaign IL 61822; Tel.: (217) 355-9511.
Jerry Nelson is the guy who makes those incredible metal fittings you can't seem to get enough of.
He has an addition to his line of Scale modeling products at Nelson Hobby Specialties: LiteFAB is a new heat-shrinkable polyester fabric that weighs two ounces per square yard. It is one of the lightest adhesive-backed woven-fabric coverings available.
Jerry states that many kinds of paint can be applied over LiteFAB, including his own water-reducible, odor-free Nelson Hobby Paint.
This material looks good, so send Jerry a buck and a self-addressed stamped envelope for a sample swatch of LiteFAB and a copy of the instruction sheet.
Write to Jerry Nelson, Nelson Hobby Specialties, 394 SW 211th Ave., Aloha OR 97006; Tel.: (503) 629-3277.
I hope all of you are enjoying Stan Alexander's work with this column as much as I am.
Stan and I have been writing in alternation, bringing what we hope will be greater variety, wider vision, and contrast to Model Aviation's "Radio Control Scale" readership.
Stan and I welcome your letters and comments, and we really appreciate the project photos and information you send. We hope that you'll continue to write whenever you have a question or comment, or just to say "hello."
Until next time, build straight and fly safely. We'll do this again. MA
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
