Radio Control: Scale
WOULD YOU BELIEVE one of the most neglected aspects of Scale, especially Stand-off or Sport Scale, is color and marking. I have touched on this subject somewhat in previous columns, but we need to cover some points again. The most static points awarded are for accuracy of outline, 40 points. It's fairly easy to modify or change many kits or magazine plans to resemble this or that airplane, or even to rework non-scale models, such as some of the biplane kits, to resemble scale biplanes. Usually, it's the finish and markings that give your model that scale look. Especially the war birds. It's hard to believe, but of all the many airplanes mass produced (other than non-painted metal airplanes) our old friend the J-3 Club was probably the only airplane that came out of the factory the same as the one before, yellow with a black stripe on the fuse side.
Radio Control: Scale
NOW THAT WE are into mid-winter and building time, a new year and the bicentennial year, I'm sure most scale enthusiasts are planning on an exciting year contest-wise. Interest is really building in scale or more scale-like RC models. All indications are that 1976 will be a bumper year for contests. There are many bicentennial events being planned where RC models will play a part and, of course, scale-type models in particular. It's rather hard to relate scale RC models to the American Revolution; who knows, maybe old George crossed the Delaware in a C-47 that Xmas! But the exposure our hobby can get at the many events is a great opportunity to sell the general public our sport and hobby-the building of models as a hobby and flying them as a sport. So let us know early if you and your club are planning an event this year for Scale and I will certainly mention it in the column.
Radio Control: Scale
I BELIEVE YOU would find no argument against the streamlining and pleasing appearance of the nose line of a P-51, Spitfire or ME 109, and many more in-line-engine aircraft. To obtain the most desirable appearance for such aircraft for scale we need to install our powerplant in an inverted position. The first thing that comes to mind is the idling problems encountered in an inverted engine. Let's take a look at the problem! The model engines we use today in scale models use a glow plug that obtains its heat from two sources, outside starting batteries and inside heat from the exploding fuel at the head. A cold plug at start may draw as much as 3 to 4 amps of current, which is very high, and can be sustained only for short periods of time because most starting batteries are in the range of 2 to 5 amps.
Radio Control: Scale
IN THE LAST column we got into the aerodynamics of how to scratch-build your next Stand-off Scale bird. We have chosen the powerplant (a good .60, and there are many to choose from) and the airfoil (we will use, say, a 2414 in this case). The next consideration is the size of the wing. It's usually best to start with the wing and to determine the size and wing area needed. I'm what you would call a "heavy" builder in that I like to beef up my scale models to stand the rigors of contest flying as a lot of our midwestern flying sites are grass or cow pasture flying fields. On an average, I build around 9-10 lbs.: so 660 to 700 sq. in. of wing area is best for that weight. For a very light model you may go as low as 600 sq. in., but most scale models get a little squirrelly below 600 sq. in. and usually don't fly too scale-like. Most popular kits today are in the 600 to 700 sq. in. category. Again, the biplane is the exception, usually having a higher wing area of 700 to 760 sq. in. So you turn to your past building experience as to how heavy or light you can build your scale model. Remember, too, foam wings are usually about 10-15% heavier than built-up wings, but in many ways are well worth it.
Radio Control: Scale
WITH THE BIGGEST part of the '75 contest season about over in most of the country I'm sure many of you are thinking about next season and the coming winter's building time. From the reports and what I've seen Stand-off Scale was a real biggie this past year. Of great interest to this writer was the interest in the WW II contests which seem to be growing from coast to coast. As I have stated before, there seems to be something fascinating about the warbirds, be it WW I or II. There are so many fine subjects to pick from, especially WW II, as so many types can be adapted to Stand-off Scale. Modelers seem to be coming up with new ones all the time. Birds that were thought to be impractical just a few years ago in AMA scale, with a little modification, make good flying Stand-off Scale birds; this is great, and what Stand-off was created for. It's too bad, but again AMA scale models at the Nat's were drastically down in number and most were airplanes that have been around for several years, and no wonder, as it takes 2-3 years to build and adequately test fly an AMA Scale that is competitive under our rules. It's been said many times before, but we need some rule changes to stimulate more interest in AMA Scale.
