82 MODEL AVIATION
PLANTING SEEDS: Depending on how
long you have been part of the great modelaviation
hobby, you might have had a
discussion about how to introduce others to
this affliction of ours. That subject is
appropriate from time to time. Helping
others gain an interest in model flying is
important if we want to keep the hobby
going long into the future. It is also a great
way to generate new flying buddies.
At the heart of most getting-started
discussions is the question of how to
capture the younger members of our
society. Many different programs and
efforts have been organized through the
years with varying results. Because getting
youth involved is such an important part of
any endeavor, this month I’m going to
highlight two current approaches to
introducing youth to model aviation.
The first description comes from Arnold
Christensen. He heads a model-aviation
program for the Boys and Girls Club of
Saint Lucie County, Florida. This is a great
illustration of what can be done at the local
level when you have an inspired leader and
the support from a community organization.
He wrote:
“This group of smiling faces show how
enthusiastically the children in the Boys
and Girls Club of St. Lucie County, Florida
have responded to building and flying
model airplanes. Actually they are but a
fraction of the over 1000 children in grades
K-12 who meet after school in eleven
schools and three club houses.
“In each approximate hour-long session,
commanders are appointed who in turn
Paul Bradley
S m a l l - F i e l d F l y i n g
32238 Spinnaker Run, Magnolia TX 77354; E-mail: [email protected]
Arnold is helping to plant aviation seeds among youth.
At the national level the Science Olympiad Wright Stuff event is
helping to interest youth in model aviation.
Arnold Christensen’s enthusiastic Boys and Girls Club group completed their program
by flying an electric-powered Radio Control small-field flyer.
select their captains in their Eagle and
Hawk squadrons. The first order of business
is the folding of a classical glider from the
colored construction paper they choose.
“Then, demonstrations, which they all
participate in, reveal that ‘air’ although
invisible keeps the airplane flying. They
blow at Ping-Pong balls glued to a string
and watch them swing away. They vie with
each other to see who has the strongest
blowing power.
“Then it’s asked: ‘What also is
invisible?’ Hands shoot up in the air:
‘Gravity?’ ‘Yes, that’s what brings the
airplane back down to earth.’ Each one
stands on the chair placed facing the others,
and with a softball and golf ball in either
hand at the count of three: ‘One, Two,
Three!’, drop both balls.
“They then rush outside to fly their new
creations. ‘Look, look! Mine’s looping;
mine goes farther than yours!’ Paper gliders
84 MODEL AVIATION
like a swarm of locust fill the sky.
“From these paper classic gliders, the
program moves to the next session where
balsa wood catapult gliders are cut, sanded
and glued. Then, as the boys and girls
advance, the Delta Dart rubber powered
plane is constructed, flown and contests
held. Eventually, each boy and girl gets the
chance, with assistance, to fly a schoolyard
RC flyer.
“These Eagles and Hawks, through their
hands-on construction of model airplanes,
not only enjoy flying them, but also find out
that learning can be fun.”
That program sounds great. The kids
even end up flying a small-field Radio
Control model. It can’t get much better than
that!
The second program is on a national
level and is part of the middle- and highschool
Science Olympiad, which is an
annual fun-based science-oriented
competition. It includes an event called the
Wright Stuff.
In this year of celebrating the Wright
brothers’ accomplishments, the Wright
Stuff event is most appropriate. For this
program, the participants build rubberpowered
Indoor Free Flight models to a set
of specific parameters. The models are
flown by teams of two, and the team with
the high time wins the competition. It is a
great way to start the process of getting
youth interested in aviation in general and
model aviation specifically.
I have been an event director for the
Wright Stuff competition in my area, and it
is satisfying to see the students giving their
all. Because of the relatively large number
of participants nationwide each year, I have
to assume that some will become part of our
hobby.
For that reason, if you have the
opportunity to get involved in any capacity
with local Science Olympiad students
participating in the Wright Stuff event,
please consider contributing some of your
time. The seeds you help sow may become
the next “big names” in model aviation.
This is the year for celebrating pioneer
aviation. The Wright brothers helped piece
together the puzzle for achieving heavierthan-
air manned flight. Glen Curtiss was
another significant contributor to the early
days of flight; he gave us the aileron and
other early refinements of the Wrights’
creation.
You may remember that last year I
shared with you Pat Tritle’s development
effort for the DARE Wright Flyer kit. Pat
lives in the Albuquerque, New Mexico, area
and has available to him an original 1914
Ingram Foster pioneer aircraft. It is
basically a clone of the Curtiss pusher, and
it is on display at the Albuquerque
International Sunport (airport).
The Ingram Foster is the inspiration
behind another of Pat’s great small-fieldflyer
designs. The photos don’t do this
excellent model justice. As with the Wright
Pat Tritle’s beautiful 1914 Ingram Foster (Curtiss pusher) in flight.
Pat Tritle’s 25.3-ounce 1914 Ingram Foster model looks realistic.
Zoran Posarac’s full-fuselage version of Rob Wesch’s Micro Stuka that was featured in
RC MicroFlight. The model weighs 11 ounces and is covered with Litespan.
Flyer, I thought you would like to read
about Pat’s development of the 1914
aircraft.
“The specs for the model go as follows:
span—43.75 inches (54.6 inches including
the ailerons), area—621 square inches (less
ailerons), length—43.125 inches, flying
weight—25.3 ounces, wing loading—5.85
oz./ft.2, power—6V Speed 400 with 4:1
gear reduction, 11 x 7 APC Slow Fly prop,
20A ESC [Electronic Speed Control]
w/BEC [Battery Eliminator Circuit] and
seven 800 mAh cells.
“Guidance is provided by 1 servo each
for the rudder and ailerons and 1 servo for
each elevator, and a JR R-600 receiver with
the case removed.
“With 3 view drawings obtained from
the Albuquerque Aviation Dept, and 52
photos taken of the full scale airplane in
hand, I went to work. Scaling was done
based on a beautiful set of 2.75 inch
diameter spoke wheels I got from Keith
‘Sparky’ Sparks.
“That sized the model to 1:7.25 scale,
which put the scale prop length at 11
inches, which is the prop size for the 4:1
Speed 400 drive I had planned to use from
the start. The overall scale outline is right
on the money, but I didn’t use the scale
airfoil. The airfoil used is still
undercambered, but isn’t the constant
thickness like the full scale.
“Framing the flying surfaces is
completely conventional. The fuselage
was a little different from the norm, but
certainly not complicated. The model
was covered with silk and dope, as I
really wanted to duplicate the natural
linen look of the full scale, and that’s the
only way I have found to really get it
done. The silk was preshrunk to
eliminate a lot of airframe distortion
caused by excessive shrinkage.
“Rib tapes were added using silkspan,
and the nail heads were done using a
mixture of white glue and brown water base
paint. Then, the silk was sealed with 3 coats
of 30 year old nitrate dope which has
yellowed to a deep amber color. Then, it
was given a rubdown using two shades of
brown pastel chalk to give it the aged look.
The finished effect was just what I was
looking for.
“A scale 6 cylinder Roberts 2 stroke
engine and gas tank were fabricated from
white foam, rolled paper, plastic tubes and
anything else that looked like it might
work. Since then, Sparky has produced a
beautiful vacuum-formed engine that only
weighs an ounce.
“The control hookups are all done with
pull-pull cables. A series of pulleys were
used to route the cables around the struts
and away from the prop arc. The aileron
controls are cabled up in scale location with
the servo driving the idler cable from the
top wing. The lower cable runs through the
seat frame causing it to move side to side
with control input.
“The first time the Curtiss flew the CG
[center of gravity] was way too far forward
resulting in a very heavy elevator feel and
the need for full power to climb or even
maintain altitude. So, I moved it from 32%
back to 35% by relocating the battery, then
added two alligator clips at the front
fuselage ‘V’ brace, just to be on the safe
86 MODEL AVIATION
July 2003 87
side. Through a series of four test flights I
found the optimum CG to be at 34%. At
that point, the model flies very well overall.
“The rudder and elevator inputs feel
pretty normal, but the ailerons are
predictably ‘heavy’ and ineffective. To
turn I find if you lead with the rudder and
follow with a small amount of aileron it
works well, then to recover the turn, use
equal amounts of rudder and aileron
together.
“It will cruise nicely at around 2⁄3 power,
but to climb it needs all the power
available. The model is not underpowered
by any means, but there’s so much drag that
it takes a good bit of power to gain the little
bit of added speed to go up.
“Landing is really the fun part. The
approach is done at about half power with
the nose down just a little. Then, at about a
foot or two above the ground, just bring the
nose up a bit and she’ll settle right in.
Surprisingly, the ailerons are adequate to
keep the wings level on approach with little
help from the rudder required.
“What’s interesting, but again not a big
surprise, is the model’s very narrow speed
envelope. Basically, it takes off, flies, and
lands all at about the same speed. To climb,
you need more power, to land you need a
little less, and flying falls somewhere in
between. Overall, the model really flies
well, and is truly fun to fly. But like its full
scale counterpart, it’s only happy in light
breezes.
“Having flown models of the 1903 and
1909 Wright Flyers and the Curtiss Pusher,
I can see a remarkable similarity between
the two designs, but at the same time the
airplanes are very different. The Wrights
are more stable in roll while needing close
attention to pitch, where the Curtiss is a bit
less stable laterally, but having a very
conventional feel in pitch.
“The main ingredient in both designs is
the incredible amount of drag produced by
all those struts and wires and other assorted
paraphernalia hanging out in the air stream.
Either way, considering they are all pre
1910 designs, neither fly a bit less than
great!”
Before I close this installment of “Small-
Field Flying,” I want to share with you an
instance of taking a published design to a
new dimension—literally. The design is
Rob Wesch’s Micro Stuka that was
featured in the March 2002 RC
MicroFlight. As presented, it is a profile
Fun Scale model.
Using those plans, Zoran Posarac of the
Vancouver, Canada, area built a greatlooking
full-fuselage version of the model.
The picture was sent in by Zoran’s friend
Gerard Axionsci, who somehow talked
Zoran into selling it to him.
The model uses a Speed 280 motor
geared 2.8:1 with an 8 x 6 propeller, seven
300 mAh Ni-Cd cells, and it has a flying
weight of 11 ounces. The wing is
removable, battery charging/exchange is
done through the canopy, and the model is
covered with Litespan. The airplane is
reported to be a great flier. Nice work,
Zoran.
We are at the end once again. Please keep
those great small-field model projects
coming. MA
Edition: Model Aviation - 2003/07
Page Numbers: 83,84,86,87
Edition: Model Aviation - 2003/07
Page Numbers: 83,84,86,87
82 MODEL AVIATION
PLANTING SEEDS: Depending on how
long you have been part of the great modelaviation
hobby, you might have had a
discussion about how to introduce others to
this affliction of ours. That subject is
appropriate from time to time. Helping
others gain an interest in model flying is
important if we want to keep the hobby
going long into the future. It is also a great
way to generate new flying buddies.
At the heart of most getting-started
discussions is the question of how to
capture the younger members of our
society. Many different programs and
efforts have been organized through the
years with varying results. Because getting
youth involved is such an important part of
any endeavor, this month I’m going to
highlight two current approaches to
introducing youth to model aviation.
The first description comes from Arnold
Christensen. He heads a model-aviation
program for the Boys and Girls Club of
Saint Lucie County, Florida. This is a great
illustration of what can be done at the local
level when you have an inspired leader and
the support from a community organization.
He wrote:
“This group of smiling faces show how
enthusiastically the children in the Boys
and Girls Club of St. Lucie County, Florida
have responded to building and flying
model airplanes. Actually they are but a
fraction of the over 1000 children in grades
K-12 who meet after school in eleven
schools and three club houses.
“In each approximate hour-long session,
commanders are appointed who in turn
Paul Bradley
S m a l l - F i e l d F l y i n g
32238 Spinnaker Run, Magnolia TX 77354; E-mail: [email protected]
Arnold is helping to plant aviation seeds among youth.
At the national level the Science Olympiad Wright Stuff event is
helping to interest youth in model aviation.
Arnold Christensen’s enthusiastic Boys and Girls Club group completed their program
by flying an electric-powered Radio Control small-field flyer.
select their captains in their Eagle and
Hawk squadrons. The first order of business
is the folding of a classical glider from the
colored construction paper they choose.
“Then, demonstrations, which they all
participate in, reveal that ‘air’ although
invisible keeps the airplane flying. They
blow at Ping-Pong balls glued to a string
and watch them swing away. They vie with
each other to see who has the strongest
blowing power.
“Then it’s asked: ‘What also is
invisible?’ Hands shoot up in the air:
‘Gravity?’ ‘Yes, that’s what brings the
airplane back down to earth.’ Each one
stands on the chair placed facing the others,
and with a softball and golf ball in either
hand at the count of three: ‘One, Two,
Three!’, drop both balls.
“They then rush outside to fly their new
creations. ‘Look, look! Mine’s looping;
mine goes farther than yours!’ Paper gliders
84 MODEL AVIATION
like a swarm of locust fill the sky.
“From these paper classic gliders, the
program moves to the next session where
balsa wood catapult gliders are cut, sanded
and glued. Then, as the boys and girls
advance, the Delta Dart rubber powered
plane is constructed, flown and contests
held. Eventually, each boy and girl gets the
chance, with assistance, to fly a schoolyard
RC flyer.
“These Eagles and Hawks, through their
hands-on construction of model airplanes,
not only enjoy flying them, but also find out
that learning can be fun.”
That program sounds great. The kids
even end up flying a small-field Radio
Control model. It can’t get much better than
that!
The second program is on a national
level and is part of the middle- and highschool
Science Olympiad, which is an
annual fun-based science-oriented
competition. It includes an event called the
Wright Stuff.
In this year of celebrating the Wright
brothers’ accomplishments, the Wright
Stuff event is most appropriate. For this
program, the participants build rubberpowered
Indoor Free Flight models to a set
of specific parameters. The models are
flown by teams of two, and the team with
the high time wins the competition. It is a
great way to start the process of getting
youth interested in aviation in general and
model aviation specifically.
I have been an event director for the
Wright Stuff competition in my area, and it
is satisfying to see the students giving their
all. Because of the relatively large number
of participants nationwide each year, I have
to assume that some will become part of our
hobby.
For that reason, if you have the
opportunity to get involved in any capacity
with local Science Olympiad students
participating in the Wright Stuff event,
please consider contributing some of your
time. The seeds you help sow may become
the next “big names” in model aviation.
This is the year for celebrating pioneer
aviation. The Wright brothers helped piece
together the puzzle for achieving heavierthan-
air manned flight. Glen Curtiss was
another significant contributor to the early
days of flight; he gave us the aileron and
other early refinements of the Wrights’
creation.
You may remember that last year I
shared with you Pat Tritle’s development
effort for the DARE Wright Flyer kit. Pat
lives in the Albuquerque, New Mexico, area
and has available to him an original 1914
Ingram Foster pioneer aircraft. It is
basically a clone of the Curtiss pusher, and
it is on display at the Albuquerque
International Sunport (airport).
The Ingram Foster is the inspiration
behind another of Pat’s great small-fieldflyer
designs. The photos don’t do this
excellent model justice. As with the Wright
Pat Tritle’s beautiful 1914 Ingram Foster (Curtiss pusher) in flight.
Pat Tritle’s 25.3-ounce 1914 Ingram Foster model looks realistic.
Zoran Posarac’s full-fuselage version of Rob Wesch’s Micro Stuka that was featured in
RC MicroFlight. The model weighs 11 ounces and is covered with Litespan.
Flyer, I thought you would like to read
about Pat’s development of the 1914
aircraft.
“The specs for the model go as follows:
span—43.75 inches (54.6 inches including
the ailerons), area—621 square inches (less
ailerons), length—43.125 inches, flying
weight—25.3 ounces, wing loading—5.85
oz./ft.2, power—6V Speed 400 with 4:1
gear reduction, 11 x 7 APC Slow Fly prop,
20A ESC [Electronic Speed Control]
w/BEC [Battery Eliminator Circuit] and
seven 800 mAh cells.
“Guidance is provided by 1 servo each
for the rudder and ailerons and 1 servo for
each elevator, and a JR R-600 receiver with
the case removed.
“With 3 view drawings obtained from
the Albuquerque Aviation Dept, and 52
photos taken of the full scale airplane in
hand, I went to work. Scaling was done
based on a beautiful set of 2.75 inch
diameter spoke wheels I got from Keith
‘Sparky’ Sparks.
“That sized the model to 1:7.25 scale,
which put the scale prop length at 11
inches, which is the prop size for the 4:1
Speed 400 drive I had planned to use from
the start. The overall scale outline is right
on the money, but I didn’t use the scale
airfoil. The airfoil used is still
undercambered, but isn’t the constant
thickness like the full scale.
“Framing the flying surfaces is
completely conventional. The fuselage
was a little different from the norm, but
certainly not complicated. The model
was covered with silk and dope, as I
really wanted to duplicate the natural
linen look of the full scale, and that’s the
only way I have found to really get it
done. The silk was preshrunk to
eliminate a lot of airframe distortion
caused by excessive shrinkage.
“Rib tapes were added using silkspan,
and the nail heads were done using a
mixture of white glue and brown water base
paint. Then, the silk was sealed with 3 coats
of 30 year old nitrate dope which has
yellowed to a deep amber color. Then, it
was given a rubdown using two shades of
brown pastel chalk to give it the aged look.
The finished effect was just what I was
looking for.
“A scale 6 cylinder Roberts 2 stroke
engine and gas tank were fabricated from
white foam, rolled paper, plastic tubes and
anything else that looked like it might
work. Since then, Sparky has produced a
beautiful vacuum-formed engine that only
weighs an ounce.
“The control hookups are all done with
pull-pull cables. A series of pulleys were
used to route the cables around the struts
and away from the prop arc. The aileron
controls are cabled up in scale location with
the servo driving the idler cable from the
top wing. The lower cable runs through the
seat frame causing it to move side to side
with control input.
“The first time the Curtiss flew the CG
[center of gravity] was way too far forward
resulting in a very heavy elevator feel and
the need for full power to climb or even
maintain altitude. So, I moved it from 32%
back to 35% by relocating the battery, then
added two alligator clips at the front
fuselage ‘V’ brace, just to be on the safe
86 MODEL AVIATION
July 2003 87
side. Through a series of four test flights I
found the optimum CG to be at 34%. At
that point, the model flies very well overall.
“The rudder and elevator inputs feel
pretty normal, but the ailerons are
predictably ‘heavy’ and ineffective. To
turn I find if you lead with the rudder and
follow with a small amount of aileron it
works well, then to recover the turn, use
equal amounts of rudder and aileron
together.
“It will cruise nicely at around 2⁄3 power,
but to climb it needs all the power
available. The model is not underpowered
by any means, but there’s so much drag that
it takes a good bit of power to gain the little
bit of added speed to go up.
“Landing is really the fun part. The
approach is done at about half power with
the nose down just a little. Then, at about a
foot or two above the ground, just bring the
nose up a bit and she’ll settle right in.
Surprisingly, the ailerons are adequate to
keep the wings level on approach with little
help from the rudder required.
“What’s interesting, but again not a big
surprise, is the model’s very narrow speed
envelope. Basically, it takes off, flies, and
lands all at about the same speed. To climb,
you need more power, to land you need a
little less, and flying falls somewhere in
between. Overall, the model really flies
well, and is truly fun to fly. But like its full
scale counterpart, it’s only happy in light
breezes.
“Having flown models of the 1903 and
1909 Wright Flyers and the Curtiss Pusher,
I can see a remarkable similarity between
the two designs, but at the same time the
airplanes are very different. The Wrights
are more stable in roll while needing close
attention to pitch, where the Curtiss is a bit
less stable laterally, but having a very
conventional feel in pitch.
“The main ingredient in both designs is
the incredible amount of drag produced by
all those struts and wires and other assorted
paraphernalia hanging out in the air stream.
Either way, considering they are all pre
1910 designs, neither fly a bit less than
great!”
Before I close this installment of “Small-
Field Flying,” I want to share with you an
instance of taking a published design to a
new dimension—literally. The design is
Rob Wesch’s Micro Stuka that was
featured in the March 2002 RC
MicroFlight. As presented, it is a profile
Fun Scale model.
Using those plans, Zoran Posarac of the
Vancouver, Canada, area built a greatlooking
full-fuselage version of the model.
The picture was sent in by Zoran’s friend
Gerard Axionsci, who somehow talked
Zoran into selling it to him.
The model uses a Speed 280 motor
geared 2.8:1 with an 8 x 6 propeller, seven
300 mAh Ni-Cd cells, and it has a flying
weight of 11 ounces. The wing is
removable, battery charging/exchange is
done through the canopy, and the model is
covered with Litespan. The airplane is
reported to be a great flier. Nice work,
Zoran.
We are at the end once again. Please keep
those great small-field model projects
coming. MA
Edition: Model Aviation - 2003/07
Page Numbers: 83,84,86,87
82 MODEL AVIATION
PLANTING SEEDS: Depending on how
long you have been part of the great modelaviation
hobby, you might have had a
discussion about how to introduce others to
this affliction of ours. That subject is
appropriate from time to time. Helping
others gain an interest in model flying is
important if we want to keep the hobby
going long into the future. It is also a great
way to generate new flying buddies.
At the heart of most getting-started
discussions is the question of how to
capture the younger members of our
society. Many different programs and
efforts have been organized through the
years with varying results. Because getting
youth involved is such an important part of
any endeavor, this month I’m going to
highlight two current approaches to
introducing youth to model aviation.
The first description comes from Arnold
Christensen. He heads a model-aviation
program for the Boys and Girls Club of
Saint Lucie County, Florida. This is a great
illustration of what can be done at the local
level when you have an inspired leader and
the support from a community organization.
He wrote:
“This group of smiling faces show how
enthusiastically the children in the Boys
and Girls Club of St. Lucie County, Florida
have responded to building and flying
model airplanes. Actually they are but a
fraction of the over 1000 children in grades
K-12 who meet after school in eleven
schools and three club houses.
“In each approximate hour-long session,
commanders are appointed who in turn
Paul Bradley
S m a l l - F i e l d F l y i n g
32238 Spinnaker Run, Magnolia TX 77354; E-mail: [email protected]
Arnold is helping to plant aviation seeds among youth.
At the national level the Science Olympiad Wright Stuff event is
helping to interest youth in model aviation.
Arnold Christensen’s enthusiastic Boys and Girls Club group completed their program
by flying an electric-powered Radio Control small-field flyer.
select their captains in their Eagle and
Hawk squadrons. The first order of business
is the folding of a classical glider from the
colored construction paper they choose.
“Then, demonstrations, which they all
participate in, reveal that ‘air’ although
invisible keeps the airplane flying. They
blow at Ping-Pong balls glued to a string
and watch them swing away. They vie with
each other to see who has the strongest
blowing power.
“Then it’s asked: ‘What also is
invisible?’ Hands shoot up in the air:
‘Gravity?’ ‘Yes, that’s what brings the
airplane back down to earth.’ Each one
stands on the chair placed facing the others,
and with a softball and golf ball in either
hand at the count of three: ‘One, Two,
Three!’, drop both balls.
“They then rush outside to fly their new
creations. ‘Look, look! Mine’s looping;
mine goes farther than yours!’ Paper gliders
84 MODEL AVIATION
like a swarm of locust fill the sky.
“From these paper classic gliders, the
program moves to the next session where
balsa wood catapult gliders are cut, sanded
and glued. Then, as the boys and girls
advance, the Delta Dart rubber powered
plane is constructed, flown and contests
held. Eventually, each boy and girl gets the
chance, with assistance, to fly a schoolyard
RC flyer.
“These Eagles and Hawks, through their
hands-on construction of model airplanes,
not only enjoy flying them, but also find out
that learning can be fun.”
That program sounds great. The kids
even end up flying a small-field Radio
Control model. It can’t get much better than
that!
The second program is on a national
level and is part of the middle- and highschool
Science Olympiad, which is an
annual fun-based science-oriented
competition. It includes an event called the
Wright Stuff.
In this year of celebrating the Wright
brothers’ accomplishments, the Wright
Stuff event is most appropriate. For this
program, the participants build rubberpowered
Indoor Free Flight models to a set
of specific parameters. The models are
flown by teams of two, and the team with
the high time wins the competition. It is a
great way to start the process of getting
youth interested in aviation in general and
model aviation specifically.
I have been an event director for the
Wright Stuff competition in my area, and it
is satisfying to see the students giving their
all. Because of the relatively large number
of participants nationwide each year, I have
to assume that some will become part of our
hobby.
For that reason, if you have the
opportunity to get involved in any capacity
with local Science Olympiad students
participating in the Wright Stuff event,
please consider contributing some of your
time. The seeds you help sow may become
the next “big names” in model aviation.
This is the year for celebrating pioneer
aviation. The Wright brothers helped piece
together the puzzle for achieving heavierthan-
air manned flight. Glen Curtiss was
another significant contributor to the early
days of flight; he gave us the aileron and
other early refinements of the Wrights’
creation.
You may remember that last year I
shared with you Pat Tritle’s development
effort for the DARE Wright Flyer kit. Pat
lives in the Albuquerque, New Mexico, area
and has available to him an original 1914
Ingram Foster pioneer aircraft. It is
basically a clone of the Curtiss pusher, and
it is on display at the Albuquerque
International Sunport (airport).
The Ingram Foster is the inspiration
behind another of Pat’s great small-fieldflyer
designs. The photos don’t do this
excellent model justice. As with the Wright
Pat Tritle’s beautiful 1914 Ingram Foster (Curtiss pusher) in flight.
Pat Tritle’s 25.3-ounce 1914 Ingram Foster model looks realistic.
Zoran Posarac’s full-fuselage version of Rob Wesch’s Micro Stuka that was featured in
RC MicroFlight. The model weighs 11 ounces and is covered with Litespan.
Flyer, I thought you would like to read
about Pat’s development of the 1914
aircraft.
“The specs for the model go as follows:
span—43.75 inches (54.6 inches including
the ailerons), area—621 square inches (less
ailerons), length—43.125 inches, flying
weight—25.3 ounces, wing loading—5.85
oz./ft.2, power—6V Speed 400 with 4:1
gear reduction, 11 x 7 APC Slow Fly prop,
20A ESC [Electronic Speed Control]
w/BEC [Battery Eliminator Circuit] and
seven 800 mAh cells.
“Guidance is provided by 1 servo each
for the rudder and ailerons and 1 servo for
each elevator, and a JR R-600 receiver with
the case removed.
“With 3 view drawings obtained from
the Albuquerque Aviation Dept, and 52
photos taken of the full scale airplane in
hand, I went to work. Scaling was done
based on a beautiful set of 2.75 inch
diameter spoke wheels I got from Keith
‘Sparky’ Sparks.
“That sized the model to 1:7.25 scale,
which put the scale prop length at 11
inches, which is the prop size for the 4:1
Speed 400 drive I had planned to use from
the start. The overall scale outline is right
on the money, but I didn’t use the scale
airfoil. The airfoil used is still
undercambered, but isn’t the constant
thickness like the full scale.
“Framing the flying surfaces is
completely conventional. The fuselage
was a little different from the norm, but
certainly not complicated. The model
was covered with silk and dope, as I
really wanted to duplicate the natural
linen look of the full scale, and that’s the
only way I have found to really get it
done. The silk was preshrunk to
eliminate a lot of airframe distortion
caused by excessive shrinkage.
“Rib tapes were added using silkspan,
and the nail heads were done using a
mixture of white glue and brown water base
paint. Then, the silk was sealed with 3 coats
of 30 year old nitrate dope which has
yellowed to a deep amber color. Then, it
was given a rubdown using two shades of
brown pastel chalk to give it the aged look.
The finished effect was just what I was
looking for.
“A scale 6 cylinder Roberts 2 stroke
engine and gas tank were fabricated from
white foam, rolled paper, plastic tubes and
anything else that looked like it might
work. Since then, Sparky has produced a
beautiful vacuum-formed engine that only
weighs an ounce.
“The control hookups are all done with
pull-pull cables. A series of pulleys were
used to route the cables around the struts
and away from the prop arc. The aileron
controls are cabled up in scale location with
the servo driving the idler cable from the
top wing. The lower cable runs through the
seat frame causing it to move side to side
with control input.
“The first time the Curtiss flew the CG
[center of gravity] was way too far forward
resulting in a very heavy elevator feel and
the need for full power to climb or even
maintain altitude. So, I moved it from 32%
back to 35% by relocating the battery, then
added two alligator clips at the front
fuselage ‘V’ brace, just to be on the safe
86 MODEL AVIATION
July 2003 87
side. Through a series of four test flights I
found the optimum CG to be at 34%. At
that point, the model flies very well overall.
“The rudder and elevator inputs feel
pretty normal, but the ailerons are
predictably ‘heavy’ and ineffective. To
turn I find if you lead with the rudder and
follow with a small amount of aileron it
works well, then to recover the turn, use
equal amounts of rudder and aileron
together.
“It will cruise nicely at around 2⁄3 power,
but to climb it needs all the power
available. The model is not underpowered
by any means, but there’s so much drag that
it takes a good bit of power to gain the little
bit of added speed to go up.
“Landing is really the fun part. The
approach is done at about half power with
the nose down just a little. Then, at about a
foot or two above the ground, just bring the
nose up a bit and she’ll settle right in.
Surprisingly, the ailerons are adequate to
keep the wings level on approach with little
help from the rudder required.
“What’s interesting, but again not a big
surprise, is the model’s very narrow speed
envelope. Basically, it takes off, flies, and
lands all at about the same speed. To climb,
you need more power, to land you need a
little less, and flying falls somewhere in
between. Overall, the model really flies
well, and is truly fun to fly. But like its full
scale counterpart, it’s only happy in light
breezes.
“Having flown models of the 1903 and
1909 Wright Flyers and the Curtiss Pusher,
I can see a remarkable similarity between
the two designs, but at the same time the
airplanes are very different. The Wrights
are more stable in roll while needing close
attention to pitch, where the Curtiss is a bit
less stable laterally, but having a very
conventional feel in pitch.
“The main ingredient in both designs is
the incredible amount of drag produced by
all those struts and wires and other assorted
paraphernalia hanging out in the air stream.
Either way, considering they are all pre
1910 designs, neither fly a bit less than
great!”
Before I close this installment of “Small-
Field Flying,” I want to share with you an
instance of taking a published design to a
new dimension—literally. The design is
Rob Wesch’s Micro Stuka that was
featured in the March 2002 RC
MicroFlight. As presented, it is a profile
Fun Scale model.
Using those plans, Zoran Posarac of the
Vancouver, Canada, area built a greatlooking
full-fuselage version of the model.
The picture was sent in by Zoran’s friend
Gerard Axionsci, who somehow talked
Zoran into selling it to him.
The model uses a Speed 280 motor
geared 2.8:1 with an 8 x 6 propeller, seven
300 mAh Ni-Cd cells, and it has a flying
weight of 11 ounces. The wing is
removable, battery charging/exchange is
done through the canopy, and the model is
covered with Litespan. The airplane is
reported to be a great flier. Nice work,
Zoran.
We are at the end once again. Please keep
those great small-field model projects
coming. MA
Edition: Model Aviation - 2003/07
Page Numbers: 83,84,86,87
82 MODEL AVIATION
PLANTING SEEDS: Depending on how
long you have been part of the great modelaviation
hobby, you might have had a
discussion about how to introduce others to
this affliction of ours. That subject is
appropriate from time to time. Helping
others gain an interest in model flying is
important if we want to keep the hobby
going long into the future. It is also a great
way to generate new flying buddies.
At the heart of most getting-started
discussions is the question of how to
capture the younger members of our
society. Many different programs and
efforts have been organized through the
years with varying results. Because getting
youth involved is such an important part of
any endeavor, this month I’m going to
highlight two current approaches to
introducing youth to model aviation.
The first description comes from Arnold
Christensen. He heads a model-aviation
program for the Boys and Girls Club of
Saint Lucie County, Florida. This is a great
illustration of what can be done at the local
level when you have an inspired leader and
the support from a community organization.
He wrote:
“This group of smiling faces show how
enthusiastically the children in the Boys
and Girls Club of St. Lucie County, Florida
have responded to building and flying
model airplanes. Actually they are but a
fraction of the over 1000 children in grades
K-12 who meet after school in eleven
schools and three club houses.
“In each approximate hour-long session,
commanders are appointed who in turn
Paul Bradley
S m a l l - F i e l d F l y i n g
32238 Spinnaker Run, Magnolia TX 77354; E-mail: [email protected]
Arnold is helping to plant aviation seeds among youth.
At the national level the Science Olympiad Wright Stuff event is
helping to interest youth in model aviation.
Arnold Christensen’s enthusiastic Boys and Girls Club group completed their program
by flying an electric-powered Radio Control small-field flyer.
select their captains in their Eagle and
Hawk squadrons. The first order of business
is the folding of a classical glider from the
colored construction paper they choose.
“Then, demonstrations, which they all
participate in, reveal that ‘air’ although
invisible keeps the airplane flying. They
blow at Ping-Pong balls glued to a string
and watch them swing away. They vie with
each other to see who has the strongest
blowing power.
“Then it’s asked: ‘What also is
invisible?’ Hands shoot up in the air:
‘Gravity?’ ‘Yes, that’s what brings the
airplane back down to earth.’ Each one
stands on the chair placed facing the others,
and with a softball and golf ball in either
hand at the count of three: ‘One, Two,
Three!’, drop both balls.
“They then rush outside to fly their new
creations. ‘Look, look! Mine’s looping;
mine goes farther than yours!’ Paper gliders
84 MODEL AVIATION
like a swarm of locust fill the sky.
“From these paper classic gliders, the
program moves to the next session where
balsa wood catapult gliders are cut, sanded
and glued. Then, as the boys and girls
advance, the Delta Dart rubber powered
plane is constructed, flown and contests
held. Eventually, each boy and girl gets the
chance, with assistance, to fly a schoolyard
RC flyer.
“These Eagles and Hawks, through their
hands-on construction of model airplanes,
not only enjoy flying them, but also find out
that learning can be fun.”
That program sounds great. The kids
even end up flying a small-field Radio
Control model. It can’t get much better than
that!
The second program is on a national
level and is part of the middle- and highschool
Science Olympiad, which is an
annual fun-based science-oriented
competition. It includes an event called the
Wright Stuff.
In this year of celebrating the Wright
brothers’ accomplishments, the Wright
Stuff event is most appropriate. For this
program, the participants build rubberpowered
Indoor Free Flight models to a set
of specific parameters. The models are
flown by teams of two, and the team with
the high time wins the competition. It is a
great way to start the process of getting
youth interested in aviation in general and
model aviation specifically.
I have been an event director for the
Wright Stuff competition in my area, and it
is satisfying to see the students giving their
all. Because of the relatively large number
of participants nationwide each year, I have
to assume that some will become part of our
hobby.
For that reason, if you have the
opportunity to get involved in any capacity
with local Science Olympiad students
participating in the Wright Stuff event,
please consider contributing some of your
time. The seeds you help sow may become
the next “big names” in model aviation.
This is the year for celebrating pioneer
aviation. The Wright brothers helped piece
together the puzzle for achieving heavierthan-
air manned flight. Glen Curtiss was
another significant contributor to the early
days of flight; he gave us the aileron and
other early refinements of the Wrights’
creation.
You may remember that last year I
shared with you Pat Tritle’s development
effort for the DARE Wright Flyer kit. Pat
lives in the Albuquerque, New Mexico, area
and has available to him an original 1914
Ingram Foster pioneer aircraft. It is
basically a clone of the Curtiss pusher, and
it is on display at the Albuquerque
International Sunport (airport).
The Ingram Foster is the inspiration
behind another of Pat’s great small-fieldflyer
designs. The photos don’t do this
excellent model justice. As with the Wright
Pat Tritle’s beautiful 1914 Ingram Foster (Curtiss pusher) in flight.
Pat Tritle’s 25.3-ounce 1914 Ingram Foster model looks realistic.
Zoran Posarac’s full-fuselage version of Rob Wesch’s Micro Stuka that was featured in
RC MicroFlight. The model weighs 11 ounces and is covered with Litespan.
Flyer, I thought you would like to read
about Pat’s development of the 1914
aircraft.
“The specs for the model go as follows:
span—43.75 inches (54.6 inches including
the ailerons), area—621 square inches (less
ailerons), length—43.125 inches, flying
weight—25.3 ounces, wing loading—5.85
oz./ft.2, power—6V Speed 400 with 4:1
gear reduction, 11 x 7 APC Slow Fly prop,
20A ESC [Electronic Speed Control]
w/BEC [Battery Eliminator Circuit] and
seven 800 mAh cells.
“Guidance is provided by 1 servo each
for the rudder and ailerons and 1 servo for
each elevator, and a JR R-600 receiver with
the case removed.
“With 3 view drawings obtained from
the Albuquerque Aviation Dept, and 52
photos taken of the full scale airplane in
hand, I went to work. Scaling was done
based on a beautiful set of 2.75 inch
diameter spoke wheels I got from Keith
‘Sparky’ Sparks.
“That sized the model to 1:7.25 scale,
which put the scale prop length at 11
inches, which is the prop size for the 4:1
Speed 400 drive I had planned to use from
the start. The overall scale outline is right
on the money, but I didn’t use the scale
airfoil. The airfoil used is still
undercambered, but isn’t the constant
thickness like the full scale.
“Framing the flying surfaces is
completely conventional. The fuselage
was a little different from the norm, but
certainly not complicated. The model
was covered with silk and dope, as I
really wanted to duplicate the natural
linen look of the full scale, and that’s the
only way I have found to really get it
done. The silk was preshrunk to
eliminate a lot of airframe distortion
caused by excessive shrinkage.
“Rib tapes were added using silkspan,
and the nail heads were done using a
mixture of white glue and brown water base
paint. Then, the silk was sealed with 3 coats
of 30 year old nitrate dope which has
yellowed to a deep amber color. Then, it
was given a rubdown using two shades of
brown pastel chalk to give it the aged look.
The finished effect was just what I was
looking for.
“A scale 6 cylinder Roberts 2 stroke
engine and gas tank were fabricated from
white foam, rolled paper, plastic tubes and
anything else that looked like it might
work. Since then, Sparky has produced a
beautiful vacuum-formed engine that only
weighs an ounce.
“The control hookups are all done with
pull-pull cables. A series of pulleys were
used to route the cables around the struts
and away from the prop arc. The aileron
controls are cabled up in scale location with
the servo driving the idler cable from the
top wing. The lower cable runs through the
seat frame causing it to move side to side
with control input.
“The first time the Curtiss flew the CG
[center of gravity] was way too far forward
resulting in a very heavy elevator feel and
the need for full power to climb or even
maintain altitude. So, I moved it from 32%
back to 35% by relocating the battery, then
added two alligator clips at the front
fuselage ‘V’ brace, just to be on the safe
86 MODEL AVIATION
July 2003 87
side. Through a series of four test flights I
found the optimum CG to be at 34%. At
that point, the model flies very well overall.
“The rudder and elevator inputs feel
pretty normal, but the ailerons are
predictably ‘heavy’ and ineffective. To
turn I find if you lead with the rudder and
follow with a small amount of aileron it
works well, then to recover the turn, use
equal amounts of rudder and aileron
together.
“It will cruise nicely at around 2⁄3 power,
but to climb it needs all the power
available. The model is not underpowered
by any means, but there’s so much drag that
it takes a good bit of power to gain the little
bit of added speed to go up.
“Landing is really the fun part. The
approach is done at about half power with
the nose down just a little. Then, at about a
foot or two above the ground, just bring the
nose up a bit and she’ll settle right in.
Surprisingly, the ailerons are adequate to
keep the wings level on approach with little
help from the rudder required.
“What’s interesting, but again not a big
surprise, is the model’s very narrow speed
envelope. Basically, it takes off, flies, and
lands all at about the same speed. To climb,
you need more power, to land you need a
little less, and flying falls somewhere in
between. Overall, the model really flies
well, and is truly fun to fly. But like its full
scale counterpart, it’s only happy in light
breezes.
“Having flown models of the 1903 and
1909 Wright Flyers and the Curtiss Pusher,
I can see a remarkable similarity between
the two designs, but at the same time the
airplanes are very different. The Wrights
are more stable in roll while needing close
attention to pitch, where the Curtiss is a bit
less stable laterally, but having a very
conventional feel in pitch.
“The main ingredient in both designs is
the incredible amount of drag produced by
all those struts and wires and other assorted
paraphernalia hanging out in the air stream.
Either way, considering they are all pre
1910 designs, neither fly a bit less than
great!”
Before I close this installment of “Small-
Field Flying,” I want to share with you an
instance of taking a published design to a
new dimension—literally. The design is
Rob Wesch’s Micro Stuka that was
featured in the March 2002 RC
MicroFlight. As presented, it is a profile
Fun Scale model.
Using those plans, Zoran Posarac of the
Vancouver, Canada, area built a greatlooking
full-fuselage version of the model.
The picture was sent in by Zoran’s friend
Gerard Axionsci, who somehow talked
Zoran into selling it to him.
The model uses a Speed 280 motor
geared 2.8:1 with an 8 x 6 propeller, seven
300 mAh Ni-Cd cells, and it has a flying
weight of 11 ounces. The wing is
removable, battery charging/exchange is
done through the canopy, and the model is
covered with Litespan. The airplane is
reported to be a great flier. Nice work,
Zoran.
We are at the end once again. Please keep
those great small-field model projects
coming. MA
