Control Line: Scale
LAST month, I presented information on a possible way of operating the wheel well cover doors of the main landing gear of a Top Flite P-39 Airacobra. I would now like to complete the item by presenting a method of closing the nose wheel landing gear wheel well cover doors of the same plane. I would like to start by reminding you that the retraction system used was a Rom Air, and that the nose wheel landing gear mounting was modified considerably from that shown on the Top Flite kit plans. Referring to the accompanying sketch, you will note that the retract unit is mounted on hardwood beams. The beams are made of 1/2-in. square motor mount material and were mounted at an appropriate height between formers F-2 and F-5 of the Top Flite model. The beams not only provide the mounting vehicle for the Rom-Air unit but also provide a means of mounting the mechanism used for closing the wheel well cover doors. It should be noted that the space, about 1/2-in., between the beams is a result of mounting the Rom-Air unit and should provide sufficient space for a 2 or 2 1/2-in. nose wheel, when retracted.
Control Line: Scale
NEW WAYS. One of the objectives of this column is to present as many ideas as possible that will help the Control Line Scale modeler build and fly a better Scale model. Over the past few months, we have covered many building ideas, talked about scale documentation and rules changes, and how to perform various operational functions. In my February and March 1984 columns, I presented an electric servo system that allowed a number of functions to be performed through the use of electrified control lines and modified servos. The electric servo system, using three control lines, allowed the operation of two servos. The addition of a fourth line permitted the use of a third servo. While this system works, it is dependent on the use of multiple lines which, when going beyond the three we are accustomed to using, becomes cumbersome.
Control Line: Scale
THIS will be the last of my monthly columns for 1984, because the December issue of MA has been set aside for coverage of this year's Nationals. I hope that all who had expectations of winning have done just that and will find their names on the winners' list. I am also sure that Roland Baltes, who will be covering CL Scale at this years Nats, will do an excellent job of reporting. Before getting into any particular column material, I would like to cover some miscellaneous items.
Control Line: Scale
VENERABLE. In my last column, I presented information on a method of making and applying pinked rib-tapes to your fabric-covered model. I would like to continue with the vintage theme this month and talk about the use of camouflage fabric covering (known as Lozenge Pattern Fabric) as used by Germany during World War I. As in last month's column, I again have taken the information on the pattern fabric from an old Chicago Scale-masters Newsletter. Keith Ward (who was the editor of the newsletter) presented the basic material. When the war started in 1914, aircraft of the fighting powers were usually finished in varnished, bleached linen. Very soon, it became apparent that some form of camouflage was desirable to prevent attack while on the ground and in the air.
Control Line: Scale
BACK TO BASICS on our three-line control system. It appears that, from time to time, we have to go back to square one and talk about some of the very basic things in Control Line flying. Those of us who have been building and flying CL models for many years sometimes forget that there are beginners, or those that might be doing something for the first time. Such was the case for James Griffin (Philadelphia, PA), who is just getting into Scale modeling and the use of the three-line control system. James' problem related to the fact that he could not get his three-line system to operate through the full range of control without leaving slack in the lines when positioned at the high- and low-speed extremes. After reading his letter and thinking about what he had written, it appeared to me that his problem was one of not having all three lines of equal length, and that the model's control lead (third line) did not have the proper length to create a balanced system.
