Radio Control: Scale
MORE ON scale instruments: There seems to be no limit to the ingenuity of scale modelers. Bob Lopshire offers an alternate method of producing scale instrument faces. Try using Kodak High Contrast Copy Film. This will eliminate reflections. Photos are made as outlined in the September column, then the negatives are placed under glass on a copy stand and rephotographed to obtain a film positive. The positive is then mounted over a white backing for white on black faces which yields a glass-covered effect. Should the real instrument have a black face with luminous markings, a sheet of very pale blue green backing gives an instant reproduction.
Radio Control: Scale
EXPERIMENTAL Aircraft Association members, for a number of years, have been building planes that are reduced-size versions of military aircraft. Their problems in scaling down are similar to those encountered by modelers. Ben Owen of EAA headquarters staff, who is also an AMA modeler, has summarized the scaling technique as follows: What this proves, or shows, is that there are different reductions in each measurement in scaling. For convenience, engineers have historically used linear measurement when scaling. The fact that a linear reduction of 1/2 does not mean 1/2 of the area or 1/2 of the weight or volume should be clearly kept in mind. Examples:
Radio Control: Scale
THE DC/RC CLUB of the Washington, D. C. area conducted its first annual scale meet at the Bealton, Va. Flying Circus Aerodrome in September. It promises to become another great scale contest in the footsteps of the already famous Rhinebeck series. Twenty-five entrants flew in four classes including Sport Scale, 1/2A, Sailplane, and a new Team Scale event in which the builder must not be the flier. It is hoped that the latter arrangement will bring out those excellent scale projects that are too often produced by builders that are not proficient as fliers. The team concept is being expounded as the cure to one of the ills in competition, to get some of the hangar queens out onto the flying field. In common with a country-wide trend, most entries were tail-draggers. Sport Scale was won by Don Srull flying the same Dornier 23G O.S.-powered twin that placed third at the Riverside Nats.
Radio Control: Scale
THE WIDE variation in quality and quantity in proof-of-scale presentations by competitors must have a pronounced effect on the judges' decisions and the scores obtainable during static judging. At Las Vegas, where the Tournament of Champions had assembled more superb scale models in one place than ever before, the presentations were extremely variable. Some were the best quality while others contained far too much material or too little. Competitors were overlooking a source of higher points in their scores for presentations that would please the judges. One of the better presentations was that of winner Bob Nelitz for his De Havilland Chipmunk (July 1977, Model Aviation). His book began with a table of contents describing the method of division by which the plane was broken down into major components. This was followed by a description and principal dimensions. A note to the judges stated that photos were to verify construction only. Each subsequent section of the book contained an exploded isometric drawing showing a portion of the plane.
Radio Control: Scale
PROTECT THOSE PLANES: 1977 was the year of travel for us. Two trips to each coast, most of which was in the family van, could have been damaging to the scale models that rode over the short, thick, truck springs. A sectional sofa from our living room, with springs, and a five-inch-thick foam upholstery pad, is carried in the van for protection; the models ride in regal splendor, safe from vibration and road shocks. Four years ago, when the van was new, we carried the Douglas M2 Mail-plane without protection for 1600 miles through New England, and then to the Kitchener-Waterloo Scale Rally in Canada. On its first flight the aileron servo locked in right turn and the Douglas spiraled steeply to its end, or so we thought. One of the wires to the aileron plug had crystalized due to vibration. Even when carried in a car or wagon, planes should be protected with foam when being transported for any distance.
