Fokker Universal
ONE OF THE more pleasurable pursuits of the flying scale enthusiast who prefers to "start from scratch," is the search for a design that seems to fulfill a number of requirements. Is it esthetically pleasing? Is it proportioned so as to have a reasonable chance of flying well, without excessive design distortion? Is it graphically pleasing in color and marking scheme? Finally, is it historically significant? The Fokker Universal, designed in 1925 by Robert Noorduyn and built in America by Fokker, comes very close to satisfying these elusive criteria. The Universal was a colorful and robust machine, with no-nonsense symmetry. It was one of the last production aircraft where the pilot sat in lonely isolation from the passengers, in an open cockpit which offered little in the way of comfort.
Sopwith Dolphin
The master of Free Flight Scale shares with us another of his delightful rubber-powered creations. This one, with 3/4-in. equals 1-ft. scale, has some aerodynamic gymnastics which allows the biplane configuration to act as a high-wing monoplane insofar as balance is concerned. The Sopwith Dolphin, contrary to popular belief, was an excellent aircraft. Only after installation of the 300-hp Hispano-Suiza engine, in lieu of the unreliable 200-hp version, did the Dolphin prove itself as a combat weapon. Unfortunately, this came in the closing months of 1918, too late for the airplane to demonstrate its full capabilities. Its performance was superior to any other aircraft in service in November of 1918. The Dolphin configuration suggests that its designer, Herbert Smith, hoped to achieve a high degree of maneuverability by repeating lessons learned on the famous Camel: close grouping of engine, armament, fuel tanks and pilot into the most compact mass. Along with this, Smith took a somewhat unorthodox design route to assure the pilot of optimum upper visibility, of primary tactical advantage in aerial combat.
Flying Aces Sketchbook
A unique presentation from a remarkable "contest"-the Flying Aces FF Scale Nats, held in July at Johnsville, PA.
Armstrong-Whitworth "Ape"
THE CONFIGURATION of the Ape almost suggests that Armstrong-Whitworth had a Rubber modeler on its design staff and told him to have a go at a full-size airplane. The basic frame exhibits a preoccupation with economy. The fuselage is almost without precedent in a full-size aircraft: box-section its entire length, with longerons running parallel to an abrupt, angular taper at the tail. What could be more simple? The story of the Ape is interesting. In 1922 the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) decided that a "variable geometry" airframe would provide answers to baffling aerodynamic questions-questions that could only be answered through empirical observation. They laid down certain requirements and awarded a construction contract to a somewhat reluctant Armstrong-Whitworth design team. The Ape research airplane is the result.
Good Tern
Build this Embryo-class model with floats for rise-off-water flying or go for wheels and ROT (rise-off-table) flying. Either way, it packs in a lot of fun in a small, in-expensive package. Embryo-class modeling has enjoyed widespread popularity in recent years, appealing to the novice and advanced builder alike. The simple rules provide for an ideal "fun class" design that is easily constructed in a few evenings. The Good Tern is a straightforward example of a reliable, easy-to-adjust model which gives the builder a choice of wheels or floats. If you haven't flown a model from water, and have access to a pond or lake, you will find the experience delightful. The Good Tern has been flown with consistent results from Lake Elsinore, CA, one of the most popular ROW sites on the West Coast. At a recent Flightmasters Annual ROW, the model averaged 45 seconds in competition flights.
