Flying for Fun
PLANTING SEEDS: Some seeds sprout very quickly and bloom almost overnight, while others lie dormant for many years until the correct conditions occur, whereupon they burst forth in full bloom. I hold that not all modeling programs that promote modeling to the public bloom immediately. We can plant the seeds and carefully nurture them, but often we must wait patiently for the program to germinate and finally bloom. If a modeling promotion project doesn't immediately produce a mass rush to the hobby shop, we should not consider the seeds dead. Rather, they are just dormant and may remain so for many years until suddenly the proper stimulus triggers their maturation.
Flying for Fun
A RC SCALE DURATION: During the nearly twenty years I've been writing for model magazines, nothing has equaled the response to my comments on A RC Scale Duration in the October 1994 column. Many others agree that building and thermaling scale models of this size would be terrific fun. Input has varied regarding the mechanisms to develop rules, but the response to the concept has been totally favorable. Several letters indicate a preference for using a fuel allotment approach, similar to Norm Rosenstock's A Texaco proposal in the July 1994 issue of this magazine. Other writers prefer using the power duration or climb-and-glide rules currently in the AMA rule book. Some express concerns over my suggested use of a standard engine, while still others are uneasy about the ROG requirements.
A Little History
Aeronca, A Photo History by Hollenbaugh and House is highly recommended to anyone with an interest in Aeroncas. This delightful soft-cover book includes an excellent section on the numerous variations of the T (trainer) series. This was Aeronca's first tandem-seat aircraft, and their first design with a four-longeron box fuselage and aluminum wing ribs. When the threat of war became apparent in 1939, the US military had a serious shortage of aircraft and an even more alarming undersupply of pilots. The government instituted an emergency program to train a pool of civilians in the basic piloting skills, to be activated as aviation cadets when the military training programs were developed.
Flying for Fun
STUFF IN USE: I hope that the last flying season was a great one for everyone. I know I certainly flew my fill. In the midst of all that flying several new techniques (at least to me) have been developed and some new products tried. Furthermore, I've snooped around a bit and found some good ideas others are using. This column will be centered on those subjects. Some of which may be old hat to many modelers but others may find something new and useful. AMA does not endorse products nor print product reviews in its publications; a good policy, in my opinion, as it avoids any possible questions concerning objectivity or fairness.
Flying for Fun
A DETECTIVE STORY: Researching drawings, photos, colors, and data on aircraft can become a hobby unto its self. The challenges and potential rewards are directly proportional to the prototype's rareness and obscurity. There is voluminous documentation on some full-scale prototypes, while virtually nothing exists for others. One of my most challenging and frustrating searches has been for materials on a really rare airplane. I had a set of drawings for a CL Scale prototype Ford Flivver done by Don Pratt Aviation Archives.
