Free Flight: Old-Timers
WAKEFIELD'S GOLDEN. Fifty years of Wakefield was celebrated June 24, 1984 at Warwick Racetrack, England. Before you get out the paper and pen, let me reassure you that Wakefield has been around longer than 50 years. The first contest was held in 1929, but 1934 was the first contest under "proper rules." That historical meet took place at Warwick Racetrack on June 24, 1934. "Proper rules" limited weight to four ounces, wing area to 200 square inches (plus or minus 10), minimum fuselage cross section at length squared/100, and required the model to rise off ground.
China Nats
An invitation from the People's Republic of China presented a fantastic opportunity for a small group of AMA members to compete with top Chinese fliers in FF and CL events and to freely exchange aeromodeling information. The author found that the Chinese have reached a high state of perfection in every modeling event.
Free Flight: Old-Timers
GETTING it there: Today's modelers are finding out what old-timers always knew: the bigger the model, the more fun! But with today's shrinking automobiles, many of us are limited to designs that will fit in our car. Of course, there are other solutions short of trading the family car for a pickup or station wagon. We could, for example, build two-piece wings and hope we can still get the fuselage inside the vehicle. Maybe if we rest the tail on the dashboard . . . A better solution might be to invest in a car-top model box. Such an arrangement may appear like you are conducting a do-it-yourself funeral with a coffin on top of the old bus, but it can sure free up a lot of room inside for other items-including people!
Free Flight: Old-Timers
SCAVENGER HUNT: Where can I find an old ignition engine? This is a frequently asked question, and the answer is not always so simple. Of course, if the enquirer is after a specific make and model, he has his work cut out for him. The field is considerably narrower and he may expect to pay a top price for an example in good running condition. If, however, you are not quite so particular or do not have the time to acquire some "trading stock," you have a much better chance at getting just what you want. Literally thousands upon thousands of ignition engines were manufactured and sold. A large percentage of these engines is still around. Some were lost, a few worn out or destroyed, but most people are prone to stick things back in a corner, even if they are not personally interested, if the object has some apparent or implied value.
Free Flight: Old-Timers
TURNABOUT: A frequently asked question on the flying field: How can I make my ship turn in the glide? Rudder tab is often not desirable due to its adverse effect under power. Stabilizer tilt, commonly used on modern power models, requires a large stab, often as much as 40 percent of the wing area, to be effective. Washing in the wing on the side of the desired direction of turn works well but may be difficult to do on the field. My method is to install a short piece of formed trailing edge stock beneath the wing that will be inside the circle. Start with about three inches of 1/4 × 1" trailing edge stock and secure it, sharp edge forward, to the wing trailing edge with straight pins or a couple drops of glue. The added drag will help establish a turn in the glide. During the power portion of the flight this adjustment will increase lift slightly and helps keep the ???board wing up in the climb. This method should be used only when climb and glide turn are in the same direction.
