Models Go To The Movies
IT'S HARD to imagine what our cinema would be like without models and modelers. Whenever you see a movie about the past, you know it was made in the present. If old-time airplanes are featured, often as not you may ask yourself, "Where did they find them?" As a Russian and a modeler, I can tell where you'll find any aircraft used in filming a movie in my country. But first I'd like to introduce you to some people-the modelers who help make the magic of the movies happen. Konstantin Karpov is 27 and has been a modeler for 14 years. He flies F3B models and radio-controlled Gliders, and he placed first on our national team in the European Championships held in Czechoslovakia this year.
Technologies From Russia
CONDITIONS under which Russian modelers must operate force us to be innovative and do everything ourselves, because it's practically impossible to buy models, engines, and other stuff in a store. It should therefore come as no surprise that plenty of original and clever techniques for constructing model airplanes and engines can be found in Russia. Suitable modeling materials are scarce, so everybody tries to sort out the cheapest, most economical building methods. At the same time we do our best to keep the models strong and light. We also try to make efficient use of the time spent in the workshop.
Before the Revolution: RC Helicopters in Russia
YOU REMEMBER that the idea that people could fly by means of a propeller was first described by the brilliant artist and scientist of the Renaissance. Leonardo da Vinci. Much time passed before people could use a propeller to fly airplanes, and much more time was required to build the first helicopter. Working on the first helicopter in the U.S.S.R, the disciples of N.E. Gukovskiy made lots of experiments using simple models, then intensive work was begun on the first Soviet helicopter. During preliminary investigations, many experimental flights of model Helicopters having one rotor and a rubber motor were done by modeler Georgiy Miklashevskiy. Undoubtedly flying of helicopters and holding competitions was the outcome of people's aim to realize Leonardo's dreams in our lifetime.
Svetlana's: RC Combat Plane
THE PLANES streak straight up, then descend in a spin, silver wings glimmering as they zoom through a series of breathtaking maneuvers. They're stable and aerobatic at the same time. These are models, of course, not full-scale airplanes, and some of the credit for how capably they fly goes to the skill of the RC pilots guiding them. Even the uninitiated can see that these planes represent military aircraft. That is, except for the streamers floating behind them.
