Alive and well in the town of Swanzey, New Hampshire.
I found a distributor that carries the 3.2-ounce tubes of Ambroid for $5 each. With a minimum shipping and handling charge of $5, it isn't cheap, but it is comparable to a 2-ounce bottle of CA cement.
The company is called the Northwoods Canoe Company of Atkinson, Maine. I've listed the website and telephone number in the "Sources" section.
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Vintage Pattern designs and small fields
Paul Bradley ([email protected])
I want to discuss two approaches to small-field models based on Vintage Pattern designs. If you ever spend time looking through the pages of old model airplane magazines, you'll notice many designs devoted to models intended to fly aerobatics, especially those used in competition.
Although I have never participated in such competitions, I enjoy performing casual aerobatics when flying suitable models. I'm not referring to current-day 3-D flying, but the style of aerobatics associated with the earlier days of Pattern flying. I have looked at many of the Vintage Pattern model designs as possible candidates for a small-field flier.
I'll share several small-field models based on earlier Pattern designs. The first comes from my friend and MA "Frequently Asked Questions" columnist Bob Aberle. Bob's model aviation experience is rich and he has a number of original designs published. One is a Pattern-type model that appeared in the December 1977 issue of Flying Models.
Bob's ACE 310 was designed as a Pattern trainer. It appears to be a perfect candidate for a current-day small-field model that will perform the type of aerobatic maneuvers I have in mind.
Bob put his original 240-square-inch ACE 310 design in his shrinking machine and came up with an electric-powered 150-square-inch version. The original model was powered with a tuned-pipe Webra .10 and weighed 32 ounces. It is not something we would want to fly in a small space. The smaller version is powered with an E-flite Park 250 outrunner motor and weighs 8.2 ounces. Now these are small-field model specifications.
Bob reports that this version of the ACE 310 flies as well, if not better, than the original and is at home in small fields performing the old-style aerobatic maneuvers. Full-size plans for this model are available to subscribers of RC Micro World. See the "Sources" listing for contact information.
Bob's ACE 310 shows that a Vintage Pattern-style model in the 150-square-inch range can be great for flying in small-field venues. There are several benefits to his chosen size:
- Models can be powered with inexpensive motors and battery packs.
- They are lightweight and have a comfortable flying speed in small spaces.
As my opening remarks may suggest, I have been dabbling with small-field models that are based on Vintage Pattern designs. My models are slightly larger than Bob's ACE 310 with wing areas in the 200- to 225-square-inch range—roughly half the size of the original designs. This produces a heavier model—approximately 16 ounces—that has a faster flying speed.
A photo of my most recent small-field model, based on a Vintage Pattern design, is included for your review. It is a half-scale version of the Dave Platt Duelist Mk III. It sports a 35-inch wingspan and is powered with two Himax 2208-1260 motors turning 6 x 5 propellers.
Although my models are bigger and heavier than Bob's ACE 310, I find all of these models are well suited to small-field flying. One of the sites that I use for flying is slightly larger than a soccer field. I am able to fly each model comfortably in that space. Larger areas are nice, but unnecessary.
You can have a lot of fun with small-field models that are based on Vintage Pattern designs. BMJR Model Products offers several kits for half-size Vintage Pattern models that are suitable for small fields. See the "Sources" listing.
When Memories Are Reborn
As suggested by my comments about Vintage Pattern model designs, those of us who have been involved in the hobby for some time develop special attachments to past models. This is certainly true for reader Mike Cramer. Roughly 30 years ago, he built his first .020 glow-powered Littlest Stick.
Mike enjoyed the model so much he built a second one when the first model became too fuel-soaked to continue. Although he still...
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