Flying Scale Models Issue 140 (2011-07)

FSM JULY 11 COVER

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July 2011 £4.20

9 771368 900042

FORMATION TONY OK

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EDITOR Tony Dowdeswell (Tel: +44 (0)1494 433453) [email protected]

ADVERTISEMENT SALES Lisa Dawson (Tel: +44 (0)1684 311514) Skype: lisa.dawson1 [email protected]

Formatio FLYING SCALE MODELS - THE WORLD’S

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DESIGNER Peter Hutchinson [email protected]

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EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN Richard Cox MANGAGING DIRECTOR/PUBLISHER Adrian Cox GROUP-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Paul Hamblin COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR Ann Saundry PRODUCTION Production Manager - Janet Watkins Ad Production Manager - Debi McGowan [email protected] MARKETING Marketing Manager - Martin Steele SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions Manager - Roz Condé Subscriptions Department, Flying Scale Models, Key Publishing Ltd, P0 Box 300, Stamford, Lincs, PE9 1NA, UK. Telephone: +44 (0)1780 480404 Fax: +44 (0)1780 757812. E-Mail: [email protected] DISTRIBUTED BY: Seymour Distribution Ltd, 2 Poultry Avenue, London EC1A 9PP, UK. Tel: +44 (0)20 7429 4000 Fax: +44 (0)20 7429 4001. PRINTED BY: William Gibbons & Sons, Willenhall. Printed in England. ISSN – 1368-9002 Email: [email protected] Web: www.flyingscalemodels.com

ON THE COVER

The entire content of Flying Scale Models is © copyright, and no part of it may be reproduced in any form or stored on any form of retrieval system without the prior permission of the publisher.

The annual East Anglian R/C Scale event at Rougham airfield might fairly be called the ‘rough ‘em up’ event this year, thanks to the wind on the second day! But Alex Whittaker captured plenty of action on day one, including Mike Booth’s Spitfire PR Mk.9 from Mike’s 112” span Flying Legends kit.

All items submitted for publication are subject to our terms and conditions. These are regularly updated without prior notice and are freely available from Key Publishing Ltd or downloadable from www.keypublishing.com.

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PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY: Key Publishing Ltd, PO Box 100, Stamford, Lincs, PE9 1XQ, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1780 755131 Fax: +44 (0)1780 757261

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FORMATION TONY OK

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’S ONLY MAGAZINE FOR SCALE MODEL FLYERS 5

July 2011 No.140

CONTACT Scale model news

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SCALE SOARING Project complete! Chris Williams’ Spalinger S25a finished, drop tested and now just waiting for the weather to co-operate

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FULL-SIZE FREE PLAN FEATURE MORANE SAULNIER TYPE N PART 1: An electric scale model for three or four function control. Designed by Peter Rake, with the prototype model built and described by Steve Perry

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MORANE-SAULNIER TYPE N TYPE HISTORY A neat little fighter of the early WW1 years that helped to define the essentials of what a fighter aircraft should be

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SCALE AT ROUGHAM Alex Whittaker’s photo-report of the biggest modelling show in East Anglia

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TIPSY NIPPER FOR FREE-FLIGHT For a change of pace, why not try a little free flight fun with C.C. Badger’s little creation first designed and built in the late1950s. Originally intended for 0.5 - 0.8cc engines, it could also be converted to modern lightweight electric

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INDOOR SCALE NATS 2011 Alex Whittaker presents his photo report of the The BMFA Free Flight Indoor Scale Championships, 2011

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BOEING F4B & P-12 & SCALE DRAWINGS A classic fighter biplane series that served both the US Navy and US Army Air Corps

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FLYING COLOURS Warpaint for the Boeing F4B & P-12

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THE QUIET ZONE A study in basic design is our subject this month as our columnist tells how he does it.

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TECHNO SCALE Mike Evatt searches cyberspace for more TechnoScale Topics

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CONTACT Tony OK

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Contact et’s start with an apology for all those anticipating Jeff Hartnoll’s Gloster Gauntlet as our main feature this month - it’s not here. Unfortunately, it has not been possible to draw all the threads of this one together for the July issue, but it WILL appear in August issue. We anticipate making the Gauntlet plans available in the original 1/4 scale, and in reduced 1/5th scale for those who need something a bit smaller - and both will be supported by cut parts component packs for those who need them. Meanwhile, we have other things to hold your interest these months. The Morane-Saulnier Type N was a very racy looking (for its time) early WW1 fighter, which is no surprise, since the aircraft was closely developed from a Morane-Saulnier racer of 1913. Prolific designer Peter Rake drew this one up for electric power and at 1/6th scale (1358mm - 53.5”) gives the would-be builder a good size,

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but still easily transportable model. The four-sheet FREE plan set is too big to run in a single issue of the magazine, so Part 2 will appear in August issue. American fighter aircraft of the 1920s and 30s tended to exude an appearance and a kind of ‘presence’ that one might perhaps perceive as a kind of ‘national characteristic’ - not especially aesthetic, but pugnaciously tough AND no-nonsense practical, in shapes that have an appeal of their own. Thus, our ‘Subject for Scale’ feature this month invites those with the creative talent to consider two of USA’s most successful 1930s fighters, the Boeing F4B (US Navy/Marines) and P-12 (US Army) which were, basically the same design, tailored to the needs of these three individual combat services. The intense rivalries that existed between the three arms of the US Military make this basic commonality a tribute to Boeing and their little fighter design.

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CONTACT Tony OK

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Other things to come... NIEUPORT 27

FAIREY FIREFLY

e have other major model designs waiting for publication. The latest from Australia’s Gary Sunderland is his Nieuport 27. This is the latest in Gary’s long line of practical 1/4 scale classic, for which the plans are already drawn up for presentation in both 1/4 and 1/5th scales. Fellow scale modeller John Lamont sent us some shots of Gary’s prototype model in action during a recent scale event at Albury on the Victoria/New South Wales border.

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t seems a long time since the Fairey Firefly received much attention from scale modellers. Quite a while back (at least 20 years now), Chiltern Models produced a kit for the late MK.5 version and it would be nice to see this resurrected. In its original MK.1 version, with ‘chin’ air-intake, the Firefly saw extensive action with the British Pacific Fleet during the late stages of WW2. Chris Peers has a 100 inch-plus Firefly Mk. 1 that by now is either close to test flying or has already now flown. We look forward to presenting a feature on this big model soon. Meanwhile - nice one Chris!

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NIMROD’S PROGRESS

YT DAUNTLESS

e had first sight of Mike Altham’s astounding B.Ae. Nimrod at the LMA’s Bradford Symposium Bradford a little earlier this year, and it is huge! The Nimrod is the first model that Mike has designed and built from scratch, so he’s not short of ambition. Mike has promised FSM access to the model when she is finished, but meanwhile he had supplied these vital statistics:

he Douglas SBD Dauntless is an aircraft that achieved a decisive effect on world history in a matter of minutes out of all proportion to the true capability of the aircraft type when, at the Battle Midway in 1942, Dauntlesses fatally crippled four of the five aircraft carriers of the Japanese battle fleet intent on capturing the critically important Midway Island in the Pacific. The Dauntless has been a long-time scale modellers’ favourite. Scale ARTFs are definitely improving, and YT International’s Dauntless SBD is a good example of the higher standards being achieved by some Manufacturers. It has a detailed moulded fuselage complete with panel lines, and the spray finish is matched to special covering for convincing scale detailing. Although supplied with fixed undercarriage, retracts are available. The wingspan is 72”, weight range is 13-15 lbs, and she flies on a 26cc petrol engine or 1.20 glow. Price: £249.95

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BAE Systems Nimrod MRA4 210” wing span Weight estimated 140 lbs Will carry 10 litre of kerosene 16 servos on board 2 x 170n thrust gas turbines Fin height around 5ft. Stay tuned for more photos and details as they become available.

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http://www.ytinternational.co.uk/sbd/sbd.htm

CONTACT Tony OK

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BUY Lines ALL-NEW JETCAT TURBINE

HORNS IN-SITU ere’s a nifty idea for large model controls from Solutions - epoxy glass captive horns. The idea is that you build these epoxy fibreglass horns into the structure of your control surface, for unrivalled toughness. There are two to a packet, and deliberately large, undrilled, and unshaped, so that you may decide on the length of lever you require, and any rake angle you desire. A couple of cuts with a Dremel disc to let them into the surface and Bob’s your uncle. £ 3.75 a pair from Solutions, telephone: 01207 544 414.

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There’s another all-new gas turbine from JetCat in the form of the P100 RX. This one incorporates an optimized compressor/diffuser system, resulting in much higher engine performance with greater reliability and virtually instant throttle commands. The new P100 RX turbine is designed around a compact outline and includes an internal kerosene start, internal EGT sensor, internal solenoids, and has only one fuel connection to the engine as well as numerous other design features. Priced at £1,875 the P100 RX is available from Al’s Hobbies Jet Centre 28 Stratford Rd, Wolverton Milton Keynes MK12 5LW. Tel: 01908 313142 and all Al’s hobbies stores, or see their website for more details. www.alshobbies.com

MORE SERVOS FROM MULTIPLEX (Pic 10) he range of servos in the Multiplex range is already vast, but now there’s another. The new Tiger M HV servo from (part number 65158) is a standard sized device, which provides high torque combined with fast travel speed. This ball raced output metal geared servo is rated and both 6v and 7.4v (making it suitable for 2S LiPo operation) and has a claimed torque output of 83/94 Ncm (117/133 oz. in) respectively. It is programmable and ideal for demanding operations, see www.multiplexrc.de for further information.

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Where there’s SCALE... IMPORTANT NOTICE: AT EVENTS WHERE PROOF OF VALID INSURANCE IS MANDATORY, PILOTS ARE REMINDED THAT IT IS ESSENTIAL TO PROVIDE A CURRENT INSURANCE CERTIFICATE FOR INSPECTION BY EVENT ORGANISERS. FAILURE TO DO SO WILL RESULT IN REFUSAL OF PERMISSION TO FLY

MODEL SHOWS JUNE 18/19 2011 WESTON PARK INTERNATIONAL MODEL AIR SHOW, organised by Wrekin MFC, Weston-under-Lizard, (M54 Jct 3 & 8 miles off M6 Jct 12.) Camping; Family attractions; Top pilot; Full size air display; Eurofighter Typhoon; 100 traders; Commentary by Dave Bishop. Contact: Steve Bishop tel: 01952 587298/07758895068/ [email protected] Trade equiries: Peter Whitehead 01952 684169. JUNE 25-26 2011 25TH ANNIVERSARY WINGS & WHEELS MODEL SPECTACULAR at North Weald Airfield, Epping, Essex CM16 6AR. Join the organisers in celebrating a quarter century of modelling achievement! 9.30am till 5.30pm each day. Displays include planes, helicopters, boats, trucks, tanks, cars Daleks and much more. Huge trade support and the biggest Bring & Buy meet anywhere! Contact Simon Rodway on 01242 604126 for details, email [email protected] or visit www.wingsnwheels.net JULY 2 & 3 WOODSPRING 2011 The south west’s biggest Model Airshow, featuring an exciting programme of model aircraft and with full model trade support. Venue: Claverham Drove, Yatton, Bristol. Follow signs from J20 or J.21 from M5. Contacts: 01934 525990; 07775 981677. Email: [email protected];

www.woodspringwings.co.uk

SCALE GLIDER & AEROTOW EVENTS APRIL 17th TVSA OPEN EVENT at Siege Cross. www.tvsa.scalesoaring.co.uk APRIL 28 - MAY 3 SANDHAYS (LINCOLNSHIRE) PRELIMINARY DATE - OPEN AERO-TOW EVENT FOR 2011. Please come and support our event and check out our Website. http://www.ssgaonline.co.uk MAY 1 WHITE SHEET SCALE FLY-IN (back up date May 8th) Entry £3 (WSRFC members free) Go no-go decision will be posted on the SSUK forum on Saturday before the event. scalesoaring.co.uk 14TH & 15TH SHEFFIELD SOCIETY OF AEROMODELLERS at Callow bank, North Derbyshire. Backup dates 21st and 22nd May MAY 21/22 TVSA AEROTOW EVENT MIDDLE WALLOP. 29th - Dartmoor Slope Soaring Club & Teign Valley Model Flying Club For further details email FelixMarten [email protected] JUNE 8-16 BELLE VUE 2011, a week long flying and aerotow event set on a private airfield in North Devon. The format will be the same as previous years with on site camping, toilets and a hanger to store your models in. Come for the weekend or all week. Experienced tug pilots will be available all day every day to tow any size glider. Registration forms available from me, send a PM or email me [email protected]

JUNE 12 WIMBORNE MAC R/C SCALE and Aerotow scale meeting. BBQ. Ladies loo.Trophy for best model (must fly though). Contact James Parry: [email protected] 01202625825 Details: http://www.wimbornemac.org/ JUNE 18/19 TVSA AEROTOW EVENT. Middle Wallop. JULY 10TH TVSA OPEN EVENT at Siege Cross CLUB EVENTS JULY 2-3 WREXHAM MAC NORTH EAST WALES SUMMER OPEN WEEKEND at our picturesque site near Wrexham. BMFA members only, All models welcome, Models over 7Kg and Jets B cert only. BBQ on both days. Limited Camping available via pre-booking only. Contacts: Andy Wynn 077093147070 [email protected] Colin Whiteside 07949522952 [email protected] PSS SCALE GLIDER EVENTS AUGUST 13TH & 14TH PSS ‘FLY FOR FUN’ WEEKEND EVENT. Lleyn peninsula, Abersoch area. Meet at 10am each day. None PSSA members welcome - Proof of insurance required. More details at www.pssaonline.co.uk or phone Phil Cooke on 07772 224719 CLUB-RUN SCALE EVENTS

JULY 16 (SATURDAY) LIVERPOOL & DMAS LOW-KEY SCALE EVENT. Venue: Club field. Halsall. (both 2.4 GHz & 35 MHz). Insurance proof mandatory; ‘A’ Cert min. requirement, ‘B’ Cert. for over 7 Kgs). Open to all fixed wing types; Competition to simple flying schedule. Entry

£5.00. BBQ. Contact John Wheeler tel: 07973 952457; [email protected] JULY 30/31 ROLLS ROYCE (HUCKNALL) MAC SCALE & JET WEEKEND, Hucknall Airfield. Large models/Jets/Electric all welcome. ‘B’ pilot cert. minimum required. Public event parking garage. Sunday swop-meet for BMFA members only. Camping/Caravan available Fri. pm - Monday morning. Access to airfield via R-R no.2 gate on B6009 Watnall Road, NG15 6FQ. Contact: Reg Lowe 01773 716786/ [email protected] Trade enquiries: Alan Randall 0115 8401873/ [email protected] R/C ELECTRIC EVENTS JUNE 4/5TH ROLLS ROYCE (HUCKNALL)MAC ELECTRIC FLY-IN WEEKEND, Hucknall Airfield. All types of R/C electric powered model. Pilots and guests only, no public. BMFA/LMA insurance and minimum ‘A’ Certificate madatory. £2.00 per pilot. Swop-meet senday. Caravan/Camping available Fre, pm-Monday morning. Access to airfield via R-R No.2 Gate on B6009 Watnall Road, NG15 6FQ. Contact: Reg Lowe 01773 716786/ [email protected] JULY 19 PANDAS’ GRAND ELECTRIC ‘FREE FOR ALL’ FLY-IN 2011. (Pontefract and District Aeromodellers) Pontefract racecourse. Signposted from J32 M62. Gates open 9.30am, flying starts at 10.00. Off-the-peg flying for BMFA members with any electric model. Low key fun competitions. Flyers and spectators free. Model Traders welcome, Modellers Car Boot, Raffle, Toilets. No overnight camping. John Thompson; 01924 515595- [email protected]. Further details on this and other events www.pandasaero.co.uk

Flying Scale Models 7

SCALE SOARING Tony OK

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ON SILENT WINGS

by Chris Williams

Scale Soaring Project complete! Chris Williams’ Spalinger S25a - finished, drop tested and now just waiting for the weather to co-operate Project conclusion As Winter grudgingly gave way to Spring, another project reached its conclusion here at Williams’ Towers, that of the 1:3.5 scale Spalinger S25a. The first bits of wood were cut over the Christmas break, after cutting a path through the snow to the scroll saw in my garage, and now here we were in April, waiting for some winds a little more friendly than the Easterlies which seem to be The Bergfalke at White Sheet.

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the new prevailing direction. Once the wings were built, and the struts cobbled together, it was time to see if one of the early major design decisions was going to bear fruit, or whether it was all going to end in disaster. The idea was this: the wings were to be held to the fuselage via short 14mm steel wing joiner blades, both of which would meet in a joiner box bolted to the fuselage. Over such a short distance, these blades would have little input into

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coping with the bending loads, but would be strong enough to hold the wings in place during the rigging process. The bending and compression loads were to be borne by the aforementioned struts, which begged the questions: how were they to be constructed, and would they be strong enough in tension and compression? I chose to use 10mm diameter aluminium tubes from good ‘ol B & Q, with slots cut to fit over the brackets in the fuselage, and 3mm steel bolts for the purposes of attachment. This is when the sleepless nights commenced: how could I know if they would be up to the job? The finished model would have a projected AUW of some 24lbs and the G loads in flight could only be guessed at, but, allowing for emergencies, I reckoned 6G positive would be the ball-park limit, whilst I sincerely hoped that negative G would be limited to the occasional dodgy landing. So, 24 lbs at 6G, that’s, er, 144lbs (crikey!) but spread over two struts that’s 72lbs each, but then, as someone kindly pointed out, the struts are at an angle to the bending force, so a resolution of forces would be required... I decided to tackle the problem from the other end. I took a length of ali tube and slotted both ends. To one end I bolted a length of strong twine, and to the other I attached myself. I looped the twine over a convenient door and proceeded to haul myself up until my feet were dangling off the floor. Now, I weigh in the region of 180 lbs, so it seemed reasonable to assume that the strut attachment system would be good for well over the 6G, past which other things are going to fail anyway, including the gusset in my pants. So far, so good, then. With the wings and struts completed, it was time to test the next part of the system, the part which employs early twentieth century technology, namely that great old aeromodeller’s standby, the humble rubber band. With the wings in the place proscribed by the joiner blades, and held up by the struts, the negative G forces have to be countered by four sets of rubber bands, set between four sets of hooks screwed into the wing roots. Each No 63 band is doubled over, and there are three for each set of hooks. In the interests of science, I measured the pulling

The wing-mounting arrangement on the S25a.

The airframe ready for the Solartex.

Some mistakes can be quite amusing!

Testing the strut materials.

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SCALE SOARING Tony OK

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Author with the 1:3.5 scale, maiden-ready Spalinger S25a.

force of one band set up this way, which came to 5lbs. That means that there is a force of 60lbs holding the wings together, rather to my surprise. So, it was time for the acid test... With the model rigged up in the way described, I lifted her up to height of about eighteen inches and let ‘er drop. There was mighty crash, the wings momentarily pulled away from the fuselage and then snapped tidily back into place, and that was it. Those well acquainted with me will

not be surprised in the slightest to know that I filmed the test and put it up on the Internet, for other nuts to peruse. (Those who know me well expressed some surprise that I thought I could land even that well!) You may wonder why I didn’t simply make a rigid attachment system for the wings, obviously a much simpler option. The answer is that

my model design experiences have all been slope-based, and as any self-respecting slope rat will tell you, a heavy arrival is a statistical certainty, due to the sometimes unexpected nature of the discipline. Building the Spalinger S25a was a complicated and sometime funny journey. Imagine my chagrin when assembling her for the first time after the painting process only to discover that the struts were at 90 degrees to each other! Eventually, however, towards the end of April, the Spalinger and I found ourselves at my favourite slope, ready for the formal photography to begin. The wind, alas, was stuck in it familiar Easterly direction and at 90 degrees to the slope, so a maiden was out of the question...well, at least a ‘proper’ maiden was. As I packed away the camera I felt the tug of a familiar urge, the urge ToKnow-For-Sure. So, not for the first time in this situation, I hoisted her aloft along a flat piece of ground, ran like all the Hounds of Hell were after me, and thrust five months of work into the air. Without proper flying speed, she sagged somewhat gracelessly to earth

The offending strut now fixed.

Gordon Tarling’s electric Cessna 188 Aghusky tug at Siege Cross.

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SCALE SOARING Tony OK

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The Spalinger’s twin cockpits.

Geoff Crew’s late-lamented Bergfalke II 55.

Author’s new Bergfalke under construction.

Scroll saw therapy! A days work at Williams’ Towers.

Setting up scene at the TVSA aerotow at Siege Cross.

Gary Parker’s ARTF Windrider Habicht on tow.

after a flight lasting some 2.5 seconds, but I was well satisfied. In that short period of time I could tell that everything seemed to be set up about right, and that, barring the unforeseen, she would display no surprises during the ‘real’ maiden flight. That’s it then. Since that day the weather has refused to cooperate, so the final act in

this drama has yet to be played... I do hope that the Author has penned in a happy ending...

TVSA Aerotow, Siege Cross Farm, Thatcham- Sunday 17th April

Just enough room for a quick mention of the first scale soaring event of the season, One project ends... which as usual is the TVSA mob’s do at Another begins... The weather over the their home base of Siege Cross farm, a fulllong Easter period might have been consize airstrip on the outskirts of Thatcham, ducive to getting a sun tan, but due to the in Berkshire. Also as usual, the weather aforementioned strong Easterlies, wasn’t was perfect (how do they do it?) with blue much good for flying, so once again, the skies, fluffy clouds and lots of lovely therdelights of the workshop beckoned. A few mal activity. There were quite a few inciweeks earlier a pal of mine had the unfordents on the day, mostly of the groundtunate experience of a mid-air with a brand loop-on-take-off variety, blamed on the new model on the occasion of his first solo longer than usual grass rather than any aerotow flight. The model in question idea of beginning-of-the-seasonwas Bergfalke II 55, built from rustiness. (I can’t laugh, it one of my plans, and was happened to me, too.) completely written off. I The beautiful Wien felt so sorry for him, we saw for the first what could I do? As it time last year is Gary Parker’s recently turned out, I felt it now in the acquired Wien. incumbent upon hands of Gary me to lend him Parker, which my own flew very Bergfalke, now nicely on the rather weary day. (Gary’s after many a little slopeside Habicht adventure, performed which left me well too). It in the rather was at this fortunate posievent that tion of having Geoff Crew’s the excuse to Bergfalke build a new one. was written Lurking in the off, as previdarkest recesses of ously described, the loft I found my and the hour or so original jig, with all the we spent combing fuselage former supports the surrounding counin place, so I set to with a tryside for its mortal will. One day of scroll saw theraremains were a testament to py saw all the fuselage parts cut out, and the rule ‘never wear shorts when two days later the fuselage was in the jig searching for a model’. One other notable and out of it again, with the tailplane under model was Gordon Tarling’s electric Cessna construction. This must be my fifth or sixth 188 Aghusky tug, which successfully pulled version of the Bergfalke now, so its small up a procession of 1/4 scale gliders before wonder that for me, making one is rather becoming hors de combat in a slight landakin to shelling peas! I intend to make this ing whoopsie. All in all an excellent start to one as light as I can by covering the flying the season, for which thanks must go to surfaces with film, and maybe I will tinker the TVSA crew and all the hard-working with the wing sections a little bit, and pertug pilots for making it happen... ■ haps try a different system of spar construction...ah, model-making, never a dull moment... [email protected]

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MORANE FREE PLAN PART 1 TONY OK

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FULL-SIZE FREE PLAN FEATURE

by Peter Rake & Steve Perry

Moran

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MORANE FREE PLAN PART 1 TONY OK

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ne Saulnier Type N PART 1: An electric scale model for three or four function control. Designed by Peter Rake, with the prototype model built and described by Steve Perry esigned as a pre-war racer, the Morane Saulnier Type N sacrificed nearly everything for speed, (just over 100 mph was blisteringly fast in 1913). Built for straight-line speed, stability and manoeuvrability characteristics suffered. The ‘N’ were a handful to fly, but was fast for its time. When war broke out the following year, aircraft were used for observation and proved invaluable in that role. Shortly thereafter, the need yo deny the enemy the benefits of aerial observation became important. The Germans soon introduced the Fokker Eindecker with its single synchronized machine gun firing straight ahead through the propeller. While lacking a synchronized gun of their own, the French began experimenting with armoured propellers designed to deflect bullets fired through the propeller arc. First tried on the parasol wing Morane Saulnier Type L, bullet deflectors were soon fitted to the propellers of the Type Ns, which had been pressed into service as fast scouts. The French used their Hotchkiss gun and the British, also lacking a counter to the German Fokkers with their synchronized gun, adapted a Lewis gun to the Type Ns they had bough from the French. The added weight of a gun and extra ammunition only made the already poor handling characteristics worse. Pilots had plenty to do just to fly the airplane; manoeuvring for a shot and operating an often contrary machine gun made the Type N nearly as deadly to its own pilots a they were to the enemy. When the French Nieuport 11s and British DH2s came into service with their greater performance, manoeuvrability and un-interrupted rates of fire, the Morane ‘Bullets’ as they had become known, were relegated to the role of squadron hacks and quickly disappeared from combat. Disliked by their pilots and not designed for aerial combat, the Morane Saulnier Type N remains an iconic aircraft of the First World War, probably due to its design as a streamlined monoplane which hinted at greater things yet to come. The French were the first to remove their type Ns from combat service in 1915. The RFC used them, mostly in No. 60 Squadron until October of 1916. These included a few Type Is and Type Vs. The type I had a 110 Hp Le Rhone engine and the Type V has a larger wing in addition to the larger engine. Some type Is and Type Vs were fitted with synchronized Vickers guns. The Russians operated some Type N and Type I machines, a few of which survived the war and saw service in the Russian Civil War following WWI.

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TOP: Sheeting the shells while they are still attached to the board reduces the risk of pulling things out of line. ABOVE: Once the top shell is finished, seen in the background, you’ll need a bottom shell to go with it.

While officially referred to as ‘Morane Monocoques’, the Type N had a traditional wire braced girder fuselage. The rounded sides were filled out by formers and stringers. They had a shoulder mounted wing and lateral control was achieved by wing warping which required a fairly heavy hand on the controls. The elevator was one piece and rotated about the spar which ran through a bearing tube at the horizontal knife edge of the rear fuselage. This made pitch control very sensitive. One can only imagine how hard it was to fly an aeroplane requiring heavy side-to-side movements of the control stick while at the same time, the slightest fore and aft movement of the stick resulted in pronounced changes in pitch. These airplanes were a handful to fly for even the best pilots

and were roundly disliked by all who flew them. The wing panels were braced by wires running from a kingpost on the top of the fuselage, through hard points on the wing panels and down to the landing gear and a kingpost on the bottom. The bottom kingpost supported a bellcrank operated by rods from the control stick in the cockpit. The bellcrank pulled the trailing edge of one wing panel down and since the corresponding cables on top of the wings ran through a pulley on the top kingpost, the opposite wing panel’s trailing edge was raised. One had to not only overcome the aerodynamic forces acting against the warped wing panels; one also had to physically bend the wood, wire and fabric structure. Hence a heavy hand was required for

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Using laser cut parts, and building accurately should mean a good mate between the two halves. Note how Steve has removed some upper shell sheeting at the sides.

A close-up view showing how Steve created his wing warping cranks. Other methods, including that shown on the plan, will also work.

what amounted to fairly poor lateral control. This is the primary reason for the machine’s limited manoeuvrability in combat. Morane Saulnier designed improved wing panels and these were provided to the British, (Most French Type Ns had been withdrawn from combat service by this time.) The new wings were an improvement, but not a solution.

Shaped and glassed foam form the spinner and cowl. See the text about white foam spinners, not a great idea.

The model When Pete said he was designing a model of the Type N, I had been interested in building a wing warping WWI model for some time in order to explore what wing warping was all about, so I jumped at the opportunity. Let me be clear about this, if you are looking for a

Now it starts to look like a Morane Saulnier. Note the wire rigging loops on the pylon, more about this later. 16 Flying Scale Models

pleasant flying model to stooge around the pattern with on a Sunday morning, then forget the wing warping and build this model as rudder / elevator / throttle with reasonable dihedral. Build it as a wing-warper only if you are willing to sacrifice ease of flight for scale looks and function. I built mine as a wing-warper and while it is a handful to fly without mixing rudder and warp, I am thrilled with how it came out and what making it a wing-warper has taught me about the state of aerodynamics at the start of WWI. I received a set of plans from Pete as a .PDF file attached to an e-mail. I transferred the file to a little memory stick and took it to a local print shop where they have a printer big enough to print the whole plan full size on one page. If I recall correctly, the cost was about 2 or 3 Dollars a page, at that rate I had two full sets made, one to work from and one to keep. All the parts were drawn on the plans and could be traced or cut out as templates for hand cutting the parts. However, the formers with all their notches and the need for some precisely cut and matched parts makes a laser cut parts set a far more attractive option for all but the most hopelessly masochistic of modellers. I was lucky enough to have a set of laser cut parts from which to build the prototype model and a set is available from FSM Plans Service as detailed in this issue. That is a major plus these days when quality balsa is getting harder to find. Speaking of balsa quality, it would be a good idea not to use soft or medium soft balsa for the fuselage stringers. You will be handling the fuselage a lot prior to covering it and its size and weight make gripping it without crushing stringers a challenge at times, so do yourself a favour and use fairly hard balsa for the fuselage stringers. While on the subject of materials, the spinner and cowl are made from fibreglass covered foam. I used a fairly dense commercial grade of beaded white foam. I strongly rec-

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An iconic type of the era, the Morane Saulnier N has a very purposeful appearance.

THE SPINNER - AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD The most important point that Steve raises about his spinner was that he tried to use white, beaded foam; that was what prevented him getting a good balance - beads pulled out and the gaps filled with resin, throwing the balance out. Blue or pink foams don't cause the same problem. Using multiple layers of lightweight glass cloth, and just enough resin to completely wet the cloth also helps. Pull the cloth tight, and avoid wrinkles like the plague. To ensure the ability to balance a spinner, Pat uses two backplates (a solid one behind the prop and a ring attached to the spinner) and multiple retaining screws between the two. Then, if one side is heavy, you just remove a screw from that side, using whichever screw position results in a balanced spinner. Sounds crude, but works extremely well. ommend you obtain the thickest possible sheets of pink or blue foam and laminate the blocks you’ll need from that material and leave the beaded foam to the beer coolers. (In fact, Steve had such trouble balancing his spinner that I persuaded Pat Lynch to make one for him. So, a truly international effort, designed in the UK, built in the USA and fitted with a spinner made in Australia. PR)

The build begins I began construction of the fuselage first. You need to get the rounded front sheeted to establish the exact diameter and curve for the foam cowl. The fuselage is actually a traditional box and frame structure, though you have to look at it hard to see it. The fuselage consists of separate top and bottom horizontal keel and former shells. The front box parts are actually built into each shell and form the complete front box only upon joining the top and bottom shells. Since the two shells need to match perfectly when joined, it is best to build the two keels first, one on top of the other with plastic wrap or wax paper between to prevent the two keels from sticking together. Adding the liteply front box parts as you build the shells can be tricky. Carefully study the plans and make sure you have the correct parts in the correct place and oriented correctly. Remember, you are building the bottom shell upside down. If you have built the horizontal keels identically and added the front box pieces in the correct places and orientations, the upper and lower fuselage shells will fit together pretty closely. (Considering the plan is CAD drawn, if you build accurately I would hope they’ll do more than just fit together ‘pretty’ closely - PR). Before gluing them, it is time to make some final decisions on the placement of the servos, ESC, Rx and battery. I can tell you from my experience that the battery will need to be as far forward as possible. The firewall and the front landing gear support form a nice lit-

tle shelf that is perfect. If you are going the wing-warping route, you have two options. Pete has drawn a wire loop soldered to the bottom kingpost through which the warping wires run directly up to the servo arms. For this option you will need a standard size servo as the abrupt angle made as the wires run up to the servo will generate some friction and require some pretty good pull to warp the wing. That servo will need to be mounted so that the servo arms are in line directly above the wire loop on the lower kingpost. This will require that you bend up the lower kingpost and solder on the loop at this time in order to temporarily install them so that the warping servo can be mounted in exactly the correct position. I chose to indulge myself and make a bellcrank mechanism like the original airplane used. My bellcrank is scale in design and function, though it is a bit over-scale in size. The mechanism consists of three arms mounted on a shaft, which runs through a brass tube bearing which is bound and soldered in the apex of the lower kingpost. The three arms are simply nylon servo arms, two single arms and a central double arm. The central double arm is operated by pushrods running down from the wing-warping servo. The single arms are angled slightly down and point in opposite directions. The arms are fixed to the shaft by set-screws and epoxy. It all assembles with one single arm, then the double arm, then the shaft passes through the brass tube bearing and the final single arm attaches on the aft side of the brass bearing tube and pointing in the opposite direction from the first single arm. When the double arm is horizontal, the two single arms should point down at about a 30-35 degree angle and in opposite directions. The mechanism should rotate freely in the bearing tube and have minimal slop. (To keep it a little neater, and more scale, you could also make your own cranks from sheet brass. However, another possibility might well be to replace

the two single arms with a section cut from a multi-arm servo horn -PR). Once you have the bellcrank mechanism mounted on the kingpost, you can temporarily slide the ends of the kingpost into the slots formed during the construction of the lower fuselage shell. With the kingpost and bell crank in position you can now determine exactly how to mount the warp servo so its arms are directly above the double arm of the bell crank. Pushrods with some means of length adjustment need to be made up to fit at this point. Either Kwik Clips on threaded end rods or servo arm connectors and Z bends will work. Which ever method you use, mount the servo so that the pushrods will run as straight and vertical as possible between the bell crank on the bottom kingpost and the servo arm. This is all vastly easier to do before you glue the upper and lower fuselage shells together. Use clamps or tape to hold the shells together as you work, this way you ensure alignment, but can still separate the shells to get at the interior and add whatever wood pieces you will need to mount the warp servo exactly where you want it. You will also want to mount the rudder and elevator servos before gluing the fuselage shells together. Do this after you have mounted the warp servo, because you will need to ensure that the pull/pull cables for the rudder and elevator will run aft without interference from the warp servo and its moving arm, pushrods and connectors. It is also a good time to mount any Velcro or other means of attachment for your Rx and ESC. Once you have done all the hard to get at things inside the fuselage, glue the upper and lower shells together. It is necessary to add the sheeting to the front of the fuselage at this point. You need to define the exact surface of the front of the model in order to be able to match up the foam cowl as you shape it, so do the sheeting and sand it up smooth and ready to cover.

Flying Scale Models 17

MORANE FREE PLAN PART 1 TONY OK

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If you employ wing warping, don’t expect bank and yank type flying, it needs rudder mixed with the warp control for smooth turns.

NB: Laser-cut components shown here are only representative examples of the work - not specific to the Ansoldo ‘Balilla’ offered here.

CUT PARTS SET for the

MORANE SAULNIER TYPE N BE READY TO START BUILDING AS SOON AS YOU UNFOLD THE PLANS WITH A LASER-CUT PARTS SET! To get you started with the least possible delay we have a set of laser-cut airframe components that includes wing ribs and leading edge riblets, fuselage formers, fuselage sides and doublers, engine bulkhead, fin and rudder centre cores, tailplane/fin and rudder ribs. Altogether, a set of parts that eliminates much of the initial cutting work so that the building task can commence immediately.

Price: £70.00 plus £9.50 UK postage. (Overseas customers: postage charged on individual country basis - please enquire).

FROM: FSM PLANS & PARTS SERVICE, Key Publishing Ltd, PO BOX 300, Stamford. PE9 1NA. UK Tel 01780 480404. Fax 01780 757812. email: [email protected]

18 Flying Scale Models

The cowl The foam cowl posed me some problems as working with foam and fibreglass was all new to me. Blue and pink foam is pretty scarce locally, so I used some white beaded foam I was able to get. I made a plywood disc the correct diameter of the front of the fuselage and attached it to a drill motor by means of a bolt and lock washers through the centre. I glued a large chunk of foam the exact thickness of the cowl to the plywood disc with four spots of epoxy so it would be secure, but fairly easy to cut away when the time came. I used a hand saw to trim the foam chunk to a rough, oversized cylinder. Turning the foam and working it to shape is something best done outside as it creates a Styrofoam blizzard. You also have to run the drill motor backwards or you will unscrew the bolt and nuts holding the ply plate. The beaded foam was hard to turn to shape with a flat metal sanding stick, but when I used the edge of the flat metal sanding stick rather than the flat side, I was able to turn the cowl to shape quickly. I stopped with just a little foam left past the edge of the ply disc. A hacksaw blade slid between the foam and disc and easily cut the four epoxy dabs holding them together. I then tack glued the foam to the front of the fuselage and proceeded to work the foam to final shape and an exact fit to the front of the fuselage. What I ended up with was a slightly tapered cylinder of foam. This I mounted on blocks attached to a piece of scrap wood. The blocks held the cowl several inches above the wood. I used Zpoxy finishing epoxy and painted the whole cylinder and then stretched 1/2 oz glass cloth over it, pulling down hard to stretch out any wrinkles. I believe I used three layers of cloth with a little epoxy added as needed between. It took a bit of pullin’, brushin’ and cussin’ to get it all smooth and keep it that way until the epoxy started to cure. I ended up with what looked like a plain NY cheesecake after trimming the excess cloth away. I marked the Ushaped outline of the cowl front on the front of this piece and then used a hacksaw blade to cut down through the glassed foam cylinder and separate the cowl ring from the rest of the chunk of glassed foam. It all came out just fine and gave a smooth finish which matched up nicely with the fuselage. It required only a little filler in one place. (As Steve intimated, blue or pink foam would be much better for this task, just as for the spinner. The main reason being that there are no beads of foam to pull out during the shaping, leaving pits that will fill with resin - PR). ■ The Morane Bullet takes off for another sortie. You have the choice of a three channel model, or one with wing warping.

MORANE TYPE HISTORY Tony OK

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TYPE HISTORY

Page 2

With photos from the Harry Woodman Collection

Morane-Saulnier Ty A neat little fighter of the early WW1 years that helped to define the essentials of what a fighter aircraft should be he Morane-Saulnier concern was first formed in 1913, a year prior to the commencement of WW1 and derived its name from the founders, Raymond Saulnier and the brothers, Robert and Leon Morane. In the years that followed Morane-Saulnier

T

20 Flying Scale Models

quickly became one of, if not THE most prolific manufacturers of military aircraft – at least on the Allied side of that conflict. Derived from a pre-WW1 prototype designed specifically for speed as a racing aircraft, its adaption as a single seat fighter aircraft seemed a logical progression and

the type was first supplied to the French Aeronautique Militaire in April 1915 designated as the MS.5C.1. It is important to remember that in the period of the early WW1 years, aircraft were hardly considered as war-winning weapons. Those in ultimate command remained wed-

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Type N ded to the notion that ‘the well bread horse’ was still the means of doing the trick. Indeed, it has to be admitted that even those responsible for direction of the air war, such as it was, were themselves still defining the role and the techniques of aviation warfare. ABOVE: This is MS A18 6 of No. 60 Squadron RFC flown by Lt. T.P. metal portions of typ H. Bayetto. Instructio e ‘N’ airframes with ns to paint red paint (cowl, spinne ing struts, wheel dis r, undercarriage, low cs) with effect from er wing’warp20t h July 19 1916 were clearly distinguish the issued by RFC HQ in Type ‘N’ from the Fok an attempt to ker E. series. Howeve the Moranes were bei r by then both the Fok ng withdrawn from the Front, the French kers and production Type ‘N’ never adopted this ide seen here at Vullaco ubl a. BELOW: A ay, the aircraft in the ‘L’. Note the retentio background are mainly n of the small central cone of the early pro MS type duction type.

Flying Scale Models 21



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ABOVE: A most revealing photo. showing French pilot Jules Vedrines casually smoking whils he sorts out his ammunition strips, one is already loaded into the Hotchkiss. The steel deflector is clearly seen here as is the brass MS badge fitted which was retained on MS aircraft into the 1940s such as the MS 406. It was held on the the cowl with small screws. Note the various pulleys and cables connected with the wing-warping system. BELOW: A MS type N serial no. MS 393 of the Aviation Militaire revealing the ultimate shape. Note the Hotchkiss gun and deflector propeller.

22 Flying Scale Models

MORANE TYPE HISTORY Tony OK

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Eugene Gilbert with his MS type ‘N’ ‘Le Ven geur’, so named by Gilb captured by the Ger mans. This may hav ert after Roland Garros e been the original Wie 1914. It is seen here had been n-A fitted with a Hotchk iss gun and differs from spern type ‘N’ flown by Garros in such as the rear fusela the ge and tail assembly production ‘N’ in cer . tain details

enable the pilot to fire the gun only when the propeller was out of line with the target. But early versions did not work properly and the pilots found they were destroying their propellers rather than enemy aircraft with their machine-gun fire. Having failed to make the mechanism work as intended, in the early months of 1915, Garros, added metal deflector plates to the blades of the propeller of his MoraneSaulnier L. These small wedges of toughened steel diverted the passage of those bullets which struck the blades. Over the next two weeks Garros shot down five enemy aircraft with his adapted MoraneSaulnier L. However, the success was shortlived because on 18th April, a German rifleman managed to fracture the petrol pipe of the aircraft that Garros was flying forcing him to land behind the German front-line where both he his RIGHT: Lt. Lillywhite of No.3 Squadron RFC. note the nonstandard windscreen fitted to this machine enclosing the stripped Lewis Mk.l.

Thus, the Morane Saulnier Type N, with its monoplane layout and single, fixed, forward firing Hotchkiss machine gun became one of the first recognisable fighter aircraft, specifically for shooting down enemy aircraft by means using the aircraft as gun platform of aiming the aircraft at the enemy. The problem was of course the propeller in front of the gun and although the contemporary Fokker E1 Eindecker had the benefit of a mechanical interrupter mechanism to preclude prop blade damage, the Allied side had yet to crack the problem in a really scientific manner. Even so, at the time of the outbreak of hostilities in 1914 Morane Saulnier worked with leading French military pilot Roland Garros, to develop a system that would

aircraft and utilised an advanced, aerodynamic design, it was not easy to fly due to its stiff controls. It was hardly a ‘pilots aeroplane’, largely due to the wing warping lateral control system that was stiff, required a strong hand on the control column for the rolling function, which was in turn coupled, for longitudinal control, to an extremely sensitive elevator. The result tended to produce a kind of ‘kangaroo’ flight path as the pilot struggled to roll the aircraft into a turn, whilst trying to hold the climb/dive attitude correctly. The large metal front spinner designed to streamline the aircraft caused the engines to overheat because the spinner deflected air away from the engine. In 1915, the spinner was removed from the design. No further overheating problems were experienced and the removal of the spinner caused very little loss in performance. The Type N was not particularly successful. Only 49 aircraft were built and it was quickly rendered obsolete by the pace of aircraft development. In addition to the French Aeronautique Militaire, the Type N also equipped four squadrons of the Royal Flying Corps, in which it was designated the ‘Bullet’ (but not to be confused with the Bristol M.1c, also called ‘Bullet). The RFC machines used a 0.303” Vickers gun in place of the Hotchkiss.

machine were captured by the Germans. The MoraneSaulnier Type N was certainly, for its time, a neat and A rare photo. of the cockpit of the type ‘N’, the control column is cab retained by a attractive little air- Hotle. Note the map and few instruments and the chkiss, spare ammuniti breech and stock of the on strips are loaded craft with an aesjust above the map. thetic appeal far removed from some of the doubtful aeroThe type was also nautical contraptions then filtering into the operated in limited numbers by the 19th squadrons of both the Aeronautique Squadron of the Imperial Russian Air Force Militaire and the Royal Flying Corps. and three aircraft were operated by Ukraine. While the Type N was a graceful-looking ■

Flying Scale Models 23

ROUGHAM Tony OK

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Fine, and incredibly smooth sounding YT International ARTF Stuka from Barry Barker.

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SCALE IN ACTION

by Alex Whittaker

Scale at ROUGHAM Alex Whittaker’s photo-report of the biggest modelling show in East Anglia t took Crash Parry and I most of the day to tow the Command Module to Bury St. Edmunds. Hours of drowsy chugging across the flatlands of East Anglia were rewarded by our first sight of the sugar-beet factory. At that moment, we knew that Rougham airfield was only a short way on. We set up camp amongst an already humming airfield: there were campers and caravans everywhere. However, such is the esteem with which The Sacred Command Module is held in East Anglia, there was a special pegged-off enclosure awaiting it. I scouted out the famed Rougham Beer Tent, and all was well.

the BMFA Scale Indoor Nats at Nottingham on the morrow, I only had one day at Rougham to get my all shots. This proved highly providential, since the Sunday was too windy for much activity. To tell you the truth, Saturday provided a superb day’s flying, and we had a really good mix of scale models, everything from fast jets to lazy historic powered gliders. There was even a brief lay-off at lunchtime, so I managed to get around the many trade tents and bag a few bargains. As usual I’ll keep the chat brief to give more room for the photos, but one or two models do deserve comment.

Midnight turbine swap

Big YAK

Almost immediately we became aware of a problem. Dave Johnson’s model had blown a turbine. He was contemplating the thick end of a four hundred mile journey home to fetch a replacement, when local jettist Mark Hinton stepped in. The lads swapped the engines by torchlight, so that the show could proceed. This provided a good example of the ‘cameraderie of the pits’ on the UK show circuit.

Despite his tender years, Robbie Skipton is a well known show pilot, easily capable of wringing out any airframe within a rivet of its life. This year he was flying his 60% scale YAK 54. At that size, this yields a very impressive model. She is powered by a 3W 342iB2F TS. (No I’d never heard of one either!). However, I adored her bright colours and copious smoke system, which young Robert used to great effect. I noticed Robbie flew her in an exciting but suitably scale manner, which is much better than excessive 3-D silly stuff.

I

Saturday only The wind was brisk and seemed to be picking up, but it was definitely flyable. With the typical selfishness of the photographer, I could live with that, since it was sunny. Mind you, things were tight. Due to the Editor’s command to cover

Stinson Voyager Roger Bale was flying an exquisite Stinson Voyager 150. The Voyager is one of the all-time scale modelling greats, so

Flying Scale Models 25



ROUGHAM Tony OK

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Underneath Mick Wood’s slick ‘fantasy scale’ model beats the heart of a Precedent 240 kit.

The Bury St.Edmunds Club put on a superb show for all the family.

Roger Bale’s immaculate Stinson Voyager 150.

Ken Bones’ (BZY) Hawker Typhoon 1B. Built by Ken from his mate Chris Willis’s new kit as reviewed in last month’s FSM.

Mike Booth’s highly accurate Flying Legends kit MK IX PRU Spitfire ‘Connie’ climbing out. She spans 112”, weighs 40 lbs, and is powered by a 3W 80 Xi engine. Mike designed the kit.

26 Flying Scale Models

ROUGHAM Tony OK

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Very nice Grumman F6F Hellcat from Stuart Clifford in Royal Navy colours. Not quite finished, some weathering and detailing to be added. More details soon.

Robbie Skipton’s 60% Yak 54, weighs 115 lbs, and is powered by a stonking great 320 bhp 3W engine. Note smoke.

Dave Johnson’s Zenoah 62 powered Cessna 152. Same colours as my beloved .25 powered Pilot kit, of blessed memory.

Ted Cook’s ARTF Gee Bee Racer almost took me out in the crosswind.

Graceful Stinson Voyager 150 by Roger Bale. Zenoah 38 powered. I’ve loved Stinsons since my Keil Kraft days.

Mick Burrell’s magnificent T-33 Shooting Star on a full dirty pass with smoke-on.

it was gratifying to see such a well-presented example. I think it might be the YT International ARTF version. No matter what, it was a very faithful rendition. It was a joy to watch as it competed its circuits. The truth is: an accurate, well-presented, scale aircraft gently cruising through the heavens remains a special delight.

portions, that sublime glass house, and the round engine.

Harvard Scale stalwart Ivan Jordan was flying his latest North American AT-6 Harvard. Very few aircraft are as well loved as the Harvard. I put it down to the lovely pro-

Pusher powered glider Emily and Tony Hooper were flying a refreshingly different scale subject, a BAC Drone. This very large model of the British vintage powered-glider looked superb with the sun glowing through its fabric. It handled the blustery wind amazingly well. It is over 20 years old. The model is built to 50% scale and weighs 28 lbs. It is powered by a Zenoah 74 boxer twin.

Mike Donnelly’s Canadair T-114 Snowbird Tutor. The full size was Canada’s primary jet trainer from 1961 to 2000.

Flying Scale Models 27



ROUGHAM Tony OK

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Mick Burrells’ Lockheed T-33 impresses form every angle superb!

Fantasy scale One inspired kit-conversion caught my eye. It was Mick Wood’s Precedent 240 kit, which he had been breathed upon in a sports scale way. This yielded a great (spoof) military scheme, complete with faux invasion stripes. I know it’s not a scale model, but I was surprised how much I liked it.

Shooting Star Mick Burrell was flying his superb gas-turbine Lockheed F-80 Shooting Start in the fabulous Thunderbirds livery. She looked utterly stunning on dirty low passes, with her gear down, landing lights aglare, full flap deployed, and bags of smoke. It is difficult to imagine a more glamorous jet model.

B-17 demise Sometimes you are so busy looking through the viewfinder that you actually miss what is unfolding. So it was, when my mate James Laddell’s Boeing B-17 was scooped up by the blustery wind on take-off. The wind was strong, but I had no idea how wicked. The B-17 was thrown over onto her port side in an instant, and viciously dashed on the grass. One minute she was in the air, the next she was matchwood. I stood in shock, disbelieving what had unfolded. James had no chance. We all went quiet. Later on we all went to the pub, and for someone so recently bereaved, I must say that James was surprisingly chipper. He laughed as he broke the news that another modeller had bought the bent B-17! Drinks all round.

Peter Neate’s Tiger Peter Neate was a much admired UK scale man, now sadly missed. You can imagine how delighted I was to be told by Ian Redshaw that he would be flying Pete’s old Tiger Moth at sunset. This one-third scale Tiger is a very fine model, recently restored. It flew just

Cold War Warrior: Andy Johnson’s slick Handley-Page Victor - flew exceptionally well.

Dave Johnson’s mighty Avro Vulcan complete with impressive jet efflux.

Hell in the Pacific! Gregg Veasey’s Mitsubishi Zero chases a Grumman F8F Bearcat.

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ROUGHAM Tony OK

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Mark Hinton brings the Air World Cougar in to land.

TJD Model’s Team’s Douglas Dauntless by Mike Donnelly.

Gregg Veasey’s well-known Mitsubishi Zero.

Ken Bones’ Typhoon on short finals.

Ivan Jordan likes a nice Harvard (Texan). His latest is probably his best - and that’s some praise.

Hellcat from Stuart Clifford in Royal navy colours - pilot due soon!

Emily Hooper with husband ‘Tony’s refreshingly different BAC Drone powered glider.

Mike Eccles enormous Ford Tri-Motor on a low, slow, fly by.

Scale Sights You Never See Number 301: A BAC Drone dicing it with a Swordfish.

The Rougham Show at Bury St. Edmunds goes form strength to strength.

Roger Bale’s 1/3rd scale, 11 year old Fairey Swordfish. Powered by a DA 150 boxer twin.

Richard Scarborough’s sleek Wren 160 powered Jet Legends LA 39 Albatros powering off.

Mark Hinton’s Fly Eagle F-15 spans 55”, has a fuselage length of 82.5” and weighs around 22lbs.

Flying Scale Models 29



ROUGHAM Tony OK

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Mark Hintons’ F-15 Eagle Interceptor about to land.

Tony Nijhuis designed Lancaster bomber powered by 4 x Zenoah Z 38s. Sorry no record of owner!

Very fine DH 82 Tiger Moth, originally built by famed scale man Peter Neate, flown on the day by Ian Redshaw.

Mark Hinton’s Lockheed F-104 Starfighter (The Widomaker) arrives in heat haze. Amazing how much aeroplanes can be made to fly on so litle wing!

before we were due to pack up, and I got a few quick shots. She flew beautifully despite the cruel wind and looked just right in the air. More details as soon as I get them.

flying is non-stop. Traditionally, I restock at Rougham on all the hardware and wood I have expended over a busy

building season. It’s a proper flying show, never low-key, and it has that indefinable East Anglian charm.

The Verdict Well worth the round trip, and the truly staggering petrol bill! The Rougham Show is a genuine treat for all the family. The enormous Beer Tent is justly famous, there are lots of non-modelling stalls for the rest of the family, and the

ABOVE: Disaster only seconds away, James Ladell’s B-17 gets swept up by the fierce wind on take-off. BELOW: Ill-fated B-17 bites the dust. James had the last laugh, when he sold the wreckage.

30 Flying Scale Models

■

TIPSY NIPPER Tony OK

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FULL-SIZE CONSTRUCTION FEATURE

for free-flight For a change of pace, why not try a little free flight fun with C.C. Badger’s little creation first designed and built in the late1950s. Originally intended for 0.5 - 0.8cc engines, it could also be converted to modern lightweight electric s a model project, the Tipsy Nipper catches the eye because of its simple lines and ideal proportions. Though rather heavy at eight ounces for its 24-in. span, the model flies fast and is tough enough to withstand those early trimming prangs. Construction of the wings is quite straightforward following the normal ribover-spar technique, trailing edge, then leading edge additions. Ensure that correct amount of washout (1/4 in.) is in each wing panel (made separately) when pinned down for doping. Note that the rear wing dowels are short and the dowel holes in the fuselage are at different heights so that the port (left) wing has a greater angle of incidence. Start the fuselage construction with F.2 and glue the dowel box to it. Next, fit the 3/32 in. thick sheet balsa sides to the for-

A

mer and also add F.3. Whilst this assembly is drying, glue the ply nose former and engine bearer onto F1. Now bring the two assemblies together and fill the space between the engine mount and the fuselage side with

soft balsa block. Next, pull the rear ends of the fuselage together and add F4, F5 and F6. At this stage the rear dowel plates and the ply support for

Flying Scale Models 31



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the rear undercarriage legs should be glued in position. Now bind and glue the nose leg and the rear leg into position. Next stage is to add the stringers to the top of the fuselage and also the soft block fairings to the base. The Nipper is now

32 Flying Scale Models

ready for the top cowling, instrument panel and the remaining undercarriage leg. One of the three legs to each rear wheel on the real aircraft has been omitted to save a little weight. Hinges for the elevator trim tabs can be

made simply by pushing a pin right through the tab and into the tailplane and then snipping off the head. The tab can then be bent up or down and will stay fixed. Hinge the rudder tab in a similar way.

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Finish the model with two coats of clear dope for fight trials. Add weight to the nose or tail until the model balances where indicated on the plan (no weight was required on the prototype). Check the washout and the greater

angle of incidence on the port wing. Now bend the rudder trim 1/16 in. to port (left) and test glide. Launch the model fast and level. The glide from a hand launch should be straight and quite flat. When the glide is

reasonable (the prototype required 1/16 in. ‘up’ on each elevator), try a short power flight. Use full power from the beginning with a 6 x 4 in. nylon airscrew on back to front (the actual engine used was a D.C. Dart 5 c.c.). Launch the model level again

Flying Scale Models 33

TIPSY NIPPER Tony OK

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Detail of fuselage assembly

and it should go away in a climb to the left in circles of about 80 ft. diameter. When the motor cuts, the model will settle into a gentle right hand turn. Correct any stall with the motor running by increasing the left rudder, then trim out the glide with the elevators. When flying is to a satisfactory stage, the model may be fully decorated. On the prototype model, Powder Blue and Black Valspar was used for the two-colour scheme with green lettering on the wings and white on the fin. Tyre walls are rings

re’s prototype model rep ABOVE: C.C. Badger at of form t kpi coc n ope l sented the origina w demonstrated the the ‘Nipper’. This vie els. removable wing pan FACING PAGE: revised and more Martin Tips with the per’. attractively shaped ‘Nip

of drawing paper! On the prototype model, a 1/8 in. square aluminium welding rod was use as the main wing dowel, but an alternative would be a length of carbon fibre rod. ■

THE FULL SIZE TIPSY T.66 ‘NIPPER’ he Tipsy Nipper originated from the same design stable as that modellers’ favourite, the Tipsy junior and was the 66th original design of Ernest O. Tips of Avions Fairey. In Belgium, with development commencing during 1952. It was designed to be easy to fly, cheap to buy, cheap to maintain and was intended for both factory production and home-build. The first aircraft flew on 12 December 1957, with test pilot Bernard Neefs and originally featured an open cockpit. The late Ron Moulton took a close interest in light and home-build aircraft and was able to meet Martin Tips (son of the designer) back in 1958 for the chance to see the aircraft in detail. Martin cheerfully demonstrated that the ‘Nipper’ could outmanoeuvre a jeep on the ground and proceeded to pirouette the delightful little machine around its ground-hugging rear wheels, with the Hepu-Volkswagen engine turning the prop at a mere flutter of revs. At the time, it sold, ready-to-fly and fully instrumented with 40-horse power motor at £818 ex-Gosselies in Belgium, but could also be bought in part pre-fabbed kits in a packing crate that served as assembly jigs at £375 for the airframe. During RGM’s visit, Bernard Neefs, chief test pilot at the Belgian factory took the bright flame and white mini-racer aloft for a display circuit to show off its 95 m.p.h. maximum speed and admirable manoeuvrability. In special tests, Bernard had put the Nipper through eight turns of a spin in either direction, dived it at over 155 m.p.h. and made pullouts up to 7.4 G. The strength and stability were thus wellproven, and the clever incidental design features, such as the independent long travel wheel legs on the tricycle undercarriage and the downward vision panels in the wing roots, the disc brakes and nosewheel steering all added up to the result of many years of design study by the designer. When it first appeared in open cockpit form, the Nipper bore a utilitarian air. Much as its new lines were appreciated, the pilot exposure, shallow rear fuselage and the squared-off surfaces did not appeal to potential customers as much as expected. The re-design of the fuselage with

T

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more aesthically appealing lines racer changed its character immediately and the additional streamlining improved performance. When one stands beside the little airframe, thoughts of Continental C-85 installation immediately spring to mind: but such cannot be, as it was E. O. Tips’ intention that the Nipper was a mount for the relatively impecunious aviator for sport, as distinct from speed flying, and there is an engine weight limitation of 125 lb. Of mixed construction, the Nipper has a welded steel tube fuselage with perfectly straight bottom longerons and the upper longerons shaped to set the wing and tail angles. Sides are warren braced and at the nose, an apex of tubes supports the nose leg and its simple but most effective steering gear. Wooden stringers are taped to the light gauge hoops which shape the fuselage spine and glass fibre cowlings cover the Volkswagen engine. Production ran between 1959 and 1961 with Avions Fairey delivering 59 complete aircraft and 78 kits. Production ceased to make capacity available for F-104G Starfighter assembly for the Belgian Air Force. SPECIFICATION Span: 19 ft. 8 in. Length: 14 ft. 9 in. Height: 5 ft. 3 in. Weight empty: 360 lb. Engine weight (VW) plus accessories (included above): 125 lb. Maximum designed weight: 660 lb. Wing area: 80.5 sq. ft. PERFORMANCE Take-off speed: Take-off run: Landing speed: Landing run: Cruising speed:

38 m.p.h. 150 yards. 38 m.p.h. 100 yards. 85 m.p.h.

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Scale 1:60 Flying Scale Models 35

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SCALE INDOORS

by Alex Whittaker

Indoor Scale

Nats 2011 I was having a busy weekend. I had been covering the Rougham Show on Friday and Saturday, then rushed back to Nottingham for the Sunday Notts Natts. It was worth it. The Free Flight Indoor Scale National Championship is one of the ‘Crown Jewels’ of the British summer aeromodelling season. The standards of entry and flying are stratospheric. Everything about this scale event oozes quality, and even though I found the venue a bit dark, there is no doubt it is a super space to fly scale models.

The Competitions Just to refresh your memory, the BMFA F/F Scale Indoor National Championships comprise a number of simultaneous competitions: Open Rubber Co2 / Electric

A great venue for a superb scale day out.

Peanut Scale Pistachio Scale Kit Scale.

So, as you can see, there is bound to be a good variety of model types. Also, this being F/F scale, there will always be a variety of interesting propulsion methods on show. This year, Derek Knight had even perfected a beautiful but tiny electric ducted fan unit. Even as a dyed-in-the-wool radio-man, I have to say that the absence of radio control was oddly refreshing. Free Flight Scale is the discipline of choice for the mentally hardy. It is not for wimps. Each and every free flight scale flight is deliciously unpredictable. There are so many variables to be taken into account, and not all of them under the control of the pilot. Free flight scale is a free form activity. That’s why I like it. It’s more of an art than a craft, though excellent craft

Alex Whittaker’s presents his photo report of the The BMFA Free Flight Indoor Scale Championships, 2011 skills are a major ingredient. Radio has its place, but I’d say that was elsewhere. There, I’ve said it!

Entries The Kit Class is growing in popularity and the general feeling was that, overall, levels of entry across the comps were up, the numbers of spectators was slightly diminished. This latter could be due to a variety of explantations. The date fell later this year, it was a Bank Holiday weekend, accompanied by sunny weather. I go to the shows every weekend across the country and lower attendance is not an isolated phenomenon. I’d say the economic uncertainty and the truly rocketing cost of road fuel have to be the major factors. We are all having to watch our expenditure.

Blackburn Mercury As I entered the upstairs Judging Area, the

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Vibes Master’s rubber powered Cessna 180 from the well-known Herr kit.

Just a few of the models on one of the three Judging Tables.

first models I saw were from scale maestro Peter Iliffe. Peter is well known to readers as one of our most prolific and accurate free flight scale men. Very, very, few modellers can work to his standards and the bonus is that he is a very approachable bloke. Peter had decided to take a sabbatical from competing this year, though he did manage some fun flying during the day. His love affair with pre-1919 German military aircraft has not abated. He had rows of exquisite models on show. I particularly noted his Blackburn Monoplane, in the Mercury two-seater version. Besides the double cockpit, the superb engine was a key focal point. Didn’t Boddo’s TV series Flambards, have a full size non-flying replica? I’m sure readers will know.

(fighters in plain English) and trainers are justly popular scale subjects. Their instantly attractive colour schemes are always very effective. Mike Stuart was flying his Curtiss A-12 Shrike, which I particularly admired. This is a lovely scale model aircraft, which came 11th in Open Rubber.

Dave Crompton’s Tomahawk first came to light ‘in-the-balsa’ at the BMFA NW Area Manchester Velodrome Meeting earlier this year. At Nottingham we had a chance to see the completed model and it did not disappoint. This is a surprisingly accurate scale model, and is based on the Comet kit. It spans 18”, weighs 35 grams, and is powered by two loops of 3/32” rubber.

Third Reich to counter the Allies’ increasingly destructive air campaign in WWII. It was a very advanced project, but never made it to production. The original never flew, but Peter Smart’s version flies very well on its innovative ducted-fan system, soon to be available from the everresourceful Derek Knight. This most impressive model spans 17” and weighs 60 grams.

Shrike

Messerschmitt P 1101

Fairchild FC 1

‘Tween-The-Wars American ‘pursuit planes’

The Me P1101 was a late attempt by the

A large model by indoor standards,

Tim Horne’s Kenn Haas “Misty 1” Racer; 17 3/4” span, weighs 32 grams.

Pete Smart’s Pistachio Pitts Special.

Andrew Darby’s nifty Jodel Bebe: 18” span from the Veron Tru-Flite kit. Flies on 1/8th” rubber with a Tern 6” prop.

uda by Richard Beautifully detailed Brewster Berm , and won Open Rubber. Crossley, flies like the real thing

Tomahawk

Dave Whitehouse’s rubber powered Fairey Junior from the Keil Kraft kit.

Guillows’ kit Cessna Bird Dog by Bryan Lea: 18” span, weighs 33 grams, powered by 2 loops of 3/32” rubber. Humbrol finish.

Flying Scale Models 37



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ABOVE: Peter Iliffe’s utterly superb 1:24 scale Albatros D.V. RIGHT: Cockpit and fuselage detailing on Peter Iliffe’s Albatros D.V is incredible.

Graham Banham’s Fairchild FC1 has a span of 26 1/2”. Amazingly, she only weighs 46 grams. She is built to 1/20th scale, and has all the elegance of a Golden Era civilian light aircraft. She came First in the Co2 / Electric Class, too. I thought she would make a very appealing radio subject for the .40-.60 class of glow engine.

simple, but very attractive too. Came 6th in kit scale. It is so nostalgic to see the famous old kits, and even more amazing to see the performance modern rubber modellers can coax out of them.

Fairey Junior

YAK 7 VTI

As a nipper, I almost bought the Keil Kraft Fairey Junior, but the pocket money never seemed to stretch to it. Dave Whitehouse’s model was suitably

The legend is that John Valiant emerged fully formed as a scale maestro into the free flight indoor world. When you closely observe his brilliantly executed mod-

David Crompton’s Kit Scale Keil Kraft Piper Super Cruiser.

Graham Banham’s Herr kit / 18” span rubber powered Piper Tri-Pacer, came first in kit scale.

Ken Bates’ Kit Scale rubber Comper Swift.

‘Tony Rushby’s Kit Scale / rubber powered De Havilland Leopard Moth.

Peter Iliffe’s tiny Pistachio version of the Fokker DVII.

Peter Iliffe’s larger Peanut version of the Fokker DVII.

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els - and then watch them fly so effortlessly - you will believe the legend, too. John works in foam and he achieves the sort of surface finish that most of us would gladly kill

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Typically fine Se5a from (who else?) Divs Masters; Winner of Pistachio Scale Class.

Jaunty pilot on the Iliffe Mercury. Look’s a card, does he not?

Dave Banham’s Open Rubber Comper Swift built to 1/16th scale; weighs 33.5 grams.

Reg Boor’s lovely french-designed Bernard SAB 121, weighs 80 grams and flies on three strands of Pirelli.

Immaculate 1/17th scale Piper Vagabond by Laurence Marks.

Peter Iliffe displayed a number of his stunning air fleet.

for, then he ladles in a superb flying performance. His latest masterpiece is a YAK 7, which apparently was used as a trainer for the YAK 1.

This rubber model spans 13” (it’s a Peanut!), and weighs just 10.3 grams. It is currently turning in times around the 45 second mark.

just 8 inches. Nice to see a relatively modern civil light aircraft alongside all the old military favourites.

Nibbio Gary Flack’s scratch-built foam / rubber Aviamilano Nibbio F14 is a stunning model aircraft. The performance was truly excellent, especially so when one notes that it is achieved on a wingspan of

Westland Lysander Ace full-size test pilot, and very nice bloke, Andy Sephton was trimming his silver rubber-powered Westland Lysander. Andy has modelled his Lysander on the prototype K6127, which first flew on the 10th June 1936, at Boscombe Down. Now, I am not sure whether the prototype was origi-

LEFT: Dave Crompton’s Tomahawk with early RAF WWII colour scheme. BELOW: Dave Crompton’s exquisite P-40 Tomahawk based on the Comet kit. 18” span, weighs 35 grams, powered by two loops of 3/32” rubber.

 Flying Scale Models 39

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Peter Iliffe’s electric powered version of the elusive Fokker Spinne (Spider).

Peter Iliffe’s r/c two seater version of the Blackburn Mercury Pas senger Monoplane.

ne. Monoplane has this superb engi Blackburn Mercury Passenger

nally silver doped (or even yellow) but it does make a change from camo or black. We scale modellers are always looking for inspiration, so I thought the all-silver finish would pique readers’ interest.

Humbrol enamels. The wheels are balsa. It’s a handsome model, and demonstrates that inexpensive kits can deliver lovely models, as well as high builder satisfaction.

Stuka

Piper Vagabond

We may have seen it before, but Richard Crossley’s Peanut Class Stuka Ju87D still has the power to astound. It’s not far off the size of an Airfix model, possesses the patina of an F4C model, and flies brilliantly. How he gets that quality of finish is beyond me.

American light aircraft are endlessly pleasing scale subjects, and Laurence Marks’ truly immaculate 1/17th scale Piper Vagabond was a delight to behold.

Cessna Bird Dog The Kit Class entry is always worth a careful squint. One model that caught the eye was a Guillows kit Cessna Bird Dog by Bryan Lea. This fine model spans 18”, and weighs 33 grams. It is powered by two loops of 3/32” rubber, and is finished in

40 Flying Scale Models

Piper Tri-Pacer Graham Banham’s 18” span rubber-powered Tri-Pacer from the Herr kit was beautifully finished too. It had a performance to match and achieved first place in Kit Scale.

Jodel Bebe Andrew Darby’s Jodel Bebe really stood out. She is 18” span from the celebrated

Veron Tru-Flite kit. I have never seen an example of this classic kit before. She flies on 1/8th” rubber with a Tern 6” prop. She is covered in Esaki tissue, and was completed a few hours before the competition!

Eastbourne Monoplane Just before the close of play, I saw Dave Crompton with another of his models, a truly tiny Eastbourne Monoplane. This really did fascinate me, given its size and proportions. It is 8” span, and flies on a 45 thou loop of rubber. Simply astounding.

The verdict The Notts Nats are always excellent value for money. Seeing so many exquisite scale models in one place is a life affirming experience. It was a splendid event at a very good venue, with high standards of building, trimming, and sportsmanship.

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RESULTS:- SCALE INDOOR NATIONALS – 1st May 2011. OPEN RUBBER 1: 2: 3: 4: 5:

Richard Crossley Peter Smart Reg Boor Graham Banham Chris Strachan

Model Brewster Bermuda Pitts Special Bernard SAB GR121 No2 Comper Swift Gee Bee X Sportster

Bonus 0 0 0 0 0

Flt 1 1489 1147 1168 1179 1405

Flt 2 1200 1324 1431 1634 1334

Flt 3 1544 1639 1224 1479 1305

Flt 4 1534.5 1300 1466 1267 1503

Static 1556 1174 1224 1048 1168

Total 3100 2813 2690 2682 2671

Bonus 0 0 10 0 0

Flt 1 1511 1213 0 0 1306

Flt 2 1728.5 1509 1763.3 0 1250

Flt 3 1249 1641 941.6 1714 964

Flt 4 1777 1634.5 0 1744 1287.5

Static 1463 1538 1332 1336 1544

Total 3240 3179 3095.3 3080 2850

Model Bucker Jungmann Ju-87 Stuka Blackburn Bluebird Hawker Fury Gloucester Gannet

Flt1 66 59 31 14 21

Flt 2 53 64 27 29 3

Flt 3 66 61 21 36 3

Flt 4 66 71 35 39 20

Flt 5 60 58 30 44 20

Flt 6 71 48 37 40 0

Flt 7 66 50 0 40 0

Flt 8 0 62 0 25 0

Flt 9 0 30 0 49 0

Best 2 137 135 72 93 41

Static 127 108 116 102 108

Model SE5A Lippsch Storch Eastbourne Monoplane Aviamilano NIBBIO Bristol Brownie

Flt1 12 42 20 13 23

Flt 2 25 60 11 21 18

Flt 3 19 50 21 28 0

Flt 4 25 54 22 28 0

Flt 5 15 65 24 25 0

Flt 6 3 0 24 26 0

Flt 7 10 0 24 22 0

Flt 8 3 0 0 24 0

Flt 9 5 0 0 13 0

Best 2 50 125 48 56 41

Static 74 48 60 48 60

Model Piper Tri-Pacer Comper Swift Piper Vagabond Auster Arrow Jodel BeBe

Flt 1 105 24 68 84 79

Flt 2 106 78 0 62 68

Flt 3 99.5 95 77.5 82 56

Flt 4 92 102 94 87 68

Static 77 75 76 70 83

Best 2 Flts 211 197 171.5 171 147

CO2/ELECTRIC 1: 2: 3: 4: 5:

Model Graham Banham Fairchild FC-1 Richard Crossley Flying Flea Peter Smart Hienkel He111 Mike Stuart Mitsubishi K15 Kamikazi Divs Masters Sopwith Triplane

PEANUT SCALE 1: 2: 3: 4: 5:

Mike Hadland Richard Crossley Nick Peppiatt Chris Chapman Mike Stuart

PISTACHIO SCALE 1: 2: 3: 4: 5:

Divs Masters Nick Peppiatt Gert Brendell Gary Flack Reg Boor

KIT SCALE 1: 2: 3: 4: 5:

Graham Banham Ken Bates Laurence Marks Peter Fardell Andrew Darby

Definitely one of the ‘Crown Jewels’ of the UK Modelling scene. The tone is good natured, but correctly serious in the right places, plus fun and knowledgeable everywhere else. ■

Acknowledgements Grateful thanks to the BMFA Scale Technical Committee for such a well-organised event. We all all owe a debt of gratitude to omni-present Gordon Warburton for the typically fast turn-around of the BMFA Official Results.

Small but perfectly formed, and flew superbly, too: Gary Flack’s scratch-built foam / rubber Aviamilano Nibbio F14.

John Valliant with his all-foam Peanut Scale Yak 7 VT1 trainer. 13” span / 10.3 grams - did 41seconds as I watched!

Fantasy Scale? Peter Smart’s imaginative and technically accomplished interpretation of the Me P1101, which never flew, but influenced many later designs.

Andy Sephton’s model of the prototype Westland Lysander in unusual silver doped finish.

Pistachio Andreason BA4 -B by Bryan Stichbury.

Richard Crossley’s Peanut Class Stuka Ju 87 D.

Eastbourne Monoplane by Dave Crompton: 8” span with a 45 thou loop of rubber!

Superb scheme for a superb model: Curtiss A-12 Shrike by Mike Stuart.

Graham Banham’s Fairchild FC1 is built to 1/20th scale.

Flying Scale Models 41

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SUBJECTS FOR SCALE

BOEING F4B & P-1 D A classic fighter biplane series that served both the US Navy and US Army Air Corps uring then 20th century, war had been the driving force in aviation development. Both in the period 1914-1918 and again in 1939-1945, huge advancements in aircraft performance and task capability were achieved. After 1918, aviation development kind of ‘went to sleep’ and what, at that time, defined

42 Flying Scale Models

the fighter type aircraft (two wings and two machine guns) remained the norm for almost two decades. To an extent, that situation was dictated buy the attitude of the time to war itself, to financial restrictions and also engine development. Nowhere was this attitude more prevalent than in USA, which had withdrawn into an

isolationist approach to international affairs. In any case, where would the external threat come from? With 3,000 miles of open water both east and west, and friendly territory north and south, military threat seemed very remote. So military aircraft development received a low priority. The mainstay of American fighter strength in

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Blunt, but tidy practicality was the hallmark of Boeing’s F4B and P-12 series. This is a US Navy F4B-3. Note the corrugated metal skinning to the fin and rudder.

-12 

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EARLY VARIANTS. LEFT: an F4B-2 of ‘Fighting Six’ assigned to USS Saratoga. RIGHT: a perfect arrestment as another F4B-2 hooks the wire on board USS Lexington.

the early 1930s was the Boeing P-12/F4B. indeed, by comparison, orders for other types of aircraft in that period approached insignificance. In performance, the Boeings were almost identical to their British contemporary, the Bristol Bulldog, but in appearance they were distinctly American with their radial engines, straight upper wings, short fuselages and long main undercarriage, imparting a trim and perky air. This, with the flamboyant colour schemes of those days, has made the Boeing ‘Pursuit’ a lasting favourite with model builders. It is probably true that success with this design, at a time when other companies were suffering the effects of the economic depression contributed as much as any other to the solid foundation upon which the Boeing complex achieved such a worldwide domination in the aviation field. Built in 1928 as a private venture, the prototypes bearing the factory type numbers 83 and 89 were delivered to the U.S. Navy for evaluation as fighter-bombers and were designated XF4B-I. The method of construction represented a logical step forward from the earlier F3B design, while incorporating some of its features, including the corrugated metal tail and ailerons. Radical for its time, however, was the fuselage structure of bolted square alloy tube instead of the then currently favoured welded steel. The wings were of all-wood construction, each being built in one piece around two mahogany and spruce box spars. All models were fitted either with two .303 calibre machine guns or one .303 and one .50 calibre gun. A variety of bomb loads could be carried, up to a maximum of 720

Ibs. The last naval variant, the F4B-4 had a gross weight of 3,124 Ibs and with the Pratt and Whitney R-1340-16 Wasp engine of 550 h.p. it had a maximum speed of 188.4 m.p.h. and a service ceiling of 25,200 feet. In the summer of 1929, 27 machines were delivered to the U.S. Navy as type F4B-I, the first going to the ‘Red Rippers’ squadron VBIB aboard the U.S.S. Lexington. In the same year, five commercial versions were sold, including a two-seat model for Howard Hughes. On the strength of the U.S. Navy’s testing of the new machine, the U.S. Army Air Corps ordered a batch of 10 examples, designated P-12. One of these was modified, and as the XP-12A had an N.A.C.A. cowling, Frise ailerons and a shorter undercarriage. It was destroyed shortly after delivery, but the last two distinguishing features were incorporated in the next 90 machines for the army which were delivered during the following year as P-12B. It was in September 1930 that Boeing’s radically improved Model 218 first flew; this was, in proportions, virtually the same machine, but the fabric covered fuselage was replaced by an all-metal semi-monocoque type and an anti-drag ring was fitted to the engine. The Type 218 was tested by the army as the XP-925, and then sold to China. 1931 saw the production of 131 P-12C and D machines which retained the fabric-covered fuselage of the P-12B, but which had the undercarraige and engine cowl of the Type 218. The naval equivalent of the P12C and -D was the F4B-2, of which 46 were built in the same year.

The first production models based on the Model 218 were a batch of 135 P-12Es and 21 F4B-3s built between September 1931 and March 1932, the last 25 army machines being converted to the improved (but externally identical) P-12F standard. All P-12Es were fitted at the factory with tailskids, but these were replaced when in service with tail wheels. The F4B-3 and P-12E were largely identical airframe, identical that is except for special military equipment (e.g., the carrier arrester hook) although the bulkhead behind the pilot’s seat slopes more acutely on the P-12, giving a bigger cockpit opening. The last big order for the Boeing biplane fighters was for 92 F4B-4s, the last being delivered on February 28th, 1933. This final model was substantially an F4B-3 with a larger fin and a larger headrest to accommodate an inflatable life raft. Two similar machines were sold to Siam (Thailand) under the factory designation 100E, and 23 more were sent to Brazil. Fourteen of the Brazilian machines were F4B-4s intended for the U.S. Navy, but the remaining nine were specially designed lightweight models. There were further P-12 variations, but all beyond the F-type were experimental conversions to test new power plants. The XP12G was the first P-12B with a supercharged engine, while the XP-12H was a P-12D with a geared Wasp and the rounded vertical tail surfaces of the Type 218. This machine was reconverted to P-12E standard, as was the XP- 121. Seven P-12Es were fitted with fuel injectors and designated YP-12K but all reverted to standard form. ■

BELOW LEFT: an F4B-4, overhangs the flight deck of the USS Saratoga, perched on an outrigger to keep the deck as clear as possible. BELOW RIGHT: An Air Corps P-12E of 27th Pursuit Squadron. BOTTOM RIGHT: a restored P-12E now at the US Air Force Museum, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio

46 Flying Scale Models

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F4B FLYING COLOURS TONY OK

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B O E I N G

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F 4 B

F

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Flying

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Colours

Flying Scale Models 49

QUIET ZONE JULY 11 Tony OK

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R/C SCALE ELECTRICS

by Peter Rake

good reference Essential for the way I design, programmes. CAD of tion selec a and rial mate from the ply chea ht boug were r latte The Internet.

‘construction’. A screen-shot of a plan under basic tracing and the to refer lines red colou The structure is gradFinal d. adde be to nt pme equi ually filled out in black.

ell, here we are again, yet another thrilling installment of your favourite electric flight column. You know, the one that, instead of boring old facts and figures, is filled to the brim with interesting snippets of information - and more than its fair share of inane waffle. Not only has the Editor’s request for this

months’ column taken me completely by surprise (I was convinced I had at least another couple of weeks) but the weather here in the UK has done pretty much the same. As I write this, it is only one week into May, and here we are with temperatures in the low 20s and bright sunshine. Not like us at all. Okay, so it’s also been a little breezy, but not every day, so plenty of opportunities to slope off to the flying field.

W The

Quiet Zone A study in basic design is our subject this month as our columnist tells how he does it.

Unless, that is, you’re a poor, hard-pressed designer of model aircraft and something that very loosely passes as a columnist. As I said earlier, the good weather caught me completely by surprise and I had just started on another bout of model designing. Really deep into one that is proving a real pain in the neck, and with the requests for other designs starting to pile up, there was absolutely no way I could take advantage of the pleasant weather to go flying. Afterall, once you’re ‘in the groove’, the last thing you want is interruptions to the old thought chain. Even my poor, long-suffering wife was wary of asking me to help her with the gardening. She knows, from bitter experience, just what I can be like while trying to work my way through a complicated design.

Is this leading somewhere? If you’ll just wait a few minutes, I’ll tell you where. If I ever find out myself, that is. You know the way it goes by now, I sit in front of the computer and words magically appear on the screen. Especially in an instance like this, where I had nothing specifically prepared. Then, it’s totally in the lap of the gods as to what you’ll see in print. However, this time it might be a little different. Whereas I would usually drag out a few readers’ models to show you, the fact that I was plan drawing gave me an idea for the column. Yes, just occasionally I really do write this myself, despite what others would have you believe. So, for this month, rather than look at individual models, I thought it might be interesting to take a look at the more general field of designing flying models. No, don’t panic, we aren’t off into the dry realms of facts, figures and graphs. You should know by now

How much detail you add is a matter of choice, but the engine, rigging and skidded u/c draw the eye from the basically simple nature of this Kogutek, bringing it to life.

52 Flying Scale Models

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that’s just not the way I do things. Since I can’t speak for other designers, I intend to take a look at the way I set about designing a model, and hopefully pass on some tips for those feeling the urge to design models of their own.

Making a start Quite obviously, it helps no end if you actually like the aircraft you are attempting to design a model of, so that’s not a bad place to start. My own preferences are for early aircraft, WW1 types and a few later types that strike me as interesting. Many are far too obscure to appeal to the kit manufacturer or purveyor of ARTF models - thank goodness. However, nine times out of ten, that is one of the reasons why a type appeals. Where the problem arises is in turning that desire into an actual, functioning model. One that manages to survive beyond the first few seconds of its maiden flight is also no bad thing. So, how do I set about achieving that goal?

Basic stuff I have two little sayings that pretty much sum up my attitude to model design. The first goes along the lines of having only ever designed three models, monoplane, biplane and triplane; everything else has been a cosmetic variation on a theme. What I actually mean by that is that I have a basic set of rules about how a model should go together and, wherever possible, apply them to all models of a certain type. These rules are nothing special and apply to things like incidence angles, thrust lines, wing sections, etc. So, any monoplane I design is highly likely to be pretty much the same as every other monoplane I’ve designed, it will just look different because the outlines are different - afterall, it’s no good having a Morane Saulnier L that looks like a Piper Cub. Although, if you were to study the angles and wing sections, you could be excused for thinking they were the same aircraft. Now, before anyone points it out, I know I never have actually designed a Piper Cub. The rules would still apply if I did though. The second little saying I like to bring out from time to time goes something like weight being the key to success with these models, the lower the weight, the more likely you are to succeed. This one is perhaps a bit more self-explanatory, design your model to fly, not to survive a crash. ( An old modelling sage once said to me “...there strength in weakness” - Ed). Contrary to how that sounds, it does actually mean that you’ll probably end up with a model that does both. Okay, it may not survive a crash intact, but it will be repairable in most cases. If the crash was severe enough to do major damage, then it’s unlikely that a stronger model would fare any better. As regards how this works, let’s look more closely at what I’m running on about. Try to design your model with just enough wood to do the job, and with a structure that is simple, but sturdy - that’s designed to be sturdy, not made so by adding wood. I’m fully aware that it takes years to perfect that lightly-built strength, but studying the work of others (even my designs, if you’re really desperate) will give numerous clues as to how it’s done. The idea behind all this is that a light model can be flown more slowly that a heavy one, and a slow model, being easier to control, is less likely to crash. If the worst does happen, and your creation makes sudden impact with an immovable object (usually the ground), because of the lower mass involved, it doesn’t hit so hard and causes less damage, or no damage if

Just as an aside, CAD is also useful for producing graphics, be it decals or a complete indoor model like this.

An example of the forethought required for a successful design. The Ansaldo fuselage doesn’t have a straight line anywhere, so keeping it straight could prove problematic.

Sometimes a design is so obscure you just have to play the colour scheme by ear. This Hergt Monoplane features a ‘what if’ finish.

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Scale outline and rib spacing, combined with a sturdy front end and as little as possible anywhere else is my idea of a perfect model.

you’re lucky. Perhaps a good example of this theory would be to describe two crashes (yes, I do crash them occasionally). The models were both very similar in size, around 36” span, but the first was about 25% heavier than the second. Not bad design, I hasten to add, just that it used a brushed motor and eight cell Ni-MH pack, rather than the little outrunner and LiPo pack in the second model. The first model spun in, a result of a rather nasty glitch, where the motor shut down and the control surfaces slammed hard over, from about 30 feet up into long grass. It’s sheer mass managed to crush the cowl, and the heavy battery punched its way through the nose sheeting. Even so, the

model was flyable again after an hour or so in the model room. So, the weight caused the damage, but the sturdy structure prevented it being a lot worse. The second example was one that proved to be a pig to trim for some reason. It may also have been a radio problem because, just as I was about to give up, it suddenly became a very nice flying model. One minute a pain in the neck, the next an absolute joy to fly, albeit a joy that did occasionally twitch quite unnervingly. Anyway, this lighter model suffered multiple spins onto the strip during it’s ‘setting up’, but didn’t require any repairs to keep it useable. A little tarting up once I got home was all that was required.

Round fuselages benefit from a crutch style construction. It speeds assembly of a rigid, straight fuselage, but seems to take forever to draw.

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Now, about those rules Just so it’s all clear to you, I’ll do something I hardly ever do, include a table of figures. I promise not to make it a regular feature, but it does give ‘at a glance’ details of how I like my models. At the end of each table, I’ll explain why I do what I do. Throughout this, I assume flat-bottomed wing, with incidence measured along the flat bottom. I like that wing section because it works well for the models I design, and makes building easier. MONOPLANES (high wing, mid wing & parasol) Wing incidence 1-1.5 degrees Tailplane incidence 0

Worth considering on short nosed types, just exactly where the equipment is going to fit if the model is to balance correctly. Even more so on small, short nosed models.

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ABOVE: Just occasionally you get really lucky, a ‘must build’ model with a unique colour scheme. A combination to kill for. RIGHT: You simply can’t design a BE type without including the external control runs, cooling scoop, dummy engine and yards of rigging. It would look so toy-like without these details.

Thrust lines 2-3 degrees down & 2-3 degrees right I know many designers use more incidence, and more down thrust on their models, but I find that they fly perfectly well set up like this and the slight incidence angle prevents the need for more down thrust. Sometimes, that can lead to some very strange looking prop angles. MONOPLANES (low wing) Wing incidence 1 degree Tailplane incidence 0 Thrust lines 0/0 Because there is very little inclination for a low wing model to ‘balloon’ under power, there is no real need for down or side thrust. Even if flight trimming demonstrates that a little could be used to improve performance, the 0/0 starting point is still a safe place to begin.

Biplanes and triplanes Wing incidence 1-1.5 degrees on both (all) wings Tailplane incidence 1 degree Thrust lines 2 degrees down thrust & 2 degrees right thrust As with most high and mid wing monoplanes, because the centre of drag is above the centre of thrust, the down thrust prevents the drag pulling up the nose as power is increased - otherwise known as a power stall. The positive incidence on the tailplane helps to keep the tail up in flight and prevents that horrible tail low attitude. So, there you have it, all my design secrets given away. The next thing I know you’ll all be at this designing lark and I’ll have to find some other way of keeping myself amused. Please bear in mind that this is just how I do things, for the style of model I like to design. More specialised types, like jets and aerobatic models, have specific requirements to

suit their intended purpose. Similarly, I wouldn’t apply these rules to a WW2 fighter, but then I don’t design models of WW2 fighters. It goes back to the first point I raised; they simply don’t appeal to me.

Getting technical So, now that we have taken a look at what I’m trying to achieve when I sit down to design a model, and how I expect it to be set up. I suppose the next thing we’d better consider is just exactly how to get there. I don’t intend to give a blow by blow account of designing a model; that would fill an entire book, never mind the single page of space I have left. No, instead, I’ll just run through basically how I go about it, and why I do it that way. Probably the hardest thing to get used to, when drawing up a plan, is having to think in three dimensions, while drawing in two. You have to learn to think about how you want the model to go together, how you can produce the shape you need and for all this to be visible on the plan. Let’s face it, we can design them a lot faster than we can build them, so it’s always useful if, several months down the line, you can still see how it was all supposed to go together. If not, you’re back to designing it over again. So, we’ll assume you’ve chosen your prototype and have amassed as much information about it as you can. Considering the variations between certain three view drawings, and comparison with photographs, the more information you have available the easier it will be to produce an accurate representation of the aircraft. As for my

designs, I walk the tightrope between scale accuracy and simple (relatively) construction. Although as accurate as I can make the models in outline, I do make sacrifices in the name of ease of construction where applicable. Before ever laying pencil to paper, or line on computer screen in my case, I always like to study what makes this particular aircraft different to any other. Then, once I’ve decided how I want to emphasise that difference, I start by tracing all the outlines, control surfaces, wing/tail ribs and stringers/panel lines. I won’t need everything on the three view, just what will affect how the model structure is created. With the basics in place, I can then, thanks to the wonders of CAD, enlarge what I have drawn to the size the actual model will end up. CAD is good in this respect since, unlike enlarging a drawing, the line thickness doesn’t get distorted. Also, because you chose the most accurate drawing available to trace, you know that the shapes are precisely correct. Never the easiest task when drawing by hand, Right, where were we? Oh yes, we were looking at a precisely scale outline and about to turn it into a model aeroplane plan... And, as you can see, I’ve managed my usual trick of running out of space before I was finished. So, rather that give you short measure on the most important bit of the whole exercise, I’ll finish this off next time. In the meantime, if you’d like to contact me, as long as it isn’t for abuse, you’ll find me at [email protected]. Please title your e-mail because I delete anything untitled. ■

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TECHNO MODELLING

by Mike Evatt

Techno Scale

Mike Evatt searches cyberspace for more TechnoScale Topics

ABOVE LEFT: Rosie Riveter from Flight Metal for perfect rivets. ABOVE RIGHT: Alclad II Lacquers for that polished metallic look.

light Metal is the self adhesive aluminium covering system designed to give your scale model the authentic natural aluminium appearance of a full size aircraft. What I missed last time I visited their website at http://www.flitemetal.com was ‘Rosie Riveter’! This is a complementary system which allows you to achieve authentic looking parallel and staggered rivets on your scale model. To match the rivet pattern of the full size aircraft simply place a proper scale Rosie Riveter strip (1/6th, 1/5 , or 1/4 scale) centred over a lightly drawn pencil line parallel to panel edges and apply the Poly Rivet for a perfect job!

F

Logging onto http://www.alclad2.com will reveal another way of achieving that metallic finish. Alclad II Lacquers was formed in 1999 in England with the aim of providing modellers with a range of easy-to-use realistic Natural Metal Finishes. In 2001 U.K. production was supplemented with a facility in the U.S.A. and they now jointly serve the European, North American, Australasian and Far East markets. The high quality of Alclad II has led to its diverse use including architectural models, custom built motorcycles, Hollywood special effects, BVM Jets flying model aircraft, angling accessories, and special projects at Universal Studios in Orlando.

http://www.bennettbuilt.com is the web presence of B & B Specialties - billed as ‘Your Giant Scale Headquarters’. It is an Aladdin’s cave of goodies for the scale enthusiast. What I spotted here was the B & B Super Smoke System. This high volume smoke system contains the Pump, B&B Control Valve, hose and all fittings for easy installation. How does this system work? You’ll be amazed. Technically speaking, as the smoke generating fluid flows from the shut-off valve, it is distributed through a tee to both sizes of the special B&B Smoke Generating Muffler, permitting equal distribution of fluid over a larger area of hot metal; thereby allowing more volume of

ABOVE LEFT: Clouds of white billowy smoke with the B & B Super Smoke System. ABOVE CENTRE: The FEMA on-board starter. ABOVE RIGHT: PT-17 Stearman Trainer 1/16 scale balsa flying model can be IC or rubber powered.

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TOP LEFT: Windy Urtnowski’s new control-line Spitfire. TOP RIGHT: This Ventus 2CXT powered glider is a diminutive delight. ABOVE LEFT: A superb Fournier RF4-D 1/3rd Scale model is available from Falcon Aviation. ABOVE RIGHT: EDFmodel.com specialises in the design of electric ducted fan model airliners.

fluid to vaporize. From there on, it’s just clouds of white billowy smoke. Another item that could make your model complete, is a ‘FEMA on-board starter’. This equipment allows internal combustion engines can be started by radio control. It is easy and safe and it is possible to start the engine on the ground as well as in the air. Two different systems are available from FEMA Modelltechnik, based in Germany. Check out the starter and other delights on their website at http://www.fema-modelltechnik.de You can also download their latest catalogue. Models for Sale at http://www.modelsforsale.com was born of a frustration of not being able to find items easily. The hobby from which the business started was the collecting of old Airfix items. The online business started in 2000 and has steadily grown since then. It has broadened out to include flying scale models from manufacturers such as West Wings and Guillows, for example the Guillows PT-17 Stearman Trainer 1/16 Scale, shown in the screen-shot.

This scale balsa flying model can be flown with one of three different power regimes .049 - .15 IC for control-line, .049 IC or rubber power for free flight. It also makes a magnificent display piece if built as a non-flying model! Of course if you are a collector of kits you will probably leave the box unopened! It is sometime since I visited Windy Urtnowski’s website at http://www.windyurtnowski.com This is dedicated to control-line stunt flying. Windy started his love affair with model aviation when he was seven years old and now has around 50 years experience. Two things caught my attention here. His new Spitfire scale C/L stunter is available in plan form - some components and constructional videos are also available. If you fly electric control-line stunt, then you may be interested in the New Zigras Electric timers which allow timed duration and also realistic deployment of the undercarriage for landing. With the advent of small, cheap, R/C equipment it is quite amazing just how many

micro scale aircraft have become available. What recently caught my eye was a micro size scale model of the Ventus 2CXT powered glider. This is available from Overlander http://www.overlander.co.uk and is a diminutive delight. It weighs just 24gms, has a wing span of 640mm and has full motor and rudder control. Staying with motor gliders a little longer, a superb Fournier RF4-D 1/3rd Scale model is available from Falcon Aviation whose web address is http://www.falcon-aviation.com This laser cut kit can be built in 2-3days, thanks to their unique design feature of tags and slots that allow the whole structure to be ‘clicked together’ - in fact it can be assembled without glue! It is a truly splendid 12 ft span scale model of this classic motor glider which apparently is a real pleasure to fly. A 35cc petrol engine is recommended for good general aerobatic performance. I always enjoy visiting EDFmodel.com at, unsurprisingly, http://www.edfmodel.com just to get my fix of superbly built and finished jet airliners. EDFmodel.com specialises in the design of electric ducted fan model airliners. Every airliner is a quality, hand crafted custom-built model. On this site you may order a model which has been designed to offer improved model impact resistance with easy maintenance. Electric Ducted Fan at its best! 6MMFLYRC is the home of jet foamies for park flying. These are available in two types: Quick-build profile models or their Original Series with a built up fuselage that will challenge any builder, but still be easy enough for the beginner. The F-4 Phantom II shown in the screen-shot has a span of 29in, a length of 39in and an AUW of 22-25oz There comes a time when the tatty old building board just has to go. If that is the case with you, then take a look at Aeroboards at http://www.aeroboards.com Aeroboards is an innovative construction board for the discriminating aeromodeller. The high density polyurethane foam out-performs conventional insulation board. It is stable, will not flake and has a flat, plane surface. The foam mat provides a firm and secure hold for pins during the build. The solid beech frame and MDF base provide a solid construction that can be safely moved and stored. That’s all there is time for from me this month light up that screen and if you find something out there of interest that might be good to share, email me at [email protected] ■

ABOVE LEFT: 6MMFLYRC is the home of jet foamies for park flying. ABOVE RIGHT: Aeroboards is an innovative construction board for the discriminating aeromodeller.

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