Just for the Fun of It: Plane Talk
AS JACKIE GLEASON used to say, "How sweet it is!" My flying is in the African-drought stage, but nice things rain like manna from Heaven. I've Purple Planned my way through an exciting Electric model (motor on cabin bulkhead, prop speed reduction, long extension shaft, and a big folding prop), and I am gnawing my way through that incredible Kadet Senior. The latter is a novel approach to a trainer if you like big airplanes that can fly like a Free Flight and that offer the fun (for blokes like me, as well) of gluing together Old-Timer-like sticks. For me, it is a fun thing, and I don't need a trainer. I'm trying a strange spoiler combination on it. In and out as usual, but . . . a switch allows me to use them individually (no ailerons on the Senior). While doing so I can have proportional openings, and if I wish I can "CAR" (cross control) them with the rudder in that mode.
Just for the Fun of It: Plane Talk
Left: You like? Parasol romance is displayed in John Boyd's .25 O.S. Max IIDFIAS II, an enlarged version of his Enya .09 model featured in Winter's September 1983 column. Span is 66 1/4 in. for 615 sq. in. of area. Thermals nicely with average glides of about 10 min., and occasional forays around 20 min. Also inverts (glide too) from half outside loop entry. Right: Structural design and framing of Boyd's parasol are picture perfect. The more one studies it, the more impressive it becomes. Winter thinks it would be profane to change a single piece. Left: This Gentle Lady belongs to Craig Thompson and belies his age of 15. It flies like a dream on two channels with or without the pod. It's covered with blue, trans. red, and trans. yellow MonoKote. Without pod he thinks he gets 50 ft. hand-launched, gets 5 min. consistently with pod. Right: Craig's friend, Matt Bishup (age 13), is shown with his HOB Two Tee right after launch. Such gliders are an easy way to learn to fly.
Just for the Fun of It: Plane Talk
OFF TO SEE THE WIZARD. The PA system blasted the Light Horse Cavalry Overture as Continental's 727 leaned into its California leg out of the Denver hub. Do they do this in the West these days? A Continental gimmick? It was an iron bird in human terms. Cross that goal line, leap that hurdle, lift that bale. Rotation! The music stopped. Clapping of hands, cheers. Seat belts prevented a standing ovation. Touch-down at Ontario. On came the overture to reach its wild climax as the magic carpet turned onto the taxiway. Encore! Super. Is there a ghostly 727 making music as it endlessly crisscrosses the snowy peaks?
Just for the Fun of It: Plane Talk
THE AVERAGE AGE of the 105,000-plus AMA members in 39, two years higher than it was in 1978 when I was last curious. Before anyone goes into a flap, I am not Chicken Little; the sky is not falling, and I never told any of my nine kids that they must eat their spinach because it's good for them. I know the average age of modelers has been rising for over 50 years-since I began in 1927. Model Airplane News of 1929 was for kids, and I was one of the generation that identified with Lindy-the romance of daring World War I aces, the glamour of the early barnstormers with Standards and Jennies, heroic air mail pilots like Jack Knight who landed by emergency fires and auto headlights. And I saw American Boy with its plans and Twenties-style appeal to the 300,000 members of the AMLA which preceded the AMA with starry-eyed Nationals and trip prizes to the Olympics. We grew up as a wave; modeling progress, always more complicated and expensive. The age curve really rose with RC, a "rich man's" hobby. Consider that the dollar volume of the aeromodeling industry today is roughly $500,000,000.
Just for the Fun of It: Plane Talk
BIG BEGINNINGS. The Big Bang. Beethoven's Fifth. Al Doerr's Big Cub. What am I doing talking about an 18-ft. model that weighs 100 lb.? For a guy like Doerr with a suitable flying field (for such things) far away from the madding crowd, it makes sense. Few of us should build such a model. I should not. If I lived on that 70-acre 1933 farm where I flew dinky Rubber Scalers, I'd be tempted, but people and humongous models don't mix. Consider that picture of Al and his giant J-3, the far-out open terrain, and the craftsmanship. All he says is, "Here is a photo of my latest one-year project. It was interesting to me, as there were so many challenging problems with building this size." (I note he is AMA Life Member 91 and IMAA Member 06.) The model stats are something: Span, 18 ft.; area, 6,912 sq. in.; wing loading, 33.3 oz./sq. ft. (rather like 12 or so on your six-footer); weight, 100 lb.; engine, 6.0 cu. in. Sachs Dolmar turning a 30 × 8 prop at 5,200.
