Big Bangers: For Big Birds
OF ALL OUR engine reports to date, this has turned out to be the most difficult in some respects and the easiest in others. A combination of weather and equipment problems forced us to have a total of four sessions in order to complete runs on four engines. Normally, we would do all of them in one session. This was all spread out from March to June, with cool conditions for the first runs and hot, humid conditions at the completion. The first runs were with the big, 4.3 cu. in. Hornet. It was a clear but cool day in March, and things were moving along nicely. We got an early start and expected to make runs on all four engines that day.
Radio Control: Giant Scale
BIIIG FOKKER FOLLOW-UP. In my August 1983 column, I had a picture of Keith Davis' 1/3-scale Fokker DR-1. John Dyal, who sent the original information, recently sent me some photos of the Triplane's first flights. Unfortunately, the pictures are not usable for the magazine, but test pilot Ken Bryant's comments are interesting. He says, "It flies the same as full-sized real ones I've read about: short takeoff run must be directly into the wind, landings cannot be crosswind, ailerons are very effective, and rudder is extremely effective." Keith is to be congratulated on the successful completion of an ambitious project.
Radio Control: Giant Scale
TEMPUS FIDGETS. My, how time flies when you're having fun! This issue marks the start of my fifth year writing this column. I wasn't in on the very beginning of the Big Bird movement, but I've certainly been in the thick of it during the explosive growth and development of the last few years. I've been modeling for over 50 years now, and nothing in all that time can compare to this thing we call Giant Scale. And, I'm not the only long-time modeler who feels that way. Time and time again I run into people who, even though they had gotten bored and given up on modeling, are bitten by the Big Bird Bug and bound back boisterously.
Radio Control: Giant Scale
IMAA'S FOURTH ANNUAL. The International Miniature Aircraft Association's Fourth Annual Fun Fly Festival is moving to the West Coast this year. Location is the Sepulveda Basin in Los Angeles, and the dates are Thursday August 16 through Sunday August 19. While Giant Scalers in the Midwest, and especially in the East, may be disappointed at the location, it is only fair to give the Western big-birders a chance.
Radio Control: Giant Scale
NEW QUADRAS? Yes, there are some new things from Quadra, and some of them may be surprising. First, all new Quadras coming out of the factory are now equipped with Quadra's version of the spring starter that has become so popular in the last year. I still consider this starter to be the single most useful accessory ever developed for Giant Scale engines. I don't know all the details, but as I understand it, Quadra will install the starter on all new engines being manufactured; however, they will not provide starters for older engines. PK Products (P.O. Box 6226, Hayward, CA 94540) is the source of the H&K SuperStarter for earlier Quadras, and several other engines.
