Control Line: Scale
THE P-39Q COBRA II was one of two Airacobras flown in the mid-1940s at the Cleveland Air Races. Cobra I was flown by Jack Woolsams in August 1946, and was lost above Lake Ontario after qualifying for the Cleveland Air Races. The P-39Q Cobra II, flown by Tex Johnston, qualified for the same 1946 races and went on to win the Thompson Trophy. Both models had been stripped of military components, were lightened, given better-rated engines, and the original three-bladed propellers were replaced with four-bladed props. The Cobra II raced again in 1947 and 1948 (it reached 471 mph in 1948). It was flown after that until 1969, when it crashed during an attempt to break the propeller-driven speed record.
Control Line: Scale
SCALE FAI Team Selection: Cathy Burnstine reported that the FAI (Federation Aeronautique Internationale) Control Line Scale team selection for 1998 was completed at the AMA International Aeromodeling Center, Muncie IN, July 7-9, 1997. The team of Steve Ashby, Jack Sheeks, and Ralph Burnstine will represent the US in the World Championships, which will be at Pretoria, South Africa in April 1998. Dale Campbell and Charlie Bauer are alternates for the team, and Darlene Frederick was elected team manager. Cathy noted that static judging was held poolside at the Ramada Inn (Muncie) on Monday, July 7, and that the weather was beautiful until the flying portion of the competition was scheduled to start. Tuesday brought in winds at a steady 18 mph with higher gusts, which made flying difficult. The first three flights of the day ended rather abruptly with damage, ranging from the destruction of Jack Patrolia's Pitts to minor damage to the bottom of Jack Sheeks' Hellcat. Charlie Bauer lost control of his Electric-powered Cub, but was able to repair the damage and return to the competition the next day.
Control Line: Scale
SUCEAVA IS a quaint town in the northeast corner of Romania that is surrounded by hills, mountains, and large forests. Townspeople use the Suceava River, which runs through the village, for swimming and fishing. Families farm and raise fruits, vegetables, and various farm animals on the outskirts of the town, which is known for several historical sites, including monasteries, churches, and ruins of cities dating back to the 14th century. You might wonder, "What does Suceava have to do with CL (Control Line) Scale?" It's where the 1997 European F4B & F4C (CL and RC [Radio Control]) Scale Championships were held. Piotr Zawada (Poznan, Poland), who has contributed accounts of foreign activities to this column, sent this month's photos and results of the CL portion of the competition.
Control Line: Scale
BUILDING LIGHT was the main subject of last month's column, in which John Lickley (Napa CA) explored ways to reduce a Scale model's weight without reducing its overall strength. This month I'll continue with some of John's ideas for finishing that great Scale project. The finishing system that John uses is the "old" dope-and-silkspan method, and as necessary, talc-and-dope filler coat. After the model's construction is completed and it has been planked, the first step is to seal all surfaces with a coat or two of clear dope, and when "thoroughly dry," remove all roughness with a light sanding. Two-hundred grit sandpaper would probably do well at this point.
Control Line: Scale
SCALE SCRATCH-BUILDING from paper may seem like a far-out way to construct a Control Line (CL) Scale model for competition, but that is what Ken Long of Whittier, California does. If you have been following this column, you might have seen photos of Ken's "cardboard" Ju 87D Stuka dive-bomber that is built almost entirely of various types of paper. Balsa was used only in places such as the tips of the wing, rudder, or elevators that would have been extremely difficult to shape out of cardboard. Ken's Stuka has served him well; it has been flown more than 50 times, and has been in the winner's circle of local, regional, and national competitions.
