Micro-Flying - 2005/01

GREETINGS, fans of micro models.
Assuming you get this when I anticipate
you will, let me wish you a happy holiday
season. Of course, I hope you find your
cherished new micro product under the
tree.
The officers of the National Indoor
Remote-controlled Aircraft Council
(NIRAC) are working hard to make the
arrangements for the 2005 championships.
At this point, I anticipate that the contest
will be in the fall and will likely be held in
a golf-dome type of building on the East
Coast. For updated information, check the
NIRAC Web site at www.nirac.org.

Bristol Brownie

ENGLAND 1924: Just as the sun was peeking over the horizon,
two dark sedans marked with the name and logo of the Bristol
Aircraft Company rolled up to a hangar. With the mist still rolling
over the grass field, men climbed out of the automobiles. Their eyes
were red from a late night of work, but their spirits were high with a
sense of optimism.
The hangar doors were rolled back creaking with protest, revealing
a trim silver monoplane of very modern design. Named the Brownie, it
was the Bristol company’s latest entry in the efficiency trials.
Powered with a Bristol-built 32-horsepower Cherub engine, the
Brownie even had sets of wings for the several different tasks. This
day was the speed task, and the shorter set of wings had been fitted.
For the next hour the tired mechanics went over each adjustment
and fitting, preparing the Brownie. When all was finally proclaimed
ready, the men moved into place to start the little Cherub.

Piper Vagabond

The Piper Aircraft Corporation
introduced the Vagabond in 1948, as
an effort to produce a true two-place
economy airplane.
The Vagabond shared parts with its
ancestor, the J-3 Cub, including wing panels
(shortened), tail surfaces, and a variety of
hardware.
Starting with the PA-15 model, the
Vagabond was a “bare bones” economy
version with a 65-horsepower engine, single
controls, and no landing-gear shocks.
Soon following, the PA-17 had dual
controls and landing-gear shocks, along
with various other amenities. This is the
version I chose to model.
The Vagabond has performed
extremely well for me as a Rubber Scale
model, winning Duration contests and
placing second at the big Flying Aces
Club (FAC) Nationals at Geneseo NY.

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