Free Flight: Sport/Scale
PROHIBITION was a flop. Americans, when told not to do something, ran out in larger numbers than ever and did it with a vengeance. Is there a lesson in this? Well, I just received an RC magazine from France, and on the back cover was a full-color ad for beer! Actually, living in a state which encourages the sales of this beverage in gas stations, I am surprised that we let the French beat us to it! What could go together better than a fast, heavy model, a crowd of appreciative spectators, and a couple of nice cool ones? Many of us appreciate the combining of models with scantily-clad beauties on the covers of our magazines, and it doesn't lead to orgies at the flying sites. We allow the advertising of engines which can swing a prop with enough power to seriously damage anything which wanders into their territory.
Man-Powered Blimp
The comedian Gallagher, wanted a non-polluting little cloud to encourage people to look upward and think about what they were doing to the air, so he provided the incentives for Bill Watson to develop a man-powered airship - the subject of this article. Camarillo, CA is the site of the State Mental Hospital. Suppose one of the passengers on a city bus suddenly began raving to the driver about seeing a man pedaling a little white cloud around over the airport. You know what the reaction would be: "Sure, sure...and the guy is all green with yellow polka dots, right?" Suppose the driver took the trouble to look for himself; he might consider checking himself into the hospital for observation! For that matter, whenever I tell anyone that I flew a pedal-powered blimp all by myself, I get somewhat the same reaction.
Free Flight: Sport/Scale
KNOCK, KNOCK! O.K., gang, got a riddle for ya! What does U.S.A. stand for (and yer first guess doesn't count). Think. Give up? It's the Utah State Aeromodellers! One of the fun things about doing a column is that you get nifty little newsletters from all over, and they are great indicators of what is really happening in modeling, today. The big activity in our country is not the big championship (which gets all the publicity) but the small get-together of kindred spirits to fly and have fun. Here's a quote from their newsletter, the Dope Bucket. "There were four Peanuts out, two of which were new and untried. None were trimmed out, so it was a test session for all. Frank Anderson had a new "Yellow Baron" Fokker DR1 triplane from a Lee's Hobbies kit. It looks promising as a good flier, if not much for duration. The only time I have on it is five seconds from ROG. He may have had a better one.
Free Flight: Sport/Scale
WHAT could be more fun than finding a Mills .75 at a garage sale, getting Don Srull's autograph, or getting a letter saying you are a winner in the Publishers Central Bureau Sweepstakes? A visit to the lair of the notorious Vegas Vultures, that's what! I try to get out to Las Vegas at least once a year to steal all of the Vultures' secrets and have done so for the past 20 years. Am I loaded with secrets! Actually, the real reason for going is to try to convince the legendary Bobby Haight to finish all of those wonderful projects he has been putting off for so long. Having a nice, half-built Fairey Swordfish to show friends that happen to drop by is nice, but . . .
Free Flight: Sport & Scale
THE CASE of the incredible shrinking ribs! You have just opened a new kit, carefully sealed at the factory for your protection. All appears to be in order, and you can't wait to get building! However, after cutting out the ribs and laying them over the plan, you note (to your horror) that the ribs are all an eight of an inch too short! Has the printwood dried out and shrunk? Has the plan swelled up? Was the guy who drew them both a practical joker? What do you do now-take it back? Stuart Hersey, 15, a newcomer to Scale writes in with this common ailment. Having just bought a kit myself which had exactly the same problem, I am led to believe that it may be a widespread phenomenon. I suspect the cause to be using different methods to print the wood than to print the plan.
