Amy
Living without a tailplane can be fun! With all the designs available, why should anyone want to buck the system and fly a model without a tail? Why not? I like having the rare one on the flight line. Amy is my third tailless, and was designed to get close to a true aerobatic platform. Amy has no nasty tricks-it wouldn't be here if it did-but it isn't for the low-hours pilot, who is a little unsure of his/her ability. It's fast, neutrally stable and very aerobatic; the only thing Amy is a `trainer' for is to learn how to fly fast, aerobatic tailless models.
Small: Fun Fly
For most modelers, the ideal meet is one with little competition-show up, fly, shoot the breeze, meet, have fun. The AMA calendar is full of them, with a rider-International Miniature Aircraft Association (IMAA) members only. That's fine, if you are an IMAA member with huge models. I'm not-that's why I traveled 2,200 miles from Washington DC to the SMALL (Small Model Aircraft Lovers' League) Fun Fly in Little Rock, Arkansas in June. Yes, it's a long way from my home, but many more modelers covered the miles from Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and Pennsylvania. What's the attraction? How about a well-run event-with an upper engine limit of .26 cubic inches displacement. That's right-the "heavy metal" flies on .25s or O.S.'s baby four-strokes. RC is just one part of the picture. Free Flight, Control Line, and Radio Control models rub shoulders at the SMALL Fun Fly.
Longster Wimpy
Back in 1930s Oregon, Les Long designed and built lightweight single-seat aircraft. The Wimpy had a flat twin engine that Les built from Harley Davidson cylinders and his own crankcase. The low wing was unusual: his designs used shoulder or parasol wings for a better downward view, but a long tail and high aspect ratio are his style. Scale modeling involves documenting dials, researching rivets, observing oil leaks. In Electric flight, the gurus say, "Size the model, work out the power needed, spend the money." I'd fallen for this aircraft, and wanted a model of it! Scale competition is out of reach nowadays, so I aimed to capture the "air" of the design.
