| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 239.92 | deep in the guts of the receiver | CLOSUS::TAVARES | John--Stay low, keep moving | Fri Sep 11 1987 11:40 | 32 |
| RE:.88 Al, I was thinking of your story on my way home last
night; I think I know what happened. The reason I'm the World's
Oldest Student ( that is, I've been fooling with RC for nearly
four years and haven't soloed yet) is that I spent the better
part of 2 1/2 years trying to design and build my own equipment.
Got it sort of working, but wound up buying some commercial
equipment in the long run (believe me, it takes more money than
brains to do it yourself).
Anyway. One of the most critical parts of receiver design is the
connection between the output of the receiver, that is the
detector, and the input of the decoder. This is because the RC
receiver has a big hairy AGC loop that picks off the signal
voltage at that point. The AGC is generally fed back to, among
other places, the IF amplifiers. Well, let me tell you, that
loop loves to oscillate. There are generally some large
capacitors there to filter the signal into AGC, and often an
inductor as part of the filter. The signal output, in turn often
is only capacitively coupled to the input of the decoder, which
usually has an OP amp as its input stage ( the normal decoder
chip, NE5045 has an op amp input).
What happens is that sometimes, for no apparent reason except a
strong signal, the receiver IF will oscillate. The cure is to
either attenuate the input signal, or to turn off the
transmitter, either of which break the AGC feedback loop. My
silver seven will oscillate upon very infrequent occasion, such
as when I'm setting up servos with the transmitter within a foot
of the antenna. But if the receiver is not tuned just right, if
the receiver/decoder impedance match is not carefully engineered,
the receiver will oscillate under lower signal conditions.
That's what happened to your friend.
|
| 239.163 | MIG-3 --- detailed description | MAUDIB::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT RC-AV8R | Mon Oct 12 1987 15:47 | 79 |
| Chris,
Hmmmmmmmmm, you might have something there about circulating photos of our
pride-and-joys. My only problem might be I don't currently have any "good"
shots of the MiG-3 that I'd care to lose if the worst happened in the good
ol' DEC goat-mail. Most of the good pic's I have were given to me by others
who possess the good cameras (and the skills to use them) needed for taking
"really" good photos. (I'm an instamatic-man as, if there is even "one" sim-
ple adjustment/setting to make on a camera, I'll blow more film that Kodak can
make.) At any rate, what I'm saying is that I don't have any duplicates, or
the negatives to print them, which makes the photos I have irreplaceable. I'll
look through what I do have and see if I have a good one that I could afford to
part with if it was lost.
What's a MiG-3 look like, you ask...wull', lemmesee', it's a real sinister look-
in' thing that was the first airplane designed by the (then) newly formed design
team of Artem Mikoyan and Mikhail Gurevich. It was optimised as a high-altitude
interceptor having the smallest possible airframe (32' wingspan) they could hang
on a grossly overweight Mikulin AM-75 V-12 engine producing 1750 HP but out-
weighing the contemporary Rolls-Royce Merlins and Daimler Benz's by over 500
lb.'s. The nose looks a little like a hybrid between a Sptifire and a Hurricane
with a 3-stack exhaust manifold on either side (mine have been made to be func-
tional...the exhaust from the O.S. .60 FSR is ducted to and exits from all 6-
stacks - trick, but awfully messy!).
The wing looks a little like a Hurricane's, having a flat center section with
dihedral in the outer panels from the landing gear out. The empennage (tail-
section) has a little of the P-40 look to it. The aft fuselage appears rather
short, an optical illusion created by the cockpit being located well to the rear
(to help compensate for the heavy engine). The canopy is something on the order
of the P-40/P-51A&B greenhouse style except it has a one piece blown (rounded)
shaped windscreen and minimal framing in the sliding portion. The canopy fairs
smoothly back into the turtledecking wnich then flows gracefully into the ver-
tical fin. Due to the extreme aft location of the cockpit, the fuselage "ap-
pears" to have an extremely long nose and equally short tail moment but, as I
said previously, it's an illusion...the moment arms are as nearly perfect as
I've seen on a WW-II fighter
All guns were mounted in the upper nose: it has two loooong, faired gun tunnels
running from just ahead of the windscreen to just behind the spinner backplate
with a third gun opening off-center between the tunnels. Just behind the spin-
ner and below the exhaust stack, a long cheek-scoop is located on both sides of
the nose (these housed oil cooling radiators. Completing the picture is a P-51
like belly-scoop. Naturally, it's a taildragger but the tailwheel is fixed (non
retractable). Main-gear doors are a 3-section, triple-hinge articulated affair
that cost many sleepless nights to work out.
The full-scale MiG was one of the fastest fighters in Europe in its day. It ex-
ceeded 401 MPH during an early test hop in April, 1940. Unfortunately, it was
extremely heavily wing loaded and could be a man-killer in the hands of an inex-
perienced pilot. While very fast and agile at altitudes between 26,000 and
39,000 feet, most of the German/Russian air-war was fought at altitudes below
2,000 feet where the MiG was NOT in its element. Nevertheless, the MiG-3 man-
aged to hold the line `til more suitable fighters were developed and made a num-
ber of aces to boot. After being replaced and reassigned to home defense in the
Moscow/Leningrad sectors, several MiG-3 equipped units received the coveted
"Guards Unit" citation for having distinguished themselves in combat. Russia's
2nd highest scoring ace, Col. Andrei Pokryshkin (sp?), scored 75 kills in the
MiG-3 before moving into Yak's and Lagg's and always said he preferred the MiG
(though he was almost totally alone in his preference). See, ain't it neat all
the neat, historical stuff ya' learn when ya' research a scale project?
My model replicates a prototype flown by a Capt. Polyakov with a "Guards Unit"
in the defense of Leningrad, summer of 1942. It's brown & grey-green camouflage
on top with a pale blue underside. Blood-red stars are on top and bottom of both
wings and both sides of the aft fuselage. Large white numerals "04" are just
below the cockpit on both sides. The model is 1/5.65 scale, spans 72 3/4", has
960 square inces of wing area and weighs 11 1/2 lb.'s. It's equipped with Rhom
retracts with custom-built scale oleo-struts; segmented, split-flaps, sliding
canopy and the aforementioned functional exhaust system. I use an "ultra-relia-
ble" Futaba "J" series radio for guidance. Fortunately, the modelexhibits none
of the nastiness of the original and is as fine a scale ship as I've ever flown.
(The light wing-loading makes it a pussy-cat in most parameters.)
Well, ya' asked "what time it was" and I "built ya' a watch!" You now know more
than you probably ever wanted to know about the MiG-3. ;-) Hope ya' found it
interesting!
Adios, Al
|
| 239.177 | ground handling | MAUDIB::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT RC-AV8R | Tue Oct 20 1987 17:43 | 14 |
| > 1.) If taxying a taildragger, you must hold full up elevator when
> taxying into the wind and full "down" when taxying downwind. This
> keeps the tailwheel anchored to the ground and is identical to full-
> scale taildragger procedure(s). ** For tri-gear, neutral elevator
> is usually adequate for upwind taxying but down elevator will still
> aid downwind taxying. **
** I gave you some bogus information here, Kay. (It's been ages since I
flew a tri-geared bird, full-scale OR model.) With tri-geared ships, the object
is to keep the nose-wheel anchored to the ground so the opposite rules (from
taildraggers) apply: hold neutral or down-elevator when taxying upwind and up-
elevator when taxying downwind. Sorry `bout that!
Adios, Al
|
| 239.267 | FLAT-SPINS ANYONE..............?? | MAUDIB::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Thu Dec 10 1987 16:24 | 81 |
| Well, guys, it appears to be more than two weeks since anything new was added
to this topic so let me scan the memory banks and see if I can come up with
another yarn to rekindle the interest. I hope to see some interesting/funny
accounts from all you snowbound noters regarding yer' winter activities in
the near future.
Lemmesee', I don't think I've told this one...I'm not about to rifle back
through 266 replies looking for it so, if you've already heard [read] this one,
sorry `bout that.
A friend of mine, Glen Freeman [who appeared in the Beachcomber crash into
Roosevelt Lake episode], built several Bandido's over the years he and I flew
together regularly and Glen had a propensity for building HEAVVVVY! By the
way, a Bandido was/is a shoulder-winged, medium-to-high performance sport
ship designed by Ted White based, loosely, around Doug Spreng's "Stormer" of
the early `60's.
Glen also had the uncanny knack for building the crooked-est R/C models I ever
saw and had the pleasure(?) to fly. If you ever gave him a straight, well trim-
med airplane to fly, Glen would swear there was something wrong with it he was
so accustomed to flying out of trim stuff of his own manufacture.
Anyhoo, we were flying from the Albuquerque field atop the Volcano Cliffs west
of town on this occasion (probably around `67-`68) when, during a flight, Glen
got his crooked, overweight Bandido into a flat spin a coupla' hundred feet up.
"Hey Caso [his nickname for me], look at this," Glen hollered. Looking up, I
saw his bird rotating flatter'n a sailcat at a pretty good rate but descending
verrrrry slowly. After watching awhile, I said, "Well, are ya' gonna' get out
of it or ride it all the way to the ground?" "Guess yer' right," Glen respond-
ed, then, in the next breath, he exclaimed, "Oh Hell! I can't get it out!"
Sure enough, the Bandido "helicoptered" down all the way to ground, coming to
earth in the middle of the [fortunately] nearly empty parking lot with a muffled
THUUUUDDDD and a puff of volcanic dust. We walked out to retrieve the presuma-
bly destroyed airplane but were amazed to find it sitting on it's tricycle gear
with the engine "still idling." Aside from spreading the dural aluminum main
gear a tad, the bird was completely undamaged! (That 1/4" hardwood dowel leading
edge and main spar had finally contributed something besides extra weight. I
told you Glen built heavvvvy!)
Walking back to the pits, I advised Glen what he "should've done" to recover the
spin; "Use full down elevator, full rudder opposite the spin and full throttle
[or bursts of same]," I told him. "You think you coulda' done better, Smart
A**?" Glen asked. "Why, Hell ya'," I replied. Next thing I knew, Glen had the
bird up, put it into another flat spin, handed me the transmitter and said, "OK,
wise guy, get it out!" With that, I tried "EVERYTHING" I knew or had ever heard
about spin recovery, then got creative and tried to invent something, all to no
avail. The Bandido "autorotated" all the way down and thumped-in within a few
yards of where it had landed the first time, again with no damage. We crossed
flat spins out of Glen's repertoire and finished up the session uneventfully.
That evening, we went over to Ted White's and, during the bull-session that in-
evitably ensues between modelers, we mentioned the flat spin episode of earlier
that day. Ted began lecturing us on the dynamics of spins and spin recovery and,
before long, volunteered that any DUNCE should be able to recover a flat spin if
he uses the proper procedure. Exchanging a knowing glance, Glen and I allowed
as how we'd sure appreciate a demonstration from the Master. Ted had, after
all, designed the Bandido so he was supremely confident that he knew every last
intimate detail of the Bandido's flying characteristics and could recover the
spin with ease. Smirks, grins and winks passed between Glen and I for the re-
mainder of the evening.
Next day found us back on the field; as he'd done for me, Glen put the Bandido
into a flat spin and handed the transmitter to Ted. As had happened to both
Glen and I, Ted tried everything except for [and maybe including] prayer but,
again, the Bandido ignored all inputs and thumped to the ground, unhurt except
for a broken prop, a wrinkle we were quick to advise Ted had not happened to
either of us.
Ted was so fascinated he tried 3-more times with the same predictable result.
His fascination overrode his dented ego and Ted offered to swap Glen his own,
straight, well trimmed Bandido for Glen's. Glen took him up on the offer in
a flash and, 20-years later, Ted admits he never did figure out this quirk nor
did he ever succeed in recovering a flat spin with Glen's bird.
EPILOGUE: Glen "hated" Ted's Bandido with a passion; said it flew too easily,
felt slippery/unstable when he didn't HAVE to fly it every second. Eventually,
Glen built another of his "propellor wing" specials and gave Ted's Bandido to
me...one of the finest flying ships I ever owned!
Adios amigos, Al
|
| 239.286 | book on basics recommended by Al | CLOSUS::TAVARES | John--Stay low, keep moving | Mon Dec 14 1987 14:49 | 4 |
| Thanks for making me jog my memory, Al; I didn't do it before
because it slipped me. But I got it now: Wolfgang Langschweise,
Stick and Rudder. Published in the forties and still valid.
Thanks again, whoever recommended that one!
|
| 239.343 | unimpressed with 4-cycles | GHANI::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Wed Dec 30 1987 10:07 | 57 |
| Anker,
I expect the ad you saw "was" for the Platt Jungmeister...I seem
to remember the pic with Dave holding the model. Design/engineering
wise, the 1/4 scale Platt is nearly identical to the PICA since Dave
designed them both but Platt kits are known for the wood/hardware
quality. Don't write off the PICA yet, however...pick through one
for yer'self; the kit quality could've improved since mine was built.
As to 4-cycle engines, that's not a good subject to get me started
on as I'm "faaaaaaaar" from being sold on "any" reason whatever for
running one. Their primary advantage, namely less noise, has even
been lost as power has increased. For the very first time, I'm
in total accord with an editorial by Norm Goyer (see "As I R/C It"
in the current issue of Scale R/C Modeler) who feels that we modelers
have been taken in by the engine manufacturers where 4-cycles are
concerned. Norm reasons that, with the reliability and longevity of
today's engines, mfgr.s came up with the 4-cycle to create a new
market and "sell engines." But, the kicker is that what they [the
mfgr.s] are pushing off as 4-cycle engines are "not" that at all.
How could they be when they utilize glo-plugs, thereby eliminating
any way of timing plug-firing to the power stroke??
When the initial fascination wore off, the modeling public demanded
more power from their 4-cycles so the mfgr.s obliged, but at the
sacrifice of the engines' claim to fame [low noise] and, throughout,
4-cycles have had the disarming and dangerous habit of spitting
the prop due to pre-ignition/detonation resulting from the absence
of ignition timing which "would" be present in a "true" 4-cycle
engine. One only needs to read the "Safety Comes First" column
by John Preston in Model Aviation magazine for a few issues to get
a feel for the number and severity of injuries modelers have received
as a result of this dangerous personality trait of the so-called
4-cycle engine. Serious eye, hand and finger injuries while operating
4-cycles seems "much" too common for me to regard as an acceptable
risk. Thanks, but no thanks!
But enough of this...I'd better stop before I press someone's "Hot-
Button" [if I haven't already] and that wasn't my intent. It's
just that this is one area where I have a very strong opinion and,
though I've tried to keep it mostly to myself, the direct question
was finally asked, so the above are some of the reasons I don't
run 4-cycles and have no intention of doing so. I realize many
of you successfully run and enjoy 4-cycles and the last thing I
want to do is crumb this in the least. We're all free to choose
whatever suits us, for whatever reason(s)...I'm just saying that
until the day when a 4-cycle is a "true" 4-stroke engine with the
current, common failings eliminated and the power-to-weight/size
favorably comparable to 2-cycles, I choose to have nothing to do
with the 4-cycle engine. I simply cannot justify the increased cash
outlay required to obtain a bulkier, heavier but less powerful and
potentially dangerous engine. Just my opinion, but it makes sense
to "me" and I'm the guy I have to live with, so there you have it.
Adios amigo and keep us posted, maybe in the scale topic, if you
take the plunge and get into a Jungmeister...., Al
|
| 239.394 | how to rescue edits from network glitches | WRASSE::FRIEDRICHS | Jeff Friedrichs 381-1116 | Mon Jan 18 1988 12:30 | 26 |
| Well, all is not lost if the network dies while you are typing a
long note...
Follow these simple steps and you should be able to recover that
message... (This assumes that you are using a Notebook)
1) Get back to the notebook listing
2) open any other note file that you have listed (or return
to the original one)
3) give the command "Write/last"
This gives you an edit window with the text of your
last message in it.
4) press the "DO" key, you will be prompted for a "command>"
5) type "Write file.name" where file.name is the file that you
would like created in your local directory.
6) control-Z or whatever, then answer NO to "enter this note?"
Later, when you are back in the offending conference, just type
WRITE file.name or REPLY file.name and the file that you were using
before will be used to start a new response.
Good luck!!
jeff
Warning - the /LAST switch will NOT work if you exit notes in general.
|
| 239.422 | MODELNET | JIMINI::SCANTLEN | | Thu Feb 04 1988 09:45 | 19 |
| re. .420
The AMA has available on timesharing systems like COMP*SER*E, a
forum called MODELNET. It is run by several SYSOPS, and started
a few years back by the overall Special Projects Director, Doug Pratt.
There exists an online database for program uploads/downloads,
directories of clubs thruout the USA, a section for AMA business,
AMA contest results, AMA 'future publications in Model Aviation',
Newsletter upload/downloads, and a recently added feature, 'ONLINE
AMA application'. There's much more, with forums that are for
RC Flying, RC Cars, Boats, Plastic Modelers, Rocketry, Trains, and
such. You can even get verification of a club member's AMA membership
if you are an club officer and use this service...
So...if thats what AMA-NET was discussed as, then its like our
RC Notesfile, only worldwide, with access by others than DEC'ies...
-Mike
|
| 239.428 | SAFETY THAT PROP ON YER' 4-STROKERS....!! | MAUDIB::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Mon Feb 08 1988 14:35 | 25 |
| Saw a very nearly serious accident at the flying field yesterday
caused by the 4-stroke engine's nasty propensity for throwing the
prop. A fellow started his .90 4-cycle and had just begun to advance
the throttle when the engine spit the prop which ran down this guy's
leg, shredding his pant leg, then bounced off the ground into his
face with a shower of gravel.
This guy must've been really living right lately as the prop failed
to break the skin on his leg and his glasses prevented any injury
to his face or eyes by the errant prop and/or the flying gravel.
This guy had used a second prop-nut as a jam nut but to no avail...the
prop "still" came off effortlessly. I mentioned that I'd read the
only "sure" defense against this was to drill the propshaft outboard
of the prop-nut and install a cotter key or safety wire to prevent
the nut from becoming unthreaded and he allowed as how he wouldn't
run the engine again `til this was done.
There seems to be only two kinds of 4-cycle engine users: those
that have had the engine spit the prop and those who "are GOING
to!" Just a word of caution...if "I" were running a 4-stroker,
I'd sure install this safety feature - eye's and hands are just
too hard to come by!!!
Adios, Al
|
| 239.430 | prop stitting because of fuel, etc. | STRINE::CHADD | Go Fast; Turn Left | Tue Feb 09 1988 00:32 | 12 |
| re: .428
A common reason for throwing props is ignitors in the fuel. (eg. acetone)
Most methanol purchased has a small amount of acetone (about 3-6%) to assist
combustion in motor vehicles engines. This is bad news for model engines as it
causes detonation and in sever cases backfiring and throwing a prop.
Things that can help is adding a spacer under the head to reduce the
comp, checking the valve clearance and changing glo plugs.
John.
|
| 239.431 | OS is addressing the prop spitting problem | LEDS::WATT | | Tue Feb 09 1988 08:11 | 11 |
| I have seen several 4-strokes spit props at our field. It has always
been right after starting and it seems to me that the engine backfires
due to being too lean while cold. I am concerned about this nasty
habbit since I just purchased my first 4-stroke, an OS1.2. OS now
supplies a special lock nut that prevents the prop nut from spinning
off even if it loosens up. I plan to use extreme care anyway, but
I hope this lock nut works. It's hard to drill crankshafts because
they are harder than hell!
Charlie
|
| 239.502 | anaphylactic shock can kill; CA reaction is similar | TIGEMS::RYDER | Al Ryder, aquatic sanitary engineer | Fri Feb 19 1988 00:36 | 23 |
| This probably not the right place for this topic, but note 239.*
is a conference in its own right.
A few replies back there was a discussion of a reaction to [possibly]
cured CYA [or something else; there really isn't enough data].
The reaction described is called anaphylactic shock. It is a common
extreme of an allergic reaction. It can kill and very quickly.
Last summer I had such a reaction to a wasp sting after many years
of being able to consider a sting a minor and temporary pain. It
happened again a few weeks later. Both times I got to the medical
center in time. I now have several "sting kits" handy.
I believe that for me the time between sting and termination is
about one hour, but I don't intend to test the conjecture. Death,
when it occurs, is the result of extreme swelling of the throat
closing off the windpipe.
If, while flying, someone is stung and starts to have very, very
intense itching, get medical assistance immediately. Don't expect
the victim to drive himself --- he may become unconscious. He will
certainly be an unsafe driver, distracted by the hellish itching.
|
| 239.521 | concentration! especially when inverted | SPKALI::THOMAS | | Mon Feb 22 1988 10:57 | 20 |
|
John, What you will find in the future when you get into
aerobatic flying is that there is a great deal of concentration
involved. You really need to concentrat to use down stick for
up while inverted. Any laps of concentration and your mind will
automaticly do what comes naturally. It is at this time that
the plane is most vulnerable. The engine dieing causes the pilot
to focus his attention on the engine rather than the plane.
The plane reacts to the dead engine and begine to sink. Your
mind notices this sink and reacts to it in a natural manor.
If you don't have the presence of mind to run the planes input thru
your brains attitude checker you will rekit the plane. If however
you do use the checker rather than naturally react chances are that
you can come out of the situation with only minimal damage.
Unless you have considerable speed that correct thing to do would
be to pancake the ship in inverted. If you have plenty of speed
then a roll can be tried.
Tom
|
| 239.522 | TRADE AIRSPEED FOR ALTITUDE...... | WAZOO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Mon Feb 22 1988 13:20 | 21 |
| Re: .-2.., John,
I heard [third hand] that the Masters Qualifier would be flown from
a 2500' aux sailplane runway at the cadet's sailport.
OK, Verner Kopp/Propwash Video is the one I was thinking of...thanx.
Re: .-3..., John/Tom,
If caught inverted when the engine quits on a high-speed low pass,
yer' best bet is to push the nose up [using down elevator] then,
almost simultaneously, do a little less that 1/2 a roll which leaves
you higher, upright and banked to setup a deadstick landing. I've
used this technique successfully a number of times BUT, the key
to it's success is SPEED...without airspeed to trade for altitude,
yer' only hope is to go in inverted as gently as possible, per Tom's
suggestion.
Adios, Al
|
| 239.524 | "REAL" SPONGE-RUBBER TIRES.......!! | MAUDIB::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Thu Feb 25 1988 16:11 | 58 |
| Ken,
Thanx fer' the great yarn. I've seen wheels fall off, but floats?
Lucky thing you weren't flying from water, eh? You'd surely have
survived it but gotten pretty water-logged in the bargain, I'd expect.
On the subject of losing landing gear and/or parts of same, an
interesting thing happened to several guys at the `88 Masters last
October. Brian O'Meara, Shailesh Patel, Charlie Chambers and a
coupla' others were using Byron wheels/tires on their warbirds
[a very nice looking wheel I might add] and a totally unexpected
disadvantage to these tires was inadvertently discovered.
(Remember that we flew in the rain Saturday and Sunday after a fairly
nice day Friday.) It started when we heard , Saturday morning, that
Shailesh had conned the hotel restaurant into letting him "bake"
his wheels in one of their ovens. When we asked him what was going
on, Shailesh showed us; while they _appear_ nice and smooth, the
Byron tire is actually porous, very minutely so, but porous nonetheless
and, acting like sponges, his tires had absorbed so much moisture
that they had grown in size sufficiently to no longer fit into the
wheel wells. You could actually squeeze the tires and wring "water"
out of them...incredible! Of course, they more than doubled in
weight in the bargain also.
For the remainder of the meet, both Shailesh and Charlie had gear
retraction problems because of the rain-swollen tires and I believe
Charlie flew his last round [maybe two] with the gear down because of
this.
Brian had a slightly different problem stemming from the same thing.
His tires were so water-logged and overweight that the additional
centrifugal force exerted on them caused one or both tires to spin off
the hubs every takeoff after the rains came. Naturally, with the
tire(s) gone, gear retraction was no problem but he still had a
landing to get through PLUS Brian was using a touch-and-go as one
of his optional maneuvers.
Darndest thing you ever saw; Brian'd extend the gear and your
attention was immediately drawn to the tiny, undersized wheel [tire-
less hub] at the end of the gear strut. No one'd have criticized
him if he'd scratched the touch-and-go but Brian perservered and
setup anyhow. Well, we could hardly believe our eyes cause, except
for the funny screeching noise, Brians big Baker P-47 breezed through
the touch-and-goes AND the final landings just as though nothing
was wrong. It was hilarious! And he was well scored to boot, the
judges apparently being aware of the many landings Jugs made in Europe
with the tires shot away.
Incidental to Kevin: Brian has committed to be here with his Baker
Jug next month. Shailesh may also attend with "his" Baker Jug and
there's an offhand chance that Charlie Chambers may be here with
his metal covered Platt P-51, "Contrary Mary." Being an airline
captain, Charlie's hedging until he knows better how his flight
schedule looks.
Adios, Al
|
| 239.565 | BRONCO STORY CONCLUDED....... | MAUDIB::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Tue Mar 08 1988 10:34 | 45 |
| Back to the OV10A/Ted White story; Brian (.551) and Glenn (.553)
are verrrry close to what actually happened. In fact, between the
two guesses, you've hit on it exactly.
I neglected to mention that. after installing the receiver, the
Rx antenna was threaded out through the removeable hatch cover which
was shaped as the continuation of the rear of the fuse pod, that
is, it was very streamlined like the rear of an engine nacelle.
After the wreckage was collected in was discovered that the Rx was
_nowhere_ to be found. This caused a tremendous amount of
head-scratching `til we remembered that Jess Wright had video-taped
the entire episode. Reviewing Jesses tape through tha camera's
monitor revealed that, as Ted had begun the descending approach
to the low pass he'd intended to make, the increased low-pressure
area formed at the rear of the fuse-pod had literally sucked the
hatch off, whence it fluttered to the end of the Rx antenna but
was restrained from flying clear by the knot in the end of the antenna
wire. Now handing in the slipstream like a drag-chute, the Rx was
pulled out the rear of the fuse, naturally unplugging it from all
servos and the battery pack. Then, the video-tape clearly showed
the Rx be safely "parachuted" to the ground, dangling from the hatch.
Using the tape for a reference, we went searching in the pucker-brush
and, sure enough, came upon the Rx and hatch cover, totally unharmed
which, unfortunately, was a lot more than we could say for the pile
of wreckage that had been the gorgeous Bronco only a few moments
before.
Two valuable lessons were learned, actually three, from the incident.
First and most important was that there's wisdom in the AMA rule
forbidding test flights during a sanctioned event...serious injury
could've resulted had the flight been made while the site was packed
with people and cars. Second, rubberbands don't constitute a secure
method of securing hatches in low pressure areas of a fuse. Third
and last, don't put a knot or other device at the end of the Rx
antenna if it exits through a hatch, canopy or whatever that has
the _remotest_ chance of coming off in flight...yer' just hangin'
it out for "Murphy" to jump on. But for the knot, the hatch wouldve
fluttered harmlessly away, it's possible loss being the maximum
extent of the damage.
Adios amigos, Al
P.S Congratulations to Brian and Glenn for their astute guesses.
|
| 239.589 | glider piggy-back launch | MAUDIB::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Thu Mar 10 1988 11:23 | 78 |
| Anybody ready for another yarn? This one [fortunately] doesn't
involve a crash, near crash or even a message of any sort.
While vacationing in Albuquerque some 17+ years ago, I spent a week
with Ted White [yeah, he _does_ move around a lot] and Ted was on
a sailplane kick. We went up to the top of the volcano cliffs west
of town several times to fly Ted's Schweizer (sp?) 1-26 sailplane
and had a good time but he wasn't happy just chucking the glider
off the cliff. Lift wasn't all that abundant and, more than once,
We were unable to get the plane back up to an altitude where we
could land atop the cliff. This meant landing in the clearing 200'
below and going after the bird in the car, a long, roudabout trip
that took over 20-minutes.
Incidentally, it's quite interesting/challenging landing way beneath
yer' elevation like that...depth perception ain't worth a flip! We
learned quickly, however, it was pretty easy...all you had to do
was flare and land on the airplane's shadow, simple huh?
Anyway, Ted decided we should try launcing using a powered mother
plane. We found towing the glider, prototype fashion, to be extremely
difficult and trying on both pilots so Ted went back to the drawing
board and concluded that we should mount the glider in a cradle
attached to the back of the mother plane and separate the two via
an aux servo once desired altitude had been attained.
A few hours later, we had soldered up a music wire contraption that
resembled the buttresses of the Eiffel Tower, attached it to the
back of one of Ted's Bandido and rigged an externally mounted servo
to pull a pin out of a retaining ring arrangement. A screw-eye
was installed in the glider's belly such that it engaged the retaining
ring in the saddle, whereupon the release pin was slid through both,
securing the glider to the cradle.
Out to the field we went to try out this Siamese contraption. Not
knowing what kinda' monster we'd created, Ted flew the mother plane
on the test-hop, instructing me that, if anything went wrong, he'd
instantly pull the pin and I was to pull the big sailplane up and
away so he could [hopefully] regain control of the mother plane.
"Yeah! Right," I thought to myself.
The takeoff run was pretty conventional but it was weird to watch
the big Schweizer's wings flex upward as lift was developed and,
contrary to what we expected, the run was shortened considerably
owing to the additional lift provided by the parasite glider. Climb
out appeared normal `til Ted tried to turn this monstrosity, "It
won't turn!" he hollered and, indeed, hard as he tried, the contraption
[which resembled mating dragonflies] bored straight on, becoming
smaller all the time.
Ted had warned me _NOT_ to touch the glider's controls `til time
to separate but I thought, "What th' Hell," and fed in a little
rudder. That did it! Ted hollered, "There it comes" and breathed
a sigh of relief. With the ship(s) safely climbing back towards
us, I told Ted what I'd done and he replied, "Of course, we've got
so much adverse yaw that the mother plane's rudder isn't enough."
So, that became S.O.P., I'd leave the glider controls alone until
time to turn then add appropriate rudder. Anyhow, release altitude
was reached and Ted throttled back, dropped the nose slightly and
pulled the release pin. Man, the Schweizer literally _popped_ outa'
the cradle and I found myself jockeying the elevator stick
back-and-forth to kill the porpoising that immediately developed.
Meanwhile, Ted spiralled the Bandido down and landed, then took
over the glider. _We'd_done_it!_ We polished the technique all
that afternoon, taking turns flying either the glider or the mother
plane and generally having a ball. Now, _this_, I thought was alright;
added a little spice and took some of the _yawn_ outa' glider flying
[for _me_ at least].
As far as I ever knew, we were the first to successfully use this
launch technique in the southwest, certainly in the Albuquerque area.
Nowadays, I see it all the time and the simplicity of some of the
rigs really puts our birdcage cradle to shame......but it worked.
Adios, Al
|
| 239.656 | wing incidence and airfoil | MAUDIB::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Mon Mar 28 1988 14:29 | 19 |
| Dan,
I concur with Tom's approach. A flat-bottom wing, in essence, requires
no positive incidence as it produces lift off the top of the wing
_only_. Incidence is normally used only on symmetrical/semi-symmetrical
sectioned wings where lift is produced from bith the top _and_ the
bottom of the wing and positive angle of attack [incidence] is
necessary to assure more upward than downward lift. 1-2 degrees
of positive incidence is all that's needed with a symmet/semi-symmet
wing so I'm sure that 3-degrees is way too much for the Pilgrim.
Very likely, a zero-zero wing-to-stad decolage and 2-degrees or
so of downthrust would be very close to ideal for yer' bird.
:
| | 00 Adios, Al
|_|_| ( >o
| Z__(O_\_ (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.658 | walkie-talkie flight line control | MAUDIB::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Tue Mar 29 1988 11:01 | 55 |
| Mornin' guys,
In the interim as we _anxiously_ await inputs from Kay and Kevin,
re: their thoughts, impressions of their recent visit to Phoenix
and the 1/8 Air Force Scale Fly-In, lemme' ramble a bit.
I'm eager to hear K&K's impression(s) of the way we handled flight
rotation, frequency control and flightline safety. Several years
back, during my first term as Commander of the group, I recommended
we buy 6 walkie talkie type radios; the kind with the lightweight
headset and belt-mounted tranceiver. These have become the cornerstone
of our running/controlling the meet. All flightline safety personnel
wear a radio and coordinate traffic through use of them. Flightline
coordinators also wear radios so they can relay _who's_up_next_ info
to the anouncer, who is also wired for sound.
I put the headset on Kay for 5-minutes or so during my hitch as
flightline coordinator and I think he found it fascinating. The
safety people sound like the tower controllers at any busy airport:
"I have a P-51 waiting clearance for takeoff." "Hold him, I have
an F-16 on final...Ok, the F-16's down and clear, let the P-51 go
after the Thunderbolt completes its low-pass." "Roger." [to the
P-51 pilot] Taxi into takeoff position and hold; begin takeoff roll
when the P-47's clear."
Three safety people control the 5-flightlines and do everything
possible to ensure a safe, enjoyable meet. They clear takeoffs
and landings, clear the decks for deadsticks and emergencies and
coordinate low-passes and aerobatics in the runway area with all
other traffic via these radios. If it sounds a little stiff/formal,
believe me it really isn't...a pilot can do virtually anything he
wants but he must coordinate through his safety officer first so
maximum safety is provided for him and all other traffic. All it
requires of the pilots is a little discipline and they take to
it like a duck-to-water.
On another subject, this might interest Anker and other 495th members.
In John Preston's "Safety Comes First" column in the latest Model
Aviation, 495th newsletter editor, George Werber, has a piece of
a discussion around safety while flying R/C in the presence of
lightning. No conclusion is reached regarding the issue but I,
for one, wouldn't consider walking around in an open field holding
a lightning-rod during a thunderstorm so I'm certainly not gonna'
risk standing out there with a transmitter in my hands. Besides,
high static discharge [even though remote] has been known to squirrel-
out a radio just like high-tension powerlines so, if I care nothing
for my life, I'm sure not gonna' risk losing my aircraft. Just
my personal opinion, but I'd suggest packing it in `til another
day if/when a thunderstorm threatens while at the flying field.
:
| | 00 Adios, Al
|_|_| ( >o
| Z__(O_\_ (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.748 | Osprey, anyone? | MDSUPT::EATON | Dan Eaton | Fri May 06 1988 16:38 | 20 |
| Hey Al,
when Cam and I were driving back from the Spirit's Show and Tell, I asked him
what he was going to win with next year. He said he didn't know. Well, now he's
got a project to keep him busy till then. His new scale project is a 1/12 or
1/10th scale (hasn't been finalized yet) version of the Bell Osprey. If you're
not familiar with the Osprey, its the tilt rotor transport the services are
looking at buying. It takes off like a helicopter, tilts the rotors and flys
to its destination like a plane.I have no doubt Cam will succeed in building a
beuatiful working model of it. Whether or not it will actually get off the
ground and be flyable by us normal mortals is another question. He calculated
that the wing loading will be around 42 ounces if that means anything to you.
Cam is also short on documentation so if anyone knows of some that describes
the Osprey in detail please let me know.
Just noticed that I goofed on something. The best of show at the Spirit's
show and tell was a B-24, not a B-26. Wing loading on that four engined
beast was 38 ounces.
Dan Eaton
|
| 239.803 | Brian Taylor P-40 [1/4?] scale | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Mon May 23 1988 12:46 | 71 |
| Well, we had a rather abbreviated flying session yesterday, mostly
owing to the fact that "_IT'S GETTIN' HOT OUT THERE_!" High temp.
was 106F yesterday with today to be a carbon copy. Sure hope it
cools some by this weekend or it's gonna' be unconfortably warm
at the Tucson Qualifier.
Anyhoo, we arrived about 7:00AM and got straight to the business of
flying as it was already pretty warm. I put a coupla' more flights on
the ol" yeller Peril, Bob flew the Stagspitoon and [would you believe]
Chuck brought out the Byro-dactyl (Byron Pipe Dream) again. Byron
or someone back there musta' been smokin' sumpthin' funny when they
"dreamed" that abortion up...Lord but it's UGLY! Oh well.........
Highlight (almost low-light) of the morning was that I finally got to
test-hop a buddy's Brian Taylor P-40 for him. After a thorough
preflight inspection and correction of a coupla' minor items, the
S.T. .75 was brought to life and adjusted. After just one fast-taxi,
I felt confident enough in the ship's ground-handling to line up
for takeoff. As I smoothly but carefully advanced the throttle,
the shark-mouthed bird tracked arrow-straight and rotated smoothly
into the air for the very first time. Gear and flaps up, I headed
for altitude to trim and feel the new ship out.
A little down-elevator trim was all that was required to get things
feeling comfortable. Descending a bit, I sampled the control responses
and found them to be tolerable, though the ailerons felt slugginsh
around neutral while being crisp at full stick deflection...if I
hadn't known better, I'da thought they were on exponential. (Later
we discovered some flex in the aileron linkage which, once corrected,
should eliminate or improve this one minor complaint.
I did a few rolls and various point rolls, playing it conservatively
as it _was_ the first flight on _someone_else's_ airplane. On low
passes, the sinister shark-mouth really showed up and looked
convincingly wicked (I can imagine what a Japanese pilot must've
felt when he saw these "Jaws" bearing down on him).
Back to altitude, a few stall-tests were made before setting up
the landing. Down-and-dirty, I set up the landing and found the
ailerons very ineffective at low speeds, forcing the use of rudder
to maintain heading on final. Other than that, the landing was
uneventful and the -40 touched down nicely, rolling-out straight to
a stop. (Gawd! I wish the Peril was that manageable on roll-out!)
The owner was ecstatic but we were about to have our jubilation
dampened somewhat. Upon post-flight inspection we discovered that
the left wing had a chorwise crack running just outside of the wheel
well. P-40's, Hellcats Corsairs and others had rearward retracting
gear with the wheels rotating 90-degrees to lie flat in the wells.
The problem this causes is you've effectively cut the wing in half
and the leading edge and a spar running just behind the well must be
stoutly reinforced to carry the flight and landing loads.
Unfortunately, our buddy hadn't provided any extra beef in these
areas and we must've been just a heartbeat from a spectacular crash
during the maiden voyage; just one loop or maybe even too tight
a turn and the wing would, most likely have sheared off with obvious,
disastrous results.
The upside to this was that the guy still has an airplane to repair.
He'll have to go into the wing, surgically from the bottom, and
add some beef to the load carrying areas as well as tighten up his
aileron linkage while he's at it. With these repairs made, however,
he's gonna' have a very fine scale ship...all-in-all, it flew very
nicely, was smooth, stable and groovy. I really liked the way it
looked and performed.
|
| | 00 Adios, Al
|_|_| ( >o
| Z__(O_\_ (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.828 | LOST IN ACTION........ | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Wed Jun 01 1988 18:50 | 68 |
| It's been awhile since I've entered a real ramblin' style story
so here goes one of those you wish you didn't have to tell...it
happened just last Saturday at the Tucson Scale Masters Qualifier.
Bob Olson, a good friend and real gentleman/sportsman from southern
California attended the meet with his Bert Baker P-47, now a veteran
of a year's worth of competition, including one Masters ('87). Bob
is one of the hardest trying guys I ever met and has had more than
his share of grief finding just the right scale ship. The -47 was
definitely right for him, forgiving several cases of dumb-thumbs
and falling asleep at the switch until, at last, Bob was totally
comfortable with the ship and was doing very well with it.
After static, the flightlines were sorted out and Bob was first-up
on his line, in fact, his was the first flight of the meet. Firing
up the big Webra Bully, Bob checked all the controls and taxied
into position for his takeoff. Easing in the throttle, the big
Jug accelerated forward, the tail came up and Bob was making one
of the best takeoff runs I'd ever seen him make, straight and true
as an arrow.
As the end of the pavement approached, I said aloud, "OK, Bob, rotate,"
but the Jug thundered straight ahead. "Now, Bob," I said as a nasty
barbed-wire fence loomed dangerously close...still, the Jug roared
straight ahead. "Up, Bob," I cried frantically an instant before
the beautiful P-47 ran headlong into the fence and simply exploded;
I doubt the damage could've been much more extensive if you'da set
a bomb off in the cockpit!! The airframe was absolutely totalled;
fortunately, all the systems survived with very minimal damage.
Everyone on the field was honestly stunned and the contest halted
temporarily as we all went out to help retrieve and carry back the
wreckage in a "body-bag." In the pits, we went over the wreckage
with a fine-toothed comb and finally, almost by accident, found
the cause of the crash. It seems that, just the previous night,
Bob and Diego (Lopez) had added some fiberglass reinforcement to
the stab center-section down through the tailwheel opening. (Don't
get ahead of me now, it's not what you think.)
While trying to apply cloth and resin, the rudder pushrod kept getting
in the way, so they bent it out of the way, temporarily, then bent
it back as close as they could to the original position after they
were done with the repair. (Remember, Bob checked all the controls
before taxying out and the elevator _was_ working.) What had happened
was this: as Bob advanced the throttle, the engine torque combined
with the crosswind required him to feed in all the right-rudder
he had and _that's_ what killed him; we discovered that, after bending
/tweaking around on the rudder pushrod, application of full right
rudder jammed the pushrod against the elevator pushrod, jamming
the elevator solidly in neutral. Helluva' way to lose a beautiful
scale ship!!!
Now, when I'm installing control runs, I always "stir" the sticks
and assure that _no_ binding of the various pushrods occurs in any
possible position/combination of control inputs. But, I seriously
doubt if I'da caught this problem after making a relatively simple
/routine repair. I will _now_ though; I'm adding that check to my
preflight _anytime_ I've made repairs in the area of any control rods,
hinges, horns, etc. and I strongly advise all of you to do the same.
Remembering Bob Olson's tragic loss of his P-47 could well save
you an airplane!
|
| | 00 Adios, Al
|_|_| ( >o
| Z__(O_\_ (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.882 | if it's soft and limp... | LEDS::COHEN | | Fri Jul 01 1988 12:16 | 11 |
|
Just a theory, here, but, If a film is designed to cover at a
lower temperature, might this not imply that it would be more
susceptable to stretch, and or sag, that a higher temp film ? I
know that BB claims not to sag or stretch, but it seems to me that
there might be some immutable laws of nature here that simply
cannot be circumvented. Something that is designed to soften-up
at a lower temperature, is by necessity, softer to begin with,
isn't it ?
Randy (:^D)
|
| 239.883 | Oddball rudder effects | WOODRO::SCHRADER | Buddy can you Paradigm? | Wed Jul 06 1988 18:33 | 22 |
| Here's one to think about.. I was out flying my old clunker over
the weekend and I finally figured out what was causing a "problem"
that i've been having with this plane. The problem was that the rudder
has always been squirley (sp?). Give it left rudder and it dives,
give it right rudder and it climbs. This characteristic has made me
refrain from using rudder on this airplane, until this weekend.
I normally land pretty hot so that my ailerons remain effective but
I recently re-trimmed it and I got down WAY slower than I usually
land. So slow that the ailerons wouldn't do anything. The funny part
is that I steered it in with rudder and it worked perfectly!. The next
flight up I fooled around a bit and found that the rudder/pitch coupling
only happened under power. The only thing that I can figure is that
I was seeing "P" effect from the propeller. Normally you pitch up on
take-off any the "P" effect veers you to one side. The same effect should
produce a pitching force if you sideslip using the rudder. This is the
first plane i've ever encountered that reacted this way. Has anybody
else noticed something similar?
!
--+--
G. Schrader o___<0>___o
* * *
|
| 239.885 | I HEAR _THAT_..... | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Thu Jul 14 1988 12:48 | 18 |
| Dan,
Yeah, I'd caught the reference and agree wholeheartedly regarding
the uselessness of _ANY_ brand of ny-rods. Like you, I was driven
nearly to distraction by the d*mn things last weekend as we had
a 40+ degree temperature delta from overnight-low to daytime-high
and each flight was a little different from the last, trimwise.
The things are so convenient and _look_ like such a good idea that
they suck a lotta' people in but, until or if they can be absolutely,
100% temperature stabilized (which is likely impossible), I STRONGLY
recommend against their use.
|
| | 00 Adios, Al
|_|_| ( >o
| Z__(O_\_ (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.886 | | OPUS::BUSCH | | Thu Jul 14 1988 14:39 | 24 |
| When you refer to "Nyrods", are you refering specifically to the devices which
consist of a flexible plastic rod inside a hollow plastic tube, or do you
include the ones with the stranded metal cables inside plastic? Does it make a
difference if only the outer tube expands or if both the outside AND inside are
sensitive to temperature? I just completed my first plane, a "Sophisticated
Lady" and I use the metal cable variety of controls for both the rudder and
elevator. The elevator control came with the kit and it is a thin brass colored
cable inside a yellow tube. Ray (of Ray's in Worcester) told me that they
shouldn't have used such a thin cable, and I think that if I'd known ahead of
time, I could have modified the way in which the cable snaked it's way up the
fin to the "TEE" tail. For the rudder, I used a much heavier (1/16" I think)
cable.
Anyway, should I start to worry at all about shifting trim? I'm a TOTALLY
inexperienced flyer and I expect to receive my RC gear from Tower tomorrow or
the next day. With any luck, I hope to make my first appearance at the CMRCM
field sometime next week.
BTW, are there any experienced glider pilots out there who would be willing to
"take me under their wing" as it were and help me get started? There are
instructors at the Westboro field, but my understanding is that they are geared
towards powered flight.
Dave (starting to get hot flashes and cold feet)
|
| 239.887 | RELAX, YER' OK...... | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Thu Jul 14 1988 15:59 | 16 |
| Dave,
The ny-rods Dan and I are bashing are the smooth or fluted
plastic/nylon tubing running inside a smooth-walled outer
tube. In these, the inner [moving] tube shrinks or expands with
temperature change, changing flight trim all over creation.
The type you refer to with the braided steel cable running inside
an outer guide tube is not affected in this manner as the steel
cable changes length only infinitesimally with temperature.
|
| | 00 Adios, Al
|_|_| ( >o
| Z__(O_\_ (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.897 | More Rudder/Aileron questions... | RICKS::MINER | Electric = No more glow-glop | Tue Jul 26 1988 15:00 | 59 |
|
All of this talk of rudder/aileron stuff has got me thinking...
(watch out world :-) First of all, I too am guilty of forgetting I
have a rudder. This fact coupled with a strong wind is what (I
believe) caused the crash of the Electrostreak.
From another angle, I'm beginning to practice doing some of the
simple pattern maneuvers and mostly concentrating on the slow rolls.
As many of you know, to do a perfect axial roll, you need to kick in
a little up, then some opposite rudder, then a little down, then a
little rudder in the same direction as the roll (if this isn't
familiar to you - think about the plane rolling VERY slowly and
assume that the nose will drop if you don't do something to correct
it). The problem here is that after you put in the aileron to start
the roll, you have to wiggle BOTH sticks in a very coordinated
fashion to do a perfect roll.
So, it seems a solution to both these problems would be to switch
which sticks rudder and ailerons are on. In other words, rudder /
elevator on the right stick and aileron / throttle on the left.
(Is this called "Mode-1"??)
The first problem (forgetting I have a rudder) would go away by
itself since my tendency is to use the right stick while the left
one sits stationary. I would now have to concentrate on using
ailerons. Doing perfect axial rolls would also be easier since you
would set the ailerons with the left stick (and hold it stationary)
and then the proper way to wiggle the rudder and elevator would be
to make a small circle with the right stick. Mentally, this is much
easier for my brain to tell my fingers what to do then the
conventional way. (Mode-2??)
Now, before I get tons of hate mail, let me say I'm aware of some
possible problems:
- no one else (around here) will be able to fly my planes. Most
people fly Mode-2. So I will have to "test pilot" all of my
planes on their maiden flights.
- I will not be able to instruct anyone else since they will
probably set up their ship for Mode-2.
- since I have learned using Mode-2 so far, I can get myself in
lots of trouble by trying to switch now.
- full scale planes fly more like Mode-2. ie, the stick/wheel
works like the right R/C stick in Mode-2.
For the moment, I'm willing to risk these issues at least for a test
period.
Any comments from the more experienced out there???????
_____
| \
| \ Silent POWER!
_ ___________ _________ | Happy Landings!
| \ | | | | |
|--------|- SANYO + ]-| ASTRO |--| - Dan Miner
|_/ |___________| |_________| |
| / | " The Earth needs more OZONE,
| / not Caster Oil!! "
|_____/
|
| 239.899 | STICK WITH YER' MODE AND PRACTICE.... | 16400::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Tue Jul 26 1988 16:31 | 47 |
| Dan,
What you describe in .897 is called mode-III. Never heard of it?
Neither had I 'til quite recently as a very small number of fliers
like/prefer this setup.
I won't try to discourage you from experimenting but you already
fly the most widely and successfully used mode if you fly on mode-II
and my advice is to stick with it for all the plusses you already
described and more. I'm able to fly both mode-I and mode-II but,
having learned on mode-II, I doubt I could EVER be as capable on
mode-I. I believe the same would apply to mode-III.
A perfect roll is no more difficult to perform with mode-II; yer'
left stick will be nailed to the firewall (you don't/or shouldn't
do less than full-power rolls is looking for perfection) so all
you have to do is move it slightly one direction, then the other
as the aircraft rotates through the roll.
A roll should be thought of as being the composite of 4-separate
components. Let's disect an axial-roll to the right: 1.) the first
component is the roll to a knife-edge and "top-rudder" (left, in this
case) is needed to hold the nose up; 2.) continuing the rotation
to the right, we roll to the inverted and apply "down-elevator,"
again, to hold the nose up; 3.) In the third component we roll to
another knife-edge and, this time, "top-rudder" is right-rudder;
4. finally, we roll back to the upright position and a little "up-
elevator" is applied to hold the nose up on the recovery.
The best way I know to practice/master the slow-roll is to use the
above steps _literally_ and STOP the roll at each component, i.e.
break the mechanics up into a 4-point hesitation roll, holding the
necessary control inputs at each point. Once mastered, its a fairly
simple transition to flow all four points together into a perfectly
executed slow axial roll.
Sure, it requires coordinating three-controls together to accomplish
the maneuver but that _fact_ remains regardless of the mode being
flown. It's merely a matter of conditioning oneself to the particular
mode being flown and I honestly don't believe it's easier/harder with
any one mode as compared to another.
|
| | 00 Adios, Al
|_|_| ( >o
| Z__(O_\_ (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.902 | DO IT THRU AN ARC......... | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Wed Jul 27 1988 12:21 | 37 |
| Ken,
Axial-rolls, at least good ones, with a trainer-type are not easily
come by. The inherent stability and high dihedral of such types
resist such aerobatics as, indeed, they were intended to by design.
But, acceptable axial, aileron-rolls _can_ be done; you'll probably
have to pitch the nose up 5-10 degrees to enter, then [in the case
of a trainer-type] apply full [let's say right] aileron and hold
it all through the roll. As the plane approaches the first knife-edge
you may need to apply some "top-rudder" [left] to keep the nose
from dropping (if it doesn't need it, don't use it...this is a hand/eye
coordination drill). As the roll continues toward inverted, bleed off
the rudder [if any] and start feeding in "down-elevator" to hold the
nose up as the plane passes through the inverted portion of the
roll. Continuing, bleed off the down elevator and start feeding
"top-rudder" [right] as the second knife-edge is approached (again,
if you don't need it to hold the nose up, don't use any). Finishing
the roll, bleed off the rudder [if any] and feed in a little
"up-elevator" to complete the roll.
If performed in the fashion I just described, the roll will describe
a gentle arc, being nose-up at the beginning, level while inverted
and slightly nose-down at completion (thus the up-elevator]. This
is a very graceful appearing roll and is the way most full-scale
aircraft (except for world-class aerobatics ships) perform a roll.
Frankly, I prefer the aesthetics of this type roll over one performed
right down a wire with no altitude gain/loss. And, it's a little
easier to perform, not to mention that a trainer-type'd be hard-pressed
to do any other kind.
|
| | 00 Adios, Al
|_|_| ( >o
| Z__(O_\_ (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.903 | | SPKALI::THOMAS | | Wed Jul 27 1988 12:32 | 24 |
|
First off I'd get into aileron/rudder turns differently than what
Al' has discribed. What I've suggested in the past is to fly a normal
flight and feed in a little rudder in the turns. When your comfortable
with this then reduce the throttle setting and continue to fly using
ailerons/rudder in the turns. You will find that to do the same
turn rate added rudder is needed. You will also find that added
rudder lessens the needed for as must aileron. Continue to do this
at each speed until your flying around at just over idle. Again
you will find that more and more rudder is needed to keep the ship
flat in the turn hence not loosing as much airspeed and to keep
the ship from falling off. From here go to figure eights.
Dan,
Latter on in future ships you will find that rudder application
only yaws the plane as it shoudl. I agreement with Ken flying a
chopper will difinately get you over the lazy left syndrome.
I was flying one of the prototype Moonraker 60's sunday and my buddy
the owner of this proto had to tell me to get off of the rudder
in the turns. Seems that I was unknowningly inputing rudder. Your
see you have to use rudder all of the time when flying a chopper.
I had forget I was flying a plane.
tom
|
| 239.906 | NIX ON THE SS..... | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Thu Jul 28 1988 11:36 | 34 |
| At the risk of raising the ire of any single-stickers as might be
reading out there, I just have to say it: I've _never_ been able
to figger' out _how_ one can fly with any sensitivity/precision
while grasping a "door-knob" 'twixt thumb and index finger!
Of course, it's all whatcha' learned and became comfortable with
but, in the few instances where I've had the opportunity to fly
single-stick, I was able to fly competently but _anything_but_
comfortably. Now instead of having to coordinate 2-controls on
one stick, yer' faced with _3_ and groping for rudder (twisting
the knob) while feeding aileron and elevator was extremely awkward
(for me) to say the least. Also, yer' remaining channel (throttle)
and any aux-controls are out of sight and must be manipulated by
the Braille-system, kinda' like the left hand when playing an
accordian. I should add that the majority (not all) of the people
I've seen using single-stick were looking for a crutch to accomodate
for some other shortcoming in their piloting skill and, single-
stick notwithstanding, they _continued_ to display the same short-
comings (frequently to an increased extent) after the seitch. The
only place I've seen SS used where it appeared to be an asset (or
at least not a handicap) was with sailplanes, R/C assisted Oldtimers
etc. where the flight regime is so slow and gentle (most of the
time) that quick, absolutely precise control inputs are not the
norm.
Nope, there may be some who really like it and do well with it,
but single-stick is _certainly_ not for me and I'd argue against
recommending it to anyone.
|
| | 00 Adios, Al
|_|_| ( >o
| Z__(O_\_ (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.908 | | SPKALI::THOMAS | | Thu Jul 28 1988 13:32 | 15 |
| Al, I agree with only one item you posted. That whatever you get
comfortable with is the best for you.PERIOD. I tried single stick
and liked it. Once I realised that you had to keep your arm away
from your body to keep from inputing false rudder inputs. However
at that time I started to fly during the winter and didn't want
to sacrafice the single stick to the witer so I reverted back to
my cheaper dual stick radios. After flying all one winter on dual
stick I found the attempt to transition back to a single stick to
uncomfortable so I kept up the dual stick.
However if you look at the US Champions in both FAI pattern and
choppers and the World Champion in choppers they fly single sticks.
Bottome line is what you feel comfortable with.
Tom
|
| 239.922 | You can skip the washer with 'big nuts' | LEDS::WATT | | Mon Aug 08 1988 17:25 | 14 |
| Dan,
I don't use a prop washer with the round nuts that Higley sells.
They are large aluminum (or brass for weight) ama style 'safety'
nuts that can be used instead of a spinner. If you don't need or
want a spinner then this will do just fine. These nuts are available
in the popular thread types and sizes.
I agree with Al that it sounds repairable from your description.
If it's a trainer, don't worry about looks, but only about structural
integrity and get it flying again. You will be less worried about
pranging it if you have already done so.
Charlie
|
| 239.961 | Electicub flies ! | LEDS::COHEN | | Mon Aug 22 1988 10:50 | 27 |
|
As Bill said, I finally flew my E-Cub. Configured it with an
Astro direct drive 05 on 6 cells, used the Futaba mini system.
How did it fly ? well....
The first flight was a REAL dog, with power on, the nose pitched
WAY up, and it was all I could do to "horse" the sucker around the
field to land it. It looked like it was flying near stall all the
time, until, for fear of hitting someone jogging through the
field, I cut power. When I did, the plane settled into a nice,
smooth glide. Ultimately, It snapped when I put power back on.
Retrieved from the tall grass, however, with no damage. I removed
the cowl and cranked in some down thrust on the motor, flew it
again, but the light breeze shifted 180 as the plane was launched,
flew about 30 feet and snapped again. Third flight went right
away, the plane still seemed to want to stall all the time, and
flew with a slightly tail down attitude. All the same, I did
manage about 7 minutes on a partly charged battery. Saturday I
cranked even more down thrust into the motor and went out to fly
again. This time it really looked like there was too much down
thrust, but, I thought, what the H*LL. Got a guy to hand launch
it for me, and WOW, it flew GREAT !
All told, I got three flights, each one for 7 to 10 minutes. The
other guys at the field said that the flights were the most
successful electric flights they had seen. I too was real
pleased, and I'll probably fly it again today !
|
| 239.964 | My SS-90 is on still on the bench | LEDS::WATT | | Mon Aug 22 1988 15:46 | 18 |
| As Bill mentioned, I am building the SS-90 to go with my SS-20 and
SS-40. I have been stalled at the almostreadytocover stage for
about 6 weeks because I have been spending my spare time flying.
I had a conversation with Great Planes about prop recommendations
and they told me that they have had several reported failures of
the SS-90 due to elevator Flutter. I have gotten several letters
describing the problem and some building advice to avoid it. Most
of it centers around eliminating any slop in the elevator controls,
but their descriptions of what people did wrong sound like some
of the defects were pretty minor. They caution against making the
plane too fast and they finally even suggest statically balancing
the elevators. THe newer kits include smaller elevators as well.
I am not sure how soon I will get this bird flying, but I am excited
about it. I'm also nervous after all of this discussion about flutter.
I'll talk more about it if there is interest.
Charlie
|
| 239.967 | Pianowire instead of nyrods | PERFCT::ANKER | Anker Berg-Sonne | Mon Aug 22 1988 21:50 | 12 |
| Re:< Note 239.964 by LEDS::WATT >
Charlie,
The F16 owner who helped me out on the "maiden flight"
showed me a real neat trick. Instead on nyrods he has retained
the outer sheath and replaced the core with pianowire. Where the
pianowire enters and exits the sheath he has covered it with the
old core. The result is a super firm setup with ny heat
expansion problems. I plan to use it in the future.
Anker
|
| 239.968 | full length for less play | TALLIS::LADD | | Tue Aug 23 1988 10:11 | 7 |
| anker, that nyrod trick is almost exactly what i did on the jug,
except i retained the inner yellow nyrod the full length. this
yellow nyrod is "tacked" to 1 end of the piano wire which also
runs full length. this gets rid of temp variations and the yellow
nyrod no longer "buckles" inside the red. very tight, i like it,
a bit heavy and overkill for many applications tho.
kevin
|
| 239.973 | floating with a useless nose gear | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Fri Aug 26 1988 11:39 | 16 |
| Dan,
Placement of the nose-gear on the front-or-back of the firewall
is not critical at all. As to whether-or-not to remove the strut
when flying from water, that's more-or-less a case of aesthetics
and/or personal preference. At any distance at all, the strut will
not be visible but, though negligible, come amount of drag will
result from leaving it in place. Some water-flyers leave the strut
in place and rig their water-rudder(s) to be driven by a take-off
attached to the nose-gear's axle. Shoot yer' best shot.........
|
| | 00 Adios, Al
|_|_| ( >o
| Z__(O_\_ (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.1032 | CAN YOU RE-TENSION 'EM.....? | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Wed Sep 07 1988 12:32 | 13 |
| Kay,
I'm not familiar with JR connectors but is it possible to get in
them with a straight-pin and re-tension the female contacts, thus
achieving a better/tighter fit? This is a practice I've used since,
virtually, day-1 of my R/C life, even with Deans' Connectors and,
perhaps, this is all that's needed on the battery/charging connectors.
|
| | 00 Adios, Al
|_|_| ( >o
| Z__(O_\_ (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.1033 | Dean's connector fix | CLOSUS::TAVARES | Oh yeah, life goes on... | Wed Sep 07 1988 12:38 | 5 |
| I've noticed that my latest Dean's connectors, particularly the
3-pin ones, fit loose. I think that success has spoiled Deans.
Anyway, an easy fix is to spread the first and last pins apart
very slightly to give some tension. Only enough to give the
tension, no more.
|
| 239.1034 | a fix for a worn Dean's connector | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Wed Sep 07 1988 12:52 | 18 |
| John,
I assume you mean to spread the _male_ pins apart to provide some
tension. This'd work, I guess, but I'd feel uncomfortable about
how good a contact the _other_ pins were getting.
A better (IMO) fix is to simply insert a straight-pin between the
female contact and the plastic connector body on both sides. This
pinches the fork-shaped female contact together making for a much
tighter grip on the mating male pin. I've done this for _years_
with completely satisfactory results and have never had a problem
associated with an intermittent contact.
|
| | 00 Adios, Al
|_|_| ( >o
| Z__(O_\_ (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.1068 | the Scale Masters: rules and the prejudice issue | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Wed Oct 19 1988 12:40 | 65 |
| Re: .1065, Tom, Kevin,
First it should be pointed out that the U.S. Scale Masters program
is separate and distinct from AMA scale events. It uses, basically,
AMA rules for sport scale except it has no Sportsman program, it
combines giant-scale into the single (expert) category and allows
only two, rather that three, mechanical options.
The Scale Masters program was/is the brainchild of Mr. Harris Lee
who wanted desperately to provide a viable substitute/alternative to
the [then] foundering AMA scale events. With the help of the Scale
Squadron of Southern California, the first Masters was held at Mile
Square Park in 1979 so the prestigious event will celebrate its
1st decade next year with the St. Louis Championships.
As is the case in the AMA scale events, no intentional prejudice
for-or-against any particular type of aircraft was/is intended.
For whatever reason, WW-II aircraft, particularly fighters, enjoy
a competitive edge in the competition arena. I don't agree that
it _should_ be this way but the facts-of-life are that it _IS_ this
way in the real world. Other types of models have been successful
as well; a Kinner Sporster, Beech Staggerwing, J3 Cub, and a DC-3 are
among the non-WW-II types I can recall off the top of my head tha've
place in the top-10 finishers at the Masters.
The point is that _it_can_be_done_! But the modeler, enjoying complete
freedom of choice when selecting a scale subject, should be cognizant
of the 'fact' that a non-WW-II type will have a tougher-row-to-hoe in
competition, not so much from a static point of view; these types
static as well as any other type, including the WW-II ships. Where
they get short-sheeted is in flight judging. Two reasons for this
come to mind: 1.) these are generally slower, low performance types,
incapable of performing fast, crisp, impressive aerobatic maneuvers
for their flight options, making their flights sorta' mundane to
watch; 2.) flight judging, in my opinion, is still [too] heavily in-
fluenced by pattern and, with very few exceptions, only WW-II fighter
types and jets have the kinda' performance these judges are used
to and, if only subconciously, are looking for. I percieve this
situation getting better of recent years but the problem continues
to exist; we simply do _not_ have trained, skilled scale judges
who can equitably score varying prototypical performance from a
Bleriot monoplane up through an F-18 Hornet.
Prejudice? No, I truly do not believe that _any_ aircraft type
is deliberately discriminated against. The presumed prejudice is
simply the result of many factors, most significantly, the lack
or good, comprehensive flight judging. As I say, things are improving
but we're not there yet. K-factors have been suggested frequently
but the rub here is how can I receive a difficulty bonus for a 4-point
roll with the MiG-3 when the guy flying the Bleriot cannot use this
option, whether or not his model will do it, as the prototype would
_not_!
Until competition is split up into basic performance types, K-factoring
won't work and, once such a split were made, it might not be necessary.
It's a can-of-worms, to be sure. About all most of us are doing at
this point is hiding and watching as things improve, hoping it'll
all equal out in time.
|
| | 00 Adios, Al
|_|_| ( >o
| Z__(O_\_ (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.1105 | maneuvers | SPKALI::THOMAS | | Mon Oct 31 1988 11:45 | 17 |
| Dan, You can't do a full roll to inverted unless your already
inverted:-).
What a roll pushed into a half outside loop called? = 1/2 outside loop.
An Immelman is; level flight pushed into one half a loop with a
one half roll at the top to come back to upright level flight.
A split S is; level flight pushed up into a one quarter loop to
vertical, travel vertical, then into a half roll followed by up
elevatorfor one half of a loop. This gets you going in the opposite
direction,upright in level flight..
Tom
|
| 239.1107 | reverse Immelman | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Mon Oct 31 1988 12:09 | 31 |
| Re: .1102, Dan (Miner),
Wow! Deja-vu!! Sorry 'bout yer' falling victim to the "Parsons
Syndrome." Yep' as many years as he's flown and as excellent a
pilot as he is, ol' Dan'l Parsons _still_ falls prey to the "yank
full up while inverted" knee-jerk response if something happens
while inverted. That's why it's CRITICAL one practices lots of
inverted flight and conditions himself to "push" the nose up with
down-elevator automatically...that's the only way to ever overcome
that knee-jerk reflex.
Re: .1105 (I think), Tom,
I still say what the Sno-man's referring to is called a "Reverse
Immelman." That's what we always call it, at any rate, because
it's the exact opposite of a regular Immelman. I thought I even
remembered this maneuver being used in pattern at one time and being
called a Reverse Immelman. Also, I didn't understand yer' description
of the Split-S at all; what's this pull up vertical in a quarter-loop
business...or is that how they do it in pattern nowadays?? A Spilt-S
to me was always performed by rolling inverted in level flight,
then pulling under in a half-inside loop to the upright. In scale,
the Split-S is preceded by pulling up about 30-degrees, then rolling
inverted and pulling under. Whatever you described I'm not sure
I ever heard of or saw before.
|
| | 00 Adios, Al
|_|_| ( >o
| Z__(O_\_ (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.1108 | Split S and a reverse Immelman | LEDS::WATT | | Mon Oct 31 1988 15:25 | 6 |
| I agree with Al on what a Split S is. You enter it level, not at
an up attitude. I also think that the 1/2 roll pushed into 1/2
outside loop is a reverse Immelman.
Charlie
|
| 239.1117 | split S | SPKALI::THOMAS | | Tue Nov 01 1988 08:31 | 14 |
| I agree that your basic split S is a half roll from level flight
pushed into one half inside loop. However in pattern the split S
is used to turn around. If one was flying at an altitude of 100
ft and wished to do a split S, the exit of which coming out at the
same 100 ft. altitude then one would have to pitch up into a vertical
climb to gain altitude to perform the split S. What is typically
done is something like a reverse cuban eight. After the judged manuaver
and the exit you pitch the plane up into a 45 - 60 degree climb.
On the way up you perform a half roll and then pull the ship into
a one half loop. In this way you are at the same altitude and an
opposite heading to get ready to perform the next manuaver.
Tom
|
| 239.1161 | shaft extension for the Bully | RICKS::KLADD | | Thu Nov 17 1988 13:44 | 31 |
| al,
just last night i received (finally) my carb adapter and shaft
extension for the bully. the carb adapter is pretty simple, unbolt
old carb, bolt on adapter (with gasket), and install os7d carb with
o-ring. the shaft extension is more complicated. it can't just
be bolted to the prop driver of the bully because there is a bolt
which sticks out too far. it serves as the prop shaft except its
not threaded (six separate bolts sandwich the prop between the prop
driver and prop washer, and yes, 6 little holes had to be drilled
in the prop). after some head scratching and looking at bully
documentation i figured this shaft is threaded into the crank and
holds the prop driver in place (a key keeps prop driver from spinning
on end of crank). i wondered where i could find a socket to fit
this thingy so i could remove it and also wondered why gene didnt sell
a replacement bolt for it. then i found and read gene's instructions -
no problem, just saw off the excess end of the shaft and bolt extension
on. not elegant but it will work. the extension is 1 inch long
and will allow the bully to set back enough to be mounted upright
and to allow the exhaust manifold to clear the yet to be built dummy
engine. the extension is quite heavy so its not clear if the cg
will shift backwards or forwards with the extension (i'd assumed
the cg would shift backwards with the heavy bully).
the only mystery remaining is where to find a scale spinner to fit
the threaded end of the extension. the spinner which comes with
the baker kit fits the threads on my st2500, but the extension
threads are different.
kevin
|
| 239.1177 | the crash of the MIG-3 | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Mon Nov 28 1988 11:36 | 121 |
| Well, we had a white Thanksgiving! We drove to Prescott (95-miles N.W. of
Phoenix) to spend the holiday with my Mom, Dad, brother and sister-in-law and,
right on cue, Thursday afternoon while sitting around suffering from the ritual
gorging, it began to snow and continued to do so through the following day.
There was 3-4 inches of the stuff on top of the car when we left Friday after-
noon and it continued to fall on the return trip back to within 40-miles north
of Phoenix where it changed to drizzle.
Friday evening we went to a private grand-opening party for a new CD store owned
by the daughter and son-in-law of my good C.A.F. buddy from Hereford, Texas,
Gerald Martin, who'd come over for the soiree and invited Kathi and I to attend.
Gerald, you may recall from past ramblings, is the fellow who flew Me-109's (ac-
tually Spanish H-1110's) for the movie, "The Battle of Britain," flew the Cor-
sair with the white vertical arrow on the fin in the TV series, "Baa Baa Black
Sheep," etc. and is also an avid R/C'er, devoting his energies to competing with
the R/C assisted oldtimers of late.
Weather permitting, we planned to go out flying Saturday morning but, as of Fri-
day night, it didn't look promising, the drizzle having fallen steadily for al-
most 48-hours. Wonder of wonders, however, Saturday dawned bright, clear and
freshly washed so we proceded to Puckerbrush Int'l. Airport for [what was inten-
ded to be] a full day of flying.
Arriving at the field, we were horrified to find that the kids in their ATV's,
4X4's, etc, had literally destroyed the field; it was ripped up in every pos-
sible direction and was unuseable until it could be rolled/dragged flat again.
So, we moved a coupla' hundred yards south where we'd discovered an alternate
area for use in just such an instance some years ago. A perfectly acceptable
field, it is, however, much tighter with heavy desert brush surrounding it and
limiting the useable length to maybe 350-400 feet where, before, we had probably
a quarter-mile of length to play with. Keep this fact in mind as the story
continues.
After assembling the trusty Mig-3 and introducing Gerald around to the guys,
I began to prepare for flight. Normally, I merely hand crank the engine with
the throttle and trim full low which chokes the engine and, upon firing, just
move the throttle up a bit and reset the trim to flight setting. However, this
technique wasn't working and the engine felt stiff; I quickly attributed this
the cool 50-degree air and continued cranking (Mistake-#1). Giving up, I ap-
plied the electric starter and the O.S. barked to life. Checking the needle
setting, everything seemed fine so I taxied out and lined up for takeoff. I
managed to get yet another textbook takeoff (haven't missed one now since the
fifth round of the Masters), hit the gear switch and climbed out normally.
Trimming the elevator slightly on the downwind, I turned onto the runway and
burned a really nice, rock-solid low pass for Gerald's benefit. He commented
that the Mig looked like the most solid fighter he'd seen and I replied, "You
ain't seen nuthin' yet!" Lining up again, I did one of the nicer, full-length-
of-the-field slow-rolls I've done lately and Gerald offered, "Great! That's just
how I like to do 'em in the full-scale warbirds." Of course, that puffed my
chest out a bit so I set up again and did a textbook 4-point roll. Gerald
again complimented the bird, saying, "It sure likes to roll, don't it?" I
replied, "Yep'! Let's try an 8-point next," As the Mig was turning onto the
downwind, I remarked aloud, "That engine really isn't peaking like it should
and I'm still a little concerned at the way it felt when starting it." I
shoulda' kept my mouth shut! Just as I turned back onto the runway and was
diving in for the maneuver pass..........
DISASTER!!! Something flew from the nose of the ship and the comforting snarl
of the engine ceased. I WAS DOOMED from that instant and I _knew_ it; I was
too high to land and too low to go around. The engine had quit at the _WORST_
possible place and I knew it was now a matter of how badly the ship would be
damaged! Had I reacted instantly and threw the bird into an immediate 360, I
_might_ have gotten away with it but all who witnessed it said they doubted it.
In any event, I hesitated and, in an instant, that option was gone (Mistake-#2).
I got the gear down, hoping the extra drag would help but, by the time the MiG
was directly overhead, it was still 75' up and overshooting into the awaiting
scrub-brush and gnarly, heavily thorned Palo Verde trees was now a certainty.
But, I didn't give up, I attempted a large "S" maneuver to try to slough off
the excess altitude but, when I turned back toward the field, the ship snookered
me, convincing me that I could make a 180 and land downwind. I knew I was
gonna' get hurt in any case, so I gambled, failing to consider that groundspeed
and _air_speed are not the same thing and not realizing that I was also tail-
heavy (I'll explain why in a moment). That was Mistake-#3; almost the instant
I tried to suck the ship around, it snapped and went straight in from about 50'.
I was half stunned...just couldn't believe my faithful ship had just gone in!
Walking to the crash-site, I feared the worst; no scale ship I ever saw could
come out of such a crash less than totalled! What'd happened, I wondered...?
It was almost as if the engine had thrown the whole front end off I thought.
Approaching the site, we were all amazed to see the MiG sitting upright, in one
piece. Sure enough, it was all together though the nose was stuffed full of
mud and had obvuiosly been reconfigured a bit. ;B^{
Back at the car, I disassembled the ship and scraped the mud outa' the nose area
to confirm what I already suspected, there was no crankshaft, bearing or any-
thing to be seen. We walked out into the desert, looking for the spinner (which
we now knew was what we'd seen fall from the plane) and, almost unbelievably, we
found it. The spinner, prop, prop-nut, weighted washer, everything was still
bolted up as it should be - back to the sheared end of the crankshaft with the
front bearing still in place. _THAT_ was why I was tail-heavy; about 10-12 oz.
fell off the very nose shifting the CG aft...but, I never knew this was the case
'til AFTER the crash. A bit of down-trim might've worked a miracle...who knows?
The crankshaft had sheared off right at the intake cutout...damndest thing I
ever saw. I'm sure, however, this was the result of the crank having been bent
and straightened some 3-times due to the inability to get a replacement for this
original small shaft, small carb FSR .60....Helluva way to have to ding up an
airplane!!
And, what _of_ the airplane. Well, you never hurt one "good," but, all things
considered, it ain't hurt too badly. No serious structural damage occurred
anywhere; the wing has a stress tear in the underside skin of one panel and one
tip is cracked...other than that, the damaged gear mount in the right wing is
the worst damage. The firewall and all load-bearing structure in the fuselage
in all intact but the nose from the firewall forward is a washout. The most
serious damage to the fuse is that the right stab is cracked right at the fuse-
lage joint and this may be a bit tricky to fix.
But, though the damage is serious, it's a _Loooooong_ way from being fatal and,
after the hurt wears off a little, I'll definitely restore the Mig...it's just
been too damn good a ship not to deserve it. I expect a coupla' weeks of con-
centrated effort will have it airborne again, looking and flying as good as
ever.
|
| | 00 Adios, Al
|_|_| ( >o
| Z__(O_\_ (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.1197 | wing folding by design | SSDEVO::TAVARES | Oh yeah, life goes on... | Thu Dec 01 1988 13:07 | 7 |
| This month's Model Aviation has a differential mechanism in John
Devries column, page 38. This one is used for Fowler Flaps, but
I think the principle is similar in the TBM, only the folding
wing would have two square pieces of telescoping tubing. The
mechanism would push the wing out to disengage the two pieces,
then pull the wing up. When folding, the opposite would occur.
Any, its a place to start speculating.
|
| 239.1261 | VMS prompts for an RC person | HANNAH::REITH | | Thu Dec 22 1988 10:36 | 26 |
| Re: .1259 & 60
Who can refuse the wishes of the Desert Rat...
Copy the sections (beginning with $) below into appropriate .com files
(plane & boat if you want)
You can then execute them with an @filename
-------------- Cut Here ------------
$! this will set it to the plane on a vt2xx or better
$ write sys$output "�1;3;1{1??oGGgW?/KBAAA@??;??oG????/KJGGG???;???_OGw?/GEBIAN??;??ow?oG?/KB?NB???;??oGGGG?/KJHHH???�"
$ write sys$output "�1;8;1{1________/@@@AAAEI;__aaaaQI/EAAAABAC;eDDdDTeI/HIGHGGHC;Qaaaa___/ABAAAAEI;_______?/EAAA@@@?�"
$ set prompt = "[;1m)1#$%&'E()*+,[;m "
$! use set prompt = "$ " to go back to normal
-------------- Cut Here ------------
$! this will set your prompt to a sailboat
$ write sys$output "�1;3;1{1????????/?????G?A;_?w?A}AC/??N??N??;GO_?????/???@ACG?;????????/????????;????????/????????�"
$ write sys$output "�1;8;1{1??CMEUEe/????????;EEFCCFCC/@@@@@@@@;CCCCCCcT/@@@@@@@@;M???????/@@@@@@@?;????????/????????�"
$ set prompt = "[;1m)1#$%&'E()*+,[;m "
$! use set prompt = "$ " to reset your prompt to the normal one
-------------- Cut Here ------------
|
| 239.1268 | | WRASSE::FRIEDRICHS | Where's the snow?? | Thu Dec 22 1988 14:00 | 19 |
| If anyone is interested in flying north of the boarder...
Al and I will be at the flying eagles field in Merrimack tomorrow
morning.
-To get there, take Exit 11 (the tollbooth exit) off of the Everett
Turnpike (rt 3).
-Go left off of the ramp.
-Go straight through the lights and down the hill next to Thornton's
Landing rest.
-Take left at end of the road. Follow the road around to the left
-make hairpin turn down the dirt road. Field is on your left after
you go under the RR tracks.
flying starts at 10:00. Hope to see someone else there!
cheers,
jeff
|
| 239.1271 | Plain plane update to .1261 | HANNAH::REITH | | Thu Dec 22 1988 15:23 | 8 |
| This is an updated version of the Plane prompt. It no longer states
that it is a plane (plain plane). See .1261 for more info.
--------- Cut here to a filename.COM file then use @filename ---------
$ write sys$output "�1;3;1{1????????/????????;????????/????????;????????/???K????;????????/????????;????????/????????�"
$ write sys$output "�1;8;1{1________/@@@AAAEI;__aaaaQI/EAAAABAC;eDDdDTeI/HIGHGGHC;Qaaaa___/ABAAAAEI;_______?/EAAA@@@?�"
$ set prompt = "[;1m)1#$%&'E()*+,[;m "
|
| 239.1298 | home-made scale nav lights | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Wed Jan 04 1989 10:18 | 34 |
| Kevin,
Thanx fer' the info. Chuck wanted it for comparative purposes to
set targets for his Jug. I'm sure it'll be heavier than yer's,
if only due to the larger/heavier engine.
On the nav-light lenses, I used a commercial-type heat gun like
those used to shrink heat-shrink tubing. Fact is, I salvaged about
3 scrapped guns from the plant and built one good one out of them.
I'm not sure anymore what thickness plastic I used but I think it
was about .020-.030 clear butyrate. I finished the wingtips then
carefully cut out the nav-light area and used the removed piece
as the male plug by mounting it onto the end of a piece of dowel
which could then be clamped in a vice. Using the heat gun, I heated
the plastic 'til it was real limp and saggy, then, wasting minimum
time, I immediately pulled the plastic over the vice-mounted plug.
Several tries were necessary 'til I had what I wanted but it left
me with a coupla' spares. Use wax or some kinda' mold release on
the plug(s) to prevent the hot plastic from sticking to it.
The inside of the nav-light cutout can be finished using thin balsa
or card-stock covered with chrome monokote. Undersize these pieces
by the thickness of the lens so it (the lens) will fit flush. Colored
pegs from a child's "Lite-Brite" toy make very convincing lights...
you'll need a red, green and clear one to do the job: red goes on
the left tip, green on the right and clear on the rudder.
|
| | 00 Adios, Al
|_|_| ( >o
| Z__(O_\_ (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.1306 | retracts by gene | RICKS::KLADD | | Thu Jan 05 1989 12:56 | 20 |
| al,
first thanks for the wingtip lens info. as i was sneaking down
the cellar stairs the other day with my wife's hairdryer, common
sense told me i was waisting my time. ignoring that, i spent
many minutes trying to soften plastic with that wimping hairdryer.
oh well, maybe next i'll try the propane torch!
yup, the retracts in my jug are from gene barton. i'm fairly
impressed with them, but, until i try another kind, dont know how
they compare with the competition. next time i might try robart.
they are a little cheaper but dont know if they are better or
worse... if chuck is in a rush, tell him not to order from
bert/gene unless gene has a set already to mail. i waited over
3 months for mine.
btw, you should be getting a book in goat mail soon. has some
excellent jug pictures and feel free to lend to chuck.
kevin
|
| 239.1307 | deviations from scale in retracts | RICKS::KLADD | | Thu Jan 05 1989 13:00 | 12 |
| al,
almost forgot, after comparing retracts with 3 views and temporarily
installing gear doors, i wasn't real happy with size/location of
scissors on the barton gears. the scissors are too big and located
too high (probably necessitated by complications around the sprung
shock absorbers) so that the gear doors dont cover the scissors
unless the doors are fudged. looking at pictures of shailesh and
brian's jugs taken last march, looks like they had similar problems.
the robarts i saw in byrons catalogue looked better but am not sure.
kevin
|
| 239.1317 | Casey's cave | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Fri Jan 13 1989 09:37 | 14 |
| Dave,
I live roughly 3-miles south of the DEC plant (mornin' commute's
a real bitch ;P^} ). That puts the nearest field (Az. Mofel Pilots)
about 15-minutes NW of me (10 minutes from the plant); the next closest
(Sun Valley Fliers) is about 20-minutes NE and Puckerbrush Intl.
is about 25-minutes NE. The Az. Model Aviators field is on the
far east side, about an hour from me so I rarely visit this field.
|
| | 00 Adios, Al
|_|_| ( >o
| Z__(O_\_ (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.1323 | show and tell for senior citizens | TALLIS::FISHER | Only 56 Days till Phoenix! | Wed Jan 18 1989 08:08 | 38 |
| I gave a presentation to our local Church group last night - about 25 people
mostly senior citizens. To say that it was warmly received would be an
understatement.
I brought in several things for show and tell. My Super-Aeromaster, my
Drifter II, the Berliner-Joyce under construction and 2 partially constructed
wings for it. Some Zap and Zap kicker and debonder. Example coverings -
MonoKote, Super Coverite, and Fiberglass. Also an OS .60 Four Stroke.
And last but not least lots of photo Albums including pictures of the
Scale planes in last years Spring Fun Fly in Phoenix - including the MiG 3.
I focused on what has changed in modeling in the last 20 years and in that
context introduced (1) Iron on coverings, (2) 4 Stroke Engines, and (3) CA.
We passed albums around the room in both directions while I was talking and
passed the glider around in one direction and the transmitter around in the
other direction. Towards the end the questions seemed to focus more
on the glider than power planes. They asked very good questions and it
was great fun.
Sooooooo What good can this do.
Well ... Curley Gordan was one of the interested spectators and he really
wants me to come up to his farm in North Orange and fly my glider.
105 Acres of land with only wheat planted in the summer and on the
highest spot (think slope soaring) in Orange - approx 10-15 miles north
of the Orange Airport. Curley had volunteered to let me fly on his
land long before but after last night I'm sure that he will be more
excited to see me take up a glider there than I will be.
The secret to giving a good presentation is to follow a bad one.
Last month they had a presentation and film about the Holocaust - yuck.
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
================================================================================
|
| 239.1341 | running commentary for scale maneuvers | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Thu Feb 09 1989 11:11 | 82 |
| Hi, guys. I haven't been too active in the file of late owing to work and a
coupla' vacation days taken to bracket last weekend's oldtimer contest. Thanx
fer' keeping Ramblin' alive and well. Anyhoo, it's time to post an entry.
First, let's start things off with a joke that made it's way to me after
being many-times forwarded:
A mother and her son were flying TWA from Kansas to Chicago. The
son (who had been looking out the window) turned to his mother and
said, "If big dogs have baby dogs and big cats have baby cats, why
don't big planes have baby planes?" The mother (who couldn't think
of an answer) told her son to ask the stewardess. So the boy asked
the stewardess , "If big dogs have baby dogs and big cats have baby
cats, why don't big planes have baby planes?" The stewardess asked,
"Did your mother tell you to ask me?" He said that she had. So she
said, "Tell your mother that TWA always pulls out on time."
Next, I have to report that, while it came off as scheduled, the oldtimer meet
last weekend was bummed-out by the weather, a rarity hereabouts. Things started
out great with a beautiful, sunny, calm Saturday morning; before noon we were
running around in shirtsleeves as it'd become too warm even for a light jacket.
That changed suddenly, however, in the early afternoon as the cold front that
enveloped most of the nation last weekend began moving in. By mid-afternoon,
we'd scrambled to get the jackets back on and the winds became more than just
a little surly. The weather never improved from there on, gradually deteriora-
ting to an icy drizzle by Sunday afternoon, at which time, the meet was finally
called and we were able to drive back to a cozy, warm home. The little motor-
home was a definite Godsend _this_ weekend, providing a haven from the incessant
cold wind.
BTW, I didn't make it with my Playboy; it's all framed now with only minor fin-
ish sanding required before covering...Oh well, wait 'til next year. My C.A.F.
buddy from Hereford, Texas, Gerald Martin, did pretty fair, taking a 1st, 2-
2nd's and a 3rd in the various events he entered. Gerald was flying two dif-
ferent sizes of the 1938 Lanzo Bomber and a 1936 Bunch Scorpion in a total of
about 5-events.
Lastly, in response to Kay's question about Bob Frey's running commentary during
his official scale flights, here's the story. Bob likes to tie all the maneu-
vers, mandatory and optional, into the scenario of a combat mission with his
P-47D. He uses the actual pilot's name, Dave Schilling, and says things like:
"After takeoff from Boxtead (or wherever), we'll do a holding maneuver while the
rest of the group forms on us." (Enters the Horizontal Figure-8.) "Now that
we're all formed up, we'll make a last pass up the runway to get a compass fix
and set our gyro's." (Does the Low Fly-By.) Now into the optional maneuvers,
Bob ties them together in an imaginary combat with enemy fighters.
"On the tail of an FW-190, we begin to close and line up the shot. But, this
German's good and we follow him through a slow roll, firing all the way." (Does
slow-roll.) "He's hit now so we make a level firing pass on him and see smoke
begin to pour from the wounded FW as we pass overhead. Now we loop and come back
down on him to issue the coup de grace." (Does loop) "The FW goes down in
flames, the pilot just getting out in time. In salute to our fallen foe, we'll
do a 4-point over the flaming wreckage." (Does 4-pt. roll.)
"Our escort mission completed, we return to base and beat up the field with a
victory-roll to let the crew know we scored a victory." Comes in low and pulls
up into a victory roll.)
Bob's last optional is usually flaps; he likes to use this option as the Jug's
flaps extend nearly 90-degrees and he makes his approach, following a military
pitchout, from seemingly too high an altitude but the flaps allow him to descend
at about a 50-degree angle with no speed increase, flattening and flaring at a
nice slow pace from about the last 4' or so of altitude.
That's about the long-and-short of it, Kay. I used to use a similar routine
with the MiG-3, the scenario involving Capt. Ivan Polyakov (my particular MiG's
pilot) strafing German supply columns, infantry and armor in defense of Stalin-
grad mhere my MiG served in the summer of '41. Why'd I quit? I dunno', I guess
I felt a little foolish but it seems to work for Bob...maybe I should resume
using it, eh?! Bob used to complete the role-play by actually wearing a WW-II
leather helmet and goggles while flying but I guess he came to feel this looked
a little childish so he doesn't wear it anymore.
P.S. At yer' recommendation, I grudgingly picked up an RCM "catalog"
for Dan Parsons' article on the '88 Masters. As usual, Dan got
some great pix and it was sure nice to be mentioned 3-or-4 times
when, otherwise, it was such a miserable contest for me. BTW, Dan's
s'posed to make me an 8x10 of the great pic he got of the MiG with
the gear coming up right after takeoff.
|
| 239.1436 | comment [at end] on Grumman Wildcat by Classic Glass | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Thu Jun 08 1989 15:20 | 47 |
| The current (July) issue of Scale R/C Modeler contains coverage of the Spring
1/8 AF Scale Fly-In, held this past March. Matter of fact, it contains no less
than 4 articles concerned in some way with the meet. Not bad! We nearly got
the whole issue.
The articles are, for the most part, very complimentary. At least three differ-
ent places, however, we received a little [deserved, IMHO] criticism for the
control-tower scheme we tried in an attempt to further smooth flightline oper-
ations. The scheme was over-utilized, however, and was received more as addi-
tional, unnecessary control rather than a pilots' aid. I still feel that the
basic idea can be an enormous asset, safety wise, but couldn't agree more that
the guys running the scheme became carried away with the control aspect which
created a negative reception of the entire idea.
Buddy Irwin, author of the primary article on the meet, stated that he felt we
should never stop trying new concepts like this one that appear to have good
safety possibilities but [accurately] described the idea as being somewhat un-
popular with the pilots.
Of course, we are acutely aware of the fact, as a result of real-time feedback,
and have already cussed/discussed the issue at subsequent meetings. The safety
folks have freely admitted responsibility and promise faithfully that it won't
happen again; that, aside from the safety aspects, they will refrain, ever
after, from getting swept up in the _control_ area.
Some of us, principally yer's truly, allowed as how it's human nature to over-
use/abuse authority and that it'll be no mean task for the safety troops to
exercize the necessary self-control to avoid a repeat performance...and do so
consistently, from meet-to-meet. So, the decision was made to try the system
one more time at this fall's smaller fly-in and, if it appears at that time
that it's too difficult to assume an observer posture, becoming involved ONLY
when a clear and present compromise to safety exists, the whole idea will be
scrapped and filed under "another seemingly good idea that failed." The LAST
thing any of us wants or needs is MORE arbitrary controls lacking firm footing
in common sense/safety and we try to remain sensitive to that fact as much as
is humanly possible.
Anyway, pick up a copy of July's SR/CM and read about the meet...I think you'll
enjoy being at the meet by proxy.
Also in the issue is an article on Classic Glass' 92" Grumman Wildcat. Kinda'
wish I could justify the expense of getting into one on those; I've always loved
the ship but, like most, was prevented from modelling it due to the complex
landing gear retraction system. This kit seems to've removed at least _that_
obstacle as even the most basic, semi-kit includes the retract system. It's
tempting but I still have a hangup for building an airplane that huge and I hate
the chainsaw engines so I guess I'll continue to hide and watch what happens.
|
| 239.1444 | A PROFITABLE EVENING ON THE PHONE...... | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Fri Jun 09 1989 15:44 | 37 |
| I had a rather fortuitous phone call last night. For more than a week I've been
trying to contact either Clyde Baskin or Greg Namey of Innovative Model Pro-
ducts but have constantly gotten either Clyde's answering machine or no answer
at Greg's number. I just wanted to inquire at to the status of the 81" MiG-3
drawings that Clyde started for me last November.
Greg called last night after I left a message with the answering service and I
learned that Clyde has been down with some sorta' abdominal surgery and will re-
main out of commission for another 6-weeks. Anyway, Greg said he'd seen the
drawings and that "You're gonna' have one fine looking ship there, pard."
Then the conversation drifted to the 80" Hurricane that Innovative kits (I
wasn't even aware of it) and, before I knew it, Greg'd offered me a Hurricane at
a ridiculous price (which I had to promise not to reveal) if I'd write him a
letter saying I'd fly it in competition and mention Innovative anytime a maga-
zine inquired about it. I'm sure this is to use for tax-purposes - advertising/
promotional expenses.
This was the first time I'd received such an offer from a manufacturer based on
whatever notoriety I've achieved in scale and I was really flattered by it. At
any rate, when the next run of Hurricane kits is made (late July or so), one of
them will be on its way to the ol' Rat and I can finally get busy on a new pro-
ject. Actually, maybe this is the second such promotional offer I've received
since Futaba has offered me a new 1024 system for half price. I may take advan-
tage of the offer...I'm still debating with myself whether I want all that
microprocessor based fluff on a radio but this would certainly be a relatively
painless way to find out, wouldn't it?!
Other news from Greg Namey: Greg mentions that it's his understanding that Bert
Baker has sold out to Yellow Aircraft (of Toronto) and all his molds, tooling
etc. is on its way to Taiwan or some such place where Yellow has there kits
manufactured. I've seen the Yellow CAP-10 kit and can say it contained the
very finest glasswork I've ever seen, bar none! I should be able to get con-
firmation of the rumor one way or the other next weekend at the Scale Sqdn.'s
Masters Qualifier at Mile Square Park. Stay tuned.....
Adios, Al
|
| 239.1501 | One Friday in June | LEDS::LEWIS | | Thu Jul 13 1989 14:08 | 116 |
|
One Friday in June
------------------
'Tis a fine Friday noon, a light breeze in the air,
as I slip out of work (no-one does seem to care).
Next week is the fourth - the long weekend has come,
now I head to the field for some flying and fun.
The Sportster is packed in the car with great care,
a ten-minute drive and we soon would be there.
I hadn't flown since that January day,
when the Sportser had taken that dive in the hay.
The week had been busy with minor repairs,
new canopy, covering and hinges downstairs.
Just yesterday eve had the work been completed,
batteries charged, and fuel pump seated.
So off to the club field where men become boys,
but don't you dare say that our aircraft are toys!
Now as I arrive I see Ajai is here,
his trainer is ready and he has no fear.
His aileron flutter is hopefully gone,
(that low frequency hum is a sickening song).
Some flips on his prop and his engine's alive,
time for one flight 'fore the mower arrives.
The rust in my fingertips has me concerned,
but he has blind faith (he hasn't yet learned!).
The takeoff is clean, a few passes for trim,
now time for a lesson - hand it over to him.
We talk thru some turns and a few minor swerves,
as he gains some confidence and settles his nerves.
Time to come down now - I take one more pass,
then settle her gently on runway grass.
Ajai is ecstatic, he flew his new friend,
but now has to leave - an early day's end.
Nice guy, that Ajai - he thinks I'm an Ace,
he hasn't seen the times I fall flat on my face.
The mower is running now - time for a rest,
as others arrive for the patience test.
He's finally done, Dan and Eric are here,
the Sportster is fueled up and I am in gear.
Range check ok, field check is done,
lotion is on to protect from the sun.
Up up and away, she flies straight and smooth,
as Dan also takes off in vertical mood.
I'm flying again, boy it has been so long,
to have waited six months is simply wrong.
Each flight's getting better, it's all coming back,
the low passes look like a fighter attack.
Now Anker is here and a few other folks,
Jim brought out some wreckage to inspire some jokes.
Harvey Thomasian joins our small group,
and there's Eric performing an awsome square loop.
The afternoon's filled with planes in the air,
as all of the pilots seem to have not a care.
Last flight of the day I was thinking inside,
but you never should say that, it causes bad vibes.
The flight is in progress as Eric approaches,
he now wants to try it (he usually coaches).
He goes thru maneuvers with ease - a surprise
that the Mode-2 setup does not give him a rise.
Wait - something is wrong - I see elevator trouble,
Eric has lost her, she's looping double.
I've got the transmitter, phew! plenty of time,
she's levelling off now, we'll bring her in fine.
Oh no, I was wrong, she is not in control,
determined to find earth and make a new hole.
The impact is awesome, like hit by a truck,
the fuse is so deep it is actually stuck.
The problem is clear to me now as I think,
of how in my haste I had been such a dink.
Those hinges I put in the elevator half
had no pins holding them - oh my god what a gaffe.
Well back to the work shop - she will fly again,
and a couple of cold beers will help ease the pain.
A great day of flying and a lot of fun,
but I got what I deserved in the long run.
But from this day forth I will live by the rule,
that "he who does not pin his hinge is a fool".
The End
|
| 239.1509 | ORIENTATION HINT..... | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Fri Jul 14 1989 13:24 | 22 |
| Ajai,
Here's a little crutch to use when the plane is coming toward you
(or any other direction, for that matter) if pushing to the down
wing is a little confusing: Always keep the transmitter antenna
pointed in the direction the plane is travelling. If this is done,
right is _always_ right and left is _always_ left.
You don't have to be real drastic about it...when the plane is coming
toward you, just turn your back to it a tad such that the antenna
points in the direction of flight and yer' kinda' looking back over
yer' shoulder toward the approaching plane. This helps immensely
in sorting out the orientation problem and, in time, when you've
become more comfortable, you can put this crutch down and stand
flat-footed, regardless of the plane's direction/attitude just like
the pros do.
|
| | 00 Adios, Al
|_|_| ( >o
| Z__(O_\_ (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.1511 | | KBOMFG::KLINGENBERG | | Mon Jul 17 1989 06:35 | 31 |
| RE .1509 > ORIENTATION HINT <
Ajai,
this very method Al described helped me a lot when I first learned
how to fly an RC model. I don't want to criticize a comment of our
great and famous Al Casey, BUT when I first got a chance to watch ME
on a film practacing this technique, I saw HOW foolish I looked and
tried to develop a method looking more 'like the pro's'.
It also may result in a safety problem when you try to watch the
plane over your shoulder.
My instructors told me to never let go of the sticks and to make
sure that I am in command of the plane all the time. I tell the
plane if it has to turn right or left and I must force it to do
what I want. With this attitude, I learned how to control a plane
that approaches me: Always bear in mind how the plane reacted to
your last input and you know what you have to do next. If you just
flew a right turn and the model is still turning, you know you
have to give some left to level the plane etc.
Have you tried to imagine you're sitting in the plane? It's a great
dream, and it may help, too.
Wish you good luck and a strong progress without any more aileron
flutter. Happy to hear you solved the problem and hope that it's
banned forever.
Regards,
Hartmut
|
| 239.1512 | Orientation: no problem | CLOSUS::TAVARES | John -- Stay low, keep moving | Mon Jul 17 1989 11:09 | 29 |
| I've spent hours, usually during the time it takes me to fall
asleep, visualizing shooting approaches and handling
orientation. As a result it has not been a problem to me --
despite all the other things that have piled up. I do find that
sometimes I reverse the controls when the plane is flying *away*
from me!
I sometimes use the "prop up the low wing with the stick" method
and sometimes I visualize myself in the cockpit; I do these
interchangeably and without conscious thought, though the low
wing/stick seems to be the favored one on approach.
My point in this is that there is one thing that I can guarantee
you Ajai; don't worry about orientation; one day you'll find
yourself flying without a thought -- it just seems to take care
of itself.
FWIW -- The replacement Son of Qwik Stik is on its gear. Its
almost completely built of pine molding stock, plywood, and
cardboard-- only a little piece of balsa under the tail. I
painted it with yellow Krylon yesterday (I don't care about the
finish -- later this week I'll spray on some clear Acrylic and
let the mess fall where it will).
I'll be installing the engine and radio this week for a first
flight Sunday. The 2x4 glider wing will be on for the first
flights and I'll replace it with a foam wing as soon as I can. The
foam wing will be covered with light cardboard, more when I learn
more about it.
|
| 239.1513 | Mind games | RVAX::SMITH | | Mon Jul 17 1989 11:31 | 20 |
| Although I still find myself pushing the sticks in the wrong direction
at times, what I thought was going to be a big problem for me (knowing
which way to push the sticks depending on the location of the aircraft)
hasn't been that difficult. My mind set is to do what comes normally
when the aircraft is flying away from me, and turn toward the low
wing when it's coming at me. There is one thing that I think helped
me though. I've done a tremendous amount of practicing in my mind.
I think I learned this when I used to "jump out of perfectly good
airplanes". There are definate emergency procedures to follow when
skydiving. But how do you practice?????? Your not going to go jump
out of an airplane with a known bad chute so, you practice in your
mind. The same holds true for flying RC. I might look like I'm just
sitting in my chair watching the activities, but in reality I'm
pushing that imaginary stick around all over the place while watching
someone else fly. The only exception to that is if I'm watchig Eric
Henderson. I tried following him one day and broke two fingers.
Steve
|
| 239.1514 | More Mind Games | LEDS::WATT | | Mon Jul 17 1989 14:03 | 12 |
| Steve talks of mental practice to improve his flying skills. I
strongly recommend this practice. I spent lots of time doing this
when I was learning. I try to do this when I want to try something
new. My mental simulator gets better as I learn more about what
happens when you do crazy things to the sticks.
I have never broken fingers watching Eric but I have thought about
reaching for the 'airsick bag', especially when he does his full power
spins.
Charlie
|
| 239.1515 | visualization should be complete | CLOSUS::TAVARES | John -- Stay low, keep moving | Mon Jul 17 1989 14:21 | 29 |
| Gee, I thought I was the only one that was so old I could only
think of model airplanes...
There's one caveat on visualization techniques -- what you think
becomes very real in your mind. This means that you must know
the proper moves and the reaction of the plane if you visualize.
For example, to turn a plane, you must visualize the plane
banking to the stick, then holding the bank and turning as you
neutralize the stick and hold back pressure, and finally rolling
out with opposite stick. This must be very clear and complete.
I found this out when in visualizing turns I'd break off the
visualization after the plane was turning. Sure enough, when I
actually did the turns I'd forget to roll the plane out again!
No kidding.
In approaches, it took quite a few real approaches to be able to
visualize the plane dropping its nose as I pulled power on
downwind, the exact attitude of the plane as it turns on final,
and the look of the plane as it hit the "box" off the end of the
runway. Once I knew what these looked like, I could visualize
the approach over and over again -- probably over a thousand
times -- until I could do it with the sticks. Again, since I
broke off the visualization as it hit the end of the runway, this
is precisely where I'm now having trouble (we have a narrow
runway).
To be honest, if I had my choice I'd simply buy one of those
computer simulators and practice that way.
|
| 239.1518 | the Trainer 60 and thinking of the next plane | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Tue Jul 18 1989 13:05 | 46 |
| Ajai,
Congratulations on yer' continuing success. I'm glad to hear the flutter
problem has been cured as I was feeling a little guilty, having recommended
the T60 to you (strange though, yer's is still the only T60 I ever saw or heard
of that had this problem...wonder if something's been changed since the old days
when Bridi kitted this bird as the RCM Trainer-60).
I'm particularly gratified to hear yer' noticing/enjoying some of the benefits I
ascribed to this [type] model, i.e. good size for visibility, abundant, reliable
power, etc. (Although I'd still junk the fuel-pump, were it me.) ;b^} I'd by-
pass the pump and continue to fly on crankcase suction before I'd lose all this
crucial flying time by sending the engine back, were I you. This is the most
vertical part of yer' learning curve and you need to stay in the air all you can
at this time as a delay now could slip you back almost to square-one (which is
why I recommended building another airplane). If you need to send the engine
back, wait 'til this winter when you'll be doing little, if any, flying.
Continued success to you and I hope to meet and fly with you one day. BTW, it's
not a bad idea to immediately begin building another ship to be ready in the un-
speakable event that some disaster occurs to the T60. This second model can be
slightly advanced of the T60, e.g. like being a low-winger if desired, even
though the T60 will stay with you for a looooong time, aerobatics-wise, so it's
not like you'll outgrow it anytime soon...another reason I recommended it to
you. Keep 'em flying!
Bill,
I watch yer' first go at teaching the two-stick method with keen interest as
this is how I instruct...no mixing/coupling crutches and my students have become
accomplished pilots with no bad habits to UN-learn. Average time to solo has
been ~3-4 air-hours. Sounds like Ajai is a pretty good student and is taking to
it like the proverbial duck-to-water.
|
| | 00 Adios, Al
|_|_| ( >o
| Z__(O_\_ (The Desert Rat)
P.S. Re: .1517, "Shadow Flying" is what I call 'dry-flying' and I highly
recommend it to my students. I tell them to turn on the airplane
and Tx, sit behind the plane, get comfortable and "fly" the plane
through TO's, Ldg's, turns, aerobatics, etc., etc. Not only is
this imaging helpful to the learning process, it excercizes the
batteries as well, helping to keep them fresh.
|
| 239.1530 | RF skip --- which, when, and why and not | LEDS::HUGHES | Dave Hughes (LEDS::HUGHES) NKS1-1/E3 291-7214 | Mon Jul 24 1989 16:24 | 49 |
|
I'll confess to being real rusty on my ham stuff, and Ajai can
probably do better, having recently aced his ham tests. Here's
what I know off the top of my head:
Long distance radio communications results from the signal being
reflected off the ionosphere (usually called "skip"). What radio
frequencies will reflect vs. not reflect is dependent on the condition
of the ionosphere. At any time, there is a "maximum usable frequency"
(MUF) of the ionosphere. The MUF is typically between 10-30 MHz. The
ionosphere is built by solar energy, I think uv in particular. It is
strongest just before sunset (after a full day of sunlight) and weakest
just before sunrise. The sunspot cycle affects it because heavy sunspot
activity strengthens the ionosphere. CB radios operate at 27MHz, they
usually don't experience skip, but occasionally the MUF goes up over
27MHz and they can talk all over the world. Hams have a band at 28-30
MHz (10 meters), that is usable for international communications during
sunspot peaks, but only local the rest of the time.
I believe the ARRL magazine "QST" publishes projections of MUF, I'll
check when I get home.
At any rate, on very rare occasions the MUF goes up as far as 50 MHz
(6 meters). That is indeed very rare. I don't believe it is likely
at all that it would get up to the 72MHz region. That's probably why
6 meters was picked for the ham RC channels, there is no risk of skip
interference.
Thus, my rusty opinion is that it is very, very unlikely that you'd
be experiencing "skip" type interference. And make that a couple
more orders of magnitude unlikely that it's another RC'er in another
state, because RC radios send very weak signals and even if we did get
skip it's unlikely it would be heard by our little receivers.
This month's Model Aviation has a good article that recommends you
do some experiments with RC transmitters and a scanner receiver. It's
a very interesting experiment, designed to demonstrate both interference
(2IM, 3IM, etc), and widely varying signal strenths due to antenna
orientation and distance. Read that article and you might begin to get
some ideas about how these things could happen, particularly "dead
zones" where signal strength is weak.
Dave Hughes WA1MPF
p.s. When using a scanner, be sure to match the scanner's bandwidth
to the bandwidth of the radio receiver. If it's a wide-band receiver,
you should set the scanner to wide band, and look at �455kHz for
interference, too. The MA article also mentions the need for training
people to operate the scanners correctly.
|
| 239.1531 | "RFI ?" | VERSA::TULANKO | | Tue Jul 25 1989 09:24 | 20 |
|
Ajai ,
Dave was right on the money about "skip" . Ten meters
(28-30Mhz) has been wide open and very active this year and 10 meter
rigs have been selling like hotcakes . This condition does happen
in cycles with sunspot activity , really opening the bands up for
some long range communications . As Dave said though , this doesn't
effect the above 50mhz range . Our radio's fall in the low end of
the VHF band in which communication distance is usually "line of
sight" . I've seen off and on , (about 1 time in the last 5 yrs)
where short range skip opened up on 2 meters (144Mhz) and 440 Mhz,
once being a couple of years ago on 440 mhz where the band went
nuts , but it lasted only about three days and then was gone . Anyway
I hope you solve your problem with getting RFI . Our local club
has given all but given up on ch 16 because of some sort of RFI
at the field . Good luck and keep em flying !
Carl N8DWN
|
| 239.1538 | look elsewhere for your answer
| LEDS::HUGHES | Dave Hughes (LEDS::HUGHES) NKS1-1/E3 291-7214 | Tue Jul 25 1989 17:54 | 41 |
| re: 239.1536
5 miles is not "short range skip", it's line-of-sight. Our signals are
so weak that we can tolerate fields as close as 5 miles to each other.
For example, from a height of a few hundred feet above the CMRCM field,
you can literally SEE (on a clear day) from Worcester to Boston to
New Hampshire. There are probably a dozen active flying fields within
line-of-sight. So, to take a little stronger stand on this: THERE IS 0.00%
CHANCE OF TRANSMITTERS AT FIELD 5 MILES AWAY INTERFERING WITH
YOUR AIRCRAFT IF YOUR TRANSMITTER IS FUNCTIONING! We keep our fields far
enough apart. The one exception I know of is the CRRC fields at Crow Island
and Taylor Drop Zone, which is why they are not both in use at the same time
(they're about 1 mile apart line-of-sight. If you get shot down at the Drop
Zone, I'd shoot over to Crow Island to see if somebody's flying there.
Meanwhile, in your Electrostreak you are carrying sources of RF energy
in your motor control circuit and motor brushes. Remembering some simple
physics, signal strength decreases as a cube of distance (ie, if you
double the distance from your transmitter, the signal is 1/8 as strong).
If you have a mild RF generator aboard, as all electrics do if the motor
is running (gas engines with spark plugs have the problem too), the
effect is to decrease your radio range, as at some distance away from the
transmitter the noise generator will be stronger than the transmitter's
signal.
A lot of things affect radio range, such as antenna orientation. I don't
believe that you should rely on your radio functioning perfectly if you
let your plane get so far away you can barely see it.
Another aside, Dan - I heard somebody suggest something to you about the
position you found your servos, when you thought that it proved that the
radio was "hit" because they were pinned against the stops. If the radio
receiver and servos were still connected to the battery, and the battery
ran down normally in a few hours, it's possible that the servos could go
to the stops as the voltage dropped. It's clear from your description of
your crash that the receiver did not seem to be responding to your transmitter,
but it's not clear why.
I guess this won't help you sleep better, tonite. Sorry.
Dave
|
| 239.1539 | Lets talk about Propigation | SALEM::D_TAYLOR | | Tue Jul 25 1989 18:01 | 19 |
| Wow Is this ever rambling. Let me introduce my self Dave Taylor
boater. and Getting the Plane Itch.
Enough formalities. There are Many ways to have DX (Distance
Transmission) on very high frequencys. There is one phenomenon
called "TROPOSPHERIC DUCTING" That occurs on hot days when there
is a temperature inversion. with this type of propigation long idstance
contacts/(receiver hits) can occur. This mode of skip causes the
atmosphere to act as a wave guide (pipe) funneling radio waves directly
to your receiver. I beleive that the record distance for a contact
of this type is from california to Hawaii on 220 mhz. This mode
has been known to allow DX contacts in the 1-5 ghz range also.
I am not suggesting that this is a cause but Dx in the 50 to 440
mhz range is not uncommon.
Dave
N1fcc
|
| 239.1566 | Sureflight... | K::FISHER | Stop and Smell the Balsa! | Wed Aug 02 1989 13:02 | 32 |
| > as they don't make this any more) I forgot to mention that one of
> the 25's has a Sureflight foam J3 attached to it. I may fly that
> monstrosity instead!
I had one of those (Actually the Cessna). Had a ball with it.
Bringing back some fond memories.
One time I spent all day hand launching it and landing with skis on snow.
Eventually my transmitter battery died and I spun in from about 200 feet.
Had it running by the next weekend.
One time I landed on water (large puddles in Acton) with the skis.
The OA-1 Bird Dogs (full scale) could land on water with skis - they
just couldn't come to a complete stop - documented in my recent Bird Dog
book - up till I read that I thought I was the only one who skis on
water?
I had ailerons and it would really spin great.
It's down fall was the foam couldn't deal with fuel soaking and I
had a tank leak a couple of times and filled the fuse with fuel.
I'd sure like to fly one again.
But - NO - I don't want to make you an offer for it. I've got 4
planes flying now and two in the input queue. Ruff life when you
have to make decisions about what plane(s) to take flying :-)
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
================================================================================
|
| 239.1569 | FoamErOns | K::FISHER | Stop and Smell the Balsa! | Wed Aug 02 1989 13:47 | 54 |
| > About that Sureflite Cessna you refer to in .1566;
> I too have the Sureflite Bird Dog (I assume you refer
> to the Bird Dog version). It's not ready to fly yet-
> I want to install ailerons. The tapered trailing edge
> is giving me a little problem, seems to negate strip
> ailerons, so, I'll have to cut the foam for the "Barn
> Door" type.
>
> How did you do it, and what kind of linkage ? I'll
> appreciate any comments, thanks,
John - mine was a Cessna 182 (Skylane?) but I suspect that any
thing that Sureflite calls a Bird Dog is probably the same plane.
It was a .20 size all foam. They called it ARF - but it took me
quite a while to get it together.
I cut the Ailerons right on the formed scale aileron lines threw
the foam with an Exacto knife. Then I cut a channel along the wing
from the bottom center where I mounted the aileron servo - out to the
beginning of the aileron. I did this by just running a soldering
iron along a straight line. (Probably should put a mask on when
you do this or run a cord outside - I didn't but then look what it
did to me). Then I created a torque tube by putting piano wire
in brass and epoxied the brass into the wing. One end of the piano
wire was bent and goes into the aileron (reinforce this
part of the aileron with some wood). The other end was bent at approx
90 degrees to the first and linkage added to go to the servo.
Then I filled the rest of the slot I had carved with the soldering
iron with micro fill. Then after I completed all the linkage I decided
that there was too much flex in the system so I tore it all up and
created the torque tube with a larger (heavier) piece of piano wire.
If I was doing it again I would use Nyrod tubes with flexible wire
(ala throttle cable) or just plane Nyrods - they would change size
with temperature changes but since they would both shrink or expand
together it would not be as frustrating as if they were elevator or
rudder Nyrods.
By the way - I had an OS .20 FP in mine and I sure wish I had a .25.
The OS FP .20 and .25 are exactly the same size but the .25 has
a bigger bore and more horsepower and less weight - and for that
it only cost about $4 more. The only reason to make a .20 is
because of marketing.
Gee - I think all this was in my instructions but it's been a while.
Oh - one more thing - when your all done - be sure to add a piece of
strapping tape along the bottom of the wing - tip to tip. These
foam wings without sheeting or spars will fold easy - right Kevin :-)
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
================================================================================
|
| 239.1598 | Canadian F-18 painted cockpit | MDSUPT::EATON | Dan Eaton | Tue Aug 22 1989 11:44 | 15 |
| RE: F-18 paint schemes
I gave my neighbor who works in F-18 Engineering a call last night
to see if he knew of any interesting paint schemes. This isn't that
big of a deal, I just got curious. He said the F-18 can be found
in three different schemes. The proto units were white with blue
wing tips. The production units are done in low visiability grey.
The third scheme is the dark blue, 'Blue Angels' paint job.
He did have some interesting info on the F-18's they sold to the
Canadians. The Canadians have painted cockpits on the bottom of
their F-18's with the idea of confusing the opposing pilot in a
dogfight. He said they have data that shows it can make a differrence.
Dan Eaton
|
| 239.1606 | Holly cow, Batman! Its the bat signal... | MDSUPT::EATON | Dan Eaton | Thu Sep 07 1989 17:52 | 12 |
| I was out at our flying field yesterday evening getting in some
chopper time and I got to see the latest design one of our members
created. He had a Batwing. It has about a 36 inch wingspan and looks
just like the Bat signal. The engine and controls sit in a small
verticle dorsal. The control surfaces are combined ailerons/elevators
(forgot the word that describes that). This plane was a big surprise
to me because I expected it to be a tad bit unstable. It flew like
it was glued to a track, just as smooth as can be. The profile in
the air is definently different and I spent some time teasing it's
builder about what a nice job he did on his B2 prototype.
Dan Eaton
|
| 239.1612 | 'streak #3 update | ROCK::MINER | Electric = No more glow-glop | Tue Sep 12 1989 17:39 | 64 |
| RE: <<< Note 239.1610 by PNO::CASEYA "THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8)" >>>
> If it stays in one piece, why don'tcha pack it up in another Nabisco
> Saltines cracker-box and ship it to Phoenix via UPS (pronounced:
> "oops!") so you'll have something to fly?
No thanks!!! I've had enough of shipping airplanes via UPS.
As Dave Hughes mentioned, the 'streak is still in one piece because
it didn't fly today. :-) This time I did a range check with the
motor running and was getting hit severely with the motor on. (With
'streak #2, I only did the range check with the motor off.) All
surfaces went to full deflection and locked there. The worst part
was the motor locked to "full on" so I couldn't even throttle back
to get away from the interference.
So, it looks like 'streak #2 was shot down by its own motor.
I decided to swap out the cobalt 15 at the field and try old the
reliable cobalt 05. This worked out better, but there was too much
interference for me. I decided to keep 'streak #3 grounded until I
can sort this out.
I think the problem with the Cobalt 15 is that I messed around with
it instead of leaving it like it was from the factory. When I got
it, it was a "geared" motor but I wanted direct drive. So, I
removed the gearbox, switched the polarity of the wires (to make the
prop spin the right way) and re-timed the motor the way Astro Flight
told me to. However, the guy forgot to tell me that I needed to
break in the brushes again. Thus, the brushes were arcing a lot
which splatters RF all over the spectrum. Since the crash of
'streak #2, I have properly broken in the brushes, but I suspect
that after being under water and so on, the brushes and maybe the
armature need to be replaced and/or repaired. I think it'll be
wisest to send it back to Astro and let them do it RIGHT.
The bummer is that I probably won't have a "Super" streak for the
KRC Electric FunFly this weekend.
> Come ta' think of it, you stil have the upside-down Stik here so all
> you need's a radio, eh?. BTW, I've gotten to the place where I kinda'
> need some additional storage space for my birds...
Yeah, I planned on bringing a radio down w/ me so I can fly the
Stik. But gee Al, I find it hard to believe that the Desert Rat has
been building so fast and furious that his shop is full of finished
airplanes already... :-) As I recall, when I was last down there,
there was a MiG-3 that needed rebuilding and an Old Timer that had
been 50% done for a year. What gives? Have you contracted "Dan
Snow build a plane in a week" disease??
Seriously, I'm pretty sure I can convince my future in-laws to store
the _Ugly_ Stik for me. Thanks for storing it this long (and not
using it for firewood).
_____
| \
| \ Silent POWER!
_ ___________ _________ | Happy Landings!
| \ | | | | |
|--------|- SANYO + ]-| ASTRO |--| - Dan Miner
|_/ |___________| |_________| |
| / | " The Earth needs more OZONE,
| / not Caster Oil!! "
|_____/
|
| 239.1628 | Roamin' Research MiG-3 | K::FISHER | Stop and Smell the Balsa! | Mon Oct 02 1989 14:25 | 37 |
| Al - or somebody RCing in California.
I'd like some information on a model I saw in a IMAA magazine
yesterday.
The owner is Jim Metziger and he flys with the IMAA Chapter 99
"Ninty-Niners". out of Whitter, CA.
He had a GROB powered sailplane. I would like to know what
kit or plans it is based on and the wingspan and engine size.
Anybody know how I can get a hold of this fellow or this information.
If nobody knows now perhaps Al could send a message to the California
contingent?
Along another line I stumbled across the following in the most
recent Model Builder (an excellent magazine). Page 10 of Oct-1989.
Quarter-scale builders who are especially interested in WWII vintage warbirds
will want to take a close look at the MiG-3 plans set being offered by
Roamin' Research. The MiG-3 is an exceptionally clean and good looking
machine drawn to a full three-inch-to-the-foot scale and engineered for
conventional balsa/plywood construction. What you end up with is a 101-inch
span, 20 to 28-pound flying machine complete with operating wing flaps,
sure to stand out on any flight line.
The MiG-3 plans set totals 65 square feet of paper (both wing halves are shown),
are shipped rolled, and include an instruction booklet. Price is $30.00
which includes postage to anywhere in the U.S. Some prefinished parts, such as
a molded plastic canopy and fiberglass cowl, air scoops and exhausts are also
available, but you'll have to write for price quotes on these items.
From Roamin' Research, P.O. Box 104, Yale Michigan 48097.
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
================================================================================
|
| 239.1631 | R-R MiG-3 is not new | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Tue Oct 03 1989 12:14 | 19 |
| Kay,
I believe the 101" MiG-3 is the same one that's been advertised for
several years (at least since '86), perhaps sold to another company or
just advertised more energetically. The ad also appears in this
month's Scale R/C Modeler and, as much as I can tell, it's the same
ship. I've seen the plans for the [original] 101-incher and they are,
not surprisingly, just blow-ups of the Spievak plans I based my MiG on.
It's easy to tell as many of the sketches are the same and all the
mistakes I discovered while building mine were repeated in the giant
version. They've simply enlarged the plans and re-engineered [mainly]
the nose structure to accomodate the larger powerplant.
|
| | 00 Adios, Al
|_|_| ( >o
| Z__(O_\_ (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.1633 | errors in the R-R and Spievak MiG-3 | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Tue Oct 03 1989 13:57 | 33 |
| Tom,
I wish it were so...about the factory drawings, that is. The truth is
that Spievak contacted Mikoyan-Gurevich about obtaining factory
drawings and, you know those crazy Ruskies, they acted as if the MiG-3
was still a classified aircraft...refused to provide any help whatever.
Therefore, Spievak was forced to try to work from the several VERY
contradictary drawings that existed, most of which were so different
from each other as to make one think they were of a totally different
aircraft. Plus, these plans were done in '76 at a time when sport
scale was much more liberal on the "sport" aspect than it is now.
He did a pretty fair job under the circumstances but made a number of
outline errors and/or concessions, some of which I caught and corrected
as more documentation became available, others of which I didn't.
Suffice it to say I became quite intimate with the full-scale _and_ the
model MiG-3 and KNOW where the errors are in Spievak's plan. The
Roamin'-Research plan contains ALL the errors/concessions of Spievak's
drawings, revealing them as nothing more or less than an enlarged copy.
Were it a common practice to copyright these designs, Spievak would, no
doubt, have a good infringement case going for him.
The new plans I'm having drawn by Claude Baskin of Innovative Model
Prod.'s are being done to the best (in my opinion) drawings currently
available and should, therefore, be much closer to accurate than my
current ship is.
|
| | 00 Adios, Al
|_|_| ( >o
| Z__(O_\_ (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.1664 | FINAL DRAFT (MAYBE)..... | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Tue Oct 17 1989 17:55 | 439 |
| I've deleted .1650 to minimize file space and reprinted the article
below with a few suggested revisions and with typos identified by
DECspell and corrected. This approaches the final draft that RCM will
receive as soon as I receive the rest of the pictures I need to submit
with it. Very little has changed...it's just a lot cleaner.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I am not a well person! But, happily, my ailment is one that cannot be cured
by any miracle drug. I've been literally sick with airplanes since back in the
"Great War" when my dad decorated our kitchen ceiling with profile WW-II fight-
ers he'd cut from the backs of Wheaties cereal boxes. To borrow a phrase I
heard recently, "from the Wright Bros. to the Right Stuff," I love virtually
anything that flies; always have, always will!
This love, naturally enough, channeled itself into model building at a tender
age and, without pause, I've been a modeler ever since. I went through the
usual progression from solid models, to stick-'n-tissue rubber-power, to free-
flight, to U-control, to R/C some 25-years ago and, specifically, to scale about
15-years ago. Having competed in the U.S. Scale Masters since 1985, even manag-
ing to place in 1986, it was with no slight regret that I'd had to make the de-
cision not to compete in St. Louis in '89. Last year's trip to Ft. Knox had
convinced me it was simply too far to have to travel, while work and vacation
remain primary considerations.
So, you can imagine my excitement when the opportunity arose to replace my close
compadre, Dan Parsons, as author of RCM's coverage of the 1989 U.S. Scale Mas-
ters Championship. I love to write and have always wanted to do a magazine ar-
ticle...the opportunity had just never presented itself before. Now the chance
had not only fallen into my lap, but my debut article would be on the most pres-
tigious scale event in the country and would be published in the largest R/C
publication in the world to boot; "Pinch me, I think I've died and gone to
modeler's Valhalla." I'd be able to participate in SOME capacity after all.
"This'll be like bobbing for water," I smugly thought to myself, "I can do this
with my eyes shut!" Little did I realize how difficult it would be to condense
four days of intense activity into a compact, yet concise, interesting article.
Kent Walters, still diligently working on a newer, bigger, better SBD Dauntless
with which to replace his 10-year old veteran, lost at Ft. Knox last year, would
not be competing this year and had agreed to serve as a flight judge in St.
Louis. So, Kent and I traveled together from Phoenix, arriving in a very wet
St. Louis Wednesday afternoon preceding the contest which ran from 14 through 17
September, 1989.
Dumping our luggage in the room, we went to the welcome/registration tables near
the hotel lobby and immediately began running into early arrivals, renewing old
friendships and making many new ones. Before it was done with, 76 competitors
had registered making this, the 10th-anniversary edition, far and away the lar-
gest Masters yet.
Pacer Technology Inc., makers of all those great ZAP products, continued its
tradition of being sole sponsor of the Masters and Pacer's own Herschel Worthy,
a most gracious gentleman, was on hand throughout the contest with a friendly
smile and a handshake for all. Herschel is justifiably proud of his company's
participation in the Masters program and is quick to mention that he receives
much personal gratification from Pacer's involvement.
The contest was hosted by the St. Louis R/C Flying Association Inc., Nate Fogel
President and Contest Manager, Charlie Baker CD, with assistance from the R/C
Spirits of St. Louis, Charlie Chambers President. The hard working crew from the
host clubs did a great job preparing the contest site, a 50' by 2500' runway at
Aero-Head Airport which was closed for the duration of the Masters, and were
conspicuous all weekend by their labors on behalf of a well organized and ad-
ministered meet. The facility was excellent though some pilots found the paved
runway a bit narrow. A large area had been mowed parallel to the far side of
the runway for use by those aircraft which were designed to be operated from
grass strips. I'm glad to see this done but still harbor a concern for the
additional [human] traffic across the runway and the possible compromise of
safety created by this accommodation.
Static judging was scheduled for Thursday, continuing into Friday as required.
Due to the continued weather threat, the judging was conducted indoors at the
hotel until Thursday afternoon when it was moved outside, though the murky over-
cast was little, if any, improved. Quality of the models was extraordinary and
I had to believe that, properly documented and flown, virtually any of the 76
entries could easily have been the big winner. (I know that a scale modeler is
his own worst critic but, quite honestly, I was secretly glad my trusty MiG-3
was languishing in the shop at home rather than being compared with all these
gorgeous examples of the scale builder's art.) When static scores were posted
following the first round of flying, more than a third of the field, no less
than 27 aircraft, had received static scores of 95 or better. This contest
would be won or lost in the air which is how it should be, in my opinion.
While I admire those who keep a veteran aircraft campaigning year after year,
it was good to see many new models in the fray this year. No less than three
competitors, Jack Dorman, Bill McCallie and Dave Voglund entered great new 80"
P-40's from J.L. (Jerry) Bates plans. Tommy Weemes entered his beautiful new
Curtiss Hawk-75 with a very convincing metal-like finish done with 168 individ-
ual panels of hand-buffed, chrome trim Monokote. Hal Parenti's Ryan Fireball
was new to the Masters as was Bob Violett's F-86. Shailesh Patel had a brand
new Tom Cook F-4 Phantom done in that gorgeous red, white and blue, Bicentennial
(bald eagle) paint scheme. Scott Foster's new 9-foot B-17, done as a Borate-
bomber, was extremely nice and Chuck Fuller's new, metalized AT-6 was up to the
usual Fuller-standard of excellence.
Austin Cleis had his new Masterscale P-51D on hand and Claude McCullough entered
his expertly crafted WACO AVN-8, tri-geared, cabin bipe which earned the top
static score of the meet, a 98! Unfortunately, both of the aforementioned air-
craft were kept grounded most of the weekend by radio problems, and here's a
first: Austin's wife INSISTED that he go out and buy a new, "modern radio" the
very instant they get back home. Charlie Nelson's new WACO cabin was accurate
right down to the SCALE unmatched wheels on the main gear and a full lighting
system.
Lou Proctor was well represented with five of his Nieuport-28c1's, a Nieuport-11
and a J4N Jenny in evidence. Texan, Eddy Newman, whose nerves were so frazzled
last year that he could scarcely complete one official round with his P-38, flew
one of the -28's with ease and grace this year. "There's a lot to be said for
having the right plane," Eddy remarked when I complimented him on his dramatic
improvement over last year's performance. Bill Setzler's 1/3 scale Fokker E-III
Eindecker and Tom Kosewski's magnificent, scratchbuilt Fokker D-VII added weight
to the proposition that WW-I aviation is alive and well in the hearts of R/C
scale modelers. While not in competition, a framed-out prototype for the forth-
coming, 1/4 scale, Proctor Albatros D-VA was displayed by Dick Heininge. Watch
for this one, WW-I buffs, it's a real honey!
As always, WW-II aircraft predominated the field but, perhaps, less so than in
years past. New to the Masters were Art Johnson's very nice, and very large
Martin B-26 Marauder. Gene Barton's mount this year was the prototype, 92"
Douglas A1H Skyraider, designed and soon to be kitted by Rick Lewis under the
Accu-Scale banner. The 'Raider was an extremely impressive ship and displayed
a realistic presence, sought after by all scale modelers but not as often
achieved as we might wish. Bob Fiorenze remarked that the Skyraider was a "tre-
mendous achievement" and would be "the plane to beat in the future." Quite a
compliment from a jet-oriented top competitor.
Lawrence Harville campaigned a 21 year old Claude McCullough design, the Douglas
XTB2D-1 Skypirate and fellow Texan, Lee Rice, flew a very nice Kawasaki Ki-100,
the radial engined version of the Ki-84 Hein (code-named Tony). In its third
Masters, Jeff Micko's P-47, scratchbuilt from Mike Beaulieu's plans, looked and
flew as good as ever; if Jeff ever discovers how to shake the "lurkies" at con-
test time, "Katie bar the door," he'll be a commodity to be reckoned with! Also
returning for the third year was Frank Tiano's Ki-84 Tony. It's noteworthy to
mention, incidentally, that Frankie "T" is the only pilot to have qualified for
and competed in all ten U.S. Scale Masters Championships. Bill Carper had a
great looking Baker Jug done up as "Little Demon" and Corvin Miller flew an im-
maculate FG-1D Corsair, scaled up to 75" span from Royal plans.
Dennis Crooks showed up with a simply outstanding F-14 Tomcat which everyone im-
mediately flagged as the plane to beat this year. One can only imagine Dennis's
disappointment when the museum-quality model was lost in practice Thursday af-
ternoon. Worse still was the fact that, since he wasn't scheduled to be judged
until Friday morning, he never got to know how well the plane would've scored in
static. Undaunted, Dennis flew the Yellow Aircraft demo F-14 with abandon dur-
ing demonstration periods throughout the meet.
The Golden Age of air racing was ably represented by a terrific Wedell-Williams,
Red Lion Special by Wayne Jones and a Travelair Mystery Ship by Buzz Butler.
These colorful ships were, not surprisingly, a handful on the ground but looked
just magnificent in flight. I'm certainly glad there are those in our ranks who
will model the more challenging subjects. Scale meets would be pretty ho-hum if
everyone chose to model only the friendliest subjects.
The weather remained murky and threatening but flying began Friday morning as
scheduled. A number of pilots, mostly with light-colored or aluminum finished
aircraft elected to scratch the first round, gambling, I'm sure, that a better
sky to fly against would exist for the second round. The gamble didn't pay off,
however and, since only 4-rounds were to be flown, most chose not to lose anoth-
er official flight and flew round two, though the sky had improved little, if
any. Flying was halted for about an hour at one point for a "weather break" as
some pilots were having difficulty seeing through the mist that peppered their
glasses. Those of us who'd endured it were heard musing, "They shoulda' been in
Las Vegas in '87" where we flew in the pouring rain.
One of the neatest things I've seen in awhile was the pitch-reversing feature on
the Short Sky Van by Jim Terrell of Anchorage, Alaska. The aircraft itself had
all the aerodynamic and aesthetic appeal of a shoe box with long, skinny (high-
aspect ratio) wings, but when he'd demo the pitch-reversing feature by "BACKING"
the airplane out of the starting area and onto the runway, all else lost any im-
port. It was simply fascinating to see this done with a model. After landing,
the performance was capped off by coming to a stop, then backing off the runway.
Jim really deserved the technical achievement award he received for his model.
Starting the second round, Gene Barton (who'd had to scratch round-1 because he
just wasn't quite ready) went to the line with his impressive new 92", Webra
Bully powered Douglas A1H Skyraider. Taxiing out, Gene hammered the throttle and
nailed a perfect takeoff...the first time the big 'Raider had flown in paint.
The plane's wing-folding mechanism is arranged such that both air-cylinder act-
uated wing-locking pins MUST actuate a microswitch completing an "AND" circuit
which turns on the nav-lights, strobes and rudder-mounted rotating beacon. No
lights, no wing-lock...neat! As the 'Raider bored by in the murk, the lights
really stood out and lent an air of realism to the flight. On landing, one of
the 90-degree rotating main gear failed to lock and folded on touchdown but you
hardly noticed as the plane simply slid to a halt, using one of the huge ferry
tanks as a skid.
Charlie Nelson's new WACO also had a great light-system that showed well in the
gloom of Friday's flying. Taxiing into takeoff position, the nav and clearance
lights were all lit PLUS the retractable landing lights were extended from the
bottom of the upper wing, also lit. As the pretty WACO rotated and climbed out,
the landing lights could clearly be seen to turn out, then retract back into the
wing...very nice, indeed.
Bob Violett's F-86 is, undoubtedly, one of the best engineered jets available
today. The inlet/fan/tailpipe ducting are designed to eliminate dead/stalled
air and you can literally HEAR the cleanliness of Violett's plane as it sails
along noiselessly except for the sound of the quiet-piped KBV .82 engine. Bob
put in consistent, nearly flawless performances every round.
The only incident of the day was the crash, shortly after takeoff, of Don Bar-
ton's (Gene's dad) Baker P-47 which was heavily damaged following a stall-snap
incident, possibly caused by a loose servo tray.
Saturday morning, the weather finally broke and good flying weather attended the
remainder of the contest. Flying resumed, against blue sky for the first time
thus far, much to the relief of pilot, spectator and photographer alike. No
doubt about it; THIS was more like it! A gentle breeze from the north kept
things from becoming too steamy (though the heavy humidity kept this here Desert
Rat oozing from every pore all day long).
Ain't it terrific how much better colorful scale ships stand out against a nice
blue sky, interspersed with fluffy white clouds?! Tommy Weemes' polished alumi-
num Curtiss Hawk 75 with its blue and white, Argentine roundels looked just mag-
nificent against the sky. So did Art Johnson's Martin B-26 Marauder, Roy Vail-
lancourt's Hurricane, Jack Buckley's CAP-10, etc., etc., ad infinitum.
Brian O'Meara just has to be the personification of Joe Bltzpflck, the little
guy with the perpetual black thundercloud over his head (from Al Capp's "Li'l
Abner" comic strip). After his Platt Mustang's wing broke in the center-section
on Friday, Brian went back to his room, beefed up and re-glassed the center-
section and was ready to try it again Saturday. Forced to fly with the gear
down on his first flight Saturday, naturally the engine overheated and, upon
dead-sticking into the thick grass, the right gear dug in and ripped out of the
wing, stumbling the plane onto its nose whereupon the fuse tore away and broke
in half right at the cockpit. Now, I'd have figgered' someone was trying to
tell me something and would've thrown in the towel at this point. But, there
ain't an ounce of "quit" in Brian and, next thing I knew, he was set up under
Frank Tiano's tent with himself, his wife Jody, and Frank bent over the wreck-
age Zapping/epoxying it back together. Unbelievably, they got it together in
time for the next round.
The -51 took off normally, the gear retracted, the engine kept running and Brian
actually got in a complete flight. BUT, on landing, he got slightly out of shape
and the right gear contacted the tarmac a little harder than usual, all in all,
not a bad landing...but the right gear tore away again and, as the now battered
but once pretty Mustang ground to a halt, the wing buckled in the center-section
again. As we left the field Saturday evening, Jody was dancing the Flamenco up
and down the offending wing...all that was missing was the castanets. Jose
Greco, eat'cher heart out!
Diego Lopez, hoping to improve his 6th place finish at Ft. Knox, was an early
leader with a respectable static score and a 90 for his first round flight. But,
adversity was about to loom its ugly head in Diego's, thus far, smooth path. As
Diego began his second round takeoff, the big Hellcat hooked left a bit but he
caught it with rudder and rotated, JUST as he collided with Mark Harrell's big
J3 Cub sitting on the edge of the tarmac. The Hellcat's main gear bore the brunt
of the impact and the big Grumman merely slumped back to earth, staying on its
feet. The Cub, however, seemed to literally explode on impact; wings, struts
and undefined yellow shapes flew everywhere. In miniature, we'd witnessed why
Grumman was referred to as "The Bethpage Ironworks" throughout WW-II...those
darn Hellcats were/are tough!
Diego said he flat didn't see the Cub 'til it was too late and he apologized
profusely to Mark, then both pilots retired back to the pits to begin effecting
repairs. Diego's damage was all pretty superficial except for the landing gear
damage but it took him several hours to get it patched up and working again.
Meanwhile, the much more heavily damaged Cub was also undergoing repair but it
didn't look too hopeful. On a humorous note, at one point, as Diego was fever-
ishly working on his retracts, Mark walked up and handed him two small square
shapes of Hellcat-colored fiberglass, asking, "Do these belong to you?" Diego
turned them over in his hand, studying the pieces with a puzzled expression,
then blurted, "Hey! These are two of my cowl flaps...where'd you find them?"
With a grin Mark replied, "Inside my plane." We all broke up!
A coupla' hours after the mid-ground incident, I happened to look up and, "I'll
be hanged! The Cub's back in the air!!" There it was, looking for all the
world as if it'd never been hurt except for an occasional glimpse of silver duct
tape glinting against the yellow finish. Shortly thereafter, Diego went up also
so neither participant lost an additional round. Mark received an award at the
banquet that evening for refusing to give up and returning the seemingly total-
led Cub to the hunt.
Back at the hotel, Kent and I gussied up (as much as is possible fer' a coupla'
ol' Arizona cowpokes) and went down for the banquet. It was a pretty typical
banquet with pretty typical banquet fare. But, hey! You don't really go to a
banquet for the food; you go for the camaraderie and, hopefully, some entertain-
ment.
After the usual introductions, thank you's, etc., the host club did something a
bit unusual and new; they presented each competitor with a nice plaque, person-
alized with a picture of the pilot's airplane. Pilots' Choice awards were pre-
sented and, according to the competitors themselves, the winners were:
1. Best Military...Gene Barton - Douglas A1H Skyraider
2. Best Civilian...Jack Buckley - CAP-10
3. Technical Achievement...Jim Terrell - Short Sky Van
Don and Gene Barton were recognized as the first father and son to qualify for
and compete in the Masters. Don was also jointly awarded the Gray Eagle Award
along with Art Johnson as being the oldest pilots in competition. As previously
mentioned, Mark Harrell and Jim Terrell also received special awards.
Harris Lee announced that, at future Masters, craftsmanship will be judged from
8 rather than 15-feet. He also announced that flight scores in the future MIGHT
be the average of ALL rounds, after throwing out the low round. This would tend
to eliminate the luck factor and identify the pilot who demonstrated he had his
act together with truly consistent scores. Harris also revealed that, among
other countries, Norway and Japan, have expressed a desire to hold qualifiers so
the Masters may be taking an even more international turn in the future.
Frank Tiano took the podium and proceeded to deliver a hilarious historical re-
trospect on the previous 9-Masters, highlighting [unmercifully] the more humor-
ous events that took place at each event. The place really broke up when Frank
graphically described the picture of Brian O'Meara, both feet planted against
the TRUNK, trying to extricate his Baker P-47 from the Saguaro cactus he'd cen-
ter-punched at the '85 Masters in Mesa, Arizona.
Sunday morning was a carbon copy of the previous day. On the field, a murmur
was going through the pits that the results of this meet should prove to be
"interesting." Several dark horses were within striking range of stealing the
coveted championship and all could depend on the last flight being a good one.
Everyone was chafing at the bit to get under way and take their shot at ending
the suspense.
Gene Barton started things off with a textbook flight on the Skyraider and scor-
ed a 91 flight but, due to scratching the first round and having gear problems
on rounds 2 and 3, Gene didn't have another high flight to back this one up
with. Otherwise, he'd have placed quite highly, without any doubt at all.
Hal Parenti showed his Ryan Fireball well all weekend and his unusual steed de-
serves mention. The Fireball was designed as a jet engine test-bed in the early
days when jet UN-reliability was the rule, hence the conventional recip power in
the nose backing up the jet in the tail. Hal has a .25-size ducted fan mounted
in the aft-fuselage and, a'la the prototype, a conventional engine in the nose.
With both mills running, Hal taxied the Fireball into takeoff position and lock-
ed the brakes. Then, as the prop engine idled, you could hear the internal DF
engine spooling up 'til it was screaming at top RPM. A moment later, the ST .75
in the nose was throttled up 'til both engines were at full RPM and the ship
strained at the brakes. Releasing the brakes, the Fireball accelerated and ro-
tated into a smooth takeoff. Very nice presentation!
High score after high score was posted as the final round continued. But, Bob
Violett removed all the mystery and put his own brand on the championship with
a sizzling 96 flight that removed all doubt as to who would be first. All re-
maining discussion centered upon who would take 2nd-thru-10th.
And, where was defending champ, Bob Fiorenze, through all of this you may well
wonder. Bob's own words sum it up better than I could; "I got a slow start but
I managed to work my way down from there," he cheerfully remarked.
With the last official flight completed, demo's, including the traditional beat
up of the field with WW-II fighters took place while scores were being tabulated
and finish positions determined by computer. Dennis Crooks put on a dazzling
flight with the demo F-14, as he had done on Saturday, and all were convinced
that, had the fates been kinder, this could almost certainly have been Dennis's
year to take the championship.
Demo's over, the winners were announced. In addition to the impressive trophies,
6th through 10th place winners received Airtronics servos and 1st through 5th
received Futaba-1024 PCM radios and kits from Yellow Aircraft, all donated by
the manufacturers.
1. Bob Violett: F-86 Sabre 189.125
2. Hal Parenti: Ryan Fireball 188.875
3. Bill Carper: (Baker) P-47 188.750
4. Diego Lopez: (Lien) Hellcat 187.975
5. Bill Miller: DC-3 187.625
6. Bill Setzler: Fokker Eindecker 186.750
7. Bob Fiorenze: F-18 Hornet 185.975
8. Bob Hanft: Nieuport-28c1 185.625
9. Corvin Miller: FG1D Corsair 185.500
10. Neil Snodgrass: Midwing Special 185.125
Talk about a photo-finish! a mere 4-points separated 1st and 10th places, making
this probably the closest Masters ever.
Don Barton was awarded the infamous (almost sought after) "Being Last Sucks"
T-shirt and I should mention a youngster, Thor Thorensen from Norway, who com-
peted in this, his second Masters and finished a very respectable 13th flying
a Laser-200.
Opinions/impressions/observations:
----------------------------------
Judging remains a thankless task and Bert Baker's static judges alongside Hal
Okert's flight judges worked like Trojans throughout the contest. But I witness-
ed a new wrinkle that should gladden the hearts of judges everywhere: after sta-
tic was posted, a few contestants were arguing their scores with Big Bert when
Lawrence Harville approached, tongue firmly embedded in cheek, complaining loud-
ly that he'd "received four TOO MANY points" and insisting this travesty be cor-
rected immediately. I understand Chuck Fuller filed a similar "complaint" some-
time later. That's the right spirit, guys!!
The contest (as a Masters-level competition SHOULD be) was amazingly crash-free.
Only one total (Don Barton's P-47) occurred during competition. Even counting
Dennis Crooks' F-14 and Albert Kretz's Byron P-40, which both crashed outside of
official competition, only 3-totals occurred during the entire 4-days of the
event. This would seem to indicate that the level of flying is improving which
is another noteworthy trend; the Masters is truly becoming "the Masters!"
I noted with interest that several aircraft were equipped with gyros connected
to the rudder channel. "Dirty pool," I thought at first. But, after only mo-
mentary consideration, I thought, "Why not?" The safety enhancement aspect
alone, when applied to many of our squirrely tail-draggers, would make it worth-
while. And, the pilot must still fly the aircraft, the gyro merely adds some
stability in the yaw axis. I think I like the idea.
Jets continue to appear in greater numbers and this makes the 3rd consecutive
year a jet has won. However, contrary to the opinions of some, I do not believe
they are invincible. A good pilot with a good recip-powered ship can still take
all the marbles and I have no doubt the recent string of jet wins WILL be bro-
ken in the near future.
WW-I is making a resurgence and I have the utmost respect for the exponents of
this era's machines. They well may be the most challenging type there is to
fly successfully in competition owing to their notoriously bad ground-handling
and their extreme vulnerability to the fickleties of weather, mainly the wind.
These draggy, lightly loaded birds are blown about unmercifully by the slight-
est breeze and are particularly hampered by crosswind situations. Still, no
fewer than 6 WW-I era ships were entered in the Masters and presented very nice-
ly by their dedicated and skilled builder/pilots. Two of these managed top-10
finishes.
While a 5th name has now been added to the list of Masters Champions, it's still
interesting to note that Kent Walters remains the ONLY winner who did NOT have
any commercial interest in winning; all 4 of the others have been involved in
kitting the aircraft they campaigned and won with. Does this mean the Masters
Championship can be bought? No, I don't think so, at least not yet. Past re-
sults indicate to me that ANYONE can be beaten, on any given day, by any given
modeler, flying any given aircraft. There're simply too many of us non-business
connected modelers around for this NOT to be so. Still, I believe that the day
may be at hand when a "Professional-class" will have to be instated so the man-
ufacturers will have an arena in which to throw money at each other while the
rest of us compete among ourselves with more-or-less economic parity, a situa-
tion not at all unlike most other sports, i.e. golf, tennis, etc.
One thing's certain, Harris Lee's brainchild has done a lot of growing up in its
ten years. It'll certainly be interesting to watch the changes that occur as it
continues into its second decade.
As of this writing, the site for the 1990 Masters hasn't been confirmed but it
appears a good bet it'll be held at either Las Vegas, NV or Fountain Valley, CA.
Hey! That's in my neck-of-the-woods. I'd better get busy doing a few cosmetic
repairs to the MiG-3 or start work on a new Masters entry....., now lemmesee',
where'd I put that metric hammer and sanding-block anyway?
|
| 239.1689 | Schneider Cup Races report | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Wed Nov 15 1989 11:07 | 100 |
| Here's the report on the Schneider Cup Races:
Chuck Collier and myself, accompanied by our mutual spouses, left in our motor-
homes early Friday Morning and caravan-ed across some of the most barren country
in Arizona west to the Colorado River basin.
The scenery changed rapidly as we approached the river at Parker, AZ and became
stark rock and mountain formations along the river's course, the river itself
flanked on both sides by lots of uncustomary trees and greenery. The Colorado
is quite a large river (by southwestern standards) and, as we paralleled it for
mosst of the remaining few miles to Lake Havasu, we saw many power boats, water-
sliers, jet skiers and a [full scale] Piper Super Cub on floats making use of
its surface.
Passing Parker Dam (which forms Lake Havasu behind it), we presently arrived in
Lake Havasu City and could clearly see the large island, accessed by London
Bridge, where the races were to be held in front of a resort called the Nautical
Inn. The trip wound up being 211 miles and took us about 5-hours including a
stop for breakfast in Wickenberg and a few rest stops.
We drove across historic London Bridge, followed the signs to the Nautical Inn,
parked the motorhomes and carried our chairs and cooler down to the beach front
and began checking out the models. There were 4, perhaps 5 Supermarine S6B's,
two 1914 Sopwith Tabloids, a 1913 Deperdussin, a Curtiss R3C (the Doolittle ra-
cer), 3 Macchi's: an M33 flying boat; the twin, in-line V-12 powered MC72 and
a third I don't know the designation of but it looked like a slightly earlier,
single engine version of the MC72. In all, 21 racers had been registered but I
never saw more than a dozen of them fly and I can't say what the trouble may've
been with the others.
Time trials had been held on Thursday; each plane was flown against the clock
and its speed had to be within +/- 1% of the proper scale speed for its par-
ticular prototype. Adherence won nothing but failure to achieve scale speed
resulted in some sort of penalty. This made things tough on the very early
types; the 1913 Deperdussin needed to fly at 10-mph to receive no penalty and
its pilot, Dick Skoglund, told me the plane was on the verge of a stall at 17-
mph. Dick said this effectively put him out of the running and I suspect the
Sopwiths and the Macchi M33 probably suffered similarly.
After time trials, the planes would no longer be timed but would still be sub-
jectively judged for correct [appearing] speed. Each flight was judged on taxi,
takeoff, adherence to racecourse, altitude (10-80 feet), proper speed and land-
ing for a maximum of 100 points per round. We saw two rounds after arriving at
~1:00PM and immediately picked out what appeared to be the three front runners:
the Supermarine S6B of Bob Heitkamp from Juneau, Alaska; another S6B by a fellow
named Bunt and Bob Martin's Curtis R3C (the name of which's pilot I failed to
catch.
The planes were _huge_ 1/4 and 1/3 scale birds and were all easily of Masters
quality. Engines ranged from Sachs-Dolmar 3.7's and 4.2's, to an aging Kioritz
used in Heitkamp's ship, to a hopped up O.S. 4-cylinder opposed, to a twin, in-
line Supertiger 6000 in Bunt's racer. Most of the planes I watched seemed to be
correctly powered to simulate the correct scale speed impressions...I'd guess
the Supermarines were going about 90-mph which, at 1/4 scale, translates to 360
and the full scale's top speed was 406 so it was pretty close.
The only bummer of the event was that, between the Schneider heats, there'd be
as much as 4-hours of sport fun-flying, which is fine _if_ you're participating,
but becomes boring in a hurry when you've come to watch something else.
Saturday morning, they ran another round of racing around 9:00 and it was clear
that the pilots were becoming more comfortable as they were flying lower and
tighter around the 3-pylon course. Also, luck of the draw had 3 contemporary
ships up during each heat, i.e. two S6B's and a Macchi MC72; a Tabloid, the
Deperdussin and the Macchi M33, etc. Even though they weren't actually racing
against each other, it was great to watch and the pilots began to get competi-
tive with one another, racing-wise, even though they were each flying their own
individual flights before the judges.
Another 4-hours of sport flying passed before the FINAL round was flown. We
were shocked to hear this announced as it was still early Saturday afternoon and
we assumed the meet would continue into Sunday. But Nooooooo, the winners were
announced and the remainder of the day as well as Sunday 'til noon would be no-
thing more than more sport flying. BTW, the winners were:
1. Bob Heitkamp's S6B
2. Bunt's S6B
3. Bob Martin's Curtis R3C
So, we stayed the night, got up Sunday AM, had breakfast and drove back to Phoe-
nix, a bit disappointed that more Schneider flying hadn't been done but under-
standing that this was the first year, the [flying] turnout was small and [ap-
parently] they'd allowed an extra "weather-day" just in case. All-in-all, it
was a great trip; the weather was beautiful (88F days - 50F nights), the scenery
gorgeous and the camaraderie just great. I'm glad I went and will probably try
to attend again next year to see how the idea grows.
!!!FLASH!!!
This just learned while at Havasu: ground is already broken for construction of
the new buildings which will house *K&B*. Yup', K&B is moving its entire opera-
tion To Lake Havasu City and the word there is that they're out to make the city
the largest model manufacturing center in the world! Certainly wouldn't hurt
this cowboy's feelings.
|
| | 00 Adios, Al
|_|_| ( >o
| Z__(O_\_ (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.1823 | RC-56 not so good for rivets | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Thu Jan 04 1990 13:40 | 56 |
| Terry,
Yup! The oldtimer (which may become an antique by the time I finish
it) is a Playboy but I wasn't aware it was a Goldberg design...in fact,
I don't think it was but I can't provide the name of the actual
designer/kitter. It will be powered by a replica Super-Cyclone .61 on
ignition burning gasoline. Due to the closely fitted [un-ringed]
piston/sleeve assy, break-in must be done carefully over a rather long
period or the engine can be ruined...this is true of most lapped-piston
engines including those on today's market.
I've never heard anyone mention the porpoising problem you allude to
but can neither confirm/deny it, having yet to fly one myself.
Hopefully, I'll be able to make an experience based comment before much
longer...I may have to hire out the covering/finishing to do it though
:B^).
MiG Progress:
-------------
Not much of earthshaking proportion to report on the MiG-3 repairs from last
night but progress _was_ made. Most of the evening was spent wet-sanding and/or
steel-wooling the touched-up areas, cleaning up minor overspray, weathering,
etc. following by one last airbrush pass to crispen up the camo-color separa-
tions. The ol' bird looks great, if I do say so myself, and I'm well pleased
with the repairs...I'd defy anyone to tell it'd ever been hurt.
If there's one small area I could be happier with, it's the rivets. I'd read
somewhere that R/C-56 glue was great to use for glue-drop rivets so I tried it
and am not particularly impressed. From the standpoint of application with both
hypo-syringe and toothpick, I'd have to say it handled better/easier but that's
where any advantage ceased. R/C-56 rivets take longer to dry and, when they do,
the glues main claim to fame (its flexibility) becomes a problem; the rivets re-
main rubbery, defying any attempt to sand them down to uniform height and, after
painting, the same characteristic makes it difficult to sand through a bit to
expose the sliver paint underneath and, thereby, highlight the rivets.
The only way anyone might suspect the MiG'd undergone repairs is the fact that
the new rivets are more predominant than are the old ones. From now on, I'll
stick with Elmer's or Pica Glu-it white-glues for this purpose.
However, I should mention that R/C-56 is mainly intended for attaching canopies
and, for this purpose, I believe it's the best thing since pop-top beer-cans. I
re-glued the windscreen of the MiG using R/C-56 and am well impressed with the
firm yet flexible joint which resulted. After re-doing the windscreen fairing
with Epoxy-lite, I'll be very surprised (and disappointed) if the windscreen
_ever_ comes loose again.
Having changed my mind, tonight I'll apply the K&B flat-clear coat to the fuse
to seal and protect the newly finished areas, then, time permitting, get started
on the wing.
|
| | 00 Adios, Al
|_|_| ( >o
| Z__(O_\_ (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.1831 | if you don't got the time... | ROCK::KLADD | | Fri Jan 05 1990 12:38 | 16 |
| al,
i used rc56 for all rivets on my p47. like you i found that
i couldn't sand them at first. in fact, they often ripped off
all in one piece! but after a few weeks, they were on like
rocks.
i first observed the slow curing of rc56 when i tried to remove
the canopy a year ago after flying the 47 in primer. it was
incredibly hard and strong after setting all summer.
i found titebond shriveled like raisins when it dried, making
sanding a necessity.
good luck!
kevin
|
| 239.1832 | LIKE BUILDING A SHIP IN A BOTTLE... | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Fri Jan 05 1990 14:28 | 47 |
| Re: .-1, Kevin,
Thanx for the poop on RC-56 rivets. Unfortunately, I haven't had an
excess of time to wait on rivets to cure but it's helpful to learn I
can go back over them with wet-or-dry (wet) later to highlight them
here and there.
I should mention that I used a variation of Eric's suggestion (which he
may've made off-line) to repair a crack in the fuse-side; about an inch
long, it ran vertically into the canopy frame and, since access to the
area from inside the cockpit is all but impossible, special methods
were called for.
Eric suggestied snaking a piece of CYA tubing into position attaced to
the end of a piece of soft/bendable wire, then "piping" some ZAP to the
crack from the inside. But, my buddy, Bob Frey, made the additional
point that the crack in the plastic canopy must be stopped from
spreading so here's what I did: I have some extremely tiny .011 drill
bits (remnants from our old boardshop days here at PNO) so I mounted
one in my Dremel tool and drilled a tiny hole through the canopy right
at the edge of the frame. I found this hole was just large enough to
snugly admit the needle of a small hypo-syringe so I sacrificed one...
put some ZAP into it, positioned the needle through the canopy and
directly over the crack, then carefully flooded the crack with thin
ZAP. The Zap wicked right into the crack and, as I withdrew the
needle, I pressed the hypo-plunger, gently feeding a little CYA to seal
the hole as the needle came out...worked like a charm. Still not
totally comfortable, however, I went ahead and "injected" the crack
with ZAP in a couple places 'til I was content that the crack had been
completely inundated with CYA. (This latter action came from a
suggestion by Tom T.)
I then used a small brush I have that's been bent 90-degrees at the tip
to touch up the zinc-chromate green along the crack on the cockpit
side. A little primer, wet-sand and paint and the repair is invisible...
Even the hole I drilled to stop the crack is virtually impossible to
see as it's sealed with ZAP.
My thanx to Eric and Tom T. whose ideas (along with Bob Frey's
assessment) created the basis from which the fix was developed.
Amazin' what a little brainstorming can produce, ain't it?!
|
| | 00 Adios, Al
|_|_| ( >o
| Z__(O_\_ (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.1833 | P47 had flush rivets | SA1794::TENEROWICZT | | Mon Jan 08 1990 06:24 | 9 |
| Kevin
It's my understanding that the P47 featured Flush rivets. I always
thought glue dots would be used to exhibit pop rivets. Am I missing
something? I understand you have to overstate items but,... Let
me know what the scoop is! I about to get started on a 75" Jug myself.
Tom
|
| 239.1852 | LET'S TALK ENGINE...... | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Fri Jan 26 1990 10:57 | 77 |
| Just wanted to say a few things about the MiG-3's engine. As those of
you who've followed this saga from the day (Thanksgiving weekend, 1988)
the MiG crashed know, a crankshaft failure was responsible for the crash.
The O.S. .60FSR (not the .61) was O.S.'s first schneurle-ported
engine. Externally, it looks almost identical to the later .61FSR
except for having a very small carb and a 1/4" (instead of 3/8") prop
shaft. This was a great running mill but it had an "Achilles' heel:"
when the pattern boys hung tuned pipes on this engine, it began
breaking cranks...right in the middle of the shaft beneath the machined
intake cutout. O.S. responded by beefing the crank (and main bearings)
at least twice but, in the end, redesigned the engine with a BEEFY
crankshaft with 3/8" prop shaft, heavier crank-pin, piston rod and
wrist-pin. Also adding the [then] new "7D" carb, the engine re-emerged
as the now classic .61FSR.
Now, it's a fact that the original .60 would out-turn the .61 UNPIPED
and that fact held the little .60 in favor with sport and scale
modelers...don't pipe it and it'll be fine. But, though I don't run a
tuned pipe (heck! I don't even like the things), I _DID_ equip the
MiG-3 with fully functional, scale exhaust stacks. Bob Frey, who had a
similar set of stacks on a S.T. Bluehead .60 felt this system performed
much like a pipe, providing low back pressure and, perhaps, even
scavenging the exhaust gasses. I had to agree since neither his
Bluehead nor my .60FSR _EVER_ ran as strong on sport planes as when
connected to the scale stacks. My .60FSR tached 13.9K on the ground
so, after unloading in the air, we knew it was turning well over 14K,
perhaps crowding 15K...it was almost scary the way that thing ran!
But, in the back of my mind I always wondered how long the engine could
continue to run like that. Finally, that rainy Thanksgiving weekend
14-months ago, I found out the hard way when the entire front half of
the crank, front main bearing, prop, spinner, weighted prop washer and
all associated hardware (3/4-lb. worth) ejected from the plane in an
awkward posision on a restricted field, precluding the crash which
resulted from (unbeknown to me at the moment) a tail heavy scale model
being "S" turned in an attempt to spill some altitude and speed.
That brings us up to the beginning of the repair saga which commenced
about 2-3 weeks before Christmas. So, what engine did I put back in
the restored MiG. Well, I had no choice; the engine was so tightly
shoe-horned into the airplane that NO OTHER engine'd fit, PERIOD! Even
the similar .61FSR wouldn't fit due to the huge 7D carb and the carbs
couldn't be swapped due to vastly different throat sizes...I HAD to put
a .60FSR back in..., or nothing at all. Parts haven't been available
for the .60 for years so what could I do? Well, a friend had given me
a .60FSR in unknown running condition a few years ago so I took the
entire front housing, containing (beefier) crank and main bearings, and
bolted it onto my original engine. Then, since I wanted to retain a
know commodity, I swapped my original (and pre-set) carb onto the new
front end. This, I reasoned, should give me back my original engine
with the improvement of a stronger crankshaft...not a bad bargain if it
worked out.
And _did_ it work out? I think you already know the answer to that.
The engine runs just like it always did, putting out almost scary
levels of power and hauling a very large (72"-span/960-sq.") airframe
through the air with great authority. People continually ask, "What
the heck engine you got in there?" and are aghast when I tell them it's
a lowly little .60FSR. Kent Walters had a radar gun at the field
making speed measurements to confirm his theories on dynamically-similar
scale speed and he clocked the MiG-3 at 105mph...pretty respectable for
the little FSR with small shaft and carb.
Will it stay together...? I can only hope the beefier shaft will be up
to the task...frankly, I feel pretty comfortable about it. And, what
if the engine blows again...what'll I do for parts? Well, I still have
_part_ of an engine to use for parts AND, my C.A.F. buddy, Gerald
Martin, happened to have a brand new .60FSR which he generously donated
to the MiG-3 cause. I _should_ be able to keep the MiG in engines for
a very long time!
|
| | 00 Adios, Al
|_|_| ( >o
| Z__(O_\_ (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.1853 | just call me captain i guess | ROCK::KLADD | | Mon Jan 29 1990 18:11 | 22 |
| re .1849
i don't know quite where to begin so i'll just start rambling. first,
thanks al for sponsering me (us) as members of the one eighth. i am
extremely proud to become part of what i consider an excellent group
of people. i will take my permanent assignment seriously.
it was only the summer of 1986 when i began learning to fly rc. in the
last 4 years i've come a long way. many local people have helped.
this notes file has helped. but as for scale, al and other members of
the 1/8th have been terrific help. yes, theres lots of local (scale)
experience but who in mass coulda told me a st2500 was not enough for
a baker jug, or what rpm's a bully could turn an 18x6-10 prop, or... my
two visits to arizona have been a lot of fun, and fruitful.
i can't wait to go back and meet all the guys again. i never have to
twist sue's arm to go, we like az better than fl now. and yes, i'm
fully prepared to throw my body in front of an errant scale ship to
save wear and tear on the safety nets (it'll probably be eldon's
wildcat). B^)
kevin
|
| 239.1856 | Twins or an illusion? | AKOV11::CAVANAGH | R/C planes..The bigger the better! | Thu Feb 01 1990 10:35 | 9 |
|
Here's a question for anyone who has a DC Aviation calendar...I just turned
to the page to February and the description says the plane is an Aeronca.
To me it looks like a J3 Cub! The color, lightning bolt down the side..
everything looks like a Cub. The question is....Is the Aeronca that similar
to a Cub, or did they screw up on the description?
Jim
|
| 239.1859 | NO RELATION..... | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Thu Feb 01 1990 11:39 | 14 |
| Jim,
The caption under February's pic _should_ have said Aeronca "K". This
was a _very_ early model Aeronca and is little more than a closed-cabin
version of its bathtub-shaped forebear, the Aeronca C-3. Similarity to
the J3 Cub is purely coincidental and, if you'll study the pic with a
J3 pic in hand, you'll see that's there's less similarity than you at
first thought.
|
| | 00 Adios, Al
|_|_| ( >o
| Z__(O_\_ (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.1860 | Subtle differences to my eye | AKOV11::CAVANAGH | R/C planes..The bigger the better! | Thu Feb 01 1990 13:37 | 10 |
|
OK, I found a picture of a J3 in one of my mags. and I can see the
differences between the J3 and the Aeronca K. But there to my eye
the differences are not Earth shattering. The door, position of the
landing gear, and length of the nose are the big differences. I suppose
the quality of the picture (in the mag) could have a lot to do with it
though.
Thanks for the clarification though.
Jim
|
| 239.1889 | strip search | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Mon Feb 19 1990 12:45 | 32 |
| Jim,
I've done the same thing with the ol' Yeller Peril on occasion,
i.e. leave it all together for extended periods of time/numbers of
flying sessions. I feel comfortable doing this as, after sountless
hundreds of flights, I know what will or will not require checking and
or maintenance. Yet, I confess this is, primarily, a practice born of
laziness as the Peril isn't much fun to assemble and is even less so to
disassemble. The truth of it is that something _could_ go awry and
unnoticed causing a problem or [potentially] loss of the aircraft.
Therefore, I don't advocate this practice and would recommend all to
disassemble and throughly check out the aircraft and its systems
prior to each and every flying session. If one wants to save time at
the field and, thus, preassemble their plane at home, I think that's
fine but the ship _should_ have been disassembled and inspected prior
to this. I think we'd all be [much] more conscientious about this if
our own butts were going to be riding in our planes.
On external charging jacks, I recommend these even if you _do_
disassemble after each session. Why? Because they offer a quick/easy
means of checking airborne battery condition/level at the field without
disassembling the plane. Many pilots will avoid disassembling to make
a battery check when they _know_ they might be low on batteries. The
external jack fascillitates the making of this vital check at times
when laziness (or other factors) might otherwise have precluded it.
|
| | 00 Adios, Al
|_|_| ( >o
| Z__(O_\_ (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.1907 | an event of deliberate incompetence | GIDDAY::CHADD | | Fri Mar 09 1990 00:06 | 41 |
| Re: Note 239.1906 by ELMAGO::TTOMBAUGH "High Plains Drifter" >>>
> No,No John! It wasn't that bad! You were depicted hovering over
> a rather strange looking old-timer called a Fineran Flyer, which
> sounds Irish to me but guess it's not as the article explains
> its Aussie origins. But it still looks like it was designed
> by leprechauns.
Ah! An interesting story about that if it is the photo I think. Jack Fineran is
a WWAAYY back modeller in those days when a portable radio required a truck. He
designed the Fineran Flyer originally as a freeflight model and won a lot of
early contests. It is you might say a historic model as far as Australian Model
Aviation.
Anyway we have an interclub contest each year where 5 club members make up a
team, one in each of Aerobatics, Thermal Glider, Old Timer Texaco, Scale and
Sport Pylon (Quickie 500 sort off). One additional rule applies and that is
"You cannot fly your normal event if you are a competition flyer's". As I am the
President of our State Association (like an AMA District) it was decided (not
by me I add) I should set an example and fly Old Timer. I thought I had my way
out when I said "but I don't have a model". Our treasurer apart from being tight
with the money also has another problem; a BIG mouth. I will lend you my
Fineran Flyer; he said.
So on the day of the contest you see me, your average pylon flyer who is
happiest when controlling a 180+ mph model, 15' off the ground with a hot 40 up
front turning 28,000+; now flying a loan model of the 1920's era, powered by an
OS 20FS turning 6,000 flying so slowly I could watch other competitors.
My assistant and timer the 12 year old son of the model owned kept telling me
where to go and stay in that thermal. Well I did manage to stay in a few and
scored a couple of max scores. I finished 5 which I considered creditable for
my first attempt at not only flying an Old Timer but also my first competition.
It was an interesting experience for me as things happen so slowly. One thing I
had to learn very quickly was the lack of penetration you have with these large
light models even in moderate winds. It was an enjoyable experience and a
present day was had by all, after all that is really what our sport is all
about.
John
|
| 239.1909 | I'VE DREADED EVER HAVING TO SAY THIS, BUT..... | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Wed Mar 14 1990 10:06 | 68 |
| Well, amigos, it is with a great deal of regret that I must make the
announcement that my days as a DEC employee and, therefore, a member of the
RC notes_file are numbered. Most of you have, no doubt, heard of the
company's efforts to reduce corporate-wide headcount and the buyout
incentives that accompany these efforts.
Manufacturing has been charged to reduce headcount by 3000 and, to my
plant (PNO), that translates to the elimination of 230 jobs. Since the
future structure of PNO includes no place for manufacturing, it is
inevitable that my services will not be required in the "new business."
We had a plant-wide meeting Monday wherein the options/alternatives were
explained and the safest, most logical course for me appears to volunteer
to go into transition then accept the buyout and leave Digital. I must
make my decision by Friday, March 23; then, on April 2nd, a 13 week period
of transition begins wherein one may explore the various alternatives, none
of which are viable for me and my personal situation. On or before June 29,
I'll be expected to declare whether I will accept the buyout and my
intention, at this juncture, is to do so...take the money and run, as it
were.
Frankly, I liken PNO and its future direction to a sinking ship with little
realistic chance of refloating itself and I fear that struggling to stay
aboard will serve only to delay the inevitable another year or two down the
line, at which point the only options will be to relocate or walk. Logic
strongly suggests to me that it would be foolhardy to stay with the ship
(even if there were an opportunity to do so, which there really isn't) and,
most likely, go down with it, when there's an opportunity to take a free
lifeboat now.
So, the crux of this is that, sometime between now and June 29, I'll be
bidding a sad farewell to you, all my friends in the notesfile. I just
hate the prospect of losing contact with all of you but there appears to be
no alternative. I decided to break the word now to give all of us a little
time to get used to the idea before the inevitable occurs.
I expect to miss terribly the daily contact and camaraderie with you that
this notesfile has provided. It has been one of the few bright spots
during the turbulent past 3 years or so and has helped enormously to
brighten each day that, otherwise, has been filled with uncertainty,
speculation and rumor as to the future, if any, of the PNO facility. I'd
never have left DEC by choice but have been an unwilling witness to the
gradual decline of our facility's fortunes and, in a peculiar sort of way,
I'm greatly relieved that _some_ end to the situation is finally in sight,
even though it's not the end I would've chosen.
Again, I'll miss daily contact with all of you and I hope that some of you
will keep in touch from time-to-time. I'll do my best to respond promptly
to any/all correspondence I receive from anyone. Or, feel free to give me
a call if there's anything I can be of assistance with...or just to kick
tires and tell a few lies. I can be reached at:
Al Casey
13148 N. 21st Ave.
Phoenix,
AZ 85029
(602) 863-1456
We've still got some time to communicate/commune about our mutual love, R/C
modeling, so let's try to enjoy the short time we have left. I'll keep
y'all posted as to developments/changes as they occur but, unless something
drastic happens, it looks like a sure bet that I'll be ridin' off into the
sunset sometime between now and June 29.
|
| | 00 Adios, Al
|_|_| ( >o
| Z__(O_\_ (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.1919 | Priceless | BTOVT::BREAULT_B | | Wed Mar 14 1990 18:57 | 20 |
| Al,
Your wit & wisdom are going to be greatly missed by all followers
of the R/C notes file. Your contributions and comments have always
been a point of great interest for myself, as well as others, I'm
sure. You have a writing style that I have found truly amazing. A
style that very few people (that I know) could ever hope to achieve.
I am a subscriber to RCM and am looking forward to seeing your article
in a (soon to be released) issue. I hope we get to see others. Maybe
you could become a regular contributor. Who knows? Your expertise in
the area of scale has/is invaluable to many that have access to this
file. The ability to provide others with helpful inside information
on what it takes to really be competetive in the scale circuit is
absolutely priceless.
I wish you the very best in whatever you choose to do after DEC.
Bernie
BTO
Burlington, Vermont
|
| 239.1921 | I want the book! | ABACUS::RYDER | perpetually the bewildered beginner | Thu Mar 15 1990 07:10 | 15 |
|
The path to PNO is down, so I'll continue my VAXMAIL here and perhaps
test the reception of our friends thereby.
To be more direct than yesterday's VAXMAIL, in addition to whatever
else you do, you might consider writing a book on scale -- selection,
documenting, building, competing, and repairing. Our interest is a
test of the market, albeit limited, and your name is recognized. You
have extraordinary credibility. You might have a set of photos for
illustrations. And, as several of us have said, you can write very,
very well.
When can I send a reservation for my copy?
Alton
|
| 239.1923 | LIFE AFTER DEC.... | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Thu Mar 15 1990 09:40 | 53 |
| Re: last several,
I can't begin to tell you guys what this outpouring over my [likely]
imminent departure means to me...it's downright humbling. I appreciate
all the warm comments and well wishes more than you guys'll ever know.
I'm convinced there really is life after DEC and, though I have no
immediate plans or direction, I'm sure things'll work out fine and this
unwanted situation may even be turn out to be a well disguised blessing.
As Ken says, this really isn't a funeral, but we might treat it like an
Irish wake, gag down some ignorant-oil a get blasted, eh? :B^) Ken's
invitation to come east echos similar messages I received from some of
you off-line and I should probably respond en masse. Amigos, I a 100%,
through-and-through desert rat and this is the only part of the country
I'm happy in. In my many travels, I've been to many pretty places,
some of which even appeared to have some advantages over Arizona but,
inevitably, I realize that these are nice places to visit but my heart
is forever and permanently welded to the southwest, Arizona in
particular.
On the more practical side is the irrefutable fact that my wife's
job now contributes more than half of our combined family income and is,
for all practical purposes, non-transferrable. I'm sure you can all
see the folly in going to a lot of hassle (and expense), relocating to
save my job at the sacrifice of over half of our subsistance. Nope,
relocation _anywhere-, even somewhere else in the west/southwest is a
non-option...totally out of the question.
Ken's comments about opening a hobby shop also merit some response.
All my life I've had a little dream of one day owning a shop.
Unfortunately, I've done considerable research and learned that the
initial expense required is enormous/prohibitive as are the odds
against success. I've watched on as two friends of mine have steadily
gone right down the ol' dumper over the past 5-years trying to keep a
hobby shop afloat. The financial loads have turned two [once]
reasonably normal guys into depressed, gloomy individual who are in
debt over their ears and have jeopardized their homes and their entire
futures trying to save what is rapidly deteriorating to a lost cause.
They may never live long enough to get out of debt.
As a last resort, they've resorted to stocking "feathers and plastic
grapes" in hopes that carrying crafts for blue-haired ol' ladies will
salvage their foundering ship. But to no avail and I could never stoop
to that preferring a totally modelling oriented shop or nothing at all.
So, don't hold'jer breath 'til Desert Rat Hobbies ads start appearing
in the mag's...it ain't likely.
|
| | 00 Adios, Al
|_|_| ( >o
| Z__(O_\_ (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.1924 | Another way to go | NAVIER::BRET | Crazy Hawaiian DTN 289-1604 | Thu Mar 15 1990 09:46 | 9 |
| The obvious way to float a hobby shop is evenings only with only the
stuff YOU want to carry, eg, RC goodies. Use it mainly to supply
yourself and your friends, advertise by word of mouth, work out of your
house, etc to keep costs low. That's the way it is done up here
in NH. Only problem is the guy I'm thinking of has enough business
that he now complains about a lack of flying time, but he's been
at it for 10 years or so.
Bruce Bretschneider
|
| 239.1925 | More Hobby shop thoughts... | 39463::REITH | Jim ONEDGE:: Reith DTN 291-0072 MS PDM1-1/J9 | Thu Mar 15 1990 10:12 | 13 |
| Tom's and Ray's in Mass are run the same way. They started out humble and have
evolved. One advantage you might have over your buddies is that I would guess
your "word of mouth" mail-order business would be a little better than theirs...
I've thought about it too and it does require a good up-front investment. I'm
not sure about the PNO deal but some of the ones I've known people to take have
been a single check...
Good luck in whatever it ends up being and continue to send "tall tales" and
gossip through your DECcie contacts at contests and such.
Now hear this. Anyone running into the Desert Rat at future contests, get out
a pencil and include the latest in your trip report!
|
| 239.1929 | Something to think about... | MJOSWS::BENSON | __Frank Benson, DTN 348-4944__ | Thu Mar 15 1990 16:50 | 24 |
| Al, just wanted to wish you good luck and also to tell you about two
hobby shops here in Central Pennsylvania...
Several years ago there was a shop called simply, Kenny Hahn's Hobby
Shop. It was in Ken's basement and was open _only_ Wednesday evenings
from 7pm to 9pm. There was usually a group waiting for the doors to
open and he was usually late in closing due to the crowds. He then
sold everything to another guy who built and addition onto his house
and called it the Hidden Hanger. He's open 11-5 most days and seems to
be doing OK. I bet he's doing about the same volume as Kenny, but
works much longer hours.
Bottom line is this... the "feeding frenzy" at a well-priced hobby shop
open a few hours a week can really generate a lot of business. At
worst, it will pay your way in the hobby with a minimal amount of time
invested.
Anyway...
Take care and Good Luck!
|
\ __|__ / Regards-
\________________________O________________________/ Frank.
|
| 239.1930 | zoning problems | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Thu Mar 15 1990 17:26 | 31 |
| Re: last few,
Yeah, starting out and even staying small seems to be the best road to
take with a shop. The advantages of working out'a the houe, thus
avoiding the overhead and myriad other burdens of renting a location
are many and obvious. However, I don't know how things are back there
but hereabouts they're pretty fussy about a little thing called zoning
laws. It's pretty hard to keep something like that underground, at
least for very long, what with cars parked all around and people
coming/going all the time, leaving with bags/boxes full of "stuff."
All it takes is for one nosy neighbor to place an anonymous phone call
and yer' in deep bull-chips! I'm already aware of this as I parked my
mini-motorhome in my front yard for exactly 3-days while I prepared a
place to park it and some screwball put the powers that be on me.
Nope, I'm afeared that, even if I had the place to run such an operation
out of my home, I wouldn't get away with it very long. (Basements are
real common back there, I surmise, but they're virtually non-existant
out here.) That's the catch-22; even if you want to start small, the
rent and overhead on even a minimal site for a shop becomes a killer and
prevents you from being semi-competitive with the mail-order houses. I
watched a small shop open about a mile from my house in what has to be
a minimum rent/overhead location and he went under in a little over a
year. The one thing I dare NOT risk at this time is the funds I'll
take away with me upon departure
|
| | 00 Adios, Al
|_|_| ( >o
| Z__(O_\_ (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.1954 | Be yourself and be KING! | K::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Tue Apr 03 1990 12:54 | 31 |
| > During recent correspondence with Gordon (re. the Name the Plane
> contest I won), he asked me to write some stuff for publication and I
> responded that I'd be glad to if he'd suggest some possible topics but
> felt that Jeff Troy was ultimately qualified to write the scale column
> and didn't know what I could add to that. If any of you'ns have any
> suggestions for a topic, maybe I can gin something up for submission
> and possible publication....
I second the idea that you don't need a major heading to concentrate on
like scale.
How about a "Rambling with the Desert Rat" column.
You could submit a chunk of this notes file - you would probably
need release forms from everyone that you didn't author but you would
have no problem getting them all collected and signed. For starters
you could start with your "TALL" stories - the best of which I have
already gathered up in one place and will mail to you.
After filling a few issues with some generic rambling and stores soon
you would attract a cloud of enthusiasm and your readers would be sending
you some good stories - here's where you really become famous - take
each story and re-write it in your own words in your own unique style
and you have the beginnings of an empire!
I'll mail you some stores in a minute.
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
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|
| 239.1996 | IT'S OFFICIAL........!!! | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Wed Apr 25 1990 17:55 | 27 |
| Aw, shucks, Kay,
But seriously, Thanx...ah' really do 'preciate it!
On another subject, I have the pleasure to announce that yer' not
gettin' rid of the ol' Rat all that easily. Just minutes ago, I was
formally offered and accepted a position here at PNO so it looks like
I'll be around awhile yet after all. Ironically, as far as can be
predicted at the moment, I'll be doing esentially the same thing I've
been doing for the last 5-years but there's a chance I'll be involved
with more integration/applicationss type projects and do some things
I've really hoped to get more involved with, i.e. CAD.
So, those who were looking forward to the event, sorry 'bout that...I'm
still around and evidently will be for some time to come. I want to
thank all of you who offered warm thoughts and wishes at a time when
things looked much grimmer in outlook. Yer' words were greatly
appreciated and reminded me (as if I _needed_ to be) how much I was
going to miss the notesfile and all the friends I've made through it.
I'm perhaps happiest/most relieved that that eventuality won't be
coming to pass after all.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2007 | the not-forgotten second generation MIG-3 | ABACUS::RYDER | perpetually the bewildered beginner | Fri Apr 27 1990 07:24 | 56 |
| Whatever happened to this, Al? He's at least 15 months late.
Should we, your fellow noters, write letters to Innovative, expressing
a great desire to buy a MIG, and asking about a rumor they were going
to kit it? We could create a "groundswell of public demand."
extracted from a note by PNO::CASEYA 30-SEP-1988
"At the Masters, I was approached (thru Greg Namey's goading) by
Claude Baskin who operates Innovative Model Prod.'s (or something
like that) which kits Greg's FW-190. Claude was interested in,
perhaps, kitting a true 1/5 scale Mig-3 and wondered if I had any
suitable material upon which to base a set of accurate plans. Claude
also offerd that, since I've been sorta' identified with the MiG-3
for nearly 5-years now, that he'd be happy to wait to release a
kit 'til I'd had time to build and compete with one. (Of course,
this also means I get to be the Guinea-pig and sort out any/all
problems with the design.)
"The idea is admittedly quite attractive to me so I'm sending the
material to Claude this weekend and we'll see what develops. Claude
called the other night to restate his interest in the project and,
during the conversation, he reckoned it'd take him about 4-months
to bang out a set of good plans which feels just about right in
terms of timing. So, if this works out, my problem may well be
solved regarding what to do next. I really like everything about
the MiG and would love to do a slightly larger (1.08-size) version
to more accurate scale than my present ship. Time will tell.
"(Wonder if, when/if he kits it, Claude will call it "Al Casey's
Mig-3" as he presently refers to "Greg Namey's FW-190" in his ads?"
extracted from a note by PNO::CASEYA 9-JUN-1989
"I had a rather fortuitous phone call last night. For more than a week I've been
trying to contact either Clyde Baskin or Greg Namey of Innovative Model Pro-
ducts but have constantly gotten either Clyde's answering machine or no answer
at Greg's number. I just wanted to inquire at to the status of the 81" MiG-3
drawings that Clyde started for me last November.
"Greg called last night after I left a message with the answering service and I
learned that Clyde has been down with some sorta' abdominal surgery and will re-
main out of commission for another 6-weeks. Anyway, Greg said he'd seen the
drawings and that "You're gonna' have one fine looking ship there, pard."
"Then the conversation drifted to the 80" Hurricane that Innovative kits (I
wasn't even aware of it) and, before I knew it, Greg'd offered me a Hurricane at
a ridiculous price (which I had to promise not to reveal) if I'd write him a
letter saying I'd fly it in competition and mention Innovative anytime a maga-
zine inquired about it. I'm sure this is to use for tax-purposes - advertising/
promotional expenses.
"This was the first time I'd received such an offer from a manufacturer based on
whatever notoriety I've achieved in scale and I was really flattered by it. At
any rate, when the next run of Hurricane kits is made (late July or so), one of
them will be on its way to the ol' Rat and I can finally get busy ...."
|
| 239.2021 | Top Gun=World Class? | 8713::TAVARES | Stay Low, Keep Moving | Thu May 03 1990 11:42 | 15 |
| From the way you describe it Al, it sounds as though they were
using FAI Precision Scale standards to judge the models. Most
Master's Scale models, indeed most models in this country, cannot
compete in that environment. I base this opinion on the fact
that our best gets skunked every year at the World's. But it
does sound like they were looking for that kind of detailing.
I'm not one to talk, since I knowingly field some of the
sloppiest models going, but I think that the Top Gun standards,
if that is what they're doing, are another healthy step in
getting the USA to join the rest of the world. AMA scale and
Master's scale is not going to do it, they are at least a full
cut below the best in the world.
|
| 239.2023 | GENEALOGY OF CONTRARY MARY... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Thu May 03 1990 15:01 | 34 |
| Re: .2018 & .2020, Dan's E. & S.,
This was either Charlie Chambers' second or third Contrary Mary. His
original, which I first saw at the '86 Masters, was totalled later that
same year at some meet back in Ohio or somewhere in that area. His
second was at the '87 Las Vegas Masters and went home pretty much in
tact. I've forgotten why but Charlie didn't make the Ft. Knox Masters
in '88 but he was back in '89 at the first Top gun in Florida where he
extensively damaged the bird following a stall/snap incident after
taking off [again] with a sick engine. He then appeared at the '89
Masters in St. Louis with a brand new Fiorenze/Yellow FA-18 Hornet which,
as Dan E. remembers correctly, never flew due, mostly, to engine problems.
I think Charlie became rather disgusted with the behavior of Jack Tse
(owner of Yellow Acft.) as he gave/traded/sold/whatever the unflown
model back to Yellow immediately following the St. Louis Masters. So,
now we're to the third Contrary Mary; I thought it was his second one
restored but he claimed it was a new airplane. Nevertheless, it did
not arrive in Phoenix a virgin...three weeks before Top Gun, he
shredded it through a barbed wire (pronounced Bob-whar out here) fence
when he took off [again] with a sick engine - a bad plug was blamed for
this one. Three solid weeks of concentrated effort went into the
repair but it was immaculate as it appeared in Phoenix. At any rate,
it's bent _again_ though it should fly again. BTW, lest the wrong
impression be received here, I _REALLY_ like Charlie Chambers!! He's
one of the nicest, finest gentlemen I've met in this sport but he _does_
tend to create a lot of his own bad luck.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2025 | stand-off scale is not precision scale | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Thu May 03 1990 15:37 | 30 |
| Re: .2021, John,
I'm afraid I can't agree with you, pard. We ALREADY HAVE a museum
level scale category: it's called precision [or sometimes AMA] scale.
This category calls for absolute precision in outline and detailing as
does FAI scale but it's almost extinct for lack of participation.
The scale that dominates today is an evolution of "Sport Scale" though
the term is seen/heard less and less these days. Sport scale, as
originally conceived, NEVER intended to compete with precision or FAI
level scale. And THAT's why judging is still done from a distance up
to 15' as opposed to judges crawling all over the madels with
micrometers, divider, etc. verifying the most minute detail and/or
dimension. This facet of the event literally explains why Sport Scale
was simultaneously known by the cognomen, "Standoff Scale."
Now, whether they like to admit it or not, what we have today, even at
Top Gun and Masters levels _remains_ Sport [or Standoff] Scale and it's
B O O M I N G where precision is all but dead and forgotten. I say
that, if someone's concerned about US positioning in FAI (which I, for
one, couldn't care less about), then they need to
ressurect/restore/pump some life into Precision/AMA scale, N O T try to
prostitute the most successful facet of scale going (worldwide) to try
to adapt it to something it NEVER intended to be.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2041 | a visit to Casey's | MJBOOT::BENSON | __Frank Benson, DTN 348-4944__ | Mon May 21 1990 17:24 | 143 |
| A word of apology for not getting a trip report in sooner; my wife just
had back surgery last week and things have been hectic! But now, on
with the show...
WELL! What can I say about my first trip to Phoenix? The classes I
attended were pretty standard stuff. Now that we've gotten past the
business justification, let me say that Phoenix was a blast. First, I
rented a convertible (Yes, it did cost .16 more per day that the sedan I
had originally set up, but what the heck, right?) and Phoenix _is_ the
place to have a convertible. 95-101 degrees every day, but so dry that
nary a bead of sweat drenched my brow. I could definitely see retiring
here, as Al has :^)
Speaking of Al, I'll make him blush, but what an honestly _nice_ person.
I went looking for Al the first day I was there, and found him working
in his new position in engineering our new "Imaging" product. I wasn't
going to go into the details of this assignment partly out of common
respect and partly due to Al's polite admonition (and I quote,"If you
breathe a word of this on the notes file, I'll hunt you down and kill
you!") So I was pleased when Al detailed his "Day of a Thousand Overhead
Stands". (Well, at least 25 of them.)
We talked and made plans for the rest of the week while the stands kept
materializing (he really got quite adept near the end) and decided that
we would meet for a great steak dinner at Monti's after a run out to one
of the nearer flying fields. We were joined by Joe Marrone who is a
silent but steady noter just learning to fly. Joe was at the same
course as I was and hails from the NE. The field are OK if you like about
25 miles of nothing around you with a 30' by 200' paved runway in the
middle, with BBQ areas, Porta-Potti's and other such amenities on site.
If you prefer 10'x50' tree lined fields, then forget about Phoenix.
The tour through Al's workshop was great! The MIG-3 is quite impressive
in person. No 72 pointer, that one! I'd have gone at least into the
80's :^) :^) The detailing is superb; Al you have every reason to be
proud of the MIG and more than a bit miffed at your Top Gun score.
I have a few hours in a Cessna 150 and 172 and find it helps me put
myself "in the cockpit" when I fly RC. However, I only fly sailplanes
RC and had never been in a full scale glider. A friend had metioned
that there were two good gliderports in Phoenix, and I knew I had to
partake. UNBELIEVABLE!!! It was everything I had hoped for.
I had two flights during the week. The first was in a GROB 103B Acro, a
high performance acrobatic sailplane. The tow, by a grumblingly
powerful Piper Ag (Pawnee?), was a real roller coaster. The Grob wanted
to be free. When we finally released at 3400' (MSL, the runway being
1600' above MSL) we flew for about 30 seconds and felt a thermal. We
pulled into about a 65-70 degree bank turning about a 100' circle and
proceeded to elevator in a thermal at about 1000 fpm straight up. It's
one thing to see an RC wing get bumped by the thermal it's another to
feel it kick you in the shorts! I had a lot of trouble with the Grob as
it's quite responsive, really blowing the final, but the instructor
behind me took over and saved my *ss.
The second flight was quite different. It was with a Sweitzer 2-33, the
standard boxy "school glider". I was able to keep ahead of this one and
was pilot-in-command from just before release through full flying and
even "greased" the landing! We rolled to within 10' of where we
started! (I don't seem proud, do I?) I did have some difficulty in the
tow phase and we were afraid I would break the tow line, so the
instructor took over until we were ready for release.
All I can say is that I really plan on getting a license for real (I'm
10% of my way to solo) and feel I'm hooked! This was a perfect end to a
really nice week. Thanks Al for your hospitality; I'm really pleased we
got a chance to meet and spend some time together. I'm looking forward
to it again!
|
\ __|__ / Regards-
\________________________O________________________/ Frank.
PS- As Joe has been so quiet, I'm going to take the liberty of
attaching a note he sent me several days ago. -FB
========================================================================
Hi gang:
On Friday 5/11 after the DECtech course had ended, I had a few hours
to kill before going to the airport to catch the red eye back to
Boston. I decided to go back out to Turf Airport to take another
soaring lesson. I arrived there at about 4 PM and signed up to fly
with Bruce, the same instructor who had taken me up that morning.
While waiting for him to get back on the ground, I noticed that there
were two Grob's doing aerobatics high above the field, and it seemed
that there were sufficient themals to keep them up for several hours.
The conditions were just about ideal.
When Bruce landed with his current student, I got back in the same
glider we used in the morning, and we went back up. We released at
about 1000 feet above the field, found a STRONG thermal, and proceded
to climb at a rate of 300 to 800 feet per minute until we reached
8300 feet altitude. At that point, Bruce pointed out that we were
beginning to encroach on commercial airspace, and would have to leave
the thermal to do some level flying. I can't begin to describe the
thrill of soaring to that altitude. It was effortless, silent,
absolutely wonderful! I took over the controls during part of the
ascent, and he let me do most of the flying for the better part of
the flight. We flew over the resevoir and then made a leisurely
flight back to the field where I did a wide circle around the field,
slowly descending to about 3500 feet. If time permitted, we could
have stayed aloft for several hours...the conditions were that good.
But given the time and the fact that it was now 5:30 PM (Bruce
started at 7:30 that morning and was getting tired) he wanted to cut
it short. With his guidance, I brought the glider down into the
final approach, and when we were about 10 feet over the runway, he
took over the controls and made the landing.
This was a thrilling flight for me. We were up for a total of 30
minutes, but the conditions were such that we could have stayed up
much longer. I think this was the flight that really hooked me on
soaring. With two flights under my belt, I can't wait to go up
again. I didn't want to leave Pheonix! Can't I find a job there so
I can keep going out to Turf? Al, are there any job openings I can
interview for?
TJ showed me a booklet containing all the locations of soaring
schools in the US. We found three in New Hampshire, one of which is
in Nashua, which is only 12 miles from my home. I think that I'll be
checking them out soon and getting in some more air time.
I owe Frank and Gary a hearty "thank you" for getting me started in
this, as it was their sharing of this wonderful experience that made
me want to try it in the first place. I really enjoyed the time we
spent together. You guys are great!
I also want to thank you Al for the hospitality and comraderie of the
evening we spent talking "shop" and sharing RC war stories. And the
steaks were GREAT too!
Well, I'm back to the every-day grind again here in NH, but the
experiences of the past week in Pheonix will linger on as fond
memories of three great new friends and a new found love of soaring.
Good luck to you all in your future endeavors. Keep soaring and stay
in touch to let me know how things are going.
Signing off for now...there's a thermal I have to catch!
Regards,
Joe
|
| 239.2048 | Kay's P-16 gets 3 pages in Scale R/C | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Thu May 31 1990 17:43 | 40 |
| Attention all R/C noters: One of our own has made it really big (as Ed
Sullivan used to say). Our very own Kay Fisher has a 3-page spread
devoted to him and his Berliner-Joyce P-16 in the current issue of Scale
R/C Modeler!
It's true...I received my subscription copy of SR/CM in yesterday's
mail and noticed the words Berliner-Joyce P-16 on the cover among the
other advertized features. "Hmmmmmm..., I wonder," I mused as I turned
to the article within and, Bingo, there in all its glory was a 3-page
spread on the B-J complete with pix of Kay's model (one in color) and
MANY references to Kay and his ship in the text.
I'm tickled to death for Kay and maybe a bit envious...after all, _I_
never got more'n a picture printed and _this_ upstart gets a full
article with his very first scale model. ;b^) ;b^)
Maybe this'll be motivation for Kay to get busy restoring his B-J,
maybe both of them, back to service. C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S
AMIGO!
BTW, to those who're interested, this same issue also contains part-1
of SR/CM's coverage of the 1990 1/8 AF Spring Scale Fly-In held this
past March. That doggone Norm Goyer...just when you get to feelin' OK
about bad-mouthin' him, he goes and does something nice, i.e. he's VERY
positive and complimentary of the meet and the 1/8 AF itself. Also in
this issue, Norm has one of the few editorials that I fully concur with
regarding the AMA and its policy/rules making process. And, there's a
warning in the letters to the editor section about using Dyna-Thrust
props, especially the very large ones. Seems lately they've developed
a propensity for throwing blades, thereby destroying aircra<ft and,
bare minimum, presenting a great safety concern.
Those interested in any of the above items will want to pick up a copy
of this month's SR/CM...should be on the stands right now.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2059 | extending radio antenna during flight | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Mon Jun 04 1990 18:44 | 28 |
| Re: .-2, Dan,
Sheeeeesh! That's the damndest run of buzzard luck I've heard about in
quite awhile!! In the first instance, sounds like ya thunk' yer'self
right into a mid-air but that happens sometimes...lucky you came out of
it with a repairable bird.
In the second scenario, I know ya'll never let it happen again but, if
ya' do, don't take yer' eyes off'n the bird. Keep it close in and high
(remember yer' signal resembles an inverted cone) and holler for
someone to come pull the antenna out fer' ya'. Instruct him to do it
quickly or in short stages as yer' signal drops to near nothing when
the antenna is touched (grounded). Tryin' to do it by yer'self almost
always results in a sad ending to the story, as in yer' case. Of
course, yer' dead if it happens while yer' all alone but, again, get it
close in and high before ya' start fritterin' with the antenna and you
stand the best chance to be successful. Whatever you do, don't try to
land since yer' almost guaranteed to lose it when yer' far out and low
during the landing approach.
Good luck on gettin' back into the air (and staying there!). Say "Hi"
to Mary for us......
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2060 | 1920 Reg's | WMOIS::DA_WEIER | | Mon Jun 04 1990 21:53 | 81 |
|
Regulations for operation of Aircraft - Jan, 1920
(With editorial comments)
While this was an actual full scale list of reg's, many hold
true for our 1990 RC machines. Enjoy and maybe learn some tips.
1. Don't take the machine into the air unless you are satisfied
it will fly. (Batteries charged, servo's solidly mounted etc.)
2. Never leave the ground with the motor leaking (ie; K+B 20's)
3. Don't turn sharply when taxiing. Instead of turning sharp,
have someone lift the tail around.
4. In taking off, look at the ground and the air.
5. Never get out of the machine with the motor running until the
pilot relieving you can reach the engine controls.
6. Pilot's should carry hankies in a handy position to wipe off
goggles. (Insect repellent and Sunscreen are also useful)
7. Riding on the steps, wings, or tail of a machine is prohibited.
(Only applies to giant scale)
8. In case the engine fails on takeoff, land straight ahead
regardless of obstacles. (exceptions: ponds, and tall tree's)
9. No machine must taxi faster than a man can walk.
10. Never run the motor so the blast will blow on other machines.
(Example: Pointing Panic's towards Electrostreak's or any other
plane for thet matter!)
11. Learn to guage altitude, especially on landing. (I can see how
this has it's advantages!)
12. If you see another machine, get out of the way (Dan Minor?)
13. No two cadets should ride in the same plane together (Usually
not a problem)
14. Do not trust altitude instruments. (Especially if they are
cardboard, or cut out of a magazine)
15. Before you begin a landing glide, see that no machines are under
you.
16. Hedge hopping will not be tolorated. (Except at the Westboro
field)
17. No spins on back or tail slides will be indulged in as they
unnecessarily strain the machines. (Exception: Panic's)
18. If flying againt the wind, and you wish to fly with the wind,
don't make a sharp turn near the ground, you may crash. (I have
confirmed this though personal testing with my Electrostreak)
19. Motor's have been known to stop during a long glide. If pilot
wishes to use motor for landing, he should open throttle.
(Especially with a bad glo plug in sub-zero weather.)
20. Don't attempt to force machine onto the ground with more than
flying speed. The result is bouncing and ricocheting.
21. Pilot's will not wear spurs when flying. (Al Casey?)
22. Do not use aeronautical gasoline in cars or motorcycles (Or Glo
fuel!)
23. You must never take off or land closer than 50' from the hanger.
24. Never take a machine into the air until you are familiar with it's
control's and instrument's. (When learning, get an instructor)
25. If an emergency occurs while flying, land as soon as possible.
|
| 239.2061 | A FEW MORE...... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Tue Jun 05 1990 11:22 | 23 |
| Dan,
Great stuff...gracias, amigo. But, you forgot some very important ones:
* If you want the machine to go up, apply some up elevator. If you
want the machine to go down, apply _more_ up elevator! Think about it,
friends.... :B^)
* Never use the relief-tube over populated areas.
* Never attempt to land in a silo.
* Do not make airplane noises with your mouth while flying as the
windscreen wipers only clean the _outside_ of the windscreen.
* If you encounter severe weather conditions, perform a 360-degree turn
and get out of there. To make doubly sure, do a 720!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2062 | the P-51 swindle | K::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Fri Jun 08 1990 17:43 | 32 |
| Al was flaming my favorite magazine again lately so I just gotta post the
following.
This is a quote from the "From the Shop" section by the RCM staff
that is the first thing in every magazine. You have to ask why no other
magazine is on top of this...
=========================================================================
In our March 1990 issue we printed an article written by Bob Wallace on
Warbirds Aviation located in Connecticut. Immediately after the article
appeared in print, we started to hear from modelers who had ordered the
aluminum P-51 Mustang kit for the sum of $3000.00. Some had even ordered
two kits. Much to our surprise, it seems like Gary Lavarack, owner of
Warbirds Aviation, and the designer of the Mustang, had moved and left no
forwarding address. Needless to say, there are many modelers anxious to
locate him and receive their kits, or to get their money returned.
We would like to hear from those who we haven't already heard from. No phone
calls, just a short letter stating what was ordered and how much money was
sent. We have started a file on Warbirds Aviation and would like to hear
from all of those modelers who have sent money for a kit.
==============================================================================
So Al - is our buddy Norm sleeping thru all this or still carrying adds
for Warbirds Aviation?
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2063 | the P-51 swindle | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Fri Jun 08 1990 19:21 | 43 |
| Kay,
Ironically, RCM was the only mag (that I know of) that printed such a
glowing article on the all-metal P-51 so it seems only just that they
pursue what th' heck's going on. I may be a bit more up on this
situation as a friend from Albuquerque who visits the valley frequently
is a real P-51 nut and had ordered one of the first 5 kits. (Roy
Orbison bought [or at least paid for] the first one.)
My Albq. buddy, Jim Malek, never received anything for his money beyond
bits and pieces with which to build the left wing panel minus covering
in nearly two years. So, understandably, Jim began to get a little
nervous about his $3000 and started voicing his concerns to Gary
Lavarack. Gary, apparently a smooth operator, stilled Jims qualms a
coupla' times with promises of great forthcoming strides but, again,
little or nothing arrived. I recall Norm Goyer cautioning modelers in
an editorial against getting involved in cottage businesses that were
funding their operations with advance order monies and related this to
Jim who, by now, was beyond just being concerned...he was mad! He'd
just received the latest/greatest newsletter from Lavarack expounding
the intended powerplant which would consist of 6 O.S. 1.20's ganged
together with a Mickey-Mouse belt and pulley setup. Jim decided it was
time to pull in his horns and called Lavarack one final time requesting
his money be refunded. Lavarack tried to persuade him to hang in there
saying that Jim was "the only one" who felt any concern but Jim held
fast and _did_ receive a refund in full.
This was about 8-months ago and, though he'd gotten his investment
back, Jim continued to monitor the situation and one day, _before_ the
RCM article hit print, he called to tell me that Gary Lavarack had
vanished lock, stock and barrel! I found it mildly amusing when RCM's
article came out knowing that Lavarack had already pulled the plug and
vanished, taking God only knows how much money with him from trusting
investors. He may not have intended for things to turn out the way
they did but, by his disappearing act, I feel Lavarack pulled a giant
scam on his investors and, when caught, should be prosecuted to the
fullest extent of the law!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2064 | The second nirvana - freedom from instructor dependence. | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Mon Jun 11 1990 14:04 | 224 |
| It is 38 long days since I last posted a rambler, and decidedly, Al's been
having to fight withdrawal symptoms, having been deprived of his favourite
supply of Injun hashish. I can easily tell, for that is when he starts
chumming up to Shiva, to loan him a coupl'a bolts 'a lightening to chuck my
way and watch me do the Injun fire dance! (I just made up that dance :-))
I don't blame Al for thinking I might be a follower of Shiva, the destroyer.
What with the manner in which my T60 was smashed up last year, I could have
fooled anybody. However, to be technically correct, I am a follower of
Vishnu, another God who hangs out in the Hindu Trinity. He is regarded as
the preserver, and this year, I have had better luck at keeping my FS alive,
barring a few minor misadventures, to do justice to Vishnu's reputation.
In fact, since I last wrote on 3rd May, I have put in nearly 7 - repeat 7
hours of stick time, all in the past 3 weeks, doing a few hundred take-offs
and landings in the process, including 2 dead-sticks. Steve Smith did take
(not the 2 that I did) over a dead stick landing for me, and
Charlie-the-guru did one in heavy cross wind, when 4 of my attempts to
assuage the wind Gods failed. For someone who used to count each and every
landing to now be so imprecise ["few hundred"], something had to have
changed drastically! I feel very wealthy indeed, now that I can dispense
with my scrooge-like habits, counting every landing, going over all the
details every night.
I have many stories to tell, and am guilty of not having told them earlier,
as charged by the Reverend Casey. I only seek to mitigate the blame by
pleading to 2 weeks in Puerto Rico, extra workload, and running an
unexpected errand for a friend (buying a used camera). In my defence, any
spare time found was fruitfully used to notch up stick time, and not
squandered in non-rc activities. I humbly submit to the Reverand that a
verdict sentencing me to 4 hours of flying in a stiff cross-wind, will be
harsh enough to prevent future recurrance of such transgressions!
Now let me tell you how it all happened. Friday, 25th May, 1990. After a 2
week stint in PR at DEC's behest, and some bad weather bringing it to nearly
3 weeks, I was again rusty. My take-off was shaky, and made with much
trepidation. I figured I would be useless for a landing, if I couldn't even
handle a take-off with calm and composure. Steve Smith was substituting for
Charlie, and doing a real professional job of it. I did a lot of circuits,
each lower, until finally I felt confident enough to give landing a shot.
Land, I did with a bounce, that killed the engine. A light cross-wind had
made the FS drift towards the pits unknown to me.
As it rolled, I could have steered it back to the middle of the field, but
my left thumb had become comatose, when, usually, it is pretty good about
steering after touchdown. The right leading edge thwacked Dave Walter's leg,
who was "hiding" and flying at the next pilot station. He did a great job
learning the first step in the ceremonial injun dance that you see in
movies, usually with someone tied to a stake in the center. But he continued
flying his plane, and that immediately earned him 10 extra points of my
respect for his flying skills. After he landed, he was very gracious about
it, while I was red [you gotta learn to look under the tan] with
embarrassment. We couldn't find any damage to his shin or to the FS. He even
offered to let me confess in the notes file voluntarily. I'll read about it,
he said. I promised to mail him a copy. I decided to take a break.
Meanwhile, Steve Smith was playing test pilot for Jim Cavanagh's WOT-4 with
amazing ease. Clearly, the beginnings of a future Chuck Yeager. After he
landed, I ambled over. Say Steve, I said, isn't this the first time that you
are playing test pilot? Shhhh! I thumped him on the back. Fellow noters, we
now pause for a round of applause for Steve new rc career, and wish him
all success.
On my next flight, the only event of import was that I did my first
successful right to left landing. Of course, it did help that the pricker
brush had been trimmed down. No torn monocote. The third flight, the engine
quit about 10 minutes into the flight, about 40 feet over one edge of the
field. I paniced, not being accustomed to an unreliable engine, and Steve
took over. The master of the deadstick landing flew a semi-circle out over
the tall grass and back for a greaser. I packed up for the day.
Unlikely as it may seem, after such humble beginnings, I did not know that
the RC Gods had decided to smile on me the next time I flew 2 days later.
Sunday, 27th May, 1990, I got to the field at 10:30 AM. Charlie tuned out my
engine for me, which he said was set way too lean. He also re-trimmed my
plane, since I had used washers as shims to give an additional degree of
down-thrust to the fibreglass wedges that I had already put some months
prior. I don't know if this alone was responsible for the tremendous success
I had flying that day.
I did a right to left landing, my second ever, and this time successful, on
my third attempt. Next flight, 2 left to right landings, including a
bouncer. Gawd! I'm becoming a monster, switching directions with the wind,
at will! Charlie was kinda' hangin' back, so it felt a little strange bein'
alone. Those of you who are/were full scale pilots, know the strange feeling
of dealing with an empty seat on the solo, while you were always used to
having it occupied during flight instruction. Flight #3, my finger slipped
off the stick near flare-out, the FS hopped and bounced around, and I broke
my nylon Master Airscrew prop! I used to do that 3 times a day at one time,
so I must have suddenly remembered again!
Flights 5 through 10 were all right to left. My log says "Lots of landings"
for all of them, as I was too busy flying! Things were going like clockwork.
Charlie left and Eric was with me for a flight, and directed me to the right
point in the sky for the approach. He also suggested that I throttle up when
I came close to touching down, and was sure that I could make it, and go
around, and try again. Once I nailed the point in the sky that he mentioned,
the landing was easy. Eric left. I thought I was being deserted, but he was
kind enough to leave word with Harvey to help me out. I heard a voice. "Hi
A.J.", it said. Continuing to keep my eyes glued to my plane, I enquired,
"Who is it?" "It's me, Harvey," said the friendly voice. He too gave me a
few pointers with my approach, as I continued to do touch and go's, and left.
Boy, this was becoming fun. I would never have thought landing could be fun.
That single-minded devotion was no longer required, and I could entrust the
FS to Autopilot to keep it on course all the time, while I looked out the
window, and enjoyed the view. :-) Throttle correction was automatic.
Amazing! And all I could see was wanting to do more touch and go's. Gee, I
had done only one right to left landing 2 days prior, in my life, and here I
was doing it _every_ circuit, I mean _every_ circuit, and enjoying the
pleasure of predictability that every T&G brought with it. Didn't I say that
to land was *TORTURE*, and that I dreaded the four letter word everytime
Charlie decided to call it out, just a few notes back? Who? Me like
landings? C'mon, get real! Did I not say that the INTENSE CONCENTRATION of a
landing SAPPED me out, and it only took a few in a row to turn my brain to
mush?
The more I flew, the more difficult it became for me to deny the one helluva
big kick that I was getting out of it. I even heard someone behind me say
"Gee, I wish I could land like you". Whoa! Hold your hosses! That's a
compliment in any language! Someone wanting to imitate me, a bottom of the
rung rc'er? Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and I can't say it
any better. The voice of my new found admirer belonged to Ron, who I later
found was only 5 hours [approx] behind me, having just started on his
landing attempts. We shared experiences, and became friends.
His instructor was this real big, tall guy, wearing long hair and a beard.
Blue-grey eyes. A piercing look. On an arm that is bigger than my thigh, he
sported a colourful tatoo. He reminded me of Vikings (or Norsemen). All he
needed was one of those helmets with horns sticking out each side, and he
would fit the image perfectly. He had a real friendly face, and was doing
T&Gs a million times better that myself. He was also doing a lot of
aerobatic manoeuvres, though not quite the Charlie Watt level. He didn't
know the names for most of them, but he certainly knew his bird well. That
alone qualified him to stand next to me on the next flight after Harvey
left.
I approached the Norseman. Never having approached Norsemen or Vikings
before, I decided to try my usual approach that has served me well with
non-Vikings. Excuse me, I said rather lamely, overcoming the psychological
barrier of being intimidated by his size. Yes, anything the matter? Yipes,
he understood English! I re-assured him that I had no complaints. Noting
that he flew exceedingly well, I wondered if he would do me a favour. I
asked if he would stand by me for moral support, while I flew the plane. I
explained my few hours old 2nd nirvana was the reason for my lack of
confidence. I re-assured him that for the most part, I might not need any
advice from him, but should I get into trouble, I would appreciate his
inputs.
Mark, the Viking/Norseman turned out to be a real fine fellow. Being of
exceedingly gentle disposition, besides being a great pilot, we became
instant friends. I flew right to left as usual, doing T&Gs, without any
major incident. Having gone through different people during the course of
the day, I _knew_ I had reached the point where even a statue next to me
would have been just as adequate for moral support. Flight completed, I
thanked Mark for his help, and stood by while he assisted Ron. I found out
that he had been flying 2 years, and that Charlie Nelson had showed him how
to do turns, and he had learnt the rest himself. He made it sound so simple
he could have fooled me.
I had intended to be at the field for 4 hours or so, but with the RC Gods
being on my side for a change, I decided to forego lunch, and stick it out
[pun intended]. The highs from my feeling of independence - breaking away
from the crutch of having an instructor - was all that I needed to ignore
the hunger pangs. I could actually go out on my own, whenever I wanted, so
long as the conditions were reasonable - something I had been hungering for
all the time.
More flights. Mark and I were the only pilots in the air, and we were both
doing T&G's. I once _just_ missed the edge of the field, and the bushes
ripped the landing gear off. The LG is held by 4 rubber bands, and this was
the first time they had ALL broken. Too oil soaked, no doubt! 4 new
rubber-bands, and I was back in business. That is what I like about the
design of the FS LG.
We often did carrier approaches, with me following him, or vice-versa. The
base leg and final was against the setting sun, and the aircrafts became
mere silhouettes. On a few occassions during the 50+ landings that I did
that day, I would sometimes have to deliberate whether to give left or right
stick to get onto final from base leg. The answer was always - You are in a
right hand pattern, apply right stick - at least that is waht my flight
computer was printing out. I would then wonder if the plane was flying
towards me on final. The black silhouette would grow imperceptibly larger by
the second, and finally, I would be able to see the colours of the FS - the
red fuselage and the yellow wing - alleviating the gnawing anxiety.
10 flights in all, and a total of a whopping 92 minutes of flying time. 50+
landings from a new direction, that eclipsed the total number in my
lifetime!! Entire 10 minute flights of T&Gs on EVERY pass of the circuit. 2
new friends. An intact FS. 8 Hrs and 30 Min at the field. I was tired from
the lack of food, but I was not exhausted, no doubt being physically fit
[from my bicycle ride for the second time in PR, this time through the
mountains - I bicycled 150 miles one weekend, going from sea level to the
highest point at 4389 feet, and back to sea level. The feeling upon crossing
the highest point was similar, which is why I mention this]. A feeling of
euphoria swept over me. I was ecstatic. I was on top of the world.
This is the point that I hoped to reach, when, as an 8 year old in Calcutta,
I witnessed an RC plane fly for the first time at the All India
Aeromodellers Rally, in 1971, and hoped someday to be piloting one myself.
Of course as with other things, the higher you go, the more you see and the
more you find how little you know. The challenges are never ending, and I
can see I have barely begun!
It has taken me 5 hours on the T60, and another 7 hours on the FS last year,
and again another 5 hours this year to finally be on my own. Perhaps that is
slow from most people's standards, and I don't have any reasons to offer.
It is indeed a strange co-incidence that taking the FIRST STEP that took me
nearly 20 years in the hobby, was done using an aeromodel with the same
name. I have always maintained that I rowed across the 7 seas in a tin can
to reach the shores of America with a purpose in mind. It is the
aeromodelling capital of the world, as also my other hobbies, and venerated
gurus and top quality materials are found in plenty.
I had vindicated myself, and brought meaning to the Great American Adventure
that I am on.
7 PM. I decided to quit. I left feeling very pleased with the days
happenings, and what it bodes for the future.
ajai
NEXT:The saga of the remaining 5 hours of flying time continues...
|
| 239.2067 | my first glider ride | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) | Mon Jun 18 1990 16:13 | 111 |
| Well, Friday (which I'd taken off at Kathi's request) was my birthday
and I was to find she hadn't finished with gifts for our Anniversary,
my birthday and Father's Day, all of which fall in June.
We went out for breakfast Friday AM and, at the restaurant, Kathi
presented me with a birthday card which contained a gift certificate
for an aerobatic sailplane ride at Turf Glider Shool, the same place
where Kevin, Kay, Frank (Benson) and Joe (Morrone), among others, have
taken glider rides in the recent past. I said, "Hey, great! I've
always wanted to fly a glider...it's one of just a few types of
aircraft I've never flown or rode in." The certificate said good for
1-year and I figgere'd I'd cash it it sometime downstream.
But Kathi then volunteered that we'd better get on out to Turf as we
had a 10:00 AM reservation to take the ride. "Oh." I said rather
lamely, surprised at the revelation that the appointment'd already been
made for me, and we proceeded out to the soaring field morthwest of
town about 15 miles.
Arriving at the field, I was to be the first flight of the day which
turned out to be an advantage. Donning the backpack parachute
(mandatory for aerobatic flight), I proceeded to shoehorn my 6' 4", 235
lb. frame into the tiny front cockpit of a sleek ASK-21 aerobatic
sailplane, tightened the 5-point harness to a point just at the
threshold of discomfort, slumped down in the seat as much as I could
and closed the front canopy which _still_ touched the top of my head.
The canopy sides were only inches from my shoulders and I concluded
that this would be no place for a claustrophobiac. My knees were just
below eye-level but I found I could operate the rudder pedals without
banging my shins against the instrument panel and it took full aileron
deflection before my knees interferred with the stick.
Thus situated and with the pilot sitting behind me, the towline was
hooked to a converted Piper Pawnee and, in no time, we were trundling
down the runway in hot pursuit of the towplane. Quickly airborne, we
obediently followed the towplane, mimicking its every move until we'd
attained 4500' above the runway, whereupon we disconnected from the
towline and banked smoothly away to the right as the Pawnee banked away
to the left. Being the first flight of the day and with no one waiting
below, the pilot said we'd stayed on the tow longer than usual, normal
disconnect altitude being ~3500'. I allowed as how I didn't mind a bit!
We'd talked during the tow and the pilot now knew I'd flown power
planes for almost 20 years and R/C models for 27 so he gave me the
stick immediately after releasing the towline. We floated around in a
coupla' lazy 360's while I got the feel of the plane...responsive but
not quite as crisp as a power plane...about what I'd expected. I then
gave it back to the pilot and asked him to show me some aerobatics.
He poked the nose down 'til we had about 110 kts. on the airspeed
indicator, then pulled up into a giant loop. I noticed immediately the
differences in the sound of the air rushing by in various attitudes...
all became absolutely silent as we hit the top of the loop and airspeed
fell to zero - then the noise began to pick back up and the airspeed
rapidly built back to 100+ on the backside of the loop. At the bottom,
we pitched up into a graceful roll then levelled out as the pilot
played some lift he'd noticed (I sure didn't).
I tightened my shoulder harnesses some more to take a bit of pressure
off'n my ol' cabeza (head) during the inverted. The pilot then asked
if I'd like to try something. I replied "You bet!," I'd like to try
the same thing he'd done. "Go for it," he said, so I pushed the nose
over, watching for 110 Kts., the hauled the nose up and over the top.
I deliberately pulled the loop a little tighter than he'd done as
keeping it more positive throughout the maneuver kept the pressure off
my head during the inverted. At the bottom of the loop, I pulled the
nose up, neutralized the elevator and cranked in right aileron for a
roll. Again, I kept the roll rate a bit faster and used little or no
down elevator during the inverted to keep the weight off'n my scalp.
Resuming level flight, the pilot allowed as how I'd done pretty good
for someone who'd never flown a sailplane before...I thanked him and
asked him to show me something else. The remainder of the flight went
pretty much like he'd do a Hammerhead - I'd do a hammerhead, he'd do an
Immelman - I'd do an Immelman, etc. 'til we were down to about 800'.
At this time, he assured me that he had a waiver for aerobatics clear
to the ground (as opposed to the usual 1500'), then pushed the nose
over and dove at a short, dirt crosswind runway that ran 90-degrees
across the paved runway. Levelling of at about 10', we did a hot pass
at just over 130 kts. (~150 mph), then swooped up in a Chandelle to the
left and levelled out at pattern altitude.
"Wanna' land it?" he asked. "Sure'" I replied, "Just call the critical
points for me." He agreed and I did a standard rectangular approach,
turning where/when he told me to and rolling out of the last turn onto
final. I thought we might be a bit high but found that was by design.
As we crossed the highway about a half-mile from the end of the runway,
the pilot called "Partial spoilers." "OK," I thought to myself, "Now I
know what were up to." As we descended, he called for full spoilers
and I found myself flairing right on the numbers. After rolling out a
bit, the pilot took it and used brakes to stop the ship with its left wing
laying exactly on the tiedown rope. "Neat trick," I thought.
And, that was it. Twenty-five minutes of almost totally silent flight
with plenty of aerobatics thrown in. The plane seemed to manage
altitude so well I found I never gave a thought to the absence of an
engine up front. So, I've joined the ranks of all you glider guiders
who've taken rides while visiting Phoenix and it was a ball. However,
before anyone pipes up and suggests that I'll be all hot to go out and
get a license, lemme' quickly say that that's not likely. I gave up
flying in 1975 because it'd become just too expensive and I'm afraid
that hasn't changed in the last 15-years (except to get even _more_
costly). So, I'm content to add the experience to my list of great
flying experiences and pretty much leave it at that...a very pleasant
memory.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2082 | a Saudi summer | CIVVAX::MZARUDZKI | Feelin' like Road Pizza | Wed Jun 27 1990 09:52 | 20 |
|
Ok guys,
A couple of years back I was in Saudi Arabia where the temperature
during the summer was regularly above 120. ZERO on the humidity though.
This made for some interesting aircraft operations.
o Engine sizes were almost always smaller than nessesary.
o Transmiters required shade, else they were to hot to handle.
o You always wore shoes and sunblock.
o You always carried water wherever you went.
o Everyday was a flyers dream, only ran into one "tasmanian devil"
aka sandstorm. The car didn't fair to well.
o Good fuel was hard to come buy.
o Lots of melted people and planes. Just plain heat exhaustion.
Absolutley the BEST place in the world to fly! Not like this Maryland
place where it's perfect during the week and windy on Sundays. 8*(
Mike Z.
|
| 239.2097 | TOP SECRET MiG-3..... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Mon Jul 02 1990 12:55 | 59 |
| Well, no flying took place over the weekend...just too stinkin' HOT!
But, I had the opportunity to meet another noter, Bruce Bretschneider,
"The Crazy Hawaiian." Bruce is in town to visit his mom who lives in
Sun City about 10-miles west of me. We sat in the workshop for talking
airplanes for 2-3 hours and looking over the Cleveland plans for the
30's era racing biplane, the Laird Super Solution Bruce'd brought along.
He wants to R/C the ship but my personal opinion (which he suspected
himself) was that it was too small to make a good model. He's now
looking at blowing the plan up (with permission) to 1/4 scale which
would produce a 60" upper wingspan...much better for modeling purposes.
While Bruce was there, I received a call from my aviation artist
buddy from Sedona, Jerry Crandall. Jerry and wife, Judy, had just
arrived back from their trip to Russia where they got Marshal Ivan
Kozhedub to sign the prints of Jerry's latest painting of the former
shooting down an Me-262 in his La-7. While there, Marshal Kozhedub
sent his chauferred limo to take Jerry and Judy to the Moscow military
air museum. It turns out this museum is not open to the public and
Jerry and Judy were the first Americans ever admitted (with Kozhedub's
string-pulling) Jerry said the entire trip was fraught with
frustration as the Russian officials seemed to almost go out of their
way to make things as difficult as possible. For example, at the
museum what should Jerry spot sitting right next to Kozhedub's La-7 but
(EUREKA!) a MiG-3. Now, I've read in print in several sources that
"there are no surviving MiG-3's" anywhere! I even know of a fellow who
requested help documenting the MiG-3 from the Russians and was given
the same response. Yet, there it was in all its glory along with a
Shturmovik, an Il-16, Yak-3 & 9, and other well known WW-II Russian
fighters.
But, Jerry hadn't even finished drooling at the prospect of being able to
photo-document all these great ships when they were hustled out. He
did manage to get 2-or-3 pix of the MiG-3 and I'll be getting copies of
these. Crazy Ruskies! Seems like they never declassify anything and
treat all these WW-II warbirds as if they were still viable weapons
today. Sigh! What a lovely opportunity for documenting the MiG-3...lost
forever!
Jerry said they were then taken to an outdoor display area (where they
were prohibited from taking their cameras) and came upon the Soviet
copies of the B-29 (Tu-??) and C-47 as well as Bear, Badger and
Backfire bombers and all the jets from the earliest Yak-15 up through
the MiG-29. Jerry emphasized that he felt awed at the knowledge that
his and Judy's were apparently the first western eyes to fall on these
prizes. Fascinating!!
So, Jerry has accomplished quite a coup; several other artists are
offering autographed/signature series paintings of WW-II fighter pilots
and their aircraft but Jerry is the first (and may be the only) to have
a Russian ace in his series. And, here's a good point for the ol'
Rat...Jerry's gonna' lay one of the signed prints on me for documentation
help and encouragement should I go ahead with the La-5FN/La-7 project.
Not bad, eh?!!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2098 | Another Noter mentioned, and a Harrier | STOSPT::EATON | Dan Eaton St.Louis,MO,USA, 445-6522 | Fri Jul 06 1990 00:43 | 12 |
| I was paging thru thle latest issue (Issue #16) of Radio Helicopter USA
and a fello noter's name caught my eye. Tom Tenerowicz is listed as the
contact for the Pioneer Valley RC Club Helicopter Fly-In. The only USA
event listed on their calender.
That same issues has a item that may interest Kay Fisher. They have the
Tangerine coverage in this issue and guess who showed up competing in
the Novice helicopter event? Bob Fiorenze of F-18 fame. Bob has taken
up helicopters cause Yellow Aircraft is going to give him a fully
functional ducted fan Harrier to fly. The Harrier is going to be their
new kit. Since Tangerine was held six months ago now, I wonder what the
status of the project is?
|
| 239.2100 | WOULD THAT IT COULD BE SO..... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Fri Jul 06 1990 11:53 | 25 |
| Re: .-1, Kay,
Yeah, I had similar thoughts and I'm sure that a multitude of good
Russian plans _do_ exist as they've always been active (and rather
successful) in world modelling competitions. The problem, as I
perceive it, is getting the Russians to loosen up and share with the
rest of the world. There exists within the Soviet Union such an
atmosphere of intrigue and distrust of the west that they treat the
most trivial of items as a threat to security, should knowledge of it
reach the west. Proof of this is the fact that the Soviets have yet to
declassify their WW-II military aircraft as though they still
constitute viable weapons in a modern conflict. You and I both know
the total folly of this but, try to tell that to the Ruskies!
Hopefully, a day will come when what you suggest comes to pass. Then
people would begin to appreciate some of the _very_ unique and
interesting aircraft the Russians had in WW-II. Of course, that'd
mean I'd lose my advantage so maybe we should just forget the whole
thing :B^).
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2101 | HE'S DONE IT AGAIN.......!! | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Fri Jul 06 1990 19:12 | 76 |
| Well, I received the latest (August) issue of Scale R/C Modeler in
yesterday's mail and read Stormin' Norman Goyer's account of the Top
Gun competition held here last April. The article is filled with the
usual number of little inaccuracies but Norm can be forgiven to some
extent owing to the fact that he was only able to be there for one day
(Sat.) of the contest and was unaware of some of the happenings.
For example, he wonders aloud (in print) why none of John Gunther's
flights with his Me-109G were recorded. The answer is quite simple:
just like his performance at the St. Louis Masters last year, Gunther
never got off the ground...he'd fire up, start a takeoff, lose it in a
ground loop (or whatever) and break something, then retiring to the
pits to repair the damage for another attempt the next round which
would be a duplicate of the preceding attempt. I gotta' say that I
don't know Gunther personally except to know he was a static judge at
the Las Vegas Masters in '87 who embraced the premise that judging
outline along with color and markings, thereby exposing a model to
double-jeopardy in the accuracy of outline category and making himself
_very_ unpopular with the contestants. He is also the president of
NASA (no, not the space agency...the Nat'l. Assoc. of Scale
Aeromodelers or some such) which is a small organization with no
apparent purpose other than to attempt to be the spokesman for scale
modelers without such a franchise from the majority of same. Anyway, I
said all that to say that John _might_ be an OK guy (with some odd
ideas) but he certainly is no scale pilot. With 8-rounds to have seen
him fly ('89 Masters & '90 Top Gun), I've yet to see the man get
airborne...one has to wonder how he manages to qualify for /be invited
to these high-level events! Norm also speculates that Steve Sauger
must've had problems during his 1st-round flight as no flight scores
are posted for his Stinson Tri-motor either. Fact is that Steve
crashed during a practice round before even getting static-judged.
Oh well, as I say, Norm can be forgiven to some extent for not knowing
these things though, were I the reporter, I'd either seek out the facts
or omit printing any speculation which is very likely to be wrong.
After all, SR/CM _IS_ a national magazine and the readers have every
right to expect that what they read is accurate. However, it
apparently doesn't matter all that much whether Norm is supplied with
the facts or not; he _still_ takes enough litererary license as to
change the truth of an incident.
Case in point: Norm stopped by under the awning of my motorhome and
asked why I wasn't flying. I told him the whole story in detail
including the point that I'd intended [after the ridiculously low
static] to fly for pride but, in the attempt, had had an oil leak occur
in the hydra-lok lines to my Rhom retracts and had _ONLY_THEN_ decided
to hang it up and save the MiG-3 for a better day. I was _very_
surprised to note that Norm'd mentioned me at all in his Top Gun article
since I was just barely even there from a competition standpoint.
However, he uses me as an example that several contestants who received
very low statics packed up and either went home or made no attempt to
fly. Now, folks, that's not how it was. Yeah, I was very disappointed
with my static but I fully intended to fly until I encountered
difficulty with the airplane while preparing for my 1st-round flight.
Frankly, I've never had too much patience with modelers who decide
whether or not to fly based on whether or not they think they can win
with whatever static score they received. I'm sorry but I see that as a
kinda' prima-donna, crybaby attitude...you know, "I'm not winning so
I'm taking my ball and going home!" Now, Norm has publicly put me into
that category of folks I'm none too fond of to begin with and I'm
afraid I resent it. I intend to write good ol' Norm and leave no doubt
about how I feel about the way he painted me to look at the meet but
I'll bet money here and now he'll never print either the letter or a
retraction. But, that's alright...I'm _CERTAIN_ to run into him at a
meet before too long and I'll be able to let 'im have it then,
face-to-face! Not that it'll do all that much good...that kinda' stuff
runs off Norm like water off'n a duck's back - he's in his own little
world and impervious to what people say to him or think of him. But
_I'LL_ feel better. ;b^)
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2102 | Stormin' Norman... | K::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Mon Jul 09 1990 14:41 | 23 |
| > After all, SR/CM _IS_ a national magazine and the readers have every
> right to expect that what they read is accurate. However, it
> apparently doesn't matter all that much whether Norm is supplied with
> the facts or not; he _still_ takes enough litererary license as to
> change the truth of an incident.
Can you believe I just sent $40 off for a 2 year subscription. And now you
tell me it's not perfect :-)
As an asside I went thru RCM and SR/CM this weekend and counted up the
Add to Article space. I left the paper at home so I get back on the
results but Al is right - SR/CM has a lot less adds in it than RCM.
> I'm taking my ball and going home!" Now, Norm has publicly put me into
> that category of folks I'm none too fond of to begin with and I'm
> afraid I resent it. I intend to write good ol' Norm and leave no doubt
Hey - he called me a Propeller Head - what do you have to complain about?
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2103 | | THOTH::SNOW | | Mon Jul 09 1990 14:54 | 7 |
|
-.1
>>Hey, he called me a Propellor Head
In your case Kay Ol' Stormin' Norman was actually quite accurate!! ;8^)
|
| 239.2104 | our own "Count" | STEPS1::HUGHES | Dave Hughes LMO2/N11 296-5209 | Tue Jul 10 1990 17:25 | 9 |
|
> As an asside I went thru RCM and SR/CM this weekend and counted up the
> Add to Article space. I left the paper at home so I get back on the
> results but Al is right - SR/CM has a lot less adds in it than RCM.
Say, Kay, did you ever watch Sesame Street? There's a character on
that show called "The Count" who I think you'd identify with... :-)
Dave
|
| 239.2105 | Sesame Street | K::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Wed Jul 11 1990 09:11 | 11 |
| > Say, Kay, did you ever watch Sesame Street? There's a character on
> that show called "The Count" who I think you'd identify with... :-)
Dave - it's worse than that - my home town in Minnesota (Hawley) is only
25 miles away from another famous Sesame Street Character - Fargo North
(Decoder).
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2106 | RE: .-1, H U H ?? | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Wed Jul 11 1990 11:29 | 6 |
| __
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2107 | Groan! | NUHAVN::JNATALONI | | Wed Jul 11 1990 11:33 | 8 |
| Re .2105
Ugh!, that's a pun of the worst kind.
I think I got it, didn't you ?
John
|
| 239.2108 | Magazine Article to Add Ratios | K::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Thu Jul 12 1990 09:32 | 40 |
| OK - here are the results of counting the Articles and Adds in RCM
and Scale RC Modeler magazines
RCM (August 1990)
91.5 pages of Articles
186 pages of Adds
.49 Article to Add Ratio
$2.95 Advertised price/issue at news stands
31.5 Article to Dollar Ratio
$1.96 price/issue of with 2 year $47 subscription
46.6 Article to Dollar Ratio with subscription
Scale RC Modeler (July 1990)
64.3 pages of Articles
20.6 pages of Adds
3.1 Article to Add Ratio
$3.95 Advertised price/issue at news stands
16.2 Article to Dollar Ratio
$1.66 price/issue of with 2 year $40 subscription
38.7 Article to Dollar Ratio with subscription
Sooooooooo
Summary.
Al is right - RCM is a catalog and you get 6 times the article/add
ratio with Scale RC Modeler. But you do get more articles in RCM
so the end result is more adds per dollar with RCM. But... RCM
covers all aspects of RC and if you are passionate about Scale and just
skim or ignore articles about gliders or sport planes or pattern then
Scale RC Modeler is a much better choice.
Now some day I would like to count the pages in the other magazines
and update the chart.
The Count from Fargo...
--+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2109 | BUT... | CLOSUS::TAVARES | Stay Low, Keep Moving | Thu Jul 12 1990 12:09 | 34 |
| * With the exception of Tower, RCM is indeed the only place where
one can "catalog shop" and compare prices. I say Tower because
they do publish their own catalog, I know that Sheldon does too,
but most of us don't have one (I do). RCM is the best shopping
guide there is, and is probably the best shopping guide in the
entire hobby industry. Try comparing the cost of sending away
for individual catalogs and flyers from each company versus the
cost of an RCM subscription. Many mail order houses, such as
Mutchler's do not have a catalog or flyer.
* RCM has serious construction articles that can be used to build
real model airplanes. Scale RCM prints bad reproductions of
plans, often incomplete, which are thinly disguised
advertisements for plans and products. (This holds true also for
Model Airplane News, alas, once a great mag, now simply one big
advertisement.)
* RCM has real honest-to-god columnists who print informed,
expert opinions on current subjects. Scale RCM is filled with
the half-baked opinions of one of the biggest a**holes in the
modeling industry, if not the world (well, there is Kadaffi(sp)).
* While RCM has printed pretty girls in its pages and cover, the
past history of Scale RCM, at least until the latest excess in
Sept 1988, has been one of printing little more than cheesecake.
I don't object to this, and I can even show one very outstanding
issue of RCM...but Scale RCM has taken it beyond the limits at
times.
IMHO, the best bang-for-buck mag on the market is Model Aviation,
followed closely by Model Builder, but if you insist on RC-only
contents, you cannot beat the quality of RCM, no way.
I buy about 3 RCMs a year, mostly for the catalog contents.
|
| 239.2110 | THIS DIDN'T START OUT TO BE A PLUG, BUT..... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Thu Jul 12 1990 13:06 | 79 |
| I should add here that my criticism of RCM should, IN NO WAY, be
construed as promotion or defense of Scale R/C Modeler. I'm sure
most of you know from my numerous previous comments that I don't
suggest that SR/CM is a great magazine...on the contrary, it's probably
one of the worst edited mags on the scene for all the reasons John
points out in .-1 and many more. To repeat what I've said many times
before: I only take SR/CM because it's the ONLY mag available devoted
exclusively to scale and even a bad mag is preferrable (to me) than
none at all. Like I consider the AMA to be a necessary evil, I
likewise fell that SR/CM is a necessity to anyone interested in scale,
if only for the purpose of keeping up with what's going on and that's
as close to a recommendation as I'll get. Were a competitive scale
publication to come upon the scene, I'd switch camps faster'n a scalded
dog!! :B^)
However, while I agree that RCM may have some good things to offer the
newer R/C'er, my opinion remains that, if I want a catalog, I _MUCH_
prefer the Tower Hobbies catalog as each page of ads is NOT cluttered
up with a few lines of non-commercial text. Kay's survey confirms what
I'd never have taken the time to prove; that RCM is little more than a
catalog with just enough text thrown in to give it the facade of a
magazine. I totally agree with John that, if one feels the need to
keep up with ALL the mail order outfits within the covers of a single
publication, one should _buy_ (not subscribe) 2-or-3 issues annually.
Beyond that, one quickly tires of the plethora of look-alike sporty
planes that proliferate each RCM issue.
As to Model Airplane News, if it weren't for the "Sporty Scale
Techniques" column by Frank Tiano, I'd have cancelled this mag the
instant they devoted the last third of it to a helicopter section...not
a column, mind you, but a mini-mag within a mag. Now, before all you
heli-whopter types out there gather to lynch me. let me hastily offer
that I have nothing whatsoever against choppers! They're simply not
_my_ thing and I resent their presense in Model *AIRPLANE* News as much
as I would resent a section being devoted to basket weaving. Hell, MAN
took out all the boat and car stuff and gave these interests their own
magazine years ago...why can't they do the same thing for choppers?!!
What they've done is no different than if, sometime before receiving
an issue of the mag (remembering that I pay for _every_ page), the
mailman tore out 30% of MY pages and threw 'em away!!!!
I have to agree with John that, for all around, best balance of
coverage per interest area, AMA's Model Aviation is arguably the best
mag going right now. Model Builder is OK but has too much non-R/C
content for my tastes. So, what it seems to boil down to is that,
apparently, a really good, well balanced magazine which caters to the
modeler first is really needed. Well folks, I'm here to tell you that
such a rag exists...it's called R/C Report, published by Gordon Banks
out of Huntsville, AL.
RCR is not a thing of beauty, printed on plain old newsprint with
minimal use of color (which ain't that great anyway). But wait! Don't
judge this book by its cover..., it's the CONTENT that makes RCR a
standout. Gordon Banks wild, irreverant, self effacing brand of humor
flavors the entire mag but humor isn't the only recommending feature;
what's really made RCR is its frank, honest, hard hitting, no holds
barred, tell it like it REALLY is product reviews. RCR truly doesn't
care if a manufacturer gets offended and pulls its advertising, if an
item is junk, by gawd RCR says so! No other magazine I can think of is
that conscientious about the integrity of its advertising.
For those that are tired of all the flowery field and bench reviews
common to all the other mags, give this homely little rag a try...I
think you'll like it. You can subscribe at:
R/C Report
Subscription Dept.
P.O. Box 1706
Huntsville, AL 35807
Subscription rate is $10.00 for 1-year; 2-years for $18.00; or $8.00
per year for 3-years or more.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2111 | Where have they all gone ? | NUHAVN::JNATALONI | | Thu Jul 12 1990 13:47 | 12 |
| Re: .2110
This is to bolster your favorable comments about R/C Report.
I've been hooked on this publication since I first picked it
up a couple of years ago. It's downright 'readable'.
As for M.A.N., I feel the saddest about the loss of that once
great 'news' medium. It used to be an automatic buy at the
bookstand, not any more!
John
|
| 239.2112 | There's only three good ones left | SOLKIM::BOBA | Bob Aldea @PCO | Thu Jul 12 1990 16:39 | 14 |
| I have to add my agreement to the foregoing replys. Upon reentering
the hobby, I devoured this note file and went looking for some good
magazines. I used to buy MAN, FM, and occasionally AM when I was
younger, and paricularly liked MAN. (Remember the U2 three-views
published in March of '56, with commentary about the rumored flights
behind the iron curtain?)
Well, I bought everything I could find for over a year, and finally
subscribed to Model Builder, RC Reports, and of course Model Aviation.
Virtually every issue of MAN and FM was a disappointment. A few RCMs
had some content I valued, but not enough to continue buying them.
As for Norm's rag, I have two copies which I keep to remind me why I
don't buy it. I'll get my scale inputs from somewhere else.
|
| 239.2113 | All this and Stuckeys too | ELMAGO::TTOMBAUGH | High Plains Drifter | Thu Jul 12 1990 17:16 | 21 |
| Well I'm headin' out for the Nats right after work. It's amazing
how much stuff you think you need to take.
In addition to four airplanes, 60", 76", 110", 112", I've got a
large tackle box crammed with every conceivable tool/part, 90%
of which I'll never touch. Another box full of 6 rcvr. batt., 4
motor batts., fast charger, Ace Multi-charger, Ace ESV, extra
xmtr. batt. A pistol case containing two xmtrs. Hi-start and dog
stake, in case I find a suitable field to practice in, along with
the 317 other people who found the same field.
Add in clothes, camcorder, ice chest, and the ol' Honda wagon is
going to be full up.
As of earlier this week 950 people had signed up and they're expecting
1100. Using past years as an example, this means there should be
around 300-400 entered in the soaring classes. Hooo-boy.
I'll enter a full report around Aug. 1 , after I get back.
I'm outa here.
Terry
|
| 239.2114 | GIVE 'EM HELL, TERRY....... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Thu Jul 12 1990 19:00 | 8 |
| If this catches you before you get gone, best'a luck, Terry...
kick some butt and take names back there! :B^)
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2115 | Magazine Add to Article Ratios | K::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Fri Jul 13 1990 10:19 | 104 |
| I would also like to wish Terry the best of luck. Hope we end up reading
about you in the magazine coverage later!
P.S. Could you please expound on each of the planes your taking - for
instance you mentioned a Traveler (I think). Which wing span corresponds
with that?
===============================================================================
New Topic = Magazine Article to Add Ratios
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OK - here are the results of counting the Articles and Adds in
RCM
Model Aviation
Scale RC Modeler
Model Builder
What counts as Articles
Self serving adds like adds for a subscription or pages of pictures
of plans for sale by the magazine or the front cover.
Indexes to advertisers.
Table of contents
Articles about new products like "What's New, Over the Counter, etc."
Reviews. If one were to be ethical here only Negative reviews would
be counted as articles because for the most part all magazine reviews
are positive product promotions - paid for or not.
Trade show coverage.
What counts as Adds
Obvious Adds but also...
Adds like Scale RC Modeler advertising several other books and/or
magazines that are covered by the same parent publishing house.
RCM (August 1990)
91.5 pages of Articles
186 pages of Adds
.49 Article to Add Ratio
$2.95 Advertised price/issue at news stands
31.5 Article to Dollar Ratio
$1.96 price/issue of with 2 year $47 subscription
46.6 Article to Dollar Ratio with subscription
Scale RC Modeler (July 1990)
64.3 pages of Articles
20.6 pages of Adds
3.1 Article to Add Ratio
$3.95 Advertised price/issue at news stands
16.2 Article to Dollar Ratio
$1.66 price/issue of with 2 year $40 subscription
38.7 Article to Dollar Ratio with subscription
Model Aviation (August 1990)
126 pages of Articles
70.8 pages of Adds
1.78 Article to Add Ratio
$2.50 Advertised price/issue at news stands
50.4 Article to Dollar Ratio
$0.75 price/issue of with 1 year $9 subscription
168 Article to Dollar Ratio with subscription
Model Builder (June 1990)
77.33 pages of Articles
36.66 pages of Adds
2.11 Article to Add Ratio
$2.95 Advertised price/issue at news stands
26.2 Article to Dollar Ratio
$1.96 price/issue of with 2 year $47 subscription
39.5 Article to Dollar Ratio with subscription
Sooooooooo
Summary.
Draw your own conclusions - numbers are not everything. For my
money Model Builder is the most enjoyable reading.
Since I first made a note with statistics Scale RC Modeler has been
getting a lot of criticism which was not my intent at all. In fact
I was surprised how much better the article to add ratio was in the
magazine compared to all others. Another hidden number (one I didn't
count) is the number of Color photographs and the quality. Model airplane
news has the best paper and I doubt if any of the above magazines have
any where near the number of color photographs in them as Scale RC Modeler.
Poor Norm Goyer has been getting a lot of flak lately. He is opinionated
but he is passionate about Scale RC. You probably don't agree with
everything he says - but thank God he is saying something and stirring
the pot. I've bumped in to Norm on several occasions now and I really
think a lot of him. Could his magazine be better - sure - but they
all could be better. Plan to attend the Scale Qualifier if Westfield
on the 28th and 29th of July. If Norm is there introduce your self
and tell him what you don't like about his rag. He will shake your
hand and listen. Now look around and see if you can find the editor
of any of our other magazines! Where are they? If fact when you find
Norm he will probably be crawling around on his belly trying to get
a good photograph of some local's (Maybe Kevin Ladd's P47) scale job.
When the final curtain falls I expect Norm to be in Heaven (trying
to change the God's rules) :-)
The Count from Fargo...
--+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2116 | On this day in history... | CLOSUS::TAVARES | Stay Low, Keep Moving | Mon Jul 16 1990 13:12 | 85 |
| Douglas Corrigan's Stuck Compass
An ex-welder from an aircraft plant in California hopped into his
$900 single-motor Curtiss Robin plane, and 27-plus hours
later...on July 9, 1938...landed at Roosevelt Field in New York.
Douglas G. Corrigan, a 31-year-old flying buff, explained he was
on a "vacation flight," and had made the trip non-stop.
For a week, he stayed with a friend. Then, on Saturday, July 16,
he took his nine-year-old plane to Floyd Bennet Airfield in
Brooklyn, and sought permission to take off at 2 a.m. for the
return flight home.
"I want to fly by the light of the moon," he told the field
manager, "and be over the desert in the cool of the morning."
He was denied permission to take off..."too dangerous at that
hour," he was told.
At 4 a.m., he was given the go-ahead. He had had five new
spark plugs put in, paid $62.26 for 218 gallons of gas (the craft
now had 320 gallons, plus 16 of oil). A single United States map
was pinned to the instrument board. There was no wireless, no
special instruments.
Corrigan asked a boy from the hangar to swing the propeller, but
he couldn't get it going.
"Here, you hold the plane throttle. I'll swing it," Corrigan
instructed, and he got the craft going. After it started, he
took a flashlight to check the motor to see that nothing was
coming loose.
At 5:17 a.m. on Sunday, the plane left. Flares lighted the
runway, and a fire truck and ambulance stood by. Corrigan used
3,000 feet of the 4,200-foot runway before getting his craft
airborne.
For some reason, the ship headed east, and the field personnel
wondered why.
A little more than 28 hours later, he sighted some fishing boats,
then found himself over land; he searched for an airfield,
spotted one, and came in for a perfect landing.
"I'm Douglas Corrigan," he told some field personnel who had
gathered around his plane (which had no permit to land). "I just
got in from New York. Where am I? I intended to fly to
California."
He learned he was at Baldonnel Airfield in Dublin, Ireland.
Wearing oil-stained gray pants and a leather jacket, the flier
was taken to the American Legation, and there he tried to explain
to newsmen what had happened.
"My compass stuck. It didn't come loose 'til the end of the
flight. I took a wrong turning...I headed as I thought for
California. I had no intention of flying to Ireland.
"For almost 26 hours, I was at 5,000 to 6,000 feet...in the
clouds. I came down to 1,500 feet only when I ran into rain. I
glimpsed some water, then rose back to 5,000. I came down and
saw fishing boats. I thought I was over the Pacific Coast.
"A half hour later, I sighted land. It didn't look like what it
should look like to me. I hugged the coast, and coasted around
to find an airfield. And here I am, far from Los Angeles, where
I had planned to go."
Despite probing questions from skeptical reporters, the American
stuck to his story. Few believed him. Corrigan was known to
have wanted to fly to Ireland (he had been denied permission the
year before). And there was that eastbound takeoff in New
York...
Soon nicknamed "Wrong Way," the personable welder-pilot had
injected a bright note of levity into the dour, war-shadowed
world of 1938.
Corrigan and his crate made history. And the Burlington,
Wisconsin, Liars Club made Douglas Croce Corrigan a life member.
---Copied verbatim from the June 1983 issue of Model Builder
magazine, who in turn quoted it from an newsletter article from
James M. Murphy.
|
| 239.2117 | 'TWASN'T FOR THE FAINT OF HEART (or anyone with a lick'a sense)... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Mon Jul 16 1990 18:21 | 94 |
| Re: .-1, John,
Gracias fer' the detailed story of "Wrong Way" Corrigan. I've heard of
him, of course, and knew the rough points of the story but never knew
the whole story. BTW, A fellow in the HISTORY notesfile, living in
Albuquerque claims he had an opportunity to purchase a bunch of Wrong
Way's memorabilia but didn't as he didn'y know how to verify the
authenticity of same.
On a completely unrelated note, we got out flying yesterday for the
first time since May. It's been cloudy, stormy here for two weeks and
the almost constant overcast has lowered temps below 100F most days,
though it's humid enough to make things pretty muggy. Anyway, the
forecast called for a mere 95F Saturday and Sunday so Bob Frey, chuck
Collier and I got together and planned to take advantage of a very rare
cool(?) day and get some flying in.
I arrived at Chucks about 5:50 AM. Bob and two other friends arrived
by 6:00 and we took off in caravan fashion to Puckerbrush Int'l
Airport, arriving there a bit before 6:30 AM. (You still gotta' get
out _early_ if'n you want'a avoid the heat!) Temperature was
beautiful; a little imagination and you almost thought you could
perceive a little chill in the morning air. Onliest problem was that
we had a direct crosswind from our backs, the velocity of which was
stiff ~20 mph, gusting to probably 30.
"Well, I came to fly," sez I, as I proceded to assemble the ol' Yeller'
Peril. Fueling up, I fired the trusty O.S. .61FSR ABC, adjusted the
needle for peak RPM's and taxied for takeoff. Takeoff would be from
left-to-right (my least favored direction) which meant the crosswind
would try to raise my right wings. So, anticipating this, I advanced
the throttle crisply to full and added some right aileron as the sjip
accelerated. The right wings stil tried to lift on me but I just added
a tad more aileron and we rotated and flew away with wings level but
crabbed 30-degrees into the crosswind.
Turns were interesting as you needed to use _plenty_ of rudder when
turning away from the wind but little was required when turning into
it. I enjoyed doing my usual repertoire of maneuvers while fighting
the crosswind to maintain heading exactly 90-degrees to it. It's hard
to get the maneuvers to look really nice or precise but the ol Yeller'
B�cker was doing a fair job of it. Then, Chuck hollers facetiously,
"Touch and Go." I was near the end of my 10-minute flight time limit
anyway, so I set up an approach; the base leg seemed to take forever as
I was flying right into the teeth of the wind and I had to use
considerable throttle to penetrate...then I turned final and powered in
to the runway holding the same 30-degree crab until over the threshold
where I began milking off the power while adding left rudder to square
the heading with the runway, simultaneously holding the wings level
with right aileron.
The plane touched down smoothly but I was one busy hombre trying to
keep it on its feet while I fed the power back in and took off again.
"Jeeez, I was just kidding...I didn't mean for you to really do a touch
and go" came the cry from Chuck. "I know," sez I, "I just wanted to
see if'n I could do it." "Smart *ss," came the muffled retort from
Chuck while I chuckled under my breath. I set up and made another
nearly identical approach and landing, this time fighting it to a stop,
then carefully taxing back to my pit, holding the necessary aileron and
elevator controls to keep it off'n its back. Pulling the throttle trim
to kill the engine, I sez, tauntingly, "There! What's so hard about
that?!" ;b^) Chuck just grumbled to himself.
Bob took his ol' Stagspitangwulfcobra Mk-II (highly cosmetically
altered Kaos) up then. The much cleaner, monoplane was much less
bothered by the crosswind on takeoff but, surprisingly, it seemed to be
bounced around by the winds aloft much more than the B�cker was. We
figgered it was the weight difference, the Kaos weighing barely half
what the Yeller' Peril does. Anyway, an uneventful flight and a
landing that floated the entire length of the runway followed.
I flew twice more, then Bob put in his second flight after having to
replace a stripped out clevis that'd come off the throttle pushrod.
Bob missed his first landing attempt (floated clear to the end of the
field again), throttled up and went around. This time, things looked
better until an ant bit Bob on the calf (he says...;b^} ) and
distracted him right at the point of flairing out. The Stag-spitoon
slammed in hard and tore out the right retract unit but the damage is
superficial and the plane'll fly again after about an hour's worth of
repair.
We never did coerce Chuck (or the other two guys) to try it so Bob and
I had a great time speculating that we guessed we knew who had the brass
"cojones" in our group...and who didn't! ;b^} Seriously, I didn't
blame him...he had his nice Byron Staggerwing along and I wouldn't have
risked it with a good plane either. The day was custom tailored for
casting an old beater's fate literally to the wind...perfect for the
Yeller' Peril which, once again, somehow came through unscathed.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2118 | 90 NATS report | ELMAGO::TTOMBAUGH | High Plains Drifter | Mon Jul 30 1990 12:58 | 85 |
| Just when you thought it was safe to.....HE'S BAAACK.
Well, I survived the Nats. A very interesting experience, exhausting
but more fun than I anticipated. Poor finishing positions, but I
flew all my rounds and didn't break anything;
Monday- F3B: I didn't have anything to enter so just spectated.
Actually it was more like a multi-task event rather than full
bore F3B. Plenty of thermal duration types were entered and weren't
outclassed. About 30-40 entries.
Tuesday- Handlaunch: 45 entries. Rather breezy. The heat and humidity
were really noticeable. 90/ 60-70% humidity. I survived the first
round with a batt. plug nearly falling out of the rcvr. Lost the
remaining time in the 10 min. working time looking for the problem.
Task for the round was max. accumulated time with 5 launches.
Remaining 3 rounds went ok, never had more than a 45 second flight.
Tasks all had 10 minute working times and ranged from three 2 min
maxes, with unlimited launches, to one 10 min. max.
With 2 hours out to let the scale guys complete their rounds( 10
entries) we were out there for 11 hours, running, throwing, running,
throwing. By the end of the day my feet were killing me. Finished
38th. The Orbiter withstood an amazing amount of abuse. Orbiters
were the most popular kit, but most of the kits now available were
represented, and there were a lot of own-designs.
Wed.- 2 meter. I signed up at the last minute after deciding to
enter the Orbiter. About 120 entries. All tasks, 4 rounds,
were 7 minute precision duration with tape landing inside a 100"
X 25 ft. box. Nose position anywhere along the tape was good for
a max of 100 points.
My first launch went well, had to really milk the winch but got
over 3 min. and 52 points on landing. Next two launches popped off
at 100 feet due to tow hook twisting. Finally CAed it in and 4th
round was a repeat of the first. Finished 98th out of 101 survivors.
Planes were in the trees downwind and on top of the nearby 4 story
high school. The fire dept. cherry picker was kept busy plucking
planes out of trees and the high school custodian discovered none
of his keys would unlock the roof access door.
Thornbugh was in the top 20 in both HL and 2 meter. Had everything
from Mariahs (ugly but flys great) to GLs. Only took 9 hours to
complete the 4 rounds.
Thurs.- open class. I didn't have anything to enter. On the first
round Taylor Collins had radio lockup at 800 feet with his Westwind
and spiraled into the parking lot behind the school tennis courts.
3 or 4 wings were shed on launch. The winds were lighter and a lot
of people were getting their maxes. The winners were determined
on spot landings. Thornbugh took 13th with a stock Southwind. 130
entries, about 110 survivors.
Thornbugh was kept busy signing autographs and having his picture
taken, but book sales were brisk (he brought 120 copies) and every
body who knew him from the old days had war stories to tell.
Fri. - Open class- I had two good rounds (for me) with my 110"
Southwind. Finished 84th out of 110 survivors. Thornburgh
finished 7th with a stock Bird of Time, no moveable wing surfaces,
that proves something. Taylor had two popoffs with his Windsong,
and retired. Event called after 2 rounds due to squall lines
moving in. But it had been a good week with very consistent
wind direction, never had to move the 6 winches.
The Tri-Counties R/C club did an excellent job of hosting and
officiating, and I'd definitely do it again, but please less
humidity next time; it sure is funny to wonder why your wing rods
are fitting tighter than normal then notice the rust on them !
General observations: I went over to the airport in Illinois
where the pattern, C/L, and rubber events were held, and on several
visits was struck by the low number of entrants. Pattern had the
most, but in general there were 5 to 10 times as many soaring
participants. What does this mean? Your guess is as good as mine.
All entries were computerized, with some fairly impressive hardware,
80387s with math co-processors, and results at the end of a round
were ready in a few minutes. All sites were linked by hand held
shortwave tranceivers and weather conditions in the area was passed
between sites.
The effort, especially by the host club, to run these things is
massive. My hat's off to them.
Ran into one other Deccie. John Wilson, a consultant from Marlboro.
Also several customers, who saw my DECAF cap, and wondered why I
wasn't at Dec World. Sorry, I don't fly indoors.
Man, I'm tired.
Terry
|
| 239.2119 | BRING 'EM HOME ALIVE......!!! | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Mon Jul 30 1990 14:30 | 53 |
| Re: .-1, Terry,
Glad yer' back with everything in one piece. That's _ALWAYS_ my first
priority in any competition and I feel like a winner just having
accomplished that. Sorry to hear you didn't collect any hardware but,
as we all _should_ know, there're damn few trophies (if any) around
that are worth the money and [to ME] the TIME required to replace one's
aircraft! Congratulations on competing well and coming home intact!!
Re 1234.1,
As I mentioned in the reply mentioned above, it looks like, once again,
I may be going to the U.S. Scale Masters after not really expecting I'd be
able to do so. My buddy, Bob Frey, after damaging his Holman P-47 in
the process of placing 3rd in our qualifier held here last January, had
decided not to compete anymore this year, opting to build a new ship
before fixing the old one. But, Bob [like me] has yet to settle on
what to build next, therefore, has nothing in the ol' queue at present.
So, Bob had been saying that he was not going to the MAsters but would,
instead, be going to a High School reunion in Syracuse, NY which was on
the same weekend. But, out of the blue while coming back from our
annual 1/8 Air Force summer pool party weekend-before-last, Bob suddenly
allowed as how he "might" be persuaded to ride along with me to the
MAsters after all. I was a bit surprised and figgeres' he'd have a
change of heart after the Colorado Cool-Aid wore off.
However, Bob surprised me again by arranging with Harris Lee for a job
while at the Masters and was offered to replace a static judge who will
be unable to attend due to illness. All that remains is for Bob to
make up his mind, call Harris and accept (or decline) the static
judging job. If he accepts (and I think he's gonna), he and I will be
driving together to Dallas; he to judge and me to compete...of course,
we'll _both_ take full advantage of the all the partying too. ;b^)
Soooooo, I gotta' dust off the ol' MiG-3, replace all the retract
air/oil lines and recharge the system with oil. Once the retracts are
working again, a practice session or three will be in order and I'll be
all set to go to Dallas and [hopefully] restore the faithful ol' MiG's
pride after the bashing it took at the hands of the Top Shun - oops...,
er..., I mean Top Gun judges. (You'd be surprised at the correspondence
I've received from all over the country volunteering that the judging
must've been a real travesty for the MiG to've been insulted so. I
tend to agree, but then I'm prejudiced.)
I'm hoping Kevin and/or Kay qualified back there last weekend...it'd be
a real hoot to be able to compete in the Masters Champs together!!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2120 | | SPMFG1::TENEROWICZT | | Mon Jul 30 1990 15:05 | 12 |
| Rat,
I didn't write to much in the hopes that Kevin and Kay would
reply. I don't think Kay was flying. As stated before I watch Kevin's
Jug fly and it did look good in the air. At last years Qualifier
I thought it was underpowered on one flight but it a cracker Jack
now. That Bully pulls...............
I didn't see a flight from him yesterday but also didn't check
where he was in the running.
Tom
|
| 239.2121 | AMAZING BULLY.... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Tue Jul 31 1990 13:39 | 28 |
| Re: .-1, Tom,
Yes. the Bully is quite an amazing mill. I'm not sure at this point
just how far Kevin's gone with the power-enhancement mods but am sure
he's running an O.S. 7D carb which makes performance/dependability
quite good. The California troops are using yet another O.S. carb, the
model number of which I'm not sure but it goes on a ducted-fan engine,
and are hauling aroung 36-38 lb. Skyraiders with plenty of authority
with this comparatively small mill. Shailesh Patel uses a Bully to
haul the 39-lb. bulk of his Baker Jug around; it's a bit limited in the
vertical but has _plenty_ of authority straight and level, producing a
radar-gun verified 105-mph level flight speed.
As an update, Bob Frey has accepted Harris Lee's offer to be a judge at
this year's Masters Champ's in Dallas so it appears confirmed that I'll
be going...and to compete this year. (I've already told Harris I'm not
interested in doing another article, at least for RCM, as I have better
things to do with my time than to work my buns off preparing an article
only to have it snubbed by this ostentacious "catalog.") So, any of
y'all who have any desire to attend the finest scale contest in existance,
by all means plan to come on down to "Big-D"...I'd be tickled to see
ya's!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2122 | ABCs of magic | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Tue Jul 31 1990 15:34 | 134 |
| For the past 3~4 weeks, my trusty OS SF46 ABC engine on my First Step had
been acting funny. It would quit mid-flight, even though there was plenty of
gas in the tank, and I would have bring in the plane dead-stick. Apart from
this "vague" statement, I am unable to specify the symptoms any better.
Suffice it to say, that at every scene of misdemeanour by what had until
_then_ been my faithful engine (it's motto being - Never say Die), I would
consult with the local honchos in my efforts to mollify the beast. Perhaps,
it had picked up a virus from some of the other unreilable (promiscuous?)
engines at the field? AIDS? Before you jump to conclusions and say that
engines can't/don't get AIDS, allow me to remind you that we don't know
every thing about AIDS yet! With impeccable OS lineage (blue blood) and
upbringing, I was sure that my SF46 would have its sense of values straight,
and known to keep away from some of the shady, unsavoury engines that hang
out at the field. The very same ones that get drunk on alcohol (no
self-control or social drinkers these!), refuse to start, or idle, or quit
before the tank is empty and they have done their time.
I fought hard not to succumb to my worst fears, for it had served me well
through the training stage, pulling my plane out of trouble on numerous
occassions, and purring like a cat on the idle stretch coming in for a
landing, only to be ready to roar as a lion at an instant's notice. So, like
a distraught mother trying to comfort her baby plagued with an unknown
illness, I too wrung my hands, prayed, and tried not to despair. [Author's
interjection: Normally, in stories, soaps, movies, etc., it is at THIS point
that events take a turn for the better.] However, that was not to be so. :-(
As my engine grew more and more recalcitrant, my dead-stick landing skills
improved measure-for-measure. This from someone who used to get paralysed at
the thought of an engine going dead mid-air! In fact, my first dead stick
happened when I was on finals for landing. As my plane drew closer, I
wondered what the black vertical line on the nose might be. Last year, I had
seen what looked like magnetic tape streaming from the plane, only to land
and find that it was trim that come off! Baffled by the vertical line, I
continued my approach, unable to "hear" the dead engine over the din of the
other planes at the field. It was only when I was just over the edge of the
field that my predicament became clear. Instantly, my blood pressure shot up
at the thought of a possible calamity overtaking my FS, having just given me
the second nirvana. Then, just as quickly, my BP shot down, as my approach
was perfect, and I greased in my FS.
From those fledgling hops, the dead-sticks got more and more tricky. No more
final approach ones. The atlitudes got horrible. The attitudes got worse. It
even happened on windy days. Up wind. Down wind. In cross-winds too! Right
hand patterns. Left hand patterns. Aircraft inverted. Precisely why I got
the dead-sticks hitting me in PROGRESSIVELY difficult altitudes/altitudes,
remains a mystery to me, but every challenge was met. If not perfectly (by
bringing back to the field most of the time), then atleast most of the way,
by dumping in the tall grass _just_ off the edge of the field.
A few days back, I had it quit on take off, with 3 feet of altitude! Things
had proceeded from bad to worse, and Friday and Saturday was torture. The
engine would run at full throttle for the first 5~6 minutes, then begin
dropping in RPM and eventually die unless I cut down to half throttle, where
it would be happy. Boy, this was taking all the fun out of flying, just when
I thought I was beginning to have fun with my new found independence and
flying skills.
I have't mentioned all the things I tried to assuage the SF46 ABC. Early in
the game, a genuine bad plug was discovered, when the engine would quit the
instant you took off the plug-warmer. Later, as things worsened, I changed
the plumbing, cleaned out the tank and fliter. I took off the carb and
cleaned it in new fuel. I tried different fuels. I tried different plugs,
including 3 different ones last Saturday! Every time I used a new plug, [I
am talking past week now] the engine would seem to run better, but 5 minutes
into the flight, the engine wouldn't want to run at full throttle any
longer, and unless I reduce to half throttle, would quit. Once, I saw fuel
streaming from around the plug! A McDaniel Ni starter I had borrowed had
actually unscrewed the plug! I even took out the filter, and replaced it
with a brass tube, but that didn't mollify the spirits. I borrowed an OS
40FP muffler from Charlie Watt - it has mounting bolts on the muffler side
for which my SF46 exhaust was surprisingly enough, drilled out and tapped
for - and that too, failed to make a difference!
Harvey Thomasian had said that with all the take-off/landing practice I had
been doing, the engine needed to be cleaned. Remember that I have put nearly
60 hours on that engine, 30+ coming in the past 2 months alone! Charlie
suggested I look into the muffler. Sooo, I took the muffler apart, but that
was clean. I also took the cylinder head off, to find some deposits around
the plug hole. The top of the piston was black, except for some whitish
green crystalline deposits about .5 mm thick, that covered less than a 1/4
of the piston top! I got that off with a screwdriver tip, using a vacuum to
suck up the debris and prevent it from falling into the crank case!
Nothing worked. There were two things left on my list - cleaning the
exterior of the engine (I have seen cruddier engines than this run fine),
and replacing the tank itself. My efforts to locate Sunbeam metal cleaner
had been infructuous, and so the cleaning had got postponed. Charlie offered
to lend me some, so I drove home from the field with him. Then he offered to
clean up the engine right away. I was counting on using cheap third world
labour, instead of the more expensive American one, but jumped at the
opportunity.
The cleaner [which stinks] was spread with a brush and the goop attacked
with a toothbrush. After that we washed away the sins of the engine in the
holy waters of Charlies garden hose. The solemnity, and religious fervour of
the ritual would have made even the Pope turn green with envy! Just to make
him more jealous, we did it a second time!!
Eager to see if this had indeed been the panacea, I rushed back to the field
at Charlies urging. Fueled up, set the needle a tad rich, and took off. Then
I got the FS into inverted flight so the blood would rush into the cylinder
head, and rejuvenate the cells. My engine was hummin' away, and the 5 minute
deadline passed. 6 minutes. Still going strong. Next time I see my timer,
its been up 10 minutes, all of it inverted, and at full throttle! I decided
to keep goin' until the engine quit, circling high like an AWACs. The engine
quit at 13 minutes,and I dead-sticked [deliberately] back to the field in a
minute. Defueled the tank to find it dry!
Since Eastern Mysticism is skeptical of White Man magic [:-)], I was
unwilling to celebrate as yet. Just to give it the full shakeout, I repeated
the routine two more times, with identical results! Not quite - deadsticking
with a lot of altitude isn't the same as deadsticking low, and I came in too
high on one, and ended up in the tall grass.
Soooo, my baby had pooped and simply needed a daiper change, and mama didn't
know! Charlie agrees that my engine wasn't all THAT cruddy, but definitely,
the cooling must have been marginal! Either that, or the crud, which was
unevenly deposited on the engine, resulted in uneven cooling (and therefore
binding of the ABC piston and liner), leading to grief!
That's ABC MAGIC!!
Well, now I know I'll never get my US citizenship. I actually tried
(conniving with Charlie) to fix my engine instead of going out and buying a
new one, charged on plastic! Tsk. Tsk. Now jess who is left to save those
starvin' S&Ls?
Can't win 'em all. Sigh!
ajai
ps. My thanks to Charlie for doing me a(nother) good turn. Third world debt
is goin' up agn.
|
| 239.2123 | DON'T BABY 'EM....... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Tue Jul 31 1990 16:18 | 31 |
| Re: .-1, Ajai,
Interesting chronicle, though I still fail to fathom exactly WHY the
"fix" worked or what it could possibly have done. Naaaah, you must'a
inadvertently disturbed/vanquished the REAL culprit somehow in the
process of scrubbing the engine up without even being aware of it. And
now we'll never know what it _really_ was. ;b^{ [;b^)]
Another thing I just learned last weekend about ABC's might be of some
interest to those who've been having problems with them (are yoo
listening, John T.?). This could explain some of the trauma
experienced during the early hours of a new ABC's care and feeding.
According to a good flying buddy, whose opinion I readily seek when
sorting out engine problems, mentioned that an ABC _CAN_ be run
_TOO_RICH_ during break-in, thereby extending/complicating the process
or causing permanent damage to the engine. He explained that running
an ABC engine gurgly rich for too long causes seating problems between
piston and cylinder; says that the rich mixture keeps the top of the
piston too cool, preventing it from expanding and seating in evenly
with the rest of the piston body. Friend guru also offers that most
manufacturers of ABC's recommend cycling the mixture from rich to lean,
rich to lean, rich to lean for a tankful or so, then lean it out (not
'til the head turns blue, of course) and go fly. Mayhaps some of y'all
have been babying them too much with the exact reverse of the desired
results.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2124 | | CLOSUS::TAVARES | John--Stay Low, Keep Moving! | Tue Jul 31 1990 16:32 | 24 |
| Ajai, one can never accuse you of being a man of few words! Look
in the Engine Wizards topic for a discussion of this malady. But
the bottom line, from this raving maniac at least, is that you're
blowing plugs: you can't run an ABC engine at full lean, you must
run it at the point where its kicking glow-glop out or you'll
blow the plug. Switch to the K&B plug and loosen up the needle
valve.
I first entered this note before I saw Al's previous note. He
could have something there as its my practice to run the engine
slobbering for the first 45 minutes or more. But I can guarantee
you that if you're not careful in leaning out the engine, you
will blow the plug. The OS .40 that caused me so much grief has
been purring like a kitten these last few weeks. But it does get
hot if I'm not kicking out some glop.
I did 2 things: I switched to Byron's fuel and I use a K&B plug.
This last Sunday I had a left-over though new Fox plug in my OS
.25 (for the unsuccessful first flight of the Tutor -- film at
11!) and it blew the seal out after the first run.
BTW -- The good news is that you can use the plugs that won't run
in the ABC in any lapped piston or well run-in engine. Its just
the higher compression that's causing this mysterious bugaboo.
|
| 239.2129 | Soarcraft gliders kits, Max Mills, and the girls | ELMAGO::TTOMBAUGH | High Plains Drifter | Tue Aug 07 1990 18:46 | 35 |
| I decided to forego the Caribbean vacation next winter and instead
buy the Soarcraft Glasflugel 604 kit that Mark Antry had in the
for sale note.
Thinking about this now very rare specimen really brought back
memories.(This will definitely be a ramble, so it belongs here.)
Hugh Stock from N. Cal. sold scale, and a few non-scale, kits as
Soarcraft in the early and mid 70's. He was, I believe, the first
to achieve LSF level V. Max Mills convinced him to come to Albq.
to try for the x-c task in level V. I think it's 10km or 10 mi.,
goal and return. Hugh came and did it in one day. Don't recall if
he needed more than one launch, don't think so. North Wyoming blvd.,
where he accomplished it, was a dirt road in those days, now lined
with shopping centers and sub-divisions.
Max had been featuring Soarcraft kits in a series of cover photos
that he shot for RCM, featuring that most effective of all attention
getters, a girl in a bikini perched on a rock in the foothills east
of town. Where in h*ll he got those models we could never figure
out. The rest of us never encountered such creatures.
The last cover he did for RCM featured his wife Gloria, an ex-model,
posed in semi-transparent gown at the approach end of Albq.
International, silhouetted against the setting sun with a 727 on
final with its landing lights on in the background. The RCM editor
said RCM sales jumped when a Max Mills covered appeared, but Max
got burned out on photography and sold all his equipment, never
to this day to take up the editors standing offer to submit more
cover shots.
In those days all the Soarcraft kits that Max had were flown rudd.
and elev. only so the required dihedral kind of messed up the scale
appearence, but they flew great. The rather flexible wings bowed
alarmingly on launch, but a little carbon fiber will take care of
that and ailerons with a couple of itty bitty servos will take care
of the dihedral problem. I'm looking forward to building this beast.
Terry
|
| 239.2136 | Wing jig? | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Mon Aug 13 1990 12:13 | 19 |
| Al,
Remember that hanger queen old timer that you had tying up your work bench
for a few years?-) Is it still?
Anyway - as I recall - it had an elliptical dihedral wing right?
If so could you please tell me (us) how one could go about building
a jig like the one you had and how you use it. And please go deep
into detail as I've been thinking about trying to make a similar
wing for my Chuperosa.
If you think this is going to turn out to be long (I hope so) you might
want to start a separate note on building custom one design wing jigs.
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2137 | ACTIVITY UPDATE FROM THE SAND PEOPLE.... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Mon Aug 13 1990 12:30 | 53 |
| Well, no flying this weekend, Saturday was just too damned HOT! and it
stormed/rained all Saturday night making Sunday _extremely_ HUMID. So,
we just wrote it off for the time being. Chuck has his Baker Jug all
torn down now to complete detailingfinishing/weathering before making
final test flights prior to the Masters so he'd have had to fly his
Byron Staggerwing which he _could_ have done but it's overdue to be
gone through, checked and inspected (like a 100-hour inspection on a
full scale).
I spent both days in the workshop (for a change) installing a new
battery in my Futaba 7FGK FM transmitter and making some (overdue)
minor repairs to the ol' Yeller' Peril on Saturday. Sunday, I spent
the entire day (6-hours) completely replumbing the retract air and oil
lines in the MiG-3, preparatory to some practice flights before the
Masters. Friday night, Bob Frey's coming by to help me recharge the
Hydra-Lok with refrigeration compressor oil and, provided we run into
no snags, I may take the MiG out this weekend for some refamiliarization
flights...I haven't flown the ship since the Masters Qualifier here
last January so I need to get reacquainted with it. It _always_
impresses me how much nicer the MiG flies than the B�cker and makes me
wonder why I don't fly it more but the answer's fairly academic; you
just don't wanna' bark up yer' first-line competition ship fun flying
it.
The MiG's gotta' survive the Masters so it'll be available for a static
display we're doing at Champlin's Fighter Museum Oct. 5-6-7. This is
in conjunction with the first annual Aviation Artists Symposium being
put together by Judy Crandall (my aviation artist buddy, Jerry
Crandall's much prettier half) ...see article on this event and one
paragraph plug for the 1/8 AF in the current issue of Air Classics
magazine.
After that, I believe I'll start flying the MiG more frequently,
treating it less as a competition ship in order to get more enjoyment
from a ship that's already done more than its share in competition.
BTW, I may have decided on my next scale project but it's not what you
think. F-Troop, the scale oriented bunch of crazees from So. Cal. has
challenged the 1/8 AF to a rubberband shootout to be held Sunday AM of
our Fall Flyin, Oct. 20-21. Allowed are any scale WW-II military or
any era civilian aircraft with maximum wingspan of 36". It just
happens that, many moons back, John Nataloni sent me a copy of a
construction article for a rubber-powered scale ship by Earl Stahl from
a 1943 issue of Mocel Airplane News. The model is _fairly_ scale, has
a 22 1/2" wingspan and is recognizeable as a MiG-3. So, I just may
have to hack one of these out for the rubberband free-for-all in Oct.
Should be a blast if we get enough participation.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2138 | NOT MUCH I CAN SAY....... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Mon Aug 13 1990 12:44 | 25 |
| Re: .2136, Kay,
I'm not real sure what you mean by "an elliptical dihedral wing." The
Playboy wing you refer to is a constant chord, polyhedral wing with
nicely rounded tips
Be that as it may, there's precious little I can tell you about the jig
as I didn't make it. Some of the local antiquers made it _many_ years
ago at a time when they were almost mass-producing Playboys. So, I
can't tell you a thing about how the jig was layed out and built...sorry.
The deal was/is I have to store the jig after using 'til the next guy
wants to use it (which could be some time as the Playboy isn't as
popular as it used to be, having been eclipsed by the Lanzo Bomber and
several other great oltimers).
As to using it, there was no magic; simply taped the wing plans to the
jig, pinned down the parts and assembled the wing the same as you'd do
on a flat surface...all the jig did was allow you to build the wing in
one piece with the polyhedral built right in.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2139 | Just reading my mags | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Wed Aug 15 1990 13:45 | 48 |
| Been awful quiet today.
Let's see if I can't stir up some conversation.
I was reading in Model Aviation Sep 90 and came across the following
goodies.
In the CL Aerobatics column by McMillan.
Under the topic of painting prop tips (everybody's favorite subject).
They were talking about acrylic lacquer and said "This type of lacquer
needs the addition of flex-all and fish-eye killer to all mixes for
absolute world-class results.
Gee - no wonder I haven't been getting those "Absolute World Class" results.
What is fish-eye killer?
Here's a quotable quote for you. From the RC Giant Scale column by
de Vries:
The subject is gasoline engines...
"Petro, The Main Benefits"
Low initial cost
low running costs
rugged design
reliable
long lasting
good low-end torque
swings large props
no batteries needed
built-in fuel pump
self-contained ignition system
no more oil-sodden model
no needle valve fiddling
easy starting
longer life for your model
minimum support equipment needed at the flying field (all
you need to take to the field is your model and a petrol can)
light weight
sheer power
If that doesn't cause some controversy - I give up:-)
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2140 | IT'S BEEN A LOOOOOONG, WEIRD SUMMER....!! | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Wed Aug 15 1990 14:20 | 70 |
| Re: .-1, Kay,
Thanx for breaking the monotony, if nothig else. The file's been a
veritable morgue of late. What's become of all our active noters, I
wonder??
As to acrylic lacquer finishes. I've mentioned in 288, "Let Us Spray,"
that I lately prefer acrylic lacquer as it has most of the attributes
of dope with virtually none of the disadvantages. However, the MA
columnist was absolutely correct in recommendeing the use of a
plasticizer...I use the stuff formerly from Southern R/C products,
currently from Dave Brown Products. Regarding "fish-eye killer," I
haven't the foggiest notion what this might be...I can speculate as to
its purpose but, having never experienced a problem with fish-eyeing, I
don't see it as a necessity.
Been awhile since I've rambled about weather, mostly because ours has
monotonously constant...HOT! However, it's noteworthy to mention that,
in addition to the premature arrival and subsequent continuous presence
of our monsoon season, we've actually been getting rain out of it
regularly for the past month. Why noteworthy, you may ask...well, it's
rained heavily almost without a letup for the past 48-hours and the PNO
plant manager sent everyone home yesterday just after lunch due to
street flooding and closures and the resultant monumental traffic
snarl. This morning I fully expected a call telling us not to come in
but, unfortunately, it never came though the weather, if anything, was
worse than it was yesterday when we were sent home. Currently, it's
decreased to a slight drizzle but the sky's still ominous looking and
more rain is forecast through tomorrow.
This probably doesn't sound like any big deal to you'uns back there but
it's VERRRRRY unusual out here and, since the city wasn't built with
excesses of precipitation in mind, continued, heavy rain wreaks havoc.
Many neighborhoods and the homes therein are flooded with 3-to-4 feet
of water and trying to drive almost anywhere is a real zoo. Already,
several fools who've ignored barricades and warnings to the contrary
have tried to cross flooded [normally] dry washes and have had to be
rescued when their vehicles were washed away by strong running waters.
Fortunately, no one's drowned yet but that usually happens too when we
get one of these gully-washers! BTW, while we've lagged behind our
normal rainfall aaverages all year, we've more than doubled it in just
the last week!!
I'm glad to report that I'm still high and dry and expect to stay that
way...I've never even seen water standing in the streets in my
neighborhood but I've had as much as 6' of free standing water in my
yard during the hardest downpours. But, I haven't been totally
unaffected either; a month ago, I had all the plastic vent covers on
the roof of the motorhome destroyed by hail and, just a week ago, my
entire back fence was blown down. Fortunately, these are fairly minor
events and they've already been taken care of during the break between
the two most recent storms.
The extended forecast includes possible thunderstorms through the end
of the week so I may have to postpone practice flights on the MiG-3 as
the local fields, Puckerbrush Intl. Airport in particular, may be
inaccessabledue to unnegotiable access roads. We'll just have to hide
and watch....
While there's a side benefit in the form of [much] lower than normal
temperatures, the humidity is WAY up above 80% and I dread the
temperatures getting hot again as it's gonna' be a muggy mess! Oh well,
just 6-8 weeks longer and we're back into our 8-month shirtsleeve season
and THIS cowpoke can't wait!!!!!!!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2141 | You'd have to meet him to understand
| DIENTE::OSWALD | Randy Oswald | Wed Aug 15 1990 14:22 | 12 |
| Kay, the Colonel ,as he is affectionetly known (whats the mildly sarcastic smiley
face symbol?), is the scribe and newsletter editor for our club the PPRCC. This
is pretty much par for the course. He's highly opinionated and uses both MA
and our club newsletter as a soapbox from time to time. Two months ago it was
an editorial in our club rag about the evils of over-engining models. Came out
right after I had displayed a tiny bipe with a Super Tigre .75 bolted to the
nose. You just have to take some of what he says with a grain of salt. He's a
nice guy generally and anybody who'll put together a good newsletter on a
monthly basis for free goes in my good-guy column even if I don't agree with
his opinions all the time.
Randy
|
| 239.2142 | Are you referring to your Panic?? | LOEDGE::REITH | Jim Reith DTN 291-0072 - PDM1-1/J9 | Wed Aug 15 1990 14:59 | 1 |
| If so, that's the nicest description I've seen in a long while.
|
| 239.2143 | Fish-eye eliminator | SOLKIM::BOBA | Bob Aldea @PCO | Wed Aug 15 1990 15:04 | 18 |
| RE: Note 239.2139 KAY::FISHER "Stop and smell the balsa."
>>>...They were talking about acrylic lacquer and said "This type of lacquer
>>>needs the addition of flex-all and fish-eye killer to all mixes for
>>>absolute world-class results...
>>>What is fish-eye killer?
Some forms of contamination like the silicon often found in car waxes
will cause dimples in the new paint job. Fish-eye killer is an
additive which helps the paint bridge the contamination. One little
bottle contains a lifetime supply for a modeler. As with a
flex-additive, you don't always need it, so its not premixed in the
paint. Some people routinely add some when repainting a car, and
others don't bother unless they get in trouble.
As for any disadvantages, you'd have to ask a dealer who supplies paint
to the body shops. Those guys are a wealth of information on how to
correct all kinds of possible problems in a paint job.
|
| 239.2144 | Yeah, it was my Panic | DIENTE::OSWALD | Randy Oswald | Wed Aug 15 1990 15:12 | 6 |
| Yes I had brought my Panic for Show-n-tell and in the next newsletter was the
article on the evils of too much go.
> If so, that's the nicest description I've seen in a long while.
Are you referring to my description of the Panic or of Jack DeVries?
|
| 239.2145 | The Panic description | LOEDGE::REITH | Jim Reith DTN 291-0072 - PDM1-1/J9 | Wed Aug 15 1990 15:21 | 3 |
| I don't know Jack so that might be true also ;^)
(I'm about to drag my Panic back out again after flying other things)
|
| 239.2146 | 3 parts white gas, 1 part SAE 70 | LEHIGH::JNATALONI | | Wed Aug 15 1990 15:27 | 30 |
| More about ignition engines:
I've had a few of'em - Ohlsson, GHQ, Syncro, O.K., Sky Chief,
Dooling, etc. (darn, never had a Super Cyclone), and believe
me, the GLOW PLUG was devoutly welcomed.
All of those advantages mentioned certainly must be flavored
with a little 'tongue in cheek'.....although, you know.......
it's all in your point of view !
I've had a real hankerin' lately to try my hand at it again.
So much so that I've ordered a reproduction 'Super Cyke' -
always dreamed of owning one of those. Gonna' hang it 'real
proud like' in the nose of a "Spook". Always wanted one of
those too! (It'll be RC assist-R.,E.,Th.).
Actually, once you get the hang of it, ignition is real simple.
I never had a problem startin'em etc. Yes, there's more fussin',
glop, (in spite of comments to the contrary), and 'phernalia --
but they run real smooth and can swing huge hunks of lumber!
Delivery of the 'Cyke' is not expected until next spring - about
the time the Spook will be ready. You can be sure I'll keep you
posted. I'm really looking forward to this nostalgia trip.
(The Spook is that severely gull-winged cabin job, 72" span, that
was a real contest winner in its day, ca. '40's)
O.T. John
|
| 239.2147 | Fish eye killer IS silicone | GENRAL::BALDRIDGE | It's downhill from here | Wed Aug 15 1990 16:03 | 12 |
| Kay, as Bob says, silicone in the culprit in "fish-eye". In the
electronics industry you find it everywhere; insulation in capacitor
cans, mold release in all manner of parts, frequently a component in
wire insulation, etc, etc. The bad part of silicone, particularly when
used as a mold release, you really can't clean it off with solvent,
only spread it thinner. In a prior job we made a lot of rack-mounted
instrumentation and despite degreasing, etc, we used to have a terrible
time with "fish-eye" on front panels. That is, until we learned to
add a very small amount of silicone oil to the paint.
Chuck
|
| 239.2148 | Paint Prop Tips While Watching TV | CLOSUS::TAVARES | John--Stay Low, Keep Moving! | Thu Aug 16 1990 00:23 | 14 |
| I don't know about u'uns but I'm an avid prop-tip painter.
Started off with scratching a little red on the tip; now I'm into
red/white/blue tips.
I do have some things to contribute though... Firstly, I've tried
several paints and I've found that good ol' Pactra plastic model
enamel is as good as any. The prop is out in front and doesn't
get the fuel, and the paint covers in one coat, is shiny, and
bright, and it cleans up easy. Here's the Real Genius though...I
paint the BACKS of the prop with day-glow yellow. Great idea
huh? Ain't I smart? Neat stuff!
Now some joker is gonna try to take me down a notch by
wisecracking about how short a life my props have. Pooh to you!
|
| 239.2149 | WHA' FOR...?? | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Thu Aug 16 1990 11:20 | 11 |
| RE: .-1, John,
Why the day-glow yellow? Is this to make the prop more visible when
viewed from behind and help keep fingers/knuckles out'a the prop while
adjusting needle valve?? Inquiring minds wanna' know.....
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2150 | Yup | CLOSUS::TAVARES | John--Stay Low, Keep Moving! | Fri Aug 17 1990 00:43 | 8 |
| Well sir, I'm sure you've been at this game so long that you
don't have any fingers left. But it is indeed for us clumbsy
long-fingered types who don't know instinctively were the prop
is. Works great too. BTW the glow color I use is made for
model rockets, comes in red-orange and yellow. The yellow is
easier to see and less obtrusive.
Anybody still remember puce and chartruse?
|
| 239.2151 | Anyone try this, and if so does it work. | SUBURB::MCDONALDA | Old Elysian with a big D.I.C. | Fri Aug 17 1990 06:02 | 9 |
| Paint front half of prop, say, red-orange and the back half, say,
yellow.
The reason for this is for us learner types to tell which way the
aircraft is facing in flight. Thus, if all you see is a red-orange
propellor tip circle, then you know the aircraft is heading toward you,
else if its yellow, you know its heading away from you.
Angus
|
| 239.2152 | I BEEN CAREFUL....... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Fri Aug 17 1990 11:50 | 27 |
| Re: last-2
John, Nope! Hate to disappoint'cha but I still have all muh' digits,
though they're well adorned with the cicatrices of countless #11 X-Acto
cuts. Messin' with gas-powered models nigh onto 40-years, I learned
quite early the folly of matching flesh 'n bone against a whirling wood
or plastic buzz-saw!! Worse fileting I ever received was from an OK
Cub .049 diesel but it wasn't from getting _hit_ by the prop...it was
the relust of the prop sticking dead at max compression as I flipped
it, my fingers thence sliding along the length of the plastic blade,
laying my fingers open as though I'd purposely slid them under pressure
along a butcher knife blade. When I ran out of fingers, I canned the
engine and never fooled with it again! That's why I have an aversion
to the Davis Diesel conversions...I determined my problem, those many
years ago, was bad fuel, i.e. the ether content was low (evaporated), a
particular problem here in [normally] hot 'n dry Phoenix. Therefore, I
have no desire to fuddle with fuels containing ether.
Angus, I don't know whether the colored prop would be readily visible
in flight. Maybe, but I wouldn't depend on it being a reliable way to
determine which'a way the aircraft is heading.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2153 | Painting prop for direction prop-ably useless. | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Fri Aug 17 1990 14:25 | 28 |
| Well, having the expertise in losing my T60 at distances approaching a
few light years, I'll say the prop painting scheme will fail when
theory is put to practise. Here is why.
1. At distances where you expect to see the [dim] prop colour, you'll
be able to make out the orientation of the a/c anyway.
2. Sooo, you really want to make out which way the plane is heading
when it is faaar away. At such distances, the entire model looks black
[silhouette], so the even tinier prop has nary a chance. One exception
to the rule is when the model is close, but being flown against the
sun, in which case, the model still appears devoid of colour [black],
and you won't know the heading of the a/c.
You are best off giving, say left aileron, and watching which wing tip
drops. Left wing tip dropping sez the model was heading away, and
vice-versa. Usually, by the time you get worried about this, the a/c is
fast becoming a speck (or refusing to "un" speck :-)), so your
immediate concern is to bring home the baby. To continue, if the left
wing tip dropped, I would complete a 180 deg turn, level out, and wait
out the agonising "hours" for the return to base. If right wing tip
dropped, I immediately neutralise (i.e. level wings) and wait.
Left-right orientation given wrt pilot on ground, facing a/c.
ajai
ajai
|
| 239.2154 | Climbing Turns and Dayglow | CLOSUS::TAVARES | John--Stay Low, Keep Moving! | Sat Aug 18 1990 11:41 | 21 |
| Well, as one who has lost orientation many times, the first thing
I do is add power and give the stick up for a climb, then
I go right stick and see if I get a right or left turn. The
reason for the climbing turn is because of the rattlesnake Eaglet
I used to own: it headed for the ground nose first every time I
tried to turn it without elevator. Also, I found that up was
safest because, especially as a novice, its hard to determine
what the actual altitude of the plane was when its out that far.
I agree with you though on the color being hard to see at that
distance, though its worth a try -- if you can stand all the
guffaws in the pits! Be surprised at how bright that dayglow
stuff is, though it does depend heavily on the sun striking it
(being at your back, which is where it should be anyway).
I've also marked the bottom of my transmitter with yellow dayglow
(small stripes) and the trim levers too. Both for identification
on the rack, and in the case of the trims, because I took off
recently with a trim lever bumped and had a bit of a time the
first few minutes. I notice the the dayglow right away as
opposed to the black on black of the unpainted levers.
|
| 239.2155 | | ELMAGO::TTOMBAUGH | High Plains Drifter | Mon Aug 20 1990 11:00 | 6 |
| Monday morning wake up joke:
Q : What's the difference between a good pilot and a bad pilot ?
A : A good pilot breaks ground and flies into the wind.
|
| 239.2156 | A little known Ace. | LEHIGH::JNATALONI | | Mon Aug 20 1990 11:57 | 63 |
| "ACES"
Since contributors to these notefiles have had some comments
recently concerning WWII aces, I thought I'd add to it all
with something I've just located in a May, 1983 issue of
"Air Classics", excerpts from an article entitled: The
Unknown Ace.
Overshadowed by Dick Bong and confused with other Johnsons,
Jerry Johnson scored 22 victories, yet he remains relatively
unknown.
Second among the leading aces of the 49th Fighter Group, 5th AF,
Gerald R. Johnson was often to find his exploits in the air over-
shadowed by the groups top ace, Dick Bong. Furthermore, he had
another problem, there were two other top scoring aces with the
name Johnson, Gerald W., and Robert S.
Jerry first encountered the enemy when he was assigned to the 57th
Fighter Group, 11th AF, operating in the Aleutians. Jerry flew 58
missions in P-39's and P-40's, under horrendous conditions. At least
two of Jerry's claims were not counted because no one could see the
action in those murky skies.
He was eventually reassigned to Australia where he joined Bong,
McGuire, and the P-38. Also active in the area at this time was
another ace, Tommy Lynch. Jerry's first kill with the P-38 was,
ironically, another twin engine fighter, the Japanese "Nick".
(anybody know much about that one?, I don't).
The article goes on top describe some more kills, and interestingly,
while the unit operated out of Luzon, the P-38's proved to be a
devastating ground support weapon in the battle to get Formosa.
They were particularly effective in laying down rolling waves of
napalm, so much so that the 100 enemy airfields on Formosa were
rendered useless, and an invasion was deemed unnecessary.
When the war ended in Aug.,'45, Jerry Johnson was assigned base
Commander at the occupied Atsugi Airbase, in Atsugi (just outside
of Tokyo)
[Aside: This writer just learned this as I read the article, I just
missed meeting Jerry, as I was assigned to Atsugi in Nov.,'45, as a
shiny new Infantry 2nd Lt. - Gawd that were a long time ago!]
On Oct.7, Jerry took off in a B-17, into the teeth of a raging typhoon
where they had to ditch. Jerry made the crew jump, but being short
1 parachute, gave his chute away, and elected to go in with the ship.
Sometime later, Lt. Gen. G.C. Kenney, commander of the 5th, met
Jerry's father. "You are the father of the bravest man I ever knew
and the bravest thing he ever did was the last thing, when he did
not need to be brave"
- - - - - - - - - -
There are many of us "Grunts" who deeply admired, and devoutly
loved those brave and daring jocks that brought those monster
machines right down on the deck. I never saw the P-38's in
action, but did see what Mustangs, and "crazy" marines in
Corsairs could do ! Awesome isn't a big enough word.
john
|
| 239.2157 | I AM _REALLY_ ANNOYED WITH ME.......!! | 16697::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Mon Aug 20 1990 13:28 | 66 |
| Well, the storms finally broke up and left the valley area last
Wednesday leaving the remainder of the week with very nice weather. I
went over to Bob Frey's Friday night and we recharged the Hydra-Lok
system with A/C compressor oil, bled and tested the retracts...every-
thing was go. But, we BS'ed way past midnight so we postponed our
flying session 'til Sunday, not wanting to endure the early get-up
required for a Saturday session.
We arrived at Puckerbrush Int'l. Airport about 6:30 Sunday AM and found
the way in dry but much rougher than usual as the string of recent
thunderstorms had eroded the roads away. But, the runway looked great,
flat and smooth as if paved with asphalt. I assembled the MiG, checked
everything out, then fired the O.S .60 which snarled to life for the
first time since last JAnuary's Masters Qualifier.
The takeoff was straight and clean and, with a flick of the switch, the
wheels tucked neatly into the wing. A pass or two to fine-tune the
trims and I began my contest routing. After a maneuver or two, the
"lurkies" vanished, I relaxed and began really enjoying the flight. The
ship was solid, smooth and reassuring and I'd have taken the flight in
competition.
Completing the maneuvers, I ran back through the slow, 2-point and
4-point rolls then pitched out for landing. The gear came down
normally (always comforting to see) and I dialed in full flaps as I
flew the approach. Rolling onto final and began my descent. I
deliberately kept the ship in towards me to avoid getting into the
bushes on the far edge of the runway but this turned out to be a
mistake.
I failed to note a slight crosswind that'd come up directly at my back.
As the ship slowed up, the crosswind pushed the tail out/nose in and I
was dialing in left rudder even before the wheels kissed on. The
touchdown was perfect but Chuck shouted the alarm and only then did I
realize I was too close in and the ship was angling off the runway
towards a large puckerbush. The tail was still up so the tailwheel was
ineffective but the speed wasn't high enough for the full left rudder
to counteract the crosswind so I watched helplessly as the MiG
centerpunched the bush! Man, was I PO'd!!
Retrieving the bird, I noted with disgust that the leading edge of both
wings was all barked up and further inspection revealed a myriad of
little scrapes and dings! Arrrrrrrrrrgh!!! I did NOT want to have any
touch up to do before the Masters but now I was faced with [probably] a
week of evenings to repair the cosmetic damage. Even the plywood
tailwheel mounting platform was broken free when the tail slammed down
following the sudden stop. The bird stopped quickly enough to double
up the clunk in the tank if that tells you anything.
I was so mad at myself I could'a spit but I wanted to fly more and
would have except for the broken tailwheel which really needs to be
fixed in the shop. Also, I needed to inspect for shifted equipment,
stressed wiring/connectors before flying again so my day was finished
after a 15-minute flight. NUTZZZ!!!
But, except for going to sleep a bit on my heading at landing, it _had_
been an excellent flight and I felt good about that so I'll just have
to keep reminding myself of that as I repair and touch up the dings this
week. Siiiiiiiiiiiiigh!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2158 | So what did you do on your vacation?? | STOSPT::EATON | Dan Eaton St.Louis,MO,USA, 445-6522 | Tue Aug 21 1990 00:07 | 43 |
| I just got back from two weeks of vacation in Upper Michigan. Like last year,
I took advantage of the fact that BALSA USA is down the street from my in-laws
and got some building done. This year I built a plane called an Artic Tern. It's
a .25 sized high wing stand off scale model of a bush plane manufactured up
in Alaska. Take a look at the DEC. 1989 issue of RCM if you're interested in
what it looks like. I've got the plane ready for covering with the exception
of some carving that needs to be done on the cowling. Looks pretty good so far.
While I was at Balsa USA I got a chance to see their new 1/3 scale Cub. Boy is
it a monster. It must stand about 18 inches high at the wing. I guess if you
own a compact car and buy one of these you'll have to tow it to the field
because there's no way it will fit in the car. I got to wondering about the
note in the ad to call them about the scale documentation so I dropped by
the Menominee County airport for a look see. Sure enough, there's a clasic
yellow cub sitting outside of one of the hangars. Dumb me didn't bring a
camera along on the trip so I missed an opportunity to get some pictures of it.
The Cub wasn't that big of a deal but what really hurt was Helstrom Helicopter
is also located on the field an they had their new turbine powered chopper
sitting on the ramp where I could have gotten some pictures of it.
I did remember to bring along my Concept 30 so I got some flying in at the
local RC field. Nice place, they have about 4 acres of grass in the middle of
about 80 acres of open land. Dues are $20 a year and there are around 35
members. Lots of Balsa USA ships as you'd suppose but also a lot of Walt Mocha
(sp) designes as well. It turns out Walt use to work for Balsa USA and split
off on his own. I never noticed the Menominee address in his ads. The local
RC'ers are tickled pink about having two places to buy stuff now. One guy
pointed out to me that Walt was a great fellow to deal with because unlike Balsa
which is strictly business, Walt loves to talk and is very likely to have you
pull up a chair, offer you a beer, and chat for a couple of hours if he's not
busy.
The two weeks went by all too fast but as a night cap to make the trip home (9.5
hours) a little better I got to take along a couple of old Comet rubber power
kits that were sitting in my father-in-law's basement collecting dust for the
past twenty years. The first kit is a Spitfire and is in prety good shape. The
second kit had been started 20 years ago by one of my brother-in-laws and needs
some patching before it can be finished. Its worth a little work since its a
Douglas A-26 Invader. I'd have never gone out and bought something like this
but I sure am happy to have to have that big twin bomber.
|
| 239.2159 | Balsa USA Cub | FDCV25::P01YATES | | Tue Aug 21 1990 09:52 | 7 |
| Dan, can you enlighten us on the quality, construction, ease of
building, etc. of the Balsa Cub. I would like to read your opinion of
this kit!
Regards,
Ollie
|
| 239.2160 | | WRASSE::FRIEDRICHS | Kamikaze Eindecker pilot | Tue Aug 21 1990 10:36 | 15 |
| Yea, Walt Moccha is a great guy... Actually, I was under the
impression that he used to own Balsa-USA but it got too big for his
liking....
Walt is an *avid* WWI enthusiast. He attends Rhinebeck EVERY year,
including the year his house burned down.... He left for Rhinebeck
just a few days later, figuring there wasn't much more he could do
at home...
Walt and Nick Ziroli are even better together... Always willing to
talk and have fun. Good people!
cheers
jeff
|
| 239.2161 | SECOND THE MOTION RE. ZIROLI.... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Tue Aug 21 1990 11:47 | 17 |
| Re: .-1, Jeff,
You must be right about Nick Ziroli. He was at Top Gun flying one of
his B-25's in Team Scale and he came right up to me out of the blue and
began complimenting me on the MiG-3; said he'd always liked my model
(though I'm not sure where he might've seen it before except in
magazines) and was anxious to see it fly. I was sorry things worked
out the way they did and I was unable to show it off in the air for
him. At any rate, I was really impressed by the apparent warmth of the
guy and wish he had something I wanna' build so I could patronize him a
bit.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2162 | Sorry. I just saw the Cub, I didn't LOOK at it.
| JETRGR::EATON | Dan Eaton St.Louis,MO,USA, 445-6522 | Tue Aug 21 1990 12:31 | 6 |
| RE:-.2
I wish I could tell you more about the Cub, but I didn't take a close look
at it. The fuselage was sitting on the floor behind the receptionist/order
handler and the wings were sitting in Ron ?????'s (the owner) office. However,
I',m sure it can't be to far off the mark from their proven 1/4 scale Cub so
you might want to talk to someone who's owned one like Kevin Ladd.
|
| 239.2163 | First Solo Flight | SELL3::MARRONE | | Wed Aug 22 1990 14:31 | 45 |
| This note might be better off elsewhere, but I was in here and decided
to end a long period of silence. I'm one of those noters who basically
has enough time to read all the new notes, but VERY little time to type
in replies. (I guess that makes me a read-only noter) However, my
enthusiasm is overflowing today, and I've just got to spill it out.
I've been learning to fly since April using a CG Eagle2 with OS 40 FP,
and have had about 35 flights. Last week I bought a new OS 46 SF and
put it in the Eagle2, and boy, did that ever make a difference.
Completely transformed the performance. At any rate, last night I got
a little cocky, and decided I wanted to finally do a take off. So far
I've had my instructor do all the take-offs and landings while I
concentrated on learning the basics. Actually, last week, I did bring
the plane down during one low pass approach, but that was something I
did at the last minute, and it was something of a milestone because it
was the first time. But I still hadn't taken off.
Well, as I said, I got a little cocky and decided to take off myself,
with instructor by my side. First attempt was terrible, I almost put
it into a group of trees, and was only saved from disaster by a
quick-acting instructor (thanks Jeff) who grabbed the xmtr and made a
few panic turns to avert disaster. Well, I wasn't going to let a
mistake stop me, so again I tried, with a very similar type of
right-turn, squirrily take off that looked for a minute like it was
going into the trees. But with the new 46, it had enough power to give
me a chance to nurse it over the trees and up and away. Whew!! Just
made it!
I did a few approaches at low power, and getting my bravery up once
again, decided to bring it in for a landing. Pretty good approach,
speed right, a little high...how about just a little down elevator
#@*&%$#. BIG mistake, I dorked it. The wing popped off (love those
rubber bands), landing gear slightly bent, but other than that, my
birds OK.
Although what I just described wasn't very pretty at all, it was my
FIRST solo flight!!!! (Waiting for the applause). Folks, I'm
absolutely hooked now, and I wanted to share this tender moment with
all of you who have been a major part of my education and enjoyment of
this hobby for the past 8 months. And many thanks to Glen Schrader my
very first instructor, Mike Stains who has given me over 30 flights,
and lately Jeff Fredricks who talked me through my first solo flight.
Regards,
Joe
|
| 239.2164 | First Loso Flight Response | FDCV26::P01YATES | | Wed Aug 22 1990 15:45 | 17 |
| Joe, here is a suggestion that you should first talk over with your
insturctor which is pointing the nose up just a little to bleed off
your air speed (this is the quickest way down without picking up air
speed). Otherwise, if you point the nose down excessive airspeed
causes the plane to "float" forever.
Sounds like on your take offs a little left rudder would prevent the
plane from going to the right and causing all this trouble. Can you
trim in left rudder on your take offs and then concentrate on just
giving up evelator?
Also, sound like you have really lucked out by having some very good
instructors!!!
Regards,
Ollie
|
| 239.2165 | CONGRATS.... | SHTGUN::SCHRADER | | Wed Aug 22 1990 18:02 | 7 |
| Congratulations Joe. It's been a while since we've gotten together, let's set
something up. That first solo flight is always pretty tense so if you got
the plane back then you did good.
Happy flying,
Glenn
|
| 239.2166 | ???? | RVAX::SMITH | I FEEL THE NEED | Thu Aug 23 1990 09:29 | 6 |
| Anyone have a spare Tower 1990 catalog they can snail mail me?????
My son decided to take mine back to Vegas with him.
Steve Smith
HLO2-2/C07
|
| 239.2167 | C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S !! | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Thu Aug 23 1990 11:55 | 28 |
| Re: .2163, Joe,
Lemme' add my congratulations. That first solo is always a thrill
that's never quite duplicated ever again. As you already have learned
the hard way, never, NEVER, repeat, N E V E R use down elevator to try
to force the plane down on landing!
As you found out, down elevator takes all-of-a-sudden and you seldom
have time enough to get the nose back up before dorking it. I tell my
students to forget that down elevator even exists 'til much after solo;
to use varying degrees of up but NEVER, EVER use down as it reacts
differently (much quicker) and, as Ollie points out, doesn't buy you
anything anyway. Had you gotten away with it, you'd have decreased
yer' altitude but increased yer' airspeed and (most likely) drifted
right over the field into the puckerbrush anyway.
The best thing to do when landing approach is too high (for right now
while yer' a fledgling) is power up and go around...be picky and
_don't_ land unless yer' happy with the approach. Besides making for
better landings, this conditions you to recognize a good approach and
teaches you to put the airplane where _you_ want it. Good luck in yer'
further flying/learning.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2168 | Who is Lee Renaud | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Thu Aug 23 1990 12:12 | 22 |
| Yes - contratulations Joe. Now you're well on your way in the hobby.
The next thing you have to do is somehow resist the temptation to
build a P51 as your next plane.
Back on the topic of Rambling a bit.
At a recent glider contest they were giving Lee Renaud memorial
metals for prizes. When Jim Tyre won his he remarked how it was
special because he knew Lee.
OK - I'm guilty - I have one of these metals in my office from
a fun fly and I don't know anything about Lee Renaud.
Can somebody tell us about this fellow? Where was he from
and what types of models did he build and fly? What was his
area of expertise? Isn't there a Renaud in Airtronics management?
Any relation?
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2169 | Up, Up, and away | RVAX::SMITH | I FEEL THE NEED | Thu Aug 23 1990 12:13 | 13 |
| As my instructor, the infamous Charlie Watt told me, the secret
to a good takeoff is a good takeoff roll, and the secret to a good
landing is a good approach. As Al stated, if your approach isn't
good, go around and try again. You have enough to do without worrying
about making all kinds of corrections just to hit the field. A little
common sense, determination, and PRACTICE will have you greasing
them in before you know it.
SOLO......It's a great feeling isn't it?????
Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!
Steve
|
| 239.2170 | | ELMAGO::TTOMBAUGH | High Plains Drifter | Thu Aug 23 1990 13:51 | 19 |
| re .2168
Lee Renaud was the founder of Airtronics. He designed all their
glider kits, through the Sagitta. He died about 6-10 years ago,
I think. His son now runs the company. His wife Mary (?) also has
a hand in it. BTW the Legend is supposed to be available in Sept.
re .2156
The "Nick" built by Kawasaki as the Horyu, was a twin radial engine
heavy fighter. Two place, long greenhouse, similar to Me-110. Single
fin, pointed nose. Nice looking airplane as were most of the Japanese
twin engine fighters; and there were quite a few different models
too, but most were built in limited numbers later in the war as
anti-B-29 weapons. About 1380+ Nicks were built and saw service
in many S. Pacific areas.
Terry
|
| 239.2171 | African beans | ULYSSE::FROST | | Mon Aug 27 1990 08:51 | 57 |
| This is my first note in this conference after having gone through it
fairly thoroughly.
It's pure gold.
My modeling days started in Africa way back when I was knee-high to a
sparrow. As most of you have done I went through Kites, rubber, rubber
duration, scale, first powered free flights, Control line, and my first
radio!, donated by a friend of my father's.
It was an old ED Remote control. Tx was a red wrinkle-enamel finish
aluminium box about 10"x10"x10". About 9' of tubular aluminium antenna
stuck vertically out the side of the box and 12' of twin multicore wire with
a pushbotton was fed into the box through a grommet.
The Tx. needed 22.5v, 6v and if I remember correctly a 1.5v source for
the "heaters" in the valves.
The Rx. was housed in a clear perspex (now very yellow with age) box.
Single valve driven, one relay with a bunch of other gubbins. Two power
supplies. Motive power for the rudder was a rubber powered "bang-bang"
escapment that needed careful winding before each fright (pun intended)
and careful "resource management" (don't run out of turns!)
Control sequencing was:
Push (on the botton) and release - rudder left. (actually it did not
matter if you released or not. The rudder stayed left, you just used
more battery if you held the control)
Push and release again - rudder neutral
Push and release again - rudder right etc. etc.
It worked after a fashion.
From there to an OS Pixie radio and soo on. Let me hasten to add here
that although the ED radio gear was out of the very early fifties as
I remember, I was flying it in the late fifties and early sixties.
We in Africa (Zimbabwe) - suffer from stunted growth since
development at all levels is about 10 to 15 years behind Europe and the
USA.
The other thing is that most of our kit were from the UK, Keil Kraft,
ED, Mills, Mecury ad infinitum...
Then the reeds started arriving from the USA.
Anyway to cut a long story square, I was reminiscing with some
colleagues here in Valbonne on the French Riviera, about the great
times that we had building the former, stringer, tissue rubber powered
and jetex (remember the Jetex 50, 150, and scorpion motors?) kits, that
never flew well but gave us so much pleasure building.
The upshot is that we would like to locate some of these kits or
similar and see if we can do a better job on them now than we did then.
Noter .2158 mentioned this topic and the Comet range. As a follow-on to
that can anybody help locate sources for us? USA or UK.
Thanks - I shall now register in the conference.
regards George Frost.
|
| 239.2172 | WELCOME, AMIGO.... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Mon Aug 27 1990 11:57 | 26 |
| Welcome aboard, George,
I knew right off you we're one of our UK friends for yer' use of the
word "valve" for what us yanks always called [vacuum] "tubes." BTW,
what're "gubbins?" Is that what we refer to as gizmos, doo-dads,
what-nots, et al, ad-infinitum?
Interesting bio you gave us. Sounds like you got into radio
considerably before I did. I started with a 4-channel F&M proportional
in ~'63 and, then, after learning propr, reverted and fooled with some
single-channel and even taught a guy to fly on 8-channel reeds (after
teaching myself to fly it first).
As to Comet kits, to the best of my knowledge, these are still around,
essentially unchanged except for the addition of plastic props and new,
eye-grabbing packaging. Of course, the prices have changed radically
too. A Comet Sparky kit I used to buy for $.50 back in the 1950's now
sells for $5.00! :B^( Some of the larger U.S. based mail-order houses
should be able to provide any of the long line of Comet rubber powered
sport and scale kits.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2173 | Thanks for the data | ULYSSE::FROST | | Tue Aug 28 1990 06:47 | 4 |
| Thanks Al, both for the welcome and the Comet data.
Yes gubbins are exactly as you describe - although not too well known
even in the British punkah wallah. (tongue).
|
| 239.2174 | USN AIRSHIP MACON DISCOVERED..... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Tue Aug 28 1990 12:16 | 40 |
| A few weeks ago, I repeated a word of mouth story I'd heard about the
descovery of the sunken wreckage of the U.S. Navy airship Macon.
Well, it's true. I just read an article on this subject in the current
issue od Air Classics. The Macon went down within sight of land just
off Point Sur on the northern California coast. A flight of
4-Sparrowhawks had just been taken aboard when one of the airship's
stabilizing fins broke loose and damaged the envelope. According to
the accident board's findings, the crew over-reacted by releasing too
much ballast which caused the ship to rise to over a mile in altitude
when it was designed to operate at 2800' and below. The increased
altitude caused automatic compensation valves to release gas from the
cells and the airship headed down with too little remaining gas to
produce neutral buoyancy when lower altitudes/higher pressures were
encountered. The ship mushed into the water gently enough for all but
two of the 84-man crew to escape.
The wreckage was discovered this past June in 500' of water by the Navy
salvage sub, "Deep Cliff." The discovery was made after it was determined
that underwater currents had drifted the sinking airship north of the crash
site rather than south as the surface currents indicated. Two of the
four Sparrohawks aboard at the time of the crash have been discovered
in the wreckage and are said to be in excellent condition. Studies are
being conducted to determine the actual condition prior to launching a
recovery operation to raise the tweo rare little biplane fighters.
Nothing was said about the other two aircraft but I'd have to guess
they lie somewhere on the bottom between the crash site and the final
resting place of the huge airship's wreckage.
The loss of the Macon signalled the end of the airship program in the
US as it closely followed the crash of the Shenendoah which claimed the
lives of 77 crewmen. I certainly hope they're able to raise and
restore those Sparrowhawks as a tribute and memorial to the age when
sailors went aloft in these lighter than air, steel and fabric giants.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2175 | Chili Rellenos still with me | ELMAGO::TTOMBAUGH | High Plains Drifter | Tue Aug 28 1990 12:26 | 23 |
| Ok, it's like this. I spent last weekend driving 938 miles. I rode
a diesel-hydraulic train for 3 hours, to 14,110 ft., and back. I
rode an authentic old time steam engine (built in 1936 by Henschel).
I got ahold of a pair of the strangest looking chili rellenos I've
ever seen, at a so-called "Mexican" restaurant in Colo. Springs.
Then I'm expected to drive out to the PPSS contest on sunday morning
and put everyone on the trailer. I did (drive out there,that is).
The first thing I see is Mark Antrys shorts ! Arrrggghhh !
After all that, what do you expect? That I take last place in the
open class ? D*mn right I did, and proud of it!
Actually we had a good time, and with only 21 entrants from Ks.
Colo. , Tenn., N.M. and Germany, how could you have a more motely
crue , er crew.
Bernd finished very high in the novice class, 2nd I think, flying a
borrowed Oly, the perfect choice for the high winds.
I popped off the line twice, flexing towhook, then broke a control
horn and was allowed to switch to my backup which should have been
my primary, and got in one halfway decent flight.
7 1/2 hours later I was back in Albq. wondering if it was all a
dream. Still haven't decided.
Terry
|
| 239.2176 | NOTERS IN THE NEWS......!!!! | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Tue Aug 28 1990 14:37 | 23 |
| A note of congratulations is due. Our own Kevin Ladd and Kay Fisher
got their pictures in Model Aviation this month. Turn to the
District-I VP's report on page 125 and you'll see a picture of Kevin
and his Baker P-47D, "Little Demon." Just below, you'll also see a pic
of KAy's Berliner-Joyce P-16 sitting alongside Charlie Nelson's Waco...
the pic ain't the greatest but, hey!, any press is better than _no_
press they say. I haven't read the text as yet but the pix apparently
came from a 495th Squadron scale show of some sort some months back.
Actually, the event must've taken place _before_ last March as Kay
brought his B-J to Phoenix for our 1/8 AF Spring Scale Fly-In and tore
it up in a deadstick landing in the puckerbrush. Since he never
repaired the model (boo-hiss, Kay), the 495th event _had_ to've occurred
prior to March 1990.
Congrat's to both of ya's, guys! And, Kevin, though yer' being
exceedingly quiet I _know_ yer' making preparations and I expect to see
ya' at the Masters Champs in Dallas in just over 3-weeks.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2177 | October 1990 Model Aviation | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Wed Aug 29 1990 09:10 | 36 |
| > Actually, the event must've taken place _before_ last March as Kay
> brought his B-J to Phoenix for our 1/8 AF Spring Scale Fly-In and tore
> it up in a deadstick landing in the puckerbrush. Since he never
> repaired the model (boo-hiss, Kay), the 495th event _had_ to've occurred
> prior to March 1990.
I don't recall exactly when the event happened but I did repair and
fly one of the BJ's since Phoenix at the 495th Tewksbury Scale Fly In.
That is when I landed hot and it ballooned up after and stalled in.
I plan one last repair to retire it in my office. It (they) has been to
Phoenix twice, two Scale qualifiers (Westover and Philly), 3 scale fly
ins (Tewksbury, Hadley, and Salisbury), two static shows (495th and
N.Y. RAM show. It has won two trophies, had a 5 page article in RC Scale
Modeler, and the small picture in Model Aviation this month. Granted
it hasn't had nearly the flight time of models owned by better flyers
but all in all I am going to quit while I'm ahead on this one.
Also in the Oct-1990 Model Aviation.
Another thing worth looking at after you check out Kevin's beautiful
P-47 in the District I news is the Soaring (page 44) and Slope Soaring
(PAGE 50) columns.
If you have never had an interest in gliders and never will - check
out this month's columnS anyway. They have some absolutely outrageous
scale planes. I don't want to say anymore and spoil the surprise.
You don't even have to read - just look at the pictures - unbelievable!
Also - I was really impressed with the compressed air plane on Page 91.
Anyone care to share some comments on this.
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2178 | OOOOPS! MY MISTAKE..... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Wed Aug 29 1990 11:48 | 27 |
| Kay, Sorry 'bout the mis-info I passed out; I'd forgotten you'd
repaired, flown and re-crashed the B-J after Phoenix. Also, if it
sounded like I ewas demeaning you, I apologize...that was not my
intention. Of the two B-J's you built, can't you "paste" the
poorest/weakest components together for yer' office display and keep
one B-J flying? BTW, I agree entirely that you've gotten a pretty good
ride with yer' very first scale effort(s). Good goin'!
As to the weird/outrageous models featured in the two soaring columns
of this month's M.A., I have to let the cat out'a the bag on just one
count because that guy static displayed the A6 Intruder at Top Gun in
April. Lemme' tell ya's that it's even bigger than it appears in the
pix. When I heard he was planning to slope-soar it, I thought this guy
was some sort'a looney and the little men in white couldn't be far off.
Just goes ta' show ya', eh...?? BTW, I have some pix shot by Dan
Parsons of the powered versions of this ship built for/used in the
filming of the movie, Flight of the Intruder.
Regarding yer' request fer' comments on the compressed-air plane, it
looks like a flying pop-bottle ta' me. I'm sure it'll appeal to some
but it shore' don't do nuthin' fer' this here cowpoke! ;b^)
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2179 | Misc | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Wed Aug 29 1990 15:58 | 40 |
| > repaired, flown and re-crashed the B-J after Phoenix. Also, if it
> sounded like I ewas demeaning you, I apologize...that was not my
> intention. Of the two B-J's you built, can't you "paste" the
No apology necessary - I never read deep evil meaning into notes.
Alot of missunderstandings come about because somebody thinks your tone
of voice is wrong in a note. I've had several occasions when people
thought I was angry with them when in fact I was not. In my case this
is mostly because I am not nearly as gifted a writer as you so I don't
do nearly as good a job of converting thoughts into words.
> poorest/weakest components together for yer' office display and keep
> one B-J flying? BTW, I agree entirely that you've gotten a pretty good
I could but I won't. Too many hours to just get it flying. Lots more
hours to maintain. Besides I really have the hots to finish the three
projects in my input queue.
> Just goes ta' show ya', eh...?? BTW, I have some pix shot by Dan
> Parsons of the powered versions of this ship built for/used in the
> filming of the movie, Flight of the Intruder.
I wouldn't mind having an 8x10 of those turkeys throwing the 1/5 scale
intruder over the cliff.
> Regarding yer' request fer' comments on the compressed-air plane, it
> looks like a flying pop-bottle ta' me. I'm sure it'll appeal to some
> but it shore' don't do nuthin' fer' this here cowpoke! ;b^)
Huh - guess I'm the odd one here but I sure have a compelling desire
to try one. Transparent cylinder head, Piston with no wrist pin,
one pump per foot of altitude, etc. Sounds fun to me.
What do you think about the little pressure warning device he
had hooked to his foot pump? I've never heard of one of these before.
Where can we get them? Price?
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2180 | A WALK ON THE WEIRD SIDE......?? | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Wed Aug 29 1990 17:33 | 12 |
| Re: .-1, Kay,
I hadn't read the article on the compressed-air plane, probably
wouldn't have but will now to see about the pressure device you
mention. Yer' taste in airplanes really runs to the weird side,
don't it, amigo...??! ;b^)
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2181 | A treat in store | ULYSSE::FROST | | Mon Sep 03 1990 07:20 | 10 |
| The Las Vegas meet in October promises a treat to those of you who have
not seen the superb SAAB twin turboprop intercity built by the Wild
familly of Switzerland.
I have pics and a building article on this monster if anybody is
interested. It is amazing to see husband and wife fitting themselves
into their home to accomodate the model!
regards George Frost
|
| 239.2182 | Where, when? | CURIE::ANKER | Anker Berg-Sonne | Tue Sep 04 1990 10:00 | 9 |
| Re: <<< Note 239.2171 by ULYSSE::FROST >>>
George,
Where in Africa, and when? I spent 7 years in Joh'burg
from 1848 to 1955 and 4 years in Tanzania (Iringa and
Daressalaam) from 1963 to 1967!
Anker
|
| 239.2183 | Howdy Pardner | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Tue Sep 04 1990 11:48 | 27 |
| Well - It's official - I have non-refundable airlines tickets to Dallas.
I'll get to wear my 1/8 Air Force shirt once again - this time as Kevin
Ladd's pit snake.
It was easy - Kevin's wife Sue convinced my wife to go and this trip
doesn't even count against my model airplane credits!
Won't have much time to do anything in Dallas except see the Masters
but Al Casey promised that every body would get to meet the Dallas
Cowboys cheerleaders!
I just checked my Museum list and Harlingen is the place to be but it's
a long long way from Dallas/Ft. Worth.
There are two in Fort Worth but they appear to be mostly jets.
If I have a free day (will I?) what should I do in Dallas?
I don't suppose they would be willing to have a Vikings/Cowboys
game on my schedule?
Now let's see - what do I need to bring? Cowboy hat, boots, slim jims...
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2184 | WEATHER AND MASTERS PREPARATIONS | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Tue Sep 04 1990 12:05 | 70 |
| Re: .-1, Anker...*WOW!* You were in Africa from 1848 'til 1955? That's
107 years! I knew you was pretty ancient, but....... ;b^}
We had a pretty weird weekend here in Phoenix this weekend. Saturday
was pretty normal but very humid as our seemingly endless monsoon
season continues. Sunday, it rained in the early AM and water stood
everywhere on our 1 1/2 hour drive to visit my parents and my brother
up in Prescott, AZ. We drove through several small showers on the way
home also but nothing to write home about.
But last evening about 4:30PM, all Hell broke loose; we got almost 4"
of rain in about 3-hours of steady, sometimes violent, thunderstorms.
A tornado was officially reported as touching down just a coupla' miles
west of Chuck Collier's house but it touched down in a vacant/open area
so there was no reported damage. However, a golfer was struck by
lightning and killed during the height of the storm. Today's forecast
predicts more of the same. We were almost 2" over our annual rainfall
average _before_ this last storm so we must be significantly over it now.
Gettin' pretty boring for this here _desert_ rat! If this keeps up,
I'll haf'ta change my personal name to "The Swamp Rat."
Anyhow, between the storms, we managed to get a little flying in. I
took the MiG-3 out yesterday AM, meeting Chuck and arriving at the Sun
Valley Fliers field just after 7:00 AM. The air was perfect with just
a breath of a breeze right down the runway. I wasted no time taking
advantage of the ideal conditions and got three great flights in before
8:00 while Chuck did the same with his Staggerwing. We both had just
great days; my takeoffs were arrow-straight right down the centerline,
the maneuvers were crisp and precise and the landings as near perfect
"grease-jobs" as I can make.
Soon, the regulars began showing up, the skies became crowded with
sport and pattern jobs so we cleaned up our ships and spectated for an
hour or two. A fellow had a giant Byron Corsair with a Sachs-Dolmar
4.2ci mounted to a Byron Purr-Powr mount/muffler and swinging a
monster 3-bladed prop. He said he had about 20-flights on it and
number 21 was a real beauty; the takeoff was straight and precise, the
gear retracted nicely and the speed was just about perfect for realism
(~85-90 mph) though the vertical performance was a bit limited. He
made diving passes on the field that looked for all the world just like
those combat films we've all seen of F4U's dive bombing and dropping
napalm on hillside enemy emplacements. His landing was a real honey
too...just a real nice flight.
Another guy had a fairly nice Royal Cessna 182 which he flew very
realistically. Actually, we had quite a nice little scale gathering
for the first coupla' hours of daylight until traffic became more than
we wanted to risk this close to the Masters. BTW, the reason we went
to the SVF field instead of Puckerbrush Int'l Airport was we felt we
needed a taste of paved runways as flying from dirt (or grass, in most
of your cases) can spoil you and let the asphalt have its way with ya'
'til you find the handle again.
I'm happy as a clam with the Mig's performance and have only some minor
weathering to do over the repaired/touched-up areas and repainting the
landing light to be all ready to go to Big-D. We'll be leaving just
two weeks from yesterday and I'm chafing at the bit to get started, not
only because of the meet, but owing to the fact that I really NEED some
time away from this place. Also looking forward to flying with Kevin
Ladd in this, his first Masters...should be a real hoot! The latest
from Kevin is that Kay Fisher's decided to tag along and be
pit-lizard/caller for him (as well as to keep him out'a some Texas
jail, no doubt ;b^} ). Should be a real good meet with DECRCM fairly
well represented to boot.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2185 | Bombs Away... | MJBOOT::BENSON | __Frank Benson, DTN 348-4944__ | Tue Sep 04 1990 12:32 | 35 |
| OK, all you WWII buffs... I had a real treat yesterday morning.
According to the literature, there were 8000 B-24's made of which
approximately 25 survive, three are flyable. I spent about 20 minutes
aboard one that had FLOWN into the area for display. It was called
"North American" and was absolutely beautiful! I started in through
the tail belly door. Immediately behind me was the tail gunner turret.
To the right and left were the open side gunner areas, with machine
guns at the ready. They really are perfectly balanced and swung in an
enormous arc both up and down as well as fore to aft. I could imagine
the feeling as enemy fighters strafed by. The ammo boxes (with loaded
ammo belts) were about six feet forward and passed their belts via a
kind of conveyor to the guns. I walked forward via the _very_ small
and narrow catwalk between the open bombay doors. The bombs were a
little wobbly as I balanced against them. The belly turret was next,
with the warning "to be vacated during take-off and landing"; I guess
you didn't need to tell him twice!. The cockpit was spartan and had
little visibility, with small high windows. The bambardier (was he
also the nose gunner?) had a real view of everything, although with
flak around, I suspose he wasn't envied by the rest of the crew. All
in all, a gorgeous piece of work and one that made you proud of the
brave men that went to war in such a small fragile ship.
PS- Kay, I've been in FW during my time with Tandy; if you're bringing
boots to FW, better bring your boot scraper as well :^)
PPS- Alton, I got your mail re the parks report. I don't know the
final outcome, but I'm trying to find out.
PPPS- Al, how did that pilot from Turf fare, and do you remember his
name?
__|__ Regards-
\________________________O________________________/ Frank.
|
| 239.2186 | Don' leave me out, Bwana! | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Tue Sep 04 1990 13:18 | 31 |
| Gee, not wanting to be feeling left out or outdone, I feel compelled to
establish my Afro "roots", Bwana!
I was born in Ghana, West Africa, in 1962. Was there for about a year,
before my folks decided to head back to India, so I don't remember
much, mastaah. Pictures attest to my sleeping most of the time, and
when I was awake, I would either be overworking my drool glands, or
generating poop to keep my folks busy or getting sozzled swigging milk.
Time to take off that African mask of mine, and resume playing Injuns
and Cowboys again.
ajai
ps. Coupl'a tripla replies back, I Mr. Frost uses the phrase "punkah
wallah". In Hindi, this refers to the person who used to manually
power a fan to keep the "burra Sahib's" cool during the hot
tropical summers. The "fan" was a sheet of cloth hanging from the
cieling, with a [bamboo] pole weighing down the bottom, which would
be moved back and forth by the "punkah wallah".
They wouldn't make good propellors for rc, but dunno whatcha wan'ed
to convey, since the original meaning made no sense in the context
used!
pps:Pre-emptive answer #1 to question#1 from mah 'merican fren's
No, I haven't seen a punkah or punkah wallah, except in a museum.
ppps:Yes, we make electric cieling fans in India. :-) :-)
|
| 239.2187 | RE: .2185, SOME CORRECTIONS/COMMENTS.... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Tue Sep 04 1990 13:35 | 38 |
| Re: .-1, Frank,
I don't mean to be nit-pickey but I have to make a few corrections to
yer' statements about the B-24:
First, the -24 was T.H.E. most extensively built U.S. aircraft of
WW-II, something more than 18,000 (not 8000) examples of it being
built.
Second, 25 examples may survive in museums, etc. but the one you
toured is the ONLY one flying currently. The CAF also flies what
they _call_ a B-24 but, in actuality, this ship was the C-<mumble>
cargo/transport version of the -24 which is steadily being modified
to resemble the bomber variant.
Last, the B-24 you toured is named "All American," not North American.
The only reason I know all this is that the restoration of this magnificent
ship was featured in a recent issue of Air Classics. I envy you being
able to see it close up as it appears to be a real beauty in the pix
accompanying the article. I got to tour, then ride in the Arizona CAF
Wing's B-17, "Sentimental Journey," early in its restoration and it was
a thrill I'll NEVER forget.
Regarding the Turf Soaring School tow pilot who was seriously injured
some 6-8 weeks ago, I'm afraid I can't recall the name and, as is
annoyingly ALWAYS the case in these kind of stories, no more has been
reported since the initial crash. I have to think this is _good_ news
as the media would likely have reported it if he'd died. The Pawnee
tow-plane, BTW, appeared to be a total writeoff!!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2188 | | MJBOOT::BENSON | __Frank Benson, DTN 348-4944__ | Tue Sep 04 1990 13:48 | 8 |
| Al, thanks for the corrections, of course no offense taken. It really
is a gorgeous ship. I would like to have been around when it landed or
when it takes (took?) off as it must sound fabulous!
__|__ Regards-
\________________________O________________________/ Frank.
|
| 239.2189 | YOU SAID IT, AMIGO..... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Tue Sep 04 1990 14:48 | 16 |
| Re: .-1, Frank,
Yeah, you bet...the sound is really something to hear. A few years
back, we had a WW-II airshow out at FAlcon Field in Mesa (site of
Champlin's Fighter Museum) and the highlight of the show was when they
put the B-17 (Sentimental Journey) up with a gaggle of other WW-II
craft, mostly powered by "round-motors." Besides the B-17, the
formation consisted of a B-25, A-26, P-47, F4F, F6F, F4U, AD-1, P-40,
P-51 and others. This formation made pass after pass up the runway and
the sound(s) were simply breathtaking!!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2190 | Color me green | ELMAGO::TTOMBAUGH | High Plains Drifter | Wed Sep 05 1990 17:24 | 14 |
| Looking through the Oct. issue of Model Builder while eating lunch:
On page 36 is a 1951 photo of a group of young modelers. The kid
on the far right, Frank Townsend, was one of my best friends in
jr. high. One of the kids in the middle, Hal Cover, was my neighbor
in Calif., 16 years ago. Jeez talk about a deja vu trip or something.
Frank has an auto speed shop in Tucson now. Don't know what Hals'
doing now but 16 years ago he was still into modeling, and was
restoring a '59 Ferrari 250 GT. If he had the good sense to hold
on to the Ferrari for 10 or 12 years before selling it, I'd expect
he'd be sitting on the beach in Puerto Vallarta about now, watching
his yatch bobbing at the anchor. Sigh.
Terry
|
| 239.2191 | There are TWO B-24s flying! | ORGMEM::BRET | Crazy Hawaiian DTN 289-1604 | Thu Sep 06 1990 13:47 | 13 |
| Don't really mean to pick a nit with the mighty Casey, but there are
TWO B-24Js flying, All American owned by Bob Collings of Stow, MA and
the other by Dave Tallichet of 94th Aero Squadron restaurant fame.
Both of these mighty birds were parked side-by-side at the New England
Escadrille's Warbird airshow in Manchester, NH last year. All American
was as pristine as could be after a 97,000 man-hour restoration and the
other one looked like it had just returned from a raid. The ship that
the CAF has is listed as an LB-30 (according to what is painted on the
aft end of the fuselage). It is much the same as the C-87 cargo
version of the B-24 without the many turrets.
As far as I know, the All American will be at Manchester again this
year, but I don't think that the other B-24 will be there.
|
| 239.2192 | THAT'S GREAT.....!! | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Thu Sep 06 1990 14:47 | 12 |
| Re: .-1, Bret,
No sweat, amigo...I _enjoy_ being wrong about such things as this.
It's good to learn there are more 24's flying than was thought.
Besides, I was just quoting from Air Classics so _they_ are the ones
who are wrong! ;b^}
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2193 | re-modeling or remodeling? | BRAT::RYDER | perpetually the bewildered beginner | Fri Sep 07 1990 00:29 | 6 |
| re Note 251.19 (BUILDING AIDS) by Andy MAMIE::Fraser
>> I bought a couple of sheets of Homasote ....
Does this mean that the retired modeler and [full scale] glider guider
is about to come out of retirement? Or remodeling his house?
|
| 239.2194 | Safari time | ULYSSE::FROST | | Mon Sep 10 1990 09:18 | 55 |
| Ok a quick synopsis, I realise it is not correctly placed but am
responding to the .2182 and others. Perhaps Mr. Moderator you can move
it to Who's Who later?
I was born in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe and doing VErrrry well
thankyou), did three years of my junior school education in Nakuru,
Kenya. Built and flew gliders/rubber/jetex - anyone remember a jetex
powered helocopter? It was basically a rotor with a jetex at each tip
but flew well and autorotated badly.
Also my very first RTF (1957). It was a Fury (I think) framed up in balsa
but with an Aluminium shell for the fuselage.
Wings were paper covered (about 100gram light card).
All came in a sturdy box into which was built a geared winder
mechanism. Put the plane in the box, slot in the crank and wind on the
desired number of turns. The damned thing NEVER flew!
Spent my Kenya years on Safari with my old man (dad to you lot, not
husband) since he was gainfully in the employ of the Kenya Govt. water
conservation and research.
Soooo, yes I did visit most of the then East African Federation of
Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika from Lake Victoria in the North (Kisumu,
Kitale) down through the rift valley Eldoret, Molo, Nakuru, Nairobi
down to Arusha.
One holiday in Dar es Salaam and several in Malindi. Fabulous memories
and a wonderful upbringing for a 9-10 year old.
Senior school and College in Salisbury (now Harare) back in Zimbabwe.
Joined the Salisbury Model Club - member #11 (I still have my card),
and flew everything but was never good at anything.
Won a trophy or two in competitions in S. Rhodesia, Zambia but not much
more.
I know Jo'burg, Durban, Capetown as holiday places but no more.
Matter of fact a company called "Southern Cross Hobbies" manufactures
kits and exports them I believe to the US. I cannot remember the name
of the founder of the company but do know that he is resident in the
US. Roger Stern is the Zimbabwian running the company and office bearer
in the Harare Club. He does travel in the US a lot and by chance some
of you may know of him. He was flying a scale Pitts Special when I was
last there in '89.
Flying in Harare is superb. Altitude approx 6000', winter lows of -1 or
-2C summer highs of 30-35C. (roughly 32F and 100F). Winter is two
months, Summer is two months and the rest is blue skies and all the
flying time you can get in.
If you get a chance, visit the country. It is something very special,
plenty of animals, Falls, archeology, ramblin, rafting, Safari's, weather,
people and flying. "Thinks - sounds like Arizona?"
regards George Frost
|
| 239.2195 | pukkah wally! | ULYSSE::FROST | | Mon Sep 10 1990 09:43 | 18 |
| Ajai,
you are quite right about punkah wallah, my error. My family were all
born in India and spoke Hindi or Hindustani? or Gudgerati. As a
consequence when I came along I was forever trying to keep up with any
of the above or English or Shona (another story).
Punkah Wallah came to mind I think instead of Pukkah Wally (English)
which is not too.. disparaging to those of us who speak it. Hope its
clearer. btw my family were based in Nainital.(sp)
Forgot to add in my previous note, S. Rhodesia to 1954, Kenya to 1958
S.Rhodesia again to 1965, then Europe and the rest to date.
regards George Frost
Back to modelling..
|
| 239.2196 | GREAT STUFF......... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Mon Sep 10 1990 11:57 | 24 |
| Re: las-2, George,
Thanx fer' the fascinating background...it's always a treat (for me at
least) to learn about other modelers and pick out the parallels and
differences to my own beginnings. Yer' right, there are a few
similarities betwixt yer' home turf and mine. However, we're lower
(mean altitude of ~1500') and, unfortunately, warmer/hotter. Our
summer is longer than yer's but winter is very hard to identify as the
8-9 months that are _not_ summer all feature very mild, shirtsleeve
weather...only rarely does it freeze here and an overnight temperature
lower than 30F is almost unheard of. Daytimes are normally in the
70-75F range.
Oh, another dissimilarity is the total lack of elephants, giraffes,
zebras, etc. in Arizona. ;b^)
Welcome to the notesfile. I hope yer' return to modelling will bring
you much satisfaction.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2197 | 8-WORKING DAYS OF VACATION COMING UP.... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Mon Sep 10 1990 12:05 | 19 |
| I'll get this out of the way before I forget it. I'll be away from
mother-DEC from this coming Friday. Sept. 14, 'til Wednesday, Sept. 26.
Kathi and I are going camping up in the mountains this weekend with my
brother and his wife. We'll be driving the mini-motorhome up there
Friday AM and returning Sunday evening. That'll leave me Sunday night
and Monday to rest up and get things in order to leave for the U.S.
Scale Masters in Dallas, Texas early:thirty Tuesday AM.
We should arrive in Dallas Wednesday afternoon/evening and start the
festivities immediately thereupon. Wish me luck; I make no projections
other than the usual to show well and bring the MiG-3 home alive but,
who knows? A place is certainly within reason to contemplate.....
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2198 | Good Luch Al | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Mon Sep 10 1990 12:17 | 8 |
| > festivities immediately thereupon. Wish me luck; I make no projections
Just to start this off right - I plan to go to Dallas and wish you luck!
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2199 | One of these days | MAMIE::FRASER | Hypnotist: 10 cents a trance. | Mon Sep 10 1990 12:26 | 17 |
| > <<< Note 239.2193 by BRAT::RYDER "perpetually the bewildered beginner" >>>
> -< re-modeling or remodeling? >-
>re Note 251.19 (BUILDING AIDS) by Andy MAMIE::Fraser
> >> I bought a couple of sheets of Homasote ....
> Does this mean that the retired modeler and [full scale] glider guider
> is about to come out of retirement? Or remodeling his house?
Neither, Al - my wife confessed that she had always wanted a
model railroad - Homasote makes an ideal roadbed...
Andy
PS. I could be tempted by an electrified glider thingie...hmmm!
|
| 239.2200 | Good luck Al and Kevin... | ROCK::MINER | Dan Miner, DTN:225-4015, HLO2-3/D11 | Mon Sep 10 1990 15:22 | 14 |
| Good luck, Al! I hope you get second place.
I've already given Kevin my best wishes for FIRST place... :-)
_____
| \
| \ Silent POWER!
_ ___________ _________ | Happy Landings!
| \ | | | | |
|--------|- SANYO + ]-| ASTRO |--| - Dan Miner
|_/ |___________| |_________| |
| / | " The Earth needs more OZONE,
| / not Caster Oil!! "
|_____/
|
| 239.2201 | TELL YA' WHAT, I'D TAKE 2ND IN A HEARTBEAT, AMIGO :B^) | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Mon Sep 10 1990 18:25 | 6 |
| __
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2202 | BEST OF LUCK TO BOTH | BTOVT::BREAULT_B | | Mon Sep 10 1990 19:45 | 4 |
| Good luck to Al and Kevin. Hope you both place well and bring your
birds back home in the same condition as when you left with them.
Bernie
|
| 239.2203 | The Zimbabwe Bird | ULYSSE::FROST | | Tue Sep 11 1990 11:29 | 7 |
| I have just finished going through the "Scale" topic 271 and the Snow man
in note .721 mentions the Dalotel from Model Products put together in
Zimbabwe.
That was my reference in note .2195
regards George F
|
| 239.2204 | The ultimate "cool one" | ELMAGO::TTOMBAUGH | High Plains Drifter | Wed Sep 12 1990 10:54 | 13 |
| A funny/scary story heard at our club meeting last night:
Earlier this summer Buzz Averill was flying his DG-600 at 17,000
ft., on oxygen, in wave over the Sandia Mtns. The Sandias are also
a popular launching point for local hang gliders.
Overtaking a hang glider, Buzz noticed the guy had a box strapped
to his chest and was raising something to his lips periodically.
Sliding in for a closer look, Buzz was able to discern that the
hang glider pilot was drinking Bud, and the box was a six-pack !
No oxygen of course, but he seemed to be having a good time.
Terry
|
| 239.2205 | COUNTDOWN IS T-MINUS ONE AND COUNTING..... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Thu Sep 13 1990 14:09 | 36 |
| Well, this is my last day at work before taking 8-working days of
vacation. Goin' campin'/fishin' this weekend then, bright 'n early
Tuesday AM, it's off to Dallas, Texas for the U.S. Scale Masters.
Naturally, I just _had_ to come down with a dreaded summer cold this
week just when I'm tryin' to get things lined up for vacation. But,
I've been saturating it (the cold) with every patent medicine known to
man and, hopefully, have it on the run now. I guess that's preferrable
to coming down with it _at_ the Masters. :B^(
In any event, all is ready to embark on the trip and I won't be talking
to y'all in the Notesfile until a week from next Wednesday so you'uns
play nice and don't fight while I'm gone. ;b^) I sure hope I can come
back with the news that Kevin, Chuck or I have placed well in the
Masters (or all three of us) but will be content to be able to report
that all went well and the trusty MiG-3 is back from the wars in one piece.
That's especially important as I'm signed up to display the MiG at the
big Artists' Symposium at Champlin's Fighter Museum next month...I'd
sure hate to miss out on that! We (the 1/8 A.F.) are putting on a
static display of over 20-scale aircraft at this shindig, the
centerpiece of which will be Kent Walters' magnificent, 13', 100lb.
B-17G, Shoo Shoo Baby. The highlight of the show (besides the model
display, of course ;b^} ) will be the rolling out and running up of the
museum's Fw-190, Bf-109, P-51 and P-47. Not as good as seeing them
fly, of course, but I'm really anxious to hear those two German engines
run.
Anyhoo, wish us all luck and I'll be talking with y'all a week from
Wednesday.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2206 | Lotsa luck 'n' best wishes... | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Thu Sep 13 1990 16:36 | 3 |
| All the best to Kevin and Al for the Scale Masters.
ajai
|
| 239.2207 | what about the zoo? | STEPS1::HUGHES | Dave Hughes LMO2/N11 296-5209 | Mon Sep 17 1990 18:15 | 9 |
| re: 2196 a week ago...
> Oh, another dissimilarity is the total lack of elephants, giraffes,
> zebras, etc. in Arizona. ;b^)
Gee, didn't I see some of each at the Phoenix zoo a couple
years ago? I don't remember any polar bears, though.
Dave
|
| 239.2208 | JUST A QUICK TEASER...! | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Wed Sep 26 1990 12:27 | 14 |
| Yes, as noted in another topic, the Rat'z back and trying to retrain
himself about this work sh*t! I'll put a full report on the Masters in
"Ramblin'" sometime later today. For the time being, suffice to say
that Kevin, Chuck Collier and myself fell a little short of conquering
but we came, we saw, we participated, we had one helluva great time and
we all brought our ships home in one piece. I placed somewhere probably
in the upper-middle of the pack with Chuck about 2-points ahead of me
and Kevin about 2-points behind. More later; film at 11:00.......
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2209 | 1990 U.S. SCALE MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIPS REPORT | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Wed Sep 26 1990 19:48 | 225 |
| Following a pleasant weekend in the cool mountain country near Williams, AZ
(~1-hour S.E. of the Grand Canyon), I spent Monday the 17th of Sept. getting
all my final preparations in order to leave for the Masters Tuesday morning.
Struggling out'a bed at 3:30 AM Tuesday, I had all my junk hauled out'a the
workshop and house, all stacked up in the entryway by 5:00 AM. Bob Frey showed
up a few minutes later and we had his classic '61 GMC Suburban loaded and
headed towards Dallas just a coupla' ticks before 6:00. We took the southern
route through Tucson and Wilcox Arizona, Lordsburg, Deming and Las Cruces New
Mexico, then on through El Paso and, 11-hours later, reined-in our trusty steed
at Pecos, Texas, there to spend the night. After a good steak dinner in a
place modelled after Judge Roy Bean's Jersey Lily Saloon, we turned in for a
good night's rest and were on the road again early Wednesday AM for the final
8-hour drive into Dallas.
We drove through considerable rain Tuesday night/Wednesday morning and the
skies were overcast and threatening when we pulled up in front of the Holiday
Inn in Irving, Texas just after 3:00 PM. When we stepped out of the Suburban,
I was almost felled to my knees by the HEAVY humidity. The mugginess seemed
only slightly abated by the air conditioning when we entered the hotel but we
immediately began greeting and being greeted by many old friends and
acquaintances. After registering, we were all steered up to Harris Lee's room
where the bathtub had been iced down with an untold but copious quantity of
Colorado Cool-Aid (and other beer substitutes that shall remain nameless).
I ran into Kevin Ladd and Kay Fisher shortly after their arrival and, after
they got all their junk stashed, they came up to the bash in Harris's room.
The beer, tall tales and much camaraderie flowed to the wee hours but I split
moderately early (sometime around midnight) to catch some needed shut-eye and
recuperate from the drive.
Thursday AM, static was held in the back parking lot of the hotel and I must
say that I'll never (wellllll, _maybe_ never) complain about our Arizona
monsoon season and its accompanying humidity again. Though overcast all day,
the humidity was oppressing..., stifling..., almost debilitating! The human
mind has the wonderful capacity to subtly erase our remembrance of pain and
suffering so, though I may have felt mugginess like this before, I honestly
couldn't recall ever sweating so profusely in all my life! I was almost
unbearably miserable the entire day but, somehow, was able to struggle through
static judging. Thursday night, another go at hospitality in Harris Lee's room
with a freshly iced down bathtubful of ignorant-oil and some entertaining
videos of model and full-scale aircraft. Incidentally, Static-scores were
posted following completion of round-1 and I was pleased to receive a 92.0,
thus exonerating the MiG from the drubbing it took at Top Gun. Chuck also
received a 92 and I think Kevin got an 89.5.
Friday AM, we got to the heart of the matter as flying began. The field was in
an Irving city park and the runway had been newly paved just for the Masters.
A goodly sized lake fronted the north end of the runway about 3/4 mile distant
and the facility was quite attractive with one slight exception; for some
reason, they hadn't bothered to level the runway before paving and it had a
pronounced hump near the north end, the strip falling away downhill on either
side.
It was quite gusty and my first takeoff just sort'a jumped airborne and flew
away with wings rocking in the gale. The flight maneuvers came off pretty well
though and now it was time to land. As fate would have it, the gusts increased
just about now and I was fighting the 12-lb. MiG-3 through numerous lumps and
holes in the air on final approach. The resulting touchdown was a bit firm but
it stuck and was rolling out when the left gear collapsed. Arrrrrrrgh!
"Flight complete."
Inspection revealed the nylon sliding block in the left gear had broken so I
spent the next 2-hours hunkered down in the grass with Bob as we cannibalized
the spare Rhom-Air parts I'd brought trying to repair the crippled gear. We
finally thrashed a gear together and were ready for round-2....we hoped.
On round-2, the wind had changed and was now crossed 90-degrees to the runway.
The MiG is a bit short in the rudder department and is _not_ good in a
crosswind so, after a knife-edge takeoff, we were once again airborne. Again,
the air maneuvers went extremely well but, on landing, this time the right gear
collapsed. Pulling the wing I found that the Hydra-Lok had apparently burst
filling the air-side of the gear system with oil which was puked out the air
switching valve every time the gear was actuated. Whatta' mess!! ^(&^*^$^%#!!
Oil all in the center-section of the wing, even puddled in the fuselage...ugh!
Meanwhile, though nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking-chairs,
Kevin proceeded to put in two trouble-free flights and, though feeling he could
do better, was happy to have them under his belt. The Evil One, our own Eric
H., had by now arrived and was taping everything we did, attempting to blackmail
us with the tape. Frankly, it almost worked with me; so far, I wasn't terribly
pleased with my fortunes though I had a 77 and an 86 flight score. Chuck was
having his usual run of landing gear problems, one gear hanging most of the
time but he got in two uneventful if not high scoring flights (though higher
than mine as at least his gear stayed locked on landing).
That night, the cocktail party rather fizzled as the hotel was asking $3.00 for
a lousy beer and much higher for mixed drinks. We broke up _very_ early and
once again wound up fishin' ice-cold beers from the bathtub in Harris's room.
This was not the first time I've seen problems with the Holiday Inn and more
was to follow.
Saturday AM, I bypassed the Hydra-Lok in my gear system and went to straight
air. I could'a checked the Hydra-Lok for leaks but, even if it checked out OK,
that would'a indicated a problem with the gear Bob and I had rebuilt and I had
no more parts for it so it was academic. When my turn came, I had a nice
breeze right down the runway and mused that, if I couldn't get a takeoff in
_this_ condition, I simply wasn't gonna' get one.
I checked the gear and it still had 80-lb.'s of pressure after sitting most of
the day so I figgered' I was all set. Then, I went to start the engine and,
for the first time ever, the engine backfired and spit the prop, spinner, etc.,
breaking the spinner cone and cracking the prop. I went to the bottom of the
flight order and went to the truck for a fresh prop and my spare spinner cone,
returned to the flight line and installed same. My turn came back around
shortly and I fired up (uneventfully this time) and taxied into takeoff
position.
The takeoff was almost letter perfect and I was smiling to myself until I hit
the retract switch and nothing happened. (**&%&%$#!! I cycled the retract
switch several times but no joy. So, I flew the entire flight with the gear
hanging down and managed to get some pretty nice maneuvers but the flight would
not score well in any case due to the loss of realism points by way of the gear
not working. Now to grease a landing for a change; I had it wired on final and
made an acceptable touchdown only to have the d*mn gear fold _again_! To date
I'd only had three gear-folds in the entire life of the MiG and they'd ALL
happened at THIS Masters!! Only thing we could figger' was that, in checking
the air pressure prior to the aborted attempt of a few minutes earlier, the
fill-valve must'a stuck open enough to bleed off all the pressure. It checked
out fine afterward and is still working perfectly.
"Murphy" had really had his way with me through this entire meet!! Still, I
somehow wasn't all that bothered by it and continued to enjoy the meet to the
hilt.
Saturday night's banquet wasn't all it should'a been either. The drinks were
still pretty high, though slightly cheaper, and we were disappointed to learn
that, for the first time in 11-years, Frank Tiano didn't do his traditional
roast. No one knows (or is saying) what happened, probably some political
thing, but Frank didn't even attend the banquet and he'd been collecting
material for his roast and the P.A. at the field had been announcing it all day
Saturday...still, no Frank. Dunno' what happened but am really curious.
Sunday AM was actually a bit chilly, the most comfortable day to date.
However, an extremely stiff wind (probably 20 knots, gusting to 30) prevailed
all through round-4. I decided there was no future to risk the MiG further as
a perfect score wouldn't have gotten me into the top-10, especially in front of
the toughest judges, but I _could_ bugger up the plane or worse and, with the
Art Show/Fighter Pilots' Symposium static display we're doing coming up weekend
after next, the risk didn't seem justified. Therefore, I scratched round-4 and
became a spectator.
Kevin put in a pretty fair flight considering the wind but was nearly upset by
it on landing. The wind raised his Jug's left wing and the big P-47 lazily
rolled to a stop on the right wheel and the right wingtip. Chuck's last flight
didn't help him either; he was all over the sky fighting the wind and bent both
gear on landing. But, we all got through it with only a minor scrape or two to
show for it.
I finished with a 174 and change with Kevin close behind with a 172 and change.
Chuck edged us with a 176-point-something by virtue of a 92 flight on Saturday.
But we were all out of the money...though solidly located somewhere in the
middle/upper-middle of the pack.
Winners as best I remember them were as follows:
1. Charlie Chambers P-51 "Big Beautiful Doll" (This was a _very_ popular
win; Charlie flew his heart out and was easily the most improved flier I've
seen in some time...he deserved it!)
2. Eugene Job Baker Zero
3. Hal Parenti Ryan Fireball
4. (unsure)
5. Diego Lopez Skyraider
6. (unsure)
7. Bene BArton Skyraider
8. Mel Whitley Sea Fury
9. Ron Gillman Violett F-86 (Same one that won Top Gun)
10. Rick Lewis Skyraider
Maybe Kevin or Kay can fill in the blanks and/or correct the above but it
should be pretty close.
At the banquet, Charlie Nelson received the Best Civilian award and Charlie
Chambers got the Best Military again (and again, and again, and.....). :B^)
Chambers also won the Pilots' Choice Award so he took home a ton of hardware.
Highlights:
* Charlie Chambers' much improved flying.
* A gorgeous, well flown Sea Fury.
* Ted White and son Tony's terrific noontime demo flying each day.
* A magnificent save of the SR-71 Blackbird with one aileron stuck full down by
Dennis Crooks.
* A great demo flight by the three Skyraiders.
Lowlights:
* High attrition rate on Friday seeing fatal crashes by Frank Tiano (KI-84
Frank), Skip Mast (C-130), Jack Buckley (CAP-10) and others.
* The off-field/social activities were just a bit flat compared to past years.
* The Holiday Inn sold us drink tickets for the banquet then closed up their
bars leaving us holding the bag for the now worthless tickets.
Bob and I swung by Ted White's place Monday AM and spent a coupla' hours having
breakfast together and BS'ing before getting homeward bound at ~11:30 AM. We
pushed through 11-hours to our first-night goal of El Paso, had another great
steak dinner, a good night's rest and were on the road again by 8:00 Tuesday
AM.
Deviating from our outbound route, we swung off Interstate-10 at Lordsburg and
retraced the route I used to take driving home from Walker AFB in Roswell,
N. Mex. some 29-years ago while I was in the USAF. Either I'd forgotten how
beautiful the country is in this area or [more likely] I'd looked at it through
younger, less appreciative eyes those 3-decades ago. The scenic vistas and
panoramas were magnificent and waves of the most pleasant sort of nostalgia
washed over me as we made our way through the route I was once so intimate
with. Finally, we arrived home just a few ticks past 3:00 P.M. and I was, at
the same time, glad to be home but sorry the adventure was over.
All-in-all, it was one of the most pleasant trips I've ever taken. It's a
shame I didn't have a little better luck on the field but those things happen
and it didn't put a damper on my having a super time anyway.
Hopefully, Kevin and/or Kay and/or Eric will add their impressions of the meet
and fill in the many blanks I know I've left so you can all have a more
complete picture of the Masters. I believe it to be a fine program and look
forward to continued participation in it. Who knows, maybe I'll even be able
to place in it again one day in the not too distant future......
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2210 | MORE ON MASTERS...... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Thu Sep 27 1990 11:36 | 24 |
| As an addendum to .-1, I remembered that Jeff Foley placed his Zero in
the top-10 at the Masters...I think his name can be plugged into the
4th place blank. I'm still struggling to remember who was 8th. A
little help Kevin.....Kay....?
Additionally, I should mention that two of our party displayed some
fantastic luck-of-the-draw. At Saturday night's banquet, pilot's names
were drawn from a hat for some nice merchandise prizes and the second
name drawn was Chuck Collier who won a neat CAP-10B kit from Yellow
Aircraft. Our buddy from Denver, Brian O'Meara, was drawn for the
Spitfire kit, also from Yellow Aircraft.
Then, after competition was completed Sunday, the cash raffle was drawn
and the first name out'a the hat was none other than our own Kay Fisher
who became the proud owner of a giant-scale Aeronca Sedan kit. (I
think that's right...correct me if I'm wrong, Kay.)
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2211 | SUPER Report | GENRAL::KNOERLE | | Thu Sep 27 1990 11:49 | 24 |
| This is a great report, when I read through I felt I participated this
Masters. Thanks a lot. With all of Murphey's Interfernce I think you did
SUPER ! Congratulations to you, Kevin and Kay ! It feels good to know
some of the best model RC'ers work for the same company !
I'm very sorry to hear Jack Buckley crashed his gorgeous CAP10. I got
some pictures of the original from him when I met him at one of his
club's meet in Berlin/Mass.
\\
\ \ __
\ \ \ \
\ \ \ \
\ \ / \_\
\ \ /LO |
.o^^^--------==========___/
< \ \-''
'-___-'\ \
\ \
\ \ Holm- und Rippenbruch,
\ \
\\ Bernd
|
| 239.2212 | ANOTHER REPORT FROM ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE...... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Thu Sep 27 1990 12:24 | 140 |
| Without Eric's permission but I'm sure with his blessing, I'm
reprinting his report on the Masters here for the benefit of all those
noters who don't check out the WEWAND::DECRCM conference regularly.
Oh, and thanx fer' the very kind words, Bernd...ah' 'preciate 'em!!
================================================================================
Note 114.134 Week-end Wonders (and other flying stuff!) 134 of 135
CSTEAM::HENDERSON "Competition is Fun: Dtn 297-618" 130 lines 24-SEP-1990 22:46
-< 1990 Scale Masters. >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IT IS NOW THE MONDAY AFTER THE 1990 SCALE MASTERS COMPETITION. MANY IF NOT
ALL OF THE CONTESTANTS WILL BE WINDING THEIR WEARY WAY HOME AFTER FOUR HARD
FOUGHT DAYS OF GOOD SOLID COMPETITION. SOME WILL BE HAPPY AND SOME MAY BE
SAD BUT ALL WILL BE PROUD THAT THEY TOOK PART IN ONE OF THE BEST EVER SCALE
COMPETITIONS IN THE USA.
I will write about my experiences and those people who came in and out of
my range in that time. I shall leave the placing's and prize information to
the other writers.
This Scale Masters was my first scale competition that I had really seen
all the way through. I had casually observed the 85 NATs but all that I
knew about scale competitions I had either read or seen on video tapes.
It all began late Friday afternoon when I raced from the office to the
Dallas site. I arrived to find dull overcast clouds but planes flying and a
full parking lot. With standard silver tongue work, I talked my way into
the contestants area and was soon in possession of an "Official's" badge
courtesy of Jack Buckley. It was a tough start for me because I arrived
tooting and smiling only to find Jack putting the remnants of his CAP into
his MAss registered truck. Thirty four hours of driving and he had not got
through his first flight. The theory is that the RX x'tal failed. Jack is a
hell of a guy and took it better than many of us could have.
I soon had touched base with all the HTA gang and the Phoenix reprobates
and was on the flight line with my oft lugged VCR. It was cool and dull but
shoot I was going to. It only took me ten minutes to brush with officialdom
again. I could be in the ready area as an "official", but not on the flight
line. Others were there but they had "Press' badges. Dulled but not daunted
I sought out the resourceful desert Rat. He was given an initiative test
and passed with flying colors. In ten minutes, no less, I was back on the
firing line with a Press-pass. The official immediately saw me and headed
towards me. I smiled, thanked him for his attention and glanced downwards
at my chest where now was pinned a shinny new yellow "Press" badge. He
faltered and then said O.K. at about 33rpm.
I was to be dogged by him for the next three days but the cameras were
rolling and clicking and I had access to the greatest models and their
flying from the closest that a person could be. I was inches behind the
judges, the pilots and their callers. Behind was good, because they could
not see me. To the side was not so good because I think that all the
cameras made them a little nervous. I got to know my other reporting peers
very well and they never asked me what "HTA NEWS" really was!. I think that
the accent and the T-shirt did it.
The flying standards were high and the models were all first class. It was
going to take some good judging to separate them all. The MiG looked good
in all this company. Little Demon stood proud and solid as the winds blew
less planes around a bit. The returning WACO of Charlie Nelson was highest
in static and all were wondering if he could do it this year. Tom K was
looking good with his Old Fokker bipe, (No panics this time??). Jack
Buckley was helping all the MA guys and I was impressed the way he kept his
chin up.
I saw contestants from Japan, South Africa, Canada, and all points of USA.
As in many of these competitions there was a lot of attrition. Most of
which was due to the weather. Some, however, were due to the pilots. I saw
a couple of BZ's which is my name for a total wreck. BZ stands for beyond
ZAP. (ZAP was the main sponsor. What impressed me was the repair skill of
many of the first day wrecks. I saw U/C blocks being glassed back in, wings
being joined again and an amazing patchwork quilt job on a somewhat doomed
P38.
The mood was a good one with many wisecracks and a terrible "Ring" joke
from the master of bad jokes, the Rat himself. The room number 819 was
infamous as the "Hospitality Suite" of the Scale Master's HQ. All drunks
and scale groupies headed there for free drinks and even free'er Bull!.
Jack Buckley and I hatched a plot to use his flight box battery as a supply
for my VCR/Camera. I might have worked if I had gotten the polarity right.
Thankfully the fuse blew and we were able to by-pass it despite losing a
few screws in the Texas grass. My VCR will never be the same again!.
Still I was happy because I got 2 hrs of reasonably good footage, not to
mention what the desert Rat did!.
There were many Zero's and Jug's in the comp. I soon saw that they, the
Skyraiders, the Sea fury and the JAP' bomber, all handled the wind the
best. I decided in my own mind that a mono-winged fighter with a wide wheel
base was the best plan for my entry into scale.
I shot 2 hrs of video using two packs that I charged three times, six rolls
of slide film and two rolls of prints, bought five hats two shirts, five
raffle tickets, bought nine Cokes two hotdogs and a burger as well as
getting paged five times by my wife and secretary. But who's counting!.
The people that I knew were flying well. I think that Charlie N. was up
in the tenth zone. Al, Kevin and Chuck were duking it out in the middle
with a lot of, perhaps, pride at stake. The judges would decide that one
and I expect the results will be very close.
Al C. did have a tough time and it was really as simple as a gust of wind
kicking the tail on his first flight. I then saw his gear fail on one
landing, his engine shaft run on start, his wheels stay down and then
collapse after being down for the whole flight. All in all he was very
lucky to get away with only a door or two off and a couple of scrapes. I
saw him fly very well, as I always knew he could, but skill sometimes needs
a bit of luck as well.
Kevin kept his end up well but needed more stick time with his routine. The
stall turn did not go well and the Immleman was tough to do with the wind.
He was very smooth though and I can see a star in the making if he improves
his static scoring. Flying in windy old MA certainly helped the guys.
The banquet saw MA do well with Charlie N. getting a plaque for highest
static along with Charlie Chambers, Who was probably second in the comp.
I got to photo our gallant friends and will bring the pic's to the next HTA
night. The South African contingent gave an after dinner speech that broke
about ten rules of etiquette and did not go down too well. Otherwise it was
fun with lots of sponsor type prizes, Zap, Yellow aircraft, Futaba etc.
Sunday was windy, nay, let us say BLOODY WINDY. Al C. wisely scratched his
last and un-needed flight. Kevin flew, but I bet he wished he had not???.
I ran the VCR batteries dry again and headed for the airport with my head
full of many memories. Most of all I learned how to compete in Scale. Then
I learned how chose my retracts and then I learned how to humor officials.
Now I don't usually try to make money out of my videos but how much would
you pay to see Al C. mess up a little. Or even better how much would Al pay
for the original tape??.
My first, but not my last scale comp. A New England winter and the
Hurricane could be born. The battle of Britain squadron is catching my eye
the most right now. Especially because the documentation availability and
even the paint. So all I have to do is build a plane win a qualifier and
go to the Scale Masters. Sounds easy****!
best regards
Eric H.
|
| 239.2213 | Scale Masters Trip Report | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Thu Sep 27 1990 12:37 | 284 |
| I was hoping to beat Al Casey in to the trip report so that he could fill
in the missing blanks.
Oh well - here goes.
We (My wife Pat and I and Kevin Ladd and his wife Sue) Left very early
Wednesday morning (Kevin was never up before the sun before) and we
arrived in Dallas at about 2:00 PM. It was 34 degrees at Orange and we
arrived in Texas with our Sweaters on and it was about 90.
First we took the Holiday Inn shuttle from the airport to the wrong
Holiday Inn. We arrived at the correct Holiday Inn and Kevin started
registering right away. We started meeting famous people right away.
Burt Baker, and Harris Lee, and Dave ________ who was from Canada and
machined his own 5 cylinder radial engine for his beautiful Kinner
Sportster.
As Al said there was a sort of party going on in Rm 819. For supper we
had tacos in the bar (free) while some local Dallas girls tried to sell
us raffle tickets for the bathing suits they were modeling. After a couple
of bad (but free) tacos we went up to 819 and visited a bit. As I recall
I had one beer (shared Pat) and Kevin stayed late (till about 2:00 AM) and
had several more.
Thursday was static day. As Al said it was very hot. I got blisters on
my feet from standing all day on the hot blacktop of the parking lot.
Static judging was Bob Frey (Craftsmanship), Norm Goyer (Accuracy of outline),
and some lady we didn't know (but we talked to her husband) did Color and
marking. I felt that static went very well and was optimistic about
the results. Although Kevin got the highest static ever on his Jug it would
have been better but we knew from talking to the Color and Marking judges
husband that they were against self made color chips. Also Kevin changed
his documentation on Charley Nelsons advice and his three view only
had a top and bottom view. Charley probably new best - after all his
WACO took top static this year. The idea was the pictures showed the side
and front views and the plane had some problems with matching the existing
side view. Norm Goyer commented in the score sheet that there was insufficient
documentation for judging some things. For all the praise Kevin has been
getting about his rivets - at this competition everybody was saying
"Nice plane - too bad about the rivets" because real P-47's have flush
rivets. Oh well - Kevin was in his basement last night working on the
next P-47 and I guarantee it will have flush rivets. Besides the
expertise is local - Chuck Collier's rivets looked great though slightly
too big for true scale.
Interesting planes at static were...
The CD (forgot his name) entered a "Storch" (a really interesting German
recon plane with full length leading edge slats and little flying surfaces
below the horizontal stab and a bubbling greenhouse canopy. Wild landing
gears that looked more like a preying mantis.
Dave (the Canadian) with the Kinner Sportster had a crowd around his
plane all day.
One fellow brought an electric Porterfield Collegiate. Nicely done but
I'll have to agree with Al Casey that it was too small and too plane
and too quite and too slow. It seemed out classed in every respect but
the guy did get a good static score and good flying scores and did manage
to put it up in some incredible winds.
There was another Burt Baker P-47 done up in the "Little Demon" color
scheme of Kevin's. It was amazing how different the paints were - but
we got good color and markings scores as did the other "Little Demon".
Both matched the documentation. If you looked at them side by side
you would quickly agree that there is something wrong with our present
system of color documentation. What we need is AMA sanctioned color
chips and numbers and cross references. A good case in point would be
the controversy about the various olive drabs lately.
P-47's
Kevin Ladd-------Little Demon
Bill Carpenter---Little Demon
Chuck Collier----Big Chief?
Scott Foster-----Little Chief?
and a silly looking gray bubble top
Later that evening everybody went to Rm 819 again (after they figured out
that you could pay for drinks at the cocktail party or you could go
upstairs and get free ones). We (Pat and I) stopped
in for a bit and went to bed - exhausted from the heat.
Friday - Pilots meeting at 8:30.
Pilots were permanently assigned to 1 of 4 flight lines based on frequency.
We were on flight line 2 right behind Chuck Collier and Al Casey was on
flight line 1. Anybody who wanted to fly off grass could go first
and we all waited for all the grass flyers. This seemed like a good
idea but didn't work out for two reasons. (1) There were not an even number
of grass flyers in each flight line so after they started the flight
order on the tar our flight line was way behind and ultimately every body
had to wait for flight line two to finish. (2) The grass facility was
very poor. It was very bumpy and muddy (clay). Bye the last flight
on Friday - none of the grass fliers flew off grass.
It was pretty windy.
Kevin put in a GREAT flight and my score was much higher than the judges
gave. We landed a little hot because of the strong wind so we came
in with very little (if any) flaps and the runway was down hill so we
couldn't stop at the end and overshot into the grass. As it turned out the
score was 83.5 and that put us in the top 1/3.
But (partially due to wind) there were several fatal crashes. Jack Buckley
lost his CAP 10 due to his Futaba PCM 8 receiver going into permanent
fail safe. After he picked up the pieces he still couldn't make
the receiver come out of fail safe. He had been using that receiver
for several years. Maybe it was the antenna connection inside or a
broken crystal - who knows.
One poor fellow folded the wings on his Bucker right in front of us.
It was spectacular. Frank Tiano's "Frank" (from 50 feet it looks like
some variant of a Zero) went in and Frank said it was pilot error.
One guy had a P-38 crash bad - but he stayed up till 2:00 AM and fixed it
and flew again the next day. It was a real shame to see Masters quality
planes dropping left and right. You've got to figure an investment of
$2,000 per plane minimum and untold hours of work.
I wandered over to the concession stand and checked out the raffle.
They had 4 jars to buy raffle tickets for. One was for an ARF sport
plane ready to fly with a K&B 40 in it and Futaba radio. One was for
an A-4 skyhawk kit. One was for an FA-18A kit. One was for an Aeronca
Sedan with a $100 gift certificate for "Roy's Hobby Shop". I purchased
three tickets for the Aeronca and was thinking it would be a great plane
for me. Giant scale (84" span) and gentle and I really liked the looks
of the one modeled on the box (an Oshkosh champion).
The wind had changed to 90 degree cross wind for the second round.
But it wasn't nearly as strong. The static scores were posted and I think we
were actually ahead of Al and Chuck. But that didn't last long. On the
second flight with the cross wind we scored an 84. Although the score was
good the better wind conditions caused all the scores to come up and we
lost a lot of ground. The only saving grace was for both rounds the engine
started on the first flip of the prop and even ran frontwards. We looked
like we knew what we were doing! But that wasn't going to last long either.
Exhausted we made it back to the motel and went to the cocktail party.
Saw no real food so we went to the restaurant and back to Rm 819 then to bed.
Saturday not nearly so windy though we heard it might rain.
Our wifes took an organized shopping trip. They are still talking
about it. Went to some fancy store "Nieman Marcus(sp)" where a belt
cost $125.00! Fortunately they also went to some "normal" mall and
I earned some more airplane credits. So they had a good time and made
some new friends.
Very few crashes today. After waiting several hours during which
time I check out the raffle and it seems like every body wants a jet
or the ARF so I figure my odds on the Aeronca are improving. So I purchase
some more Aeronca tickets. Eventually we near the end of the flight
order and we're up. Great - Kevin can't get the engine started. We had
a flight timed the day before and with the engine starting on the first
flip we still took 11'45" to do the flight out of an allocated 12'. So
we abort and fall to the back of the pack. We are each allowed to do this
one time during the entire masters contest. Now we're worried. After
fiddling with the engine we start it with a fresh prime. Fortunately we
were so far back in the list that falling to the back only cost us about
a half hour. The guy in front of us aborted and it cost him 5 hours.
So when we're up next it starts right up (backwards) and we're off.
Kevin turns a 76? and the rest of the pack catches up. Oh well - three
flights in - no damage and we (Kevin) didn't win the "Being last sucks"
T-shirt.
Oh yah - the guy with the rebuilt P-38 flys again. I heard him say that
the plane has never landed. When he brought it in it landed a little hard
and stopped in about 6 inches. Both cowls fell off and I heard others
say the the entire insides fell out onto the runway. I didn't have a
chance to take a close look but I saw the landing and it was pretty
amazingly funny.
Back to the motel to get cleaned up for the banquet. I really was
disappointed that Frank Tiano didn't do his roast. Instead we had
a session of jokes from Digby Cranke (really that's his name) from
South Africa. Now those who know Digby probably no better but
I didn't notice any laughing when he made a joke about the "black"
wood on his "young buck" trophy and pointed it at Charley Chambers
(who is black).
Bye the way Charley Chambers won the pilots choice award which included
an Airtronics Vision radio.
Charley Chambers and Charley Nelson tied for Top Static and Charley
Nelson also won the Top Civilian award.
The award for technical achievement went to Hal Parente for his Ryan
Fireball. Alto I wouldn't deny Hal the award I couldn't personally
see anything close to the technical achievement of Dave _______'s
Kinner Sportster with the hand build 5 cylinder radial engine. In
his qualifier he also earned a 100 in static as he machined all the
landing gear struts to match the original specifications. By the way
the engine has spark plugs and a distributer. Dave talked to us about
the problems of building a spark system that small and not have the
spart jump to all the terminals at once. WOW.
The Japanese delegation talked for ever and gave a Komona(sp) to Harris Lee.
Sunday - weather man says high will be 80. So we don't take any coats
to the field even though it seems a bit nippy. It was about 60 and real
REAL windy. The flight order is reversed today and the grass flyers
are last (but there are no more grass flyers because of the bad grass).
So were up 4th. The wind is at it's peak just as Kevin takes off. I
had to walk the plane down to the end of the runway because there was
no way it could taxi in this wind. In fact only one flyer landed and taxied
back with any realism at all - Charley Nelson. Anyway the flight was
great and I really thought we would pull back towards the top of the flight
scores with this one. The wind was really cooking now and Kevin's figure
eight was nice even though you had to wait forever while the Webra Bully
pulled the giant P-47 ever so slowly up wind. When he turned down wind
he had to nearly give full up and a 90 degree bank to not be blown
past the figure eight cross over point. I forget the score but it was
a really exciting flight. When he landed the wind lifted the port wing
and the P-47 was sitting on the runway at a dead stop with the wind
howling and holding the port tip up and resting on the starboard tip.
Kevin is banding the rudder back and forth but the only thing that lets
it drop is a drop in wind. Flight complete.
We were really freezing but forgot about the cold during the intense
flight. Four flights in - no crashes - no damage - good scores.
Hey the raffle is looking good so I purchase my third set of tickets for
the Aeronca (one set each day).
We hang around and kick tires for a few more hours waiting for the
awards. Normally I would say this is not a good spectator sport. You have
to be a flyer or like me a pit snake for a real flyer or like Eric
get involved and meet everybody and video tape. It isn't much fun to just
watch - BUT. During this final day we had a ball watching the other
flyers cope with the wind. In truth it peaked during Kevin's flight and
although it was a harsh wind it was slowing up slowly through the day.
Every landing was exciting. But you could tell you were watching
the best of the best. But many incurred some damage to landing gears.
Dennis Crooks put on a demo flight of a new Yellow Aircraft F15.
It could fly circles around the slow oversized overweight underpowered
Byron's F15s. The day before Dennis flew his SR71 Black Bird but had
an short flight and emergency landing. Each day one fellow flew a
Newport 28 very nicely at lunch time and Al's favorite one guy
flew a toy looking electric. Good time to get a cheeseburger and Coke.
Came award time and ...
I won the Aeronca and $100 gift certificate!
11th place got the first annual (I hope not) "Young Buck" trophy
donated by the South African delegation and supposed to be passed on
at each masters. Though they didn't volunteer to automatically qualify
the 11th place or pay transportation!
10th thru 6th place each got a nice plaque and Futaba Servos. 10th
won 1 servo and (1 servo back ordered) all giant scale servos - appropriate.
9th won 1 servo and 2 servos back ordered...
5th thru 1 won Futaba radios with their plaque. I believe the radios
varied from 7 AUP's to 9 VAPs as you worked your way up.
Interesting was that all 3 AD1 Skyraiders made it to the top 10!
Charley loaded up his WACOs (one for practice one for competition) and
Kevin's Jug and my Aeronca and we said our good byes.
Monday we went the the airport and checked in and I took a cab
to Roy's Hobby shop and spent my $100 gift certificate on an OS .90 FS
Surpass (Yes Al - I really have a brand new engine) for the Aeronca.
The really interesting thing here is Roy's hobby shop said their prices
were the same as Towers. I checked several engines and they were the
same or LOWER.
We waited in the Airports forever and got home at 2:00 AM Tuesday morning.
Now tell me guys - is an Aeronca Sedan the same as an Aeronca Champ
or Chief or ???. I was looking at Scale Model research's catalogue
and they don't list any "Sedan" - just C-2's, C-3's, Champs, Chiefs,
and L3's.
OK - Kevin and Eric - please make necessary corrections and fill in
the details.
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher | Scale Masters Mechanic
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2214 | SEDAN = SEDAN..., PERIOD. | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Thu Sep 27 1990 13:30 | 19 |
| Re: .-1, Kay,
Great report, amigo. In answer to yer' query, no, the Aeronca Ssedan
is not the same as the Champ, Chief, etc. As I recall, the Sedan
seated the passengers side-by-side where the Champ has tandem seating.
Not sure about the Chief anymore but I know it's also different in some
way. The C-2, C-3, Collegiate series were the 30's era "flying
bathtub" looking planes so, again, no ceegar. A sedan is a Sedan is a
Sedan and that's the long 'n short of it. Yer best bet may be to start
haunting small airports asking around about full scale Sedans...I have
an idee they're probably fairly rare but who knows? Also, write the
EAA at Oshkosh...if the kit illustration was modelled after an Oshkosh
winner, pix must surely exist an be available.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2215 | Outstanding Reports | SELL3::MARRONE | | Thu Sep 27 1990 14:02 | 12 |
| Thanks, guys, for those VERY comprehensive reports on the masters. For
a relative newcomer like me, this type of reporting sure does wonders
in creating an impression of what it's like to be there.
Let me add my own congrat's and att-a-boys to the DEC pilots who
proudly and skillfully flew in this world-class event. I have a dream
of doing the same some day hence.
Again, great reporting...I loved every word of it!
Regards,
Joe
|
| 239.2216 | | WRASSE::FRIEDRICHS | Kamikaze Eindecker pilot | Thu Sep 27 1990 15:21 | 6 |
| I know of an Aeronca Sedan in Hudson, MA, and I am already trying to
get Kay access to it... But he is going to have to build the
float-plane version if he wants to use this one.... :-)
jeff
|
| 239.2217 | EVEN MORE MASTERS...... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Thu Sep 27 1990 16:28 | 74 |
| Re: .2213, Kay,
I meant to make a correction to yer' Masters report but forgot to do so
in .2214.
You were listing the Baker Jugs in attendance at the Masters and
had a minor glitch in the aircraft personal names. The following is
correct:
1. Kevin Ladd "Little Demon"
2. Bill Carper "Little Demon" (Bill Carper, not Bill Carpenter.)
3. Chuck Collier "Little Chief"
4. Scott Foster "Big Chief" (This was the "silly looking
bubble-top" you mentioned.)
Also, the Canadian with the handmade 5-cylinder radial was David Pape.
Dave received the Technical Achievement award in 1987 (Las Vegas) so
don't lament his efforts being overlooked...they were recognized the
first year he debuted his Kinner Sportster with its magnificent engine,
which, BTW, was built from the plans from the engine's designer,
Forrest Edwards.
Not much mention has yet been made in the reports of the aircraft at
the Masters, save for those of the reporters. Lemme' mention a few
that caught my eye:
1. As always, Charlie Chambers' P-51 "Big Beautiful Doll' is without
peer. Even at close examination, the workmanship stands up as
flawless, the real metal panelling giving it a realism seldom (if ever)
achieved. Charlie has obviously been doing his homework as his flying
was almost as flawless as his model this year and he truly earned the
Masters Championship. His was a very popular win as Charlie is just
plain one helluva nice guy.
2. Mel Whitley's scratchbuilt Hawker Sea Fury was only a step or two
behind Charlie's Mustang. The craftmanship was very good and the model
presented very well. Powered (quite adequately) by an O.S. .240,
opposed-twin 4-cycle, the Sea Fury performed well in all wind
conditions and Mel flew it very well. This model had probably the
nicest retraction speed of any model I watched during the Masters.
3. Somehow, the Violett F-86 of Top Gun winner Ron Gillman came up a
little short at this meet...it just didn't seem to present as well as
it had in previous meets and Ron did well to hang onto 9th place. BTW,
Bob violett didn't show up to defend his Masters-crown...no one seemed
to know why; someone said he'd gotten mad at something(?) at the
Southwest Fan-Fly held in Dallas the previous weekend but no one could
explain how/why this had anything to do with the Masters. Oh well....
4. I've forgotten the pilots name but a fellow had a really great
looking and flying P-40 _highly_ modified from the Byron kit. He told
me he'd had to modify the wingtips extensively (to narrow the thickness)
to get them closer to scale and had replaced all the control surfaces.
The model was painted in Canadian (RCAF) WW-II colors and was quite an
eyecatcher.
5. I should mention that I've heard much about Kevin Ladd's smooth
flying but had never had the opportunity to see him fly, save for a few
minutes on my ol' Yeller' Peril (which is no indicator whatever). I
must say that the reports were true...Kevin exhibits an innate
smoothness that will stand him in good stead the further he journeys
into the realm of scale competition. All he lacks is a little
seasoning. Just to tell on him a little, you should'a seen his
too-low stall turn and resulting eye-level pullout...he tightened more
than one observer's pucker-strings with that one! :B^)
I'll put more observations in as they come back to mind...for now,
adios.....
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2218 | | SA1794::TENEROWICZT | | Fri Sep 28 1990 00:02 | 7 |
| Kay,Al:
What was so "Silly Looking" about he P47D-40 Bubble
canopy?
Tom
|
| 239.2219 | more masters rambling | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Fri Sep 28 1990 10:31 | 73 |
| > 4. Scott Foster "Big Chief" (This was the "silly looking
> bubble-top" you mentioned.)
Nope - that's not the one I was talking about. I like Scott Fosters Jug
just fine (actually it is too glossy for me - but accurate).
The silly looking one was all silver and had an extra vertical surface added
before the tail fin that looked like 1/4" balsa.
> Also, the Canadian with the handmade 5-cylinder radial was David Pape.
> Dave received the Technical Achievement award in 1987 (Las Vegas) so
> don't lament his efforts being overlooked...they were recognized the
> first year he debuted his Kinner Sportster with its magnificent engine,
> which, BTW, was built from the plans from the engine's designer,
> Forrest Edwards.
As I talked to Dave quite a bit I have to add that he started with a Forrest
Edwards design and couldn't get it to run very good and produce much horsepower.
So he changed it from a 5 carb design to a one carb design and changed from
glow plug to spark ignition - hence he had to design and build a distributor.
He spend many revisions on re-porting the casing such that the single carb would
supply the correct amount of fuel to the top cylinders as well as the bottom
cylinders. By the way he had an onboard tach and transmitter to since
RPM remotely and when he started it he would check to see if all five
cylinders were firing by...
Feeling the exhaust of each!
Dave said he will be (or already is) offering this updated design to anyone
who wants to take a crack at it. He now believes that he has the fuel
distribution solved to where he could be successful back on glow plugs.
Glad to here he already received the award. I didn't realize he was a
masters veteran.
One thing my trip report didn't touch on was the general attitude and
atmosphere at the masters. Like most RC events - you find a very
nice class of people. I've always maintained that it takes a special
person to work hundreds of hours in their workshop and then go and risk
everything flying. All your work can (and does) get wiped out "in a
heartbeat" as Al Casey would say. But in the case of the Masters - you
are really looking at the Best of the Best - in all respects. As in
most competitions if anyone needs help (including spare parts) there
is always someone ready to help - even though their help may in fact contribute
to their own defeat. We even had more fun with the judges here than
in previous qualifiers. Harris Lee was making it a point to personally
welcome everybody and make you feel comfortable all through the event.
We bumped into Harris at the Airport while leaving and he was wishing
us all a nice trip home - what a great guy.
The Arizona crew are the nicest bunch of gentlemen you will ever come
across. When Chuck Collier passed Kevin in the standings he made me
feel proud to be behind him. What a great guy. Bob Frey and Kent
Walters were both judging. We had the greatest confidence when they
were at work that there was none better that could do the job. The only
drawback to being in the competition is that you miss a lot. For instance
I never saw any complete flight of Al's MiG. If fact until the final
round where we finished early I never say anyone's complete flight.
It would have been really nice if Al didn't have retract problems.
I did see two things Chuck Collier did with his Jug. One was a VERY
low pass down wind on the last day when it was really windy - WOW.
Also on his last landing he really stuck it in - ALA glider style
for the 100 point bonus - I gave him a hard time about that but I
could tell from his response he hasn't been to many glider contests!
Well - I'm rambling again.
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2220 | WHAT'COO MEAN "SILLY LOOKING"......?? | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Fri Sep 28 1990 12:25 | 45 |
| Re: .-1, Kay,
Yeah, I _knew_ there was a 5th Jug but couldn't remember whose it was
'til Kevin jogged my mind off-line. And it _would_ be Bob Olson, one
of our long-time California friends, I managed to forget. Frankly, I'm
not sure what Kay saw that was so silly looking...Bob modelled the only
restored P-47N model currently flying and I always thought the N was a
pretty nice looking ship. It was developed primarily for Pacific
operations and had the wing stretched into squared-off tips for added
wing area. The long dorsal fin which ran forward from the base of the
fin and stayed parallel with the fuse rather than tapering into it was
to provide additional side area/lateral stability. Also, fuel capacity
was increased to provide the longer range needed in the Pacific Theater.
Olson's model recreates the restored aircraft and, hence, is too shiney
and clean for my tastes (as was Scott Foster's "Big Chief") but,
otherwise was a well executed model.
I wasn't aware of all the extra engineering David Pape had had to do to
Forrest Edwards' basic design of the 5-cyl. radial. Hafta' give him
plenty of credit. BTW, David has competed the Kinner Sportster in every
Masters since I first met him in Vegas in '87 so he and the plane are
definitely veterans with 4-notches in their guns. Which reminds
me...the MiG-3 has now flown in 6-Masters and has accumulated almost
30-hours of airtime, 10-to-12 minutes at a time. Guess that bird don't
owe this ol' cowpoke a thing, does it...??!!
I like yer' comments on the atmosphere at the Masters with everyone
eager to help the other guy, even if it jeopardizes his own chances.
That's quite the opposite of some other facets of our (an others')
recreations.
No one's yet mentioned our friend, Tony Arand. Tony rolled his Brian
Taylor P-40E into a ball after snapping on takeoff in round-2 Friday.
But, he and his Dad, John, labored into the wee hours and got the
substantial damage repaired, finishing up the retract repair and even
repainting the glassed repair areas AT THE FIELD Saturday AM. Tony
never missed a round and, in fact, put in one of the best flights I
ever saw him make with that ship AFTER the crash!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2222 | RE: .-1, HUH.......?? | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Fri Sep 28 1990 16:02 | 6 |
| __
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2223 | masters, take 2 | ROCK::KLADD | hl02-3/c11 225-7316 | Fri Sep 28 1990 19:30 | 137 |
| well i will just add tidbits here and there.
the most memorable moments, without question, were in the bar wednesday
night. you see, it was bikini night and these young beautiful women
who'd obviously spent half their entire lives on an exercise bike would
saunter up to us, demonstrating their functional zippers and soliciting
for $2 raffle tickets. jack buckley, tom kosewski, kay, herschel the
zap propaganda man (nice guy), and me, all were subjected to severe
moments of torture. it was awful, sorry you missed that al.
i met bert baker which was great fun. i told him his kits were so awful
that i had to buy 3...
i had many conversations with gene barton (my retract/bully accessory
supplier) and enjoyed them all. he's a great guy, offering to repair/
readjust my retracts for free and offering spare parts (even complete
engine) if i needed during competition. also met don barton, gene's dad,
another baker jug fan. don and gene were the first father-son team last
year at masters, don also got the "being last sucks" t-shirt last year.
there were 5 baker jugs at the masters (you guys forgot bob olson's
p47n bubble). on saturday we lined them up together for pictures.
also beside the jugs were all the other wwII hardware, zeros, corsairs,
skyraiders (well, almost wwII). that was fun.
chuck colliers jug looked great. it sure came a long way from last
march when i saw it in phoenix. i really liked how bob, i mean chuck,
did the weathering. flew good too, even fast enough for chuck. gene
barton says chuck can be hard on retracts 8^). i've been accused of
accusing chuck of using a toggle switch for throttle. who me?
one of my favorite machines was eugene job's baker zero. i believe
its modeled after a restored bird in the chino museum. a bit too
restored and shiney but i loved the camo scheme and the building job
job did. flew great too, i think it finished 2nd.
tom kosewski had engine troubles and dead-sticked the first 2 flights.
i managed to forget my engine bolts (had to remove bully to fit little
demon in charlies van) and had to bum a set off the hotel maintainence
guys. charlie gave me a hard time since he'd reminded me not to forget...
room 819 was a bastion of bullsh*t. i remember many humerous stories,
like when diego took off his skyraider with the wings unlocked. or
bob frey explaining how much fun it was torturing contestants during
static judging (he was craftsmanship judge). he claimed the best
reactions came when he stood up out of his chair, raised his glasses,
squinted, then frowned and shook his head. i was holding my sides.
best movie video went to tom street (another character) who had mounted
a camcorder in the nose of a 10 foot b17. it was thrilling to ride
round and round the field looking out the nose. it was really really
thilling when the radio went into failsafe, killed 2 engines, came out
of failsafe, and put the big 17 into a spin. the gound sure rushed up
fast. tom says a professional camera repairman was needed just to
remove the tape from the remnants of the camcorder.
charlie nelson was really really tickled to get high static. i felt
real happy for him and everyone rallied around him at the banquet as he
dragged all the trophies back to his chair. i think he was under more
pressure than me, i was just happy to survive and not crash, while he
was scrapping to make the top 10 (came in 12th overall i think). few
fliers handled the wind better than charlie, even the warbirds, so i'm
surprised he didnt finish even higher.
jack buckley, as you've all heard, lost his rx first flight and stuffed
the cap10. sometimes life just isnt fair. jack jinxed himself by
explaining to kay and me the day before how that radio has worked
flawlessly for 6 years. i guess pcm-failsafe works great unless the
failure is in the rx or rx batteries or somewhere in between. sigh.
my first flight i was real nervous. it was windy, there were 3 other
planes in the air, and i just never did feel remotely comfortable.
at one point while doing my fly-by i noticed the other little demon
was in the air at the same time. everything went ok until the landing.
determined not to come up short against the wind like so many before me,
i kept on the gas and managed to overshoot, touch down hot, and roll
downhill to the end of the runway and 20 yards beyond. only my pride
was hurt.
i got to watch al fly several times (and the mig fly for the first time).
i thought the mig flew fast and smooth. its just amazing how quickly
an ancient os .60 can pull a 72" warbird. al does a whole bunch of
"difficult" maneuvers. on the first landing al couldnt have picked a
worst time. as he came down to 4 ft off the deck the wind started
gusting and the ole mig was tossed around. al and the mig deserved
better.
after round 1 the scores were posted and i was amazed to find myself
in 31st place, ahead of chuck and al and scott foster. my static stunk
(89.5 sounded good until i noticed it was about 70th of 75) but the
flight score of 83.5 was one of the best. shoot, this was easy.
my balloon burst on flight 2. the weather changed drastically, a few
people were lucky to fly in dead calm air as a thunderstorm approached.
scott foster was one of those, and he made the most of it by flying
once of the best routines i've ever seen and snagged a well-deserved
95. it was only slightly windy when i flew and i should have taken
advantage, but i could not. i can't remember all the details but no
aerobatic maneuver was really right. the immelman was sloppy at the
top. the stall turn stunk too, i tried to get cute and start and end it
at 20 feet altitude, i finished it at 6 feet but heh, the crowd was
entertained. in short i was lucky to get an 84. rats,
i'd wanted to fly well for dennis crooks, one of the flight judges.
by now i'm plumetting in the standings as almost everyone on the board
improves by 5+ points on the second flight score.
the third flight was more of the same but i dont know if it was as bad
as the 76 flight score. another tragedy as that was done in front of
the "easy" judges. again, everyone else was now scoring at least in
the middle to upper 80's, with several more scores in the 90's.
the last flight on sunday was crazy. it was much windier than even
that last round in westover a year and a half ago. i'd wanted to fly
well for kent "the champ" walters but ended up just happy to survive.
i actually did a pretty good job on the figure-8 and swapped the stall-
turn for flaps (got 9.5 average for flaps instead of typical 6 for the
stall-turn, hmmm, maybe its time to fly simpler routine). everything was
ok, not good, not bad, just ok. the landing was interesting. i touched
down 20 yards short and came to a stop directly in front of me and the
judges. somewhere along the way the wind picked up the port wing and
it just stood there, idling and sitting on one wingtip and one gear.
as al suggested afterwards, a bit of left aileron might've done the
trick - i've programed myself to use rudder instead of ailerons
on landing approaches (a reason i still have the plane) but need to
learn how to fly the plane once its on the ground. experience/practice
will fix that.
all in all i was pleased. i flew all 4 rounds and had only some missing
paint under a wingtip for damage. the experience will help me next time.
i hope that the next p47 can static in the middle of the pack and, if
i can fly almost in the middle of the pack now, imagine what some practice
could do.
i had a great time. i always enjoy the company of the arizona rebels,
and this was no exception. hard to believe but i also got to know
locals like jack buckley and tom kosewski for the first time clear down
in texas. now i have to think how i 'm going to qualify for las vegas...
|
| 239.2224 | Fatal P-51 crash | ROCK::MINER | Dan Miner, DTN:225-4015, HLO2-3/D11 | Sun Sep 30 1990 11:37 | 20 |
| Saw on the news last night that a full-scale P-51 crashed here in
Massachusetts and killed both people on board.
They showed all of the twisted wreckage. Until they said "P-51" I
had _NO_ idea what kind of plane it was. It was mangled that bad.
The details of the cause of the crash were not given.
There was also a second civilan plane crash that was fatal. I don't
remember any of the details here...
_____
| \
| \ Silent POWER!
_ ___________ _________ | Happy Landings!
| \ | | | | |
|--------|- SANYO + ]-| ASTRO |--| - Dan Miner
|_/ |___________| |_________| |
| / | " The Earth needs more OZONE,
| / not Caster Oil!! "
|_____/
|
| 239.2225 | VFR under IFR conditions | LOEDGE::REITH | Jim Reith DTN 291-0072 - PDM1-1/J9 | Mon Oct 01 1990 08:54 | 2 |
| I heard that they were excessively low due to the fog and the terrain came up
to meet them.
|
| 239.2226 | STOP, DON'T ORDER THE 1991 DC AVIATION CALENDAR...!! | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Mon Oct 01 1990 12:20 | 24 |
| I keep forgetting to make this announcement, probably because I wish it
weren't so.
It is with extreme regret that I must announce that DC Aviation, makers
of those beautiful R/C Scale Calendars have gone out of business.
According to owner/operators, Dennis and Linda Crooks, the work-to-profit
ratio was just too great to continue and 1990 was the last calendar
they will have produced. I picked this tidbit up at the MAsters in
Dallas but, unfortunately, didn't find the time or opportunity to
discuss it at any length but the bottom line is that the calendars no
longer exist. A damn shame, in my book! I'm just glad I managed to
make the calendar at least once but regret there'll be no opportunity
to have any subsequent model become a calendar-girl.
If anyone has already sent in the reorder blank (which was placed in
the October page of the 1990 calendar), I'm sure the Crooks will return
the check. A letter or a call will surely produce this effect if you
feel it necessary.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2227 | COPS AND ROBBERS | BTOVT::SOUTIERE | | Mon Oct 01 1990 14:49 | 18 |
| (re. last reply)
> If anyone has already sent in the reorder blank (which was placed in <
> the October page of the 1990 calendar), I'm sure the Crooks will return<
-------------------------------<
> the check.
> ----------
Al, I thought they were your friends!!!
Sorry, I just couldn't resist. I'm overtired and when I read that it broke
me up.
Ken
|
| 239.2228 | ON THE ORIGINAL DESIGNS OF MIKOYAN..... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Tue Oct 02 1990 13:04 | 76 |
| Dear "Ramblin'" readers. On occasion, I receive a missive from my good
friend, Don Huff, fraught with a wild array of barely connected
thoughts which, invariably cracks me up. I've accused Don of smoking
his underwear on more than one occasion but, this time, I'm sure Don's
outdone his'self and is only a centon or two from requiring
professional help. :B^) :B^) This latest blurb from "the Huff" is
just too wild not to share so, without his permission but, I trust,
with his blessing, here's Don's latest essay.....:
Author: DONALD W. HUFF
Date: 02-Oct-1990
Posted-date: 02-Oct-1990
\|/
00
(O>o
\__(O_\_ now this little fella is supposed to look
terrified, but can you imagine the pure, really pure terror
of this troup if he were looking into a wall of radial
cylinders tightly enclosed by a chrome-moly framework,
cotten covered, taughtened with butyrate dope and sprouting
two streamlined wings (we know they are streamlined because
they are held together by streamlined bailing {flying/landing}
wires).
Such was the plan put forth by that aeronautical genius, MiKoyan, when
submitting the follow on model of the MiG 3 (to be known as the MiG 3/Rw2w)
[MiG3/radial with 2 wings]. But Traditionlism and secret jealousies of the
the subversive "etu Brutae" engineering groups shot him down (stabbed him in the
back).
Actually, MiKoyan got his job after unsuccessfully designing the American
P-40; his real name was Curtiss Mikoyan. There were rumours of deportation,
being run out of town on a rail, etc, etc. And, of course, there is absolutely
no truth to the rumour that CM could make better vodka than anybody and that
had nothing to do with his elevation to "HERO OF THE SOVIET UNION". He just
built a better mousetrap.
And that's why there are no mice in the vodka potatoe storage bins in the USS of
R.
Now that's crazy.............
(or, am I just teasing)
(signed)
Napolean Huff
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2229 | Your in Print Again.... | AKRON::RATASKI | Veni, Vidi, Vomui | Tue Oct 02 1990 18:21 | 20 |
| re:-.1
Speaking of MiG-3s...
You did it again Al. Your in the press. This time in November's
R/C Modeler. The title of the article is "Ducted Fans
Dominate TOP GUN 1990".
Page 120 picture of MiG with caption "Al Casey's very nice, and
unusual MiG-3"
Page 123. Caption of paragraph "The Russians Came From Phoenix"
"An Unusual Russina MIG 3 was entered by Al Casey from nearby
Phoenix, Arizona. Al scratch-built this plane from balsa covered
with glass cloth. Finish was K&B primer, Ditzler automotive
laquer and finally K&B clear coat. The plane is powered by an
O.S. 60 FSR swinging an 11 x 7 prop. Rohm-Air retracts clean
up the airflow after take-off"
|
| 239.2230 | One more MiG 'of note' note | STOSPT::EATON | Dan Eaton St.Louis,MO,USA, 445-6522 | Tue Oct 02 1990 23:18 | 6 |
| RE: -.1
Yeah, Al's Mig got mentioned again! I notice that all of the
accompaning pictures, except two, had titles with just the aircraft name and
builder's name. The two exceptions were the MiG-3 which rated a "very
nice" and Larry Wolfe's F-4-C which rated a "beautiful". The MiGs done
ol' Al pretty good.
|
| 239.2232 | Slight Digression | SNAX::SMITH | I FEEL THE NEED | Wed Oct 03 1990 10:50 | 8 |
|
To everyone I usually correspond with via mail, as of today, I am
on a new node. You will now need to send mail to SNAX::SMITH and
not the old RVAX. It's a pain, but what are ya gonna do.
Steve
|
| 239.2233 | GUESS I'LL BUY MY BI-ANNUAL CATALOG :B^) | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Wed Oct 03 1990 11:43 | 27 |
| Wull', nutz! Looks like ah'll haf'ta go out 'n buy a copy of my
"favorite catalog" so's I kin' add the pic 'n blurb to the pile of
stuff I've collected over the years with the intention of one day
putting together a scrap book on the ol' MiG-3. Too bad this coverage
comes from a meet where Murphy once again threw some "stuff" in the
game causing me to decide to retire and not fly in the meet. Oh
well.....
As Dan E. says, the ol' MiG's been awfully good to me over it's 7-years
(6 in competition) and, though a bit dated in today's competition
arena, has a lot of life left in it yet. I gotta' get a new 1st-line
ship underway but, barring the unthinkable, it's a good feeling to know
the ol' Ruskie bird is waiting faithfully in the wings anytime it's needed.
Received a great videotape on the Dallas Masters from the Evil One
yesterday and it was great fun getting to see a lot of things I missed
during the meet. There was one aircraft (a Citabria) that I never saw
the entire 4-days of the meet. Eric's "clever" editing-in of the crash
and rescue squad (fire-trucks, ambulances, etc.) each time the MiG's
gear folded on landing was a real crack-up!! Great tape...gar-cee-ass,
ay-mee-go!!!!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2234 | will tape be passed around ? | GENRAL::KNOERLE | | Wed Oct 03 1990 11:55 | 8 |
| Could this tape be passed around through the DECRCM world like the
ones from the meetings ? I really like to see your planes moving.
(new Mailstop until end of December CXO1-2/N27 )
Bernd
|
| 239.2235 | I'M SURE ERIC'S ALREADY PLANNING JUST THAT.... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Wed Oct 03 1990 12:21 | 13 |
| Bernd,
The tape Eric sent me was edited/shortened to highlight the "Arizona
contingent's" activities. I'm sure he's preparing a more complete tape
of the entire meet and that a copy of this one will be available for
DECRCM distribution. (I just hope he edits out my knife-edge takeoff
in the crosswind in that copy :B^}.)
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2236 | Strange thing | SNAX::SMITH | I FEEL THE NEED | Wed Oct 03 1990 13:18 | 10 |
| Al,
I've already spoken to Eric and a mysterious thing happened. Seems
that when he was putting the "distribution" version together, all of
the editing features on his equipment seemed to be non-functional.
Imagine that!!!!!!! 8^)
Steve
|
| 239.2237 | Post Masters update..... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Thu Oct 04 1990 12:54 | 76 |
| Well, all traces of my landing gear fiasco at the Masters has been
eradicated as the faithful ol' MiG-3's skint-up wingtips have been
repaired/repainted to their original state.
The irony continues, however; you may remember my mentioning in my report
that, for reasons unknown and unfathomable, the gear failed to retract
_or_ stay locked down (on landing) on my round-3 flight due to loss of
system pressure. Well, I pumped up the gear one final time ~3:00 PM
Sunday, 23 Sept. as we loaded the models into Bob's GMC Suburban for
the last time prior to returning home the next morning. I never
touched the system again until this past Monday evening, 1 Oct...8 days
later, and guess what? Yup'! The system still had a full head of
pressure in it. I cycled the gear 3-times and then left them in the
down position.
Each successive evening, prior to commencing with wingtip repairs, I've
cycled the gear twice and the system continues to hold pressure. This
AM, before leaving for work, I checked 'em again and I can still hear
the air pressure as I operate the air switch/valve but the pressure is
finally down to where it's inadequate to operate the gear. But, I got
7-cycles of the gear out of the Texas air that was left in the system
after sitting for over 2-weeks!
So why'd the system leak down in round-3 Dallas. The only conceivable
answer is that the fill valve failed to reseal when the pump was
removed just prior to the flight. This flukey behavior (never before
experienced) seems just another of the indignities Messr. Murphy
imposed on me during the Masters. I received an 83.5 on that flight
and that was with the gear hanging down through the entire flight, then
failing on landing, which amounted in severe points loss in the Flight
Realism and Landing maneuvers. Arrrrrrgh! I might'a had a 90 flight
there. Oh well......
I don't remember if I commented on it directly but, in contrast to the
misery of the Ft. Knox trip in '88, this trip was a real pleasure. Bob
and I had a great trip both ways, splitting the drive into an 11, then
an 8 hour drive, stopping overnight to rest. This made the trip a
breeze and the time and miles melted away unbelievably fast. Of
Course, Dallas is a bit closer, 1100 compared to 1600 miles, but, had
we applied the same strategy and took [say] 2 1/2 days to drive it, the
Ft. Knox trip may have been much more palatable.
We met or bettered every estimated ETA, never made a wrong turn and got
everywhere we needed to get to without a glitch...the trip portion just
couldn't have been better...especially when I add in the nostalgia
drenched deviation on the return trip down the route I used so
frequently 29-years ago driving home from Walker AFB N.Mexico. The
short of it is that I enjoyed this Masters to the hilt despite Murphy's
attempts to sabotage me on the field. Sure, I was a bit disappointed
at my buzzard-luck but I was having such a ball otherwise I simply
wouldn't allow it to dampen my good time.
It was great being (and competing) with Kevin, Kay and Eric on foreign
soil, as it were. As always, I enjoyed reacquainting with Charlie
Nelson (I really thought he'd place this year), Jack Buckley (whose
luck was _FAR_ worse than mine), Tom Kosewski (did he fly the Fokker at
all after round-2? I never saw it again) and my many friends from all
over the country. The camaraderie and social aspects of the Masters
are, to me, far more important than what goes on at the field (though
I'd dearly love to have a trouble-free contest and place once more).
And so, new plane or not, I'll do my best to qualify again and attend
the 1991 Masters which is tentatively planned for Las Vegas. I just
hope it doesn't rain again; the Masters has been threatened by rain
every year since Vegas started the trend in '87 so it seems apropos that
Vegas should break the string. Hope to see Kevin there in '91...and,
hey, what about you, Kay? And you, Tenerowicz...stop plannin' and
start buildin' so you can qualify and attend the Vegas Masters next
year. I'll be there even if I don't qualify for some reason...Vegas is
too close not to go for the kinship and camaraderie!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2238 | | SA1794::TENEROWICZT | | Thu Oct 04 1990 13:52 | 22 |
|
Thank's Al for the added report and your findings in trouble
shooting the retracts. I have one final purchase before starting
the building of the P47. Last week or was it two ago I got my canopies
from Holman and pulled the plans out. I've finally decided to build
the wing out of Foam and balsa. I think I'll be using your buddies
idea with the two plywood formers to help keep then in. The ailerons
and flaps will be built up and the stabs made of foam. Elevators
and rudder built up.
I was really curious what you thought of Scott Fosters bird
as that is the exact ship I plan to model. I have sent a letter
off to Scott asking for help with the paint documentation but as
yet not recieved any reply. I've even enlisted my girl to help by
sketching the indian head on thin paper so I can transfer it to
the fuse. A local modeler runs a decal service so if I can get his
to show me how to use his equipment I may just do decals.
I figure I'll start to cut parts to develop a kit a little at
a time over the next two months and then starts construction in
ernest sometime in December.
Tom
|
| 239.2239 | IT WAS FINE, BUT..... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Thu Oct 04 1990 14:08 | 22 |
| Tom T.,
Scott's Jug looked just fine. My only problem with it is the same one
I have with _any_ model of a currently flying restoration: they're just
too damned perfect and shiney! I know lots'a folks like this
appearance but I much prefer the "rode hard - put away wet, war weary
look" of a _real_ bird-of-prey. We have a grat looking P-47D Razorback
out a Champlin's Fighter Museum in a really knockout scheme called "Big
Stud" but, unless I could find documentation of the actual combat
aircraft, I'd never model this ship as I don't like the too-perfect,
flawlessly shiney finish. Just a personal preference though, properly
documented, neither type has any advantage over the other at
static-judging time. In fact, the restored example may have a slight
edge since you can get all the up-to-date, accurate documentation you
could imagine on it where documentation of an actual WW-II combat aircraft
can be difficult to find. So, get started, amigo......
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2240 | Rambling | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Thu Oct 04 1990 14:08 | 67 |
| > luck was _FAR_ worse than mine), Tom Kosewski (did he fly the Fokker at
> all after round-2? I never saw it again) and my many friends from all
As far as I know he flew rounds 1-3. I understand he dead sticked
on 1 and 2. He didn't fly round 4 because of the wind - said "He
had nothing to prove". I think it was a good choice. Tom plans
to take the Fokker to a few scale fun flys then retire it. We'll see.
> Vegas should break the string. Hope to see Kevin there in '91...and,
> hey, what about you, Kay? And you, Tenerowicz...stop plannin' and
You have to remember I don't profess to have any way near the flying skill
of any master's competitors yet and I am just developing my building skill.
My goal is to make the Optica a masters competitive ship in two years.
The other day someone was talking to my wife Pat and asked if I had
one of those RC planes. She said "ONE - more like TEN!". I took
exception and said don't exaggerate. She said "OK - How many do you have?"
"Hmmmmmm - well only 4 in commission Sagitta 600, Hobie Hawk, Chuperosa,
and Thermal Charger!"
So she said "OK - how many are on order?"
"Well - 2 sorta - the Aeronca Sedan I just won and the a Panic."
Yes - I'm the guy who just bought the Panic that was for sale in note
6 a few days ago.
On a tangent - do you realize that I won two Aeronca's this summer.
The first one at an electric contest for winning the pylon race with
my thermal charger. I gave it to a 15 year old kid that I've been
taking around to all the local contests this summer. He almost finished
it when - guess what?
His dog - ate the fuselage.
Anyway 4 in commission and 2 on order - that's only 6 - not TEN!
So she says - "OK - now how many are under construction?"
Hmmmm - "Well 2 - the Lovesong and the Zero."
"OK - that's 8" she said - "Now what about the BJ's"
"But I'm going to retire one and I'll never fix the other one."
She said "That's 10".
I figured I better be quiet since nobody counted the Optica and I haven't
yet cannibalized the parts out of he Aeromaster - tho I expect to any day.
It's hard to feel guilty when I spend some time nearly every night
in the workshop. Last night I put the first coat of Epoxy on the tops
of the Lovesong wings. Since I'm rambling - I tried something that
seemed to make since - but I don't know if anybody has ever done it
before. I put ladies nylon stockings over the wings and put the
Epoxy on that. It turned out to be more difficult than I expected and I
won't know the results for several days.
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2241 | SAVE YER' PANTYHOSE FOR ME, DEAR.... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Thu Oct 04 1990 14:27 | 32 |
| Re: .-1, Kay,
OK, but the only way to become Competition caliber in building and
flying is to keep on working at it. All that other stuff is great but
you should try to have a scale competitor in the stable all the time.
BTW, on the Nylon stocking idea, I never tried it but I read about it a
buch of years ago in one or another of the model mags. The author used
his wife's discarded pantyhose (one leg is almost always good) to do
fuselages and wings. I've forgotten if he had any trick to getting the
hose stretched over the desired parts but I seem to recall that he used
heat to further shrink the material to a form-fitting snuggness before
brushing on the clear, resin or whatever he used.
There was some other guy about the same time espousing the use of
Ceconite bags just like they do on the full-scale fabric covered jobs.
This sounded a lot more fiddly as you had to cut/trim the material to
conform snugly about the component to be covered, then use the wife's
sewing machine to stitch it into a bag or sock. This was then slipped
over the component with the seam aligned on the bottom out of sight,
then heat was applied to shrink the bag over the structure. From her,
you procede as usual with your clear dope, epoxy or polyester resin,
primer, etc. BTW, he was using sailplane-weight Ceconite which is
still fairly heavy for model use to make up the bags. This thechnique
might work OK with some of the current -Tex products but still sounds
like a lot of work (and a seam that'd be hard to hide).
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2242 | Question's About the MIG | BTOVT::BREAULT_B | | Thu Oct 04 1990 20:40 | 21 |
| A couple of questions on your MIG Al. Never having seen pictures of a
Mig-3 before, is it the angle at which the pictures were taken for the
article in RCM, or does your aircraft really have that long a nose on
it? Also, with the, what appears once again in the photo, seemingly
radical rake angle to your landing gear, what are the ground handling
caracteristics of such a setup like?
Aside from my questions, may I say the MIG looks beautiful. Especially
since us regular noters are aware of repairs you've had to make after
some unfortunate episodes in the past. She certainly doesn't show her
age. Sounds like you would've placed much better had it not been for
some unfortunate landing gear problems. Congradulations anyway Al, you
still made a fine showing and the MIG's still in one piece.
I was also wondering what scale you built the MIG to, and whats the
wing span? I'm sure you've mentioned it somewhere in a past note, and I
may have seen it but don't recall.
Thanks,
Bernie
|
| 239.2243 | see 239.163 for more MIG-3 details including history | ABACUS::RYDER | perpetually the bewildered beginner | Fri Oct 05 1990 00:11 | 7 |
| re .-1, -< Question's About the MIG >-
>> what scale you built the MIG to, and what's the wing span?
1:5.6 72 3/4
Alton, who did a $ SEA RC11.A MIG to find it in seconds.
|
| 239.2244 | MY FAVORITE SUBJECT...... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Fri Oct 05 1990 11:29 | 51 |
| Bernie,
Grass-ee-ass for the kind words regarding the ol' MiG-3. Yup', it's an
old soldier but it still looks pretty good for 100 flights, most of
them being in competition. I get accused of repainting it after every
flight but, the way I hate touching up, I can assure you there's no
truth to that dig.
The MiG-3 was an extremely small fighter, smaller than an Me-109, so
even at a relatively large scale of 1:5.65, the model spans just 72"
but carries a whopping 960 sq." of area. It began life at 11 1/2 lb's
but I expect it's probably close to 12 lb's today. It still amazes
everyone (including me) how well (and FAST) the little O.S. .60 FSR
hauls it. Inspect the pic in RCM closely and you'll note that the
exposed cylinder head looks ridiculously small for the size of the
plane. Though a bit small by today's standards, the MiG is quite large
for its engine and, when first built, was one of the largest ships
you'd find in a given contest.
The RCM picture is pretty accurate, thoush the low camera angle
emphasizes the ship's more obvious features. Yes, the nose really is
that long. However, the obtical illusion is that is has a short tail
moment and that _is_ just an illusion...the bird has ideal, almost
pattern-ship moments which is why it flies so solidly/responsively.
The forward rake on the main gear is as per the 3-view and makes it
look dicier than it really is on the ground. Note that the axle is
almost exactly under the leading edge, the ideal wheel location for a
taildragger. Ground handling? Well, in ideal-to-moderate conditions,
it's just fine...much friendlier than it appears. However, staying
with scale elevator outline restricted the maximum amount of rudder
throw I could build in and the truth is that it doesn't have enough
rudder to cope with anuthing much above light-to-moderate cross-winds
(as Eric can attest, having witnessed my knife-edge takeoff in a
crosswind aat Dallas), it hooks sharply into the wind and hasn't
sufficient rudder to stop it.
I could have fixed this single bad characteristic by fudging the
elevator shap adjacent to the rudder but I chose not to alter the scale
outline and, unfortunately, have to pay the piper occasionally for that
decision. Should I build a new, larger, MiG, I'll do what's necessary
to get MAX rudder throw. If there is one, this is the biggest secret
to handling skittish WW-II taildraggers.
Hope this answered all yer' questions and thanx fer' yer' interest.....
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2246 | Kind Words | BTOVT::BREAULT_B | | Fri Oct 05 1990 17:22 | 24 |
| Al,
The kind words are well deserved. Anybody that can take a bunch of
sticks and assorted pieces of balsa and turn out such a fine piece of
craftsmanship deserves a good deal of praise and a round of applause
in appreciation for there abilities, and without question you have
proven that yours are right up there with the best.
As you also noticed in the pic in RCM, the tail moment does look very
very short. I wish they had done the pic at the same angle, but a top
side view instead. I think it would have done the MIG more justice, but
who am I to say.
I forgot to wish our other DEC participants at the NAT's a
congradulations in my last note. A fine job gentleman. Keep up the good
work. You made an excellent showing. I only wish I could have been
there to cheer you on. Or better yet, to partake! Sounds like all had a
wonderful time, and thats what its really all about. Isn't it?
I did notice the head out the bottom of the cowl seemed awfully small,
but I again attributed that to the camera angle. Guess I was wrong, it
really is small compared to the size of the ship.
Bernie
|
| 239.2247 | just doing a public interest commercial | BRAT::RYDER | perpetually the bewildered beginner | Fri Oct 05 1990 23:41 | 11 |
| Bernie, I wasn't zinging you --- sorry to come across that way.
Yes, a DIR/TIT=MIG 239.* would find what I found.
What I did was, as it happens, even faster and much more powerful. The
technique is described in 2.2 and modified in 1.19. It involves a set
of files I create each weekend and MAIL out to people who have asked to
be on the distribution list. I'll put you on it now (until you ask to
be taken off). Myself, I damn near wear out the files in daily use. :-)
Alton, sometimes zinging, sometimes doing a commercial, always helping
|
| 239.2248 | A SHORT TIRADE, THEN ON TO THE ART SHOW..... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Mon Oct 08 1990 12:24 | 78 |
| Re: 2246, Bernie,
Awwwwwww! What kin' I say after that except Thanx a heap? Ah'
'preciate it!! BTW, the meet just past was the U.S. Scale Masters, not
the AMA "NAT's." Just an expression of personal opinion so, please, don't
anyone take offense, but I wouldn't fly in the Nats if they held 'em in
my own back yard. The only one I attended was the last Western Nats, held
in Riverside, CA, (1976) and it was so fraught with red-tape and political
BS, not to metion total lack of ANY consideration for the contestants that
I was bummed for life and will _never_ even consider attending again, let
alone competing. My #1 flyin' buddy, Bob Frey, normally a very even
tempered, give-the-other-guy-the-benefit-of-the-doubt kind'a guy, was
provoked to such intense rage as to tell a particularly offensive official
that "They ruined a perfectly good a**hole by putting teeth in your mouth!"
then added that "It'd be an _honor_ to be ejected from this meet!!"
Anyhoo, that cooled _my_ hash regarding the Nats and I'll work overtime
avoiding it and spreading the bad press about it as long as I draw
breath! (Don't hold back, Al, tell us how you _really_ feel! ;b^} )
Wow! Talk about a digression! I hadn't intended to go off on a
tangent like that but this is a pretty emotional subject to me (no
kiddin'?). More in line with Bernie's comments, I meant to mention
that the 1/8 Air Force fielded 23 scale ships for static display at the
1st Annual Art Show and Fighter Pilot Symposium held at Champlin's
Fighter Museum this weekend. As usual, perhaps aside from Kent Walters
magnificent 13', 100-lb. B-17, the MiG-3 drew the most attention...people
simply don't know what it is...they _think_ they recognize various of its
features but are normally blown away to learn what it really is.
However, through my artist buddy, Jerry Crandall, I met 4 visiting German
WW-II fighter aces and the two who'd flown in Russia recognized the MiG
immediately! Kinda made me feel like I've captured the model fairly
well if these fellows recognized it almost 50-years after the fact.
Saturday night, they had the panel symposium with 3-American and
3-German aces...simply fascinating! The highlight of this, however,
was the running-up of the museum's Bf-109E (Daimler-Benz DB-601) and
the Focke-Wulf FW-190D-13 (Junkers Jumo) as well as two P-51D's
(Rolls-Royce Merlins...what else?). The Mustangs fired up
simultaneously and what sweet music those smooth, throaty Merlins sang?!
Then they lit off the FW-190 after a disclaimer that they were still
lacking some critical, original parts and the mixture control was
marginal. The Jumo sputtered and backfired, belching big balls of
flame from the stacks but, if the Merlins had raised goose bumps, the
gutteral rumble of the big German engine made the air stand up on the
back of your neck. The effect was the same when the lit off the Bf-109.
That DB-601 had a similar but sharper, not as mellow crack to it as the
Merlin but it spoke of massive power! Quite an experience.
I wound up becoming quite close to one of the Germans, a Bf-109/FW-190
ace named Ernst Sheufele (Shoi-fell). Ernst was a real comedian and
was really scarfing up this new found celebrity...I'll bet he climbed
into the -109 for pictures no fewer than a dozen times during the
weekend. Before we left, Ernst gave me a black and white picture of
himself standing on the wing of an FW-190 circa 1943. He wrote a real
nice note on the back and signed it too. Need I say I was thrilled?!!!
For Kathi's and my assistance to him and his wife, Judy (who organized
the show), Jerry Crandall gave me a print of Ernst's Messerschmitt
Bf-190, personalized and signed by all four of the attending German
aces...PLUS a print of his new Lavochkin La-7 painting signed by Ivan
Koszhedub himself. I'm ecstatic, or could you tell.....??
The show had to be termed a success; Friday night was strictly for the
sales of original works and $56,000 worth was sold. Saturday and
Sunday almost $24,000 worth of prints were sold for a total nearing
$80,000 of sales. I learned that aviation art is a _BIG_ business.
I also had the pleasure to meet many of the top aviation artists like Keith
Ferris, Bill Hunter, Joe Adams, etc. All in all, though VERY tiring, I
had a very rewarding weekend!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2249 | Most Humble Appologizes | BTOVT::BREAULT_B | | Mon Oct 08 1990 16:35 | 15 |
| Al,
My most humble appologize's kind sir. I assure you it was an honest
mistake. How could I have miscon-screwed these two events up? I
remember quite well your rendition of the AMA "NAT's" and your
opinion of same. Rest assured I WILL NOT make this mistake in the
future.
How could the AMA be so highly regarded by nearly the entire
modeling community, and be so screwed up when it comes to running
such an event as the NAT's?
Please, don't anyone go of the deep end answering this. Its meant
to be more of a comment than a question.
Bernie
|
| 239.2250 | The flight of the Phoenix, and a personal best record to boot! | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Mon Oct 08 1990 17:51 | 51 |
| I never got around to posting about the 2nd life of my FS, so here goes...
Fixing it wasn't too bad, and took me 10 hours in all, spread over a few
evenings. To get at the cracks, I cut through the covering, and in some
cases, even pryed at the broken/unstuck piece of planking to allow better
access. Before covering again, I decided to sand down the joint so there
would be no bumps underneath, but hell, I was no plastic surgeon. I can well
imagine the pain and trouble the scale gurus have to go through to undo
superficial, leave alone structural damage. No such care need be exercised
with a beater plane!!
I think the tail feathers emerged being stuck on better than ever. All of
the servo bearers popping off certainly helped absorb the shock. I
re-epoxied them back without additional braces, so should a similar thing
happen...
Some of the control pushrod ends, made of wire, needed straightening out.
The Engine bearers were still mounted solid. I decided to re-caulk the wing
seat on the fuse.
Tom Percuoco (sp?) was present one lunchtime when I decided to test fly the
bird. First a range check with the engine off, then with the engine running.
I decided to take it up for the trimming flight, thought TOM was willing to
assist. No big surprises. I wasn't shaking either, when it came to landings,
so scars from the crash had healed rather quickly!
Two Sunday's back, I had my record flying time _for_a_day_ 2 Hrs and 3M!!
It happened this way. I was at 93 minutes for the day , when I figured I
would go up for another 7, and log my (4th?) 100-minuter. Guess what? By the
time I came down, I was at 113 minutes. Sooo, despite being already in
personal record territory, I said I would go up for another 7 M and get it
to 2 hrs.
My Tx transmitter was in the orange area, ready to red line anytime. I have
discharged the tx in the past to red line in 2H 30M, so I felt I could push
it. With just 3 minutes to go for my 2 hrs, the engine quit on a loooong
hover session, and I dead-sticked. Up again. Ever so frequently, I was
eyeing the meter to check on the battery condition. Finally, I landed at 2H
3m with the battery still healthy and yet to red-line. Took me 7 flights in
all.
One of these days, this horsing around is gonna get me inta beeg trouble!
What a day!! :-)
ajai
ps. Mean while, I have been learning to side slip. I side slip here and
there, but rarely back to the field. Like my rolls of early days, it is a
random aircraft position generator! Any tips?
|
| 239.2251 | OOOOOPS.......! | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Mon Oct 08 1990 18:32 | 16 |
| RE: .2249, Bernie,
If it sounded as though my bombast against the AMA Nats was somehow
directed at you, please accept _my_ apologies. I took no offense at
yer' unintentional faux-pas...I was merely reminded of why I disliked
the Nats so intensely, especially when compared with such a fine
program as the U.S. Scale Masters, and went off on a tangent which
may've made me appear ungrateful for yer' kind remarks. Sorry 'bout
that, amigo......!! I honestly, most humbly appreciate yer' too kind
remarks regarding the MiG 'n me!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2252 | Maybe harpoons? | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Wed Oct 10 1990 11:16 | 38 |
| Speaking of the AMA.
In the back of the last Model Aviation (Nov-1990 page 210) there is an
advertisement for Torpedo plans.
"Score a Direct Hit with the new super shark TORPEDO
o Automatic Motor Start at Launch and Shut off at Target
o NICAD-540 Motor Power
o 25 MPH - 300 yard range
o PVC Pipe Body - 4 to 6 hr build
o Mount and Launch system incl'd
o Great on Float Planes"
OK guys - what do you think of this.
I have several safety concerns. If one of our Vortek bombs full of
flower hit me on the head I would probably be upset but if one of these
PVC pipes (filled with nicads and a 540 motor) with a pointed nose (sharper
than the fictitious AMA min-radius guide line) hit me I would probably
die.
Sure looks like you could sink your next door neighbors full scale boat
by hitting it at 25 MPH with a sharp object!
If you think about it boats are probably more sporting targets than blimps :-)
Just what our sport needs - more hair brained ideas. Maybe we should all
get together and place an order at the same time. Then stop payment on
all the checks.
I just called the AMA and spoke to Bob Underwood. He had'nt been aware of
the Add and was going to investigate and bring it up to the safety committee
and get back to me.
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2253 | WHERE DO ALL THESE "DIM-BULBS" COME FROM...?????? | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Wed Oct 10 1990 11:56 | 6 |
| __
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2254 | FACINATING PERSON AND STORY.....!! | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Wed Oct 10 1990 12:27 | 42 |
| I met an interesting gentleman at the art show last weekend. My artist
buddy, Jerry Crandall, introduced him to me as "Col. Jerry
Braddock(sp?), the only man to survive a 75G impact in an F/A-18
Hornet.
As the Col. told the story, he suffered spatial disorientation while
performing at an open house/air show at the El Toro Marine Base in So.
Cal. sometime in 1988. This resulted in a crash right in front of the
large crowd of civilians and military personnel.
Jerry said the impact launched his face directly into the stick,
breaking the stick off cleanly and pushing his entire face in about an
inch. He also had 3-bones broken in his neck, the L-1 vertebra in his
lower back was disintegrated, 5-ribs were broken, both legs and both
ankles were broken, the heel was torn off his left foot, his left arm
and shoulder were broken and, in short, about the only major part of
his skeleton undamaged was his right arm.
He called himself "the real bionic man" as his body is now full of
teflon and stainless-steel components. Jerry said he now has teflon
and stainless rings which hold his eyes and most of his facial
structure has been artificially rebuilt. (He looks completely normal
though I can't testify whether he looks the same as before the crash.)
He also has several solid stainless rods in his back, neck and legs
plus an artificial joint or two. All in all, I thought it remarkable
that he was back on his feet in just 2-years looking and getting around
as well as he does.
But the kicker to his story is that he now walks 3-4 miles daily and
rides a bike on a 15-mile circuit about twice a week and, two months
ago, he had an accident an fell off his bike. Taken to the same
hospital that patched him back together after the F/A-18 crash, the
doctors informed him that he'd managed to break the only part of him
not injured in the Hornet crash....he'd broken the forearm and wrist of
his right arm! It was one of those you-had-to-be-there things but, the
way he told the story, all of us listening broke up BIG TIME!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2255 | Story was on "Rescue 911" | ROCK::MINER | Dan Miner, DTN:225-4015, HLO2-3/D11 | Wed Oct 10 1990 12:40 | 15 |
| This story (complete with footage of the F-18 crash itself) was told
on the TV show "Rescue 911" that is hosted by Captain Kirk, er... I
mean William Shatner. Charlie Watt brought a video tape of the TV
show to one of the DECRCM meetings last spring(?).
_____
| \
| \ Silent POWER!
_ ___________ _________ | Happy Landings!
| \ | | | | |
|--------|- SANYO + ]-| ASTRO |--| - Dan Miner
|_/ |___________| |_________| |
| / | " The Earth needs more OZONE,
| / not Caster Oil!! "
|_____/
|
| 239.2256 | missiles "that work" ?? | SALEM::PISTEY | | Wed Oct 10 1990 13:38 | 11 |
|
Speaking of "launching" things such as missiles. There was
a sentence in the Oct 90 RCM article on the F4 construction that
states something like " and I have plans for the misiles that
actually fire". I might be a little off on the quote but the jist
of it is there. There was no further mention in the construction
article but this caught my attention.
kevin p
|
| 239.2257 | DETAIL ON F-18 CRASH.... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Wed Oct 10 1990 19:13 | 277 |
| Thanx to Kay Fisher, here are a series of notes from the FLYING
notesfile relevant to the F-18 crash I referred to in the previous note
where I mentioned having met the pilot involved (and his very lovbely
wife). I mentioned to Kay off line that, according to his wife, Jerry
Braddock's biggest regret over the incident is that, save for the Blue
Angels, the F-18 has been banned by the Navy/Marines from airshow work.
The following topic ran into several ratholes concerning ejection
seats, F-104s, etc. and I've edited these out to keep the replies
relevant to the crash. This should explain the lack of continuity of
the note numbers, should anyone notice them.
<<< MEIS::NOTES$:[NOTES$LIBRARY]FLYING.NOTE;4 >>>
-< General Aviation >-
================================================================================
Note 1724.0 F-18 Hornet crash at airshow 38 replies
CSC32::S_HALL "TANSTAAFL....." 19 lines 25-APR-1988 11:16
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anybody see the news film of the FA-18 that pancaked-in out
of a loop at an airshow in California ?
I hear the pilot survived, with serious injuries. The plane
'almost' made the loop. Another 50-100' and he'd have made it.
From what I've seen of the F-18, it's a marginally maneuverable
'truck' of an airplane. The Blue Angels' shows with these new
planes are slow and stodgy (compared with their shows with the
agile A-4). Typical pull up seems to be a mushy pitchup, followed
by a gradual climb.
What role are these planes slated for? I wouldn't want to
get into a fight where the 'F' part of the plane's designation
was required !
Steve H
================================================================================
Note 1724.1 F-18 Hornet crash at airshow 1 of 38
MISFIT::DEEP 9 lines 25-APR-1988 11:26
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Last report I heard said the pilot was alive, but in critical condition.
Some speculation that control was lost much earlier than apparent on the
news clip. Reports were saying he made some last minute manuvers to avoid
hitting the crowd of 150,000 plus who were watch at the time of the crash.
================================================================================
Note 1724.2 F-18 Hornet crash at airshow 2 of 38
STAR::IANNELLI 7 lines 25-APR-1988 12:26
-< I wonder if he rode it in on purpose.... >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RE: Last minute Manuvers.....
Whatever the reason, he stayed with the plane right to the ground.
At least there was no sign of an ejection on the news coverage. Hard
to believe anyone could survive the fireball... I hope he makes
it!
-Fred
================================================================================
Note 1724.3 F-18 Hornet crash at airshow 3 of 38
VIDEO::MEDRICK 8 lines 25-APR-1988 12:57
-< Nose High with a down vector. >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Saw the film on the Today Show this morning, second time for the
same type accident. I was #1 for takeoff at Torrejon AB, when the
Northrop Pilot smacked the runway in a dual-seat F-5 in a demo
for the Spanish Air Force. In that case, the Pilot changed from
a low altitude loop into an attempted Cuban-8 at the 90 degree
dive point; almost made it. Neither crewmember survived.
Frank
================================================================================
Note 1724.4 F-18 Hornet crash at airshow 4 of 38
MISFIT::DEEP 8 lines 25-APR-1988 14:22
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> Hard to believe anyone could survive the fireball...
Thats what I thought when I first saw the footage, but in watching it
a second time, and hearing the comments of some spectators, the plane
remained intact, and the fireball seemed to stay rearward during the
skid ... Anyone heard an update on the extent of the pilots injuries?
================================================================================
Note 1724.9 F-18 Hornet crash at airshow 9 of 38
ANDREW::OSTROM "Andy Ostrom NAC Marketing 226-5091" 14 lines 27-APR-1988 13:39
-< Impressive F-18 show last summer. >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I've never got to ride in any of the above, but they ALL seem like pretty
impressive aircraft to me! Anyway... At last year's Hanscom Air Show there
was a Canadian F-18 and pilot. SOme of the things he did were unreal. I
particularly remember a square loop with SQUARE corners. Besides the Harrier
which is super impressive just on the basis of NOISE I thought that the F-18
was the highlight of the show. Now it may have just been that the guy flying
the plane was pushing harder than the others, but he did stuff that made the
other guys look poor by comparison. They didn't fly the F-14, but there was
the Thunderbirds, F-15, A-10, and F-111 demos. (To the best of my
recollection).
Andy
================================================================================
Note 1724.10 F-18 Hornet crash at airshow 10 of 38
PORT::HARVEY 22 lines 23-JUN-1988 18:33
-< Update on this one >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Did anyone else see a update on this accident where a Marine
pilot in a F-18 that crashed during a airshow in southern California.
The article stated that he was flying down the runway at 100' and
400 mph, at midfield went vertical then at 1500' or 2000' he went
into a inside loop. At the bottom of the loop he didn't have enough
altitude and his tail hit the runway. He tried to gain altitude
but the plane wasn't giving any and it hit the runway hard a second time.
That second hit was so hard his head hit the stick, broke the
bone around his nose/eye sockets, broke his right ankle (simple
break), a compound fracture of his left ankle, broken ribs, compressed
spine and internal bleeding and more. When he was air lifted to
the hospital the doctors gave little hope of survival, but, he is
recovering and may fly again. This incident was about two months
ago and he is up and walking around.
I don't have the newpaper in front of me but the Marines and
Navy said they are investigating the accident and will decide if
these type of areobatics will be allowed in future airshows.
================================================================================
Note 1724.11 F-18 Hornet crash at airshow 11 of 38
TRCO01::FINNEY "Keep cool, but do not freeze..." 15 lines 23-JUN-1988 18:57
-< Alas >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply
oops, typed that once already ... anyway
I'm pleased to see that the pilot will probably fly again. If he
gets back into fighters again then GREAT.
I find this personally ironic, because I injured my knees in a 5
foot fall and that put the kaibosh on any more *real* fast mover
flying ( as opposed to punching in flight pay time foozling a T-Bird).
I don't think the pilot in .0 is going to see anymore single-seated
fast mover time either.
Scooter
================================================================================
Note 1724.15 F-18 Hornet crash at airshow 15 of 38
NRPUR::FORAN 10 lines 28-FEB-1990 09:30
-< TV show '911' shows F-18 crash >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anybody else out there see 911 last nite??? I tuned in a little
late but caught a spectacular jet crash at an airshow, I believe
on the west coast, I dont know when it happened and I'm not sure
of the aircraft type but it looked like he slammed into the ground
at the bottom of a maneuver, someone must have been video taping
and there was VERY spectacular footage. Fortunately the aircraft
did not erupt into a fireball, the bottom line is that in spite of
severe injuries the pilot survived. But the Corps didnt want him
flying again!!
================================================================================
Note 1724.16 F-18 Hornet crash at airshow 16 of 38
SMURF::PINARD 13 lines 28-FEB-1990 10:31
-< Quite the footage! >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes I saw that, it was an F-18 doing a square emulan sp? or something
like that. He flew straight up, then upside down, then straight down
then was suppose to flatten out at 500 ft, but pancaked the ground
and slid quite a ways. He hit flat with forward motion still going,
I don't know if he shut the engines or they quit on impact. But he
did have alot of forward velocity. I kept saying "Come on Stop"
Kind of like what I was thinking when we had the engine failure and
went of the end of the runway... :^) I was trying to figure out
after that if the rest was recreation or actual footage when they
removed him. It was interesting the person in charge of removing him
from the plane said to make sure his of his hands because if he comes
around he may try to fire the ejection seat.
His wife watched the whole thing in the stands.
================================================================================
Note 1724.17 F-18 Hornet crash at airshow 17 of 38
HOTAIR::SCOTT 10 lines 28-FEB-1990 10:50
-< Yes, but he's in the air again!!! >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I saw it too. They called it a square immelman, but it looked like a
square loop to me. It appeared that he got an accellerated stall
while trying to recover from the vertical portion and pancaked it in
with what they said was 200-250 mph forward speed. Pretty spectacular
footage.
Jeff
N24699
N4030 (hopefully by July
================================================================================
Note 1724.18 F-18 Hornet crash at airshow 18 of 38
TRCU11::FINNEY "Keep cool, but do not freeze" 20 lines 28-FEB-1990 14:01
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I didn't see the show, but saw the footage on the news after it
happened.
It was the famous F-18 Square Cornered Loop.
The bit about the hands and the ejection seat is a phenomenon not
widely known outside of military circles. There have been a few cases
of pilots being killed in ground ejections. One fellow who survived
such a case (it was originally thought to be an attempted suicide) said
that he was sitting in the cockpit and fell asleep (while memorizing
switch and dial positions - a common practise when learning a new
bird).
He woke up, in the dark, and thought he had blacked out in flight, was
totally disoriented, and was unable to recover his aircraft ! He tried
once or twice to fire his seat, couldn't cause it was safety'd, so he
armed the seat and ejected through the canopy and the roof of the
hangar (wooden) and ended up on the roof with massive injuries.
Scooter
================================================================================
Note 1724.23 F-18 Hornet crash at airshow 23 of 38
FSDB00::AINSLEY "Less than 150 kts. is TOO slow!" 8 lines 28-FEB-1990 15:46
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm confused. Is .0 talking about a real accident that happened
recently, or as something staged for some TV show, or footage of an
accident that happened a few years ago, being used as part of a TV
show? I guess I'm confused because I thought I heard about there being
some TV show called "911". I case you haven't guessed, I don't watch
much TV.
Tooslow_the_confused
================================================================================
Note 1724.24 F-18 Hornet crash at airshow 24 of 38
SMURF::PINARD 9 lines 28-FEB-1990 16:09
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
reply .8
It's a tv show (911) that recreates rescues etc... The rest of the
show last night dealt with Charles Stuwart shooting in Boston... I
didn't watch all of that. Some of that was intersting to watch and
listen to actual things from back then knowing what we know now...
They use actual footage if they have it and recreate some I believe...
I don't know when the airshow occured, probably at least a year ago,
considering his recovery status...
================================================================================
Note 1724.26 F-18 Hornet crash at airshow 26 of 38
NETDOC::REID "Straighten Up and Fly Right!" 5 lines 28-FEB-1990 17:48
-< deja vu >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
..I thought this all sounded familiar. See NOTE 1724.* from April '88
"as it happened".
Marc
================================================================================
Note 1724.34 F-18 Hornet crash at airshow 34 of 38
NRPUR::FORAN 7 lines 2-MAR-1990 08:03
-< No re-creation!! >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Re;.11, thanx, I guess I hadnt seen that Note. It is indeed
the same incident. Someone else asked was it a recreation? if you
saw it, you wouldnt ask that question!! Dont know about the rescue
scenes but they looked pretty authentic to me. He's VERY lucky
to be alive!!
|
| 239.2258 | More on the RCM F4 with rockets
| JETRGR::EATON | Dan Eaton St.Louis,MO,USA, 445-6522 | Wed Oct 10 1990 19:33 | 7 |
| RE:-.1
Yep, you're right about the plane's owner mentioning firing rockets from the
F4. It's also in there that he's from someplace like Czechoslovakia so its not
too likely he's an AMA member or for that matter violating AMA rules. He may
have a perfectly sound reason (like a sanctioned pyrotechnic display) for having
the rockets on the F4. Fortunately, he didn't include the details of the rockets
or else some fool would be out there rolling in on the pits for fun.
|
| 239.2259 | On Symbiotic relationships... | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Fri Oct 12 1990 12:55 | 33 |
| At the DECRCM (HTA?) meeting at Boxborough, Dave Walter flunked the quiz
that he voluntarily took, by saying I flew for 2Hr 4m, being off by a minute
:-) That reminded me of something I forgot to mention to ya'll.
You might recall that my OS SF 46 ABC engine troubles started about the same
time that my car's engine also started acting up, (stalling/bucking), giving
me plenty of practice doing deadstick landings.
Well interestingly, the symbiotic relationship seems to be alive and well,
when you consider the mechanic changed the carb on my car THE SAME DAY I
replaced the broken carb on my OS!! The replacement carb for my car cost $50
at a junkyard, while a new 4D carb cost $40 for the OS!
The first couple of days I flew with the new carb, I was wondering why the
engine wasn't delivering enough power. I would have to limp along to a
take-off, and the engine would run better when the tank got near empty!
The needle was screwed out 1 1/4 turns on the old carb, and that was where I
set it on the replacement. I did tune the engine, but did not go too lean,
figuring that things should be the same. My idle wasn't as low or reliable
as before. I even fiddled the low speed needle a bit, but to no avail.
Maybe the engine knew of the carb transplant, and had rejected it, perhaps
even attacking it with anti-bodies, suspecting it to be a carcinogen!
What had changed was that I was swinging a Graupner prop instead of the
usual Master Airscrew that had served me faithfully for over 50 air-hours!
Getting a lot bolder, I found that I needed to have the needle screwed out
just 1/2 a turn on the new carb. Ever since, the OS runs like a champ.
The operation was a success despite initial complications.
ajai
|
| 239.2260 | SPILL THE BEANS, KAY........ | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Tue Oct 16 1990 19:28 | 19 |
| Hey, I just happened to remember that Kay Fisher alluded to Kevin
having a [possibly self incriminating] story to tell about flying his
P-47 from a week or so ago. I even saw the story hinted at in Eric's
report of the last HTA meeting in the DECRCM notesfile...something
about bellying in on takeoff......???
But, what's this? Kevin hasn't come forward with the tale of his own
accord and "enquiring minds want to know." So, c'mon, Kay, since
Kevin is either indisposed with work or too embarrassed to tell on
himself, it falls upon you to rat on yer' buddy and let us in on the
story.
We await with 'bated breath..............................
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2261 | There is a "Little Demon" in all of us. | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Wed Oct 17 1990 10:23 | 46 |
| > But, what's this? Kevin hasn't come forward with the tale of his own
> accord and "enquiring minds want to know." So, c'mon, Kay, since
> Kevin is either indisposed with work or too embarrassed to tell on
> himself, it falls upon you to rat on yer' buddy and let us in on the
> story.
I guess I gave him time enough to do the honorable thing.
At the Orange Airport a couple of week ends ago Kevin was getting
in a practice session with his big Jug. It was a little windy
and for some reason we had terrific down drafts on the runway.
I know because I threw my HLG Chuperosa out over the tar several
times and it was sinking so fast that I couldn't get back to my feet
so did several landings with my tow hook on the tar.
On Kevin's second flight he was trying to be cool and have the retracts
come up as soon as he rotated. Now he has this lame excuse about
7 second servos and extra high air pressure but the fact was he was
hot dogging and the retracts started coming up before he was airborne.
So it dipped a bit (I think the down drafts were helping) and he shortened
the prop, blew off one gear door on the runway and was in the air. Then we
hear the engine over revving so he pulls power and touches the tar again.
But it is really cooking so it just scrapes a bit and it's up again.
By now it's 100 feet past the initial rotation (bounce-ation) and crossing
the runway threshold. Now heading towards a harmless little bush.
Kevin claims it is a large tree! Anyway he forces it down in the gravel
road that goes around the runway - before the tree and it ricochets
off the ground and flys another 15-20 feet then slides to a nice gentle
stop 5 feet short of the tree and perhaps 200-250 feet after rotation.
No damage to retracts or wing. Some fiberglass cracks and lots of scraping
done to the bottom of the Jug and all the little scale do dads were scraped
off. Dan Miner turned out to be an expert at finding all the little
parts. Kevin estimated 40 hours to be back in Masters condition.
I have to admit - if he had gotten away with it - the take off would
have been spectacular. As it was it was a spectacular crash!
Pass the humble pie please.
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2262 | BET _THAT_ YANKED HIS OL' PUCKER-STRING...!! | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Wed Oct 17 1990 12:05 | 16 |
| Re: .-1,
Sheesh, talk about a hair raiser! If someone'd gotten it on videotape,
it'd have made some spectacular, realistic footage of a takeoff
accident that probably happened to the 1:1 Jugs more than once in
operation.
Glad to hear the damage was minimal and mostly cosmetic. Sounds like
Kevin needs his'self another Pee-47 to hot-dog with and save the Jug
for Las Negas next year. ;b^}
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2263 | What's wrong with Estevan? | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Mon Oct 22 1990 15:29 | 50 |
| Gee, I'm doin' my rounds in the rc notes file today, am I not? :-)
Well, I have to complain about Steve Smith, and what better place than
the rambling column with the Rat? :-)
Yesterday, for the THIRD time, Steve lost his prop, spinner, and nut.
The engine shrieked for an few seconds and died, and Steve brought in
his Fiesta dead-stick. On one earlier occassion last year, he had the same
thing happen to his [now late] Sueper Kaos 60, at Crow Island. Some one
found the spinner for him, and I was there when it happened late
October.
So far so good. What's my problem, you ask? Gawd! I hate Steve's
guts... Well, lemme get on with the story - Steve had, on Charlie's
sage advice, put on a plastic washer - like fuel tubing - on his engine
crank shaft to prevent the drive nut/washer from falling off and
getting lost, like on previous occassions. The trick worked, and he
still had the drive washer. Still, no prop/spinner/prop-nut.
Sooo, what do you think anyone would do when faced with finding a prop
in the woods of New England? What do you think anyone would do when
searching for a needle in the proverbial haystack? What do you think
Steve did? He went off into the woods, to look for it!! Aaaarrrgh!
He asked some spectating pilots to line him up after waking out a bit,
and took off into the woods. One [ex-Israeli fighter] pilot offered
Steve a few $ to buy him a new prop! I was incredulous at Steve's gall,
and Charlie was smiling.
10 minutes later, Steve returns with the prop, spinner, and prop nut
rattling within!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And a grin from ear to ear on his
face!
I thought I had an advanced degree in searching downed planes, after
last year's T60 mishap. After nearly 20 man-hours of my time, and 100
man-hours of everyone's combined time of hunting, we could not find it
until 77 days later when a hunter stumbled across it!
This guy goes off and finds his prop in 10 minutes. Sob! Sob! Why is
life so unfair? I am thinking of filing an anti-discrimination suit
against the forests of New England for being so partisan in not liking
Injuns. Grrrrr! Bah!!
:-)
ajai
ps. Hint - If you lose your plane, you know whom to contact! At the
very least, Steve will find you the prop. The rest of your plane will
usually be attached to the prop, or by lying near by.
|
| 239.2264 | Steve's prop finding abilities | ROCK::MINER | Dan Miner, DTN:225-4015, HLO2-3/D11 | Mon Oct 22 1990 16:35 | 19 |
| Well, either Steve's prop finding abilities have improved in 15
months or his abilities don't work on a broken prop.
In July '89, Steve helped my look for my downed ElectroStreak and he
wasn't sucessful. Of course, the plane was actually under water
with a broken prop and we didn't (at the time) have any hip waders.
I suppose Steve MIGHT have found my plane if he had hip waders on...
_____
| \
| \ Silent POWER!
_ ___________ _________ | Happy Landings!
| \ | | | | |
|--------|- SANYO + ]-| ASTRO |--| - Dan Miner
|_/ |___________| |_________| |
| / | " The Earth needs more OZONE,
| / not Caster Oil!! "
|_____/
|
| 239.2266 | Steve, do you own a wet suit?
| HPSPWR::WALTER | | Tue Oct 23 1990 17:27 | 6 |
| Maybe I should ask Steve to look for a recently lost engine. One of the Charles
River club flyers took his Cap 21 with OS 120 Surpass out for its maiden
(almost) flight at Crow Island and proceeded to spiral it into the beautiful
Assabet River. A passing canoist recovered the plane, but the engine mount had
broken and the OS was somewhere on the bottom. IS somewhere on the bottom, that
is.
|
| 239.2267 | | SNAX::SMITH | I FEEL THE NEED | Tue Oct 23 1990 17:47 | 4 |
| Gee, that's a hell of a way to loose a 120 surpass. It's probably in
about 5 feet of mud. Sounds like a job for the Navy Seals to me.
|
| 239.2268 | Gee, I should'a taken my own advice! | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Thu Oct 25 1990 12:04 | 17 |
| Hey Steve,
Could you find my propeller for me? It is somewhere in the woods near
Lake Chauncy, near the CMRCM field. There should be an OS SF 61 pumper
attached to the hub of the prop.
I couldn't find it last year even though I used a helicopter and a
metal detector.
ajai
ps. You can keep the prop, but I'd like the have the [now junk?] engine
back tho'... Thanks in advance...
:-) :-)
|
| 239.2269 | Story telling time! | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Thu Oct 25 1990 13:01 | 44 |
| To regulate/licence or not to, that is the question in the ARF SOAPBOX note.
I do not aim to provide any answers, but it triggered something that is RC
related that I was soo used to India, but have forgotten to post here.
Just as there is prohibition (no sale of liquor) on Sundays in
Massachusetts, some time back, in India, there was a move towards
prohibition a decade+ ago. One of the things I have seen is that poor people
would spend (and still do) their days wages guzzling booze, leaving them
with little or no money for other, more crucial needs, including family
responsibilities, etc.. Perhaps the boozers figured that drowning the
sorrows of their hard life was MORE important - dunno. At any rate, curbing
this social problem might have been a motivator for legislating prohibition
- I am not sure now, but lemme get on with my story...
Guess what happened? Bootlegging, big time. OK, so what has making illicit
liquor to do with RC? Well, one of the bootleggers got real smart, and
decided to add methanol to his brew for giving an added kick. A few hundred
people died/were blinded at the next party. More new legislation - THOU
SHALT NOT BUY OR SELL METHANOL WITHOUT A LICENCE, OR YE SHAL HAVE SINNED.
Ho! Ho! Much as I was aghast by the tragedy, it also meant that I couldn't
get alcohol for my engine [it drinks all the alcohol for the two of us. I
get tipsy with anything stronger/older than fresh orange juice. :-)].
We used to mix our own fuel, and besides methanol, castor oil was available
in plenty, India being the largest producer in the world. I would buy some
castor oil "loose" by the "kilo" at the local grocery store, bring it home,
heat it in a pot so it was no longer as viscous (usually the consistency of
honey at room temperature!), and strained it through a few sheets of cloth.
I needed Methanol. Sooo, I dug through my mafia files, and found I had a
distant relative who ran a Chemical Solvents company not too far from home.
I stopped over, and told him why I needed methanol (my baby OS is on a
liquid diet, and will die if I don't feed it soon). Of course, he had the
licence to sell, but I didn't have the licence to buy. And getting one would
have meant enjoying navigating the deeply entrenched Indian bureaucracy
(that the British so kindly left us, and which the current politicians
exploit to their full advantage), instead of aeromodelling.
The mafia nevers gives NO for an answer :-), and I got my methanol, with
assurances for future supplies as well. Being a good citizen, I supplied my
other RC "drinking" buddies with Methanol too...
ajai
|
| 239.2270 | Practice, practice, practice | SNAX::SMITH | I FEEL THE NEED | Thu Oct 25 1990 13:45 | 15 |
| re. .2268
Ajai,
My finding my prop, spinner, etc. all in tact is just a matter
of practice. I probably hold the record for spitting props. I really
had no hopes of finding anything, but figure it's always worth at
least one shot. Actually, I found everything after only about 5 minutes
in the woods. I figured if I was going to be that lucky, I'd spend some
more time just looking around to see if I would come up with anything
else. I did find someone's aileron but that was about it. My props are
now held on with 2 nuts. If the engine goes lean again, it'll burn up
before it spits another prop.
Steve
|
| 239.2271 | FALL 1/8 AF MEET IS HISTORY... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Thu Oct 25 1990 16:19 | 67 |
| I'm just now finding time enough to scribble a few wors about the Fall
1/8 Air Force Scale Fly-In of last weekend.
It went quite well with 80 aircraft being registered, making for one of
the larger fall meets we've had. PR on the part of the hosting club
must not've been too intensive as spectator turnout was light but that
suited me fine.
The weather couldn't have been more perfect on Saturday, temp around
85�F and a gentle, steady breeze right down the runway. Sunday morning
was VERY windy but, by about 11:00 AM, it had settled and began to
align with the runway...by noon it was perfect again.
Sunday after the lunchtime lineup, we had the F-Troop vs. 1/8 AF
rubberband fly-off. There were about 6-7 entries ranging from a
scratchbuilt B-25 to a foamie Spirit of St. Louis. Three rounds were
flown and the B-25 was a shoe-in to win 'til it was damaged and
couldn't make the last round. The two remaining models fought it out
for 1st and 2nd while the B-25 took third. In 1st place was Mike
Hatfield's Spirit of St. Louis while Lewie Kear took second with his
Spitfire. Lewie's brother, Ken, took 3rd (but should've won) with his
great B-25. Winning time for Mike's model was something like
17-seconds so the fly-off didn't take too long and I think there may be
enough interest to have another duel with the rubbere-powered scale
birds.
Chuck Collier didn't have his retracts for the P-47 back yet so he flew
his Byron Staggerwing and put in several barburner flights. Some
fellows from the Frisco Bay area came in with a big/fancy/expensive
diesel bus motorhome and huge airplane trailer containing some
_enormous_ models. They had a 110" (Nosen) Corsair powered by a Sachs
5.2 cu-in engine which was almost as fast as a local modeler's Byron
Corsair with Zenoah G-62.
With an average of 16 aircraft to each of the 5 flight lines, everyone
got plenty of flying and 3 or more aircraft were in the air at all
times. As always, there were some heartbreaking crashes; another
fellow with a nice, Purr-powered Byron Corsair hit a Palo Verde tree on
a low pass and tore it up pretty bad. Another guy lost a nice Holman
P-40 when the receiver battery [apparently] signed off. A nice CAP-20B
went in on final when some sort of electronic gremlin got it and an EZ
Laser was totalled due to dumb-thumbs.
I flew the ol' Yeller Peril both days and put a flight on the MiG-3
Sunday afternoon. The (&*^#$%@ retracts failed to come up again but at
least they stayed locked on landing...I think we've finally traced the
problem to an intermittently leaky switch valve.
A great time was had by all and it was a real nice, low-key meet. I'll
post the winners in a subsequent reply.
Dennis Crooks had his SR-71 Blackbird there and put three flights on it
over the 2-days of the meet. He had another close shave on the last
flight, though not nearly as life-threatening as when his left aileron
stuck full down during his demo flight at the Masters in Dallas last
month. Halfway into the flight, the throttle linkage to one engine
came loose so he just took it way up and orbited with the good engine
throttled back a bit (to ensure it'd run out of fuel last) until the
throttle-less engine quit. Then he set up essentially a deadstick
landing, using the live engine sparingly to get set up properly. It
worked to perfection and the landing was the best he made of the three.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2272 | Parting is such sweet sorrow! | BTOVT::SOUTIERE | | Thu Oct 25 1990 16:54 | 23 |
| As I look back through the "RAMBLIN'" note...date 14-Mar-1990 I
found a note regarding the possible departure of a "well famed
noter" named Al Casey, a victim of TFSO! Well the RC noters were
fortunate in the news only being a scare.
Unfortunately, the TFSO bug has struck again! I was notified this
AM that I am officially in TMP. I volunteered for various reasons,
but none-the-less I volunteered. This package only allows 4 weeks
to make the final decision.....$$$ or relocate. I love Vermont and
do not plan on leaving, so I am opting for the $$$. My last day as
a DECie will be NOVEMBER 21,1990.
I can't say how much this notesfile has meant to me. It basically
taught me the hobbie! Even though I'm not a "hot" noter, I still
enjoyed the stories, hints, directions, instructions, flames, and
all the pickins that went on here. I've managed to get most of my
equipment through the sale of items in this file. I'll will miss
that benefit for sure.
Unlike Al, there is no turning back for me. I'll bid adieu in 4
weeks. Until then, I will be stll active in the notesfile.
Ken
|
| 239.2273 | A LAMENT AND 1/8 AF FLY-IN RESULTS.... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Thu Oct 25 1990 18:59 | 51 |
| Re: .-1, Ken,
Awwwwwwwwww RATZZZZZ!! I'm really sorry ta' hear that. I wish I could
hope that things might change but it sounds like you've pretty much
made up yer' mind and are resigned to leaving. By all means stay
active 'til the day you leave.....I'll miss ya', amigo!
Re: .2271 (I think),
Here're the results of the 1/8 AF Fall Scale Fly-In last weekend:
Peoples' Choice (spectators' vote)
----------------------------------
1. Dennis Crooks SR-71 Blackbird
2. Dave Linne' Byron Ryan STM (beautiful metal-looking paint
technique he wouldn't reveal.)
3. Jim Hildebrand Terrific P-51 Mustang
Best General Aviation Flight
----------------------------
1. Chuck Collier Byron Staggerwing (Chuckie finally became a bride.)
2. C. Sallee Morrisey Bravo
3. Dave Smith Waco Cabinaire (cabin biplane)
Best Military Flight
--------------------
1. Dennis Crooks SR-71 Blackbird
2. Dave Smith Byron Corsair
3. Jim McCarter P-51 Mustang
Frank Scioscia Memorial Craftsmanship Award
-------------------------------------------
1. Dave Linne' Ryan STM (mentioned above...it was gorgeous)
Smacked Ass (worst crash)
-------------------------
1. Bill Glover's Holman P-40 who [jokingly] acknowledged pilot, Bob
Frey, for making the award possible. (I'm glad I didn't see the
trophy in advance; it had a crashed MiG-3 on it and I was thrilled
this fact didn't predestine anything evil, beyond balky retracts
that is, for _my_ MiG.)
BTW, the plans for the 1/5 scale, 81.1" MiG-3 arrived yesterday. I
haven't had time to look at them too closely yet but a cursory glance
looks pretty good for starters. Gawd! That thing seems huge!!!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2274 | regretful envy | ABACUS::RYDER | perpetually the bewildered beginner | Fri Oct 26 1990 06:55 | 14 |
| re Note 239.2272 by Ken BTOVT::SOUTIERE re TFSO
>> I volunteered for various reasons, but none-the-less I volunteered.
I understand. Last spring I asked to be included and couldn't be. I
didn't really want to leave, but a twenty year DECie at 55 cannot
reasonably pass up a chance for early retirement with two years pay up
front. Well, I didn't get the chance. Hence the envy.
But we will miss you.
Good luck in your next job. Before you leave, update 4.4 with your
home address and phone so that you may be haunted by us forever.
Alton, from the Northeast Kingdom
|
| 239.2275 | Another TMP/TFSO Volunteer! | ARTOO::COLBURN | The weather's fine up here! | Fri Oct 26 1990 08:31 | 17 |
| On a related note,Ken's not the only one here making a change.I'm
also in TMP but am relocating from BTO to FXO(Franklin)instead of
going the TFSO route.My girlfriend,who by the way wants to learn
to fly R/C,was offered a job in the FXO area,so th timing was perfect
for relocation.
While alot of you won't recognize my name as quickly as Ken's,I've
been a mostly read-only noter with a reply here and there for the
past 3.5 years.Like Ken I taught myself how to fly,but the knowledge
from the experienced helped me greatly.
My last day at BTO is today,then a week off.I will most certainly
continue my participation here,and am glad that I can!
Regards to all,
Kevin Colburn
|
| 239.2276 | Who owns who | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Fri Oct 26 1990 09:56 | 48 |
| Some interesting news/history from the usenet.
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
Article 3359
From: [email protected]
Newsgroups: rec.models.rc
Subject: Hobico purchases Top Flight Models
Date: 23 Oct 90 15:50:00 GMT
I am a member of the Champaign County R/C Club. We meet twice a
month and last night was one of the meeting nights.
I heard at the meeting, that Hobico has purchased Top Flight
Models and will be moving them to the Champaign facility.
I can remember when Bruce Holecek (founder of Tower Hobbies)
was at war with Top Flight over the pricing of Monokote, now
they have bought them out.
By the way, if you do not follow how this all stacks up, Bruce
sold Tower to Clint Atkins, a major real estate holder in our
locality. Clint formed Hobico, as a parent company over Tower,
purchased Great Planes Distributing (Don Anderson founded
Great Planes and still holds Great Planes Manufacturing and
while founding GPM, bought out Bridi).
Clint upon purchasing Great Planes Distributing, talked Bruce
into buying back into the company (Hobico), but Clint remains
major stock holder.
As it now stands, Hobico is parent over Tower, Great Planes
Distributing and now added to the pyramid, Top Flight Models.
Clint (Hobico) also has a major link-up with Kyosho as major
importer of that line of products.
.........and I can remember when both Bruce Holecek and Don
Anderson were students here at the U of Illinois and I was
their flight instructor in the club, teaching them to fly
R/C. This was in 1967. Time sure changes things.
Al Irwin
[email protected]
|
| 239.2277 | | SA1794::TENEROWICZT | | Fri Oct 26 1990 12:33 | 14 |
| Ken,
I take it that going into transition and having a job assigned
to you locally isn't an option they are allowing. Hers in spo we
are having our problems. We've been told that we won't be getting
any new disk products and that has the desig group in NKS jumping
for joy. Funny thing is the (design) haven't realized that they
are on the chopping block as well. Ya know, what goes around comes
around...
SPO is supposed to place 100 IL in transition by Nov.1st. We'll
have to see how thing fall out...
Godd Luck Ken.
|
| 239.2278 | | ELMAGO::TTOMBAUGH | High Plains Drifter | Fri Oct 26 1990 13:06 | 11 |
| Good luck to both of you, Ken and Kevin. We're sorry to see you
go.
Ken, your descriptions of winter flying and flying from "frozen
lakes", whatever they are, ;^) were interesting and your narrow
escapes from virtual disaster on seemingly every flight, ;^),
were always good for a few heart stopping moments.
My sister lives in Shelburne, and one of these summers I'll
have to get up there and see what VT. is all about.
Terry
|
| 239.2279 | It must be rainin' | BTOVT::SOUTIERE | | Fri Oct 26 1990 14:17 | 22 |
| Geesh, you guys sure know how to make a guy feel wanted.
The funny thing about it is I've never met the majority of
you noters. I guess being a pen pal (terminal pal) creates
some sort of bond. Anyhow, thanks for the kind words.
Terry, I live about 15 minutes form Shelburne so if you ever
make it up this way give me a holler. If its in the winter
I'll show you what a "frozen lake" is :^).
Tom, due to the fact that I volunteered I only get two choices,
1 - Relocate to another facility
or
2 - Take the $$ and run.
I chose to take the $$. I've got two possibilities of employment
which I should "hopefully" hear about before my 4 week window
closes. In the mean time I keep lookin' for work and fly my RC's.
Kevin, good luck in Franklin. I know its not BTO but at least you
will meet more of the noters and get to fly with them.
Ken
|
| 239.2280 | | SA1794::TENEROWICZT | | Fri Oct 26 1990 15:12 | 22 |
| Ken
To expound on one of your points...
THIS NOTES FILE IS THE BEST CLUB I'VE EVER HAD THE OCCASION
TO BE A PART OF.
I say this because this file is a club. No matter what anyone
else says it's a CLUB. As a club it probably one of the best modeling
clubs in the world. It's 90% modeling,5% bullshit and 5% politics.
I belong to a club that used to be the opposite and it's not fun
come monthly meeting time and all that's talked about in politics.
This file is like the monthly meetings of a modeling club. Fun part
is that you don't have to wait for next months meeting. Ya just
have to wait for the next day.
Good luck in your next job.
Tom
|
| 239.2281 | exit | SNAX::SMITH | I FEEL THE NEED | Mon Oct 29 1990 10:49 | 60 |
|
Well, Dan and I had an interesting and somewhat different day Saturday.
First off, we met at the new hobby shop in Westford to check things out.
As has already been stated, they were giving away prizes for the Grand
Opening. What they were doing is, when you walked in, you could roll a
pair of dice and the number you rolled gave you your prize catagory. Well,
lucky me, I rolled a 2 which was the for the best prizes. Being an RC
flyer, there were two prizes that appealed to me. One was a JR MAX 4
radio and the other was a SIG Ninja kit.
I really wanted the radio. I mean I REALLY wanted the radio but ended up
taking the Ninja. Why, well first of all, the radio was AM. This didn't
concern me as much as the fact that it was also on channel 20. Now I
know the shop is aware of the channel 20 situation around here and he
had a channel 18 on the shelf, but wouldn't swap it. I also asked if I
could upgrade to an FM and pay the difference but he wouldn't go for that
either. I have my opinions as to why they seemed to be forcing the channel
20 radio as the prize, but it's just my opinion and I don't want to say
anything negative about a business in this file. He has also made the
comment during my negotiating that he didn't have any other crystals in
stock. Hmmmmmmmmm does that mean he would have swapped them if he did?????
Are these people really knowledgable?????? When you think about it, the
only way there going to get rid of that radio is to give it as a prize to
some unsuspecting beginner who doesn't know any better and is planning on
flying without benefit of instructor or club. Otherwise, as soon as he
hits the club field, he'll be told about channel 20 and the hobby shop will
be getting the radio back anyway. In my opinion, they should have given the
channel 18 radio as the prize and sent the channel 20 radio back to JR for
a replacement. Whooops, I forgot I wasn't going to say anything bad. Oh
well, it's just my opinion.
I decided to start building the Ninja Sunday and the fuse is almost
done. The only problem I'm having is the bottom fuse piece, which is
full length has a warp in it, and is giving me fits keeping the fuse
straight. So far so good though. The entire fuse is light ply with balsa
tail feathers and foam wings with 1/16th inch sheeting. I plan on skinning
the wings tonight. For those that don't know, the Ninja is a 58" span 2
pound 2 channel slope glider. It has an Epler 374 wing section. It's a
pretty straight forward kit, and someone with the propper tools and work
area could probably build it in three nights.
Anyway, after leaving the hobby shop, Dan and I and the video camera took
a ride over to Pepperell airport to watch the local glider guiders (full
size) and also the last weekend "boogie" of the local skydivers. They
brought in a twin Otter for the jump plane and were dropping people 20
at a time. Talk about a sky full of parachutes. There were a couple of
malfunctions where the people has to cut away their mains and go to the
reserve, but they were fine and the rest of the day went without incident.
After about an hour or so, I couldn't take it anymore and got myself on
the flight manifest as a passenger. I had hopes of standing back by the
door (I have 112 jumps myself) and getting a shot of everyone going out
the door, then leaning out and getting people falling away. No such luck.
They wouldn't let me back there. So, I had to ride shotgun up in the
cockpit. I still managed to get some decent shots on the way up, and
possibly more so on the way down. It was my job to relay heading correction
orders from the jump master to the pilot while on jump run. Once everyone
was out, the pilot practically does a split S and heads for the ground in
a very tight spiral. I got some good shots of the altimeter unwinding at
a furious pace on the way down. Can't wait to see it.
|
| 239.2282 | Seems like it'de been a good deal, anyway | LEDS::COHEN | There's *ALWAYS* free Cheese in a Mousetrap! | Mon Oct 29 1990 16:59 | 23 |
| >flying without benefit of instructor or club. Otherwise, as soon as he
>hits the club field, he'll be told about channel 20 and the hobby shop will
>be getting the radio back anyway. In my opinion, they should have given the
Hardly. A seller has no legal obligation to accept returns or
exchanges. In order to successfully generate sales, almost every
retailer does offers a return/refund policy for non-functioning goods,
but they don't have to. Many a store has a strict "No refunds on
Electronics" policy.
Since these guys claimed to understand the channel 20 problem, it seems
likely they were just trying to get rid of an item they thought would be
difficult to sell. Maybe they got it shipped to them before they found
out about channel 20. In any event, I see nothing wrong with their
refusal to exchange it. At least when they give it away, they can
deducted it as a promotional item, and it's not sitting on a shelf
collecting dust.
Sheeshe, you were getting it for free, afterall! And it's not like it
was defective, just undesirable. I'de have taken it, and spent the $10
or $20 for Xtals from JR.
|
| 239.2283 | Can't go flyin', time for a ramblin' | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Tue Oct 30 1990 12:51 | 92 |
| Well, now that Steve has given ya'all the details of the prizes at the new
hobby store, lemme tell ya my story.
I had bought ply and piano wire for my WOT4 at Fish's in Framingham,
transporting the materials on my trusted bicycle, so what better way than to
do likewise with the balsa for the built-up wing?
Sooo, I hopped on my steed and rode the 16 odd miles to the store in a
little over an hour. I was fully covered from head to toe, with gloves, face
mask, ski goggles and all to the battle the 40 deg temperatures and wind.
Your typical regulation issue uniform for a member of the Starfleet :-)
I figured the wood would be comparable in price to Tower's after the 20%
discount, but I was surprised to find it was still 150% as expensive! I keep
saying this hobby is free, so I shouldn't be fussing, right? Well, I figured
that for the same $$, I could donate 1 1/2 times the wood I needed to a
balsa-starved Injun aeromodeller, and consequently didn't make the purchase
despite having gone prepared with a roll of corrugated cardboard to pack the
wood in. Yeah, I know you can pick and choose at a store, but even then, I
figured I would be ahead with Tower if I dumped half the wood.
OK, prize time. I rolled and got a total of 11, that put me in the third
prize category. Had I rolled a 12, I'd have got into the first prize
category, and deprived Steve of that Ninja (glad to have lent it to you,
Steve :-) ). No AM, plane swallowing radio's for me, thank you, last year
was bad enough! Oh Well! I got an Xacto look-alike knife at least. Hey,
don't believe all that stuff about making pilgrimages - I bicycle 32 miles
in 40 degree weather, and Steve _drives_, polluting the atmosphere, and look
at the results!
I bumped into Jim and his yf at the store, and left after browsing around
for nearly an hour. Certainly, the store was well stocked, and one of the
guys there was telling me how he would buy $600 ($400 usable) of balsa at
one shot, and scratch build a Sig Kadet in a day. He had everything jigged
out, and said he took 45 minutes for the wing - covered!
Rode home empty handed. En route, I spotted a quaint used books store in
Stow, off 117. Decided to take a peek, and guess what? I found book on
aeromodelling - an encyclopedia! Published in 1979, it had lotsa colour
pictures and drawings, and a coupla plans. Ideal for talking to someone
about the hobby. Picked it up for $8.50. The previous time I got a used book
on aeromodelling - was in Ottawa, Canada, back in 1984. This is a book on RC
Soaring, and I paid $2~3 Canadian at that time!
Feeling quite pleased, I continued homeward. Aha! A garage sale!! Time to
get my face mask off again! You never know what you find at one of these
sales, and I can't resist. Most of the time, I find little of interest, but
when I do, I get a kick out of it.
There was a box of junk. Wires, stereo jacks, and yes, a Cox .049 engine!
The kind with a plastic back, w/o tank, which you find in their ARF CLs. I
asked if the lady was selling the junk by the box, or by the item. 50 cents
a piece, she said!
The engine HAD been neglected, for sure, but there was no rust on it. The
compression wasn't great, but then, the lubricating oil had dried up. At
worst, I figured I would have spare parts for an identical engine I already
have. Can't go wrong for 50 cents. I put down the money, and picked up the
engine with a grin on my face (She even told me that it was for a model
plane! :-) )
I figured, if nothing, I could at least brag back in India how I picked up
an engine for 50 cents in rich America. At min wages of $4.25/hr, that is 7
minutes of work. Say 10 minutes if you throw in taxes, for an item that
costs $15 odd brand new. There was a time back in India when I'da killed for
such spoils! Haven't had a chance to clean it out and see how it runs.
Never mind all this, the following evening, I called Tower to find that my
OS SF 61 ABC pumper was in stock! For the past few months, they had said
that they had only the non-pumper in stock and I would be back ordered to
Jan 1991! I was beginning to get suspicious that the
I-like-simplicity-and-pumpers-are-trouble Al Casey had contacted his buddies
at Tower, and told them to give Ajai from Boston a story so he bought the
non-pumper. May be his buddy called in sick at Towers that day, dunno :-)
:-)
The latest Towers annual 1991 catalog has a $20 discount coupon for their
_in_ catalog items. The pumper was listed for $225 in the catalog, and $220
in Tower Talk, so I paid the $225 - $20 = $205. And did I spend $0.50 just
he previous day for the Cox 049?
ajai
ps. Say Kay, how'm I doin' on the accounts? I know I am nowhere close to ya,
but, heck, do you think I overspent on the OS after the Cox engine? Do I
get any brownie points on the coupon technology I used? :-)
Gee Fellas, I was wondering, that if we elected Kay for President of the
good ole US of A, there wouldn't be any more budget over runs, and hell,
they'd even get their accounts right the first time! Anybody giving
wishy-washy answers to Kay about where the $$ went would promptly get
crucified! Wow! Way to go!! :-)
|
| 239.2284 | RecyclABLE vs RecyclED | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Tue Oct 30 1990 15:54 | 25 |
| I was amused to find the following fine print on the back of the latest
Tower Talk.
"Printed on recyclable paper"
No doubt, they assumed that people wouldn't read it carefully, and assume
that it said RECYCLED paper, and give Tower Hobbies brownie points for being
so environmentally concious.
Why the marketing hype? As far as I know, all paper is recyclable so long as
you are willing to try. In India, which is paper-pulp poor, *ALL* kinds of
paper is recycled. Newspapers, notebooks, junk mail (the limited amount that
there is), magazines are all recycled. You actually sell these (and old
bottles, tin cans, plastic bags that milk comes in, old tires) to merchants
based on weight/count. I forgot to mention that newspaper/magazine paper is
also used for bagging at stores (packages tied with jute string), and some
are even made into bags specifically, getting additional use before being
reconverted to pulp. For some reason, the ink does not come off newspapers
in India, unlike my experience here.
I read just yesterday in the Wall Street Journal, that after the Gulf
crisis, auto garages that used to have to pay to have their used oil taken
away, are now _being paid_ by the same people that they used to pay to!!
ajai
|
| 239.2285 | Misc | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Wed Oct 31 1990 08:59 | 46 |
| ><<< Note 239.2282 by LEDS::COHEN "There's *ALWAYS* free Cheese in a Mousetrap!" >>>
> -< Seems like it'de been a good deal, anyway >-
...
> Hardly. A seller has no legal obligation to accept returns or
> exchanges. In order to successfully generate sales, almost every
In Massachusetts there is an implied warranty of "reasonable service".
If you "Can't use a radio because channel 20 is banned in your club"
you can return it. If the seller refuses you can take him to small
claims court and be awarded up to 4 times damages.
Of course - if you get a free radio you can return it for exactly what
you paid :-)
> <<< WEWAND::$56$DUA0:[NOTES$LIBRARY]RC.NOTE;1 >>>
> -< Welcome To The Radio Control Conference >-
...
>reconverted to pulp. For some reason, the ink does not come off newspapers
>in India, unlike my experience here.
Must be the India Ink.
While I have your attention I have to put in a plug for a couple of magazines.
Latest Model Airplane News (November-1990?)
Not usually my favorite magazine but...
In this months issue (their largest ever) they have included the plans
catalogue for all the plans available thru their service. Worth a trip
to a good news stand to pick it up for your plans library.
December-1990 Model Builder
A normally great magazine - imho. This month has several interesting
things. 1. The front cover has this really great model holding a
really great model. If you can get past the front cover 2. More outrageous
stuff is being thrown off a cliff in scale slope soaring - on page 10
you see a B-2 Stealth Bomber - on page 11 a Canadian Snowbird paint job
CT 114 Tudor. 3. On page 52 a CO2 Free Flight model which uses a aluminum
shaft for a fuselage/compressed air tank. Lastly my favorite - on page 53
is a rubber powered Canadair CL-84 Dynavert STOL. This is a twin engine
that "employs a timer to (get this): actuate wing tilt, retract the landing
gear, and eject cargo during flight!".
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2286 | Report on a close shave of a few weeks ago | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Thu Nov 01 1990 13:22 | 59 |
| Some weekends back, I had put in 3~4 flight of 15 minutes each, and was
landing, when I heard a "gunshot" - someone's plane smacked into the woods
nearby. Done with my flight, and since my frequency would be in use anyway,
I offered my [limited] expertise in tramping through the woods and
retrieving the plane. The owner was the first to come across the wreckage -
fuse and wing were both hanging vertically from a tree!
Some pricker brush separated us from the tree and the owner wanted to go
back for a heavy jacket, but as I was wearing a thick cotton shirt, I
volunteered to bushwhack. We got all the pieces and got back to the flight
line just as my frequency cleared up.
Took off, and found the plane wanted to turn/bank right big time! I had to
feed in almost all the left trim I had!! Having already put in 3 successful
flights that afternoon, and given that I use balsa pushrods (no golden
rods), I was surrrprised, but continued to fly, wondering as to what had
happened.
Then it happened. I wasn't doing any fancy stunts, but I found the plane
"disconnect" from me. In my tenderfoot rc pilot days, I would "disconnect"
from the plane, unable to "keep up" with it, but now, after over 70 hours on
the plane (and 60+ for the year), I am usually mentally "ahead" of the plane
most of the time.
What I am saying is this was distinctly different! I yelled out "I have lost
control! Heads up!!", and just as I finished, the rc Gods decided to
"reconnect" the plane to my Tx. Shaken, with images of a smashed up FS
zipping through my head, I decided to land right away. My flight computer
was scrambled with that hit by lightening, so I came in too high, and had to
go around again. AFter I landed, I checked all the controls out, including
moving the sticks slowly, looking for dead spots, but found none. Everything
was fine! Rather than risk anything further, I packed up and left. So what
if I had flown for only and hour instead of an hour and a half :-)
I set the plane on my rack in my bedroom - it holds the fuse and wings
horizontal. A few days later, when I happened to look at the fuse, which I
place on the rack so the wheels are on the wall, like some giant fly, I
could see what had created the tense moments a few days prior. I found the
wire at the end of the rudder pushrod, where it attaches to the servo, was
bent, effectively shortening the length of the pushrod, "feeding" in right
rudder, and which was why I had to re-trim giving left rudder!
OK, so that explained the change in trim - what about the momentary loss of
control? Well, the end of the "balsa" portion of the pushrod was reeeal
close to a vertical member reinforcing the fuse side, and, with vibration
during flight, must have got stopped by the vertical member as I operated
the rudder! Later, it "freed up" as I moved in the other direction! I took
out the pushrod and straightened out the wire end.
I can only think of one way the wire might have got bent - when someone
kicked the rudder during my absence plane hunting. The servo could only have
"straightened" the wire (assuming it had the torque - unlikely) had the
balsa end jammed, it couldn't have "bent" it.
The plane was parked in front of a gap in the hedge by the flight line, that
sees a lot of people traffic as they go to/return from their cars.
ajai
|
| 239.2287 | effect of cataracts on landings | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Fri Nov 02 1990 10:30 | 49 |
| When at the Masters in Dallas, I had at least two occasions where, upon
landing, just at the critical point where I needed to begin flaring
out, I experienced a funny kind'a momentary visual black out that
caused me to miss the flare and muff the landing. It's hard to
describe it but it was as if I'd actually lost a second or so of time
and the airplane which had looked well set up to land was suddenly
sinking rapidly or boiuncing back into the air. It was kind'a spooky
and, because of other things I'd been noticing, I became suspicious
that something was very wrong with my vision. I even mentioned it to
Eric as he was video taping me but I'm not sure he thought the comment
was much more than a cop out for a rather dreary performance at the
Masters. And, to be honest, I not certain that I was sure either.
However, upon returning from the Masters, I immediately made an
appointment with my eye doc and that appointment took place yesterday
afternoon. [Here's where the good news and bad news comes in.] The
bad news is that, while I hoped otherwise, my fears were confirmed; I
have a cataract in my left eye...BUMMER! The good news is that the
surgical procedure for removing the clouded lens and replacing it with
an implanted intra-optical-lens has become almost child's play with a
success rate of 98%. The procedure is done outpatient under local
anesthetic, takes little more than an hour and full recovery occurs in
a relatively short time.
Therefore, as soon as I can possibly get all the pieces in place, I'll be
going out on STD for a week or so to get this taken care of. I want to
get it done before tha end of the year, both because I want the bucks
I've already spent on exams etc. to count on this year's deductible and
because I want to be fully recovered well in time for our Masters
Qualifier next January.
Though I know it's a fairly simple, highly successful procedure, I have
to admit to being a bit depressed and a little apprehensive at the
thought of having an eye cut on but I'm confident everything'll go just
fine. It's just that if I ever had my vision screwed up to the extent
that I could no longer fly, I'm afraid that'd be devastating to this
ol' Rat who's been modelling since he was 4-years old.
I'm not sure why I'm putting this in here...I'm not looking for
sympathy. Maybe support/encouragement. Maybe stories of others'
experiences with this procedure, I dunno'......
Anyhoo, that's the name of that tune......wish me luck, mi amigos!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2288 | | CLOSUS::TAVARES | John--Stay Low, Keep Moving! | Fri Nov 02 1990 10:47 | 11 |
| Well Al, I can understand that; guess its part of the process of
time. I had the knife just a couple of months ago...this was for an
undefined substance in my throat.
Needless to say I did a lot of soul searching to figure my next
move if it turned out to be a nasty one; this one wasn't. Its
tough when you've been healthy all along.
Anyway, Al, I just want to say that the experience happens and
then its over and you can get about your normal life; its helpful
to look past it all.
|
| 239.2289 | Health is Wealth? | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Fri Nov 02 1990 11:02 | 37 |
| I have an uncle who had this done. He had to lie in bed "looking" up,
until the cornea healed, so the juices in the eye (vitreous humour)
wouldn't spill out. He has since had to wear *real* thick glasses, and
is in fine fettle.
Since your description is a little different, I suppose they may be
inserting a lens in lieu of the old one. I have a cousin who is an
opthalmologist, and you could have got a free second opinion - the only
hitch is that she is in the middle east!!
I had my first (and only) operation when I was 4~5, and boy, was I
terrified! The tonsils were removed, and I had a hard time eating
anything until the "scar" healed. I hate people messing around with my
body, qualified or otherwise - as there is something downright unsavory
about it.
For the most part, my philosophy has been to eat right, and exercise
regularly, and let the body take care of most minor changes in
equilibrium (cold/fever) without confusing it with chemicals
(medicines). Fortunately, I haven't had to see a doc in 6+ years
(though I do go to the dentist, and did have a coupl'a eye exams).
At any rate, from what I gather, occlusion of the lens with age is
fairly common, as also the procedure to do a cataract operation, so you
should count yourself lucky that it isn't some vague/bizarre/flako
rarely done operation.
Every cloud has a silver lining. Hang in there, and you'll make it
through fine.
And do keep us posted.
ajai
ps. Did your doc say that being a model aviator (and staring at the
sky, even with dark glasses) might have contributed to or
speeded up the occlusion?
|
| 239.2290 | One success story for you | ESCROW::PHILLIPS | DECtp Engineering TAY1-2 DTN 227-4314 | Fri Nov 02 1990 11:33 | 11 |
| Al,
My wife's grandfather had this operation a couple of years ago and had
no problems(he was 80 yrs old at the time). After the patch was removed
from his eye, he was amazed at how bright the colors he saw were. He
was really excited about how well he could see out of the eye and was
very glad he had the operation. I know every operation is different,
but thought you'd like to hear a success story to strenghten your
decision. Best of luck with the operation!
-Lamar
|
| 239.2291 | DIFFERENT PROCEDURE..... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Fri Nov 02 1990 11:36 | 36 |
| Re: .-1, Ajai,
Yes, this procedure is [apparently] different than the one yer' uncle
(Habeeb?) had. The make a tiny incision at the edge of the cornea,
then go in, open the lens capsule and remove the lens. Then, a highly
polished plastic (polymethylmethacrylate - PMMA) intraocular lens in
implanted into the lens capsule. A coupla' microscopic stitches and yer'
done. You must avoid lifting, stooping, anything that might irritate
or strain the implant for about 3-months and, barring complications,
you should be back to almost good as new.
Yes, the doc said that anyone who spends a lot of time outdoors,
especially looking into the sky like we do, may have a higher incidence
of cataracts. However, he was quick to point out that it still isn't
clearly understood just what mechanism actually causes a cataract. He
commented that it may be partly hereditary (both of my parent have had
cataracts) and many other unknown factors could certainly accelerate
the formation of cataracts. He commented that I was quite young to
have one but that that fact improves my odds for having the procedure
with no complications. BTW, according to the brochure on cataracts I
was given to read, cataracts _will_ affect over 80% of all persons over
age 60. Bottom line, the doc said that modelers should protect
themselves by wearing UV-screen sunglasses or having their prescription
glasses UV-screen coated.
Oddly enough, I've been wearing UV coated glasses for the past 10+
years but, apparently, even that wasn't enough in my case. Again
according to the brochure, cataracts CAN start from birth, in which
case, little you do can more than forestall their eventual formation.
It would appear that that's what happened in my case.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2292 | MY THANX, AMIGO...... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Fri Nov 02 1990 11:46 | 9 |
| Re: .2290,
Thanx a heap, Lamar...I really appreciate it!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2293 | You'll be glad you did it | ELMAGO::TTOMBAUGH | 20/20 Vision&walkin'round blind | Fri Nov 02 1990 14:26 | 13 |
| Sorry to hear of your eye problems Al. My uncle had this same operation
done a few years ago when he was in his late 70's, and he said it
was pretty much a piece of cake. Wore a patch for a few days, then
was amazed at the improvement in his vision. The deterioration
had been so gradual he hadn't realized what he was missing.
Good luck.
Outdoor types in the s.w. are constantly bombarded with messages
about U.V. eye damage, skin cancer, etc. Residents of murkier
climes can take heed too. I'm a believer, let me tell ya'.
Terry
|
| 239.2294 | Jes' keep on a smilin' | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Fri Nov 02 1990 17:40 | 29 |
| Al,
Well, as I had suspected, your operation involves putting in a lens, which
is why you can "walk away" as soon as the operation gets done. My Uncle got
his done nearly a dozen years ago, so things must have improved. I DO know
that putting a tiny lens inside the eye means you don't have to wear "soda
bottle" glasses! My Uncle had it done on one eye, so when he wears glasses,
his one eye looks bigger than the other, as one "magnifying glass" is more
powerful than the other! Dunno what Habeeb means - and comes from Persian or
Arabic. One of the 20+ odd languages in India, comes from a mixture of Hindi
and Persian (The Persians ruled us for 600 years before the British), and is
called Urdu. I am not sure if Habeeb exists in Urdu, but if it doesn't, you
missed by a coupl'a thousand miles :-) I'll check.
So your brochure DOES confirm my info - that older people are more prone to
getting it! I would think genetics has a role to play, besides environment.
My _nearly_ 90 yr young Grandma hasn't had cataract, though she wears
glasses.
From all the encouraging replies, it appears that you have little to worry
about. You'll do fine, and it'll be over before you know it.
ajai
ps. A piece of trivia (not directly related) that I just remembered - the
cornea of the eye is the ONLY part of the body that can be transplanted
without fear of the recepient's body rejecting it. And that's because it has
no blood vessels plumbing the white blood cells that are only too eager to
declare war on foreign invaders!
|
| 239.2295 | Here's lookin' at ya | CURTIS::CURTIS | Steve Curtis - Colorado Springs | Fri Nov 02 1990 18:21 | 9 |
| Just a minor nit on Ajai's last note. There is always a chance of rejection
for a transplanted cornea - though they don't do any tissue matching before
the surgery. The rejection rate is real low - less than 1% - but it is
there. They have anti-rejection drugs that can be used for cornea rejection,
but they are not used after the surgery unless there are indications of
rejection.
Steve
(Cornea transplant expert)
|
| 239.2296 | FEELING BETTER ABOUT IT...... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Mon Nov 05 1990 10:10 | 29 |
| Re: lase several,
Thanx for all the encouragement, amigos. I think I'm a little more at
ease with it but am learning first hand why the medicos told us to
expect my dad to be a real bear to live with when he was facing serious
eye surgery about 1964. They said that nothing is quite so traumatic
to one as a threat to his eyesight and I can now attest from experience
that that's a gross understatement!
BTW, Ajai, while the brochure says that 80% of all persons over 60
_will_ have cataracts, it is also specific in stating that they don't
yet understand just what causes the formation of a cataract and they
say further that cataracts in children, even newborn infants is not
uncommon so go figger...... All I know is the doc says I'm pretty
young to be having a cataract but it's not all that uncommon and, given
that a person _HAS_ to have the implant procedure done, the younger
it's done the better.
The implant is a real Godsend as, like you mention, the coke bottle
glasses and/or contact lenses (in addition to glasses) are a thing of
the past. My dad has to wear the thick glasses but my mom, who had the
implants done about two years ago, wears a normal prescription. Ain't
medical science great?! Now if they could just cure cancer......!!!!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2297 | With an eye to the future | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Mon Nov 05 1990 10:49 | 31 |
| > an implanted intra-optical-lens has become almost child's play with a
> success rate of 98%. The procedure is done outpatient under local
> anesthetic, takes little more than an hour and full recovery occurs in
> a relatively short time.
Think of the good part. This will give you a chance to parade
around looking just like John Wayne with a patch for a while.
In case of failure - you're next plane will have to be a model
of Wiley Post's (Was that Mr. Mulligan or something close)?
One of the soaring plane authors (sorry - I forgot which one) recently
had this done and was amazed at how much better he could see after.
Let us know the day you go under the knife and we'll all take
our glasses off for a moment of silent staring. And maybe just
for support we will attempt a couple of one eyed landings.
Seriously - I sincerely hope you have a easy time and 100 percent success.
Back to rambling. I just read through (or tried to) all the proposed changes
to the scale rules in the last issue of Model Aviation. What do we have to
do to vote against some of these rules?
One guy wants to force the "if the pilot is visible" rule on the "FUN"
scale rules. Another wants to...
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2298 | YER' WEIRD, KAY..... :B^) | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Mon Nov 05 1990 11:51 | 23 |
| Re: .-1, Kay,
Thanx..., I think. ;b^) Yeah, I'm hearing _many_ similar stories;
apparently a cataract forms so slowly/insidiously over such a long time
that you aren't really aware of the vision loss taking place and, once
the occluded lens is removed and the artificial lens implanted, the
improvement frequently exceeds the expectation. I've even heard of
people whove been able to quit wearing glasses after the implant
procedure (except for reading). Unfortunately, that won't be possible
in my case as I'm only having one eye done...the other one checks out
fine.
Regarding AMA rules proposals, you may express your opinion (preferably
in writing) to your district VP and to the Scale Board representative for
your area/district. This latter person should be listed among the
associate VP's etc. in the header of your dist. VP's monthly column in
Model Aviation.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2299 | For lack of a better place, and to cheer up Al... | LEDS::COHEN | There's *ALWAYS* free Cheese in a Mousetrap! | Mon Nov 05 1990 15:10 | 31 |
| Reprinted without permission from the Washington Post.
Sex & the Bomber
'Northrop Takes Offense at New Stealth Condom'
The Northrop Corp. has taken legal action to prevent a
Texas company from marketing a new product Northrop says
might be confused with its B-2 Stealth bomber.
The product: Stealth Condoms.
In opposing the company's application for a trademark,
Northrop contends that the use of the name "is likely to
cause confusion, or to cause mistake, or to deceive" people
in the marketplace. It does not specify how this confusion
might occur, or how dire might be the consequences of such a
confusion.
Northrop also charges that the Stealth Condom slogan
could bring the military hardware manufacturer, and its
products, "into disrepute."
The slogan?
"They'll Never See You Coming."
|
| 239.2300 | Al, SERIOUS WARNING... | MJBOOT::BENSON | __Frank Benson, DTN 348-4944__ | Tue Nov 06 1990 08:07 | 38 |
| Al-
One word of caution regarding your surgery. Please have a full caridac
workup before you have the procedure done. THIS IS IMPORTANT! Please
see below:
Your eyesight will be so improved that you will be in for a severe
shock every morning as you look into the mirror and see _yourself_!
It really is easy for all of us to say, but, it _is_ a piece of cake
these days...
__|__ Regards-
\________________________O________________________/ Frank.
|
| 239.2301 | 'tis the season for giving Thanks... | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Tue Nov 06 1990 12:23 | 24 |
| Since the CMRCM elections were to be held last night, Charlie Watt
wanted lots of DECckies to show up and support some of our crowd who
were standing to be elected to be a Board Members. Things turned out
differently.
Well, it turned out there weren't enough people, and someone proposed
my name! I accepted primarily so that I could "repay", in some manner,
for this ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING year I have had in terms of flying.
Stick time is currently 13 minutes short of 70 hours, and what with the
super warm spell on Friday/Saturday/Sunday, I notched up 5 hours in
just 3 days this month! October was only 1/2 hour more productive!!
5 of the 7 board members are DECk hands, so this looks like a corporate
take over! What the hell, I know I'll never make it to being DEC BOD
member, so this should do for starters.
And besides, I'll bring sorely needed third world representation to the
club to help steer decision making with policies concerning minorities.
:-) :-)
ajai-the-club-corporate-ladder-climber
ps. Hey, the view is *much* better from up here!! :-)
|
| 239.2302 | Warbirds | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Mon Nov 12 1990 09:16 | 11 |
| Local (well not so local) boy (well not so young) makes (well earns) good.
Al Casey is again in the magazines. This month in Scale R/C Modeler Al
and his MiG get honorable mention in of all things the article "Warbirds
at Byron's Expo". I won't tell you exactly where so that you have to scan
the whole article to find it :-)
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2303 | A COMPLETE SURPRISE......! | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Mon Nov 12 1990 17:22 | 30 |
| Re: .-1,
Whaddya' mean "not so local?" I'm plenty local around here! :B^)
BTW, I ain't so old neither!!
Yeah, I was surprized to get a mention from ol' Stormin' Norman in his
article on Warbirds at the Byron Expo this year. That's about the last
place I'd have ever expected it. Norm gets on a kick about why more
Russian fighters aren't seen and mentions that mine is the only one he
recalls seeing. Frankly, Norm, hush you face! I *LIKE* having the
only one around anywhere I go! ;b^) But seriously, for once, Norm's
right...there's an untapped treasure trove of damned interesting and
good flying fighters to be had merely by looking into what the Ruskies
were doing in WW-II. The Yaks, Lavochkins and MiG's were all pretty
good looking ships with pretty fair performance to boot. The Ilyushin
Il-2 Sturmovik tank buster is also a pretty good subject and the
Petlyakov Pe-2 is a nice looking twin-engine light bomber/attack
aircraft.
But, as usual, Norm's off base and reveals how little he really knows
about RC scale because Bob Underwood quite successfully campaigned a
Sturmovik about 10-years ago and followed that up with a Russian
bomber; I _think_ it was a Pe-2 but am not positive at the moment. Bob
was winner of the AMA Nats and an FAI contender with both ships.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2304 | GREAT SESSION HAD SATURDAY.... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Mon Nov 19 1990 17:38 | 43 |
| I forgot to mention that Chuck Collier and I , along with mutual buddy,
Jim Bridgewater, had a real nice session Saturday out at Puckerbrush
Int'l Airport.
We went out about 8:30 and stayed 'til around noon. The weather was
just tremendous; high 70's with just a whisper of wind (which changed
direction every few moments but was so slight as not to matter in the
least regarding pattern direction).
I logged another 5 rides on the ol' Yeller' Peril without adding to
its plethora or scars and war wounds. Now that I'm completely aware of
the problem, I was very aware of the handicap this damnable cataract
represents. Particularly in later flights, I was painfully aware of
how though the plane was to see on final after it descended from the
all blue sky background into one of earth, mountains, grass, weeds,
bushes, etc. I endeavored to compensate by shooting shorter approaches
but the overweight ol' B�cker demands that airspeed be kept up to
prevent snapping (due to heavy wing loading) which means roll outs on
the ground run out of runway in a hurry. Anyhowsomever, everything
went fine for me aside from the annoyance of this vision problem.
Chuck had his new 1/3 scale, Zenoah G-62 powered Laser out and what a
sweetheart that thing is?! It flies like a big ol' baby buggy; stable
and smooth as glass. I particularly liked the way it stops dead on
every point when doing 2, 4, 8, etc. point hesitation rolls. Though
Chuck flies Mode-I, I convinced him to let me have a taste of it and
flew it for about 5-minutes and it felt real sweet. Chuck kept asking
me if I remembered where the elevator was as I brought it lower and
lower as I regained my comfort zone with the mode. But I took it easy
on him and did nothing more radical than 4-point rolls. I was rather
pleased that I could still get comfortable with mode-I even though it's
been a looong time since I flew it.
Jim put several slow, smooth, graceful flights on his Saito twin .90
powered Super Cub and it really looked great against the pure blue
firmament with only a wispy white cloud or two to interrupt it. We
hung it up and went home three totally content RC'ers.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2305 | Floaters - another eye problem | SELL3::MARRONE | | Tue Nov 20 1990 13:01 | 31 |
| Re: -.1
Al, you mentioned your cateracts again, and it reminded me I was remiss
in joining those who have sent their best regards for a successful
operation and a speedy recovery. From everything I've heard from
relatives and friends, your chances of coming out of it with total
success is very high, and I wish you the best.
As I was reading the last note regarding your experiences of having
difficulty seeing the plane as it blended against certain backgrounds,
I felt a certain kinship with your situation. I don't have cateracts,
but I do have a bad case of "floaters". Floaters, for those who may
not have heard of them, are harmless pieces of debris inside the eye
that become suspended in the viscous matter. When one or more of these
floaters become positioned between the lens and the retina, your vision
is blocked. My floaters are like thin hairs, so my vision is like
looking thru a group of randomly positioned strings as if I were
looking through a spider web. At times is gets bad enough that I have
trouble focusing on distant objects, like airplanes coming directly at
me 100 yards away. On more than one occasion, I have almost lost the
plane because I could not make out the change of orientation as I made
small corrections, and then cranked in too much thinking it had not
responded. However, I am learning how to live with this inconvencience
as I have too much fun flying to let this stop me. I have not been
aware of any problems when flying high or at top speed; its mainly a
problem when landing.
Haqs anyone else experienced the problem of floaters?
Best regards,
Joe
|
| 239.2306 | Floating along... | CLOSUS::TAVARES | John--Stay Low, Keep Moving! | Tue Nov 20 1990 15:20 | 36 |
| Yeah Joe, I got em too. Comes from years of sailing and being
too macho to wear decent sunglasses. Dumb. Got big ones dead
center in both eyes, I compare it to looking out through a screen
door.
When they first came on about 4 years ago, I couldn't drive at
night because they cut too much light. Now I can drive because
I've adjusted my habits to drive slower -- I am also much more
tolerant of "old fogeys" when they creep down the road at 20.
Now I'm one of them, let me tell you its like being crossed up
through a 100 mph turn; stark raving terror, except its no fun.
The heck of it is that the doctors can't do anything, can't even
give me a straight answer on how long they'll be there. They'd
go away fairly quickly if they were indeed floating, but these
hang down like curtains from the top of the eyeball, so they're
pretty much unchanged in the 4 years. What's supposed to happen
is that they settle down onto the lower part of the eyeball, then
the white blood cells, or whatever, gobble them up and keep the
eye clear.
The medical procedure for getting rid of them involves sucking
out the fluid in the eyeball and pumping in new stuff. Its very
risky, and is not worth the trouble if you can still see.
As far as flying goes, it contributes to loss of orientation
quite a bit sooner...the plane disolves into a glob. That's not
so bad but sometimes, when I make the turn onto base especially,
its hard to judge the bank angle, even up close like that.
Joe, I have a pair of yellow/rose tinted sunglasses that works
wonders in bright sunlight. Its the one that intensifies
contrast and deepens colors (like being stoned :-)), and it seems
to boost contrast enough to compensate for the floaters. If you
don't have any you should try some...get a cheap pair from the
drug store to try out and see if it helps.
|
| 239.2307 | THANX TO ALL..... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Tue Nov 20 1990 15:25 | 32 |
| Re: .-1, Joe,
Thanx fer' the well-wishes, and those of everyone else who expressed
them here...it helped a lot. I'm now as comfortable with the prospect
as I'm liable to become and am confident everything will turn out OK.
Based on the many inputs received herein and from other sources, I'm
anticipating a very noticeable improvement in vision and just hope I'm
not building myself up to be disappointed. But, I can live with the
vision I currently have _IF_ I can just get shunt of this visual
blackout thing that the cataract caused in certain light/glare
conditions.
Floaters, eh? If I remember my high school biology, everyone has
floaters to some greater or lesser extent. Some merely aren't aware of
them. I have them to the extent that I notice them occasionally,
especially when reading, but can't say my overall vision has been
impacted to any degree. It's kind'a like tinitis (ringing in the
ears), most of the time you completely unaware of it but, if you
concentrate on it, you can't seem to _stop_ noticing it.
I guess we might all look forward to flying large, slow, brightly
colored planes someday, if we're lucky, but I'm in no hurry for that
day to come. I never did care much for red-hot, scalded-dog
performance from my models but I do prefer them to be pretty "warm" and
crisp in the performance area so keeping the ol' eyebones tuned as good
as they can be is of primary import to me!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2308 | None | SHTGUN::SCHRADER | | Tue Nov 20 1990 15:56 | 9 |
| Al, my best wishes also.
Joe, I've got a good case of floaters too but I have exactly the opposite
problem with them. On landing I can see fine but up high where the plane is
against bright sky they are VERY distracting, if I'm not wearing sunglasses.
With the sunglasses I usually don't even notice them. When the plane is down
low it is against a dark background and they don't bother me.
G. Schrader
|
| 239.2309 | MERRY BY GAWD CHRISTMAS.....HAH! | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Tue Nov 20 1990 17:26 | 23 |
| IT'S OFFICIAL! THE CORPORATION HAS MADE THE DECISION TO CLOSE THE
PHOENIX PLANT. THIS WAS ANNOUNCED BY THE PNO PLANT MANAGER IN COMPANY
WITH FRED JOHNSON, U.S. MFG. PERSONNEL MGR. AND LOU GAVIGLIA, V.P. OF
U.S. MFG. JUST MINUTES AGO.
Timetable for closure is being worked on but is as yet undetermined.
Speculation is that it could take from 3-to-6 months to transfer all
the businesses to other locations (which are as yet undetermined also).
A financial assistance package is also being worked on but the details
of such a package are also undetermined at the moment.
Bottom line, this will end it for the ol' Rat as far as my Digital
career is concerned. There's nowhere else within the corporation I'd
even consider relocating, even if relocation were possible which, in
the present Digital business climate, appears very unlikely. It
appears I'll be around at least into next year sometime but the end is
imminent! Happy Holidays, eh......?! :B^(
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2310 | "My Best Also" | BTOVT::BREAULT_B | | Tue Nov 20 1990 19:44 | 10 |
| Al, I find myself also remiss in wishing you well on your forthcoming
operation. From the sounds of several fellow noters I would hazard to
say the odds are overwhelmingly in favor of a wonderous outcome on your
behalf. All the best to you my friend.
Gee Al, aren't you supposed to sound gloomy about the closing?
Sounds more like your ready to celebrate!
Bernie
|
| 239.2311 | | BUSY::KCOLBURN | The weather's fine up here! | Wed Nov 21 1990 01:08 | 7 |
| I also have a floater in my left eye,but I can only see it
when I'm looking at one solid color.At least I think it is.
I'd also like to wish you well,Al!This conference will not be
the same without you!!
Kevin
|
| 239.2312 | Aint this place a gas???? | SNAX::SMITH | I FEEL THE NEED | Wed Nov 21 1990 09:56 | 18 |
| I saw it on the news last night that they were closing the plant. It
REALLY ticks me off how this company has just adopted the attitude of
"screw the employee". JUST THE DAY BEFORE good ole Jack was on the
DVN network and didn't say squat. As usual, we have to hear everything
in the news. They also said DEC admitted that layoffs were probably
inevitable. Do you think Jack had anything to say about that????? Not
a word. If you want to know what's going on within DEC, don't bother
listening to our "leaders", watch the news.
Sounds like it's time to start planning on an HTA reunion next fall in
sunny Arizona.
All I can say at this point is don't give up hope yet. You thought you
were gone last time too but your still with us.
Your invited to my house for Thanksgiving.
Steve
|
| 239.2314 | WE'll miss ya Al, that's fer sure. | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Wed Nov 21 1990 11:44 | 21 |
| Floaters: So that's what they are called, eh?
I can't say I see hanging curtains/screens, but once in a loong while,
I see an elongated bubble "go by". Of course, trying to "look" at them
is similar to a dog chasing its own tail. If I don't focus on it, I
don't see it. At any rate, it is transparent even when it is there once
or twice a year.
So, they are slamming the door on your face again, huh? My roomate told
me last night that DEC was going to keep just 4 of its MFG plants open,
but I didn't translate that into the Phoenix plant getting nixed.
Should'a known.
Well, Al, assuming this time they ain't playin' horrorwood, an' all's
fer real, we DECkies can still keep in touch with ya if you happen to
work for another computer company, since I routinely send e-mail to
non-DECkies nationwide. I hate to be a realist, but I don't think
miracles will happen this time.
ajai
|
| 239.2315 | Ooops! And to think I forgot the "eskimo"flyer! | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Wed Nov 21 1990 12:16 | 26 |
| Oh! Oh! I knew I had forgotten sum'pin'.
So we are goin' to lose the GREAT NANOOK OF THE NORTH, too, huh!
I have in the past always gone to [warm] India during Nov/December,
since, that way, I get to combine the local holidays and extend my
vacation. Besides, it is *WINTER* in India, which means (depending on
where you go) 70~90 degree weather in my hometown, Bangalore, where
it is lush and green.
Everytime I return back to the US - and I see the dank, monotonous
white, desolate landscape way below the plane,& I wonder how life is
possible in such harsh climes. I step out of the terminal and shiver
due to the cold, as I have gone from instant "summer" to instant
"winter" during the course of 24 hours of travel!
Just as I am amazed at how life goes on despite the cold, I am _even_
more amazed when I realise I am now a PART of it too! I then think of
RC, and tell myself, gee, there's Ken , the GREAT NANOOK OF THE NORTH,
somewhere up there, flying his planes.
I hope to do some winter flying this time, and will sure be thinking of
you dragging out your field kit on a sled. Will sure miss ya, but good
luck 'n' all the best in whatever you choose to do.
ajai
|
| 239.2316 | It's getting' shorter all the time... | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Wed Nov 21 1990 12:20 | 12 |
| An' one las' thing.
You guys jes' remember that there is an Injun you "met" who said this
is the best place in the world to be to pursue the "free" hobby of
aeromodelling.
Yeah, jes' think of that, and you'll be aw'right fellas...
:-)
ajai
|
| 239.2317 | Breakin' Up the Old Gang | SELL3::MARRONE | | Wed Nov 21 1990 12:57 | 30 |
| OUCH!!!!!!!!!
The news about closing the Pheonix plant really hurt. This company is
certainly going through troubled waters, and I wince every time
somebody or something gets jettisoned in the interest of keeping the
ship afloat.
My heart goes out to those who have or will be affected by these
changes, and to you , Al, and all your co-workers, I wish the best of
luck as you face these changes and deal with them.
And now let me do a bad thing and feel sorry for the rest of us who are
not leaving. Its been people like Al (and he's by all means not alone,
and I only single him out because I met him personally) who have made
this notes file a treasure trove of invaluable information that I as a
newcomer this year, found to be my "school" and my electronic mentor to
help me get started and to help me progress. I feel such a personal
bond to all of you that the thought of some of our prolific members
leaving this conference is making me feel sorry for me. It's going to
be like loosing my mentors and friends and not being able to learn from
them anymore or ask all those probing questions that they always come
up with answers for. Their wisdom and experience will go with them,
and this conference will be a lot poorer. Geeeezzzzz...am I
depressed, or what??? Sorry, I got carried away.
Good luck to all of you who are leaving mother DEC. Keep flyin', and
try to stay in touch.
Regards,
Joe
|
| 239.2318 | | SA1794::TENEROWICZT | | Mon Nov 26 1990 06:46 | 20 |
|
Al, About the eye, my girld dad had the operation and was driving
in two weeks. He had his patch off and recovered in four. Chin
up.
Work... Ya it **** sorry but it too bad they didn't have their shit
together three months ago. It cost ya probably 30 wk of pay. I've
been here 15 yrs. and DEC sure isn't the company I came to enjoy
in the late 70's. Where's the company gone? What do we really
make and sell these days? I'm sure the Rat will pull out of it.
I'm also sure that Al has spawned a number of future Masters Qualifiers
from the DEC Noters. Where will be a meeting in the future. Looking
forward to reading about a larger Mig 3 :-)
Tom
P.S. Al, I may be in the same boat. Spo is to loose app. 143 IL
out of 300.
|
| 239.2319 | EX-DECie | BTOVT::SOUTIERE | | Mon Nov 26 1990 15:35 | 5 |
| It's official today. I turn my badge in at 4pm. I'll miss the
bunch of ya! Good luck to everyone....
Ken (who learned how to fly through these notes.....thanks)
|
| 239.2320 | See ya "Ralph" | SNAX::SMITH | I FEEL THE NEED | Tue Nov 27 1990 09:28 | 3 |
| Best of luck to ya Ken. Keep em flying.
Steve
|
| 239.2321 | That's one of us nixed. | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Tue Nov 27 1990 12:09 | 6 |
| Next time you bump into an Injun model aviator, it might be muh'self,
so don't feel shy to introduce y'self :-)
All the best. Seek opportunity in adversity.
ajai
|
| 239.2322 | Good Luck | WMOIS::WEIER | Wings are just a place to hang Ailerons | Tue Nov 27 1990 12:16 | 7 |
|
Good luck to you. Carry on the Tradition.
Dan
|
| 239.2323 | Wings - Modern Missiles | AKOAV8::CAVANAGH | I have more ways of spending money....... | Thu Nov 29 1990 09:57 | 11 |
|
Did anyone else catch Wings last night? The missiles they showed in this
episode were AWESOME! Imagine a small 14 pound hand launched missile taking
out an enemy tank! The cruise missiles (especially the Harpoon anti-ship)
were also incredible.
I thought it was a great show.
Jim
|
| 239.2324 | Looked like a typical day at the flying field! | CLOSUS::TAVARES | John--Stay Low, Keep Moving! | Thu Nov 29 1990 10:14 | 22 |
| Yeah, that one was spectacular. I especially liked the one that
penetrated the fully loaded tank, then blew up. The missle went
in and it was quiet for a second or so, then there was a group of
major explosions, then quiet again then another group of
explosions. Really took that sucker out.
I had a couple of thoughts on that. The scatter bombs/cruise
missile looked like a great way to take out (a certain
middle-eastern country's) anti-air and other missile
installations. And the sub-launched multiple warhead missile
looked like a great way to do first-strike against munitions
plants, nuclear and posion gas plants, etc. A certain country I
can think of would be left defenseless with only their foot
soldiers, and without a single attacker stepping over the line.
I've seen the shipboard cruise missiles damage, since I used to
work at the west coast missile engineering center where they did
the testing. Rather awesome.
But as I've said many times, the only two weapons that are not
obsolete in this world are the atomic submarine and the foot
soldier.
|
| 239.2325 | COULD'A DONE WITHOUT THIS HOLIDAY...!! | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Thu Nov 29 1990 10:23 | 40 |
| I feel just terrible that I was unable to send my good luck wishes out
to Ken before he left. If anyone should see him or know how to contact
him, _Please_ pass along my thoughts to him.
It has been one Helluva tough holiday for th' ol' Rat. First I lose my
job, then I lose my father. Just moments before the plantwide meeting
where the PNO closing was announced, my brother called telling me he
had admitted my [our] dad to the hospital for an evaluation as to
whether he could tolerate an operation to repair an aneurism of the
aorta in his abdomen which we'd been aware of for several years. I
attended the meeting then went to the hospital only to learn that dad
had become disoriented and complained of a severe headache as he was
being dressed in hospital garb. He'd already been taken for a C.A.T.
scan and this revealed bleeding in his head.
Next morning, he was to undergo a cerebral angiogram to determine the
cause of the bleeding and determine what (if anything) they could do to
stop it. (They suspected another aneurism in the arteries to the
brain). Unfortunately, dad became sick in the elevator as they were
going to perform the procedure and it had to be postponed while they
tried to get him restabilized. About 2-hours later, we were told he'd
passed away. The doctors felt certain it was a combination of the
hemorrhaging in his skull and, finally heart failure that took him.
In any event, Thanksgiving was a grim time for th' ol' Rat, what with
the DEC decision to take away my job, then being pole-axed in the
forehead with the loss of my dad. I hate to spread gloom and doom but
I'm having a little difficulty finding much to be thankful for right
about now.
Anyhow, thanx to all who've expressed yer regrets at my imminent
departure...I _DO_ appreciate it a HEAP! As I said initially, I'll be
around awhile longer; speculation is that it could take over 6-months
to get the way clear to close the doors. But, after that?????????????
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2326 | Condolences. | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Thu Nov 29 1990 10:34 | 8 |
| Sometimes, there just doesn't seem to be an end to the stream of bad
news/times. My heartfelt condolences to you, Al.
But this too, shall pass.
Hang in there.
ajai
|
| 239.2327 | My deepest regrets...... | ESCROW::PHILLIPS | DECtp Engineering TAY1-2 DTN 227-4314 | Thu Nov 29 1990 11:04 | 8 |
| Al,
I'm terrible sorry to hear about your dad, you have my deepest sympath
during this sad time. It was this time last year that my brother-in-law
started on his down turn with his illness. Really puts a damper on the
holiday season. Hang in there bud!
-Lamar
|
| 239.2328 | ...more heartfelt condolenses | SENIOR::BIBEAULT | | Thu Nov 29 1990 12:42 | 9 |
| Al,
My deepest regrets too. I'm very sorry to hear about your Dad. We
recently lost my father-in-law. Our thanksgiving blessing included
thanks for keeping us strong as a family. Keep strong for each other.
Things can only get better.
Marc `-----/*\-----'
|
| 239.2329 | My Condolences | BTOVT::BREAULT_B | | Thu Nov 29 1990 16:11 | 5 |
| Your grief is felt by all of us in this file Al. Having lost my Dad
three years ago, I know how it feels. My best to you and yours. Keep
the faith my friend.
Bernie
|
| 239.2330 | Condolences... | SHTGUN::SCHRADER | | Thu Nov 29 1990 16:14 | 5 |
| My condolences also. I lost my brother to a tumor a couple of months ago and
it really sucks the life out of you for a while. Things DO get better but the
healing takes time. Hang in there.
-Glenn
|
| 239.2331 | TALK ABOUT A RAMBLE.....?! | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Fri Nov 30 1990 13:08 | 69 |
| To all those who responded with condolences and words of support, on
and off-line, please accept my heartfelt appreciation. I appreciate it
more than you will ever know! A special thanx to Steve Smith whose
leg-pulling call (which I fell for lock, stock and barrel) did wonders
for raising my flagging spirits yesterday, adding a little humor to an
otherwise dismal day.
The climate here at PNO is understandably grim. Bad news has been
dumped on us just prior to the holidays with such predictable
regularity as to suggest it _must_ be more than coincidence...either
that or someone(?) has incredibly little consideration for peoples'
feelings. A general bitter undercurrent runs through the plant at the
apparent gross insensitivity of the "they" who would seem to have gone
out of their way to deliberately throw a damper on holiday spirits for
the past several years.
Most folks I've talked to wouldn't accept another position with DEC if
their salary was doubled! And why should they? After enduring the
trauma of uprooting one's lifestyle and moving to somewhere they'd
probably never choose to live otherwise, what assurance is there that
the same thing won't happen just about the time they get settled in??
Not much, I'd have to venture! We have several folks here who only
just transferred to PNO (one of whom has't even made the first payment
on his new home yet) and the rug has been jerked out from under them.
Now I ask you, wouldn't a really caring company, who _surely_ must have
been considering this closure for some months prior to the decision...,
wouldn't a company like that have declared some kind of moratorium on
transfers into the affected location until it's fate was known?? I'm
sorry if this sounds excessively bitter but I can't help it; where I
was once proud to tell people where I worked, I'm afraid my impression
of DEC (which I joined almost 12 years ago, mainly due to its reputation
as a "people company") has been irrepairably tarnished.
Anyone with one remaining active brain cell can tell you it's not the
workers' fault when a company falls upon hard times. Au contraire,
it's too much (and/or incompetent) management that inevitably brings
about the downfall but how much activity have _YOU_ witnessed to trim
the fat from DEC's top-heavy management pool?? I watched a succession
of poor managers MIS-manage PNO to its present state and not once did
the corporation intervene in the best interests of its plant and its
employees and, therefore, its own. More's the pity that, most likely,
all the management types who brought about PNO's downfall (and cost 479
people their livlihoods/careers) will remain with DEC and continue to
contribute to its difficulties in the future! Until someone at the top
finally accepts the undeniable truth of the management situation, I
fear DEC is doomed to continue suffering a declining position in the
industry. The irony is that those charged with rectifying the
situation are, in far too many occasions, the very ones who've caused
the problem in the first instance and are, therefore, little inclined
to slash where the _real_ slashing's most needed. A sad testimonial to
a once vital, energetic and proud company. Such a pity!!!
Well, it seems I've gone off on another tirade when I hadn't originally
intended to do so. The thoughts voiced are, I believe, more motivated
by the remaining vestiges of pride I once felt in DEC than by the
bitterness I feel at being cast out by that self same entity. They are
my personal opinions and, I don't know, I may well come back and delete
this reply. Meantime, I'd consider it a LARGE favor if no one would
reproduce or forward this note, copy to another notesfile, or etc. I
just needed to get some things off my chest in the company of friends
and would prefer _NOT_ to have these feelings come back to me via E-mail
with several dozen forwards on it. Gracias, amigos.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2332 | The scary realization is that it isn't just this company | ZENDIA::REITH | Jim Reith DTN 226-6102 - LTN2-1/F02 | Fri Nov 30 1990 13:25 | 19 |
| As a contractor I have a less personal view. I can see all the things
you're listing elsewhere in DEC (and other companies I've worked for)
and they get ignored. Maybe one of the requirements of being middle
management material is ignoring the obvious waste of a reporting
structure that is a chain of managers with < 4 (lots of 1 or 2) direct
reports. I've seen people with several "dotted line" managers but no
ONE manager responsible for telling them to get SOMETHING done. I've
seen a local startup with a D*MN good product, slowly fire all the
indians until just the chiefs were left and nothing got done BUT
management. I don't know what all the MBAs are supposed to accomplish,
but they're getting taught the wrong stuff if they let this type of
thing happen over and over.
Anyway, my condolences on your loss of your father and your job situation.
As has been said before, life goes on and there will be good times yet
to come. Stay in touch (there are ways to send email into the group
from the outside commetrcial services) and review our winter building
contest next spring when the photo album gets put together (the
"awards" were GREAT last year) and keep settin' 'em down on the wheels.
|
| 239.2333 | Friday afternoon brain mush | AKOAV8::CAVANAGH | I have more ways of spending money....... | Fri Nov 30 1990 15:00 | 91 |
|
Ya' know Al...it's funny you should mention the manager-to-WORKER ratio..
a few months ago when they were hanging the buyout over our heads here in
Corp. Finance, one person asked the boss (my former bosses, bosses, boss 8^)
why we had so many managers with only 1 or 2 people reporting to them.
They gave the old..'we realise there is a problem here....blah..blah..blah..'
and 2 weeks later hired 2 ADDITIONAL managers!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, I've decided to cover my a$$. I'm taking Unix and C programming
courses through Northeastern University right now. If worse comes to worse
there are a LOT of open jobs out in the world for Unix and C.
I hope it doesn't come to it but I'm getting prepared. As you said, this
use to be a great 'employees' company. I've got over 9 years here and can't
believe how things have changed in the last year or so!
My condolences also. It's never gone, but the pain does dull after a while.
My father passed away from a massive heart attack when I as 13. I have always
felt better knowing it was a quick end, instead of a long drawn out ordeal.
Now...on the lighter side........
The year is 1972, and the British Government's policy of socialized
medicine has been extended to include "Proxy Papas," that is, any
married woman not having a child within the first five years of marriage
must receive the services of a Government Man, who will attempt to be
the means by which she becomes a mother.
The Smiths have no children and are expecting the Government Man. Mr.
Smith leaves for work. He has a "hang-dog" look as he gets ready to leave.
He pecks his wife at the door. "I'm off for work. The Government Man
should be here early," he says.
He leaves and his wife pretties herself, putting on her most attractive
negligee. But, instead of the Government Man, a door-to-door photographer
specializing in baby pictures knocks at the door...
Mrs. Smith: Oh, Good morning.
Man: You probably don't know me, but I represent---
Mrs. Smith: Oh yes, you needn't explain. My husband said to expect you.
Man: I make a specialty of babies, especially twins.
Mrs. Smith: Oh yes, we agreed that it was the best thing to do.
Man: Well in that case, we may as well get started.
Mrs. Smith: (Blushing) Just where should we start?
Man: Leave everything to me, Madam. I recommend two in the bathtub,
one on the couch, and a couple on the floor.
Mrs. Smith: Bathtub? Floor? No wonder Harry and I---
Man: Well, my dear lady, even the best of us can't guarantee a good one
every time. But one out of six is bound to be a honey. I
usually have the best luck with the one in the bathtub.
Mrs. Smith: Pardon me, but it seems a little impersonal.
Man: No indeed -- in my line a man can't do his best work in a
hurry. (He opens an album and shows baby pictures to her) Look
at this baby -- it's a good job, but it took almost four hours.
Isn't she a beauty?
Mrs. Smith: Yes, a lovely baby.
Man: But for a tough assignment, look at this baby. Believe this or
not, it was done on top of a bus at Piccadilly Circus.
Mrs. Smith: My God------
Man: It's not hard when a man knows his job. My work is a pleasure.
I spent long years to perfect my technique. Now take this baby,
I did it with one shot in Alexander's window.
Mrs. Smith: I can't believe it.
Man: And here is a picture of the prettiest twins in town. They turned
out exceptionally well when you consider that their mother was --
difficult. But I knocked off the job in Hyde Park on a snowy
afternoon. It took from two in the afternoon until five in the
evening. I never worked under such difficult conditions.
People were crowded around four and five deep, pushing in to get
a look.
Mrs. Smith: Four and five deep?
Man: Yes, and more than three hours. I had two bobbies helping me.
I could have done another shot before dark, but the squirrels
kept nibbling at my equipment and I had to give up. Well, Madam,
if you're ready I'll set up my tripod and get to work.
Mrs. Smith: Tripod?
Man: Yes, I always use a tripod to rest my equipment on. It's much
too heavy for me to hold for any length of time. Mrs. Smith?
Mrs. Smith? Good Lord, Mrs. Smith, have you fainted????
|
| 239.2334 | GOOD WAY TO END THE [DREARY] WEEK...!! | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Fri Nov 30 1990 15:44 | 9 |
| Re. .-1:
I LOVE IT, I LOVE IT!!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2335 | Hmmmmmmmmmm | SNAX::SMITH | I FEEL THE NEED | Fri Nov 30 1990 16:00 | 5 |
| Let's see. My wife called in sick today. I called home and there was
no answer. There was this guy pulling up as I was driving out. She
said she wanted to take a LONG bath.
WAIT TILL I GET HOME. 8^)
|
| 239.2336 | Wouldn't surprise me | SNAX::SMITH | I FEEL THE NEED | Fri Nov 30 1990 16:01 | 4 |
| I'm hearing rumors that the company is going to shut down all
non-business related notes files. Anybody else hearing anything?????
Steve
|
| 239.2337 | Aw! Heck! | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Fri Nov 30 1990 17:03 | 7 |
| Close down non-business (= rc) notes file?
Oh! No!
There goes another benefit.
ajai
|
| 239.2338 | My Condolences | SELL3::MARRONE | | Fri Nov 30 1990 18:42 | 29 |
| Al, I've been on the road for the past week and I'm now trying to catch
up with things. I just wanted to let you know how saddened I felt at
the double upheavals in your life in such a short time. Please accept
my condolences at the loss of your father. I offer my heartfelt
wish that the pain you feel now will ultimately be replaced with only
the long-lasting memories of the good times.
I also want to say that leaving your job at DEC will no doubt be a
tramautic situation, but keep your eye on the new possibilities for you
and your family. Keep focused on the future and don't look back.
Hey, I just thought about a great idea....why not start a new kit
company offering an exclusive line of Rusky fighters. Wouldn't that be
unique! Of course, the MIG-3 would no longer be alone in the skies
over America, but they'd all be your kits!
Anyway, as I said before, I for one will really miss you from this
conference. To your credit, you've built a massive body of knowledge
for the rest of us to use and enjoy, newcomers and veterans alike, and
we owe you a debt of gratitude for expending so much time and effort to
write it all down for posterity. I therefore, acting entirely on my
own, but hoping that others will join me in this, hereby declare that
Al Casey, alias The Desert Rat, be elevated to the high office of
"Aeromodeler Emeritus" for his enormous contribution to this
conference!
Take care.
-Joe
|
| 239.2339 | Current news on non-business notesfiles | ALLVAX::BRET | Crazy Hawaiian DTN 287-3201 | Sat Dec 01 1990 20:53 | 52 |
| Here's a copy of the much forwarded message that I received via e-mail.
From: SYZYGY::SOPKA "Smiling Jack 26-Nov-1990 1811" 26-NOV-1990 18:15:52.53
Subj: IM&T's Dan Infante commenting on non-business related notesfiles
From: LEVERS::HRONES 26-NOV-1990 16:44:18.43
To: @GROUP.DIS,JOHN
Subj: Potential restrictions on non-technical notes files
****** THIS MEMO IS FROM DAN INFANTE ******
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Some background on notes usage:
Each and every notes conference runs on a computer owned by a cost
centermanager. It is the responsibility of the cost center manager to
ensure that Digital's assets within his or her cost centers are being
efficiently and effectively used.
. Basically, there are two kinds of computer conferencing (notes files):
technical/business and non-technical/business.
Technical/business notes files are used extensively in support of the
companies business -- product development, strategic collaboration,
business conferencing, reduce time to market, and shorten problem
resolution time, business planning, etc. These are clearly valid reasons
to encourage conferencing/notes file use as a productivity tool.
Non-technical/business notes files are those covering personal
interests. These files have grown to unreasonable levels and in many
incidences does not contribute to our productivity objectives. This
type of use is consuming valuable network capacity and consuming
disk/storage space. Both of these are increasing costs to the company.
. All cost center managers and system managers must monitor
non-technical / business notesfiles. Effective immediately, I am
instructing all IM&T managers and system managers not to back up
non-technical business related notesfiles. Additionally, they are to
cut back on capital required for notes access and monitor the
optimization of their computer capital.
Our Corporate Security and Personnel policies are very clear and my
expectations are that our Cost Center Managers will comply with their
managerial responsibility.
Regards,
Dan
|
| 239.2340 | | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Mon Dec 03 1990 10:33 | 31 |
| Re: .2338, Joe,
Thanx for the thoughts and the too, too kind words. I really do
appreciate them but I think I must graciously decline the office of
Aeromodeler Merry-tush, or whatever you called it. I'm afraid I'm way too
impatient to be a good politician/office holder. ;b^)
Regarding a line of Ruskie fighter scale kits...*I* love the idea but
I'm afraid I'd go pretty broke pretty quick if I didn't (as a kit mfgr.)
offer kits that would sell in profit-making quantities. That's
precisely why there's such a glut of Cubs, Mustangs, Jugs, Corsairs,
Spits, et-al available on the market. That's also why the really
different stuff you see in scale is unanimously scratchbuilt.
Quite honestly, I think one of the surest/quickest ways to starve right
now (in the present economy) would be to try to do something connected
to the hobby. People just flat doo without luxuries like hobbys,
eating out, etc. when money gets tight! Ask me about it!! ;b^)
Re: .2339,
OK, we've read the words. Now the question is, "What does this mean to
the RC notes_file?" Perhaps Alton can shed some light on the
situation.....??
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2341 | � of an answer | WRASSE::FRIEDRICHS | Brand New Private Pilot | Mon Dec 03 1990 12:54 | 32 |
| RE - what does this mean to RC.NOTE...
First and foremost, the information already posted will *not* be lost!
In the last month or so, I started making a "shadow" copy of RC.NOTE on
a regular basis. This copy is on a disk that is on my local machine,
that I back up myself, in the off hours.
In terms of WEWAND::RC's future, it is hard to tell... Dave Rene' was
nice enough to set up the conference, but as far as we can tell, no
backups were ever made of it. WEWAND does appear to be a "notes"
server, so it is possible that as a result of the memo, it will go
away, with or without notice. (These are all reasons that we have
the backup copy going..)
I talked with Al Ryder this morning, and neither of us has been told
anything definitive regarding RC.NOTE, and without local representation
regarding it (I don't think Dave Rene' is still with that group...) we
may not be told..
So, bottom line is, we will tell you when we know something definitive.
I believe that our work in forming DECRCM will help our position in
regards to the future of this conference, but it does not guarantee
it.
In the mean time, please *do not* use additional company resources by
making additional local copies, as that is counter to the spirit of
the memo.
cheers,
jeff
|
| 239.2342 | Sometimes, ya just gotta do what ya gotta do | MABERY::JETRGR::EATON | Dan Eaton St.Louis,MO,USA, 445-6522 | Mon Dec 03 1990 15:42 | 48 |
| I think I've been working too much lately. Last week was one of those looonnngg
weeks and I didn't leave work till 10:00 PM Friday night. Arriving home, tired
and beat, I promptly sat down and started building an A-26 invader. Me, a mild
mannered helicopter enthusist building a twin engine bomber that dates from the
forties and was used up through Vietnam. I just don't understand where my head
is.
It's not as though I don't have enough to do in my shop. My Jet Ranger still
needs some paint and the windows put in before its done again. The .25 sized
Artic Tern bush plane I built needs a coat of orange paint before its done. The
25 sized pusher prop F-18 I started building two years ago needs to be sanded
and painted. And then of course, there's the Skybooster motor glider that's
sitting up in the rafters waiting to be repaired. I need radios, I need engines,
I don't need another plane.
Something just snapped Friday night while I was waiting for my cluster to
reboot for the 4th or 5th time that day. I whipped out a set of plans I just
happened to have from an old Comet A-26 rubber kit and blew them up on the
copying machine. What I ended up with was a plane with a 59" wing span. To
show you what a state my mind was in, I intended this to be a tow launched
glider. Only lately have I come sort of to my senses and decided to put a
couple of .25's up front.
Friday night I got the fuselage pretty well shaped up with the exception of the
front end. I still have to figure out what to do about the nose gear. Saturday
I went out and flew my Concept 30. I actually had the thing in a nose-in hover
for about 5 minutes before my brain turned to mush. Saturday evening I got
back to work on th A-26. By the end ot the evening I had the tail surfaces
finnished up. A happy coincidence Saturday was the latest issue of RCM arrived
in the mail. Inside was a review of Wing Manfacturing's short kit for the A-26.
The Wing kit is a bit larger at a 68" wingspan vs 59" for my version. From the
pictures it looks like they stuck to the scale rudder and elevator sizes as I
did on the tail surfaces. They used balsa sheet for the tail structure and I
used a built up structure to keep things light.
Sunday was a gloomy day so instead of painting or flying I worked on the A-26
during the evening. I wasn't sure what to do about the wings but Sunday I
decided to try building a set of foam wings for the ship. Sunday afternoon I
gathered up the parts for a foam cutter and that evening I got my wife's help
in cutting out one wing panel. I ran out of foam or else I'd have both panels
cut out buy now. Tonight I'll pick up som more foam and get the other panel
cut out.
I don't need it. I don't have engines or a radio for it and probably coundn't
fly it if I did. But building the A-26 is making me feel pretty good so I guess
it can't be all bad. 8^)
Dan Eaton
|
| 239.2343 | TWINZ IZ JUST AIRPLANES...... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Mon Dec 03 1990 16:05 | 25 |
| Re: .-1, Dan'l,
Whaddya' mean you probably couldn't fly the A-26? It's just an aiplane
AS LONG AS *BOTH* ENGINES ARE RUNNING. Seriously, with trike gear,
generous mid-to-shoulder mounted wing, the -26 should fly like a
trainer if it's set up properly.
BTW, you might wanna' consider using plug-in/removable landing gear.
Retracts would only needlessly complicate a fun project but flying
around with the gear hanging down is kind of a bummer also. With the
abundance of grass flying sites where you are, you could (when the mood
struck) remove the gear and hand launch the bird. This way you'd get
the thrill of flying the bird "clean" and could belly into the grass
with no damage. Only tricky part would be you'd want to adjust both
throttles so you could kill both engines with low trim once on final
approach. This would help save the props (if you set them properly,
they'll stop horizontally) and it should be obvious you wouldn't want
to fly around waiting for the engines to quit as this is just _begging_
for a dangerous engine out situation.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2344 | The weight/wing load is my enemy. Not the twin engines. | MABERY::JETRGR::EATON | Dan Eaton St.Louis,MO,USA, 445-6522 | Mon Dec 03 1990 17:18 | 14 |
| RE:239.234
Al,
the 'twin' part of the A-26 doesn't bother me near as much as the high wing
loading does. Along those lines I've been real careful about keeping the weight
down. In part because of the weight factor but also because I want to keep this
a simple relaxing project this is a stand off scale project. Of course,
considering the squarish appearance of the original, I won't be too far off
the mark and in the air no one will be able to tell.
Funny you should mention the plug-in/removable landing gear. That's exactly
what I had in mind. Another keep it simple save weight idea. I haven't finished
the nose because I haven't figured out how I want to do the plug in gear. Any
ideas in this area would be appreciated.
|
| 239.2345 | FRICTION FIT.....?? | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Mon Dec 03 1990 17:24 | 11 |
| Dan'l,
Re. plug in gear: never did anything like that but the first thought
that comes to mind is simply a friction or press fit with a lug or
whatever to hold it aligned when plugged in.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2346 | GREAT SESSION... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Mon Dec 03 1990 17:39 | 35 |
| Forgot to mention that Bob Frey, Chuck Collier and I had a real
pleasant flying session yesterday. It was great therapy for the ol'
Rat, things somehow looking a bit brighter at the conclusion.
I added 6 more flights to the unestimable total on the ol' Yeller
Peril. Sheesh, that poor ol' thing must be approaching 400 flights by
now!
Bob had his beat up old Stagspitoon (modified Kaos) out and, for the
first time in the last three outings, took it home without yanking the
left gear out of it. It does "limp" a bit extending that left gear now
though. Bob has to do some high positive-G maneuvers to get it all the
way down and locked.
Chuck burned up the clear blue sky with his 1/3 scale, Zenoah G-62
powered Laser. Bob and I also flew it 2-flights each via the new
mode-II transmitter Chuck bought expressly for that purpose.
The day was simply magnificent! Short sleeves were the uniform of the
day in the low 70� temperature and the wind was almost dead calm. The
air was so smooth it was almost like flying in an inert fluid, which,
in actual fact, is what we _were_ doing, air being a fluid, after all.
A tremendous day was enjoyed by all and we hope to repeat it next
weekend, which will be my last opportunity to fly before the upcoming
eye surgery coming up a week from Wednesday. (I just heard on the radio
that the temp's 73� outside right now.)
Well, time to go home so, ay-dee-ose, y'all.......
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2347 | Stick a gyro on the rudder | ZENDIA::REITH | Jim Reith DTN 226-6102 - LTN2-1/F02 | Tue Dec 04 1990 08:41 | 8 |
| Dan,
Read the scale column in the latest Model Aviation. It talks about
using gyros for the rudder in twins since they can react faster to an
engine out situation that the typical pilot. You should have a few
hanging around that you could try it out without much of an investment.
I'm considering it for my P-38 to reduce the pucker factor.
|
| 239.2348 | I LIKE 'EM, BUT..... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Tue Dec 04 1990 10:08 | 26 |
| Re. .-1:
I, personally, like the idea of a gyro on the rudder/nosewheel/tailwheel.
Some folks within the scale community are violently opposed to it but I
feel anything that enhances safety while adding realism, within reason
of course, can't be all bad.
As Jim refers, the ideal application for a rudder gyro is on a twin
where power doesn't always come up equally from both engines. This makes
keeping the takeoff roll straight quite an adventure at times and puts
the plane in great jeopardy due to the pilot's temptation to _yank_ it
into the air, too often stalled. The rest goes without saying but
damage sustained from a stall-snap-crash on takeoff is frequently
extensive and not uncommonly total!
I had every intention of trying a gyro in the big MiG but, unless
things change, probably will not. A recent statement of rules for the
1991 Scale Masters prohibits gyros on *ANY* control surface, PERIOD!
Of course, for sport flying, you can do anything you want so give it a
try if you want to.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2349 | Gyro:benifit vs weight? | MABERY::JETRGR::EATON | Dan Eaton St.Louis,MO,USA, 445-6522 | Tue Dec 04 1990 10:45 | 27 |
| RE: .2347
Hi Jim,
I saw the MA article but don't plan on using the gyro. Flying helicopters is
good exercise to keep the reflexes up so I'm not too worried about the A-26
getting ahead of me should it drop an engine.Another good thing flying copters
has taught me is to program myself for automatic reactions. In the case of the
A-26, my automatic response to any problems will be to bring the throttel back
to idle. I've become convinced over the years that accepting a landing out in
the surrounding farm fields is a lot safer than trying to milk it back to the
field (Unless of course, the farmer's planted soy beans. Gawd, I hate walking
thru soy beans).
Another reason for not using a gyro is weight. As I said before, I'm more
concerned about flying a plane with a high wing loading than it being a twin.
The gyro by itself doesn't weight too much but it and the larger capacity
battery pack you need add up. I'll keep with the keep it simple, keep it light
idea on this one and omit the gyro on the A-26.
I didn't get too much accomplished last night. I tried cutting out an engine
pod from foam but it didn't work out. Not enough wire tension produced a
cylinder that looked somewhat like an apple core. I'll have to try again with
more wire tension. I spent the rest of the evening working on the landing gear.
What was giving me problems was figuring out how to keep the gear removeable
while retaining the ability to steer the nose gear. I got that squared away
before I went to bed so tonight I should be able to finish off the front end of
the fuselage.
|
| 239.2350 | I WAS ONLY TRYING TO HELP....... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Wed Dec 05 1990 11:47 | 83 |
| I received some off line encouragement to relate this story, so here
goes.
Last Friday, I received a call from someone who identified himself as a
newcomer to RC and, thus far, a read-only RC-Noter. The caller said
he'd read some of my advice on various subjects and thought I might be
able to give him some help with his first RC project, a PT-40. I've
received similar calls in the past so I said "OK, shoot and I'll be happy
to help if I can."
His initial question was, "How do I get the aileron servo wire down
through the wing to the inside of the fuselage?" I conjured up a
visual image of the PT-40 and responded that there should be no problem
there as the PT is a high-winger with the servo well in the bottom of
the wing, thus the wire should just hang right down into the fuse of
its own accord.
The caller stammered around a bit and offered, "Well, mine (the servo)
seems to be on the top of the wing...and I also wanted to ask you if
the wing was supposed to droop the way it does?" "Huh? Wait a minute...
looking from the front of the plane, what does the wing look like?" I
asked almost increduously.
"Well," he sez', "it looks kind'a like the letter 'A'." "Oops!" I
replied, "it _should_ resemble the letter 'V' with the proper dihedral
built in." I then explained that, with one wing panel pinned flat to
the bench, the other wingtip should be 2-3" above the benchtop. He
replied that it _was_ that way.
So, I'm thinking to myself, "What kind'a dildo have I got on my hands
here? It sounds like he built the wing correctly, then installed it on
the fuse *upside-down*!" "Tell me this," I asked, "is the flat side of
the wing up or down?" "Up," he replies!
"Oh Jeez!" I'm thinking, "is it possible this rube actually put the
wing on upside-down?" So I tell him, "Listen I think you've done
everything correctly, yer' just setting the wing on the fuse
upside-down...turn it over." He says, "I can't...that'll leave a big
gap in the fuse under the wing!"
"Huh?" I respond, increasingly amazed at this guy's apparent total
incompetence, "did you carve out the wing saddle or something? The
saddle area of the fuse should be dead flat!" "Well, yeah," he sez'...
"when I put the wing on with the flat side up, it kind'a rocked
frontwards and backwards on the fuselage so I had to carve it out to fit
the curved side."
"YEEEE GODS!" I'm flabbergasted by now at this guy's stupidity and
obvious inability even to think to look at the picture on the kit box.
But, I don't want to be condescending to someone seeking help so I say,
"Listen, I think you need to link up with one of the experienced noters
back there...where are you located anyway?" "Massachusetts," he sez'.
So, I start giving him names and E-mail nodes for Dan Snow, Kevin Ladd,
Dan Miner, Eric Henderson... "Oh, is he the one they call the Evil One?"
he asks. "Yep, that's the one," I reply. "Get in touch with one of these
guys and arrange for him to look yer' model over...he'll give you a sanity
check and advise you what you need to do to get back on the right track."
Then I say, "Oh, there's another one you could look up, Steve Smith...
lemme' see, his node used to be RVAX but it just changed to...ah...er..."
"SNAX?" he asks. "Yeah, that's the one," I reply. "That's _my_ node
too," the caller sez. "Great!" sez' I, "you must work in the same
facility with Steve."
"This _IS_ Steve, "he sez!
It took a second to sink in, then I thought, "Arrrrrrgh, he got me
hook, line and sinker...lock, stock and barrel!" "Steve, you SOB,
you..." I sputtered.
"Just thought you needed a little humor to brighten yer' last coupla'
weeks," Steve said. And, indeed I DID! We had a great laugh and a good
conversation afterwards.
Then, I hung up and went back to reading "Gullible's Travels." ;b^)
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2351 | Steve, you naughty waif, YOU!! | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Wed Dec 05 1990 12:54 | 7 |
| What a riot! Well, Al, looks like you got it back with compound
interest for your first few e-mails to me in Tamil a coupl'a years ago!
:-) :-)
ajai
|
| 239.2352 | I've had my share | SNAX::SMITH | I FEEL THE NEED | Wed Dec 05 1990 13:21 | 76 |
| Sorry Al, but I just couldn't resist giving the old leg a tug.
I must say I was absolutely AMAZED at your self control. I fully
expected to be told that I had no business whatsoever trying to put an
airplane into the air, and probably shouldn't be breathing it either.
The only bad part is.......pay backs a b*tch.
While were on the subject of practical jokes, I'll relate one that was
played on me that has absolutely nothing to do with flying, but was so
perfectly excuted that it deserves to go in the record books.
Did any of you know that about 3 years ago, I won the state Megabucks
lottery jackpot????? It's true. Here's the story.
At one time, I was an avid lottery player. I had all kinds of systems,
statistics, notes and records. I could tell you the lottery number for
any given drawing since the lottery started. There were also a couple
of guys here at work that liked to play the game also. One was a person
I worked with here in the computer room, and the other was a field
service engineer here at this facility. The field service guy had a
radio in his office that had the TV band on it, and every drawing
night, he would go up to his office, tune in the TV station, and get
the number. Then he'd call it down to the lab for the rest of us.
Well, one night we were all at the cafe having dinner. My wife had
also stopped in to keep me company for awhile. It was a night they
were going to have a drawing, so when my wife was getting ready to
leave, I wrote down a couple of numbers on a napkin for her to play
on the way home.
As I was sitting there writing down the numbers, the guy on my left,
who had finished his dinner, got up with his empty tray. Certainly nothing
unusual there. What I didn't know was, he stopped behind me, looked
over my shoulder, and copied down one of the numbers I had written.
After saying good bye to the wife and going back to the lab, the phone rang.
It's the field service rep. He says "you want the number????". I got a
piece of paper and said go ahead. He then begins to read off the
numbers. As he's reading me the numbers, I'm saying out loud, "I got
that number"......"Gee, that one too", "that number sounds
familiar", "I think I got that one too", etc. etc. By the time he's
done, I'm thinking that at the very least I've got something like $500
bucks, possibly $50,000, and MAYBE the jackpot. As a matter of fact, I
was almost CERTAIN I had all six numbers. So certain, in fact, that my
hands were shaking like a leaf.
The first thing I wanted to do is call the wife and find out EXACTLY
what numbers she played. I picked up the phone and dialed THE WRONG
NUMBER I was so excited. Dialed again, and got a busy signal. I thought
sh*t, she must be logged on so I ATTEMPTED to log into a terminal. I
was shaking so bad, I literally couldn't type. I had to stop, take a
few deep breaths, and try again. Finally I was able to log on. At that
time the phone utility was still usuable so I "phoned" her. When she
answered, I said "QUICK.....WHAT NUMBERS DID I GIVE YOU TO PLAY". She
proceeds to type the numbers back to me. There, before my very eyes,
one at a time, appeared all six of that nights WINNING lottery numbers.
Needless to say, I was absolutely beside myself. I can't even remember
all the thoughts that were racing through my mind. I was so excited, in
fact, that the practical jokers began to get worried. One of the guys
sitting behind me calls out my name. I turn around to look at him and
with this unbelievable grin on his face simply says "GOT CHA".
It took a second to sink in but when it finally did, several choice words
flowed from my lips and everyone was rolling on the floor in tears.
They thought I was going to have a heart attack or something. I just
couldn't believe how perfectly they had pulled it off. The guy that had
copied my number gave it to the field service rep. When he called to
give us the number, which he did every Wednesday week after week, he
read me back MY OWN NUMBER.
My wife, meanwhile, is typing furiously on the terminal saying "did we
win??????? "where are you"..."Did we get anything????". When I informed
her of what had taken place, the screen cleared and two words slowly
appeared in capital letters.......OH F***K!!!!!!!!!!!!
|
| 239.2353 | AND HE'S LOVABLE TOO...... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Wed Dec 05 1990 13:32 | 10 |
| Re: .-1, Steve,
*I*LOVE*IT*!!!!!!! And it couldn't have happened to a nicer (more
deserving) guy!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2354 | Gatling Gun Plans wanted | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Thu Dec 06 1990 14:21 | 56 |
| Well here I am again trying to drive the moderator nuts.
When in doubt I just drop my notes where ever I happen to be or
in rambling...
The subject now is...
Gatling guns.
I entered the following in the Woodworking notes file but the only
answer I got was Jim Reith (from our notes file) who also was
interested in the real answer. Anyway...
<<< DELNI::WORK$01:[NOTES$LIBRARY]WOODWORKING_AND_TOOLS.NOTE;1 >>>
-< Woodworking and Tools >-
================================================================================
Note 139.53 Plans Exchange 53 of 53
KAY::FISHER "Stop and smell the balsa." 36 lines 29-NOV-1990 15:56
-< Wanted - plans for Rubber Gatling Gun >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Looking for a set of plans for a Rubber Gatling gun.
In the Pheasant Lane Mall in Nashua NH there is a small store
called something like "A Bit of Texas". It is only there from
now till just after Christmas.
They were selling rubber band guns. They had a little pistol
that had a clever plastic star wheel and trigger mechanism that
worked like a clock escapement. This was in a routed wood handle.
Worked neat - you would put a rubber band on the end of the barrel
and stretch is over the star wheel and bring it back one notch then
you would place a 2nd rubber band on the barrel as before - till you
put 6 or seven rubber bands on the pistol. Then you could
rapid fire the thing.
OK so far.
This cost about $6.00 - I didn't buy one but now I wish I had.
But - it gets better. They had this huge Gatling gun that was
really a work of art. Looked like a nice piece of furniture.
Had a set of barrels that were cumulatively about 12-14 inches in
diameter and about 2 feet long. But it cost several hundred dollars.
I asked if they sold kits or plans - no.
Does anybody know where I might obtain a set of plans for the device?
I have never written any notes in this file before so if you answer please
also send mail to me at Tallis::Fisher.
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2355 | IF YER' INTERESTED...... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Thu Dec 06 1990 15:36 | 10 |
| Re: .-1, Kay,
'Fraid I can't help with the rubber Gatling gun plans. However, I _DO_
have some drawings for a silly-putty crossbow. ;b^}
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2356 | I get no respect | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Thu Dec 06 1990 16:31 | 27 |
| > 'Fraid I can't help with the rubber Gatling gun plans. However, I _DO_
> have some drawings for a silly-putty crossbow. ;b^}
Nobody in Woodworking is taking me serious either. Do you suppose it's
because I spend every night in the basement playing with my toys?
I really would like to build one of these things. And just to frustrate
our moderator - let's ramble a bit about escapements. A device build
like the pistol could in fact be a mechanism for releasing multiple
bombs one at a time per servo activation. If fact an escapement design
multiple bomb release was published and reprinted in one of the RCM
Hints books - but I think the pistol rubber band scheme could be adapted
to be a simpler implementation.
THAAAAAAAAAWACK !!!
All right - who's the wise guy with the ...
Besides if a full size rubber Gatling gun is 2 feet long by 10" diameter
couldn't we put a 1/3 scale one on Kevin's Sopwith Pup?
Now how to synchronize the gun so that the rubber bands clear the prop...
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2357 | Rat-tat-tat | CLOSUS::TAVARES | John--Stay Low, Keep Moving! | Fri Dec 07 1990 11:34 | 3 |
| Just occurred to me, we know that the use of pyrotechics is
illegal in competition, there's no law against strafing the
judges with a rubber band gattling gun!
|
| 239.2358 | Speaking of cunards..... | SNAX::SMITH | I FEEL THE NEED | Mon Dec 10 1990 13:21 | 17 |
| Couldn't find a more appropriate place to ask this question, so I'll
ask it here.
I know where there's a 60 inch scale model of the Rutan Long-EZ for
sale. I forget the name of the manufacturer but it's in the Tower
Catalog. I say scale because the info given says the wing is a true
scale airfoil.
Anyway, what I'm wondering is if there's anyone out there that has any
experience with this ship or has even seen one fly. It should be pretty
docile given the cunard configuration and all, but then again........
The current trivia question is what's prompting this.
Thanks,
Steve
|
| 239.2359 | TEE-BY-GAWD-RIFFIC DAY.......!! | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Mon Dec 10 1990 13:39 | 83 |
| Whatta' blast we had yesterday. Chuck was prevented from joining us
due to visiting inlaws but invited us to stop by after flying. So, Bob
Frey, Kent Walters, Jim Bridgewater, Mike(y) Hatfield and Clay
Mihlfield fell out to Puckerbrush Int'l Airport to enjoy the absolutely
perfect flying weather.
It was 70� by 10:00 AM and neared 80� by the time we left a little
after 2:00PM. The sky was absolutely clear, nary a cloud to interrupt
the beautiful blue, and just the slightest murmur of wind was present.
I put 6 more flights on the Ol' Yeller' Peril (though not without
incident) and burned up all the fuel I had with me. On the second
flight, I was displeased with the landing and wanted to take off, go
around and do it again. But, some guy none of us knew, pulled his
car onto the runway to leave, paying no attention to the ol' B�cker
whatever. No real problem; I just let the B�cker slow up and, when the
car cleared, I stabbed the throttle...WRONG THING TO DO with the
treacherous ol' bird! Quicker 'n a wink, it torqued over onto the left
wingtip then craweld onto its nose and went over on its back...a very
familiar posture for the ol' snake-in-the-grass.
Nothing really hurt except the shock imparted into the airframe from
slamming the rudder into the turf broke all but one of the elevator
hinges. I was really annoyed 'cause I wanted this to be a good last
session prior to going in for the cataract surgery this coming
Wednesday. I cleaned out the engine, replaced the prop and ran it to
be sure everything was OK, then prepared to clean it up and put it
away.
But, Clay had landed his big 1/3 scale Laser (same kind as Chuck's)
through a bush and punctured the wing covering and Mike got out some
miracle tape he had to patch it temporarily. The tape is used in
boardshops, is clear, thin and STROOOONG. So, Mikey and I reattached
the B�cker's elevator making U-Control style over/under hinges from the
tape, then finished it by putting one piece of tape on the bottom the
entire length of the hinge line. "Heck," I said, "I think it's
stronger than it was to begin with."
With the day saved, I continued to fly. Then, Bob and I got into a
touch-and-go contest with the B�cker where we swapped off the
transmitter alternately, trying to see who could make the best landing.
The ol' Peril is not too hard to land but prefers a slight-to-moderate
headwind to get real grease-jobs so we had fits trying to get a really
pretty one. Finally, we'd both gotten some pretty good ones so we
called it a draw.
Then Kent and I repeated the contest with the B�cker, again flying to a
draw. I took one more flight and started cleaning up while Bob, Mike
and Clay played touch-and-go contest with Bob's Stagspitoon (Kaos).
Kent got in on the act too and had the engine quit just after taking
off, resulting in a scary but successful deadstick just beyond a stand
of puckerbrush.
Bob cleaned it up, fueled it and went to take off but, just as he
advanced the throttle, one of the retractable main gear collapsed but
Bob determined to make a "no-wheels" takeoff anyway. He _did_ somehow
manage to get airborne but without sufficient airspeed. The ol'
Stagspitoon gained 8-10' altitude then snapped; Bob ruddered it out'a
the snap and got it flat just as it hit the ground in a cloud of dust.
Other than a broken prop and spinner, again no damage...amazing! We
laughed 'til we were nearly sick at Bob's attempt to emulate the
flopping of a wounded Gooney-bird.
Mike and Clay got in several flights with the Laser and Mike's CAP-10B
as they practiced the maneuvers for an upcoming IMAA contest. And Jim
cruised smoothly around with his Super Cub, looking about as realistic
as one could ever ask for.
Finally, we packed up and went to Chucks where we were served a simply
magnificent meal of BBQ'd pork ribs, homemade German potato-salad and
all the trimmings. Afterwards, we sat in Chuck's garage, rehashing the
day's fun over and over, telling Chuck how great it'd been and that
it'd have been "almost as good" if he'd been able to make it. ;b^} We
watched as the mountains to the east changed to purple from the
reflected sunset, then faded to black. That was the hint to call it a
day so we hung it up and headed for our respective casas, a tired but
fulfilled bunch of RC'ers.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2360 | Are we sick of this weather yet ? | ELMAGO::TTOMBAUGH | 20/20 Vision&walkin'round blind | Mon Dec 10 1990 14:31 | 55 |
| Obviously we inherited Al's weather this weekend minus 20 degrees.
Yesterday was our 2nd winter contest. 17 ol' reprobates (whats that
mean?) showed up to do a 3-5-7 minute thermal precision duration
event, with a possible max of 75 landing points per round.
A cobalt blue sky, the nearest clouds were probably in Madagascar,
and dead, I mean DEAD calm. It was almost uncanny.
With a possible perfect score of 1125 total points for 3 rounds,
Thornburg takes first place with 1120. Come on, already !
Of course he does it with his 2 channel Bird of Time, lending
credence to the old axiom of knowing your plane well and sticking
with it.
Taylor Collins took 2nd with his verrrry ancient Windsong, or which
ever one came first in the Wind/Lovesong duo, never can remember.
His thermal hunting technique was impressive. Fly west until lift
is detected or the Az. border is reached, which ever comes first.
I struggled with an overly sensitive elevator on the Cirrus all
day, and not until I was packing up to leave, did I noticed that
a 15 year old metal to plastic glue joint on the elevator wire ferrule
had let go, giving me 1/8" more travel than normal.
After the contest I gave my resurrected Pulsar its maiden flight.
Stayed up until 1:30 AM getting it finished and was a little bleary
eyed, but after 2 hand tosses, it was up the winch and an effortless
15 minute flight. With a 125" poly wing, 1050 sq. in., and 8.4 oz.
loading it turned out to be the predictable floater I was hoping
for, but with the S3021 airfoil, a little flap reflex, and away
she went. Roll rate was way more than necessary , so cut back on
the rudder throw by 30%. The smaller than stock stab (90 sq. in.)
had plenty of authority even with the 20% greater wing area. Just
goes to show you, this is more magic than rocket science.
The flight was not without incident. I was out beyond the 5 ft.
chain link field boundry fence as I turned from base leg to final.
Then I realized that I might not have time to level the wings before
I passed over the fence, and rather than judge clearences I elected
to fly parallel to the fence until I reached the field access road
then turn away from me and fly over the arroyo that the road passes
through, instantly giving me an extra 4 ft. of altitude and landing
in the road beyond the arroyo.
This all went according to plan until I was flying away from me
down the road still about three feet high. Then I realized that
the plane was well below fence height, was about to go below my
line of sight, and was almost disappearing behind 3 large bushes.
The xmitter decided it was tired of straining the signal through
all that clutter as it gave me a blip of down elev. and planted
the plane on its nose just out of sight. No damage done though,
other than scraped paint and I went home pretty happy and ready
to start on another wing for the Smoothie fuselage so that I'll
have two birds ready for the S.W. Regionals next month.
Terry
|
| 239.2361 | 1/4 scale engines | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Tue Dec 11 1990 13:02 | 16 |
| Speaking of engines.
In Al's favorite magazine (Jan-1991 RCM) Clarence Lee's engine clinic
column they show a 1/4 scale Offenhauser. It will be available in
kit form for $3000 but - it gets better - the guy is thinking that
the next engine he designs might be a 1/4 scale Rolls Royce Merlin!
Just the thing to go in your partially completed Aluminum Mustangs :-)
Actually - I wish the guy well and would love to see (and here) it
run.
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2362 | | ZENDIA::REITH | Jim Reith DTN 226-6102 - LTN2-1/F02 | Tue Dec 11 1990 13:29 | 4 |
| The machinist I visited on sunday has a 1/4 scale 9 cylinder radial on
his project list. He has several miniature engines magazines that show
many examples of these. Most of them weigh a lot and are only run on
test stands at shows and meets, but they ARE impressive.
|
| 239.2363 | HAVE A MERRY ONE, Y'ALL | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Tue Dec 11 1990 13:52 | 14 |
| Just a quick note to let y'all know I go in for my eye surgery tomorrow
and it's just possible I could be out until after Christmas. Just in
the event that that should be the case, my best wishes for the very
Merriest of Christmases to every one of you.
(I intended to use my traditional Christmas card one last time but it
appears I've unintentionally deleted it, perhaps back before June when
it appeared I'd have no further use for it. Oh well.......)
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2364 | Merry Christmas | SNAX::SMITH | I FEEL THE NEED | Tue Dec 11 1990 16:08 | 6 |
| You also Al. Just think, you'll be able to "see" the new year in a
whole new light.........8^)
Best wishes and a happy holly,
Steve
|
| 239.2365 | I know where Dan has been | SENIOR::NEWBERY | Shoot low-theys on Shetland Ponies | Wed Dec 12 1990 22:41 | 7 |
|
Well I found out why you haven't heard from Dan Eaton all that
much. Seems he's been off working on becoming a video star. I came
across him a Customer Services Magazine segment.
Nice 10 seconds Dan. What's it worth NOT to send a copy to the next
club meeting. ;^)
|
| 239.2366 | Lot's of blessing to count these days | MABERY::JETRGR::EATON | Dan Eaton St.Louis,MO,USA, 445-6522 | Thu Dec 13 1990 10:34 | 12 |
| RE:-.1
Hey! Treasure that tape. That was back when I had time and DEC thought they had
money enough to afford sending me on trips to the Springs. That was way back in
April I think. I had to go out there for two days to work with a group on the
VAXcluster portion of the CDP manual. Ahh for the good old days. Now I don't
get to go anywhere and training comes on a tape but at least I still have a job.
I'll make a deal though. Don't use that tape at the club meeting and I'll send
along some video of the maiden flight of my Artic Tern. It might happen this
weekend if the weather cooperates.
|
| 239.2367 | lost network numbers for Dan Eaton | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Thu Dec 13 1990 12:09 | 13 |
| ><<< Note 239.2366 by MABERY::JETRGR::EATON "Dan Eaton St.Louis,MO,USA, 445-6522" >>>
> -< Lot's of blessing to count these days >-
Dan - give us a break.
JETRGR is not in the network node name database anymore.
MABERY isn't in it either. I checked on ANCHOR and neither
nodes are listed. I can't send you mail anymore. What gives
with the network numbers?
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
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|
| 239.2368 | FLASH - Rat status update | ZENDIA::REITH | Jim Reith DTN 226-6102 - LTN2-1/F02 | Thu Dec 13 1990 12:59 | 8 |
| I just got off the phone with Al. He had the operation yesterday and
the doctor rated it a "10". He was awake through the procedure
(wouldn't be MY choice) and is supposed to get the bandages off today.
He'll have to wear a bandage over it while sleeping ("Hey Hon, whannna
play Pirates tonight") so it doesn't get poked during sleep for a while
and expects to be out until after the holidays. His address is posted in
.1909 if you're inclined to contact him yourself. (he sounds in good
spirits but this is the first time I've actually HEARD him ;^)
|
| 239.2369 | Call Al at (602)863-1456 | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Thu Dec 13 1990 13:21 | 14 |
| I just got off the phone also and I quit talking when there was yet another
incoming call. Probably another RCer.
He said - "Keep trivia moving".
Just to save poking back a few notes - his home phone is (602)863-1456.
If you miss him today - take the number home and give him a ring tonight.
I'm sure he'd love to hear from any and all of you.
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2370 | we're hiding from you. | MABERY::JETRGR::EATON | Dan Eaton St.Louis,MO,USA, 445-6522 | Thu Dec 13 1990 16:38 | 7 |
| RE:.2367
Hey Kay,
Beats me what a MABERY:: is. It should say STOSPT::JETRGR:: both of
which are alive and well on the net. JETRGR lives in a hidden area since two
weeks ago so STOSPT acts a a pass thru node when JETRGR wants to talk to the
real world. Somebody's DECNET data base needs updating to reflect our move from
area 34 to 16. STOSPT is really 16.772 or if you prefer 17156::
|
| 239.2371 | | ELMAGO::TTOMBAUGH | 20/20 Vision&walkin'round blind | Fri Dec 14 1990 10:22 | 6 |
| As of last evening Al had the bandage off and could see light and
color, but vision hadn't really come "on line" yet. He expects
to be out until after Christmas.
Terry
|
| 239.2372 | Injun Brave calls el Desert Rat | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Tue Dec 18 1990 16:16 | 38 |
| Wull, yesterday, I decided to give the rat a call, so he wouldn't feel
that 800 million Injuns had chosen to ignore him. I would'a used smoke
signals, but he isn't used to reading them (unless it is a burning wire
or an electronic component), so I decided to use the WMM (White Man
Magic) telephone, and play injun medicine man [since no other rc noter
seems to be qualified].
"Hi Al", I said, "How are you doing?".
"Fine", said the Rat in what to me seemed the most un-rattish voice,
and he wanted to know who I was.
"Guess", I said defiantly, but my injun accent was a total cop out.
"It couldn't be Ajai?", said the Rat, nailing me in his first attempt.
We rag-chewed [ham lingo for shootin' the breeze] for a while. Hell,
the Rat's rag-chewing ability only complements his writing skills, and
I am sure, were he a ham, he would'a likewise had a devoted
following...
Among other things, he told me I was caller #9 from the RC noters. It
isn't the easiest thing in the world to be caller #9, mind you! I
was ready to say my favourite station where they play 10-in-a-row
commercial free, was W-R-A-T, and collect my $100, but somehow, I knew
it wouldn't pan out, so I kept quiet on that score...
Coming to his X-ray vision... Al said he had been to the doctor's
yesterday morning, and the prognosis was grreat. He was asked to read
sump'in through an optical machine, and eee could read the smallest
print, eee said. Can't see focused with the naked [operated] eye as
yet, but hey, if the doc's appy, eee must be doin' aw'right!
He again mentioned how he would miss the camraderie in the notes file
when he has to leave DEC sometime next year, an' said he'd be back
notin' 26 DEC 1990.
ajai
|
| 239.2373 | Glad you're back. How's the eyesight? | ZENDIA::REITH | Jim Reith DTN 226-6102 - LTN2-1/F02 | Wed Dec 26 1990 09:42 | 4 |
| Hey Al, Since you're rapidly scanning notes after being out, how about
a "birds eye view" of how things are recovering?
Or do you need another 6 zillion phone calls? ;^)
|
| 239.2374 | BLOW-BY-BLOW EYE SURGERY | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Wed Dec 26 1990 11:45 | 122 |
| Re: .-1,
Right choo' are, James...I was just a gittin' around to posting a
post-op report, as it were.
First, Many, _MANY_ thanx to the noters who so graciously called me
during my convalescence. It was most gratifying to receive calls from no
fewer than 10 of you even though I was out to the eye-Doc. when Dan
Snow called and had to settle for a recorded message on my answering
machine. As it happens, [the non-existant?] Chris Spohr was caller
number 10 and, as such, receives absolutely nothing save for the
knowledge that he was, indeed, caller number 10. Try yer' local radio
station, Chris..... :B^)
The eye operation was, how should I say this, neither the most pleasant
nor the worst experience I ever went through. I always get annoyed at
all the pre-op rig-a-maroll you have to go through and this time was no
exception. Donning the cutsie little gown and cap required all but the
last ounce of patience I possess and that last ounce was used up as the
little medical aide flooded my eye with at least 2 1/2 gallons of
assorted eyedrops then proceeded to _miss_ with the IV needle she
attempted to install in the back of my left hand. Fortunately (for
me), the anesthesiologist took over and inserted the needle in the back
of my other hand virtually painlessly...experience tells I guess.
They fed me some sodium pentathol through the IV (burned like a mother
in the forearm as it coursed up the vein in my arm) which was supposed
to make me just happy enough not to notice the local anesthetic
injections all around my eye. I never honestly felt any effect from
the pentathol but it must'a worked as the injections around the eye
were painless (thankfully).
Finally, after probably 45-minutes or an hour, I was wheeled into the
operating room which (typically) was so cold you could'a hung meat in
it. They placed a sheet over my face covering everything but the eye
to be operated on and away we went. The worst part of this part of the
thing was just plain boredom! I could make out light through the eye
they were working on but couldn't really _see_ anything except
movement. I'm sure this is the way I'd have preferred it as I'm not
sure how I'd have handled actually _seeing_ the scalpel as it neared my
eye.
It was eerie as I was fully aware when the doc installed the implant
(intra-ocular lens); I couldn't see anything, mind you, but everything
became a very pleasant blue color with undulating, ever changing
patterns coursing through it...almost like the old Kalaidescope toys
you could get for the kids.
Then it was over; the doc began taping on the bandages and the
protective metal cup and, as he worked, I said, "Best one you ever did,
right Doc?" "I'll give it solid 10's," he replied..."everything went
just just as it should have."
They wheeled me out to the recovery area, fed me a cinnamon roll and
coffee, I got dressed and, barely two hours after reporting to the
clinic, I was out the door being driven home by my wife, Kathi.
The worst of the post-op effects was that, after the anesthesia wore
off, I had a terrific skull-cramp (headache) that lasted almost
48-hours and I was forbidden to take any aspirin (it thins the blood
and could promote bleeding). Tylenol has NEVER worked for me and this
was no exception...I went through a small bottle of the stuff over the
next 2-days and I may as well have beek taking surgar-pills...the skull-
cramp sneered and totally ignored these placebos. I finally slept it
off and it was gone the second morning after surgery.
Since then, I've yo-yo'd between elation and slight anxiety (brought on
by my own impatience) as vision slowly returned to the left eye. I'm
sure I expected more immediate results where, in reality, change for
the better has come in small daily increments, frequently too small to
notice, thus my anxiety/impatience.
The doc is happy as a clam with the results though he wondered out loud
at the amount of redness in the eye...it was redder 'n a fireman's
suspenders up until just 2-3 days ago and is still pn the pinkish side
but 1000% better than it was. Since the headache dissipated, there's
been no pain and only minor discomfort at the sensation of something(?)
like a hair, small dirt particle, etc. feeling like it was in the eye.
I'm sure this is just illusion, perhaps caused by the micro-stitches in
the eye, but it felt all too real sometimes.
At this stage, I can tell that the uncorrected vision (no glasses) of
the affected eye is far superior to the [so-called] good eye. But,
with my glasses on, I continue to depend on the right eye since the
prescription in my glasses is now too strong for my left eye and the
eye is fighting the prescription with blurry vision resulting. I have
to wait 5-6 weeks before the doc'll write a new prescription for the
left eye and I'm here to tell you that won't happen a day too soon to
suit me! Whether with or without glasses, one eye or the other is
dominant and it can be very disorienting at times.
I went out with Chuck last week to see how my vision/depth perception
seemed for flying and, while I didn't take the sticks of the plane, I
had to say that I felt like I could've flown with little, perhaps no
difficulty. If the weather doesn't get lousy for the weekend, I hope
to take the ol' Yeller' Peril out and give it a try in an attempt to
determine honestly whether I should attempt to fly the MiG in the
Masters qualifier which is barely 3-weeks away. If I don't feel
comfortable, I'll probably just have to pass on it unless I can get the
my new prescription and new glasses made before then. Even then,
However, I'll have precious little or no time to practice so it's a
kind'a touch-and-go situation...just have to play it by ear I guess.
Regarding the future, I feel like, if anything, my overall vision will
most likely be superior to what it's been for probably the past 3-5
years and I'm anxious, excited, impatient for that to happen. It seems
little short or miraculous that such a procedure is now commonplace
where people were still going blind from cataracts barely more than
2-decades ago. I actually find myself almost looking forward to
getting the right eye done someday as it appears likely I'll be able to
all but throw away my glasses at that time and what a blessing THAT
would be.
Thanx again to all who wished me well in the notesfile and on the
phone. It was, as I said, extremely gratifying and I really DO
appreciate it!!!!!!!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2375 | He's Back II - Return of Chris | STA201::SPOHR | | Wed Dec 26 1990 13:37 | 12 |
| I WIN! I WIN!
The above announcement is dedicated to Dan Snow, who got Al's answering
machine.
You see Al, I did win something - the satisfaction of being # 10. But,
best of all, I got to talk to a living legend (?). I'm glad to see you
back even if I don't appear to be looking in notes all that often.
Here's to your health Mr. Casey,
Chris - who is'nt nonexistant
|
| 239.2376 | Great News, Al | LEDS::WATT | | Wed Dec 26 1990 13:41 | 10 |
| Al,
Glad to hear your surgery went well! I don't know if I could have
hacked having someone messing with my eye while I was even semi
conscious. I hope you get back in the air soon as I'm sure that will
be great therapy.
Gotta Run
Charlie
|
| 239.2377 | Adventures on a Christmas weekend | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Thu Dec 27 1990 15:05 | 121 |
| Saturday AM, 22nd Dec 1990, the mercury climbed to 60 deg F, and after 6
years in the temperate latitudes, even a tropical bird like myself knows
that such winter temperatures in these latitudes, is a gift of God.
Soo, I hauled my plane out (having had the foresight to charge it the
previous night) and headed out to the field. Yeah, the leaf-shorn tree limbs
were swaying in the wind. It was a perfect day to hoist a big flag, the kind
that is 3~4 cars in size. But it was a 60 deg day, and I was determined to
make the best of it.
There were a couple of others at the field. The winds were ferocious, and
every time I flew down-wind, the control surfaces would become nearly
ineffective! Soon, I grew comfortable with my radio controlled leaf. I dared
not to land or do touch-and go's right away, as I was just 13 minutes short
of the magic 75 Hour mark for flying time for 1990. No point breaking the
plane in an attempt before that - for that would be a sure cop out.
The cloud ceiling was low - 500' perhaps. I decided to practise my spins.
Each time, I flew higher into the clouds, and the plane grew fainter. Each
time, I would come out spinning, recover, and go at it again.
Finally, I felt bold enough to let the plane _really_ disappear from sight.
OK, time to spin out with full down elevator, right aileron, and left
rudder, with the engine idling. Seconds passed, but they seemed like HOURS.
I had to let go of the sticks soon, or the plane would crash. But where WAS
it?
Eventually, it emerged from the clouds, 200' down-wind of where it first
disappeared from sight! The howling winds had carried it, and as luck would
have it, the cloud cieling was lower at that point, with the FS having to
bore a longer hole before emerging! Whew! What excitement!! Anyhow, with 75+
hours on the plane, the building mortgage had been effectively paid off, so
I could fool around...
I logged 1H45M that day, with brief showers interrupting the flying. Of
course, with the day being overcast, it was more like flying really late
into a summer evening on a continuous basis. Everything was grey, with the
a/c being a black silhouette. The son of one of the pilots was asking me if
the plane would spin to the ground if the engine was to quit mid-flight. I
suppose this is a reasonable question to be expected even from adults -
isn't it how they show it in the cartoons? I decided to end my last flight
with a dead stick demo, to dispel any wrong notions, and proceeded to do it
without a hitch.
New Englander's Revenge Fun-fly
===============================
Sunday was a record breaking 65 degree day. The rest of the America was
freezing or being snowed upon. My neck was aching with all the flying I had
done the previous day, but I was not to be thwarted. It was off to the
field. I could tell I must be an RC desperado, as I was the only person at
the field. I had a couple of flights, when it began to rain (drizzle, if you
are from the tropics). So, I turned my back to the wind, shielding the TX
from the rain drops, and flew my usual 15~20 minutes, and landed. Gee, the
plane seems to be doing fine, and you _really_ shouldn't be wasting the 65
deg weather in the middle of December. So, I continued. The rain never got
any worse, so why complain? My xerox-paper container field-box was soaked.
My flying became efficient, as I would land, only to re-fuel and go up
again. Sometimes, the rain would abate, but the wind would pick up. At other
times, the rain grew worse.
A family, out walking through the woods stopped to watch me fly. "Is this
the best day for this kind of thing?", he asked, referring to rc flying.
"Oh! It certainly makes you a better pilot!", I countered. Later, after they
had left to continue with their walk, I wondered if flying in the face of,
and during a storm would make me a better pilot, or a better builder! The
wind would get *REALLY* bad at times, but never once did my FS mis-behave on
approaches or near ground, though the wing did go vertical at altitude on
many occassions.
After 1H 57m, I called it quits, making it my 2nd longest flying day in
1990. This was the first time I had flown in the rain, but heck, should be
good practise for the Scale Masters n years down the road. My neck was
gonzo, but I was content having defended the skies from Saddam Hussain, and
not wasted another precious day lolling around at home (or even building the
WOT4).
I returned home bereft of any guilty feelings.
I should point out that the t.e. of the wing, near the root, where it is
held by rubber bands, had begun to sag, perhaps as it had got a little wet...
Overnight, drying on the rack, it was back to normal...
Christmas fun-fly
=================
40 degrees, and not a cloud in the sky! Dead calm! Got to fly. Santa
couldn't have been more thoughtful or kinder.
Again, I was the only flyer at the field! Now you know why Christianity was
invented! So us Hindus could fly during Christmas without being hassled by
them kwis-chuns -
[Brief pause for mild attempt at starting a religious war :-) ]
It was dead easy flying compared to the previous two days. My radio glove
came in real handy, though I need more heating packs if I want to fly as
long as the 1H 18M that I did. I am going to research into the lighter fluid
operated heaters, as also the cartridge type, but I think the nice thing
about the re-activateable ones I have is that they are totally sealed and do
not consume any air.
The ground was frozen, so landing on the grass field felt like pavement,
with the plane shuddering unless your touch-down was super-s m o o t h. I
hate using a starter, so after getting the engine to run the first time with
one, I was landing, refuelling, and going back up. That way, I could flip
start it by hand. I practised some more side-slips, but felt unhappy with
the renewed feeling of lack of control it gave me.
I would have loved to continue flying, but the lack of fresh heating pads,
as also my not wanting to take chances with the batteries at the lower
temperature, tempered my enthusiasm. 5 hours of flying through varied climes
on a 4 day wkend ain't doin' too bad. I packed up, not bothering to clean my
plane too carefully as the oil deposit was too viscous anyhow, relegating it
to the warmer confines of my apartment hallway. It is surprising how quickly
my fingers froze up without the protection of the radio glove to keep the
North American Winter at bay.
All in all, a verry merry Christmas, indeed.
ajai
|
| 239.2378 | Never fly alone... | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Wed Jan 02 1991 12:35 | 10 |
| >Again, I was the only flyer at the field! Now you know why Christianity was
Ajai - one good safety rule is Never fly alone.
Besides without any witnesses we don't believe you did :-)
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2379 | WHATTA' PREDICAMENT.....!! | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Wed Jan 02 1991 13:46 | 73 |
| Well, I went out twice over the holiday and the results, flying with my
new "bionic eye" are a bit mixed. My takeoffs and air work were quite
good and I was never consciously aware of any visual peccadillos
(impairments) though I was aware that the right eye was dominating due
to the mismatch between the "new" eye and the old prescription lens in
my glasses.
Problems [apparently] emanated at landing time because, on the very
first landing, I misjudged (was late on) the flair, hit solidly on the
mains and flipped the ol' Yeller' Peril smartly onto its back! The
radial cowl acted like a scoop shovel and FILLED the engine compartment
with dirt and gravel, ingesting enough into the engine that I couldn't
turn it over.
Determined to make this outing a more conclusive test, I pulled the
cowl and engine, swabbed out the incredible mess, field-stripped and
cleaned out the engine, reassembled everything and determined to try it
again...all the foregoing taking over an hour to accomplish. I fired
up and, as before, got a nice, long, arrow-straight takeoff with the
liftoff accuring so smoothly that you couldn't tell where the wheels
left the ground. And, once again, I had no difficulty with the air
work and maneuvers. But, once again, upon landing, I missed the flair
and flipped the ol' bird on her back! RAAAAAAAATZ!!
Mad now, I checked it out, found it hadn't swallowed any more dirt,
fired up and took off again. This time, I tried slowing it down a bit
and was able to keep the bird on its feet but had difficulty finding
the ground and, outo of 4 landings, the last one, only so-so, was the
best I could muster.
The poor ol' Peril was bruised pretty good after all this abuse and
went home with a busted spreader wire in the landing gear a 4 new holes
in the top wing. Needless to say, I was really BENT.....!!
That was on Sunday. Yesterday, still disgusted enough to not have done
any repairs on the ol' J�ngmeister, I went along with Bob and Chuck as
a spectator. While there, Kent invited me to shoot some landings with
his [world's oldest and ugliest] Ugly-Stik and, Voila (I thought), I
did OK...not, great, just OK. Encouraged a bit, I accepted Bob's
taunting invitation to a touch-and-go contest with his Stagspitoon
(Kaos) and, on my very first try, I missed the flair, got it on the
nose and broke the prop! ARRRRRRRGH!
Now I'm disgusted, discouraged and totally befuddled s to what's going
on. Naturally, I have every reason to suspect my vision's the culprit
but I can't honestly say I was ever aware of a problem...I appeared to
be seeing clearly, but.....?? If it _is_ vision/depth-perception
related, it's a real sneaky deal 'cause I "think" I'm seeing correctly
but, is the ground _really_ where it appears to be? Or, have I simply
lost the touch for landings??
I'm sure I don't know at this point and have no way to make a
determination until I have new glasses with the proper correction for
the newy eye. Problem is that the Doc doesn't want to write me a new
prescription until 5-6 weeks after surgery and that'll be too late for
the Masters Qualifier here on the 19th/20th.
So My quandry is whether to risk the MiG-3 or just stand down for this
contest. The decision would be a lot easier except for the fact that
my impending unemployment raises serious questions as to whether I
might be able to make any other qualifiers this year; if I'm unemployed,
it'll be hard to justify the expense of a trip to another contest but,
if I'm RE-employed, I'll have no vacation time accrued and can hardly
expect a brand new employer to be very understanding regarding his
brand new employee taking time off to go play with airplanes.
What to do, what to do..........sigh!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2380 | Try this Al! ;8^) | THOTH::SNOW | | Wed Jan 02 1991 14:08 | 21 |
|
Al, I have an idea to help you solve your dilemma! Install a smoke
system in the MiG, then, instead of calling landing for your last
manuever of each flight, pull on the smoke, declare an in-flight
emergency, and that way any landing you make would be a "good" one!
(Only kidding of course!)
__ * * *
* __|__|__ * * * *
* (**) V * _______|_______ *
* ( )--| * 0 *
_____(______)_|_________U___U______*___
"The Sno-man"
|
| 239.2381 | But what do I know!!!!! | SNAX::SMITH | I FEEL THE NEED | Wed Jan 02 1991 14:36 | 27 |
| Sounds like the prudent thing to do is skip the qualifier in favor of
keeping the Mig in it's present condition.
There is one possibility though. If your constantly flaring late, try
flairing a little high instead of trying for a normal landing. The
landings may not be pretty, but if you can consistatly get down on the
wheels, at least the qualifier might be a possibility.
Sounds like the difference in vision between the two eyes is causing a
depth perception problem and from what you write, your about a
foot/foot and a half off (late) on the flare. Touch down would probably
be a bit of a surprise as you would likely "see" the plane still a
foot or so in the air, but it is workable.
I still say the prudent thing to do is pass on the qualifier.
Then there's always this possibility. As I understand it, your "new" is
is pretty much normal vision wise. If you have one of those 1 hour
vision centers around there, have them make up a set of glasses that
have your normal prescription in the "bad" eye, and clear glass in the
"new" eye. With that combination, your combined vision should be much
more "normal" that what you have now.
I STILL say the prudent thing to do...........................
Steve
|
| 239.2382 | The Dr. is in | ELMAGO::TTOMBAUGH | 20/20 Vision&walkin'round blind | Wed Jan 02 1991 15:26 | 12 |
| Why not run a series of tests with an assistant.
Make a series of low level passes, starting at a safe height and
working gradually down.
See if you and the assistant can agree on the flying height.
If a discrepancy suddenly occurs, then you've got a vision
problem. If not, then it's something else.
Of course if the problem only occurs below ~ 2ft. altitude,
it may be a little tricky. Good luck Al, whatever happens.
Terry
|
| 239.2383 | Popeye says... | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Wed Jan 02 1991 16:17 | 6 |
| Take the patch off your eye and you'll have better depth perception :-)
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2384 | RE: LAST-4 REPLIES..... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Wed Jan 02 1991 17:31 | 34 |
| Re: .2380, Dan'l,
Interesting idea - hmmmmmmmmm...? Naaaaaaaaaaaah!
.2381, Steve,
Foreging the meet is probably the best course to follow. Howsomever, I
have some pretty powerful arguments in favor of competing working on me
so I can't guarantee I'll take what you and I _both_ know is the more
prudent course.
.2383, Terry,
There seems to be no problem problem whatever 'til the last foot or so
when, evidently, I misjudge my height and miss my flair (late every
time) blowing the landing.
.2384, Kay,
Since when did Popeye wear an eyepatch? I think you have 'im mixed up
with Rooster Cogburn. (BTW, I haven't had to wear a patch since
24-hours after the surgery.)
But, keep them cards 'n letters comin', friends...................
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2385 | good suggestion in earlier reply | ABACUS::RYDER | perpetually the bewildered beginner | Thu Jan 03 1991 06:34 | 14 |
| re your dilemma, Al, about the local qualifier
Perhaps you can call the doctor and tell him you want an interim
prescription. He is probably holding back to avoid wasting your
money, but the cost of a cheap new pair is less than almost any
travel expense, let alone employment problems.
Can you qualify if you take a zero on the landing points and pass off
control for landing to a buddy?
Welcome back. My doctor tells me that it isn't a question of *if* for
my Prednisone-induced cataracts, only *when*, so I read your account
with queasy interest. Next time skip the detail about the approach of
the scapel; I didn't need that!
|
| 239.2386 | Rats are stubborn rodents | SNAX::SMITH | I FEEL THE NEED | Thu Jan 03 1991 09:36 | 14 |
| Well, if you insist on trying to make the qualifier (not that I blame
ya), I think the suggestion to get a temp prescription is a good one.
Also my suggestion to take an old (spare) pair of glasses and have one
lens (the new eye) replaced with plain glass. Your "old" eye would see
normally with the perscription, and the "new" eye, being just a tad off
should be managable. Both together, should allow you to see things pretty
much the way you would with full glasses.
Then again, I've never worn glasses, so I could be talking through my
hat here. Sounds logical though.
Steve
|
| 239.2387 | NOT TO WORRY.... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Thu Jan 03 1991 09:53 | 55 |
| Re: .-1, Al,
> Perhaps you can call the doctor and tell him you want an interim
> prescription. He is probably holding back to avoid wasting your
> money, but the cost of a cheap new pair is less than almost any
> travel expense, let alone employment problems.
* This is more or less what I'm gonna' try to do. I have my next
appt. with the eye Doc. next Monday and I plan to talk like a Chinese-
geometry teacher to get him to write me a new prescrition, even if I
have to re-do the left one later on.
> Can you qualify if you take a zero on the landing points and pass off
> control for landing to a buddy?
* Nope! If anyone besides the pilot touches the transmitter for _any_
reason during the flight, the flight is disqualified. Besides, a zero
on one or more maneuvers will kick that/those flight(s) to a
non-competitive level anyway so it'd be wasted effort.
> Welcome back. My doctor tells me that it isn't a question of *if* for
> my Prednisone-induced cataracts, only *when*, so I read your account
> with queasy interest. Next time skip the detail about the approach of
> the scapel; I didn't need that!
* According to what I've learned first-hand on the subject recently,
cataracts are a normal part of the aging process and are inevitable for
_everyone_ "if they live long enough. The rate of development varies
with different people depending upon such factors as heredity, climate,
etc., e.g. the incidence of cataracts is higher in the SW than in other
parts of the country due to increased exposure to the sun...UV
radiation is the number-1 contributor to the problem! (So, all you
guys get AND WEAR a pair of those UV-blocker glasses, with or without
the blue-blocker, and you'll reduce your risk of UV caused cataracts
considerably. Those who already wear glasses should get their lenses
UV coated for the same reason but should understand that these won't
provide as good a protection as the wrap-around style sunglasses such
as are advertised as pilots' glasses in the model mags.)
If you re-read my note, Al, I think you'll see that I said I COULDN'T
see the scalpel approaching the eye which *I* was very happy about too.
The procedure is really a snap; I know, having been through it myself,
that there's no way to put anyone completely at ease about it but,
please believe me, it was one Helluva lot easier than almost _ANY_
dental procedure...there was NO pain and only minimal discomfort and I
haven't the slightest apprehension left toward getting the right eye done
one day. The minor post-op inconveniences, i.e. eyedrops, eyepatch at
night etc. are worse than the procedure itself!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2388 | I TRIED IT..... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Thu Jan 03 1991 10:27 | 17 |
| Re: .2386, Steve,
Believe it or don't, I've experimented with just what you suggest and
it doesn't work very well. As you said, it "sounds" logical but, in
practice, it doesn't pan out. I think the biggest problem is that the
image seen with the right eye through the prescription lens is magnified,
thus is larger than that seen with the naked left eye. The end result,
again, is a distorted image or dependency on one eye or the other and,
hence, loss of depth perception. A new prescription seems the only
viable answer, even if I had to get the left lens redone sometime later
on.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2389 | Time for a New Year's ramblin'... | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Thu Jan 03 1991 11:47 | 101 |
| The Rat seems to be afflicted with that late-on-flares problem that
confronted and confounded me during the early part of 1990, albeit for
a different reason altogether. Everytime that I would dork it into the
ground [it is hard to see how much clearance you have left, since you
are looking *down* at the plane], my spine would shudder like an arrow
that hits a tree limb and comes to a stop. Uggh!
Well, here is an idea - how about lying prone on the ground near flare
time, so you can actually see the height remaining before touchdown?
While people are going to give you wierd looks, your [lack of] depth
perception will be a non-issue. You could use your interest in
Dinosaurs to advantage, in developing a thick skin so you ignore what
others feel/think/say :-)
Incidentally, during my flying session on New Year's day, it was pretty
calm, and I decided to entertain myself by doing stall turns, one
up-field and one down-field, touching down when I went through the
bottom portion of the manoeuvre, with the result that I was doing a
left-to-right followed by a right-to-left landing followed by a l-t-r
etc..
Well, a wee bit o' wind began to blow on the r-t-l leg, and the plane
refused to settle down. So, on the subsequent r-t-l leg, I decided to
let the FS sink further before flaring out - too late! The FS bounced
up 6 feet like a scalded cat, I let it dive to pick up stick before
pulling back on the stick for an OK touchdown. Broke the prop in the
frigid air, on the frozen ground though, in what must have been my
worst ever landing in the past 1000.
I notched up another 4 hours of flying this past wkend. There are some
beginners who have just got past the solo stage, and are learning to
fly by themselves, but once in a while, esp with x-winds, they ask for
help.
One day, one guy asked me to trim out his plane, as it felt wierd
after take-off. The plane was really slow in responding, but I trimmed
it out somewhat, regretting that I couldn't do any better in the wind.
But flying the machine was crazy - I would have to hold full stick
deflection and wait a few seconds before the plane would bank. The
owner said others had complained that his throws weren't adequate as
well, so I figured this must be his normal setting.
Eventually, he took it back, and after a few seconds, said things were
out'ta hand, and gave me back the box to land the plane! The engine
refused to respond to chopping the throttle or trim on finals. Soo, I
got it up,and worked the throttle up and down a few times, so whatever
it was got unstuck, and the darned engine shut off, so the landing
would be less hairy in the wind.
I brought it
in [staggered through the door like a drunkard, actually], and a quick
examination revealed that only one alieron was working [screw on EZ
connector fell off!!] and also, the elevator had worked out of the
hinge on one side, so the elevator hinge gap actually looked like a
"V", with the gap end of the "V" being 1"!!!
His b-i-l was making a lot of fun of him. I resumed flying.
Subsequently, while I was yapping with some of the other pilots, the
b-i-l is, I detect, yelling out "AJ, AJ, I need some help". His plane
was also outta trim! OK, so I trim it out, but again, I ain't happy.
These two guys have the same planes, too. He doesn't like it when I
give it back to him, so I land it. Sort of. Turned out that his RUDDER
had the same "V" hinge-gap problem that the other guys ELEVATOR did!
There was effective rudder deflection, as the hinge had moved wrt the
horn, though it is usually intended to be the other way around!!!
The ailerons were not deflecting enough. In fact, they had differential
throw, but the wrong way, i.e. more down throw than up! Turned out that
he had shrunk the tape covering the hinge gap, while doing repairs to
other parts of the wing, and consequently, since the tape was stuck
along the bottom, there was restricted up movement of each aileron!!
Yet another day, the same guy yelled out for me right after take off.
This time, I wondered why, since there couldn't possibly be any problem
with his plane now. Turned out that he had forgotten to connect the
aileron servo!!! Luckily, the ailerons were neutral, and so didn't need
much rudder re trimming to fly straight. I had to lean heavily on my
10s of hours of hovering practice to do my turns with the rudder
instead of the aileron, and land - something I hadn't done before...
Gee, you'd think someone like an Al Casey would gimme a fabulous Mig-3
equivalent, and ask me to trim/land it, but instead, all I get is
broken planes to see if my oriental mantras will revive them from the
dead. I suppose that is the difficulty with trying to break out of the
mould and stirring out of injun reservations into pale face model plane
fields. You have to be content with the left-overs, sigh!
Ah' noo ah' should'a stuck to ridin' me muh' hosses...
:-) :-)
ajai
ps. I asked the guys, who experessed their gratitude, to write off
a portion of the third world debt, so we could square up accounts.
Of course, if Charlie Watt and Bill Lewis and Steve Smith didn't
bother to bill me for the umpteem times they saved my plane, then
I am happy to have been able to return the favour, and all charges
will be waived. :-) :-)
|
| 239.2390 | IT CAN'T BE, CAN IT.......?? | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Thu Jan 03 1991 12:59 | 37 |
| Re: .-1,
It hardly seems possible, does it guys?! Barely a year ago we were
listening to lengthy, detailed diatribes from our E. Injun amigo
extolling the countless woes and pitfalls of learning to fly. Now,
this self-same individual is helping beginners and making saves of
their airplanes. Is this really the same Ajai we all know and love or
has he performed some strange oriental ritual and reincarnated Charles
Lindbergh to co-habitate his skinny l'il frame?
But, there's a lesson here: the greatest teacher of all is practice,
practice and still more practice. I've preached this to beginners for
years and the sermon has been redeemed as I watch the ones who follow
the preaching advance and excel at flying while those that just get out
every once in awhile seem never to learn. Good job, Ajai, and I hope
you continue to grow as an RC pilot so's I can meet'cha in Masters
competition one day.
BTW, except for the extreme distance problem, I could sure use some
landing assistance here lately. Off-line, Eric (who once trained to
become an optician) explained that I'm experiencing a problem with both
depth perception and accomodation which should pass in a month or so.
But, that doesn't help for the upsoming Qualifier, unfortunately. If I
can get the eye doc to write me a new prescription, I'll have one
weekend left to practice/try out the "bionic-eye" before the meet and,
if I'm still having problems, looks like I may have to take a bye on
this one...dammit!
That'd mean that I may not have another opportunity to qualify this
year as my employment (or lack of same) problem may well preclude
traveling to any out-of-town qualifiers. Mumble-mumble-razzafratzle...
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2391 | Time to reminisce | SNAX::SMITH | I FEEL THE NEED | Thu Jan 03 1991 13:13 | 87 |
| Early summer......1990
Charlie Watt takes the first step up and hands radio to Ajai. A
few minutes later someone is heard saying " is that Ajai's plane
up there?????". Answer is "Can't tell. Pass me the telescope will
ya". Thirty minutes later, Charlie takes radio back to land first
step. Thirty minutes later, he get's it down to approach altitude
and lands.
Some weeks later
Ajai is now taking the first step up himself. Steady climb to 7,000
feet and cruise for 30 minutes. Satelite tracking centers in
Colorado report UFO over central Ma.
Still later
Ajai now only needs help landing the First Step. Charlie gives
instruction. Ajai panics and feels certain the first step is about
to crash every time it dips below 1,000 feet. EMT'S are now present
every weekend in case Ajai suffers from heart failure.
Mid Summer
Ajai is now making actual landing approaches to field. The first
step is lined up on final. Decent rate is good. Ok Ajai, level out
and get ready to flair. Level out Ajai. Ajai.....UP.....UP....DORK.
Next landing, Ajai is determined not to be short and starts his
approach at 100 feet 3/4 of the way down the runway.
A short time later
Ajai takes off, flies around a bit, makes a landing approach, and
wait......what's this.......that was a grease job.......it must
have been Charile.....nope.......it was Ajai alright......The pits
can be heard cheering and clapping in downtown Northboro. Ajai has
a look on his face like he just had sex for the first time.
about 3/4 through summer
Neither rain nor snow nor sleet nor dead of night can keep Ajai
away from the field. He is now SOLOED and is making landings
leaving grease spots all over the field. Cruising altitude never
exceeds 1,000 feet. Many times looking at Ajai's plane in flight
requires a second glance. Yup......he's inverted alright. You see,
Ajai, now bored with level flight has taken to spending all of his
flying time upside down. First step is upright for takeoff and
landing only.
summers end
Windy weather does not deter Ajai. He's still leaving all those
grease spots on the runway. Flying around upside down so much
were afraid he'll accidently forget and land that way. Last fun
fly of the year and Ajai does the bomb drop for the first time.
Rolls inverted over the target and lands his bomb within a couple
of feet winning that round hands down. Ajai is heard saying "gee
I don't know how I did that. I was just flying by and all of a
sudden it went upside down. RIGHT AJAI.........
1991
Now look at him. Trimming out peoples planes, helping students,
checking for problems, etc. etc. etc.. All I've got to say is
CONGRADULATIONS AJAI. YOU'VE HAD A FANTASTIC
YEAR. THE PROGRESS HAS BEEN AMAZING AND YOU
DESERVE A HEAP OF CREDIT FOR THE HOURS YOU
PUT IN. (BELIEVE ME, WERE ALL VERY MUCH AWARE
OF THOSE HOURS 8^)). I SALUTE YOU AND HOPE 1991
IS AS FRUITFUL.
Steve
|
| 239.2392 | Choke...mumble...uhh...America, Land of Opportunity! | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Thu Jan 03 1991 14:50 | 64 |
| Re -.1 and -.2
Gee guys,
Mumble...Uhh...mumb.e. You ...duh.. You really shouldn't.. uhh... shouldn't
really be heaping...mum.l.e...uhh... platitudes on me like that, fellas, but
...uhh.. thanks for the very kind words all the same.
Yeah, the T60 crash has faded into being a memory from the distant past. I
had logged 5 hours on it, and was about to solo, when the RC Gods decided
they were hungry for a sacrifice. Then I built the FS fuselage, and thanks
to the loaner wing from Charlie Watt, got airborne without losing too much
of the season that year. I logged 7 hours on the FS in 1989, with the first
few being *HELL* as I kept getting flashbacks of the downed T60 whenever I
flew near THE woods. I re learnt the ropes and got to fly the FS without
Charlie's intervention, but I needed him next to me, just in case trouble
happened! Unfortunately, with the hunting season of 1989 commencing in
October, we had to go to different fields, and I was in no shape to handle
landings in alien fields, and threw my landing attempts out of kilter.
1990 spring, I got back to flying, but with the notion that I had landed the
FS at least a dozen or so times since 1989. I still had a way to go before I
could go fly BY MYSELF.
3H and 10 minutes of getting re-acquainted with the FS in early 1990 was my
final ticket to RC NIRVANA. 15 hours in all, of needing Bill Lewis', Charlie
Watt's and Steve Smith's assistance, before I could graduate.
It has been a long and rocky road, but when I look back, I can smile, even
if it is a tired one at that! I will remain forever indebted to my
instructor gurus - mainly Charlie Watt and Bill Lewis - for having given
freely of their time and putting up with someone who must have been *THE*
_s l o w e s t_ student pilot they ever saw/had.
I dedicate the 81+ hours of flying I did in 1990 in their names, for having
persevered with teaching me, when other lesser mortals would have given up
on teaching me to fly as being an exercise in futility.
I will also remain ever grateful to the many words of advice, hints and
kinks that I read in this notes file, and that often saved my flying day and
plane. Most notably, many thanks to the Rev Al Casey for his unstinting,
prompt, and liberal advice that he gave both on and off line, drawing upon
his many decades of experience in the hobby.
Last, but not least, is the friendship and comraderie that I have got to
enjoy with people around the world in this notes file, faces seen and
unseen.
1990 has been a d y n a m i t e year in aeromodelling for me, and has
definitely brought meaning to my trip to America [the Great American
adventure, as I would like to call it]. I left Indian shores to pursue my
hobbies in the company and tutelage of gurus, and while I still have a long
way to go before I can contemplate competing at a Scale Masters event, 1990
has made it feasible in more ways that I could have ever hoped for.
America has truly been a land of opportunity, and will continue to be so
unlike any other nation in the world. To those of you who have heard of
this, I wish to assure you from my own personal experience that it is indeed
so!
And to those of you who take it for granted, I say don't.
ajai
|
| 239.2393 | Injun brave needs squaw. Send smoke signals to neighbouring tribes! | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Thu Jan 03 1991 15:39 | 45 |
| This time, it is rambling of a different kind, and publicise a secret...
I am off early next week to git muh-self a squaw at the Great Indian Slave
Market. At least, if I can read between the lines, you married men just sit
back, an' everything is laid out for ya, so why not muh'self? :-) Ah' don'
wanna lose out, fer shoor...
Heck, not too long ago, the Rat advised me to get a female roommate, so I
wouldn't have to waste time changing apartments during the flying season
when the male roomates get lynched by women :-)
I'll even write up an RC clause in the contract that will be binding for
life. She'll haf'ta build planes, help me build planes by holding odd parts
at weird angles while the glue dries, and of course fly planes...
[A round of chuckles from the wise ol' married men, heard saying, yeah, an'
ees gonna succeed where we boys failed :-):-)]
OK, so I'm dreamin'. No, that's not why I started the WOMEN AND
AEROMODELLING note :-) Besides sending Sridevi [what, no Sue or Carol or
Jenny? You mean we got to learn a whole 'nuther nooo injun name again?
Darn... you injuns are stickin' it to us in the back all the time] umpteen
photographs of my being inebriated to excess in different aspects of the
hobby, one of the "dates" we had been on included the South Central Zone
Aeromodellers competition (Bangalore, India) in November of 1989 - some of
you saw the slides [she wasn't in 'em] at the previous DECRCM meeting! She
loved the planes, though she got tired in a coupla' hours under the blazing
tropical sun...
Oh! Well, I'm off Too's'dy, Jan 8th night, via London. It takes about 30
hours, once I start the stopwatch at Boston's Logan airport, until I reach
Bangalore, and includes about 19 hours of flying time. I have 8+ hours
between flights to while away in London's Heathrow, unless I decide to step
out. I should be able to sneak by the Gulf before Saddaam and the world
decide to take pot shots at each other, and waste more human beings, in yet
another meaningless war. India used to be 100s of warring kingdoms at
different points in its 5000 yr history. The injuns invented Chess so people
could duke it out on paper, but nobody, injuns included, listens anymore.
ajai-whose-bachelore-days-are-numbered.
tick. tock. tick. tock. tick. tock...
... I'll be gone for 6 wks, some w/o pay... sob...
|
| 239.2394 | C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S !! | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Fri Jan 04 1991 09:50 | 28 |
| Re: .-1, Ajai,
Ah, you finally let the cat out'a the bag, eh'? I was a' wunderin'
when you'd do so...being the first of yer' friends to be let in on the
secret, I've been chafin' at the bit to be able to offer you my sincere
congratulations and wishes for a happy life together with yer' new
bride.
Since you say you'll be gone 6-weeks (Sheesh! Ya' could'a got'ter done
in about 48-hr.'s if'n ya'd have just flew over to Reno or Vegas),
there's a fair to middlin' chance that I'll be history, DEC-wise, by
the time you return. Should that, indeed, become the case, let this
reply serve as my farewell to you. I wish you continued success in
yer' RC endeavors and anything/everything you do in the future. I'll
seriously miss muh' l'il Injun buddy and hope it becomes possible to
meet one day. Adios, mi amigo...vaya con dios!
PS: The invitation to yer' nuptial rites came in yesterday's goat-mail
(why does that seem appropriate?) but, unfortunately, I'll haf'ta beg
off attending same. It seems that all our cowboy airlines out here
have regulations restricting them from flyin' to any Injun Territories.
;b^)
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2395 | Well knock me down with a feather | SNAX::SMITH | I FEEL THE NEED | Fri Jan 04 1991 10:14 | 6 |
| Congratulations Ajai (I think) 8^)
Seriously......the best of luck to you and the new bride (or should I
say RC widow).
Steve
|
| 239.2396 | Another one bites the dust | BTOVT::BREAULT_B | | Fri Jan 04 1991 21:53 | 3 |
| Congradulations Ajai..............
Bernie
|
| 239.2397 | Answer these and win absoulutely nothing | ELMAGO::TTOMBAUGH | 20/20 Vision&walkin'round blind | Mon Jan 07 1991 12:01 | 11 |
| This is a trivia subject, but I can't wait to ask it there.
On the cover of the Feb. issue of RCM, in the background of the
bottom picture there is a silver high-wing observation type plane
that looks a little like an Aeronca on steroids, with a radial
engine. What is it? (I don't know).
Also what is the silver low wing trainer type with red/white
rudder ? I would guess a BT-13 with the greenhouse removed.
Terry
|
| 239.2398 | Thank ye all for ye benediction | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Mon Jan 07 1991 12:56 | 40 |
| Hi Ya All,
Thanks much for your best wishes, both those received off line, on
line, and even those delivered personally.
I still have 10 days to change my mind, but since none of you have
dissuaded me, I'll assume that I am on the right track :-).
I would have gladly settled for the Rat representing the American
clan of aeromodellers, but it appears he is reluctant to risk being
outnumbered by injuns in a strange distant land, with strange customs.
I bet he fears we'll boil him for supper, when I have assured him to
our vegetarian proclivity, and has settled to contemplate the next
Scale Masters under the shade of a saguaro cactus. :-) :-)
Ahh! 'tis but mortal to fear the unkown... Anyhoo, I'll have my Injun
aeromodelling gurus present at my wedding - My brother, currently
living in Sydney, Oz, and a good friend of his of Bangalore - both of
whom were instrumental in guiding my fledgling steps with chuck gliders
and towline gliders back in 1970 in Calcutta. Bereft of aeromodeller
attendees, I would certainly consider something amiss with my wedding.
Perhaps most of you do not realise that it is Indian custom to invite
relatives with common ancestors going back 4 to 5 generations, as also
friends, and sometimes even their relatives!! The ceremony, while
involved and rather protracted (6to 8 hours, spread over 3 days, in my
case - mileage varies based on where injun comes from - even 200 miles
makes a difference), is rather chaotic compared to the super-organised,
class-room style kwis-chun everybody-sitting-at-the-pews weddings.
Also, there is a lot of dazzling colour, with the women wearing multicolored
saris.
I'll be back Feb 18th, but until then, ya's kin send me messages via a
cousin at DEC in Bangalore (QCAV01::RANGARAJ - use nmail pref), who
will relay them to me.
Now, all I kin hope is that ah' kin "git me to the church on time".
ajai
|
| 239.2399 | Better clear that Wot4 off the kitchen table ;^) | ZENDIA::REITH | Jim Reith DTN 226-6102 - LTN2-1/F02 | Mon Jan 07 1991 13:32 | 2 |
| Now I KNOW why he put in 70+ hours in the air last year (married and
harried modeller humor ;^)
|
| 239.2400 | Just wait | SNAX::SMITH | I FEEL THE NEED | Mon Jan 07 1991 13:46 | 8 |
| What was that Ajai was saying a couple back. Something about a slide
show and his bride to be being there but not in the pictures.
Didn't he also say that after 2 hours she drug him away from the field?
Ah yes......a sign of times to come. 70 plus hours this year, 10 next.
Steve
|
| 239.2401 | Gee, an' I thought ya's all was muh fren's.. | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Mon Jan 07 1991 15:15 | 11 |
| ... you guys are merciless. Bah!
I'd take along an RC model to fly while honeymooning on some remote
tropical island, just to spite'cha all in thuh fay-ce, but I admit
defeat when it comes to dealing with the Indian Customs.
ajai
ps. Maybe I better work on those 2Hr flights of mine, so I don't get
left behind.
|
| 239.2402 | Announcing brief interruption in Injuns'n'Cowboys | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Tue Jan 08 1991 14:12 | 20 |
| Hookay guys,
'tis time for me to hitch up my hosses and join the wagon train to
Boston's Logan airport.
I'll be happy to say HI to Saddam Hussain for y'all, as my flight
skirts his neck of the woods (desert?). Meanwhile, the balance of power
between Injuns and pale faces in this conference will be severely
skewed during my temporary absence. Don'choo guys feel tempted to take
over my Injun reservations, like Saddam did Kuwait. Remember, y' gotta
be fair. We can duel like ole' times once I git back.
I am sure the tribal chiefs at the biggest Injun reservation (where I'm
headed) will be more than pleased with my rc exploits for 1990.
See yas all mid-Feb.
ajai
|
| 239.2403 | NOT IMPRESSED WITH PROGRESSIVES..... | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Fri Jan 11 1991 14:19 | 35 |
| Well, I've got my new glasses; picked 'em up last night and I'm not
sure that I haven't made a big mistake. I've worn bifocals for
10-years and adapted to them instantly...never had the first problem
with 'em.
But, the eye-doc and the eyeglasses center both felt I might benefit
from a progressive lens, i.e. a lens that is ground progressively from
the distance prescrition down to the close up prescription, leaving no
line. Many people get these out ov vanity (they don't like advertising
that they have bifocals) but the doc and the vision center thought I'd
get the benefit of varying correction from near to far, effectively
like a multi correction lens. Sounded logical to me so I tried it.
But ARRRRRGH! I hate 'em. The distance lens seems fine but the close
up is a nightmare of distortion; I'm unable to pull a full page (or
terminal screen) into focus at the same time! I can get a small area
in the center of a line sharply focused but both ends of the line are
blurry. People who wear progressives say this "is the way they are,"
period. If that's the case, they're B*llsh*t as far as I'm concerned!
I realize I've only had a day so far to adjust to them and will give
them a bit longer but have already called the vision center and laid
the groundwork to have the lenses replaced with conventional bifocals.
Fortunately, there is no cost to do this within 60 days but my dilemma
is that, with the Qualifier coming up next weekend, I won't be able to
give them a fair test before making the decision.
Tomorrow will tell a lot as I try some practice flights on the MiG-3 to
get a feel for where I stand, visually. Here's hoping........!!!!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2404 | A test flight first I hope... | MABERY::JETRGR::EATON | Dan Eaton St.Louis,MO,USA, 445-6522 | Fri Jan 11 1991 15:07 | 5 |
| Hey Al,
are you going to try the new glasses out with the Yeller Peril before
commiting the Mig to the sky. Considering the probles you've had so far I'd
hate to see you dork the Mig due to an unforseen complication with the
new glasses
|
| 239.2405 | Flight test em | SNAX::SMITH | I FEEL THE NEED | Fri Jan 11 1991 15:30 | 7 |
| Al,
The problems your describing all seem to be "close up". Have you
given them a good "flight test" yet????? Outdoors, the distances
invovled between flight station and runway may make a big difference.
Steve
|
| 239.2406 | THE NAME OF THE GAME IS.... | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Fri Jan 11 1991 16:05 | 29 |
| Re: last-2,
Nope, the new specs will be flight tested tomorrow. I won't be
pre-flighting them on the ol' Yeller' Peril as it's still down for
repairs after the abuse I gave it the last time out with the old
glasses and, besides, I neeb to know whether I can fly the MiG, not the
Peril. But, Chuck has graciously offered to lemme' try his big 1/3
Laser if I feel I need a test ride before committing the MiG. I'm
playi' that part by ear as I surely don't want to scarf up someone
else's ship trying to determine whether I'm able to fly.
In any event, I'm playing it completely by ear for tomorrow; I'll take
the MiG out, assemble it, then stand by and watch the flying to try to
assess how well and how accurately I'm seeing things. Based upon that
assessment, I'll either commit or stand down but I feel like I want to
try if if at all possible. I'm confident the worst case would be a
scraped wing tip, blown gear doors, bent gear or some combination of
these, which doesn't thrill me a lot, but the point is that I really
doubt I'd do any really serious damage since the major problem I've had
is just timing the flare at landing and it'd be pretty inconceivable
that I'd total the ship due to a blown landing.
Thanx fer' the concern...I'll let'chas know how it went Monday.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2407 | funny glasses | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Mon Jan 14 1991 07:55 | 19 |
| > <<< Note 239.2403 by PNO::CASEYA "THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572" >>>
> -< NOT IMPRESSED WITH PROGRESSIVES..... >-
...
> But ARRRRRGH! I hate 'em. The distance lens seems fine but the close
> up is a nightmare of distortion; I'm unable to pull a full page (or
> terminal screen) into focus at the same time! I can get a small area
> in the center of a line sharply focused but both ends of the line are
> blurry. People who wear progressives say this "is the way they are,"
> period. If that's the case, they're B*llsh*t as far as I'm concerned!
I was fitted for progressive a few of months ago - took them back for
a refund. I am now back to single focus glasses - but need to get a
pair of reading glasses. I tried them for almost a month. I wouldn't
give you a dime for a truck load of the things.
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2408 | EUREKA......!!! | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Mon Jan 14 1991 10:41 | 124 |
| Well, I'm most happy to report that I WILL be flying in the Masters
Qualifier this weekend. Chuck Collier and I went out for a practice
session (which turned out to be the last one we'll fly prior to the
contest) Saturday and had a great time.
I opted to let Chuck fly his Baker P-47 first so I could observe
carefully and determine whether what I was seeing was _REALLY_ what I
was seeing. Satisfied that the distance lenses were working great, I
fueled up the MiG-3 and prepared for a flight, not without a bit of
trepidation.
The MiG sprang to life, everything checked out fine so I taxied out,
turned into the wind just across the centerline and came to a full
stop. Here, I paused for a bit, took a few deep breaths to convince
myself that I _really_ wanted to do this, then advanced the throttle
smoothly but smartly to full. The MiG accelerated, the tail came up
and the faithful ol Rooskie fighter tracked stright down the runway.
Easing in the up, the ship rotated cleanly as I simultaneously hit the
gear switch. I breathed a heavy sigh of relief both at getting a nice
takeoff with the tricky bird and at seeing the gear tucking away into
the wells with a very nice stagger; the left gear is almost completely
up before the right begins to fold.
I cruised around the pattern for one circuit, checking trim and
regaining my "feel" of the bird. One circuit seemed plenty; no trim
was required so I set up to begin my competition program. Right out'a
the bag, I flew one of the nicest horizontal-8's I've ever done (ask
Kevin how hard these are to do right)...I don't get many that are that
nice. The MiG sailed past like on a rail during the low (10')
fly-pasts and now it was time for my optional program.
The slow roll, 2-pt. roll and 4-point roll came out just fine and it
seemed the ailerons were _much_ better than I'd ever remembered them
but, after flying the B�cker's slugginsh ailerons, I'm sure it was a
case of marked contrast between the two aircraft.
Next came the Immelman and, again, I pulled one off that I seldom get
in terms of quality. Finally, I dove in full throttle (@ 105+ mph,
confirmed by radar gun last year) to 5' then pulled up ~40� into the
climbing victory-roll. Pretty....
But, the nagging thought had been with me the entire flight that I'd
had no problem with takeoffs or airwork the last two attempts at post
eye-surgery flying. The overriding question was, "Can I _land_ this
thing?" I repeated a couple'a maneuvers, threw in a couple'a impromptu
maneuvers (inverted low pass, 8-pt. roll, etc.) then knew that it was
time to quit stalling as fuel was running low by now.
I did my usual military pitchout. dropping gear and flaps around the
back side as I maintained a continuous bank onto final. I controlled
rate-of-descent with throttle, reducing to about 3-4 "clicks" as the
ship rode smoothly down the glideslope and crossed the threshold.
Flattening the glide at about a foot, I simultaneously flared and
milked off the remaining power. The proud old warrior kissed onto the
runway like it had a cargo of eggs aboard and rolled straight out to a
stop. I pulled the flaps up and taxied back to the pilot station about
as elated as it's possible for a human being to be. Pulling smartly up
to the starting area, I pulled throttle and trim to low, killing the
engine, and let out a Rebel-yell that you must've heard clear up there
in Bahston.
Was I ever thrilled/relieved to have _that_ one out of the way!! The
distance lenses of my new specs gave me vision I can't remember having
in years...the plane was always clear and sharp, regardless of its
distance from me. Almost as importantly, the gear actually worked fine
for the first time since before the Dallas Masters. Time for a
Colorado Cool-Aid and time to exult and reflect a bit on the flight
just past.
Chuckie was raving (jokingly) about how mad he was that I went out and
burned a flight like that after eye surgery just a month ago (almost to
the day) and not flying the MiG since last October (and, at that, only
once since the Masters). "But," I said, "It _could've been a lucky
fluke," and trembled a little inwardly at the possiblility.
Chuck put in another very nice flight on his fire-breathing Jug and,
though tempted to leave well enough alone, I fired up and flew the
MiG-3 again. This flight was almost a carbon copy of the first except
that I actually improved the rolls by getting acclimated once again to
the roll rate. Now, Chuck was jumping up and down in mock anger,
sputtering that he thought he'd be flying against a blind man in the
Qualifier and now it looked like he was gonna' get his clock cleaned
by one! :B^)
Chuck was satisfied and decided to quit at two flights but, wanting to
see if the third time was truly a charm, I chose to fly again. (I had
another reason but I'll wait to reveal it.) The third flight was,
again, just a tad better than the preceding one(s) and, the landing
left grease painted all over the runway! Needless to say, I was one
ecstatic camper as I cleaned the glop off'n my faithful ol' warrior and
jabbered with interested spectators, revealing that that last flight
was flight number *250*! Bob Frey always figgers' that after a scale
model goes over 50-flights, everything else is gravy; if that's true,
I've gotten 5-times the average life expectancy out'a the ol' MiG.
Back at Chuck's, we "debriefed" over a few more "Cool-Aids," hashing
and rehashing the great day we'd both had. We both decided that that
was enough pre-contest flying and opted to stand down 'til the
Qualifier. Chuck may be a hard one to catch, let alone beat if he
continues to fly as he has been the last dozen or so flights. But, I'm
content now that I'm under no handicap and, given I can repeat the
flights I put in last Saturday, Chuck may have to worry 'bout catchin'
the ol' Rat!
Epilogue: I _STILL_ hate these progressive lenses! EVERYTHING to
either side or beneath my field of view constantly "swims" in and out'a
focus, especially when moving my head and, sports fans, that SUCKS! I
now understand how some people claim to have gotten motion sick from
their glasses. Anyhowsomever, I called the vision center last Friday
and told 'em how I felt about the glasses and they said bring 'em back
and they'd grind a new set of normal bifocals for me and have my specs
back to me in 2-days. So, I'll take 'em back today and get the new
bifocals Wednesday in plenty of time to adjust to 'em before the
contest. After all, the distance part is great and that won't change,
just the way the near vision lenses are ground. Some folks just rave
about progressive lenses (Chuck is one of 'em) but I doubt I'd get used
to them in a thougsand years...like Kay, I wouldn't give ya' a dime for
a truckload of 'em!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2409 | Watch-out/The Rat's Back | BTOVT::BREAULT_B | | Mon Jan 14 1991 15:58 | 17 |
| Congradulations !!! Sounds like the ole eyesight is back at 110%.
Glad to hear your gonna be in the Qualifier this weekend. Sure would
have been a bummer if you'd had to pass on it due to some screwy new
glasses. Also glad to hear everything went so well with the Mig's
outing and that nothing got pranged or bent. Would surely be a shame
to finally get everything working right and then bend the Ole Mig.
250 flights on the Mig you say. Anybody got any idea if there's any
kind of record kept on who/what ship holds the record for the most
number of flights on a masters class aircraft? Also, how many years
has the same aircraft been entered in a masters meet? Sounds to me
like 250 flights on the Mig should put it somewhere near the lead if
any such records are kept. Just goes to show ya. When good, sound,
quality craftsmanship are incorporated, it shows!
The very best of luck to you this coming weekend Al. I'm sure you'll
do just great.
Bernie
|
| 239.2410 | NOPE, I'M NO BETTER THAN SECOND IN THE CATEGORY.... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Mon Jan 14 1991 17:10 | 23 |
| Re: .-1, Bernie,
Gar-cee-ass, senor...ah' 'preciate it! As to records, I have a ways to
go as yet to catch ol' "Cowboy" Kent Walters; he had over 400 flights
on his Dauntless when he finally lost it at Ft. Knox at the '88
Masters. His faithful Dauntless campaigned in 7-Masters, winning three
of 'em so, while I'm approaching his number of appearances record with
5-appearances, I've got a ways to go in that category as well.
However, I'd bet I'm far and away in solid 2nd place for number of
Masters flown with the same ship. Now, if I can just get back into the
winners' circle...I placed 10th in '86, my second Masters, and have had
lousy Masters-luck ever since! Time that string be broken, I'd say...!
But, first things first; I must qualify this weekend or possibly not
make the Masters this year owing to the unpredictability of my job
situation, therefore my ability to travel to out-of-state qualifiers.
If I blow it here, I may not get a second chance!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2411 | back in the saddle
| ROCK::KLADD | hl02-3/c11 225-7316 | Tue Jan 15 1991 12:39 | 11 |
| alright al.
somehow i just knew you'd be ready for the qualifier.
its the same story here, you get only one shot to qualify
unless your willing to drive 16 hours for the second, or
24 for the second, or...
good luck and tell chuck i'm still sad i missed his low
downwind pass...
kevin
|
| 239.2412 | A TRUE RAMBLE.... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Tue Jan 15 1991 13:30 | 103 |
| Re: .2411, Kevin,
Hey......., long time no hear from, compadre. 's good to see sumpthin'
from ya' agin'. Hope yer' presence continues for awhile!
Yeah, I knew it was gonna' be close when I first got the eye surgery
scheduled and, as it happens, it couldn't have been much closer but I
think everything's OK, eye-wise, and I feel pretty good about my
chances in the Qualifier even though I haven't been able to practice
much. The retracts worked real nice after bypassing the Hydra-Lok and
installing Bob Dively restrictors; the retract/extend speed is real
nice and I have an even better stagger between the gear than before.
The left gear goes up and down faster than the right which gives a very
realistic look to the gear up/down cycles. I also installed a new 4-way
valve/switch which appears to've healed the intermittent leak I was
experiencing during and after the Dallas masters. Guess I shouldn't
complain too much as the Rhom/Hydra-Lok system worked well (except for
occasional minor leaks) for almost 6-years.
My main concern was whether the straight-air system (with restrictors)
would have enough poop to hold the gear in the wells during flight,
especially positive-G maneuvers. The Rhom gear, you see, has no
mechanical up-lock and depends solely on pressure to hold them up.
With the heavy 7 1/2" long shock-strut, wheels/tires and doors all
hanging on, I was dubious whether the gear would stay up without the
benefit of non-compressible oil in the "Up" side of the system.
However, in the two flights Saturday, there wasn't a hint of the gear
trying to sag in any flight regime. Therefore, I doubt I'll ever
restore the Hydra-Lok system and may well never use it again...what's
the point of all the extra mess and hassle if the gear works just as
well on straight air and restrictors?!
Odd thing about the new spectacles; I went over to the vision center
yesterday intending to drop off my new glasses to have conventional
bifocal lenses installed in place of the progressives. But, in the
very short time I'd worn them, I'd learned to appreciate some aspects
of the progressives that aren't possible with regular bifocals, namely,
the ability to focus at varying distances between the distance and
close up prescriptions. I can glance around the car and clearly see
and read the buttons, knobs, instruments, etc. on the dashboard where,
before, I had to crane my neck and head around like a contortionist
trying to see these items and, sometimes, couldn't do it at all.
Quite frankly, I _DO_LIKE_ that feature of the progressive lenses and
was hesitant to give it up. Sooooo, upon arriving at the vision
center, I talked with the technician a bit more and decided to try the
progressives a little longer since I _DO_ seem to be adjusting to them
a bit more each day and they don't bother me as much at reading
distances as they did at the outset. I'd hate to throw away the
advantages I've become aware of before giving them a fair trial.
Therefore, since I've already proved the distance part of the lenses
work just fine for flying, I've decided to keep the progressives for
another week or two before making my final decision. I have 60-days in
which to get the lenses changed free of charge so I've decided to take
a little more time and be really sure.
I _WILL_ say one thing if it should come to pass that I learn to like
and keep the progressives: they are EXTREMELY difficult to adapt to if
you've previously worn single-vision or conventional bifocal glasses.
And, I can't think of any way to describe in words just _how_ different
they are and how difficult it's going to be to adapt to them.
Chuck's wife, Heidi, tried progressives for 6-months and never could
get used to them...she'd get motion-sick and become physically nauseous
with them. But, Chuck just LOVES 'em so go figger', eh?
Yeah, Chuck's low-pass at the Masters was truly a burner! You've
probably seen it on Eric's tape but tape couldn't do it justice. We've
figgered' that, considering the STRONNNNNNG wind and the fact Chuck
dived into the pass, the Jug was easily doing 150-mph!! I know a thin
wisp of smoke from the re-heated asphalt could be seen the whole length
of the runway for several moments after the Jug passed by!! :B^)
BTW, Chuck's new, improved, beefed-up Barton retracts seem to be working
extremely well though a minor modification was required to reduce the
retraction angle from 90 to ~85�. For the first time in [my] memory, we
actually don't worry about whether the gear will go up, OR DOWN, on
every flight and the gear itself is considerably stronger. However,
don't get the idea they can be simply bolted into the old mounts. The
units are somewhat larger/deeper and have a larger air cylinder on them
so that the gear mounts have to be reworked quite a bit to install
them. Unless yer' prone to be as hard on 'em as Chuck sometimes is,
I'd stick with the old ones, provided they work satisfactorily, that is.
BTW, I'll be taking Friday, Monday and Tuesday off; the Friday is to
make any final preparations for the Qualifier and go out and get a good
parking place for the motorhome. Monday, I'm going down to Eloy, AZ to
spend the last day of the SW Regionals with muh' C.A.F buddy, Gerald
Martin, and Tuesday is to rest up before coming back to work. Also,
there's the fact that I need to use up my Personal and Location Choice
Holidays or lose them when the plant closes. Therefore, I won't be
reporting on the Qualifier results until Wednesday the 23rd so don't
anyone panic 'cause you haven't heard from the ol' Rat.
ATTN. Terry Tombaugh: Will you still be in Eloy Monday the 21st? I
think the day is devoted to RC Antique Sailplanes so, chances are
you'll already be gone but, if not, maybe we could get together then?
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2413 | 2 replies in 1 day?!
| ROCK::KLADD | hl02-3/c11 225-7316 | Tue Jan 15 1991 18:28 | 18 |
| al,
i didnt know gene had a new version of p47 retracts. i vaguely remember
him complaining about how SOME people were pretty hard on them tho. 8^)
mine do ok as long as i don't dork them up. once dorked, inevitably
something rubs against something (struts against cyclinder, doors against
wells, wheels...) and its a lot of fussing to get them back. i bring the
standard retract tools: file, oil, big hammer, to every scale contest now.
luckily i havent had a major failure yet other than having the whole wheel/
axle assembly fall completely off on takeoff on the jugs 2nd flight.
what do you think of the hoopla over gyros? did you respond to the privately
funded questionair. i vote to allow gyros on rudder and any other surface
you see fit. i figure the masters already has profesionals vs non-
professionals, cubs vs p38's, and humans judging against ambiguous rules.
so what if someone has complete autopilot?
kevin
|
| 239.2414 | GYRO-WARS! | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Wed Jan 16 1991 10:50 | 102 |
| Re: .2413, Kevin,
I'm not sure it was Gene's intention to make a new set of retracts. He
took Chuck's battered gear home with him from Dallas and _my_ impression
was that he was just going to beef them up. However, Chuck had
specifically complained that the gear's ability to raise the heavy struts/
wheels-tires/doors was marginal so Gene installed a larger/longer/higher
volume piston/cylinder assemblies and this precipitated re-doing the
entire unit. Thus far, they appear to be a superior unit; with Chuck
acid-testing them, the results should be conclusive! ;b^)
Re. gyros: For those not aware of it, there is a controversy raging as
we speak concerning the use of rate-gyros on the rudder/tailwheel of
scale models. Let me just say, briefly, that a gyro on the rudder does
NOT make an arrow-straight takeoffs automatic. What it DOES do is sense
heading changes and introduce a correction BEFORE it's physiologically
possible for a human pilot to see and react to said change. The pilot
must still feed in his correction or the gyro will simply assume a new
heading...the gyro keeps you ahead of the plane by sensing changes you
cannot since you're not _IN_ the aircraft. The rudder gyro also
smooths out the flight of the model, especially in maneuvers like the
fly-past, horizontal figure-8, rolls, etc. by starting the rudder
correction when it's required, not when you _think_ you need it. In
the case of _some_ pilots, it feeds rudder in places where he was not
in the habit of using it, again, making him look a lot better.
It's without question a fact that the pilot with a rudder gyro has a
distinct advantage over those of us who don't. I've watched pilots
whom I've regularly beaten in competition _suddenly_ make a quantum
leap in the quality of his flying. Until recently ('89 Masters), I'd
attributed this dramatic improvement to practice on the part of the
individual being observed and/or the lack of same on _my_ part. But,
it's now become known that these individuals had installed rudder gyros
and, literally overnight, began looking like real pros! In a way,
that's bugged me and I've even questioned the ethics of the gyro's use
but have felt there were several advantages to be realized.
The most obvious is safety; observation of the dramatic improvements in
takeoffs by Frankie T., Gene Barton, Diego Lopez, Rick Lewis, Charlie
Chambers, and others who have been known to scatter the judges with errant
takeoffs with fair regularity but who, now, make arrow-straight runs
with complete predictability proves the worth of the device for a
safety enhancement.
To me, it also enables a level of flight realism and perceived pilot
professionalism that was previously the domain of only a few. To my
mind, that improved perception makes us ALL look a lot better in the
eyes of the spectators. Nothing bugs me much more than to know that
the crowd goes home feeling like they've witnessed a circus, not a
flying event.
As you might guess by now, I tend to be _for_ the gyro but, for the
time being at least, think it should be limited to rudder/tail or
nosewheel until the ramifications of allowing it on more or all
surfaces can be assessed. However, I almost feel like, if it's allowed
at all, it should be made mandatory, not optional. Why? Because, if
we espouse the safety enhancement of using a gyro and someone _without_
one has an accident, there could be a liability question arise as to
why _wasn't_ this pilot using all known safety devices?
Kent Walters borrowed a gyro and has been flying it on various control
surfaces in an old Ugly-Stik formulating his opinion on the issue in
his usual quantitative/qualitative manner. Like me, Kent was initially
against the gyro when we learned of them at the St. Louis '89 Masters.
But, again like me, he quickly acknowledged the safety ramifications
implied by gyro use. Since running his flight tests, Kent feels gyros
should be pernitter on all flight controls...he feels there is MUCH to
be gained in the area of flight realism through their use. Kent is
quick to point out that we're talking RATE gyros here, _not_
navigational gyros which will hold a preset heading/attitude/altitude
come Hell or high water. Rate gyros will NOT hold headings, etc.; they
merely sense changes of rate in the axis to which they're assigned and
feed in a preset correction...most often, a new heading, etc. will be
assumed without pilot intervention so the control(s) must _still_ be
flown; this is NOT an autopilot. Kent has authored an article on his
opinion(s) of gyros which will be published in [probably] RCM in the
coming months and also submitted a proposal to the AMA Scale Board to
enact a rule allowing rudder gyros (only) in scale competition.
Most of the VERY strong opposition to gyros stems from a basic
misunderstanding of the difference between a rate and a navigational
gyro and/or a dogged personal position that "A real man flies his own
airplane, period!" Quite frankly, I'd like to try one just for giggles
but won't 'til the controversy is settled.
The AMA has yet to take any position in the gyro issue but the U.S.
Scale Masters has outlawed gyros from it's qualifiers and the
championship for 1991. Much discussion continues as to the rightness
of this decision but, for now, that's how it is.
Gene Barton is conducting, at his own expense, a poll of opinions of
active scale competition pilots (I voted to allow rudder gyros only)
and his (and others') efforts may well work a change to the Masters
position, but not this year. I have it from the horse's mouth that the
gyro-ban WILL be enforced through all of '91 while further study of its
implications is conducted.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2415 | Yawl stabilization | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Wed Jan 16 1991 11:24 | 29 |
| > Re. gyros: For those not aware of it, there is a controversy raging as
> we speak concerning the use of rate-gyros on the rudder/tailwheel of
I do love controversy.
My opinion is that we should not disallow gyros because to do so is to
stifle advances in technology.
Now - given that they are illegal for 1991 scale - what if...
I build a mechanical device that gives rudder correction opposite
to any sudden change in yawl. For instance I could suspend a pendulum
that is hung from a potentiometer and use the analogue signal to alter
my rudder servo.
Or - I could suspend a pendulum and have it's swing mechanically move
a lever that changed a trim tab on the rudder.
Or - if the rudder had a HEAVY counter balance that had a pretty long
moment arm - then any yawl movement would tend to apply opposite rudder.
Of course this would be fighting the servo so would probably have to
have the principle applied to a sub-rudder or linked to the trim tab.
What say you to this?
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2416 | Real men fly their helis/planes/whatever.. An old line...
| MABERY::JETRGR::EATON | Dan Eaton St.Louis,MO,USA, 445-6522 | Wed Jan 16 1991 11:41 | 15 |
| RE: last few on gyros for scale ships
It's interesting to note that the same thing that is currently happening with
the controversy over gyros in scale ships has happened before with helicopters.
There are still a few die hards out there who feel that you're cheating to use
a gyro on a helicopter. I say use em. They make controlling a helicopter a lot
easyier and therefore safer to fly. I think they'd give the same benifit to
scale aircraft.
I think a lot of mis-understanding comes from the mistaken notion that the gyro
flies the tail for you. I've seen novice heli flyers come to grief because they
ignored the tail and the ship eventually swung around on them and they
became dis-orientated. Then they blamed the gyro because it didn't keep the tail
straight. As Al has pointed out, the gyro does a great job of keeping you ahead
of the ship but it won't fly the tail for you.
|
| 239.2417 | Huh? | DIENTE::OSWALD | Randy Oswald | Wed Jan 16 1991 11:43 | 6 |
| I sayest - how you gonna get a two masted sailboat in an RC airplane?
methinks thou meanest yaw not yawl. :-)
Randy
|
| 239.2418 | Ewe all, you awl, I'm so confused | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Wed Jan 16 1991 11:57 | 10 |
| >methinks thou meanest yaw not yawl. :-)
Randy - of course you are correct - sorry.
Yawl come back now - hear :-)
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2419 | | ELMAGO::TTOMBAUGH | 20/20 Vision&walkin'round blind | Wed Jan 16 1991 12:24 | 12 |
| re. 2418
Getting closer but quite right yet, Kay.
> Y'all come back, heah ? <
The question mark is important.
FWIW, our new governor talks like this.
Terry
|
| 239.2420 | MORE GYRO-SCOOP (GET IT? HEH, HEH!) | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Wed Jan 16 1991 12:42 | 47 |
| Re: Kay's comments,
I tend to agree that to arbitrarily outlaw gyros is tifling to
technological advancement of the sport. Regarding any o yer' several
Rube Goldberg devices: technically, none of these is a gyro by
definition...therefore, I'd have to say that a literal interpretation
of the rule would have to allow them. BTW, the idea you proposed using
a device to mechanically drive the trim tab opposite to the control
surface's movement _HAS_ indeed been done on both U-control and RC
models and it _does_ work to some extent. The idea utilizing a
pendulum to drive the rudder opposite to the direction of yaw has also
been used for _many_ years in free-flight (mostly scale) models though
I'm unaware if it's still used today.
As Dan'l E. points out, this is not the first time such a controversy
has arisen. It wasn't that many years back when a similar brouhaha was
hard fought within the pattern ranks; at issue was the use of rates,
exponentials, mixing, etc. Of course, all these features are now used
as a matter of course (though gyros _are_ outlawed).
I feel sure gyros _will_ become permissible (if not standard equipment)
in RC scale ships, probably sooner than later. Personally, I don't
view this as any kind of threat or detriment to piloting a scale ship.
Once everyone is on equal footing regarding basic operation of the
model, we'll have to look elsewhere (higher) to identify areas in which
to excel and, thus, beat the other guy (looking a lot more proficient
in the process). This, actually, would benefit me and others like me
as I've long professed that we should be flying "maneuvers," not just
steering around the firmament doing babysh*t stuff like procedure
turns, straight flight flight out/back etc. which is precisely what the
majority of the high finishing "names" in scale choose to do. Hey, if
yer' seriously after "the gold," that's the way to go; choose the
simplest, highest percentage, lowest risk maneuvers you can. It's just
been a point of honor/pride with me that I "choose" to do it the hard
way, i.e. by flying maneuvers!
It should be interesting to see how things go at the qualifier this
weekend. Several of the "gyro-fliers" will be here and they will NOT
be permitted to use their gyros. I'm most curious to see how well I
fare against them now that we're gonna' be on equal ground once more.
Look out Shailesh, Gene, etc...., Chuck and I are 'a gunnin' fer' ya's!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2421 | Anything >4 0z./sq.ft. is a lead sled | ELMAGO::TTOMBAUGH | 20/20 Vision&walkin'round blind | Wed Jan 16 1991 16:18 | 15 |
| I'm off to the S.W. regionals as of tomorrow morning. Full report
when I get back to work on the 24th.
Al, when you go down to Eloy to watch the Antique sailplane events,
I'd be interested to know what sort of models are competing, if
any. The only gliders from that era that I can think of, that would
be half-way suitable to RC conversion would be some of the Frank
Zaic Thermic series or maybe Some of the Jasco stuff.
Wouldn't it be a blast to see an R/C Jasco Trooper ? Then
again, maybe not.
Good luck at the Masters, sounds like you might be 'a gunnin for
bear this time.
Terry
|
| 239.2422 | AH'LL DO 'ER..... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Wed Jan 16 1991 16:24 | 12 |
| Re: .-1, Terry,
I'll try ta' bring back some names of the models but those you named
are, indeed, of the gernre the event is targeted toward. Surprisingly,
there are [apparently] many more model types in this category than one
would think and some of 'em are real beauties.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2423 | Makes No Sense | LEDS::WATT | | Thu Jan 17 1991 08:57 | 16 |
| I think the idea of banning gyros is totally WRONG. Improving the
controlability of our planes only allows us to do that much more with
them. Also, most modern full scale planes use flight controls to make
the plane more flyable. Besides, they could very well save someone's
airplane on takeoff in gusty conditions. They can also give you a
little more time to react to an engine out situation with a twin. As
Al says, they do not fly the plane for you. All they do is respond to
reduce the change in direction induced by wind gusts or engine torque.
Making a rule like this also creates an additional problem for the
judges. How do they confirm whether or not someone is using a gyro?
If you didn't turn it on until after the engine is running, noone would
hear it and you can easily set up the system to disable the gyro from
another channel on your radio.
Charlie
|
| 239.2424 | I AGREE...... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Thu Jan 17 1991 12:58 | 21 |
| I tend to agree with everything Charlie sez in .-1. I'd forgotten to
mantion that the single most natural application of the rudder gyro
would be in twin/multi engined aircraft since they'd help offset the
takeoff problems caused by the engines not coming up together and, as
Charlie points out, would give you a better shot at dealing with
engine(s) out situations by feeding in the rudder to counteract the
asymmetric thrust before you were aware of the problem and could react
to it. You'd still have to fly it, understand, but the rate gyro would
give you a headstart, possibly saving the aircraft.
BTW, I just spoke with Kent Walters a moment ago and he said his
article promoting gyro usage to enhance safety and realism is slated to
appear in the April '91 issue of Model Airplane News. Because of
normal magazine lead times, this means the issue should hit the stands
in mid-to-late February. Watch for it.......
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2425 | March 29 closing.......:^( | ASABET::CAVANAGH | | Mon Jan 21 1991 12:20 | 118 |
| Not to be the bearer of bad news...but I just received this memo.
Jim
-----------------------------------------------------------------
P H O E N I X P L A N T C L O S I N G
O F F I C I A L N O T I C E
To paraphrase Lou Gaviglia, U.S. Manufacturing Manager - We
could use load balancing, but we've found that it doesn't work.
All that you would have is jobs, not careers. We're doing this
for you...
We were given our notice today and had to sign for the four pages
of paper summarizing the closing of the PNO facility. This is
required by the WARN law, enacted last year.
The Plant will close on 29 March 1991.
Excluded organizations from the closing process - they are
expected to begin working at the Tempe facility on or before 1
April 1991, these organizations are -
. Financial Management Center.
. Corporate In-House Educational Services.
. Customer Services.
. Customer Account Management.
. Competitive Sales Team.
All other employees must have elected to terminate service with
Digital or have accepted a job elsewhere within Digital by 29
March 1991.
A financial package will be made available to all regular
employees that will be terminated.
Employees of businesses that are transferring locally have ten
working days from 21 January, 1991, to decide if they will
transfer or elect to leave Digital. If they elect to leave,
their jobs will be posted in the Phoenix facility and all
eligible candidates may apply.
Employees that find jobs elsewhere within Digital will have their
relocation paid for out of Phoenix.
All employees, regardless of whether they are currently active
or not, e.g. Leaves of Absence or disability, are affected by the
closing and subject to the same rules and processes.
Employees cannot leave Digital until after the business transfer
date set for their organization. This date will be communicated
on 18 January, 1991.
Eligibility for re-employment (I assume this to mean either as a
contract worker or full time) prior to the end of the period
represented by the lump sum payment under the financial package.
Financial Package Summary
1. Lump Sum Years of Continuous Service # of Weeks
0 - 2 13
3 - 10 13, plus 3 for
every year
between 3 and 10
11 - 20 37, plus 4 for
every year
between 11 and 20
21+ 77 maximum
2. Insurance A continuation of current medical, Dental and
Life insurance coverage for a number of weeks
equal to the number of weeks used to calculate
the lump sum per the table above, not to exceed
52 weeks.
3. Restricted Stock An opportunity for holders of restricted
stock grants under the restricted stock option
plan to participate in a five year acceleration
of those options which may be exercised without
restrictions on sale, during a five year period
commencing upon termination.
4. Outplacement Employees may use the services of Mainstream
Access Inc. for job search for a period of six
months after their termination.
In addition to the above, a Career center will be opened in the
east lobby on Thursday, manned by Digital personnel and companies
from around the area.
Outplacement workshops will begin next week and time will be made
for all employees to participate in these workshops.
It is the intention of the company to market the Phoenix
facility, either through a direct sale or a lease-option plan.
Ironically, one of the plants that we are transistioning
businesses too, has refused to pick up product because - "We
don't have the space."
Another curious thing was that at no time did I hear any manager
admit that this was or say the word - "Layoff."
Wish the approximately 400 of us that will be leaving Digital
luck as we go to find "careers."
Bob
|
| 239.2426 | Al better keep touch with all his NEW pen pals ;^) | ZENDIA::REITH | Jim Reith DTN 226-6102 - LTN2-1/F02 | Mon Jan 21 1991 12:47 | 2 |
| Sorry to hear it. Seems to make it rather final. The "layoff" word
being used is "involuntary severance"
|
| 239.2427 | Warbirds under Greenland glacier | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Tue Jan 22 1991 10:26 | 59 |
| Cross posted, fyi, from the flying notes file.
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
<<< MEIS::NOTES$:[NOTES$LIBRARY]FLYING.NOTE;4 >>>
-< General Aviation >-
================================================================================
Note 3149.21 Warbirds under Greenland glacier 21 of 21
DENVER::SCOTTJ 46 lines 29-NOV-1990 15:10
-< update >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From todays issue of "The New Mexican", reprinted without permission.
WIFE GETS MEMENTO FOR ARCTIC ICECAP
AP Chamlee, Ga. - A piece of a B-17 bomber buried for 48 years in the
Greenland icecap was presented Wednesday to the woman whose name was
painted on the piece of metal by her pilot husband before he flew off
to fight the Nazis.
Explorers who found the bomber buried in the arctic icecap presented
the keepsake to Phyllis Arlene Hanna this morning at Peachtree-DeKalb
Airport north of Atlanta.
In return, Hanna, who lives in St. Louis, gave keys to the plane to
the explorers who set out nine years ago to find eight American
warplanes that crash-landed in Greenland in July 1942 on their way to
England.
The two B-17s and six P-38 Lightning fighters ran out of fuel after
recieving false radio transmissions form German submarines. The crews
camped on the ice for nine days until rescuers arrived on dog sleds.
One of those rescued was Hanna's husband, Joe D. Hanna Jr., who had
painted her name under his cockpit window. Joe Hanna died in 1981, the
year the Greenland Expedition Society was formed to find the planes and
maybe even fly them out.
"They've been in my basement 48 years," Hanna said of the keys.
"I'd much rather have a piece of the plane with my name on it."
The expedition, which raised funds for its mission through
donations, found the bomber with radar in 1988 and used a borer to cut
a nine-inch-wide hole and take the piece with Hanna's name on it. Last
summer, the explorers cut a cavern 20 feet long on one side.
The bombers fuselage was found to have collapsed under the weight of
250 feet of ice.
"It was, of course a disappointment," said Pat Epps, co-founder of
the expedition. Explorers removed the top turret of the B-17 and two
machine guns, ammunition, instruments and other memorabilia.
"The B-17 is certainly not flyable," Epps said. "We expect when the
P-38s are excavated, they would not be flyable from the icecap."
Because of technical problems and the fact that water from the
glacier filled their hole as fast as they could pump it out, the
expedition did not get to the fighter.
"Next year, we are giving our full attention to the P-38," Epps
said.
The article was complete with a 1942 picture of Joe Hanna, taken
by a crew member, standing next to the B-17 after landing in Greenland.
The plane looked perfect except for the props being bent back from the
slide in on its belly.
|
| 239.2429 | Now there will be no living with him | SNAX::SMITH | I FEEL THE NEED | Wed Jan 23 1991 09:51 | 13 |
| Gee Kevin, can I have your autograph??????? And to think, you work
in the same building as me so I can walk over to your office and
actually touch you. 8^)
Seriously folks.........Congratulations to Kevin. For those of you who
have never seen Kevin's Jug up close and personal, the fact that the
people from Scale Modeler thought enough of it to give it magazine
space should give you an idea of the quality of this plane.
Cripes........with all this publicity, next thing you know Kevin will
go off and build some silly thing like a huge Sopwith Pup or something.
Steve
|
| 239.2430 | I'M QUALIFIED......!!! | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Wed Jan 23 1991 11:05 | 138 |
| First, congratulations to Kevin for getting his Jug published in such
monumental fashion (I never got a 2-page, fulol color centerfold).
Also thanks to Kay for posting the blurb. Now I gotta' look at the pic
again and closer this time as I thought it was Bill Carper's "L'il
Demon" and failed to look closely enough to know for sure. But I will
now........
FLASH: (Wellll, _belated_ FLASH)
I'm thrilled to report that the MiG-3 performed flawlessly in 6-rounds
of the Arizona Masters Qualifier last weekend and received nary a
scratch for its trouble unless you count a loosened gear-door mounting
bracket.
Our turnout was about the same as last year (15) but was down from what
we expected. I thought sure we'd have 20-25 entries this year. My
opinion is that the new "NO GYROS" rule may've been partially
responsible for this. But, this is a very nice size for a contest and
6-rounds were flown with ease with the lowest possible level of
pressure.
Weather was TERRIFIC! Both days were clear and calm with afternoon
temperatures in the 70's. It _was_ a bit cool in until about 9:30-10:00
AM but shirtsleeves were the uniform of the day from then on.
For the secind year, I felt no real nerves/nervousness though it
appeared the competition would be intense. Gene Barton headed the list
of potential winners with his magnificent Skyraider and there were many
others who looked like they could make a run for the gold. There
wasn't a dog in the bunch, though 2 pilots entering their very first
contest fielded _true_sport-scale_ ships (a Top-Flite P-47 and a
CAP-10B) and, even these were very nicely done...just not competitive
static-wise.
Adam Gelbart (Son of Larry Gelbart who produced M.A.S.H.) had his ultra-
detailed CAP-10B on hand; Adam's buddy and fellow Hollywood special F/X
artist, Paul Curley, had a real nice Fw-190; Bob Olson and muh' bud, Chuck
Collier both had very nice Baker P-47's; a newcomer from California had a
nice Northrop Gamma, etc. It was a quality field and, again, I had
misgivings as to whether my tired ol' Rooskie Warrior could be
competitive in such a field.
But, my apprehension was unfounded; when static was posted following
completion of round-1 flying, I found mysely with 3rd high static of
94.50, just .25 points behind Paul Curley's Fw-190 and a little over a
point behind Gene Barton's top static score of 95.65.
My first flight was a very respectable 88.5 but Barton had already
posted a 90+ flight. Round-2 I flew a 91.75 but Barton posted a 93+.
Round-3 was far and away my best flight of the day but, as frequently
happens in competition, it was my lowest flight score of the meet, an
87.0. Go figger'! From the first flight on, I was firmly in second
place and ended Saturday in that position. But, Gene had charged out'a
the blocks hard and posted another 90+ flight...he was just about
uncatchable if he didn't fly another round.
Sunday, I posted another 91.75 on the first flight (round-4) and, for
once, had the high flight score of the round. Gene had difficulty
starting in the cold and lost enough time before getting the Skyraider
running that he told the judges to take a break and just flew a
practice flight. Paul Curley had lost round-3 and 4 due an intermittent
remote plug wire problem but, though it would be tough, he still had a
shot at bumping me out'a second place.
Round-5, I had to replace a plug on the starting pad and this changed
my needle setting such that I flew the entire flight nursing a
marginally lean engine and using only 2/3 throttle. I still managed an
87.0 but this didn't improve my position. Paul put in a very nice
flight but blew his landing so I was still secure in second.
On the 6th and final round, I watched with keen interest as Paul tried
to pull the score he needed to knock me out'a second. Man, it was
looking tough but, this time, Paul got on his nose on landing and I was
solidly in secind place.
Even a perfect 100 flight couldn't have caught Barton at this point so,
when I hooked a little on takeoff (thus losing points), and knowing I
didn't need this flight to hold second, I just flew the pants off'n the
ol' MiG-3 at the encouragement of one of the pilots watching who
hollared "Showtime!" It was the last flight of the meet and I had the
air to myself so I burned my low-pass right down the runway at about 3'
altitude!
Then, like a late friend of mine used to like to do, I had my way with
the judges; Bob Frey'd call a roll and I'd do 3-rolls...he'd call a
4-point roll and I'd do an 8-point, etc. through the remainder of the
flight. I even threw in a Lomcevak where my flight plan called for an
Immelman. Finally, I did my Victory roll, pitched out while dropping
gear and flaps and landed (the best landing I got during the meet).
All my fellow pilots had been watching and gave me a hand which simply
felt tremendous!!
I'd had 5-of-6 arrow-straight takeoffs and outstanding airwork but was
still a tad off on my landing flares; I continue to be a little late
and the touchdown is more firm than I prefer. But, the judges didn't
seem to mind so I guess I shouldn't mind.
Finishers and qualifiers for the Las Vegas Masters coming in October were:
1. Gene Barton......Skyraider
2. Al Casey.........MiG-3
3. Paul Curley......Fw-190
4. Doug Crumley.....Cessna L-19 Bird Dog
5. Chuck Collier....P-47
Muh' bud, Chuck Collier got hurt in static (for reasons we haven't
completely figured out as yet) and had to work his butt off flying to
place from a deficit position...his static was 87.75. Chuck flew
pretty well but, as usual, not nearly as well as in practice. I don't
know if the stress gets to him or what...in any event, he did well
enough to recoup a 5th place even though he had to scratch rounds 4 & 5
due to losing the aux channel for the inner gear doors on his JR radio
and not feeling like tempting fate by continuing.
You should see the trophy I got.......outstanding! It's a bronze
statue, about 13-14" tall, of a WW-II pilot in full flight gear
standing with his thumbs hooked in his parachute straps, looking
slightly skyward. This is mounted on a beautiful wood pedestal with
the engraved brass plate identifying the event and finish position.
1st place was an almost identical statue with the pilot "flying his
hands" as if describing a dogfight. 3rd, 4th and 5th places were
similar sculptures but were just busts, from shoulders up, of pilot
figures. Neat tropies!! I'd been wanting one ever since Bob Frey won
one of the bust-style trophies at a meet in Pueblo, Colorado several
years ago. The sculptures are by noted sculptor/artisr, Michael Garman
and _this_ is one trophy Kathi is glad to allow in the house.
Monday, I went down to Eloy, AZ and spent the day flying antique
gliders with my CAF buddy, Gerald Martin, and it was a relaxing, very
enjoyable contrast to the heat of competition the previous 2-days.
Yesterday, I vegetated and tried to relax from 4-continuous days of
great flying activity...WHATTA" WEEKEND!!!!!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2431 | The Desert Rat rates! | ASABET::CAVANAGH | | Wed Jan 23 1991 12:40 | 10 |
|
Congratulations Al! Try not to sound too disappointed about your
showing or the trophy! 8^)
Way ta' go!
Jim
|
| 239.2432 | Wiley Post wins again | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Wed Jan 23 1991 12:55 | 8 |
| Excellent Al.
What was the point spread between 1st and 2nd?
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2433 | I NEEDED TO AVG. 12-PT'S PER FLIGHT BETTER THAN GENE TO TIE | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Wed Jan 23 1991 13:36 | 39 |
| Barton finished with 189 points and change while I had 185 and change.
Gene surged ahead with flight scores of 91+, 93+ and *96+* in the first
three rounds making him virtually untouchable and these were the three
scores averaged for his final flight score. On Sunday, he took a zero
on round-4, had only a fair flight on round-5 and, due to a landing
gear problem, got on his nose on his round-6 flight so his Saturday
flights held up and he needn't have flown Sunday at all, if he'd so
desired. I wound up beating Paul Curley fo second by ~3.5 points.
From 3rd place on down, the spread became quite a bit closer.
I meant to mention that three Gyro-pilots came to the Qualifier but, of
them, only two flew; in practice Friday, Jerry Ortego was unable to
consistently get his Violett F-86 airborne without at least 1-or-2
takeoff aborting ground-loops (I've witnessed Bob Violett himself have
the identical problem before he installed the rudder gyro). Jerry
elected not to enter because of this problem. Bob Olson had better
luck in the takeoff department with his Baker Jug but couldn't buy a
landing all weekend...an elusive air leak in his retract system finally
forced Bob to retire after round-3. Gene Barton was the only one of
the three who was effectively unhandicapped by the lack of a gyro but,
even then, you could see that his takeoffs were not quite as
predictably perfect as they had been formerly. The gyro _DO_ make a
significant difference and those who've come to depend upon them have a
rude awakening coming under the 1991 Masters rules prohibiting use of
the rate gyro.
Also new to Masters rules this year is the elimination of flaps and
retracts as optional maneuvers. HOORAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!! Flaps and
retracts are now lumped into the flight realism category and represent
only a fraction of a single 10-point score. This forced the guys to
fly more maneuvers and tended to benefit the few who, likel me, have
always done aerobatic maneuvers as optionals rather than the mechanical
options and other gimme' maneuvers.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2434 | Questions, We Got Questions... | CLOSUS::TAVARES | John--Stay Low, Keep Moving! | Wed Jan 23 1991 15:51 | 23 |
| As always Al, congrats. I still haven't forgotten the sight of
that MIG tracking through the maneuvers with nary a wiggle.
Obviously, old age and fading eyesight hasn't hurt your ability
to fly a plane!
On your comment about retracts and flaps not being counted as
optionals; does this mean that models of prototypes without these
options are now more competitive? Or that those models that do
not have retracts, but the proto did, are more competitve (I know
that no self-respecting Master's scaler would seriously enter one
of these)?
Also, I have a book on scale modelling that I picked up over the
weekend -- read it during lulls in the war -- that has a MIG-3 as
one of the illustrations. Is this yours? The one shown is very
light colored, possibly white, while I remember yours as being
closer to a brown/olive drab. I suspect that you know of this
pix, else I'll note down the name of the book tonite -- its
something like "Basics of Scale Modelling".
Finally, Pike's Peak RC is sponsoring the Meyers qualifier this
year. We'll either be at our field or at a new one, tbd, but not
at the AF Academy.
|
| 239.2435 | Regarding Al's fine showing | SNAX::SMITH | I FEEL THE NEED | Wed Jan 23 1991 16:04 | 4 |
|
Now I ask you.......was there REALLY any doubt in anybody's mind????
Congratulations Al.
|
| 239.2436 | I'D HEARD THE QUALIFIER WAS GOING TO BE IN DENVER...NO?? | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Wed Jan 23 1991 17:14 | 45 |
| Thanx to all for the comments on my qualifying for the Masters. If I'm
able to compete in Las Vegas this year, it'll be my 7th Masters. I've
been very fortunate in successfully qualifying for the Masters every
year I've attempted to.
Re: .2434, John,
Nope, my MiG-3 has always been in the summer camouflage, i.e. green &
brown upper surfaces with light blue undersides and the white numerals
"04" on both sides of the fuse.
The white one you saw could be either Alan Spievak's prototype built from
the plans upon which I based my model or a very plain Sunday/sport
version built by Jimmy Blackburn from the same plans in about 1981 or
so.
Regarding the new flap/retract rule: it simply means that a pilot can
NOT claim either of these mechanical options as optional flight
maneuvers...if his model is equipped with either/both of these
features,the realism of their operation will either enhance or detract
from the 10-points max awarded for flight realism. A model not
equipped with retracts/flaps where the full scale prototype WAS so
equipped will suffer considerable deductions in realism (as it would
have before). The motivation for this rule was to force pilots to do
more for a scored optional maneuver than simply flip a switch and
expect an automatic 10-points. This works to my advantage as I have
NEVER used retracts/flaps as scored options, choosing instead to do
aerobatic maneuvers. Now, many of the ol' switch-flippers will find
themselves searching for optional maneuvers to replace flaps/retracts
and, since these same folks are generally already using other gimme's
like straight flight out/back, procedure turn, etc., they'll find
theselves forced to pick an aerobatic maneuver which forces him into MY
ballpark. I can now compete my maneuver against his like maneuver
head-to-head instead of putting my [say] 4-point roll against his
straight flight out, etc., which always placed mw at something of a
[self-inflicted] disadvantage. Now, the impetus is to force the switch
flippers and the gimme'-grabbers into MY balliwick where I can deal
with them on equal terms...my terms. Ah' like it........!!!!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2437 | Congrats.... | NEURON::ANTRY | | Wed Jan 23 1991 17:18 | 14 |
| Congrats Al, I thought those throphies you described sounded familiar. Michael
Garmen's studio is right here in Colorado Springs (or Old Colorado City if you
prefer). The statues are regulars of his, the one of the guy with his thumbs
in the harness is called "Another Mission" if I remember right and the one
with him olding one hand behind the other is titled "And there I was.." great
statues, I would be proud to have one, If you ever come up this way again like
for the Colorady Qualifier that John's group is hosting bring it with you and
stop by Garmen's place and see if you can get him to sign it. We bought my
father in law "Another Mission" for christmas two years ago "he used to fly
weather recon (radioman)" and had it signed and he displays it proudly.
Congrats again.
Now Were is Terry's report !!!!!!
|
| 239.2439 | COLORADO SPRINGS OR DENVER.....????? | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Thu Jan 24 1991 09:40 | 26 |
| Re: .2437, Mark,
Thanx for the info, compadre. Yes, the trophy came with a tag hanging
on it that gave an abbreviated bio of Michael Garman and, on the back,
his address is listed, simply, as: Michael Garman, Colorado Springs,
Colorado. That'd be neat if'n I could get him to personalize it for
me. I sure think it's about the neatest thing since canned beer, I'll
tell ya'!
BTW, what's the deal on the Colorado Masters Qualifier? I know it was
"supposed" to be in Colorado Springs but we just heard at the Arizona
Qualifier last weekend that Brian O'Meara's group had gotten it and
would be holding it in Denver. Now John mentions it's still in the
Springs...Ah'm cornfuzed! Whut's up....??
Re: 2438, Alton,
But, I'm a mere babe, a veritable adolescent in yer' venerable shadow!
;b^) Seriously, Gracias fer' the supportive words...ah' 'preciate 'em!!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2440 | Coleraddy Masters, and Stuff | CLOSUS::TAVARES | John--Stay Low, Keep Moving! | Thu Jan 24 1991 10:36 | 36 |
| I had understood from our board meeting several weeks ago that we
had it. Sounds like something's happened...but hey, we can get
it straight from the Horse's Mouth, since its Randy Oswald's turn
in the barrel this year as club pres. Randy?????? (He's probably
out of town or he'd be in here already.)
We had been discussing an arrangement with the Denver clubs that
we would use our field and they would pitch in with support, such
as flight judging, field support, etc. Ivan had mentioned that
this would have to be a condition for us taking it. We'll see.
I'm going by Phlyin' Phil's this afternoon, maybe I can get some
word from him.
If you come up to this one Al, maybe you can get your shiny
trophy autographed???? Hey, I'll stoop to anything.
Speaking of Ivan...that's Our Boy's A6 in Flying Models this
month. The article really undersells this plane, I've seen it
fly in the Coleraddy winds and I'll tell you, its beautiful. I
was all hot to build it and then got a priority interrupt and
went off on another tack (mixed metaphors acknowledged; please
don't turn me in to Vogonballs). But if anybody's interested in
this plane, I'd say build it and you won't be dissappointed.
I highly recommend the Basics of Scale Modelling book, it
contains some sound advice on how to train for the flight
maneuvers, and some good skinny on color mixing and spraying.
The book was however, written in the late 70's -early 80's and
some of the finishing data is obsolete.
I had thought that the retracts/flaps portion would count less
because it would be lumped in with the general category of
Realism, thus having less effect on the total. In the flight
portion, it would count as a whole maneuver, and have more
effect.
|
| 239.2441 | WISH I COULD BUT IT LOOKS DOUBTFUL..... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Fri Jan 25 1991 10:08 | 46 |
| Re: .2440, John,
>I had understood from our board meeting several weeks ago that we
>had it. Sounds like something's happened...but hey, we can get
>it straight from the Horse's Mouth, since its Randy Oswald's turn
>in the barrel this year as club pres. Randy?????? (He's probably
>out of town or he'd be in here already.)
* Well, y'all should certainly know if anyone does. But my info seemed
good as it came from Jim Sortor, one of yer' local club members,
through his dad, Bob, who's a good friend and current commander of the
1/8 AF. It's certainly possible the info was scrambled in the
transmission, however.
>If you come up to this one Al, maybe you can get your shiny
>trophy autographed???? Hey, I'll stoop to anything.
* Yeah, Mark's already tried the same ploy. I seriously doubt I'll be
able to do much (if _any_) travelling this year due to this job business.
But, if I could, I wouldn't need a bribe to come...I had a great time
up there in '88. (Sheeesh! Has it been that long ago already?!)
>Speaking of Ivan...that's Our Boy's A6 in Flying Models this
>month.
* We talking A6 Intruder here, as in ducted fan? Seeing that D/F's are
already a tad marginal at yer' altitude, Ivan must have something there
for it to fly well in Colo. Spgs., especially in the wind. Can you
give us more details, i.e. size, weight, engine/fan combo, etc.?
>I had thought that the retracts/flaps portion would count less
>because it would be lumped in with the general category of
>Realism, thus having less effect on the total.
* Stop right there! That's exactly how it is _now_. But, previously,
you could use flaps and retracts as optional flight maneuvers, worth
10-pt's each, PLUS positively effect the 10-pt. flight realism score.
Not anymore! Retracts/flaps now can only be judged as a small factor
contributing to the overall realism score, period! No more gimme'
options where you flip a switch and receive an automatic 10.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2442 | Back To Ya | CLOSUS::TAVARES | John--Stay Low, Keep Moving! | Fri Jan 25 1991 15:53 | 28 |
| OK on the Master's Al, I'll check up on that this weekend, though
it does look like snow (stop gloating).
On Ivan's Intruder, no its not ducted fan, he has a .40 stuck in
to the A6's radome. As far as the specs go, I dunno, 50 inch
wingspan maybe? Nothing to get too excited about, just a nice
looking and flying ship to scratchbuild. Catch the article next
time you're in a shop.
Ivan is known for his ducted fans, of course, but you're quite
right, the air up here is very marginal. He has 2 F102s, both of
which provide royal entertainment by crashing off the end of the
runway every time he tries to fly one. Someone recently brought
a Violett (I think) F-86 out, which I understand flew nicely,
though I didn't see it fly.
>* Stop right there! That's exactly how it is _now_. But, previously,
>you could use flaps and retracts as optional flight maneuvers, worth
>10-pt's each, PLUS positively effect the 10-pt. flight realism score.
>Not anymore! Retracts/flaps now can only be judged as a small factor
>contributing to the overall realism score, period! No more gimme'
>options where you flip a switch and receive an automatic 10.
Yeah, we'ns are talking the same thing...read it again, us
technical writers sometimes don't type too clearly :-). It is
nice to hear that something like a 1/6 scale Curtiss Robin would
have a better chance against the usual flock of warbirds. Though
nobody I know would be building any such thing.
|
| 239.2452 | WHEN AND WHERE......?? | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Tue Jan 29 1991 09:30 | 12 |
| Re: .2442, John T.,
Wellll, whut' did'ja find out about the Colorado Scale Masters
Qualifier? Izzit' gonna' be in Colo. Spgs. or in Denver? Inquiring
minds want to know; I doubt I'll be able to make it but there may be
other locals who'd be interested.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2453 | Its In Denver | CLOSUS::TAVARES | | Wed Jan 30 1991 10:06 | 19 |
| Its going to be held in Denver, at the same location as last year.
This year the event will be run by a group of members from several
Denver area clubs, instead of the host club. As I understand it,
this is goodness, and may be important information for someone deciding
to go there.
We will be doing something different. Several weeks before the
qualifier, we will host a tune-up event, which will have the hot
dog scale classes, plus a novice event open to anybody who has never
before entered a scale contest. There will be mock judging for
this class, where the contestant will get scores for static and
flight, plus a critique of why the model didn't score higher. We
will invite the qualifier judges down for this, as a warm-up for
them too. The prizes, as I understand, will be real. The hot doggers
will be invited to fly, but will not be competing.
I've been asking for something like this for quite some time, and
it will be very nice to see it happen. Odds are, I won't have anything
to fly there, but it will be nice work the event.
|
| 239.2454 | THANX FER' THE SKINNY, JOHN.....! | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Wed Jan 30 1991 10:20 | 6 |
| __
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2455 | Magazines and plans | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Wed Jan 30 1991 13:33 | 67 |
| > <<< Note 239.2440 by CLOSUS::TAVARES "John--Stay Low, Keep Moving!" >>>
> -< Coleraddy Masters, and Stuff >-
...
>Speaking of Ivan...that's Our Boy's A6 in Flying Models this
>month. The article really undersells this plane, I've seen it
>fly in the Coleraddy winds and I'll tell you, its beautiful. I
>was all hot to build it and then got a priority interrupt and
>went off on another tack (mixed metaphors acknowledged; please
>don't turn me in to Vogonballs). But if anybody's interested in
>this plane, I'd say build it and you won't be dissappointed.
So I went straight to my local newspaper store and to pick up a
Flying Models and guess what - he didn't have any copies.
But I'm gonna get one yet. John - give me a hint exactly what
month am I looking for "Jan" "Feb"? Anything special on the front
cover to help me spot the correct issue - like a lady with two large jugs?
P-47's of course.
Having spend many hours on A6 Intruders I have a continuous interest
in the airplane.
And since I'm in the rambling topic.
I have in my office something I would like to give away.
So if someone has a real BIG interest - not just a "I might want
to take that on" but more of a "Wow - just what I needed" kind
of interest.
I have here from the "step by step", fully illustrated construction and
flight manual and plans for a
The tension builds...
Grumman F9F-8 Cougar
These documents are very old but usable. They were produced by Jet
Hanger Hobbies and given to me with a large sack of misc plans by
Jack Buckley.
It says on the front of the manual:
============================================================================
Length: 56"
Wingspan: 47"
Wing Area: 755 square inches
Wing Loading: 28 to 32 ounces
Weight: 9-10 lbs.
Gear: 3 Gear Rhom Air Retracts
Ducted Fan: J.H.H. Turbax 1*
Engine used: K&B 9100 (7.5cc) Ducted Fan Engine with K&B Muffled Tuned Pipe
============================================================================
First mail to Tallis::Fisher gets it.
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2456 | I WISH I WERE RICH AND RETIRED | TONAGE::HUFF | | Wed Jan 30 1991 16:15 | 19 |
| KAY,
I may be the first input who says, "WOW, that's great and I'd sure like
to have the plans", knowest that they would join the group of "will
build in my old age or whenever DEC fires me, whichever comes sooner".
So, even though I drool about building anything from the plane as
described to a non-flying solid display model of white pine, you really
should disregard my passions and give it to someone whom will actually
build it in the near-forseeable-future, the purpose of which would be
to pleasurize spectators, satisfy the ego of the builder/flyer, pollute
the ozone layer, deplete the balsa forests, and provide bio-degradable
woods to the landfills of America (after the crash).
There, I've had my say, and that will prove that Al Caseya was all
wrong about my mental stability (Actually, I'm just a typical,
frustrated, grounded airplane nut)!!!!
Don
|
| 239.2457 | WHUT' MORE KIN' AH' SAY.....?? ;b^} | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Wed Jan 30 1991 16:56 | 13 |
| Re: .2456,
> There, I've had my say, and that will prove that Al Caseya was all
> wrong about my mental stability (Actually, I'm just a typical,
> frustrated, grounded airplane nut)!!!!
*** AH' REST MUH' CASE! ;B^) ;B^) ;B^) ***
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2458 | nobody can beat AL | SRATGA::HUFF_DO | | Fri Feb 01 1991 19:10 | 4 |
| Al proved his "rested case". Good man!!!!
Now where's my case of Co......-K...-A..! (i takes bribes)
dwh
|
| 239.2459 | gorilla grinder | ABACUS::RYDER | perpetually the bewildered beginner | Thu Feb 07 1991 06:49 | 7 |
| From an Amory, MS newsletter,
".... he received this massive 12 volt, heavy duty, maximum output,
crank-up-a-diesel starter. Jacky proceeded, one fine weekend
afternoon, to place said starter on the spinner of an eensy bitsy
little 15 (on a foam fuselage) and twisted the engine (actually the
whole front end) right off the plane."
|
| 239.2460 | THAT REMINDS ME OF A RAMBLE.... | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Thu Feb 07 1991 13:28 | 102 |
| First off, an attention getter: What do you call a squadron of Iraqui
jets?
"SKEET!"
OK, with that out'a the way, Alton's blurb in .2459 recalls a similar
story I may or may not have told on muh' buddy, Chuck Collier. Don't
misunderstand, Chucks a good modeler and a fine pilot but he _does_
have a tendancey to be a bit, shall we say, crude in certain situations.
We who know and love 'im claim he's fully capable of breaking an anvil
and would be our first choice as a candidate to field test (smoke test?)
virtually any RC related product. Chuck himself jokingly claims his
Craftsman hand axe is his most frequently used modeling tool: "Here,
I'll fix that," he'll say, "just gimme' a minute to sharpen my axe!"
Anyhoo, I said all that to set the stage for the following. Back in
Spring of '85 when the MiG-3 was nearing completion, Chuck was
concerned that I had only a few minutes of run-time on the O.S. .60FSR
I planned to install in it. Since Chuck lives out in the puckerbrush
where noise isn't a big factor, he volunteered to run a few tanks of
fuel through my nearly new engine. Now, bear in mind that this engine
and/or parts for same hadn't been available for several years, it
having been upgraded to the O.S. .61FSR and this latter engine could
NOT be fit into the MiG-3 as the nose was shoehorned around the older
.60FSR which had a much smaller carb.
I thought running the engine in a bit more was a good idea and, after
all, what could possibly happen, so I turned it over to Chuck. A day
or two later, I get a call from Chuck saying he "accidentally" bent the
crankshaft on my irreplaceable/irrepairable engine. Arrrrrrrgh! "How
the Hell did you manage _that_?" I asked, whereupon, Chuck related the
following tale:
I'd given Chuck the engine with the close fitting 90� exhaust manifold
(that hooked up to the scale exhaust stacks) installed pointing straight
down (towards the mounting lug). Actually, in the airplane, this would
be straight up since the engine would be inverted but Chuck was,
naturally enough, running the engine upright in a homemade test stand.
I guess this diverted the exhaust down right at the point where he had
installed a short pushrod to the carb and made things hot on the
fingers when he went to operate the throttle. So, instead of simply
installing a longer pushrod, Chuck turns the manifold over so it's
pointing _up_.
OK, so far no big deal, right? Wrong! Somewhere in the course of
running the engine, Chuck stopped it to refill the tank or some such
thing and all the oil that'd accumulated in the upward pointing
manifold oozed back down through the exhaust port, into the cylinder.
Still no big deal, right? Wrong! At the time, Chuck was flying a Dave
Platt 82" P-51 Mustang with a S.T. 3000 and had bought a super-duper,
ultra-high torque starter with a large spinner-cup adapter so he could
crank the engine with a starter, rather than by hand. Also, he'd wired
up two 12VDC wet-cell batteries in series to run the starter with
24-volts and provide MAXIMUM TORQUE.
Sooooo, not turning the engine over by hand before he proceeded, and
not knowing the engine was hydraulically locked by the oil that'd
drained back into it, Chuck applied his MEGA-starter to the prop and
hit the witch. ALL HELL broke loose at that instant; the locked engine
refused to turn over (naturally) and transmitted all the torque
directly into the test mount and the sawhorse to which it was attached,
Before he could let go of the the starter switch, the sawhorse had been
lifted off the ground and flipped over into the dirt, dumping all the
tools, etc. Chuck had placed atop it.
Annnnnnnd, in the process, the poor li'l 1/4" dia. crankshaft in my
irreplaceable engine had been, not only bent, but twisted like taffy!
I called all over the country, vainly searching for a replacement crank
but none was to be found, PERIOD! Chuck took the crank to a machinist
friend who (suppposedly) straightened it to within .004 runout but, when
reinstalled in the engine, there was a very definite drag in the front
main bearing on every rotation; this simply would NOT do! So, I
brought the crank to work and, making a coupl'a supporting tools, swung
it in a lathe 'til I got it to run with zero-runout at the front and
back of the threaded propshaft, though there was still a .002 hump in
the middle of the threads...I simply could _not_ straighten the
hump/twist in the middle of the hardened threads and finally decided
that, if the shaft was running out at zero in front of and behind the
prop, the prop had to track true also.
Fortunately, that's exactly how it worked out and the engine ran like
gangbusters (12.8K on the ground) until the crank broke in flight,
precipitating the MiG's crash of November '88. I can't help but
believe that this "starter" incident and the resultant twisting/bending/
straightening of the crank probably started the cycle that led to the
ultimate failure of the crank but there's no way of proving it and I
wouldn't say anything if I could...after all, Chuck was just trying to
help.
Thankfully, I had since located a like engine for use as a replacement
or spare parts _AND_ my C.A.F. buddy, Gerald Martin, had a brand new
one in the box he that gave me so I'm in good shape now. But, I've decided
that, from hereon in, I'll do all my engine breaking in muh' ownself!!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2461 | John Nataloni update | BRAT::RYDER | perpetually the bewildered beginner | Mon Feb 11 1991 23:57 | 39 |
| Last November we learned that John Nataloni, a DECie modeler, had
needed surgery and was going to be out of work [and worse, out of
RC notes] for quite a while. Saturday John and I went to my club's
new field, John as a spectator, myself to check out the rebuilt K&B
and stir the sticks.
John looks pretty good. He's on a recovery path, albeit still a bit
unsteady and certain to be out the rest of the month. His spirits are
up, and the sight of the varied flying Saturday must have inspired him;
when I called Sunday, he was down in his shop working on his planes.
We haven't heard from him because he doesn't have a terminal at home.
Does anyone in the greater M-M-M area have a spare terminal and modem
at home they can loan John for a couple of months?
To tidy up topic 4, I'll extract some info from the notes about John
and append it to this note. Then I'll delete the digression in 4.*
================================================================================
ZENDIA::REITH "Jim Reith DTN 226-6102 - LTN2-1/F02" 10 lines 15-NOV-1990 17:49
-< Are you still out there John Nataloni? >-
================================================================================
ZENDIA::REITH "Jim Reith DTN 226-6102 - LTN2-1/F02" 3 lines 16-NOV-1990 15:07
Well I got my answer from his secretary today. He is out on short term
disability and has recently had major surgery at Mass. General and will
be out for a few months.
================================================================================
ABACUS::RYDER "perpetually the bewildered beginner" 8 lines 26-NOV-1990 22:03
-< John Nataloni update >-
I just talked to John's wife. Long term prognosis is good, I think.
He came home last Wednesday after 10 days in the hospital ---
recovering but slowly --- weak and resting a lot. She thinks he should
be ready for visitors after this week and would appreciate the company
of people who talk planes. Call before visiting.
His phone is 603-673-5521; he lives on Bloody Brook Road in Amherst, NH.
|
| 239.2462 | A GOOD WEEKEND...... | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Tue Feb 12 1991 11:26 | 59 |
| Re. .-1: Glad to hear John's coming along well on the road to
recovery. Did we ever hear what the problem was...or do we really want
to know? Whatever, be sure to pass my best wishes to John. Chances
are I'll be history before he gets back to work so be sure to tell him
I was thinking about him.
Chuck Collier, Bob Frey, Kent Walters and I, along with a few other
mutual flying buddies went out to Puckerbrush Int'l Airport Sunday and
had a real nice session. I put 4-flights and about 9 takeoffs/landings
on the ol' Yeller' Peril before the tailwheel strut broke off (again)
and brought my day to a close...there was no sense in scraping up the
bottom of the fuse and rudder in the dirt/gravel so, resisting the
temptation to fly more, I retired at that point. I think I'll rename
the ol' Peril "Audie Murphy;" it's sure been "To Hell and Back" in its
400+ flights and has been subject to just about every Murphy's Law
there is, perhaps writing a few new ones of its own! I was _VERY_
pleased that I appear to have rediscovered the handle for landings (or
have completely readjusted to the new bionic eye, or both); my flare
was right on and every landing, even a couple in a fairly stiff
crosswind, were real "paint-jobs." Now, to fly the MiG and see if'n
the trend transfers to it too (I'm sure it will).
Chuck put a coupla' barnburner flights on his big Baker Jug. The wind
was fairly brisk and, with the Zenoah G-62 fairly howling, the downwind
low passes were little short of heartstopping. As is frequently the
case, Chuck and I both flew much better than we had at the Masters
Qualifier a month ago. Battle-rattle is a very real thing, I guess,
and you never get enough experience to completely overcome it. Even if
you're not aware of it, you just never seem to fly as well as in
competition as in practice.
Bob had his new warbird racer out for it's maiden flight. It's a
modified (truer to scale) Top Flite P-47 with an Enya 1.20R 4-cy in it.
The rules allow double displacement for a 4-stroke so an advantage is
to be had with a .60 2-cy ship by installing a 1.20 4-cy. Bob had some
minor teething pains with the bird but, overall, it did quite well and
should be competitive. Even running the brand new engine rich, the
little Jug really hauls the mail! The next warbird race is this coming
weekend so we'll see how Bob does with his Kamikaze T-bolt.
Kent, as usual, just flew his [world's oldest and ugliest] Ugly-Stik
and, for about the first/only time I can remember, was a little rusty.
He hasn't been flying that much as most of his time is taken up with
finishing his new SBD Dauntless. Speaking of which, Kent expects to
begin painting next weekend...he's gon all the panelling/rivets, etc.
done and lacks only a few minor details to be ready for color. That
should make Kent a sure thing for getting qualified and entering the
Masters againb this year after a 2+ year absence following the loss of
his previous Dauntless in practice the day before competition began in
Ft. Knox in 1988. Should be interesting to see how long it takes Kent
to get back into the groove but, when he does, look out all ye
pretenders to the Masters crown...The "Cowboy" will definitely be a
factor to be reckoned with!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2463 | Some "good press" in our local paper | ESCROW::PHILLIPS | DECtp Engineering TAY1-2 DTN 227-4314 | Mon Feb 18 1991 08:58 | 14 |
| On the front page of this past Sunday(Feb,17) "Living/Arts" section in the
Sentinel & Enterprise newspaper(Lemonster/Fitchburg MA area), was a story about
a man from the Quinapoxet Model flying Club and the scale B-17 he is building.
The article was accompanied by 4 color pictures. The man in the article name
is John M. Deery and he's from Sterling, MA. Most of the article talks about
the B-17(Royal kit 77" wingspan). Towards the end of the article, he says "A
lot of people will go out and find a neat modellike this, build it and try and
fly it." He continues, "You can't fly a hot, fast plane until you learn to fly."
The article then goes on to talk about the Quinapoxet club(making note they
have several instructors available) and the AMA. It's great to see an article
such as this, especially after the bad press our sport received after the
blimp incident.
-Lamar
|
| 239.2464 | Certain combos banned at Iraqi Bingo! | ASABET::CAVANAGH | | Mon Feb 18 1991 13:49 | 12 |
|
Just saw this in the Defense Issues notesfile...
Panic at Iraqi bingo = B 52 8^)
Jim
|
| 239.2465 | I know John Deery! | RGB::MINER | Dan Miner, DTN:225-4015, HLO2-3/D11 | Mon Feb 18 1991 15:18 | 23 |
| RE: Note 239.2463 by ESCROW::PHILLIPS
>> [...] was a story about a man from the Quinapoxet Model flying Club
>> and the scale B-17 he is building. [...] The man in the article name is
>> John M. Deery and he's from Sterling, MA.
Hey! I know this guy! He was the secretary of the QMF club until I
took over his position at the elections last week. He's a great guy
and has been working on the B-17 for over 2 years now. He's hoping
to *MAYBE* get it flying this summer...
I'll have to congratulate him on his fame in the newspaper!
_____
| \
| \ Silent POWER!
_ ___________ _________ | Happy Landings!
| \ | | | | |
|--------|- SANYO + ]-| ASTRO |--| - Dan Miner
|_/ |___________| |_________| |
| / | " The Earth needs more OZONE,
| / not Castor Oil!! "
|_____/
|
| 239.2466 | Better than a $800 video camera...cheaper anyway! | ASABET::CAVANAGH | | Thu Feb 21 1991 09:10 | 30 |
|
VNS TECHNOLOGY WATCH: [Mike Taylor, VNS Correspondent]
===================== [Littleton, MA, USA ]
Two-Way Wrist Videophone
Scientists at the University of Edinburgh have concocted a video
camera-on-a-chip. Together with lenses no bigger than a match head,
the 8mm square chip lays the foundation for a wrist-watch size
videophone like the one used in the comic strip by Dick Tracy. That
is the most gee-whiz use for the chip. The Edinburgh team, headed by
Peter Denyer and David Renshaw, sees a big payoff in less dramatic
products, ranging from miniature night-vision goggles to $50 video
cameras for home security systems. Even "seeing" toys could show up
under the Christmas tree. The chip is so small and inexpensive
because it sees digitally right from the start. Other imaging chips
first record an analog picture, then digitize it. The university
has setup a company, VLSI Vision Ltd., to license the technology.
{Business Week February 18, 1991}
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sounds like it was made for R/C flying!!!!!!
Jim
|
| 239.2467 | WARBIRD RACING, ARIZONA STYLE..... | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Thu Feb 21 1991 10:19 | 107 |
| I tried to enter this yesterday but our entire cluster crashed just as
I was nearly finished and I lost the whole enchilada. Sooooo, here
goes again.....
I'm tardy getting this written as I've been literally under water doing
a Capital Equipment physical inventory and tracking the transfer(s) of
same...been busier than I've been in probably 5-6 years!
Anyhoo, after having to jump-start the motorhome, I arrived to pick Bob
Frey up about 4:00 PM Friday. He was still working on/finishing his
Enya 1.20R powered Top-Flite P-47 but found a place to stop and we
loaded up, hoping to get on the freeway ahead of the bulk of the rush
hour traffic. Unfortunately, the motorhome battery had bitten the big
one and was still deader'n a sailcat. As luck would have it, Bob had a
brand new Delco battery, still in the box, he'd just bought for his '63
Chevy Super Sport with the 409 engine. Half an hour later, with the
new Delco aboard, we plunged headlong into the very teeth of rush hour
and it took an hour and a half to travel the 35 miles to Falcon Field
where static judging was being held in the Confederate Air Force's
hangar.
Then Bob was informed his frequency (ch-48) was one that could not be
used due to the 3IM matrix they use to establish the racing order.
This is the last time the matrix will be used, as a C.Y.A. measure to
cover anyone who might unknowingly have bought a radio with a non 1991
receiver. In any event, Bob was in a pickle but a friend (Lewie Kear,
the drummer in our 1/8 AF D&D Band) drove him back home to get another
radio while I hustled his P-47 through static judging. We were having
a hassle getting the weekend off the ground but, thankfully, this was
the last difficulty we were to encounter. Static closed at 10:00 and,
after partying for awhile in the parking lot, we drove the motorhome
out to the field, parked and turned in a little past midnight.
Next morning the racing began at 8:30 sharp, as advertised. There were
55 aircraft entered and I was surprised to learn that they intended to
fly 7-rounds of racing, each round containing _14-heats_! It seemed a
daunting task but the race was well organized and they accomplished it
with comparative ease, flying 4-rounds Saturday and 3-rounds Sunday.
Bob's first race was the 6th heat of round-1 and he did just fine,
finishing 2nd for 3-points. It was clear from the outset that Bob's
Jug was not the fastest airplane on the field; a P-63 King Cobra, an
F8F Bearcat (Rare Bear) and a '20s era Martin MO-1 immediately stepped
ahead of the pack as the planes to beat, being 30-seconds and more
faster than the average 10-lap race times. But, the secret(s) of
warbird racing is to get a good static, then make every race and place
as well as possible without cutting pylons (which reduces/eliminates
finish points). As with most other competitive endeavors, consistency
is the name of the game.
I was gratified to note a young gal named Kathy Meyers racing a P-39
Airacobra and, though she flew the course high and wide, she made every
race and finished without a mark on her airplane. Her husband was
flying an A-26 Invader with twin piped .61's and, after sorting out
some bugs, looked pretty good but too little, too late. Another guy
was flying a Royal P-38 and did well enough to place somewhere in the
top-15 but I didn't catch his exact position. BTW, they gave trophies
through 5th place but awarded merchandise prizes through 15th.
ARF's (EZ's) and Fun-scale kits made up a large hunk of the field but
the trend appears to be toward more scale-like racers, regardless of
speed. Static being half the final score, scale fidelity is a big
factor and many racers have become sensitive to this fact. Aside from
Bob's P-47, there were 2-Super Corsairs built from the Royal kit, a
number af various warbirds from the old Jemco kits and quite a few
scratch built racers, e.g. 3-Bearcats, 3-King Cobras, etc.
Racing was interesting to say the least; they used an air start like
they use in Reno and, when 2 or more similarly matched birds were in
the same heat, things became "interesting" to say the least. The
amazing thing was that, in 2-solid days of racing, 98 10-lap heats,
there were only 2 mid-airs. One occurred when a P-40 ate the tail
feathers off a very nice Corsair and sent it full throttle into the
puckerbrush...the P-40 went on to win the heat and the Corsair was
repairable. In the other mid-air, a very fast T-34 essentially landed
atop a Dago Red P-51 on the back straightaway. The T-34 lost a wheel
in the encounter but neither plane was hurt and both finished the heat
and landed safely.
Bob had no problems whatever, flying every heat and scoring at least 3
(2nd place) or 4 (1st place) poins in all but one heat. In this race,
Bob's P-47 was in a real shootout with a big Royal Super Corsair, also
powered by an Enya 1.20R, and He managed to cut the pylons "5" times
for a zero. But, of 6 rounds, they throw out the lowest one so that
one was Bob's throwaway.
When the dust settled, Bob finished 8th, not bad for a brand new
airplane and engine with only two shakedown flights prior to the race
and a pilot brand new to racing. Bob won a new Sullivan starter and a
host of other miscellaneous hardware, etc. for his fine finish. There
were three airplane tied for 1st place, the P-63, Rare Bear and Martin
MO-1 I mentioned earlier. Since there was a frequency conflict, they
couldn't flyoff in a tie-breaker heat; rather each plane flew alone
against the clock in 10-laps around the pylons. Lewie Kear (our
drummer) won by 5-seconds over the 2nd-place Rare Bear, the P-63
finishing 3rd.
Awards over with, Bob took the P-47 up and he and I had a ball trying
to outdo each other with various maneuvers and, finally landings. We
called it a draw, packed up and headed home, satisfied with a great
weekend of warbird racing.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2468 | Injun back minus squaw | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Thu Feb 21 1991 10:43 | 104 |
| Hi Ya all. The Injun is back.
Unfortunately, with the recently acquired squaw left behind at THE
reservation. :-( :-(
*STRANGE* pale face laws *prohibit* a person _legally_ married to a
permanent resident [PR] (i.e. green card [GC] holder) from living together
as husband and wife in these United States. Such prohibition applies for the
first two years (in the case of an Indian born spouse), which is the time it
takes for the spouse to get the green card. Precisely why such waiting has
to be done with the couple being kept APART, rather than allowing them to
stay TOGETHER, and delaying giving the green card to the spouse by the 2 or
whatever number of years, remains an enigma to me.
STRANGER yet, is the fact that men and women in these United States may
choose to cohabit without the benefit of marriage, and no one may object!
Hah! Inane laws. Yeah, yeah, I am well aware that animals have done
splendidly well without the benefit of matrimony for millions of years, so
it is not the marriage angle I am harping about, but the stupid LAWs.
Sorry if I am sounding like I am biting someone's head off, but heck, I got
to get it out of the system, and this is cheap therapy! :-)
Actually, there was a time when spouses of citizens and Green Card holders
were treated with parity. However, people saw that as a business
opportunity, and for $5000 - $10000, would "marry" outside the country to
bring the person in as a PR. Sooo, someone passed legislation to increase
the delay and slow down the business. Of course, for those outside the US
opting this route, the 2 year delay would hardly deter. After all, what do
they have to lose?
The funny thing is that this delay applies only to PRs and NOT to citizens.
Those wimpy senators figured we PRs couldn't touch them as we may not vote
(though PRs pay taxes). Mess around with citizens, and they'd get voted
outta office... That's the problem with taxation without represention. Sigh!
Besides, it looks like these dudes in Washington weren't listening when the
Good Lord said "Do unto others as ye would others do unto you". Same problem
with Saddam. Whoops. He's muslim, and he'd have been reading the wrong book.
:-)
Too bad the US and the world hasn't shown the same degree of zeal and
enthusiasm in enforcing a trade embargo on South Africa, or for that matter,
given a deadline by which AIDS/poverty/hunger/illiteracy/etc.. will have to
be eliminated in the world, failing which large scale attack would be
mounted on all these fronts.
Don't get me wrong. I certainly don't condone the invasion of Kuwait by
Iraq, but without a doubt, the morality being touted in the world rushing to
the Kuwaiti's rescue, is merely skin deep. Hah! I'm just a mere third
worlder, so who is going to listen to me? I better shut up... [Who? Me?] :-)
At any rate, the laws are being changed again this October to bring back the
parity that existed earlier in the waiting period for spouses of PRs and
citizens. Until then, I'll just have to sit & stew, and learn to do some
violent Eric-type of aerobatics to periodically let out the steam. Bah!
It was more of a hectic trip than rest and recreation, visiting umpteen
places, and being invited out to umpteen relatives houses for breakfast,
lunch and dinner, and managing to lose 4 lbs inspite of the the excellent
and sumptuous food! Now, to recover from the trip...
Prez Bush and Saddam Hussain sent me a wedding present that I will never
forget - the Gulf War erupted on the 17th of January, 1991, nearly
coinciding to the moment when the marriage ceremony began.
800~1000 people attended my wedding, held in my tiny village of 7 million
people - actually the 5th largest city in India, and about 400+ years old.
It was a 3 day affair, and I was zonked out by the end of it all. There were
even two Amerikanskis present, so not to worry, the western world was
represented :-) Likewise, the southern hemisphere was also represented by my
brother's family currently living in Sydney.
I drove 800 miles in all (more like 2400 US miles, given road and traffic
conditions), including a trip to 8860 feet above sea level, where it was in
the low 50s at night. It was 80s to 90s in the plains when I left, so the
30s to 40s of Boston has been a shocker, though it is not cold for this time
of the year.
The flight back from Madras was not the customary 747, but the much smaller
albeit new 767, due to the reduced traffic. Also, instead of coming in from
Kuala Lumpur, it *bagan* from Madras. After crossing the Arabian sea, it
stopped for refuelling in Muscat (used to be Kuwait at one time...), which
is the south eastern tip of the Saudi Arabian peninsula that you have been
seeing on TV for the past 6 months.
Then, keeping the war zone nearly 1000 miles away, we flew along the
southern border of Saudi Arabia, crossed the Red Sea, then flew along the
western coast of the Red Sea, keeping 20 miles west of Cairo, across the
Mediterranean over Crete, Greece, Italy, France and on to London. The London
to Boston flight was a 747, which was only half full, so I could sleep on
the seats in the middle. Flight timings were changed as the reduced air
traffic had been consolidated into fewer flights.
I still have to get over jet lag (India is 10.5 hrs ahead), and the
post-separation blues, but once over with, and once I fix the tail wheel, I
am reporting with my First Step for non-combat sorties over the Gulf.
Provided I haven't forgotten to fly.
ajai
[There! Now I can justify all that political rambling, if not my wedding
experience, being input in this notes file :-)]
|
| 239.2469 | GLAD'JER BACK......!! | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Thu Feb 21 1991 11:10 | 16 |
| Re: .-1, Ajai,
Welcome back, amigo. Glad'ja made it 'afore I depart permanently.
Sorry ta' hear about all yer' tibulations with the immigration red
tape. Sounds like another case of a few abusers ruining things for the
honest majority. Hope things work out for ya' real soon.
Meanwhile, get back ta' modelin' and flyin' and the time will pass more
quickly. I look forward to seeing lots'a notes from ya in the 5-weeks
I have left in the notesfile.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2470 | F-117 lecture | ELMAGO::TTOMBAUGH | A Fistful of Epoxy | Fri Feb 22 1991 10:19 | 7 |
| Tonight at UNM, the chief test pilot on the F-117 project is going
to give a lecture on his experiences with the plane. I hope he has
a Q/A session afterwards as I want to ask plenty of sensitive questions
that would put even Sam Donaldson and the NPR babes to shame.
Watch this space for further reports.
Terry
|
| 239.2471 | WATCH THIS SPACE...... | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Fri Feb 22 1991 10:24 | 8 |
| I can hardly wait, Terry, and will watch with piqued interest for yer'
report.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2472 | F-117A lecture | ELMAGO::TTOMBAUGH | A Fistful of Epoxy | Mon Feb 25 1991 10:34 | 33 |
| Friday night I went to the lecture by Hal Farley, the chief test
pilot on the F-117A. He's also director of flight ops. for Lockheed
Advanced Developement Co. (Skunkworks)
It was interesting but not startleingly informative. He would answer
about 50% of the questions.
The F117 was designed and built in 31 months by 15 engineers and
105 production people.
It has quad-redundant fly-by-wire flight controls. On the first
test flight he had some of the fly by wire functions switched off
but had to switch on immediately when he noticed there was no rudder
control. The vertical fins were enlarged by 50% before the next
test flight. They are entirely graphite and thermoplastic construction,
no metal at all.
The plan-form dimensions (but of course not the shape) are almost
identical to the F-15E. It weighs ~30,000 lbs less than the F-15.
He showed a video of manouverability and air refueling.
Almost more interesting was a slide show and video of the SR-71.
Some of it shot on its last record transcontinental flight. St.
Louis to Cincinnati in 8 minutes is one number I remember.
One series of slides showed (unclearly) the D-21 which was a ramjet
powered unmanned recon plane that rode on a pylon on top of the
SR-71 and was launched and guided by the SR-71 pilot in order to
penetrate high risk areas. It seemed to have a diamond shape plan-form
and a massive tail cone, probably for the cameras. He said it saw
very limited use.
59 F-117As were built, total cost $6.5 billion. Interestingly, security
is one of the highest cost areas, and is included in the price.
Terry
|
| 239.2473 | CHUCK'S P-47 NOW ON BORROWED TIME.......! | PNO::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Mon Feb 25 1991 13:52 | 59 |
| Re: .2472, Terry,
Fascinating stuff...wish I could'a been there. What really gets me is,
even with the tightest security, the plastic model companies are able
to release model kits for super secret airplanes, subs, etc. _long_
before they're made public. Makes one wonder if they're just making
good guesses or whether they actually get info leaked to them in
advance. Either way, one has to seriously wonder how responsible such
early releases are when considering the compromise of security
ramifications of such one-upmanship.
Chuck, Bob and I went out for a short session yesterday. I didn't take
anything as I'd spent all day Saturday flogging the motorhome back into
shape, washing, waxing, vacuuming, cleaning, etc., etc., ad nauseum.
and just didn't get around to picking up a fresh gallon of fuel and
repairing a broken tailwheel on the Yeller' Peril. Bob put several
flights on his new 1.20R powered P-47 racer and I put a flight on it
too..._very_ nice flying little ship.
Chuck only got one flight on his big Baker Jug, though not by design.
He made a perfect-10 takeoff and was flying just great while Bob and I
kibitzed in the background as to how Chuck always looks just unbeatable
in practice. Then came the landing: For reasons unknown to everyone,
including Chuck, he got his angle of descent too steep and nearly hit
a bush at the threshold of the runway, zooming to about 10' to avoid
it. This put him too high to land and not roll off into the
puckerbrush at the other end of the runway but, instead of powering up
and going around, to our astonishment, Chuck cut the power abruptly and
the big bird sagged nose down, hitting **HARD** on the main gear. Upon
impact, the right gear strut broke at the stud that attaches it to the
retract unit and fell off and the Jug bounced 6' into the air. Instead
of adding a touch of power and re-flaring, Chuck again astonished us by
slamming the throttle to full power.
The big Zenoah G-62 roared to full throttle and the Jug labored up, all
the while rolling sharply to the left in the beginnings of the classic
stall-snap-crash maneuver. "IT'S ALL OVER," I thought and I even took
a step, beginning the short walk to the crash site. But, after making
two rookie errors, Chuck finally did something right; he came in with
full right rudder...the big bird rolled level and climbed out, out of
danger for the moment.
Chuck retracted the remaining gear and set up a belly landing which
came off without a hitch except that he damn near hit the same bush
again and forgot to close the inner gear doors. The 30'lb. bird ground
to a halt on the decomposed granite runway and was completely undamaged
save for some scraped paint on the belly and 2 rather scarfed up inner
doors. Had he remembered to put the doors up, a little touch up
painting would'a been the only repair necessary.
Oh well, I guess it was Chuck's day to be humbled! It happens to all
of us from time to time, no matter how much experience we've had.
Luckily, Chuck didn't have to lose an expensive airplane in the process!!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2474 | dang those inner doors
| ROCK::KLADD | hl02-3/c11 225-7316 | Tue Feb 26 1991 12:44 | 12 |
| al,
glad to hear chuck survived a close one. funny you should mention inner gear
doors. just last night i was repairing the damage to those on my baker jug.
as you may recall (from kays graphic description), on my last takeoff attempt
i retracted the gear a hair too soon. the gear came up just about at rotation,
and the jug settled enough to shave a half inch off the top of each door as
they ripped off at the hinges (and shave the prop down to about a 12x10).
i think if i had less toe-in, i'd have made it. 8^)
well, at least this is the first "incident" with the jug where i didnt have to
take a hammer to the studs for the stuts (for me they bend but dont break).
kevin
|
| 239.2475 | LANDING USUALLY ONLY AS GOOD AS THE APPROACH... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Tue Feb 26 1991 16:01 | 28 |
| Re: .-1, Kevin,
Wull' howdy, stranger. Where th' heck ya' been hidin'???????
Loooooooong time, no hear from.
Yup', I remember Kay's graphic description of yer' near disaster.
Undoubtedly, yer' inner doors and Chucks look like members of the same
family as he also ground about an inch off'n 'em during his belly
landing. I don't know what was the matter with him...he commented
several times after taking off that he was a nervous as a cat and, sure
enough, he blew it big time on landing. Then, after the near fatal
go-around, instead of going up and cruising around a bit to settle his
nerves and think things out a little, he turned directly back onto
final for the belly landing. I remember thinking "I bet he forgot to
put the inner doors up" but it was too late to say anything and I
watched as he ground them to nubbins!
Oh well, hopefully he won't soon again pull another boner like this one.
Chuck's called me every day since the near disaster to tell me he's
"still sulking" about it. :B^) Bottom line is that Chuck's near fiasco
was living proof of the old adage that "A bad approach = a bad landing"
almost every time.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2476 | 1/8 AF FLY-IN COVERED IN CURRENT MODEL AVIATION... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Wed Feb 27 1991 11:01 | 15 |
| For those who might be interested, the latest issue of Model Aviation
contains a short article and some pix of our 1/8 Air Force Scale Fly-In
of last October. Chuck Collier will be tickled as his Byron
Staggerwing appears in two color pix, one in flight and the other in
the pits. To Kevin (Ladd) and Kay, the Corsair in the 1/2 page
masthead is by the same guy you've seen at prior fly-in's (Dave Smith,
the Hog-farmer from Show Low, AZ). This is his new Corsair with which
he plans to try some scale competition so he's a bit more conservative
with it but is still partial to low inverted passes.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2477 | Cauterizers | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Tue Mar 05 1991 14:35 | 29 |
| I was rambling thru a magazine in some random section (free flight or
maybe indoor) and came across something that I'd like clarification of.
I'll quote a bit out of context (I copied one page).
==========================================================================
TRIMMING PLASTIC FILMS:
Heat has proven to be the best way to trim the plastic films used
on Pennyplanes, Intermediate Stick and Easy B models.
...
Plenny Bates has experimented with discarded medical cauterizers to trim
this film; a typical cautery uses two pin cells for power. Three volts
brings the nichrome cutting tip to a red heat, which is far too hot for
cutting film. Plenny has developed a temperature control modification
...
==========================================================================
OK guys - what kinda plastic are they talking about on Pennyplanes and
Easy B models?
Can this apply to Monokote or any of the technologies we use?
Do we have any generic use for a cauterizers?
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2478 | Something better than microfilm? | ZENDIA::REITH | Jim Reith DTN 226-6102 - LTN2-1/F02 | Tue Mar 05 1991 14:53 | 9 |
| I know of one generic use of cauterizers...
Stop blood flow while the Snowman is trimming a sailplane 8^)
Seriously, I didn't think anything special was needed for trimming
microfilm and wasn't aware that the indoor guys had found anything
better. I'd be very careful before melting any of the commercial films
to trim them. Many plastics give off nasty (read poisonous) fumes when
burnt.
|
| 239.2479 | | ELMAGO::TTOMBAUGH | A Fistful of Epoxy | Tue Mar 05 1991 15:17 | 10 |
| The type film they're talking about isn't Monokote or anything we
use. I don't know the trade name but it's like a thin celluloid
or cellaphane. Note the type of plane they mention, these types
are too heavy and fast for microfilm, but too small and light
for Monokote, etc.
Cauterizers may be one of the few tools on the face of the earth
that we don't need...yet.
Terry
|
| 239.2480 | DIFFERENT KIND OF A SESSION..... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Tue Mar 05 1991 17:37 | 87 |
| Well, Chuck and I went out Sunday for a short session with our friend
Jim Bridgewater. I had the ol' Yeller' Peril, with new tailwheel strut
and fresh rudder hinges (the 3rd set of hinges and about the 4th-5th
tailwheel strut), Jim had his Saito-twin powered Super Cub, and Chuckie,
who's still sulking over the near fatal stunt he pulled with his Baker
Jug last Sunday, didn't bring anything...said he was still mad at
his'self and he wasn't gonna' give his'self another chance to screw up!
;b^)
Nothing special to report about the session except to say I wanted to
assure myself I was over the late-flare-on-landing-syndrome I'd lapsed
into and this turned out to be an ideal session to do just that. For
some as yet unknown reason, I never quite got the O.S. .61 FSR-ABC
exactly dialed in and landed 3-4 times per flight to tweak the needle
valve so all those landings gave me ample opportunity to make a
judgement regarding my recent flare problems. In 12 or more landings,
I'm tickled to announce I flared every one of them and every landing
was from better than average to a real paint job. This being the
second session where this was true, I know feel like I'm over what ever
it was that was causing the problem and my self-confidence has returned.
H'ray, h'ray....!!
Still don't quite know what was going on with the engine; I went
through 2-plugs in just 4-or-5 flights and _still_ never quite got 'er
dialed in. I'd just bought 2 fresh gallons of 10% Cool Power fuel so
I'm really hoping it's not a fuel problem...it _shouldn't_ be but you
never know. It was a weird day, starting fairly cool, warming to
T-shirt level then cooling off again so it _could_ just be that I was
chasing the temperature and never quite caught it...we'll see the next
time out (which will be for the 1/8 AF Spring RC Scale Fly-In, 15-16-17
March). I can't go out this coming weekend...gotta' go to a big camp
out and BBQ at a friend's property NW of Cave Creek, Arizona.
Oh, I nearly forgot, After Chuck and Jim had left, I finally got the
chance to cross another thing off my list of "Things I Always Wanted
To Try...At Least Once." There was a guy flying a powered Rogallo-wing
ultra-light a coupl'a hundred yards away and, after he'd finished, he
taxied it over to our strip and parked to watch. Turns out he's a modeler
too and had a glider with him, waiting for this guy who comes out with his
glider tug with which he piggy-backs everyone's gliders up all afternoon.
We got to talking about his ultra-light and other things aeronautical,
flying the Peril between times, and eventually, I mentioned that
someday I hoped to try an ultra-light, if the right opportunity ever
popped up. "Hell, you wanna' try mine?" he asks. "You bet'cher l'il
red wagon!" I responds. Next thing you know, after a short ground
school, I'm strapped into the seat, reach up for the pull starter and,
with a yank, the 2-cylinder, 35 HP snowmobile engine comes to life.
Reassuring myself I _really_ wanted to do this and appreciating how
angry Kathi's gonna' be if I kill muh'self, I taxi across the runway
and over to the area this fella'd been flying from earlier. Repeating
the instructions, I advanced the throttle, waited to feel pressure on
the flight-bar, then pushed it forward and rotated skyward. That was
the only thing that felt a bit peculiar: pushing the bar to go up and
pulling it to go down but the adjustment came instantly.
Climbing out, I tried my first gentle turn and it was no sweat so,
staying clear (upwind) of the model area, I continued a series of
climbing turns until I was about 1500 feet up (no altimeter).
Throttling back, I just floated around with the wind in my face and
felt like this was probably just about as close to pure flight as a
human was ever gonna' experience.
I stayed up about 25 minutes, then pulled the power to just above idle
and began a circular descent. Sailing out over the thick puckerbrush
before turning onto final felt a little lurky but I had the luxury to
power up and go around if I blew the approach so I didn't get excited
about it. I'd deliberately set up final a little longer than I thought
necessary so I could drag in under power and this worked to perfection.
With the tops of the Palo Verde trees just a few feet beneath me, I
reached the edge of the clearing, eased the throttle off, then pushed
the bar forward, flaring to a perfectly acceptable landing.
What an experience! I asked Loren (the owner) why he'd risked his
machine on someone he'd only just met and he replied that, watching the
ol' Bucker and talking about my years as a licensed pilot, he knew he
had nothing to worry about. I thanked him profusely for providing me
the opportunity and, awhile later, left for Chuck's to tell him what'd
happened. Now we were even for the Staggerwing ride he got and I
_didn't_ after the Masters in Dallas last year!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2481 | Glad you had fun...but I'll never try it (chicken)! | ASABET::CAVANAGH | | Thu Mar 07 1991 09:56 | 24 |
| Re:
> Reassuring myself I _really_ wanted to do this and appreciating how
> angry Kathi's gonna' be if I kill muh'self,...
My wife would wouldn't wait until I killed -myself-, she would have done
it for me when she found out what I had done!
> the bar forward, flaring to a perfectly acceptable landing.
'perfectly acceptable'......sounds kinda' fishy to me. I would say that
any landing you can walk away from is 'perfectly acceptable'!! 8^)
Glad to see you've got your 'flare' for flying back!
Jim
|
| 239.2482 | What a story! | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Thu Mar 07 1991 13:24 | 12 |
| Wow! Al, 'nother great story from the master!! Felt like I was with ya'
as you putz'd aroun' thuh 'rizona sky.
Gee, I wonder what my wife (can't believe I got one :-) ) would'a done.
I know she refused to go up in a tandem glider with my gliding
instructor in Bangalore, but then, she had _never_ flown in a plane.
I suppose she might let me go up in a glider as I used to fly before,
but ultra-light? Dunno...
ajai
|
| 239.2483 | IT WAS A HOOT, ALRIGHT.....!! | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Thu Mar 07 1991 14:31 | 51 |
| Re: last-2,
Well, I haf'ta admit ta' having a few misgivings about the adventure
but was totally confident of my ability to fly th' thing. Having
somewhere around a thousand hours in light aircraft before quitting the
full-scale stuff 16-years ago, I had no trepidation about takin' the
ol' bod up into the blue and I knew the control system was extremely
simple and easy to adapt to...just pretend the flight-bar (trapeze) is
stationary and move yer' body in the direction you want to go. Fact
is, I'da been a lot less likely to take off solo in a light plane as
there's a far greater possibility I'd overlook something important.
But, with this simple machine, it'd be nearly impossible to overlook
something as there just isn't much to be concerned with; the only
instruments were a tach and cylinder head temp. gauge. Also, this
ultra-light was equipped with an emergency parachute rigged to the top
of the kingpost and stored in a neat canister behind the seat...if all
else failed, pull the ripcord. Anyhoo, I felt completely confident
with the idea and jumped at the opportunity since it might well be the
only one I ever get.
The flight was just plain splendid! As I said, other than a hang
glider, this has to be just about the purest form of flight a human can
experience, just floating along with yer' entire bod exposed to the
slipstream. The air was almost dead calm and smooth so the ride was
especially enjoyable; after almost a solid week of rain and wind, the
air was particularly fresh, the sky a startling deep blue like I've
only seen in the southwest with just a few fluffy white clouds to
decorate the firmament.
It was a kick, to be sure, but don't jump to any conclusions, I'm not
gonna' run right out and buy one (though Loren said his total
investment was about an affordable $5K). I've got enough expensive
pastimes as it is and, with unemployment a certainty in just 3-weeks,
Kathi'd skin me for sure if I did any sush a foolish thing.
Oh, another thing I should mention; the last 5-6 times out to
Puckerbrush Int'l Airport, we've been visited, sometimes more than
once a day, by a gorgeously restored Stearman PT-17 in beautiful yellow
and blue, WW-II trainer colors. The guy relishes in making low passes
(wheels just 6' off the ground) right up our 700' dirt strip so, as
soon as he appears, we ground all the models and let him play. He
comes by waving and wagging his wings and we all wave back while
drooling in envy over his airplane...I'm not sure who enjoys it more,
him or us!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2484 | Getting daring in your old age... | MJBOOT::BENSON | __Frank Benson, DTN 348-4944__ | Fri Mar 08 1991 10:15 | 13 |
| Al-
Fly an ultralight!! After you wouldn't go out to Turf with us to fly
in a "real" plane (glider). Are you sure when they did your eye, the
scalpel didn't slip and gouge your brain? I don't think I'd like to go
any higher than I'm willing to jump in a hunk of fabric and sticks.
Anyway, it sounded neat! :^)
__|__ Regards-
\________________________O________________________/ Frank.
|
| 239.2485 | JUST TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT..... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Fri Mar 08 1991 10:53 | 20 |
| Re: .-1, Frank,
That's not quite accurate. It wasn't a case of "wouldn't go." It was
more a case of couldn't _afford_ to go at the time. And remember, my
sweetie (Kathi) gave me an aerobatic glider ride for my b'day last
June.
To be real honest, I think I felt more secure in the ultra-light than
in the sailplane. I think it has to do with the engine granting the
freedom to land when and where you want to without concern for finding
lift 'n all that jazz. Let's face it, I'm just a "power man" througn
and through and just don't get much of a kick out of the gliders in any
scale. No criticism, that's just the way _I_ am and I certainly won't
knock those who enjoy gliders. (I'm not _that_ stupid!)
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2486 | IS THIS SACRILEGE OR WHAT....?? | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Mon Mar 11 1991 13:27 | 37 |
|
I just had ta' show y'all what someone did to my Desert Rat logo.
ANTIQUITY is another notesfile I participate in and I posted a parting
message in it's noters sign-in last week. One of the foreign noters
(from Norway, I think) named Mauritz, did the following mod's on the
ol' logo and I thought it was a riot so I wanted to share it with you. I
should mention that the allusion to "Vikings" stems from the fact that
I'm half Irish and half Danish and that "The Vikings" with Kirk Douglas
and Tony Curtis is my all-time favorite movie. The "horned helmet"
reference refers to a discussion where it was revealed that _real_
Vikings seldom (if ever) had horns on their helmets. Enjoy......
__
| | / |\ >-% (\___/) /--
|______|__(o/--/ | \ \ / o o \ /
<| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | ----------\______\ `-' /_____/
|\)____/___|\_____|_/ \ O O O O O O O /
| |___/ o \______________/
There goes the
"Desert Viking" on his
last voyage to Valhalla (Funny, he doesn't look
(you can tell him by his like Kirk Douglas)
horned helmet) /
/ /
/ /
| | 00 | | 00
|_|_| (O>o |_|_| o<O)
| \__(O_\_ | _/_O)__/
Adios from the far north also, Al.
Mauritz
|
| 239.2487 | MiG references | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Thu Mar 14 1991 08:53 | 31 |
| Hey Al - the good news is I've found a way to eliminate some of your
excess money.
Just poking thru last nights edition of the Zenith Books catalogue and
came across the following MiG related stuff.
==========================================================================
Air Enthusiast Quarterlies
There are several issues available but one I'll quote
NO.29. Moscow's remarkable museum; JU 88; V-Bombers; Army Neptunes
in Vietnam .............................................110197C $8.95
==========================================================================
OKB MiG
A History of the Design Bureau and its Aircraft
Butowski/ A comprehensive history of the famous Soviet MiG design bureau
and its products. A noted Polish aviation historian, the author has had
access to much previously unreleased MiG reference data. Includes all
prototypes, testbeds and production aircraft, but with special emphasis on
the jet era. Over 300 photos capture many details including cockpits,
powerplants, etc. Hdbd., 8.5"x11", 216 pgs., 300+ ill....115252 $39.95
==========================================================================
Their order number is (800)826-6600
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2488 | HAF'TA CHECK MY CATALOG..... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Thu Mar 14 1991 10:04 | 12 |
| Thanx, Kay,
I may order the air Enthusiast as the Moscow Museum is, according to my
artist buddy, Jerry Crandall, who's seen it, pretty fantastic and they
have either a MiG-1 or -3. I'll probably pass on the other one as 40-
Samolians is a bit stiff for a book mostly about jets.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2489 | Concorde Pilot stuff | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Fri Mar 15 1991 13:18 | 106 |
| While were waiting for Al's report on the 1/8 Air Force Fly In here
is an interesting note copied from the Flying notes file.
I found it fascinating - here goes...
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
<<< MEIS::NOTES$:[NOTES$LIBRARY]FLYING.NOTE;4 >>>
-< General Aviation >-
================================================================================
Note 2395.1 Concorde loses tail at MACH 2 1 of 6
SHAPES::BOARDMANK "I hate quotations" 90 lines 15-JAN-1991 06:50
-< Some notes on Concorde >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Mr Moderator - do you want to make this the generic Concorde note?)
I have just come back from our monthly PFA meeting. Tonight, as a speaker
we had arranged a BA Concorde pilot to give us an overview of flying the
beast. This was the lucky guy who flew P2 to Oshkosh last year.
Much of his talk was "standard" stuff, but I noted the following points which
I, at least, thought were interesting. Noted as he spoke...
* Last week I flew to Lapland (Concorde does "Santa" flights). The route
took us at Mach 2 up the coast of Norway, right up towards the Russian
border. I spotted 2 fighters converging from the right. Bodo radar
advised us they were Norwegian F16's. Here I sit, in my shirtsleeves
with 100 passengers behind me sipping champagne, watching two F16's slip
astern - unable to keep up with me!
* Recently I flew a charter load of Dallas businessmen on a 21-day
circumnavigation of the world. Cost was $41K per head. We did 39000
miles in 33 hours flying - breaking 12 world records.
* Concorde conversion training lasted 6 months, of which 5 weeks is
simulator training at Filton. Landings cannot be adequately simulated
so this is followed by 6 hours of actual circuit practice at Prestwick
in an empty Concorde - at $60K per hour. Conversion costs $1M per
pilot.
* Concorde utilisation is very low by subsonic commercial standards -
about 100 hours/month. Highest BA airframe has 13K hours, and the
lowest just 7K hours. Several planes have had a major overhaul at
12k hours. The inspection revealed absolutely no corrosion whatsoever.
Heating of the surface to 125 degrees C on every supersonic flight
drives away all moisture. Next inspection is due 2003, and extensions
are expected. No parts of the airframe are lifed.
* Concorde burns 21000 kilos of fuel per hour with reheat on takeoff -
per engine!
* During cruise the engine intakes suck in air at Mach 2. This has to be
reduced in the space of 11 feet to a subsonic speed (around 500 kts)
before entering the compressor.
* Following engine failure, the intake air is automatically vented downward
to bypass the inoperative engine. This vectored thrust is so powerful
that the plane rolls away from the dead engine, not towards it.
* Push-back from the ramp is effected with just two engines turning. Four
engines at idle generate enough thrust to overpower the tractor.
* In cruise the sonic boom track is forty miles wide and seventy miles long.
The horizon is 300 miles away, and the view from 60k feet covers a quarter
of a million square miles.
* Last year I travelled on the QE2 across the Atlantic. I visited the bridge
and arranged to talk to a pilot colleage who was flying Concorde. The
plane was vectored to fly directly overhead the ship, and I spoke to my
colleague at 50k feet using a hand-held!
* The plane is rather slippery with no airbrakes - but at 31000 feet we can
go to reverse idle thrust on the inner engines, to increase the rate of
descent.
* The plane is full Cat 3, with autoland. Decision height is 15 feet (with
the pilot 35 feet above the wheels); RVR is 1500 feet, and crosswind
limits are 30 knots.
* We flare by holding the nose at 11 degrees AOA. 12.5 degrees hits the
tailwneel first, and slightly more scrapes the thrust buckets. We ease
the nose down and as soon as it hits we push the control column fully
forward and hold it there while we activate the thrust reversers. If
you don't push the column the nose rises when you go into reverse thrust!
* In Concorde you get to see the sun rising in the west, and setting at
three times its normal speed. You can clearly see the approaching
shadow of night.
* Concorde is twenty years old and uses fly-by-wire technology - but dosn't
have any software second guessing the pilot. You try to roll the plane
on its back, and it will try to do it. You wouldn't get me up in an
A320!
The MD81 tomorrow won't be quite the same...
Sigh...Keith
|
| 239.2490 | Various topics from an interesting weekend | STOHUB::JETRGR::EATON | Dan Eaton St.Louis,MO,USA, 445-6522 | Mon Mar 18 1991 15:59 | 50 |
| This weekend I did a number of RC related activities. First off was Friday
night I watched the latest DECRCM tape and got a look at Eric's new creation.
He's topped himself. I think this 1-IM is even uglier than the PANIC. In fact,
its so ugly I like it.
Saturday, two big local clubs were having a combined auction. I was really
looking forward to going since I'd never been to one of these shindigs before.
It was suppose to start at 3:00 PM and run to 11:00 PM. The weather man was also
predicting rain so it sounded like an excellent way to spend the afternoon.
About 2:00 PM I started getting depressed because the sun was shining and it was
absolutely gorgeous outside. The perfect day to be out flying instead of cooped
up in an auditorium.
I went anyway and found something I wasn't quite expecting. They had the
auditiorium set up with rows of tables and the 'auction" turned out to be more
of a swap meet. I found out later that the actual auction didn't start until
8:00PM that night. I was looking to pick up a couple of OS25's if I could find
them but I didn't have any luck. Nothing else really caught my eye and the
beautiful weather outside was beckoning so I left empty handed and went home
to fly.
The flight was the first one for my Concept since I mounted it in the Hughes 500
fuselage my wife gave me for Christmas. I managed to knock the rust off of the
sticks with three flights that afternoon. The fuselage made things interesting
because I noticed the effects of wind more. Hovering crosswind I noticed a
definite change in trim I had never noticed before. In forward flight it was
great. The fuselage really improves the visibility of the ship. I spent a lot of
time doing low level high speed passes because they looked so neat.
Sunday it rained all day so I spent the time pondering what to do about engines
for my A-26 Invader. I had intended to use the OS25 FP. Now I find I may not be
able to get them and the price seems to have gone up too. Tom T. mentioned a
rumor about OS a couple weeks back about the engines not being available. I
checked with one of the local hobby shops and the fellow there stated that the
workers at OS were threatening to go on strike. In response to this, the owner
decided he didn't need the grief and shut down the plant for a year. The owner
views the glow engine business as just a sideline to his large scale live steam
locomotive business. The hobby shop owner said that he and other shop owners
were spending time at auctions buying up any OS engines they could find because
of this. Has anybody else heard this rumor?
Anybody got a recomendation for a good .25 engine other than OS? Chris Spohr
suggested the Royal .25 It's cheaper than the OS but is it CHEAP?
I finished off the weekend Sunday night by starting in reading a book about
Jackie Cockran (sp). I picked the book up at one of those travelling book store
deals. My wife needed another book to get a bigger discount and this was the
only aviation related book I had seen so I figured what the heck and got it. I
really like it so far. It's made several of the golden age racing planes come
alive for me.
|
| 239.2491 | ONE LAST TIME...... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Tue Mar 19 1991 14:01 | 123 |
| OK, here goes on my last report of a 1/8 AF RC Scale Fly-In in Notes. Any
subsequent reports will haf'ta be entered by Kevin, Kay, Eric or Dan Miner,
assuming they're able to attend future events. BTW, don't look for coverage
of this meet in Scale R/C Modeler; as a result of Norm Goyer's recent [almost
racist] suggestion that the chairman of the Scale Rules Board should be an
American citizen (a direct attack on Dave Platt), the One-Eighth Air Force
authorized a letter to Challenge Publications' publisher, Ed Schnepf(sp?)
requesting that he admonish Mr. Goyer for this latest in a long series of
attacks, inaccuracies, misinformation, uninformed commentary, ad nauseum and
that he direct that a retraction/apology be printed and restraints be placed on
Mr. Goyer in the future. The letter also stated that, until these things
occur, Mr. Goyer is no longer welcome at any 1/8 A.F. event.
Let's start with the weather. Once again, we seem to have proven the comment
of a regular participant several years ago who commented that, if a hurricane
descended on the Phoenix area the weekend of our fly-in, the hurricane's eye
would hover over the field long enough to pull off the meet. We had a cloudy,
windy and finally rainy day Friday before the meet and the weather forecasts
didn't appear too optimistic. However, Saturday was just fine, though a bit
cool during short periods when cloud cover would block the sun. Sunday was
clear as a bell, warm and sunny so we got away with another one. (Note: the
weather has socked in again - it's raining outside as I write - and we're
expecting three storm fronts to move through the area this week!)
Saturday AM dawned crisp and partly cloudy; snow was clearly visible on the top
third of the Superstition Mountains about 20-miles to the east as testimony to
the storm that passed through during the night. (I slept like a baby Friday
night with the rain beating on the roof of the motorhome.) I rose early and
made breakfast while the coffee brewed, getting out among 'em about 7:45 AM.
Registration signed up some 150+ airplanes and flying commenced about 9:30. We
got started a bit late due to the fact that our transmitter impound person
failed to show up with the spectrum-analyzer, freq. control board, etc. At last
we decided that this was 1991, we were requiring 1991 equipment ONLY, so we let
everyone pick whichever of the 5 flightlines they preferred...all we would do
was assure that only one transmitter at a time was issued on a given frequency.
This proved the theories as we had not a single case of frequency/radio problem
all weekend.
Many of our regulars from California were absent this year due either to the
weather, committments to attend Top Gun next month or both. The slight down-
sizing, however, made for a more comfortable, easier managed meet...there was
opportunity for more flights per pilot and I think that fact was appreciated by
all.
Early into Saturday's flying, an ENORMOUS C5B Galaxy, powered by what appeared
to be 4 PUNY .61 engines (the 11" props barely cleared the perimeters of the
nacelles and were invisible in flight and even fairly close on the ground),
roared aloft. This thing had about a 15' span and every jaw on the field was
heard to hit the asphalt when the pilot kicked it into a beautiful 4-point roll
at barely 15'altitude! I KNOW, it wasn't prototypical but this guy proceeded
to put on one sizzling aerobatic routine with the big bird; perhaps the topper
was the inverted low pass with the "T"-tail sraping along barely a foot above
the runway, seemingly scything the weeds that grew along the edge. Terrific
show!
Later, a guy with a huge Ziroli C-47 deposited paratroopers straight along the
runway centerline to the delight of spectators and pilots alike. Dennis Crooks
put in a blistering flight with his SR-71, recently re-engined with the new O.S.
.65-size .91 ducted fan engines...the flight was just flawless as is the norm
for Dennis when everything's really cooking for him. The F-Troop guys had
brought 5 identically finished Citabrias. I had the pleasure to test-fly
F-Troop Commander Pete Sepulveda's on Friday and the supreme DISpleasure to be
at the helm of another that was totalled Saturday afternoon. The ailerons were
backwards but I never caught it because the plane had been flown successfully
on Friday and I _assumed_ everything still had to be OK...little did I know
that the servo-reverse switch had been thrown during some maintenance Friday
night!
Saturday night, we all trekked out to "The Miner's Camp," a famous local
restaurant styled after an 1880's miner's mess hall. It was dusk when we
arrived at the site, directly beneath the massive vertical west escarpment of
the Superstitions and the sight of the snow-covered summits was breathtaking.
Inside, for $12.50 a person, we feasted on beans, salad, rolls, BBQ'd ribs,
roast beef and chicken, ALL YOU COULD EAT!! We had some announcements, gave
away some door prizes, then I was humiliated before God and everybody when Pete
Sepulveda presented me with a "trophy" hastily made by gluing the tailfeathers
of the totalled Citabria to a wood plaque with the milled-wooden numbers,
3-16-91 at the bottom. Pete's definitely in for some comeuppance the very next
banquet program we throw! ;b^}
Sunday AM was clear as a bell with a cloudless, bright blue sky to fly in.
Most of the flying was a repeat of Saturday with the exception of a couple of
crashes, most notably the C-47 which tore off a wing and hair-lipped the nose
by careening full throttle into the safety netting (and poles) when the pilot
failed to "get out of it" as it hooked severely on takeoff. Fortunately, it
will fly again. A gigantic Stuka with onboard sirens was nearly lost to a flat
battery pack but excellent pilotage on the part of Bill Hemple Jr. of Tucson
saved it after a harrowing ride. Dennis Crooks had to land the Blackbird
prematurely after the gear failed to retract and one of the tuned pipes blew in
flight but it came off well and no damage was sustained. Amazingly, Brian
O'Meara flew all weekend without incident (but only after having the entire
stab/elevator of his Baker Jug flutter severely Friday in practice). Brian had
a gorgeous new Vaillancourt Hurricane but it wasn't quite ready to fly.
Flying was stopped at 3:00PM and awards were given. Col. Bob Thacker repeated
a previous win (or two) and received the Gray Eagle award for the oldest
registered pilot. People's Choice went to the C5B Galaxy of Bill Hemple Jr.,
followed closely by Dennis Crooks SR-71. Best General Aviation Flight went to
Rick Anderson's Lazer with Bob McClung's gorgeous giant-scale Liberty Sport in
2nd-place. Best Military flight went, again, to Bill Hemple Jr's C5B. The
Frank Scioscia Craftsmanship went to F-Trooper Doug Crumley's L-19 Bird Dog.
Oh yeah, this year, everyone who crashed severely was presented a "Smacked Ass"
T-shirt and, naturally, it was felt I'd earned one so I shared the honor(?)
with the plane's owner, one Terry Helberg from F-troop, and am the proud owner
of one of these splendid(?) articles of apparel.
With everything over with, and with nothing more on my mind than getting home,
Chuck Collier's wife, Heidi and Linda Crooks got a wild hair, took up a
collection and went after pizza. So, after dark, the Crooks, Colliers, Bob
Frey, Kent Walters, myself and several others were hunkered around a campfire,
eating pizza and leftover pork ribs, beans etc. Heidi'd feted us with Friday
night. Seemed like a fitting conclusion, somehow, to another fun filled 1/8 AF
RF Scale Fly-In.
P.S. We sure missed our Massachusetts 1/8 members this year...hopefully Kevin
and Kay can make it next year - and anyone else who'd like to attend. Y'all
come!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2492 | Mark Antry - DB Coopers - 3/20 6pm | ZENDIA::REITH | Jim Reith DTN 226-6102 - LTN2-1/F02 | Tue Mar 19 1991 16:51 | 7 |
| Mark Antry is on the east coast for some training. A group from the
full-scale Flying notesfile will be getting together with him at DB
Coopers in Nashua NH tomorrow (3/20) night around 6pm. I'll probably
stop up to say hi (I can justify a day/afternoon at ZKO ;^)
We don't have a keyword or topic for visiting noters so this seemed
like the best place for it.
|
| 239.2493 | Request for more 1/8 AF Fun Fly Details | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Wed Mar 20 1991 10:19 | 52 |
| As always Al - your descriptions are the next best thing to being there.
Tell us more about...
The C5 Galaxy: What kind of 60's. Any published plans? Color and markings?
Westover AFB in Mass has scads of C5's and they have been going over
constantly to support the Golf War. Were these .60 rotating in different
directions?
Norm Goyer: I know he is controversial - but aren't you guys making a big
thing out of nothing? What does (did) Dave Platt have to say about this?
What issue and page was the controversial comment on? You may not agree
with Norm but you have admitted in the past that at lease he creates
controversy because he CARES about scale. I've been think about Dave
Platt's Zero lately as I slave over my Royal Zero nightly. Was Norm
or any of his people at the fun fly?
Rubber power: Wasn't there suppose to be a face off between you guys and
the F Troop with a rubber powered competition? How about some rubber
details? As my planes get bigger and harder to transport I've been
thinking of bringing a rubber plane to go against the F-Troop with.
Was Eldon Wilson there? If so what did he bring? If so you must remember
at least one Eldon Wilson joke. If not do you now why? I think he
has a son that might be in the Golf?
Any models of Iraq planes?
Was Brian's "Rudder Flutter" (try saying that 10 times fast) on a Platt
Zero?
SR-71: Tell us about .65 sized .91's?????
Dan Parsons: Was he there - what did he fly?
Al Casey: Did he fly the MiG 3?
Col. Bob Thacker: What did he bring (I assume it was something new)? There
has been some press about his building a VTOL plane.
Your T-shirt: Please tell us all the vivid details. How high did you get
the Citabria before you earned the shirt? Did you since trouble right
away? Did you know what was wrong before it hit the ground? Do they
have enough dihedral to have saved it by only using rudder if you had
realized the fowl up? How big was this Citabria?
Radio stuff: Anybody have any new odd channels?
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2494 | | CLOSUS::TAVARES | Stay low, keep moving | Wed Mar 20 1991 10:43 | 1 |
| Well, I see Kay's had his morning coffee...
|
| 239.2495 | GOOD GRIEF.......!!! | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Wed Mar 20 1991 11:04 | 14 |
| Re: .2493, Kay,
Sheeeeeeeeesh! Are ya' sure ya' can't come up with anymore questions
that that??? :B^) That's what'cha get for not attending this year!
;b^)
Seriously, I'll try to respond to yer' "20 Questions" but will take it
off-line to do so and post the response later.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2496 | YOU ASKED FOR IT..... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Wed Mar 20 1991 12:11 | 108 |
| >Tell us more about...
>
>The C5 Galaxy: What kind of 60's. Any published plans? Color and markings?
> Westover AFB in Mass has scads of C5's and they have been going over
> constantly to support the Golf War. Were these .60 rotating in different
> directions?
* I never looked at the bird that closely so I didn't take note of what kind'a
.60's were used...all 4-engines rotated the same direction. The plane was, to
the best of my knowledge, scratchbuilt by Bill Hemple Jr., son of Bill Hemple
who owns Hobby Barn in Tucson...I know of no plans being available for it. It
was done in a green/gray/black camouflage scheme and was a tad on the rough
side viewed close up, perhaps from past encounters with terra-firma, which
isn't too hard to visualize when you've seen the low-level aerobatics performed
with the big ship.
>Norm Goyer: I know he is controversial - but aren't you guys making a big
> thing out of nothing? What does (did) Dave Platt have to say about this?
> What issue and page was the controversial comment on? You may not agree
> with Norm but you have admitted in the past that at lease he creates
> controversy because he CARES about scale. I've been think about Dave
> Platt's Zero lately as I slave over my Royal Zero nightly. Was Norm
> or any of his people at the fun fly?
* I'm not sure I've ever said that Norm creates controversy out of love for
scale. More correctly, he usually creates controversy out of bad, limited or
nonexistant knowledge of the subject. I had nothing to do personally with the
letter sent to publisher Ed Schnepf; in fact, it was a done deal by the time I
got wind of the situation. The letter highlights many past instances where
Norm's seat-of-the-pants style has probably done actual harm to RC and asks
that he either be made to be more responsible/accurate in his commentaries or
replacesd with someone who will. Frankly, I have no problem with any of that
but have gone on record with the 1/8 A.F. that I don't condone banishing Norm
from our events as I feel this is taking a more political posture than the
group ever intended; also I feel places us at the same level as Norm by taking
such action. In any event, Norm nor no one representing SR/CM attended the
meet altough an article _is_ being prepared for _some_ magazine.
>Rubber power: Wasn't there suppose to be a face off between you guys and
> the F Troop with a rubber powered competition? How about some rubber
> details? As my planes get bigger and harder to transport I've been
> thinking of bringing a rubber plane to go against the F-Troop with.
* Yes, there was "supposed" to be a rubber shootout but the F-Troopers didn't
bring any planes so it was postponed 'til the October Fly-In.
>Was Eldon Wilson there? If so what did he bring? If so you must remember
> at least one Eldon Wilson joke. If not do you now why? I think he
> has a son that might be in the Golf?
* No, Eldon didn't attend this year and I was unable to find anyone who knew
why.
>Any models of Iraq planes?
* NO.
>Was Brian's "Rudder Flutter" (try saying that 10 times fast) on a Platt
> Zero?
* Nope! Did I forget to say it was on his Baker Jug? Oh, and it was the
entire hoizontal stab and elevator, bot the rudder that fluttered.
>SR-71: Tell us about .65 sized .91's?????
* I don't know any more about them except to direct you to the engine review
on this engine in the current Model Airplane News.
>Dan Parsons: Was he there - what did he fly?
* No. Dan missed his firsts Spring meet in history by accepting an invitation
to visit a mutual friend of ours, Bruce Schamber, down in Naples, Fla. and go
boating/scuba-diving in the Keys.
>Al Casey: Did he fly the MiG 3?
* Yes, once Friday in practice. I was kept just busy enough during the actual
meet that I never even got either the MiG or the Bucker registered.
>Col. Bob Thacker: What did he bring (I assume it was something new)? There
> has been some press about his building a VTOL plane.
* Col. Bob had an old beat up Kfir along.
>Your T-shirt: Please tell us all the vivid details. How high did you get
> the Citabria before you earned the shirt? Did you since trouble right
> away? Did you know what was wrong before it hit the ground? Do they
> have enough dihedral to have saved it by only using rudder if you had
> realized the fowl up? How big was this Citabria?
* The T-shirt is COLORFUL, to say the least: a crashed biplane lies in the
desert before a bright sunset/rise in the form of the Arizona flag, i.e. bright
red and gold rays radiating across the horizon. "1/8 Air Force Smacked Ass
Award" is lettered across the top and bottom.
The Citabria was a fairly small one with a 4-cy .80 in it and was grossly
overpowered. All controls were set WAAAAY too sensitive and it came off the
ground rolling. I knew immediately something was wrong with the ailerons and
tried to rudder it out inverted but the rudder and full down elevator produced
a high speed inverted snap into the ground...it was over in a micro-second and
the plane never got more than eyeball high!
>Radio stuff: Anybody have any new odd channels?
* Yes, I believe there were 3-or-4 lower end odd channels used. No problems
were experienced.
PHEEEEEEEEEEW!!
|
| 239.2497 | A blemish to your near poifect record? | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Wed Mar 20 1991 12:47 | 20 |
| Hey Chief,
I hate to state the obvious, but it seems like you forgot your
pre-flight check - perhaps 'cuz the Citabria was flown the previous
day! :-)
I try to be religious about pre-flight checking, including wiggling
sticks to ensure appropriate control surface responds, checking clunk
is free, radio antenna is fully extended, antenna is screwed in tight
into base, ESV shows TX battery [at least] to be healthy, etc.. etc..
Invariably, I end up forgetting a coupl'a items on the mental checklist
every now and then, which I remember *after* my plane is airborne!! Maybe
the cure is to tape a list to the TX back or something...
'tis, alas, the human factor in the equation. Sorry to hear about the
mishap - it could have happened to anyone of us.
ajai
|
| 239.2498 | GEE, I WISH _I'D_ SAID THAT..... ;B^) | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Wed Mar 20 1991 13:56 | 37 |
| Ajai,
>I hate to state the obvious, but it seems like you forgot your
>pre-flight check - perhaps 'cuz the Citabria was flown the previous
>day! :-)
* I think I admitted as much in my note covering the 1/8 Fly-In. As I
stated, the aircraft _HAD_ been flown the previous day and I made the
mistake of "assuming" that things must be OK owing to that previous
flight. But, a-HA! The owner (who is a novice, not yet capable of solo
flight) had done some(?) kind'a maintenance Friday night (which fact he
failed to mention until AFTER the fact) and had inadvertantly thrown the
servo reverse switch. Not much of an excuse, I've admitted, but one that
highlights the folly of "assuming" ANYTHING in this sport of ours. Yes, I
_should_ have caught the backwards ailerons (which I _would_ have, had this
been the test-hop, as I ALWAYS check for this on a brand new bird) but it
was made all too easy for me to overlook it under the circumstances I was
dealing with and I simply made the wrong assumption.
I felt so bad about it that the F-Troopers went out of their way to
assure me that I felt a lot worse about it than the plane's owner did.
But, even so, I'd lost any desire to fly _anything_ for the remainder of
the meet until, bless their pointy heads, they MADE me get back on the
horse and forced me to fly another one of the 4 surviving Citabrias. I
was _more_ than a tad snake-bit at the beginning but soon warmed up to
the bird and put in a good aerobatic routine with it, concluding with
as nice a landing as I've made recently.
Moral of the story, going back to discussions way back when I was new
to RC_notes: You're never so experienced in this sport that you can't be
humbled in a hearbeat!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2499 | TO PREFACE THE NEXT REPLY..... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Wed Mar 20 1991 16:43 | 29 |
| For the past few weeks, I've been putting together a last ramble. I
started early enough to have time to include everything and everyone I
wanted to mention (which I hope I accomplished...please forgive me if I
missed anyone/anything). My intention was to post this last ramble on
my last day (one week from this coming Friday) but, the IM folks have
been systematically shutting down our cluster, a little more every day,
and I can no longer be certain just how much longer I may be able to
access NOTES.
To miss out on getting my farewell ramble posted would upset me almost
as much as my having to leave NOTES in the first place. So, rather
than risk any unfortunate surprises, I've decided to go ahead and post
the farewell in the following reply. Perhaps this is just as well as
I'd like anyone who hasn't already done so (and who desires to do so)
to put yer' vital info in the Desert Rat's Mailing List topic so's I
can extract it before they turn off the lights for the last time. I
don't recall the topic number off hand but a DIR/TITLE="*MAIL*" should
pull it up fer' ya's.
Please don't procrastinate as, like I alluded above, I don't know how
much longer I'll have to access notes before they pull the plug.
Gracias, amigos!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2500 | ADIOS IN ADVANCE..... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Wed Mar 20 1991 16:47 | 121 |
| Well, this ramble is doubly difficult to write; firstly because I'm on the
threshold of leaving DEC, therefore losing the RC Notesfile forever and,
secondly, because I'd written a similar blurb back when I thought I'd be forced
to take the initial buyout last June and, optimistically, deleted it when I
found a position and stayed with the "leaky boat." It pains me to now know
that my original perception of the situation in PNO was only too accurate and
I'd probably have been well advised to have taken the first buyout opportunity.
Oh well, that's water under the bridge, spilt milk and all 'a them other
metaphors. The unavoidable fact is that I'm leaving and will never be able to
participate in and enjoy RC Notes again...and that knowledge is as painful as
being forced to leave the company, if not more so!
It seems much longer ago but on 30 July, 1987, someone clued me into Notes and
I found RC Notes the same day. I remember being incredulous that such a thing
had existed the previous 8-years I'd been a DEC employee and I had just made
the discovery. On the following day, I started topic 239, "Ramblin' with the
Desert Rat," which, to my everlasting joy, became one of the most active topics
in the conference, totalling nearly 2500 replies to date. Then came topic 271,
"So You Wanna' Fly Scale," topic 288, "Let Us Spray," and, of course, topic
539, "Aircraft Trivia," which is nearing 5000 replies and appears to be going
strong.
Guys, I've most sincerely been in heaven these not quite 4-years. Having the
ability to communicate with fellow RC enthusiasts all over the world right at
my fingertips has been a priviledge I can scarcely describe. Modelers outside
DEC simply marvel and are never quite able to grasp this wonderful tool when I
attempt to describe it to them, and for good reason; I frequently fail to grasp
the immense scope, power and impact of it myself!
The benefits I've enjoyed from RC Notes are almost too many to describe but
I'll try. I'd be remiss if I didn't place the people first on the list. I've
been inordinately fortunate in meeting and [in some cases] flying with a host
of noters; Art Newbery was the very first way back when...then came Kevin Ladd,
Kay Fisher, Dan Miner, John Tavares, Dan Eaton, Chris Spohr, Dave Hughes, Chuck
Baldridge, Frank Benson, Joe Marrone, Bruce Bretschneider, Terry Tombaugh, Mark
Antry, Randy Oswald and last, but certainly least (only kidding), the [not so]
Evil One his'self, Eric Henderson. I hope I haven't omitted anyone; if so,
please forgive me, no slight was intended. Before I get into hot water I
should also mention the lovely noters' ladies I've been priviledged to meet:
Sue Ladd, Pat Fisher and Mary Miner...great gals every one!
Phew! I've truly been fortunate in meeting [probably] more noters than any
noter outside the Central Massachusetts area. Of course, I think the
attraction has been Arizona's great winter(?) flying weather more than this
grizzled ol' Desert Rat but, whatever the motivation, it has been most
gratifying, to the point of being humbling, to have been visited by so many
terrific folks. I thank you all! BTW, you're all still welcome to visit;
just because I'll no longer be a DECcie doesn't mean I'll cease to exist...
come out and fly with me ANYTIME. Wellllll, anytime but the dead of summer
when it's 115� F+ outside. ;b^)
Then, there are the material things. Over my involvement with RC Notes, I've
received some really great stuff! I have pictures galore that many of you have
sent me of yourselves and your planes. Chris Spohr sent me a quart of Simple
Green concentrate back when it was like trying to find hen's teeth. Brian
Warwick sent me some samples of Engine cleaning and afterun products, and also
coordinated my ordering a set of P-51B plans from England's RCM&E magazine.
Bob Day sent me a T-shirt from his RC club in Basingstoke, England. I was able
to satisfy a nostalgic desire to acquire a late 50's vintage Monogram
Speedee-Bilt B-17 kit through Bart Cusick and Don Huff literally flooded me
with nostalgia when he blessed me with 50's vintage Ukie-stunter kits for the
Kenhi Panther and the Top-Flite P-51. Kay Fisher bestowed a neat copy of the
vintage "Wonder Book of the Air" on me and Evil-E made me a smokin' deal on a
great Passche airbrush compressor. Most recently, Kevin Colburn sent me a neat
1/72 scale plastic model of the MiG-3. No doubt about it, I've been truly
blessed!!
The mere mention of a need for information on the Lavochkin La-5FN and La-7
resulted in an avalanche of good, usable documentation. And stuff on the MiG-3
poured in, unsolicited, steadily for the entire time I've been associated with
the notesfile. Sometimes I've felt guilty at airing my personal trials and
tribulations in the notesfile but the immediate outpouring of sincere support,
understanding and caring always made me feel glad I did and I profitted from
the kindness so unselfishly shown me.
Yes, I've been blessed and benefitted much from the RC Notesfile...more than I
probably even realize myself. My sincerest hope is that I've somehow, some
way, given some small measure of that back to the notesfile.
Vicariously I've taken pleasure watching onetime fledglings like Dan Snow,
Chris Spohr, John Tavares, Ajai Thirumalai and others, overcome setbacks, gain
confidence, spread their wings and become proficient modelers and pilots. My
fondest wish is that something I've said or some answer/advice I've offered has
contributed in some small sense to their achievement of success. I'd also like
to hope that I had some small part in convincing so many Northeast area noters
to take a shot at the arts of glassing, priming and painting their models in
lieu of the faster iron-on films that almost dominate the covering materials
arena anymore....maybe even that someone's first venture into scale was, in
some small measure, prompted by something I did or said.
If I can leave believing that I might have contributed just a tad to these and
other things, I'll feel like I repaid a small portion of my debt to RC Notes,
though I think the ledger will never quite balance considering the multitude of
benefits I've reaped over these few short years.
Sadly, with a tear in the ol' Rat's eye, I now tack on the ol' logo for one
final time. I thank you, each and every one, for allowing me to be a part of RC
Notes for this all too short period. Losing the notesfile creates a void in my
life that'll never quite be filled. I'll miss you all and I wish each of you
the bluest of skies and the happiest of flying always. Vaya con Dios, amigos.
Al Casey > Drop me a line or a call sometime.
13148 N. 21st. Ave. > I'll be tickled to hear from you.
Phoenix, > Better yet, come out to God's Country
AZ 85029 > for a visit and let's go flying!
(602) 863-1456
__
| | / |\ ________________________
|______|__(o/--/ | \ / ADIOS FROM THE /
<| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | -------< DESERT RAT \
|\)____/___|\_____|_/ \_______________________\
| |___/ o
'', (sniff sniff)
| | 00 | |
|_|_| (->o |_|_|
| \__(O_\_ |
|
| 239.2501 | Mayhaps we're sayin' the same thing... | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Wed Mar 20 1991 16:55 | 11 |
| Al,
Don't get me wrong - I posted my note with an intention to
commisserate!! It could have happened to _ANYONE_, and I tried to
portray that through relating my personal experiences with my
numerous flights last year...
Who are these F-troop guys? Is it similar to the Civil Air Patrol?
ajai
|
| 239.2502 | Farewell, Old Friend | LEDS::WATT | | Wed Mar 20 1991 17:02 | 10 |
| Best of luck, Al. I feel like I know you even though we have not yet
met. I speak for all of the local HTA's when I say that there will be
a big void in RC notes when you depart. I was really moved by your
farewell note and I feel lucky to have been a part of RC notes the past
four years.
Keep 'M Flying,
Charlie
|
| 239.2503 | Thanks a ton! And all the best! Hope to see ya sometime! | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Wed Mar 20 1991 17:12 | 20 |
| The reply note number didn't look quite right, so I went back and
looked to see you have posted your farewell note, Al!
Cripes! It is that time already, huh? You can be sure that I personally
learnt a great deal from your lucid, articulate, and very informative
if not funny posts all these years! I have admit I even learnt a few
"tricks" when it comes to the art of writing, from reading all that you
wrote. Thanks too for being soo prompt and liberal with giving me (and
others) advice when I got stuck.
It felt good to know that you were "watching" me as I progressed,
stumbled and finally soloed last year. Kind'a like Luke's guru in
Starwars! I am sure you will be "there" whenever I fly - maybe you now
realise the effectiveness of your postings!
Anyhow, leaving DEC is not the end of the world. We'll keep in touch.
ajai - the - injun
|
| 239.2504 | CIVIL AIR PATROL....? HARDLY....!! :B^) | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Wed Mar 20 1991 17:37 | 24 |
| Re: .2501, Ajai,
No sweat, pard', I wasn't upset...it just sounded like you were saying
the same thing I'd already said as if I hadn't said it. Huh....??????
Who are those F-Troopers, you ask? They're just a bunch of crazees
from So. Cal. who have a VERY loose orginization that does essentially
NO thing except build, fly and promote scale (mostly military). They
began, actually, as a parody of the 1/8 Air Force but the concept has
persevered/flourished. I was flattered to have been "drafted" into the
group at last March's 1/8 AF Scale Fly-In and have enjoyed every moment
of my association with it.
Pete Sepulveda is the prime motivator and commander (4-star General) of
the group as well as editor of the group's newsletter, "The F-Word."
Tht should give you some idea of the basic complexion of the group; the
F-Word is the funniest, most entertaining newsletter going, bar none and
the group in toto are just a bunch of fun-loving, loveable goof-ups!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2505 | Sad to say | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Thu Mar 21 1991 08:23 | 40 |
| > <<< Note 239.2504 by UPWARD::CASEYA "THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572" >>>
> -< CIVIL AIR PATROL....? HARDLY....!! :B^) >-
...
> Pete Sepulveda is the prime motivator and commander (4-star General) of
> the group as well as editor of the group's newsletter, "The F-Word."
> Tht should give you some idea of the basic complexion of the group; the
> F-Word is the funniest, most entertaining newsletter going, bar none and
> the group in toto are just a bunch of fun-loving, loveable goof-ups!
...
More like the "Uncivil Air Parole".
Hey Al - how about burning a copy of all the F-Words you have and DEC
mailing them to me. I will in turn copy and distribute to anybody that
wants one.
P.S. It is official my mail stop has finally changed to match my office
change that happened several months ago.
Kay Fisher
BXB2-2/E06
Remember what Yogi said
It ain't over till it's over
Or was it the desert rat that said
The flight isn't over till the propeller stops
Hey - what is that high pitched screeching sound
Oh No - The Fat Lady is singing...
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2506 | "Best wishes, Al !!!" | VERSA::TULANKO | | Thu Mar 21 1991 09:27 | 19 |
|
Al,
Over the years your "Ramblings" and aid to fellow noters
have been both enlighting and inspiring to one like myself just
a few years into the hobby. And, YES ! , we just had to try
some of them new tips, especially the one about glassing. Son-
of-a-gun if it doesn't make ya wanta give the ole "Plastic"
stuff the boot in light of a nicer finish. Just wanted to mention
that so ya know for sure those "tips" sure helped a noter like
myself stuck remotely somewhere between Arizona and Mass.
And we'll miss those updates too! Great stories told
like a real entertainer. So, with that, thanks for everything
and good luck to whatever comes your way !
Carl
|
| 239.2507 | WILL ONE DO....?? | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Thu Mar 21 1991 09:45 | 22 |
| Firstly, I did the DIR/TITLE="*MAIL*" to be sure it worked and, sho'
nuff', it pulled up "THE DESERT RAT'S MAILING LIST," topic number 1281
so all y'all who haven't yet and wish to, please put yer' address etc.
in 1281 soon so I can extract it before they pull the plug on our
cluster. Gar-cee-ass!
Re: .2504, Kay,
"Uncivil Air Patrole," I love it! :B^) Sounds like a perfect
nom de plume for the Troopers. Regarding copies of the F-Word, I have
a single copy from sometime last year in my desk which I kept for the
mailing list of the members. I could copy this one and send it yer'
way. Unfortunately, I just recently cleaned house of model mags,
newsletters, etc. in the "Library." It'd gotten to where I couldn't
raise the lid on my skivvy-hamper anymore. ;b^) Therefore, one copy's
the best I can do currently.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2508 | I hate this!!!! | SNAX::SMITH | I FEEL THE NEED | Thu Mar 21 1991 09:55 | 43 |
|
Al,
Well, I've started a reply about 15 times now and it never comes
out right. I guess it never does when you have to say goodbye.
I don't think there's any doubt in anyone's mind that RC NOTES and AL CASEY
are synonymous. The humor, expertise and guidance you've provided will be
referenced for as long as RC NOTES exists.
As you mentioned, the ability we have to communicate with fellow RC'ERS
across the globe is truly amazing. In a way, I know how you feel. With
everything that's been happening in the company these last couple of years,
the thought of not being a DECIE has crossed my mind more than once. Every
time I think about it, one of the first things that comes to mind is
BUT......I WON'T HAVE NOTES ANYMORE. It truly is a resource to be treasured.
Even though we have yet to meet face to face, I would not hesitate to say
Al Casey????? Sure I know him. He's a good friend of mine. That's really
the way I feel and is one of the great things this notes file does. After
talking back and forth for so long, meeting becomes just a formality. Every
one already knows each other.
Be assured you will be missed and I wouldn't be surprised at all to hear that
your phone is all of a sudden ringing off the wall with people calling with
their questions instead of using notes. I look forward to continuing to
read about you in the mags and watching you scoff up win after win. I will
also make certain (as I'm sure others here will) that you receive video's
once in awhile of the antics going on back east. See, even leaving the
company won't get us out of your face. We'll haunt you forever.
Damn sam, there's so many idiots in this company that still have jobs, why'd
they have to pick on you!!!!!!!!! I know, that's life and we all go on. It
sucks anyway.
Be well my friend. Keep em flying and keep em winning. As Spoc would say
LIVE LONG AND PROSPER.
Adios......
Steve
|
| 239.2509 | tough to really express it but... | ZENDIA::REITH | Jim Reith DTN 226-6102 - LTN2-1/F02 | Thu Mar 21 1991 10:20 | 21 |
| I agree with Steve, it really is hard to say goodbye. I've been amazed
at the breadth of knowledge Al's contributed and the humor that has
brightened the day at times when I've needed it. Being a contractor,
leaving the company from time to time is more of a reality for me and
several times I've nudged a job decision towards a DEC position due to
the wealth of info in notes.
It was funny hearing your voice after the eye operation and being able
to talk to you as though I knew you even though we've never met or
talked before. Through notes I really DID know you. Had the same thing
happen last night meeting Mark Antry. "Hi, how are you? How do you get
the glass to lay up when bagging?" ;^)
I look forward to the time when I can walk up to the ol' Rat himself
and say Hi and thank you for all the help I've recieved through your
notes with a proper, firm handshake. Until then, I'll be watching the
mags for tidbits of news and hoping people will share bit of
corrospondence from you.
Best of luck, Al and may you get as much out of the hobby as you've
already contributed.
|
| 239.2510 | Hope to see you soon!!! | GENRAL::BALDRIDGE | It's downhill from here | Thu Mar 21 1991 11:56 | 13 |
|
I too, wish to extend my thank you for all your help, both personally,
when we flew together and thru your input into the notesfile. If, or
when, I actually relocate to Phoenix (and that's now questionable
again), I hope to see a lot more of you and some of your 1/8th Air
Force buddies I have met. As long as I am with DEC, I'd be more than
happy to act as your conduit into RC Notes and post "write" and "reply"
for you.
Let's be sure we stay in touch.
My very fondest regards, Chuck
|
| 239.2511 | WISH AH' COULD BUT AH' CAIN'T.... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Thu Mar 21 1991 12:51 | 11 |
| Re: 1281.44, Randy,
I'd love ta' meet you on CompuServe. Onliest hitch is I don't own a PC
and right now isn't the time to be making the investment to buy one.
Oh well, good thought.......
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2512 | PC Optional | TINCUP::OSWALD | TANSTAAFL! | Thu Mar 21 1991 15:42 | 5 |
| Al, the PC is optional. You should be able to get in with just a terminal and
modem I think. Maybe we should all take up a collection and get Al a VT100,
modem, and Compuserve membership as a going-away present?
Randy
|
| 239.2513 | | CSC32::GORTMAKER | Whatsa Gort? | Fri Mar 22 1991 01:28 | 9 |
| Al,
I have been a read mostly noter in this conference for the last 2 years
but I feel in that time I have gained 20 years worth of knoledge thru
your notes. You will be deeply missed by this noter.
Randy, great idea!
-Jerry
|
| 239.2514 | THAT'S THE NODE BOB DAY USED TO USE..... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Mon Mar 25 1991 09:42 | 15 |
| Re: .1281.46, Brian,
Thanx, Pard'. I don't know when I'd ever have occasion to be in
England but it _is_ one of my ambitions so who knows?. BTW, I
recognize yer' node (KERNEL::) from the days when Bob Day was a regular
noter from Basingstoke. I heard a rumor he was back in the UK...have
you heard anything of him? Should you happen to run into him, please
say hello and goodbye from the ol' Desert Rat and tell him the T-shirt
he sent me continues to provoke questions anytime I wear it. Gracias.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2515 | Another one fades away... | MJBOOT::BENSON | __Frank Benson, DTN 348-4944__ | Mon Mar 25 1991 19:10 | 17 |
| I'd hate to have Al feel lonely, being the only one (so far) leaving
Digital, SO...
I wnated you guys to know that I've put in my resignation from Digital
to management effective 3 Jun 91. Now, that means I may be here until
then, or I might be out the door tomorrow! I'm leaving Digital to
assume control of our family owned business consisting of a retail
jewelry store located in Center City Harrisburg (PA) as well as a
jewelry manufacturing and goldsmith facility located nearby. It's an
opportunity I simply can't pass up (and don't want to!), but be assured
I _will_ miss all of you! Thanks for all of the friendship and
knowledge; I won't soon forget ...
__|__ Regards-
\________________________O________________________/ Frank.
|
| 239.2516 | BEST 'A LUCK TO YA', AMIGO..... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Tue Mar 26 1991 09:37 | 9 |
| Adios, Frank,
Need any help?? :B^) :B^)
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2517 | | N25480::FRIEDRICHS | Take the money and run! | Tue Mar 26 1991 14:27 | 20 |
| Hi Al!
I have been asked to announce this here today so it doesn't get missed
in your last couple of days...
Please be on the look out in the next couple of weeks for a package
from me. In it will be a small token of appreciation from all of
us radio control modelers here at DEC. We hope that it in some small
way shows you the great appreciation we all have for you for all of the
knowledge and fun that you have shared with us.
We had hoped that we would get it out to you by now, but things are
coming together more slowly than we expected. But we did want to
let you know about it before you left.
Thanks again from all of us Al, we are all really going to miss you!
cheers,
jeff
|
| 239.2518 | | N25480::FRIEDRICHS | Take the money and run! | Tue Mar 26 1991 14:28 | 6 |
| Oh, didn't I mention what it was?? Oh well, you will just have to
wait and see.. But we are pretty sure you will like it... :-)
Cheers,
jeff
|
| 239.2519 | Just so you don't forget what we look like... | ZENDIA::REITH | Jim Reith DTN 226-6102 - LTN2-1/F02 | Tue Mar 26 1991 14:52 | 25 |
| Hi Al,
Along the same lines, I've been collecting things for another group
gift. I'll even tell you what it is ;^)
Parallel to Jeff's efforts, I've been collecting pictures from noters.
The idea is to put together a "yearbook" where each set of facing pages
will have pictures/stats of each noter. Since most of us are just
getting out of the workshop, things have been a bit behind in getting
it together but it's coming. It will also have a looseleaf format so
that additional pages can be easily added as people get their pictures
in (hint hint) and events happen that we want to include pictures from.
This will hopefully put some faces with all those noters out there you
infuenced over the years. This will probably get into the mail at the
end of April.
To the rest of you:
Keep those pictures coming in
Jim Reith
LTN2-1/F02
and please send me email at imokay::reith stating what's coming from
whom so I can plan ahead.
|
| 239.2520 | AW' PSHAW, GUYS....... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Tue Mar 26 1991 17:08 | 15 |
| Re: .2517 & 18, Jeff,
That certainly isn't necessary but I really appreciate the gesture (or
will I?). ;b^)
Re: .2519, Jim,
Sounds like a winner, amigo. I'd love such a keepsake as a reminder of
the ol' notesfile.
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2521 | | N25480::FRIEDRICHS | Take the money and run! | Tue Mar 26 1991 17:35 | 6 |
| I suspect you will very much enjoy it... and don't thank just me.. it
is from all of us...
cheers,
jeff
|
| 239.2522 | PARTICIPATION WAS REWARD ENOUGH..... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Wed Mar 27 1991 09:26 | 10 |
| Well, to be perfectly honest, just having access to notes and being a
part of it for the past [almost] 4-years is really reward enough but,
you got it, Pard', THANX IN ADVANCE TO THE ENTIRE NOTESFILE FOR WHATEVER
IT IS YER' 'A COOKIN' UP!
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2523 | A sight for sore eyes! | AKOFAT::CAVANAGH | | Wed Mar 27 1991 13:22 | 21 |
| Gee Al, it's too bad you don't live in the greater Maynard area.
Then we could give you a 'proper' send off. I know of this belly
dancer that we'd hire for you. She is something else!!!! We've
hired her for numerous going away parties and ton for ton, she's
worth every penny she charges. The only problem is she has a habit
of renting out her gut to advertisement agencies and shows up at our
parties with billboards plastered to her navel (full size billboards).
When she gets moving to that music....oooooooeeeeee...everyone steps
back (about 50 feet).
It's quite the scene...and your gonna' miss it! Too bad......8^)
Jim
P.S. One time we called her and asked for 2 of her dancers...she showed
up alone! We're talking a BIG! 8^)
|
| 239.2524 | IT'S THAT TIME, I'M AFRAID...... | UPWARD::CASEYA | THE DESERT RAT (I-RC-AV8) 551-5572 | Fri Mar 29 1991 10:13 | 62 |
| Well, there's no more avoiding it. The day I've dreaded but had
deluded myself might not _really_ come, is here at last...my last day
at Digital. I'm a mere 4-hours or less from walking out the door for
the final time.
But, for the first time all week, the weather is bright, clear and
sunny...and, strangely, so is my mood. As I sit here, resplendent in
my temporary badge, I find I feel like I've at last been disconnected
from an anchor I've been dragging around for the past 5+ years, during
which time I've/we've been forced to be witnesses and unwilling
participants in a crash course on how to mismanage a once flourishing
plant into extinction. That fact has, perhaps subconsciously, kept me
in a low-level state of depression all the ensuing time and I've had
little-to-no ambition to do much of anything except kick back in the
recliner and doze the evenings away in front of the boob-tube.
Now, however, with the imminent prospect of having this burden lifted
once and for all, I find I'm being recharged with motivation I haven't
felt literally for years. I'm actually looking forward to replacing
leaky faucets, cleaning up the yard and doing other fix-up projects
that've gone wanting for far too long a time. AND, I can't wait to
muck out the workshop, clear the decks and start laying up a new
airplane or two! I feel rejuvenated!!
Taking that last walk out the door will be quite easy but logging off
from this notesfile for the last time, deleting my notebook entries,
and shutting down my VAX account will, I fear, be one of the most
difficult things I've EVER had to do in my lifetime! I just don't know
how I'm going to get along without my daily "fix" of RC-notes and all
you terrific noters...I expect the withdrawal will be scarcely easier
than that from a hard drug.
At the 11th hour. yet one more benefit came my way: Pat Robinson up in
Canada is sending me a 1949 Andersen Royal Baby Spitfire .049, the very
first gas engine I ever owned at age 11-12. I managed to ruin that
engine doing uneducated "kid things" to it but, with a tremendous flush
of nostalgia, I now have an opportunity for some convoluted kind of
atonement and this little reminder of my modeling roots will be treated
like the most valuable of gemstones!
But enough of this, I've already posted my farewell in .2500 and can't
really add much to it except to say, one final time, THANK YOU all so
very much for allowing me to be a part of RC_notes...I'll miss it and
all of you much more than mere words can ever express! Allow me to
once more include my address and phone number and PLEASE, Please, call
or write me any time, for any reason whatever.
Adios, mi amigos and vaya con dios,
AL CASEY
13148 N. 21st AVE.
PHOENIX,
AZ 85029
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Good luck, y'all,
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2525 | Don't stop rambling now... | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Thu Apr 18 1991 10:35 | 16 |
| Just because Al is not here doesn't mean we can't ramble!
Anyway - one of the Rat's last deeds was to send me a copy of
the F-Troop's news letter the F-Word.
I made several copies. Part if this issue includes Frank Tiano's
answer to Al Casey's complaints about the static judging of his
MiG 3 at the last Top Gun Invitational.
For your very own copy send me mail at Tallis::Fisher and let me know
your DEC mail stop.
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2526 | Funny newsletter. Good/interesting graphics. | ZENDIA::REITH | Jim Reith DTN 226-6102 - LTN2-1/F02 | Thu Apr 18 1991 10:48 | 7 |
| I used pieces of this in my last newsletter and got several reactions.
I loved the little box, "If you fly, you crash. If you ain't crashed,
you haven't been FLYING. Plain and simple!"
I think the most reaction came from my posting of the "10 ways to kill
an organization". We got volunteers for both field cleanup materials and
the fun-fly P^)
|
| 239.2527 | Heaven in a 727 | STOHUB::STOSPT::EATON | Dan Eaton St.Louis,MO,USA, 445-6522 | Thu Apr 18 1991 19:25 | 56 |
| Yesterday I went to heaven! It all started when my beeper went off at 6:30
yesterday morning. Normally, that be the pits and it certainly didn't help that
I suspected the page was about one of our FE's in trouble at a rail yard.
Fighting rush hour traffic to drive across town to a slum where the yard
is located so I could cross a picket line to get to the broken computer didn't
sound like any fun at all.
But fortune smiled on me because when I answered the page I found out that the
problem was one of our engineers had been working all night at Flight Safety.
Yippee! If you're not familiar with Flight Safety, they provide simulator
training for the airlines. This office houses six simulators for various models
of airliners. The VAX that was broke was hooked up to a 727 simulator. These
are the large full bore simulators that sit up on a hydraulic platform and have
a complete cockpit set up on the inside. Pilot views are provided by
projection monitors hooked up to the windows.
With the help of the engineer I was supporting, we started working down thru
the problems present on the VAX. At first the simulator wouldn't work at all.
Then I got that problem resolved and most of the simulator would work but the
landing gear wouldn't come down and engine 2 would affect engine 3. It was
fascinating working thru this with the customer because to analyze the problem
you have to know what the indicators are telling you. Was the problem a real
hardware problem or was something screwed up in the aircraft being simulated?
After looking at the engineer's board on the simulator, the customer decided
that he had everything he needed to extend the gear so therefore we had a
hardware problem. Eventually, we traced this to a bad Unibus cable.
Now it was time to see if all the problems were gone. Back to the simulator
with me being invited to take the co-pilots seat. Close the door and next thing
you know we're in the night sky over Kansas City International. The lights of
the cars travelling on I-29 in front of the airport are clearly visible as is
the landmark radio tower to the south in Kansas City proper. No problems so far.
Next they punched a few buttons and we're sitting on the ground in Washinton
D. C. The Washington Monument looms menacingly close at center-right while the
Capital building is visible off further to the right. The customer shoves the
throttles forward, the gages jump to full power and the 727 starts cruising
down the runway. At about 140 nauts he pulls back on the stick and up we go.
Now, in the back of my mind, I know the bridge to the simulator is down and
therefore the hydraulic actuators are locked out but when we when we started
climbing out I could have sworn I felt the cabin tilt back.
Then we saw the original problem that the customer was trying to fix. As the
lights of the city wheeled smoothly across the windshields, every now and then
they'd halt and suddenly jump ahead. The customer called this stepping. They had
eliminated the obivious in their equipment and needed help eliminating the
possibilities on the VAX end. We had to try several different things to
eliminate all the possibilities from the VAX end and each time we had to troop
over to the simulator and take it for a spin to see if the problem was still
there. Rough work but somebody had to do it. 8^) Unfortunately, we couldn't
find anything in the VAX to make the problem go away. They have to go to the
simulator manfacturer for help. I was hoping we'd get to fix it because if
you fix it you fly it.
|
| 239.2528 | And you complain about the outrageous cost of nitro fuel??? | HPSPWR::WALTER | | Fri May 03 1991 14:29 | 74 |
| I realize this has little to do with RC modeling, but the facts are just
so astounding that I thought I'd repeat them here. The May issue of Car &
Driver had an article on Top Fuel dragsters that caused my chin to continually
drop to the floor. The "4 Minute Mile" of drag racing these days is 300 MPH,
and what they have to do to get there in just 1/4 mile is astonishing.
Here are a few facts gleaned from the article:
ACCELERATION:
When the dragster leaves the starting line, it does so with 5.5 G's
of acceleration. That's similar to what a jet fighter pilot
experiences in a high G turn. The driver's foot has to be lashed to
the pedal so he won't back off inadvertantly. It reaches 100 MPH in
one second... that's about 79 feet, or 3 lengths of the dragster. As
it screams through the 1/4 mile mark at over 280 MPH, its on board
computer dutifully notes that it still is producing more than 1 G of
acceleration, which is more than a Porche 911 Turbo pulls in first
gear.
FUEL:
97% pure nitromethane, $950 per 50 gallon drum, and they use over
2 drums in a weekend of racing. The dragster consumes 8 gallons of
fuel in 2 minutes... AT IDLE! At full power, the engine snorts down
1 gallon of fuel PER SECOND. How do you get that much fuel into the
engine? Well, you start with fuel lines which are - are you ready for
this? - 1.5 inches in diameter. You then have a custom fuel pump
built which delivers the nitro at a pressure of 150 PSI or more. The
fuel tank is in the front of the dragster, so the acceleration helps
push the fuel towards the monster engine.
DECELERATION:
At the conclusion of the run, the driver has two stopping options:
the $7000 composite disk brakes used in the F-16, which deliver 3.5
Gs, and the twin parachutes which pull on his tail with up to 6 Gs.
The driver says it feels like hitting a brick wall. The force is so
strong that it throws the fuel to the front of the tank, effectively
starving the engine and acting as an unintended kill switch.
ENGINE:
You think your YS45 pumper with tuned pipe is pretty hot? Or maybe
your Corvette ZR-1 is unbeatable? This 500 cubic inch monster is
believed to produce in the vicinity of 5000 horsepower... they haven't
been able to find a dyno that can measure it. And even if they did,
the engine's life at that power level is only about 60 seconds. The
engine is capable of spinning up from idle (2000 RPM) to 6800 RPM in
one tenth of a second. And it certainly needs all that power... the
dragsters relatively high Cd of 0.7 requires 2,500 hoursepower just
to pull it through the air at 250 MPH. The engine is completely
stripped down after every run, and the following items are checked:
ITEM EXPECTED LIFE IN RUNS
Crankshaft and connecting rods 20
Transmission 75 seconds
Clutch ($7000) 1
Differential 4
Supercharger ($3500) 1
Tires 20 seconds
Cost per 1/4 mile run = about $7500
Cost of a single chassis plus engine = $87,000
There's plenty more interesting facts in the article, like how do you
actually get 5000 horsepower down onto the track without melting the tires,
and what it feels like to blow over backwards at 170 MPH, and what happens
when the fuel system delivers too much fuel (which is a liquid after all, and
incompressible) to a cylinder, and what kind of Rube-Goldbergian device
controls the clutch, and how much downforce is created by the rear wing,
and.....
But you'll have to read it yourself.
Dave, who has new disrespect for his K&B .20
|
| 239.2529 | MC Hammer: "Can't touch this!" 8^) 8^) | ZENDIA::REITH | Jim Reith DTN 226-6102 - LTN2-1/F02 | Fri May 03 1991 14:48 | 4 |
| I don't know Dave, your Skoota would be pretty untouchable with the K&B
on 97% nitro...
The flames are invisible!
|
| 239.2530 | | SA1794::TENEROWICZT | | Fri May 03 1991 14:55 | 8 |
|
Just in case anyone get an idea to try some additional Nitro I priced
some 60% for a guy in my club who wanted some for a formula 1 race
plane. Our cost was 68.00 a gallon ready for your glow engine.
Tom
|
| 239.2532 | ACUs | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Wed May 08 1991 16:45 | 22 |
| Here's a hot item. From the June RCM page 144.
An add for Air Combat Units - little devices that you strap on your top
wing and they emit an infar-red beam. Your flying friends strap one on
their aircraft and they likewise get a beam. The back of the unit receives
only the others pulse stream - that is allies can't shoot each other down.
Kinda like a high tech version of the paint war game. Looks like great fun.
There a little big (3.5x1.5x1) and a little heavy (6 oz) and a little
expensive ($64) but hey - that kinda describes every plane I own :-)
If you get hit your unit trails a 3 foot streamer and ceases firing.
And just in time for father's day!
Check it out!
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2533 | Hey buddy - where you think your going with that? | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Mon May 13 1991 15:08 | 11 |
| Speaking of wind tunnels.
For folks who care about such things in the Jun-91 Model Aviation
the Control Line Aerobatics column by McMillan has a section
about a guy who works for NASA and has a portable wind tunnel.
Check it out.
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2534 | | SPREC::CHADD | SPR Network Resource Center | Mon May 13 1991 21:05 | 17 |
| Re: 239.2528
Interesting about the Top Fuel dragsters. I did not realise they were quite
that powerful. Unfortunately in Sydney our do-gooder noise abatement lobby has
successfully eliminated the event from our sporting calendar.
The quoted figure of 5000bhp from 500cui percentage is probably more than we
can achieve in our motors. FYI the F3D Pylon .4cui engine I use produces 3.1bhp
at 29,000rpm, measured on a dyno. That is 7.75bhp/cui compared to 10bhp/cui
for the Top Fuel dragsters. We use 80% methanol 20% castor oil; no nitro.
Did the article say what the remaining 3% of the fuel was. I imagine it must be
some form of igniter to get the nitro to burn, also did it mention the danger
of pressurising the nitro. I cant recall exactly but I thought it was critical
at 4 bar.
John
|
| 239.2535 | | HPSPWR::WALTER | | Tue May 14 1991 14:00 | 9 |
| The article didn't say what the other 3% of the fuel was, but implied
that 97% pure nitro was about as good as you get, so the rest must be
unwanted impurities.
There was no mention of danger in compressing the nitro. Considering
they're running the fuel line at 150 PSI or more, it can't be too
critical.
Dave
|
| 239.2536 | Video Emergency | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Wed Jun 05 1991 16:11 | 57 |
|
I am declaring a VIDEO Emergency!
For the last 3 years we have been using the DEC mail system to ship our
DECRCM video tapes around. In order to avoid the legal problems dealing
with copyrighted data I have made it a policy not to back up our tapes
and be our own insurance company. We have so far lost 2 tapes
that I have replace - an acceptable loss in my opinion. However
at this moment 3 others are long over due.
Several people have send me copies of a memo which expounded how
Digital will be throwing away non-business related mail. I don't
think this has affected us because the missing tapes have been
missing since before the "idle threat" mail started circulating.
But sadly I must admit that the DEC mail system has broken down.
Being an authorized user doesn't negate the fact that our
tapes are missing. So - things gotta change.
I have slowly been circulating the tapes back to myself in order
to re-label (changing volume numbers and my address). At this time
I would like to take the opportunity to also re-organize the
Video Tape distribution system.
Sooooooo
For the next week or so I intend to do NOTHING. I would appreciate
your suggestions. My current vision of the new revised Video
distribution goes along the following lines.
I would find volunteers to represent geographical areas (ZONES). My only
contact with the volunteers would be to coordinate the inter Zone
transfer of tapes. Each Zone representative would maintain a distribution
list (chart - whatever) for each volume in his possession and return
the updated list to me and the next Zone representative to receive
each tape. Also it would be nice if the Zone representatives would
collect donations and just forward me a check every so often.
The problem comes in when you have large geographical areas with
only one member or so. Of course nothing says you can't be a zone
representative and the only member - but this can only work if
we have a reasonable number of zones. For instance I envision
a Zone for Marlboro, a zone for BXB/LTN/Mill, a zone for Southern NH,
etc. Between individuals and facilities within a Zone the method
of transportation of tapes would be up to the Zone representative.
That is - I'm a results oriented kind of guy. But using the DEC
mail system does not appear to be a viable alternative (in general).
So - think about the problem a bit and if you have any suggestions
pipe up.
If anybody reading has no idea what I'm rambling about please read
note 1204.*.
Respectfully,
Kay R. Fisher - your volunteer DECRCM video librarian.
|
| 239.2537 | Make the backups... | TLE::SASAKI | Marty Sasaki ZK02-3N30 381-0151 | Wed Jun 05 1991 18:06 | 19 |
| Legally, you can make copies of video tapes, audio tapes, etc. for your
own use. You can make a backup copy of the tapes. This was originally
settled in the case of software and has since been expanded to include
audio and video tapes. As an example, if you purchased a CD, you can
copy this onto a cassette and play the cassette in your car.
The manufacturers and the holders of the copyright want you to buy more
tapes/CDs/cassettes. That way they make more money.
Since DECRCM has purchased the tape, DECRCM can make a backup copy.
Don't be fooled by the warning on the tape, they all overstate their
legal rights.
So, I suggest that a single copy of each tape be made and that this
copy be the one that is circulated. In order to avoid the legal
problems, another copy should only be made if the first copy is somehow
destroyed.
Marty Sasaki
|
| 239.2538 | Possible new flying site(s) | ELMAGO::TTOMBAUGH | A Fistful of Epoxy | Wed Jun 12 1991 10:50 | 18 |
| Last night at our club meeting a guy from the city parks & rec.
dept. showed up and asked for our (written) input as to what we
wanted in the way of a glider field on city property, other than
those parks we currently use.
After picking ourselves off the floor in surprise, we formed a small
committee who will meet next week and draft a reply.
It seems the city needs input as to how to develop several thousand
acres of land earmarked for future parks and the areas to be developed
are not suitable for horsemen and shooting range enthusiasts (the
two large and most vocal groups), and the power fliers already have
a city developed facility, so now the glider guys have a chance
at a land grab.
This will take time to come about, but it will be interesting to
see what happens.
Terry
|
| 239.2539 | | TLE::SASAKI | Marty Sasaki ZK02-3N30 381-0151 | Wed Jun 12 1991 13:18 | 4 |
| What city? This is amazing. I didn't think that cities did this
anymore, hard econmic times, etc...
Marty Sasaki
|
| 239.2540 | | WMOIS::HIGGINS_G | The Moeman | Wed Jun 12 1991 14:25 | 1 |
| Alburquerque, NM
|
| 239.2541 | One for hang gliders too | ELMAGO::TTOMBAUGH | A Fistful of Epoxy | Wed Jun 12 1991 15:37 | 13 |
| Only one "r" in Albuquerque since the 18th century, but the Dukes'
decendents occasionally visit.
The power field was built over 20 years ago, but the glider guys
just used vacant lots here and there until 4-5 years ago when it
was demonstrated that we didn't violate the noise ordinances that
banned model planes from city parks. Since then we've used one ~20
acre soccer field in the off season and smaller parks other times.
With the new areas to be developed, it will give us a year-round
large field(s).
Terry
|
| 239.2542 | Norm Goyer ... survives | ENTITY::KLADD | hl02-3/c11 225-7316 | Fri Jun 14 1991 13:26 | 19 |
| i finally got around to reading the article in the latest issue of
srcm about last spring's 1/8th af fun fly.
the actual article is by bob/marty? petro but norm has an editors
forword. in it he "profusely" thanks the 1/8th and roy pratt (president)
in particular.
if you didnt know the story behind the story (roy wrote a real flaming letter
to the publisher of scrm, among other things, saying norm was a turd and
never again welcome to 1/8th events (this mostly over norm's attack of dave
platt)) you'd probably be confused by some of this "praise".
but given that context norm clearly has his thumbs in his ears and is wiggling
his fingers... i especially like the part where norm says that thanks to the
letter to the publisher, i have been assigned more work. that is code for
'hey, your stupid letter to my boss didnt get me fired!'
i can't say i approve of 'ole norms behavior, but when not taken too seriously,
his shenanigans are amusing! i wonder what al thinks?
|
| 239.2543 | There's More Than One Kind Of Work | CLOSUS::TAVARES | Stay low, keep moving | Fri Jun 14 1991 16:31 | 3 |
| Maybe that 'more work' is that he is assigned additional tasks to
get him out of the SRCM drivers seat...like washing floors and
windows, for instance.
|
| 239.2544 | Scale Masters Qualifier | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Mon Jun 24 1991 12:39 | 63 |
| The desert rat will be happy to know Kevin just qualified and should
meet him in Las Vegas.
Sooooooo
I will ramble a bit on the Scale Master's qualifier in Westfield
this last weekend.
Both days were nice - sunny Saturday and mostly cloudy Sunday.
Wind was modest and generally not a factor altho it was mostly
a cross wind and gave some of the lighter tail dragger pilots
some problems.
There were 4 categories and from the total of all entries they
were able to qualify 5 for the Masters.
The five qualifiers are selected from the top five of the combined
Expert and Giant Expert classes.
There only 9 entered in Expert and Giant Expert.
Charley Nelson won Expert and Tom Kechevski(sorry) won
Giant Expert. Kevin was 3 points behind him in 2nd place
in Giant Expert with his P-47.
Kevin's jug got an 87 static (about what he expected) and we flew
two rounds Saturday and 3 Sunday.
Kevin had a major problem trying to make the jugs natural pattern fit into
the limited airspace allowed. In the first round we got a 84 or 87.
and one red warning flag. In the second round we got a 44 because along
with our 2nd red warning flag they zeroed the rest of the flight.
Had we ever flown on flight line one we probably would not have had
any problem. I must note that even they had two flight lines they were
close together and we were literally flying our pattern at the same
time and in the same space as another plane every flight. Not only
did we have to spot the other contestant and abort and go around before
starting some maneuvers but we had to try and guess what the other
contestant was about to fly. If he did a loop then we might have to go
around again. So frequently we were entering the judging area to perform
some maneuver while the other contestant was in front of us finishing
his last maneuver. Very hectic and hardly what I would call safe.
Anyway on day two Kevin puts in 3 good flights (not counting the fact
that on one landing the gear wouldn't come down so he had to yank
the stick a few times to force it out). The last flight was a 91
and tied with Charley Nelson for the highest flight score of the meet.
Saturday during static judging there was a scale fun fly.
This was great and there were maybe 3 times as many planes Saturday
as Sunday. One of the nicest was a 1/3 scale clipped wing Taylor-Craft.
Beautiful.
One fellow had a scratch built Warthog that had a OS .32 heli tractor
on it and he used the jet engine nacelles as speed brakes. He had a
butterfly valve in each nacelle and it flew great. 6 flaps!
Gotta go - Kevin will fill in details.
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2545 | A Force One and a bigggg horse fly. | STOHUB::JETRGR::EATON | Dan Eaton St.Louis,MO,USA, 445-6522 | Thu Jun 27 1991 12:46 | 42 |
| I was off on vacation the last couple of weeks. The time leading up to our
departure was pretty hectic so I didn't have a chance to prepare for my
annual building spree at my in-laws. So at the last moment, I thru my Xacto
knive, some extra blades, CA, and a razor plane in my flight box and off we
went. First chance I got, I went over to Balsa USA and bought a kit and
some other supplies. I was really tempted to buy their 1/4 scale cub except I
don't have an engine that pull it and I couldn't figure out how to truck
the thing back from Michigan with out leaving behind a couple of the kids.
I've got too many flying machines sitting in my basement unflyable because
I don't have the engine or engines to fly them. So, after giving some thought
to what engines I had available and what they were selling, I decided on the
Force One. If your not familiar, that's their mid-engined delta winged pusher.
Since most of what I've built has been a roll-your-on type affair, it was
pleasent working with a kit were everything is already cut out for you. The
kit itself just had some minor problems like the wood for the TE cover strips
had been cut 1/4 inch too short.
I tried to imitate Dan Snow and have the thing done in a week but other things
got in the way. Three weeks into it, I've got the top of the fuselage/wing half
covered. With a little luck, I might get the thing finnished in time to fly
this weekend. I've decided to have one of the more experienced fix wing pilots
take it up for it first spin. Despite assurences by the designer that it's easy
to handle when throttled back, a 45 powered delta wing is a far cry from the
Goldberg Electra that I have most of my fixed wing experience on.
Having someone else fly it first will also allow me to get some video of it for
Eric. Hopefully, I'll do a better job than the friend I had taping one of my
Concept 30 flying sessions last week. He didn't do too bad untill I suddenly
pulled up vertical to do a stall turn. On the tape you see the heli
cruising along horizontally, and then you hear a loud "ARRG" and the camera is
pointing all over the sky.
I got lot of heli flying in over the last coupla of weeks. It's really helped
my skill level to be able to go out every day for some flying. Not that there
haven't been some shakey moments. The worse was while flying up in Michigan. The
field is out in the sticks and while the chopper was crusing along about 80 feet
up this huge horse fly lands on the end of my nose. Now, I've gotten use to
things chewing on my elbows while flying and not being able to swat them but
there was no way I was going to be able to ignore that horse fly. They hurt!
I dumped the collective and did an emergency landing way out on the field
before the fly decided where to bite. What a relief.
|
| 239.2546 | Force One | KAY::FISHER | Stop and smell the balsa. | Thu Jun 27 1991 14:48 | 20 |
| >I don't have the engine or engines to fly them. So, after giving some thought
>to what engines I had available and what they were selling, I decided on the
>Force One. If your not familiar, that's their mid-engined delta winged pusher.
WOW - R U in for a surprise.
Kevin Ladd picked one of these up at an auction and WOW.
It is one hand full - perhaps he can send you a copy of the
video he made of it. The thing goes like lightning and
every landing is a controlled crash - course he has enough
power in it to accelerate vertically!
WOW!
May the "Force" be with you.
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2547 | Now he tells me..... | STOHUB::JETRGR::EATON | Dan Eaton St.Louis,MO,USA, 445-6522 | Thu Jun 27 1991 15:25 | 18 |
| RE:239.2546
>WOW - R U in for a surprise.
>Kevin Ladd picked one of these up at an auction and WOW.
>It is one hand full - perhaps he can send you a copy of the
>video he made of it. The thing goes like lightning and
>every landing is a controlled crash - course he has enough
>power in it to accelerate vertically!
SH*T!!!
The kids are cute. I'd probably been better off to sell a couple
of them at a good price and bought the 1/4 scale Cub. 8^)
Oh well,
At least it should make for some entertaining video footage.
|
| 239.2548 | jury still out on force1
| ROCK::KLADD | hl02-3/c11 225-7316 | Fri Jun 28 1991 13:07 | 9 |
| ignore the force-1 bashing for now.
i've only flown mine twice. in violent wind and with a completely
unreliable engine. my force-1 has a glide rate of a brick i
believe because its nose heavy.
the force-1 MIGHT be a good ship once i set it up right. with a
como 51 mine sure does scream...
kevin
|
| 239.2549 | RE:239.2548 | STOHUB::JETRGR::EATON | Dan Eaton St.Louis,MO,USA, 445-6522 | Fri Jun 28 1991 15:44 | 18 |
| >ignore the force-1 bashing for now.
Actually, when I bought mine another fello walked in to order something
and started telling me how much he loved his and gave me all sorts of tips
on it. From that I figured I wouldn't be too bad off. Still, I haven't heard
a lot of positive things about it since then.....
>i've only flown mine twice. in violent wind and with a completely
>unreliable engine. my force-1 has a glide rate of a brick i
>believe because its nose heavy.
How much does yours weigh and where you got the CG at according to the plans?
>the force-1 MIGHT be a good ship once i set it up right. with a
>como 51 mine sure does scream...
I've got my old Enya 45CX on it. The plan calls for a 45. We'll see what
happens.
|
| 239.2550 | Air Show report & phone call to The Rat | RGB::MINER | Dan Miner, DTN:225-4015, HLO2-1/J12 (@ H11) | Mon Jul 08 1991 11:56 | 35 |
| I went to the (full-scale) airshow at Hanscomb (sp?) Air Force Base
this last Saturday. The Thunderbirds were the grand finale but
there were various other planes flying throughout the day. One in
particular caught my eye. After it flew, I went to where it was
parked and tried to identify it. Painted under the tail was
"YAK-11".
Horray! I can be a hero of Al Casey's if I can get a bunch of
pictures and send them to him - 'cause I remembered that this is the
object of his next scale project. So I spend a few minutes taking
the last 12 pictures I have left even though I know I won't have any
film left for the Thunderbirds. Ah, it's for a good cause though...
After waiting almost 3 hours to get out of the parking lot, I get
home and call Al. Excitedly, I tell him that I've got a bunch of
pictures of a YAK-11 that he can use for his next project. I was a
bit surprized that he didn't sound excited, but just replied in that
Arizona drawl of his "Well, there were some similarities between the
YAK-9 and the YAK-11, such as the landing gear..." After a few
minutes of conversation back and forth, I come to realize that he's
building a YAK-9, _not_ a YAK-11. Rats! Oh well, most of the
pictures I took should be of some help to Al anyway.
The ol' Desert Rat said to say "Howdy" to all the noters...
_____
| \
| \ Silent POWER!
_ ___________ _________ | Happy Landings!
| \ | | | | |
|--------|- SANYO + ]-| ASTRO |--| - Dan Miner
|_/ |___________| |_________| |
| / | " The Earth needs more OZONE,
| / not Castor Oil!! "
|_____/
|
| 239.2551 | POST MARITAL RC FLYING AND INSTRUCTION. A REPORT. | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Wed Jul 10 1991 14:59 | 170 |
| The past 2 weekends were spent playing host to a
continuous stream of guests from as near as Boston, and
as far as Detriot, and pretty much wiped out further
progress on the WOT4 for the past 2 weeks.
However, I had prior knowledge that two of my guests
would like to get a taste of RC flying - and used the
excuse to get my First Step back into shape.
During the frozen finger fun fly on Jan 1st, 1991, I had
broken my tail wheel hinge. It is the kind where the
hinge 'tongue' is sandwiched between the fuse
side-skins, where they meet at the aft end, and the wire
that supports the tail wheel is bent in an inverted "L"
shape, and stuck in a hole in the rudder.
I couldn't find the same type of hinge, and besides, my
rudder hinges - the plastic strip variety - were in
shambles after 90 + hours of air time. It was time for
major reconstructive surgery.
The Du-Bro variety of tail wheel assembly lends itself
to easy on field replacement. I decided to steal the one
I had got ready for the WOT4 to save time bending the
music wire, and fiddling with wheel collars. The rudder
needed some patience before I could yank it off the two
remaining strip hinges that secured it.
I decided to go the Robart hinge route, partly because
it appears sturdy, and partly because I wanted to
rehearse glueing a control surface prior to doing it on
the WOT4. Unfortunately, I couldn't use the
jig-and-drill-in-press route, but the manual brass tube
twirling technique went rather quickly, and more
important, painlessly. Also, I was surprised that I
drilled all of the holes straight, without gouging the
covered sides. I put in 4 hinges, compared to the
previous 3, so I must have been in a real mean mood!
The tail end of the fuse, that originally held the
tongue of the previous hinge, was a bear to drill. Not
only was there residual plastic material, but I also had
to deal with rock hard 'wood', thanks to the generous
drippings of CA that had been applied during the couple
of field repairs.
Resorting to a twist drill didn't help. The plastic
ridge in the centre would get me off centre, and it was
impossible to work my way back! Then it dawned on me to
use the tiny ball shaped bit that comes for my dremel
tool.
At 30,000 RPM, CA met metal. CA fumes (surprisingly
enough!) filled the air. Metal won. CA lost. I had to,
and could recentre the bit a number of times, but it was
a snap compared to trying that with a twist drill! The
neat thing is the dia of the spherical bit was 1/8",
just right for the Robart hinge I was using!
I sealed (with film) the now defunct slots for the old
hinges, to eliminate one more path for getting the
aircraft fuel soaked. I used 30 minute epoxy, and
everything was going fine until the 20th minute, when
terror struck in my heart!
I had trial fitted all the hinges (stole one from the
WOT4 to make up a shortage:-) but decided to seal up the
old hole in the rudder that coupled it to the (old) tail
wheel wire. Despite my care, some CA found its way to
the last hinge hole, and made it unsquishable to
accomodate the fat hinged portion of the Robart hinge,
ever so slightly.
I couldnt get the rudder on flush with the hinge line!
Besides, I had carefully wiped off all the excess epoxy
with an alcohol swab!! I quickly grabbed a scrap balsa
block, and using a Vise-grip as a make shift hammer,
whacked the rudder on! I had this sinking feeling of
having to undo the mess, and redrill all the holes, that
can only be matched by a beginner pilot's landing
jitters!! :-)
Getting the tail wheel assy was a snap. I epoxied a 1/8"
ply platform, after uncovering the rear bottom of the
fuse for the right length, used a pin to poke a hole in
the bottom of the rudder for a quickly bent hook, so I
could use a rubber band to 'drive' the tail wheel!
Inspection also revealed that I had developed a nick in
the wire insulation, just where it exits the fuse. I use
the Du-Bro hardware that looks kinda cute, but a quick
conversation with Jack Albrect (to find out the
procedure to change the antenna) confirmed the obvious -
he recommended that I use a piece of fuel tubing, which
is much softer!
I had these images going through my head of my FS flying
with a 6" stub for an antenna, the remaining 33" being
lost to failure from vibration! He reassured me that the
insulation provided minimal additional strength. He also
advised *AGAINST* opening the RX box to solder a new
antenna, saying that you might end up bridging a
circuit. Also, they cover the RX components with
silicone, to immobilise the parts from vibration.
At that time, I merely used some scotch tape, but must
use heat shrink tubing instead, and toss out the Du-Bro
part for fuel tubing...
My first POST MARITAL FLIGHT :-) :-) was on 4th July
1991, late in the afternoon. Blue skies. A light breeze.
No other pilots at the field! Perfect conditions!!
I expected to experience the shakes, but much to my
surprise, I was confident. I range checked without and
with the engine running, then took off. The fuel is old
- but usable. The engine seemed to load up on idle, and
hesitated a few times, during take-off, but I didn't
re-adjust the idle mixture, since I will need to do that
with the new batch of 12% fuel anyway!
The first flight was for 15 minutes, and I loosened up
with some spins, loops, rolls, stall turns, and
touch-and-gos. Heck! POST-MARITAL FLYING feels _just_
like PRE-MARITAL FYING :-) :-)
The next two flights, totalling over 45 minutes, I let
my friend from Pittsburgh try turns. He made his share
of mistakes common to any rookie pilot, and was amazed
at the extent to which he got disoriented :-) We had to
run to Boston to see the fireworks, so we left
reluctantly, after the 3rd flight ended in a dead stick
at stratospheric beginner altitudes...
A buddy box would have made for more elegant
instruction, but what the heck...
Someone at the field told me of an interesting flight
instruction aid - apparently from an rc magazine.
Basically, the idea is to have a board that can be
tilted along the X and Y axis. You put a ball bearing
and try to keep it from falling off the board - perhaps
centred if you can. Then, when you get good at that, do
the same thing after walking around to the other side
:-) Gotta build one of those - a first year anniversary
present for my [where IS she?] wife, perhaps?? :-) :-)
I flew again on Sunday, 7th July evening. In the
rain/drizzle. The ceiling was low - under 200'. The
plane kept disappearing into the clouds, and I would
have to spin it out! Reminded me of flying last
Christmas in 60 deg weather! This time, I had another
friend from Detriot. Once he saw it take off, he said
"Wow, this thing is no toy airplane. It doesn't fly by
itself"! :-) :-)
IT wasn't flying weather for the pros leave alone a rank
beginner! But this was my only chance to give my friend
some stick time despite the unideal conditions! This
time, we had all the time, but faced lousy conditions!
No wind though!
I had to grab the box back more often, but what the
heck, he got his adrenaline pumping! He promised to
check out some clubs in the Ann Arbor area in MI...
I don't like to proselytise, but, am willing to expose
the people to bugs that bite :-)
ajai
|
| 239.2552 | | SA1794::TENEROWICZT | | Mon Jul 15 1991 07:05 | 9 |
| Dna,
Don't feel bad, Al probably wouldn't have been excited if you
had photo's of a Yak 9 either. He doesn't like modeling repro's
or rebuilds. Rather like to model the plane as original 1940's
Geat news however. Was this the Yak from Texas? I'd heard
someone from texas was in the process of restoring one.
Tom
|
| 239.2553 | YAK-11 was from NH. | RGB::MINER | Dan Miner, DTN:225-4015, HLO2-1/J12 (@ H11) | Mon Jul 15 1991 11:28 | 6 |
| Tom,
No the YAK-11 was from NH. Al says that there are a large number of
them being imported from the USSR now.
- Dan
|
| 239.2554 | Letter from Al! | APACHE::FRIEDRICHS | Keep'm straight n level | Mon Jul 22 1991 23:37 | 158 |
|
Al Casey
13148 N. 21st Ave
Phoenix, AZ 85029
602-863-1456
18 July, 1991
Dear Jeff (and everyone in the notesfile),
A package arrived today, quite unexpectedly, and I must confess that,
upon opening it, a bit of moisture crept into the ol' bionic eye. What
can I say beyond the hackneyed and much overused, "Aw shucks, you
shouldn't have, guys."
While an occasional call from Kevin Ladd, Kay Fisher, Dan Eaton, Dan
Miner and the [not so] Evil-one has served to keep the memory of the
beloved notesfile alive, I'd managed to somewhat push the loss of that
institution back into the deeper recesses of my feeble grey matter.
But, today, it all came flooding back with the receipt of the package
and its too thoughtful contents.
To have been that well thought of by such a great bunch of guys, most
of whom I never had the pleasure to meet, is truly a humbling feeling
and I'm touched and gratified far beyond my meager ability to express
it.
The clock/plaque is just beautiful and the sentiment expressed means
the world to me. Please believe that the feeling is 100% reciprocal!
The pen & ink drawing of the MiG-3 by Al Ryder's son-in-law is just
terrific and will be framed and hung in the workshop among all my other
MiG memorabilia. The $50.00 gift certificate to Tower Hobbies REALLY
was too much but comes at an opportune time as I'm in the process, at
last, of beginning a new scale competition machine and it will be used
in pursuit of that project (more on that in a moment).
I greet the news of the diminished activity in the notesfile with greatly
mixed emotions. On the one hand it's gratifying to note that I
apparently contributed that much to it but, on the other hand, it
saddens me not a little to learn that its vitality had diminished with
the loss of one person. Tell all the guys that I intend to be very put
out at them if they let the conference dry up like an Arizona dust
storm. Keep that information sharing, tire kicking, etc. goin', y'all!
THE OL'RAT is A' WATCHIN'!
I share with you the wish that all the DECRCM guys would help
revitalize RC.NOTES. As I know yer' aware, I was against the splitting
into two conferences from the outset, except, perhaps, from the aspect
that the DECRCM conference could serve as a bugle for all the local
activities, in the central Mass. area..you know, stuff like "Let's fly
at lunch today", or "The next meeting will be ....", etc. In fact, to
the extent that they used it, I had (and have) nothing against the
DECRCM file save for the abstinence of several of the principal
contributors from RC.NOTE.
I always felt their participation and contribution was sorely missed
and NEEDED and share your hopes that it will be enjoyed again one day.
Egos are very necessary but very delicate things and I believe they
were at the root of the split, on BOTH sides of the issue(s), if anyone
can still remember what they were. Hopefully a little fence mending
can/will return unity to RC.NOTE and make it the great resource for ALL
DEC R/Cer's as it used to be and should be again. No, I'll never
enjoy its fruits again but I still care very much about RC.NOTE and
hope to hear of it flourishing once again in the near future.
As to my new scale project, I told this to Dan Miner on the phone last
week (VERY long call on Dan's nickel) so he may already have put the
news out but, if not, here's the scoop: I've got the plans and am
gathering materials and hardware to start the 80" span Yak-9D (or
-9T37, they're almost identical) that was published in last month's
Scale R/C Modeler. (Yup! Another Ruskie bird!) I've been in touch
with the designer, John Bolle, up in Washington (state) and, since I'll
be building the prototype, he's being very helpful (and generous) in
providing such things as wing/stab/fin cores, fiberglass cowl, custom
retracts, etc. Yes, it has a foam wing and, as you may surmise from
knowing me and my preferences, I'd have preferred a built-up wing but
he's taken a bit of a different tack at it that combines a plywood box
spar and other internal structure inside hollowed foam cores which
bears all the flight and landing loads at minimal weight so I'm gonna'
giv'er a shot.
The fuselage structure is VERY light in design with a very small parts
count, owing to the prototypical construction which entails
fabric-covered open structure on most of the rear half of the fuselage
below the turtledecking. I'm confident a very robust airframe can be
cranked out at a weight of around 15-to-17 pounds. This should make it
ideally suited to my O.S. 1.08. It appears that framing out should go
rather more quickly than some other types (including the MiG) and I'm
hopeful of having it done, perhaps as early as next year's contest
season. I've not started cutting or gluing as yet but am actively
gathering together all the materials and hardware I can anticipate
needing to get a good leg up on it and hope to get started in a coupl'a
weeks.
On another note, I was disappointed to learn of Chuck Baldridge's, then
John Chadd's forced departures from DEC (and, thus, the notesfile).
While my personal feelings toward DEC are a bit tainted, I still hate
the thought that many folks I think a lot of are still in jeopardy and
probably will continue to be for quite some time to come. When will it
ever end, eh?!
I remain unemployed but, to be quite honest, I haven't exactly burned
up the woods looking for something. The plain and simple fact is that
there just isn't very much out there in manufacturing anyway,
Digital-PNO being about the last big outfit to cave in locally. Truth
is, however, I simply loathe the very thought of going back into the
manufacturing rat-race anyway; I'd really like to get into something
completely new and different! Problem is, I haven't really identified
just what that "something" is... I'm just drawing my unemployment (for
the first time in my life) and hoping I'll recognize that "something"
when it presents itself. I HAVE been hanging around a hobby shop quite
a bit the last few weeks, trying to discover, once and for all, whether
that's something I'd feel secure about doing. The owner, a friend
these past 5 years, is wanting to sell and things I'd do great with it
but, then again, he WANTS to sell. So, I'm doing all the investigative
things I can think of (and are recommended by others more knowledgeable
of business than I) to determine whether this would be a good, safe
move for Kathi and I. Frankly, I don't believe it will come to pass
but I'm checkin' it out.
Otherwise, not much exciting to report hearabouts. Thus far, we've had
the latest (and mildest) lead-in to summer in more than 6-years. This
is how it USED to be (and SHOULD be)! Here it is past the middle of
July and we've had just a handful of day 100-degrees or more where,
last year, for instance, our first 100-degree temperature was in March
and we'd set consecutive all-time high's of 121 and 122 by mid-June!
It's 108 as I write but very dry which makes it survivable. We've only
had 3-or-4 days of monsoon humidity thus far and that too is unusual...
but I'll take it!!!
Well, as ever, once conversation boils down to the weather, it's about
time to quit. Please pass on my warmest, humblest, sincerest thanks to
all the guys in the notesfile... I'll cherish their most thoughtful
gesture always. In fact, Jeff, please feel free to print all or parts
of this letter in RC.NOTE... it'd be a way of my posting a proxy reply
therein.
I miss you all and wish you the utmost success in R?C modeling and in
your individual careers and lives.
Adios, mi amigos,
(signed by Al..)
The Ol' "Desert Rat"
P.S.
Damn! Sure wish ah' could'a signed off with muh' ol logo :B^)
(here's your wish Al!)
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2555 | What a gem of a guy! What mastery over the written word! | HPSRAD::AJAI | | Thu Jul 25 1991 17:34 | 22 |
| What a sweeeet, Sweeet, SWEEET letter from the master aeromodeller!
Truly, this notes file has lost the lustre it had when the Desert Rat
was around, constantly nourishing it!
On yet another note, Al points out quite rightly, that Aeromodelling
should come first, and egos second, and I agree.
Personally, I have undertaken this journey to America largely to seek
out the best RC opportunities - both in men, and materials - in the
world. I am willing to listen and learn from anyone who has something
to teach me about RC or aeromodelling, but COUNT ME OUT when it comes
to politics and politicking!
I can get all of that and more if I ever wanted, back in India, where
at least a dozen parties flourish, compared to the 2 party system in
the US or UK.
Time to get back to the WOT4.
ajai
|
| 239.2574 | Is it really men who fly F3B?? | KBOMFG::KLINGENBERG | | Tue Aug 20 1991 08:37 | 25 |
| Re. .961/.963
Yes, F3B is certainly a lot of fun. I mean, if it doesn't get spoiled.
Martin Weberschock, who is one of the best German F3B pilots, recently
wrote an anecdote for a glider magazine here that I would like to share
with you. To illustrate it a little, he has some of the most advanced
planes (SPARK), made in beautiful colors, and always the nicest
computer R/C system available.
He was (in Northern Germany which is mostly flat) training a bit on a
canal slope with his F3B contest plane when a 5 year old girl showed
up. She asked him whether he was a man or a boy. He suggested that
she wanted to know whether to call him 'Du' (as one would with a kid or
a friend) or 'Sie' (for an adult person you don't know well). Martin
preferred to not creating a distance, he answered: 'A boy.' So she said:
'Yeah, that's what I thought since men don't play with this kind of
baby-toys.' You can expect that he nearly lost his plane... He just
asked himself who educates this sort of kids. And he experienced a
psychological bummer that kept him in the workshop all weekend.
If you spend all these $$$ to get into F3B, make sure you don't rely on
all people admiring you...
Best regards,
Hartmut
|
| 239.2556 | in response to a note on hi-starts | NEURON::ANTRY | | Tue Sep 03 1991 21:14 | 16 |
| You can sure tell when Al doesnt have anything on the building board!!!!!
Thrust to weight ratio on High Starts when yesterday it was linear Quantum
physics of servo travel.....
Just kidding Al, keep it comming, I've wondered about both subjects and knew
the answer to the servo quest after getting my first computer controlled
transmitter that doesnt bother to limit the pulses to only 90degrees adressable
so to speak.
I have also as most every glider guider in this conf as to "Holy Cow this must
be 200lbs of tension on this highstart, I wonder if my balsa and mylar wonder
ship will take it...."
Thanks, we couldnt live without ya! Next time I'm in BOS, I'll bring more
napkins to write on and we'll solve the rest of the worlds problems....
|
| 239.2557 | road apples are not prairie oysters | ABACUS::RYDER | perpetually the bewildered beginner | Wed Sep 04 1991 07:39 | 6 |
| Actually, I'm designing a sling-shot to toss road apples into the foot
hills of Pike's Peak.
Alton, who as moderator will zap this later.
|
| 239.2558 | hi-start uses continued | KAY::FISHER | If better is possible, good is not enough. | Wed Sep 04 1991 10:32 | 27 |
| > <<< Note 423.30 by ABACUS::RYDER "perpetually the bewildered beginner" >>>
> -< road apples are not prairie oysters >-
>
> Actually, I'm designing a sling-shot to toss road apples into the foot
> hills of Pike's Peak.
I was listening to some college kids talk about using hi-start tubing
for water balloon launchers. Apparently they make a sling shot out of
hi-start tubing and anchor the ends on each side of a window and
pull it back to the other end of the room - then varooooom. Out the window
and across the campus and pow - some poor dude gets blasted and there are no
suspects within the expected range.
Sounds dangerous to me. I would think if you got one on the side of the
head it would break your ear drum. Also I can see some failure modes where
the g force is sufficient to explode the water balloon on launch.
I wonder if Galliger(sp) has investigated the natural aerodynamics
of a water balloon?
If you know anybody doing this - put a little cut on one side of their hi-start
and see what they do when one half lets go!
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2559 | Serious Slingshots | N25480::FRIEDRICHS | Keep'm straight 'n level | Wed Sep 04 1991 12:01 | 18 |
| Yup, I have seen such uses of surgical tubing... Once at an
Amherst-Williams football game (major rivals). The launched from
behind the home bleachers all the way across the football field and
into the visiting team bleachers..
The second time was a fun little team game... Each team is given
x number of balloons and 6 empty pails. A launcher built out of a
couple of 2x4s is manned by other team members.. The object is to
preserve as much water as possible by catching the balloons in the
buckets.. The distance was perhaps 100'.. WOW!! When that balloon
hit the bucket, you REALLY had to hold on! (BTW - my team won!)
This was at the 1988 Digital SWS Excellence Awards in Hawaii..
(See, this conference IS work related!)
cheers,
jeff
|
| 239.2560 | You got that bruise from a water balloon?? YES! | WILLEE::CAVANAGH | | Wed Sep 04 1991 12:31 | 14 |
|
I can tell you from personal experience that it hurts like a bas***d
when you get hit by one of these balloons! A friend brought one to my
sisters annual 4th of July party and we had a great time with it! But
it REALLY DOES HURT!!! Aiming it is very difficult...especially when
your lobbing them over a house! 8^)
If anyone tries the sling shot idea...have fun...but be careful. NEVER
SHOOT IN THE DIRECTION OF SMALL CHILDREN!
Jim
|
| 239.2561 | Incoming... | POBOX::KAPLOW | Set the WAYBACK machine for 1982 | Wed Sep 04 1991 13:35 | 5 |
| re: .31
I remember hearing stories from a former coworker who used to use
a similar slingshot to loft loaves of Velveta across the campus!
At last, a real use for "cheese food".
|
| 239.2562 | --------INCOMING----------------incoming----->>>>>>>>INCOMING>>>>>>>>> | BBOVAX::DONAGHY | | Wed Sep 04 1991 15:21 | 10 |
| We used to put 2x4 in the tail of a pickup truck ,used sugical tubing
and a funnel. the 2x4 would be mounted in the tailgate of the truck,
used a funnel for the launcher . It could shoot about 60 ft in the
air and as far as a city block. We used to go in the ally across the
street form school , shot it over the roof tops , and would hit the
front steps, we used a guy with a CB to help us line up shoots. Two
or three people could realy start a barage of water ballons.
(some of the best days in college spent this way 8^)
Bob in Pho
|
| 239.2563 | did he say mustard? yep | NUTELA::CHAD | Chad, ZKO Computer Resources | Thu Sep 05 1991 01:59 | 10 |
|
When I was a freshman some guys on the seventh floor of the
dorms had said slingshot and lobbed old oranges across the basketball courts
and a 5 lane road into a parking lot. Good thing they didn't hit any cars.
My dad told of a group of folks at a fathers/sons type outing who shot
water and mustard balloons several hundred feet.
Chad
|
| 239.2564 | From the latest Tower Talk | WILLEE::CAVANAGH | | Thu Sep 05 1991 09:52 | 21 |
|
Not to get off the subject here 8^), but while looking through the latest
Tower Talk I found 2 things that might be of interest to some of the
glider guiders.
First, the Gnome sailplane is now available from Tower. There was time
about 6 months ago when quite a few people were looking for them in the
Maynard area.
Second, Great Planes has come out with a 100" version of the Spirit. The
kit costs $70. It also has a different airfoil (S7010 I think).
Just in case anyone is interested.................
Jim
|
| 239.2565 | | ZENDIA::REITH | Jim Reith DTN 226-6102 - LTN2-1/F02 | Thu Sep 05 1991 10:08 | 7 |
| The Gnome is the 2M version, not the HLG. The interesting thing about
the Spirit 100 is that they supply you with the ribs for both the flat
and Poly wings so with another set of leading edges, spars and
sheeting, you could get two wings out of it.
Tom was ordering more Gnomes after I went up and asked about them a few
weeks back.
|
| 239.2566 | Sririt 100" Sailplane | FDCV25::P01YATES | | Thu Sep 05 1991 16:44 | 8 |
| The Spirit "kit includes parts and plans for two wing options: the
proven Spirit wing with S-3010 airfoil; and an advanced version with
highly efficient, new S7037 airfoil, plus flaps and ailerons for
greater control."
Regards,
Ollie
|
| 239.2567 | New arrival | RGB::MINER | Dan Miner, DTN:225-4015, HLO2-1/J12 (@ H11) | Tue Sep 10 1991 19:05 | 27 |
| Announcing the arrival of the newest R/C noter!!!
Christa Anne Miner was born at 3:15 AM on Saturday, Sept. 7 after
Mom labored for over 16 hours. Still that was not enough so the
doctor was required to use the ol' X-acto knife and remove her.
All up flying weight was 6 pounds, 2.5 ounces with a wingspan of
17.5 inches. That's quite a heavy wing loading but she still flys
OK (for short distances only...)
Mom, Dad, and Christa are doing fine. Mom and baby are coming home
tomorrow, so I won't be into work again until next Tuesday (Sept. 17)
Looks like my flying season is nearly over this year... But the
building season is beginning. Let's see, is the cockpit of the 1/3
scale Cub at least 17.5 inches tall??? :-)
_____
| \
| \ Silent POWER!
_ ___________ _________ | Happy Landings!
| \ | | | | |
|--------|- SANYO + ]-| ASTRO |--| - Dan Miner
|_/ |___________| |_________| |
| / | " The Earth needs more OZONE,
| / not Castor Oil!! "
|_____/
|
| 239.2568 | welcome to Christa | ABACUS::RYDER | perpetually the bewildered beginner | Wed Sep 11 1991 06:30 | 1 |
| Another Miner --- wonderful! Congratulations, Dan.
|
| 239.2569 | Great News | LEDS::WATT | | Wed Sep 11 1991 08:45 | 6 |
| Congrats, Dan! Glad to hear everyone's healthy and recovering. I
guess you had a good excuse for missing our funfly on Sunday. :-)
Get her started off right with plenty of flying toys.
|
| 239.2570 | A survival guide | WMOIS::WEIER | Wings are just a place to hang Ailerons | Wed Sep 11 1991 08:54 | 15 |
|
Congratulations Dan!
A survival priority list for the next year ( or 20 years )
1. Mom/baby (and all associated requests )
2. Minimal building
3. Next to no flying
Now that I have listed what you SHOULD do, disregard and use your
worst judgement as the rest of us do.
DW2
|
| 239.2571 | | WMOIS::HIGGINS_G | The Moeman | Wed Sep 11 1991 14:17 | 1 |
| Congrats Dan.......
|
| 239.2572 | TIME MARCHES ON | CAPITN::HUFF_DO | | Thu Sep 12 1991 01:48 | 3 |
| WAIT'L YOU BECOME A GRANDPA; IT'S EVEN BETTER!
DH
|
| 239.2573 | Those Magnificent Men and Their WHAT? | KAY::FISHER | If better is possible, good is not enough. | Fri Sep 27 1991 15:21 | 164 |
|
Excerpted From the USENET ...
>From The Wall Street Journal
_A Scud It's Not, But the Trebuchet Hurls a Mean Piano_
Giant Medieval War Machine Is Wowing British Farmers And Scaring the
Sheep
By Glynn Mapes, Staff Reporter of the Wall Street Journal
ACTON ROUND, England--With surprising grace, the grand piano sails
through the sky a hundred feet above a pasture here, finally returning
to earth in a fortissimo explosion of wood chunks, ivory keys and
piano wire.
Nor is the piano the strangest thing to startle the grazing sheep
this Sunday morning. A few minutes later, a car soars by - a 1975
blue two-door Hillman, to be exact - following the same flight path
and meeting the same loud fate. Pigs fly here, too. In recent
months, many dead 500-pound sows (two of them wearing parachutes) have
passed overhead, as has the occasional dead horse.
It's the work of Hew Kennedy's medieval siege engine, a four story
tall, 30 ton behemoth that's the talk of bucolic Shropshire, 140 miles
northwest of London. In ancient times, such war machines were dreaded
instruments of destruction, flinging huge missiles, including
plague-ridden horses, over the walls of besieged castles. Only one
full-sized one exists today, designed and built by Mr. Kennedy, a
wealthy landowner, inventor, military historian and - need it be said?
- - - - full-blown eccentric.
A Pagoda, Too
At Acton, Round Hall, Mr. Kennedy's handsome Georgian manor house here,
one enters the bizarre world of a P. G. Wodehouse novel. A stuffed
baboon hangs from the dining room chandelier (``Shot it in Africa.
Nowhere else to put it,'' Mr. Kennedy explains). Lining the walls are
dozens of halberds and suits of armor. A full suit of Indian elephant
armor, rebuilt by Mr. Kennedy, shimmers resplendently on an
elephant-sized frame. In the garden outside stands a 50-foot-high
Chinese pagoda.
Capping this scene, atop a hill on the other side of the 620-acre
Kennedy estate, is the siege engine, punctuating the skyline like an
oil derrick. Known by its 14th-century French name, trebuchet
(pronounced tray-boo-shay), it's not to be confused with a catapult, a
much smaller device that throws rocks with a spoon-like arm propelled
by twisted ropes or animal gut.
Mr. Kennedy, a burly, energetic 52-year-old, and Richard Barr, his
46-year-old neighbor and partner, have spent a year and #10,000
($17,000) assembling the trebuchet. They have worked from ancient
texts, some in Latin, and crude wood-block engravings of siege
weaponry.
The big question is why?
Mr. Kennedy looks puzzled, as if the thought hadn't occurred to him
before. ``Well why not? It's bloody good fun!'' he finally exclaims.
When pressed, he adds that for several hundred years, military
technicians have been trying fruitlessly to reconstruct a working
trebuchet. Cortez built one for the siege of Mexico City. On its
first shot, it flung a huge boulder straight up - and then straight
down, demolishing the machine. In 1851, Napoleon III had a go at it,
as an academic exercise. His trebuchet was poorly balanced and barely
managed to hurl the missiles - backward. ``Ours works a hell of a lot
better than the Frogs', which is a satisfaction,'' Mr. Kennedy says
with relish.
How it works seems simple enough. The heart of the siege engine is a
three-ton, 60-foot tapered beam made from laminated wood. It's
pivoted near the heavy end, to which is attached a weight box filled
with 5= tons of steel bar. Two huge A-frames made from
lashed-together tree trunks support a steel axle, around which the
beam pivots. When the machine is at rest, the beam is vertical,
slender end at the top and weight box just clearing the ground.
When launch time comes, a farm tractor cocks the trebuchet, slowly
hauling the slender end of the beam down and the weighted end up.
Several dozen nervous sheep, hearing the tractor and knowing what
comes next, make a break for the far side of the pasture. A crowd of
60 friends and neighbors buzzes with anticipation as a 30-foot,
steel-cable sling is attached - one end to the slender end of the beam
and the other to the projectile, in this case a grand piano (purchased
by the truckload from a junk dealer).
``If you see the missile coming toward you, simply step aside,'' Mr.
Kennedy shouts to the onlookers.
Then, with a great groaning, the beam is let go. As the counterweight
plummets, the piano in its sling whips through an enormous arc, up and
over the top of the trebuchet and down the pasture, a flight of 125
yards. The record for pianos is 151 yards (an upright model, with
less wind resistance). A 112 pound iron weight made it 235 yards.
Dead hogs go for about 175 yards, and horses 100 yards; the field is
cratered with the graves of the beasts, buried by a backhoe where they
landed.
Mr. Kennedy has been studying and writing about ancient engines of war
since his days at Sandhurst, Britain's military academy, some 30 years
ago. But what spurred him to build one was, as he puts it, ``my
nutter cousin'' in Northumberland, who put together a pint-sized
trebuchet for a county fair. The device hurled porcelain toilets
soaked in gasoline and set afire. A local paper described the event
under the headline ``Those Magnificent Men and Their Flaming
Latrines.''
Building a full-sized siege engine is a more daunting task. Mr.
Kennedy believes that dead horses are the key. That's because
engravings usually depict the trebuchet hurling boulders, and there is
no way to determine what the rocks weigh, or the counterweight
necessary to fling them. But a few drawings show dead horses being
loaded onto trebuchets, putrid animals being an early form of
biological warfare. Since horses weigh now what they did in the
1300s, the engineering calculations followed easily.
One thing has frustrated Mr. Kennedy and his partner: They haven't
found any commercial value to the trebuchet. Says a neighbor helping
to carry the piano to the trebuchet, ``Too bad Hew can't make the
transition between building this marvelous machine and making any
money out of it.''
It's not for lack of trying. Last year Mr. Kennedy walked onto the
English set of the Kevin Costner Robin Hood movie, volunteering his
trebuchet for the scene where Robin and his sidekick are catapulted
over a wall. ``The directors insisted on something made out of
plastic and cardboard,'' he recalls with distaste. ``Nobody cares
about correctness these days.''
More recently, he has been approached by an entrepreneur who wants to
bus tourists up from London to see cars and pigs fly through the air.
So far, that's come to naught.
Mr. Kennedy looks to the U.S. as his best chance of getting part of
his investment back: A theme park could commission him to build an
even bigger trebuchet that could throw U.S.-sized cars into the sky.
``Its an amusement in America to smash up motor cars, isn't it?'' he
inquires hopefully.
Finally, there's the prospect of flinging a man into space - a living
man, that it. This isn't a new idea, Mr. Kennedy points out:
Trebuchets were often used to fling ambassadors and prisoners of war
back over castle walls, a sure way to demoralize the opposition.
Some English sports parachutists think they can throw a man in the air
*and* bring him down alive. In a series of experiments on Mr.
Kennedy's machine, they've thrown several man-sized logs and two
quarter-tone dead pigs into the air; one of the pigs parachuted gently
back to earth, the other landed rather more forcefully.
Trouble is, an accelerometer carried inside the logs recorded a
centrifugal force during the launch of as much as 20 Gs (the actual
acceleration was zero to 90 miles per hour in 1.5 seconds). Scientists
are divided over whether a man can stand that many Gs for more that a
second or two before his blood vessels burst.
The parachutists are nonetheless enthusiastic. But Mr. Kennedy thinks
the idea may only be pie in the sky.
``It would be splendid to throw a bloke, really splendid,'' he says
wistfully. ``He'd float down fine. But he'd float down dead.''
|
| 239.2575 | Stunt kite flying | SNAX::SMITH | I FEEL THE NEED | Thu Oct 10 1991 14:17 | 18 |
| For the last few weeks, there have been a couple of people up on the hill
here flying the new stunt kites at lunch. Today, I went out to see what it
was all about. These things are incredible. The two that were out there were
about 4 and 5 foot span kites. One with spectra line and graphite frame. I'm
not sure what the other one had for line, but it had fiber glass rods in it.
The wind is blowing pretty good up here today, so they were really moving. The
best part is, I even got to fly one. They are unbelieveably sensitive and will
snap on ya in a heart beat. I was also amazed at how much they pulled. I was
getting yanked around all over the hill. One of the guy's was saying that on
the bigger 12/13 foot kites, you have to wear a harness and anchor yourself
down. I believe it.
The down side is, these relatively small kites cost about the same as a Max6
FM. Fun though.
Steve
|
| 239.2576 | Most of the big ones have British Reg. #'s. | ELMAGO::TTOMBAUGH | Go ahead...make my plane. | Fri Oct 11 1991 17:11 | 19 |
| Speaking of exotic flying machines....
Last evening my house was buzzed by a Tyrannosaurus Rex, the Creamland
Dairy cow with a small crescent moon hanging under it, a large red
apple with several white worms emerging, several beer cans and whiskey
bottles of various brands, a flying saucer with a winsome green
alien standing on the entrance stairs, and a Burger King burger.
In the vacant lot across the street, the ice cream bar companys'
polar bear did a neat face plant on landing while dodging the ~30X
sized Case-International Model 7130 tractor which in turn had dodged
the 10 story Statue of Liberty, itself having impacted the west
side of the Motorola plant.
A repeat performance due this evening.
BTW, I live 1/2 mile from the Balloon Fiesta field.
Terry
|
| 239.2577 | I've loved 'em for years! | LEDS::COHEN | What do I drive? a Taylor-Made! | Mon Oct 14 1991 19:38 | 57 |
| >The wind is blowing pretty good up here today, so they were really moving. The
>best part is, I even got to fly one. They are unbelieveably sensitive and will
>snap on ya in a heart beat. I was also amazed at how much they pulled. I was
>getting yanked around all over the hill. One of the guy's was saying that on
>the bigger 12/13 foot kites, you have to wear a harness and anchor yourself
>down. I believe it.
>
>The down side is, these relatively small kites cost about the same as a Max6
>FM. Fun though.
I've been a stunt kite flyer for a few years now. Once or twice I've
gone to the field to fly, found it too windy, and flown my kites
instead.
I've done Rainbows (small ripstop nylon/aluminum spar diamond kites with
really long tails. I flew mine in a "train" of 6, 6 kites stacked one
behind the other, each separated by about 1.5 feet), and Triblys (slightly
larger, plastic versions of the Rainbows)
Currently I own two FlexiFoils and my newest kite, a Revolution.
The FlexiFoils are 2x4' ripstop nylon "bags", they're sewn closed along
three edges, the leading edge has a gauze/netting material sewn in, so
when air blows across the kite, the bag is inflated to the shape of an
airfiol. A Fiberglass rod runs through a pocket across the bottom
leading edge, and the kite strings (500 Lbs test Kynar) are tied one to
each end of the rod. I often fly the two kites ganged together with a
few feet between them. My favorite time to fly is right after a
hurricane. If you don't have someone to hold you down, the kites will
drag you easily. A fun game is to sit with your feet out in front of
you and let the kites pull you across the ground.
The Revolution is the coolest thing I've ever seen. It flies on 4
lines, not two. Each hand holds a "joy stick" that has a string
attached to both its top and bottom. The strings go to the leading and
trailing edges of the kite. Since you can change the angle of attack of
the kite at will, you can do all sorts of incredible things with it,
like flying backwards, flying sideways, and pinwheels (the kite rotates
about its center), as well as the standard stunt kite regimine.
FlexiFoils sell for about $100 each. There are larger versions, the
Hyper-10 and Hyper-16 (the number refers to the square feet of sail
area) that are much more expensive.
The Revolution was even more than the FlexiFoils (which is why I only
own one).
Stunt kite prices range from $50 for a Trilby or similar, well up into
the $100s for some of the more advanced delta's or 4-lines.
They are a *LOT* of fun, a nice alternative to planes or helis, almost
impossible to damage in a crash (a big plus!), quiet, flyable in small
areas, and flyable in winds strong enough to slap even a fast slope
soarer out of the sky.
Randy
|
| 239.2578 | | TLE::SASAKI | Marty Sasaki ZK02-3N30 381-0151 | Thu Oct 17 1991 15:16 | 8 |
| There is a notesfile on kites (scot::kites, I think). Press kp7 to add
it to your notebook.
At the recent American Kiteflier Association Grand Nationals, a fellow
had an "accessory" with him. It was an RC dummy/robot, about two feet
high who flew a stunt kite...
Marty Sasaki
|
| 239.2579 | Tie me Kangaroo down, boys, tie me kangaroo down | ZENDIA::REITH | Jim Reith DTN 226-6102 - LTN2-1/F02 | Thu Oct 17 1991 15:40 | 6 |
| Sounds like a certain T-shirt logo that keeps popping up in Central
Mass...
Sounds like a fun project considering the tension placed on those
"hands" Any details about how the motion was powered? Doesn't sound
like stock servos could "pull" on the lines to have an effect.
|
| 239.2580 | must have been a really big servo | TLE::SASAKI | Marty Sasaki ZK02-3N30 381-0151 | Thu Oct 17 1991 18:36 | 4 |
| I think that he used a servo to control a motor that was connected to
the arms. Along with amplitude variations he could control the speed of
the response. I didn't look closely or ask questions. I guess I should
have...
|
| 239.2581 | Magnum Pro 45 saga ends | SNAX::SMITH | I FEEL THE NEED | Mon Nov 18 1991 08:23 | 214 |
| Well, I can't find the place where I originally put the notes about the
Magnum Pro 45 motor so I'll just put the results here. Although I
didn't think I was going to be, I'm happy with the results of having
sent the motor back with a letter stating my dissatisfaction. So, I'll
wrap it all up with this note.
Earlier this past summer, several of us in the Ma. area bought the Magnum Pro
45 motor to be used on sport/aerobatic planes we had. A local hobby shop
owner had hinted they they were better than people realized, and were being
offered at a good price.
Well, several notes have been entered detailing the problems we ended up
experiencing with these motors. The biggest complaint was the carburetor
and poor performance in the idle, mid-range, and acceleration departments.
My muffler ended up breaking where it attaches to the engine due to defective
materials. Most of the people had already replaced the Magnum carb with OS
carbs and were enjoying a "now" good running engine. After my muffler problems
which caused me to have to withdraw from a pattern contest, I decided it was
time to send the engine back to Magnum with a letter explaining my, and the
others problems. A two page letter was written, and the engine was sent back.
It was my intent to let someone "at the company" know of the problem rather
than just sending the motor back to the repair department and having a
repairman with no authority to do anything see the letter. The motor and letter
was returned to the "importer", and sent to the attention of the company
supervisor. The motor was sent Express mail (2 day delivery) on Tuesday,
Oct. 29th. The following is the letter I sent, and the reply from Magnum
(Global Hobbies).
25-Oct-1991
Stephen D. Smith
37F Meadowpond Dr.
Leominster, Ma. 01453
(508)537-8209
To Whom it May Concern,
This letter is being written and included with the enclosed engine to
express my dissatisfaction and disappointment with your Magnum Pro 45. I am
returning said engine to you for repair under your two year warranty service.
The receipt is also enclosed indicating the date of purchase. The problems
I've had with this engine are outlined below.
After talking with a local hobby shop owner regarding low cost/high performance
motors, myself and 4 other people bought the Magnum Pro 45 to be used on
sport/aerobatic planes. Out of the 5 engines purchased, NO ONE has had
satisfactory performance.
In my particular case, the muffler was defective and broke right off
of the engine. I have been flying for a number of years, and have had several
makes and models of RC engines. This is the FIRST time I've ever had a
muffler break in two. Unfortunately, it happened during the second maneuver
in the first round of an October 20th pattern contest and caused me to have
to withdraw from the competition. This did not make me a happy individual.
During the same contest, another Magnum Pro owner lost the retaining screw
that holds the two muffler halves together. Fortunately, the contest was over
and it did not effect his participation. It was also fortunate that he used
Lock Tite to secure the two muffler halves together saving him from loosing
anything else when the screw worked loose. After seeing the problem I had
with my muffler, he was also not a happy individual. I would like to add here
that this engine was NEVER involved in a crash, and DID NOT have a vibration
problem.
In general, the overall performance of this engine is poor. It
DOES have good top end power, but that's about all. NONE of the 5 engines
could ever get better than a fair low end idle, and midrange performance was
consistently bad. NOT ONE of the 5 Magnum owners was ever able to get a
smooth throttle response from low or midrange settings to full power. This
should not be the case, and I have never experienced this problem with any of
the major brands of engines.
Three of the 5 engines suffered throttle stop screw breakage. and
two of the 5 suffered constant burring of the throttle barrel stop screw slot
causing the throttle barrel to not close all the way. This made for some
interesting "high speed" landings. A major concern of the people with stop
screw problems was that replacement stop screw assemblys were unavailable.
With the exception of my engine, which is being returned to you, ALL
FOUR Magnum owners REPLACED the carb with the OS4BK carburetor in order to
eliminate the throttle stop screw and performance problems. I refused to do
this as I expect the engine to run correctly as purchased. It is interesting
to note that once the carburetor was replaced, the engine performance increased
significantly (although the top end did suffer). However, I refuse to buy a
Magnum motor and then invest another $50 dollars for an "OS" carburetor to
make it run right.
Myself and the other 4 purchaser's of the Magnum engine are NOT
beginners. We KNOW how to break-in, set and run engines. We are all
experienced fliers who belong to at least 3 clubs each. We are all instructors
who constantly get asked for advice on what planes and engines to buy. It's
too bad that we CANNOT recommend this engine to any of the people that ask.
At least not without warning them of the problems we've encountered. The
aggravations I have gone through make the OS45SF a MUCH better deal at twice
the cost. If there's two things that people in this hobby HAVE to be able to
rely on, it's their radio and engine. Problems with either one take all the fun
out of the hobby and make the higher priced products worth the cost.
In closing, if you feel that you can repair or replace this engine
with one that does not have any defective parts, and will run correctly
through it's ENTIRE range, then please do so. If not, I am requesting a
refund of the purchase price of this motor.
Respectfully,
Stephen D. Smith
AMA 323207
Digital Radio Control Modelers (Treasurer and Board of Directors)
Central Ma. Radio Control Modelers (Treasurer and Board of Directors)
Charles River Radio Control club
I really had no idea what I wanted to accomplish by writing the letter and
sending the motor back to the company, but basically just thought someone
needed to know. I had no idea what their response might be, but thought that
if they received a letter stating that 5 engines were purchased and ALL FIVE
performed poorly, maybe I might at least get a phone call. What I got the
following Monday, was a post card from the "SERVICE CENTER" stating that they
had received my engine for repair.
So ok, now I figure I have my answer. I sent the engine back to the company and
they just turned it over to the service center to be repaired. Oh well, I at
least tried. I guess it doesn't do any good to write letters, just send it
straight to the service center.
On November 13th, the UPS guy came to the door and had my engine. Not bad
really. Two weeks and a day to get the motor out to Calif., get it repaired,
and get it returned. I signed for the motor and took it inside. No charge for
shipping.
When I opened the box, the first thing I looked at was the invoice. All price
columns were 0. The engine repair was covered under warranty. Then I looked at
what they did. The only thing listed was a new piston and sleeve. However there
was an additional line that said "see attached note". I unpacked everything
and indeed found a note along with a multitude of information regarding engine
setup, tuning, etc.. There really was some very good information there.
The point of this whole thing though is the "note". I was sent a two page
hand written note from Roy Westland, the head guru at the service center.
The note explains exactly what he did, and made some suggestions regarding
other possible problems found with the engine. I found the note to be extremely
well written and intelligent and wanted to share it with everyone. As it turns
out, I DID receive "personal" attention as someone took the time to do a
hand written explanation of what was done. What I had initially considered a
"brush off" by the company turned out to be what I now consider to be above
average treatment/concern for a customer. The following is the unedited letter
I received from Roy.
"Friend Stephen,
#1, I want to say thank you for sending a clean engine for service. This does
not happen often. Lot of dirt and ill care. It is a pleasure to help you!
You were unfortunate to purchase an engine with faulty carburetion. I am sure
if your friends purchased at the same time, they also may be victims. Have
them look at the stamp marks on lower side of mounting lugs. If they find
JK or KE, please have them send carburetors, or better yet, entire engine for
service. The spray bar, which is supposedly "interference installed" (shrunk
in) was loose on your carburetor allowing the orifice to rotate with needle
or throttle barrel motion. No way could you arrive at proper settings and
rely on them to remain the same. As you can see, I have installed a small
screw to lock this spray bar from rotating. I have also modified the carburetor
barrel to improve idle adjustment and mid range operation. I am also including
proven guide information to realize better operation and extended engine life.
I ask your cooperation now in using correct lubrication in the fuel. The very
good thermal efficiency of the pro 45 will produce lots of power, but it will,
as a result, run quite hot to do that. The engine will burn any degree of
synthetic lubricants destroying their lubrication qualities. This engine is
designed, temp wise and clearance wise, for CASTOR OIL at least 20%. I am
returning your piston and cylinder sleeve for your inspection. Part of the
"barbequing" could be related to carb trouble, but I am sure that you are not
using 20% castor oil fuel.
I test ran with 10x6 wood prop, 20% castor oil, 10% nitro fuel.
Max RPM = 12,600 - smooth - good needle control.
idle = 2600 - acceleration and mid range = very good.
You will enjoy this engine now.
Roy Westland."
I have not yet had a chance to test the engine, but see no reason why it
shouldn't perform per the letter. This man has now put his reputation (and
Magnum's) on the line.
Rather than just slapping on another carb, he took the time to make
modifications to achieve proper performance. Some might say that the carb
should operate properly in the first place and I wouldn't dispute you.
However Global Hobbies in the "importer" not the manufacturer. The EASY way
out was to replace the carb. The "professional" way was to make the necessary
modifications. I appreciate the effort that was put into fixing my problem
and the personal contact. I would encourage the others with Magnum's to
return the carb as suggested. You have nothing to loose, and you'll gain a
spare carb. The service center address is located on the back of the owners
manual.
I WILL update this note one final time when I've had a chance to run the
motor.
Steve
|
| 239.2582 | regards from Al | POBOX::KAPLOW | Free the DCU 88,000 11/12/91! | Mon Nov 18 1991 15:39 | 7 |
| I just called Al and had a nice (long rambling) chat with him. We
swapped stories on being TFSO'ed by Digital.
The old rat is still alive and kicking. Al says "Hello" to
everybody. He is still forcibly "retired". He just flew the
masters, and survived, inspite of the poor site. Details have been
mailed to Kevin Ladd.
|
| 239.2583 | I'm gonna keep mine | UPSENG::WALTER | | Tue Nov 19 1991 16:31 | 15 |
| Re: Magnum Pro 45
I think mine is one of the 5 engines Steve referred to. While I did
have all the problems mentioned, I seem to have ironed them all out
and I'm now very pleased with the engine. And I'm not surprised that
the carbs are defective, because my idle mixture screw was loose as
described in the letter. I fixed it by wrapping teflon tape around the
threads. I don't know if mine is one of the bad lot of engines; I don't
really want to remove it from the plane just to check.
Anyway, it has been running reliably and consistently for quite a while
now. It has strong top end and idles beautifully, and transitions
between the two without a burp. Knock on wood.
Dave
|
| 239.2584 | Out to Launch... | POBOX::KAPLOW | Free the DCU 88,000 11/12/91! | Fri Nov 22 1991 18:11 | 42 |
| As I implied in .-2, today is my last day @DEC, courtesy of TFSO.
I've mailed this to a couple folks, but will post it here too.
Friends;
For those who haven't heard, the Chicago ACT where I have worked
for the past 4 years has been closed. As a result, I and many other
Digital employees across the country (5000?) are being laid off
(well, that is what they call it, but they have no intention of ever
rehiring any of us). Today, November 22nd, is my last day with
Digital.
I'm sure that soon I will find a new, more rewarding career
elsewhere. What I will miss most from my 12 years at DEC are all of
the friends I've made, and all the contacts I've had thru the
network, both internal and external. I'd like to stay in touch with
all of my old and new friends. Below is my home address and phone
number. Please feel free to give me a call and say hello. If I don't
have your home address and phone number, give me a call or drop me a
line, so that I can keep in touch.
I'm terrible at non-electronic correspondence, but if you do
something nasty like enclose a SASE, it may make me feel guilty
enough to respond in an almost timely manner. If I find that any of
you out-of-towners pass thru the Chicago area and don't get in touch
with me, you will find yourselves staring at the incoming end of a
very large, high powered ballistic object.
The one bit of good news I've had this week is that a couple of
usenet friends have put me in touch with a public access unix
system. I know, I'm a VMS person, so it's like learning Greek, but
it does give me Email access, and hopefully also usenet newsgroup
access as well. My new Email address is below as well.
Bob (& Judy) Kaplow
35W525 Parsons Rd. #900
Dundee, IL 60118
(708)428-1181
DEC VAXmail: DECWRL::"[email protected]"
Internet: [email protected]
CompuServe: >INTERNET:[email protected]
|
| 239.2585 | Another one I'll miss | STOHUB::JETRGR::EATON | Dan Eaton St.Louis,MO,USA, 445-6522 | Mon Nov 25 1991 10:51 | 5 |
| Hi Bob,
Long time, no see. Sorry to hear you're leaving. Good luck in finding a better
job.
Dan Eaton
|
| 239.2586 | Letter from Mark Antry. | ELMAGO::TTOMBAUGH | Naked in a cave in the Jemez | Wed Jan 29 1992 09:36 | 10 |
| Mark Antry published a letter in the latest PPSS newsletter.
He says he and his family are settled in their new home. They're
living on Dugway Proving Ground because the nearest town is 40 miles
away.
He hasn't finished the Chup yet, but is making progress. Several local
fliers and relatives are power fliers but he is working to change this.
He sounds like he is doing okay and says hello to everyone.
Terry
|
| 239.2587 | Scale Masters by Al Casey | KAY::FISHER | If better is possible, good is not enough. | Mon Feb 17 1992 09:15 | 230 |
| This late breaking news is from a letter that Al Casey sent to Kevin
Ladd and Kevin in turn typed it in almost instantly and mailed it to me.
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
As to the masters, it was fun and we really missed you. However,
I must say that you may well have been able to do without flying
at what simply must be the WORST RC field I've yet to come
across. To clarify, the field itself, built by Bill Bennett of
Circus Circus [sic] for the Tournament of Championships, is as fine a
layout as I've seen, having a smooth, flat, paved 700' runway as
well as paved taxi aprons and pit areas. Adjoining the runway
are nice grass infields with water/sprinkler system in place and
the facility is finished off by two permanent concrete ramadas.
BUT, that's where the niceness ends; the field is in direct line-
of-sight of the damnedest cluster of pager and other antennae
you've ever seen, sitting atop a mountain a mere 5 air miles to
the south. This has caused the channels from 38 to 48 to be
unuseable and all the higher channels seem to be at some risk as
well. The next negative is that there are NO runoffs at the end
of the runway and a heavy steel chain, suspended about 3' above
the ground between 3" steel posts, surrounds the runway, coming
30' from the runway's edge. This is intended to keep motorcycles,
3-wheelers, cars, etc. off the field but no provision was made to
take it down during a contest and this sadistic device heavily
damaged at least 5 aircraft and totaled a gorgeous OV-10-A
Bronco which sawed itself to smithereens on the paralleling
chain.
But, WORST of all was the 5 square miles if hideously dense and
swampy quagmire of thick desert Tamarac, bamboo, ad infinitum
which bordered the field on both ends and the far edge; you had
no choice but to fly over this primeval morass virtually during
the entire flight and, if unlucky enough to go down in it, not
to even find it! The locals told us that there were probably as
many as 15 airplanes out there which had never been found or
which the pilot had merely abandoned rather than venture into
that mess looking for it. In summer, it's a haven for rattlers
and God only knows what else and I had little difficulty
understanding this latter behavior.
We arrived about 4PM Wednesday afternoon after fighting our
way through strong, cold headwinds all the way from Phoenix and,
driving straight to the field, we were little encouraged by what
we saw. I openly declared to the world that, if the weather
stayed cold and windy, I'd simply leave my bird in the car,
PERIOD! That was not to be the case, however, as, Thursday
through Sunday, the weather couldn't have been nicer; a little
cool in the morning but you peeled out of your jacket by 10AM
and spent the remainder of the day in shirtsleeves. The wind was
calm all weekend save for a bit of gusty crosswind Sunday mid-
morning. Weather wise, this had to be one of the best of the 9
Masters I've attended, certainly of the 7 I've flown in.
Pacer (ZAP) and the hosting club hosted a free hospitality room
Wednesday and Thursday nights and, I must admit, I overindulged
Wednesday. In my defense, we were all tired from the drive;
fighting the constant head and crosswinds for 7-hours was quite
fatiguing and we were READY TO PARTY! The free "ignorant oil"
flowed freely until the nights ration ran out about 10:30PM,
whereupon we repaired to the bar where they were selling beer for
10-cents a glass! Jerry Ortego was having a ball playing Big-
spender and kept the table top covered with 10-fer'a-buck beers
all night. Never mind that is wasn't really beer (it was
Budweiser), I'd passed the point of caring about brand names. We
kicked tires, lied and snorkeled down free beer until, about
1:45AM. I left the table to go to the "John" and somehow found
myself at my room instead. Figgerin' that my subconscious was
trying to tell me something, I went to bed and was asleep in
microseconds.
Bob Frey and Mike Hatfield weren't quite as smart (or lucky) as
they left the hotel and hit The Strip, not getting back until
4:30AM, whence Bob oozed into Kent Walters' bed, passed out
fully clothed and instantly began snoring at 98db over thunder!
Of course, this was greatly appreciated by Kent and their other
roommate! :8^) When they left the last casino, Bob refused to
leave "until Al gets back." Of course, I'd never been with them
so you may conjure from that the condition of these two intrepid
souls.
Thursday we static'ed at the field and it was a grim sight to
behold. You could readily identify all the revelers from the
night preceding by the vacant, glassy stare in their eyes and
the frequent groans and yawns. I felt fine from the neck up
but, having opted to ignore the fact that me and Budweiser simply
don't get along, I was paying for it with a stomach that was even
rebelling at the Club soda I drank all day long. I may as well
add at this point that I behaved myself so well from here on in
that is almost disgusting...certainly embarrassing! In fact, I
was in bed by 8:30PM Thursday night, if that tells you anything!
Let me just thumbnail the flying by individual: I was down a bit
in static (89.5) but flew better than I have in a Masters since
probably 1986. I was having ZERO nerves (maybe I was too numb?)
and the plane and radio performed flawlessly. However, I
couldn't seem to buy a decent score all weekend, my high of the
meet being an 85.75 for the 3rd round. I finished with a total
of 173.0. Bob Frey static-ed 88.0 with his little Top-Flight Jug
(built as a warbird racer) but, contrarily, got paid very well
all weekend and finished with a 173.08 total, shading me by 8
hundredths of a point. However, we were both off the pace as the
10th place finisher had a 179.something so we were at least 6-
10 points out of the running. By the way, Bob had hard radio hits
on channel 52 all weekend. Bob calculated we'd finished about
16th and 17th but someone else said they thought the computer run
had us at 24th and 25th so we're not certain of our final
positions.
Mike Hatfield flew his CAP-10B well all weekend but, again, got
little pay for it and finished somewhere around 32nd. Chuck
Collier had been forced to take his Staggerwing, not the best
contest ship around, but he had the highest static (90.0) of the
four of us from Phoenix. On his first flight, Chuck almost lost
the big Stag when his JR radio blocked out for 30 or more seconds
during his low fly-by. He got it back and made an emergency
landing with one or two more bumps but got down safely. He was
on channel 52..., again the higher channels seemed more at risk
than the lower ones. (I'd been forced to change mine from 44 so I
followed the advice of a local I'd telephoned about the problem
and moved downward to channel 22. My observation was that the
channels below 38 were clean and solid all weekend with just the
opposite being true for those above channel 48.
Someone loaned Chuck a receiver and Tx-module on channel 14 and
he had no further problem through the weekend but Chuck's flying
was the raggedest I ever remember seeing and he finished somewhere
around 35th. That pretty much does it for those of use who
traveled together from Phoenix; we came, we saw and, if we
didn't conquer, at least we flew all the rounds and took our
ships home in good shape, placing respectably if not in the
money. I never put a scratch on the MiG-3 and would have taken
it home wound-free EXCEPT for the fact that Mike and another
friend were attempting to erect a sunshade canopy after the 1st
round Friday and they accidentally dropped a tent-pole which
bashed two big holes in the MiG's stab. AAAAAAAAAAARGH!! Murphy
strikes again! Oh well, I can patch it up and you'll never see
it (I hope).
I ran into Charlie Nelson several times in the course of the
weekend but, somehow, never managed to talk with him at any
length. I saw his WACO in the air a couple times but never saw
an entire flight. I don't know where Charlie finished but he
echoed my comment(s) about not being able to get any pay for
flight scores and he didn't make the top-10 either so I'm not
sure where he wound up. BTW, ask Charlie if I'm exaggerating
about the field and the almost ominous foreboding it presented us.
Probably 5 aircraft went into the "Forbidden Zone", including
Rick Lewis' magnificent Skyraider, Corvin Miller's immaculate
Globe Swift, Eddy Newman's Feisler Storch (twice) and Olen
Trennary's outstanding Pitts Special. Another ship, an ME-109,
was the first to disappear into the arboreal maze and it wasn't
found for almost 2 days. All these birds would likely have been
lost for good if not for the efforts of a grubby looking team of
hippy-types who apparently get their jollies by trudging through
the mess finding lost ships. To their credit, they rescued all
the birds that vanished into Vegas' own Bermuda Triangle that
weekend. But, what they brought out wasn't pretty to see...the
once beautiful birds were reduced to fragments by the thick
growth of the Forbidden Zone.
An exception, however, was Newman's Storch: it was dinged up when
it dead-sticked into the swamp on Friday but didn't go too far in
and was rescued promptly. Ed patched it up and continued to fly
when, about the 3rd, maybe 4th round, he ran out of fuel and went
down again, way out on final approach. He and the "rescue team"
went after it and came back with it in about a half hour.
Amazingly, it had settled into a little open glade and not even
broken the prop! Rick Lewis' 'Raider was hurt after spiraling
in just as it turned final but, when they found it a day-and-a-
half later, it wasn't nearly as bad as we'd expected and was all
separated at the wing-fold juncture. It "could" be rebuilt but
Rick's concerned about the extra weight of a repair and may not
rebuild the bird.
We've already discussed the LOWLIGHTS of the meet in some depth
so let's speak to some of the HIGHTLIGHTS:
* I failed to get the name of the builder/pilot but he had a
gorgeous, 155" span (probably Ziroli) C-47 powered by two Enya
2.40 Vee-twins. The sound was incredible and he flew it well;
quite likely the most realistic ship of the meet.
* The OV-10A Bronco mentioned earlier was absolutely
show stopping and it was well flown also "until" the pilot
apparently lost track of where he was on landing and destroyed
the ship when he landed on/against/into the barrier chain
paralleling the runway.
* Earl Thompson's Gloster Gladiator was one of the nicest models
I've seen and he received three awards for it, not counting a
top-10 finish. Earl's a nice guy and deserved the accolades.
* Heidi Collier (Chuck's wife) won upwards of $400 on the crap
tables. (And she'd never played the game before...SUUUUUUURE!)
Unfortunately, Kathi was unable to repeat her lucky streak of 4
years ago at the '87 Masters when she won almost the same amount
on the slots.
To wrap up, I failed to write down (as usual) all the top-10
finishers but Diego Lopez was 1st with his Vietnam camo'd
Skyraider, a popular win especially when recalling that Deigo got
the "Being Last Sucks" T-shirt the last time in Vegas. A
Canadian with a Canadair twin-engine, fire-fighting flying boat
was second. Charlie Chambers was 3rd with his metalized P-51 and
Shailesh Patel was 9th with a Tom Cook Phantom. Those are all I
remember by their place but Dave Pape's Kinner Sportster, Earl
Thompson's Gladiator and Bill Carper's Baker Jug also finished in
the money.
Not too much more to report; we partied a bit more (while the
wives gambled) Sunday night but hung it up at a respectable hour,
arriving home after a pleasant, uneventful 6-hour drive. The
meet had some good and some bad facets but, all-in-all, I'd have
to say I had a real good meet, certainly the best in several
years; I flew well, had no problems (save for two deranged tent-
pitchers) and brought the bird home in good shape. So, despite
the fact that I couldn't seem to get any pay for my flying, I
still have to say I had a good meet and a great time....
__
| | / |\
\|/ |______|__(o/--/ | \
| | 00 <| ~~~ ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
|_|_| (O>o |\)____/___|\_____|_/ Adios amigos, Al
| \__(O_\_ | |___/ o (The Desert Rat)
|
| 239.2588 | Phoenix Trip Report - 1992 | KAY::FISHER | If better is possible, good is not enough. | Tue Mar 31 1992 10:38 | 419 |
| 1992 Phoenix Trip Report
This is the 4th year that Pat and I have went to Phoenix to attend
the 1/8 Air Force Scale Fly In. It is the second time I have attended
as a member of the 1/8 Air Force and the second time we have taken
our youngest daughter Kathy (age 16).
As always we had a good time and I am impressed with the fact that even
with a fairly aggressive sight seeing schedule I still have a list of
things that we didn't have time to accomplish and hence we still need
yet another trip. It has always been a weather smart decision to leave
Massachusetts in March and get a week or so of warm weather in Arizona.
This year was no exception as we would read in the morning papers about
the 30 degree weather and snow in the Boston area as we ate breakfast
outside. But I must admit in the 4 trips to Phoenix in March this year
was the coldest. Temperatures ran in the 60-70 much of the time and
it only reached the 80s for a few days. I know that sounds warm compared
to here but in the past we have always experienced 80s and 90s every day.
Anyway on to the trip.
This year we stayed in the Embassy Suites in Tempe, AZ. We have been
at this Embassy 3 of the last 4 times. I wanted to rent a nicer car
this year so I check more thoroughly for something a bit more sporty.
For what it's worth Avis wants $900 a week for a Corvette! Needless
to say we had to settle for a Lebaron convertible. After the plane landed
I went to each and every car rental agency at the Airport and compared
prices and Avis came out the lowest in two classes. (1) the cheapest
car for two weeks and (2) the cheapest convertible. So basically all my
car shopping was for nothing as I had reserved an Avis before we left
Massachusetts in the first place.
As we left the airport with all the luggage 3 people could possibly carry
we soon found out that a Lebaron convertible has room in the trunk for
1 large suitcase. Kathy shared the back seat with the rest!
After we got settled in the motel we walked across the street to our favorite
restaurant - the Hungry Hunter. As before it was wonderful and we also
found out that for a future meal that for the 1st half hour they are open
every day the entries are 1/2 price.
Well I soon called Al Casey and set up the next day to visit and take
in a few local hobby shops with him. Sooooooo
Thursday 12-Mar-1992
Picked up Al at his house and had a brief visit with Al in his
workshop. He has been flying a nice Sureflite P40 with a hot
40 in some war birds races. Looks like great fun. His MiG 3 is
currently down for repairs from when a tent pole punched a hole
thru the stab at the last masters.
Al showed me the gifts he received from us and he was very grateful
and proud of them. He was working on the program for the 1/8 Air Force
banquet.
We checked out 3 hobby shops near Al's house. One was a hobby shop
that Al had been interested in possibly purchasing but he was concerned
about the lack of business and poor inventory. I'd have to confirm his
fears about the inventory. It wasn't at all what a scale modeler
would look for but he seemed to be catering to the car crowd and seemed
to have a good RC car business. The owner had just taken a lease on a
defunct automotive dealership so was going to have one of the first
RC car indoor tracks in the Phoenix area. This looked promising but
you gotta think that he planned to dump the rest of the shop in Al's
lap and then purchase the big facility and only keep the prosperous
portion of his business. He did advertise that he would meet Tower
prices. Anyway - Al concluded that the venture was too risky and
is still in the job market.
I purchased some Z-Best engine cleaner and a Z-bender and an OS engines
parts list.
For lunch we went over to Chuck Collier's and picked up Chuck then headed
for their favorite Mexican restaurant "Manuels" - It was great.
Chuck had his beautiful yellow Staggerwing Beach (see the cover of D.C.
Aviation's 1988 R.C. Scale calendar and also the July picture) torn down
for inspection and he was stiffening up his rudder linkage. Chuck was
working on a P-38 with two G62's and a big Sukoya(sp) (kinda like
a Laser or Extra 230).
Al had a haircut appointment so we departed kinda early and I took
everyone home and headed back to the motel.
Friday 13-Mar-1992
We spend the day at the Phoenix Zoo. This is a very nice Zoo.
For supper that night we went to Manuels - cause I new it was great
and the line at Garcias was too long.
Saturday 14-Mar-1992
Visit relatives. Every year I have more and more relatives out here.
Sure makes it easier for me to wrangle a trip in this direction.
Sunday 15-Mar-1992
Took a driving tour down the Apache Trail.
First Stop - the Grayhound Park 'N Swap. This is a large flee market
but since it is mostly dealers it is the single best place to shop for
tourist class stuff. For instance you can purchase all the T-shirts and
Indian jewelry for substantially less then the uptown prices.
Next lunch at the Mining Camp Restaurant & Trading Post.
All you can eat served on tin plates family style - the Ribs were
out of this world and I loved the roaming cowboy playing the guitar
and singing between the tables. Yippee Kie Yie Yhooo
Then on the the Goldfield Ghost Town and Mine Tour. It was really
neat to see how a gold mine actually worked from the inside. It is
actually a mock up of a real mine for safety reasons but really nice.
Finally to Canyon Lake and on to Dolly's Steam boat cruise. We saw some
mountain sheep on our trip thru the canyon. I'm always impressed on
how an animal with hooves can be sure footed on rock cliffs?
Monday 16-Mar-1992
South to tour Biosphere 2.
This is a really impressive undertaking. It was built to contain
isolated life forms for the next 100 years. The first group of 8
biospherians are scheduled to be in for two years and the next
group is in training now. They have been in for 6 months so far.
It's a nice tour and very informative. If you were going to the
Phoenix area and only had one day to site see I would suggest
seeing this place. As the Dunkin' Donuts signs say - It's worth
the trip.
I'll just quote from a brochure.
=======================================================================
On September 26,1991, four men and four women stepped over the
threshold of a new world - and invited the citizens of Earth to
participate in the hundred-year journey of the discovery of Biosphere 2.
Biosphere 2 is a miniature biosphere - with tropical rainforest,
savannah, marsh, ocean, desert, farm and human habitat ecosystems
enclosed within a three-acre airtight structure. The eight member
biospherian crew entered Biosphere 2 for a two-year test mission where
all air, water and food will be recycled within the transparent
enclosure of glass and spaceframe. This two-year closure will be the
first of many over the hundred-year lifetime of this miniature world.
Air is recycled by plants, animals, soils and non-living parts
of the environment like rocks, bodies of water, and some mechanical
systems that mimic geological processes in Earth's biosphere.
Biosphere 2 may help discover how ecosystems recycle air, water
and food, providing important information for the intelligent
management of the environment on Earth or life habitats on space
frontiers.
=======================================================================
On the way back we stopped in the "Sports Authority" a sporting
goods store that has "everything" with 40,000 square feet of
floor space.
Tuesday 17-Mar-1992
I stopped in the Champlin Fighter Museum and just went thru the
gift shop and found an interesting book. I have seen the Museum
twice before - it's wonderful.
Right next door now is a Confederate Air Force rework hanger that
has a beautiful B17 called Sentimental Journey. It has all the
guns on it and it was fun having free rain to crawl all over it
at leisure.
Since I was there I had to swing over to the Falcon field civilian
pilots shop and shop a bit.
Next we went to Sheplers Country Western store because I got the
impression it was one of the largest in the area - I was wrong.
Then on to Malibu Grand Prix Racing. This is a go cart track with
some cars that have larger wheels and two cylinder engines and they
require a drivers license. Kinda fun. My lowest time was 52.something
for a lap - let me know how bad you beat me when you go out!
For supper we booked the group at the Barleen Family Country Music
Dinner Theater - If you like country music you would like this.
Wednesday 18-Mar-1992
We drove to the Grand Canyon. It snowed a bit on the way
just north of Flagstaff and was kinda neat because as it was
snowing the sun was shinning and there were tumble weeds blowing
across the road. We had seen the canyon before but this trip was
just because Kathy had never seen it.
On the way back we stopped at a tourist trap called the Flintstone
Bedrock City. Kathy enjoyed this and we took a bunch of dumb pictures
of everybody posing at Freds' Diner and etc.
Thursday 19-Mar-1992
Back to the Malibu Grand Prix Racing again. My time didn't improve
but this time I got Pat and Kathy to join in. They both enjoyed it
and Kathy kept asking to go again over the next several days.
We went to the Superstition Springs Center Mall - it is a new shopping
mall in Apache Junction. Fancy - but just a mall.
We picked up relatives and went to the Mining Camp Restaurant again.
Friday 20-Mar-1992
Finally out to flying field for the day before the Scale Fly In.
Friday is always a fun day because several 1st flights are done
and you meet old friends. Basically the sky was filled with
airplanes all day and most of the crowd of pilots that were going to
fly Saturday and Sunday were there Friday as well.
One of the most memorable planes there was a Red DeHavelin(sp) DH88
Comet. It was a twin engine piston racer. Looked great and had
two YS 1.2 engines. So for it's first flight the pilot enlisted the
aid of Ted White. Al Casey says Ted White is his mentor and one of
the best RC pilots alive.
Take off was pretty shaky and after it got up everyone was saying
that it looked tail heavy and that if anyone other than Ted was
flying it that it wouldn't have survived. Anyway everything smoothed
out after a bit and as Ted was bring it across the flight line
straight and level --- Boom. The horizontal stab blew off on both
sides and within a split second the main wing folded at the engine
nacelles. The wing fold was neat because both halves stayed attached
and folded about the same so it looked like a wing with a ton of
dihedral. Engines still running and lots of dihedral and no horizontal
stab - it started to kinda auto rotate down. It looked like it was
actually descending very slow so everyone kinda thought some how Ted
was going to save it but when it hit the ground - BOOM! The destruction
was pretty total. I asked the owner/builder later if the engines
were OK - has answer was NO.
The interesting thing here was the owner/builder had only but glued
the horizontal stab on the fin. Even tho he was a very skilled
hi-quality builder he was inexperienced and just followed the directions.
Ted Whites son (he had two there and I don't know which one) was flying
the pants off a Kaios(sp) twin (only a few made they say) and after several
inverted low passes at full bore he finally put it in on it's back.
Seconds after it hit Ted was walking down the flight line saying.
"He deserved it the little bas%%%%!". Guess Ted was not to happy
with his hot shoting but the kid is a great flyer.
Al Casey and Chuck Collier were there. Chuck put in a couple of good
flights on his big Staggerwing. He thinks beefing up the rudder pushrod
did improve the takeoff handling. It was a cross wind and not easy
for the tail draggers and his take offs (with gyro assist) were good.
Saturday 21-Mar-1992
Cold - and windy. I had a light jacket but wish I had my parka.
It stayed cold all day and by the time I got back to the motel
that evening I was chilled to the bone.
Anyway...
Some guy had one of those Japanese canard pusher fighters. I forgot
the name of the plane - but it flew OK until he lost an engine.
Then he tried to turn back to the runway and it went into a spin - BOOM!
Garland Hamilton (a Sergeant in the Marine corps still on active duty)
some how managed to total an F86 in the desert. He said the damage was so
severe that they didn't even pick up the parts. I assume they picked up
radio and engine parts but they left the hundreds of fuselage parts laying
in the desert. I assume this was his master qualifying plane since I know
he qualified already this year with an F86. But it gets worse - stay tuned
for more Garland Hamilton news on Sunday.
My 1/8 Air Force assignment during the day was to police the flight line.
I was suppose to keep people behind the yellow line and folks without
pit passes behind the fence. Terrible job. But I only had to do it
for a couple of hours. Most of the folks who were breaking the rules
were other 1/8 Air Force members out of uniform without pit passes.
Later in the day just before my shift ended I spotted two likely looking
suspects (ladies) wondering down pit row without pit passes. So as I
wondered up to give them a hard time I found they were non other than
Kathy Casey (Al's Wife) and her daughter Shawn.
With the wind directly at your back that day the concern about flight
line safety was real and most good landings had to be made with the
aircraft pointed directly at the crowd and crabbing in. As they would
drop into ground effect they turned towards the runway for the first time.
Chuck Collier put in an early flight in the wind and later in the day
put in another flight while the wind was going down and a thunder cloud
was forming at his back. Just as he landed a big wind gust came up
but it didn't appear to effect his landing at all. Says something for
a healthy wing loading, fast approach and a gyro on the rudder.
I had to leave a bit early to drive back to Mesa and get Pat to drive
back out the the banquet at Pinnacle Peak Patio.
The food was good but the entertainment was great. The D&D band
was composed of Al Casey as lead guitar and lead vocals. Bob Frey
(Al's flying partner) as rhythm guitar and vocals and 3 other 1/8
Air Force Members on base guitar, keyboard, and drums.
They had the Al awards - you had to be there.
They had a skit with "Wheel of Misfortune" - great.
And the star was Kent Walter (3 time masters winner) as the Cowboy comic.
He was telling stand up comedy jokes written by Al Casey.
I laughed so hard I hurt.
The music by the D&D band was excellent and the Chris Isiac(sp) tune
was great with some really fancy guitar work by Al.
We stayed till all the D&D songs were over then not so local modelers
joined in for a JAM session. Buzz Watson on keyboards and Paul Curley
on base.
Buzz has brought both a giant scale model and a guillos size the last
few years. This year he had a little bitty Piper Cheroke with an OS .15
and flaps. The workmanship on this model had to be seen to be believed.
Paul Curley was flying a giant scale P40 this year.
Sunday 22-Mar-1992
Much warmer and no wind. As I arrived at the Sun Valley Flyers field
there were several full scale hot air balloons lifting off. As you
face the flight line they were off to the right. As they lifted off
they came directly to the light line then the winds changed and they
flew parallel to the flight line full length but far enough set back
for safe flying. Then they turned and fell back further as they moved
from left to right and finally worked their way over a small set of
hills (mountains) on the far left. Very pretty - I started cranking
some pictures out of the camera. I counted 26 hot air balloons in sight
at one time. Awesome.
Today my task during my shift was to keep the ready line moving. We
had everybody put their plane in line who wanted to fly. There was no
attempt to regulate the placement of frequencies till you actually needed
the pin. Any frequency could fly at any station - all fifty frequencies.
We had a local expert (Don Wood) running a spectrum analyzer and a scanner.
To my knowledge we didn't have any radio frequency interference problems.
We had a fellow there with a radar gun all day. This encouraged some
relatively unsafe but great fun performances. At one time Dan Parson's was
up flying his DeHavelin(sp) Hornet twin and Chuck Collier was up with
his Staggerwing Q50 and they were making successive passes at the flight
line to try and get the best speed. Dan got a 118 MPH but Chuck shut
him down with a 124 MPH out of he Beech.
Later we find a pylon racer (no throttle) clocking 142 MPH but Garland
Hamilton was up at the same time with his F16 and wasn't about to be
beat out by such cheap hardware. So he made a long shallow dive from
about a 1/4 mile out and clocked 166 MPH. Then Garland was going to
roll 90 degrees and pull a high G turn away from the flight line.
At 166 MPH his roll rate was a bit faster than he was used to so he
rolled a bit more then 90 degrees and pulled up - BOOM. 166MPH right
into the ground. The destruction was awesome. He came back 1/2 hour
later with two small garbage bags full of F16 parts. He said the only
reason he picked up the pieces this time was because it was at the end
of the runway where it would be an eye sore if he didn't.
There was a random war birds shoot out in the middle of the day when
we caught Paul Curley flying his P40 Warhawk, Brian O'Meara flying
a P-47 (a lot like Kevin Ladds), and some other fellow flying a nice Zero.
By my calculation I have to give Brian a confirmed kill on the Zero.
He had him dead to rights one time. This was really fun to watch because
they all were flying very realistic.
They had the rubber band contest to settle the rivalry between the
1/8 Air Force and the F-Troop. F-Troop challenged them to this a
couple of years ago but this year the only two entries were both
from the 1/8 Air Force. I was really hoping to get a rubber Zero
together in time. But as you see - the guys from F-Troop couldn't
find any ARF rubber planes so they couldn't hack it. Perhaps if
someone sends them a copy of "So you wanna build an Airplane" someone
out there could be trained.
Well as it approached time for the awards I had to leave early in order
to get to the Hungry Hunter in time for the 1/2 price specials. Actually
I was figuring on things being over in time but I miss calculated. But
I promised the family that I would be back in time so I had to pull out.
I assume that Garland won the worst crash award and wonder where Eldon
Wilson was this year for the oldest flyer award? Hope he is OK - Eldon
is a great guy.
Monday 23-Mar-1992
I booked the airline for just past midnight. So we packed up
and checked out of the motel in the morning and visited more relatives
thru the day and reported to the airport just before midnight.
Come to find out the flight was canceled so we had to wait another
hour for the next one.
When we arrived in Logan the limo service that we contracted with
had to use their big white stretch limo (instead of the town car
we left with). So the ride back was more interesting.
That's all I can think of off hand.
If you ever get a chance to go to Phoenix - do it - you'll love it.
As always Al sends his best regards to all and invites you to all
stop in anytime you can make it.
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2591 | Avro Vulcan | KAY::FISHER | If better is possible, good is not enough. | Thu Apr 02 1992 10:47 | 15 |
| Speaking of outrageous giant scale planes - anybody else catch the issue
before last of Scale R/C Modeler.
Avro Vulcan
14.5 feet wing span
165 pounds
powered by four Rossi 90's
Page 68 fyi
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2596 | Misc questions | KAY::FISHER | If better is possible, good is not enough. | Fri Apr 03 1992 16:35 | 26 |
| Dan, I called Yellow Aircraft - it's on the way.
Charley, I'm taking bids for the stadium but as an interim
measure I just bought Acton.
Jim, In your "Quick Cash" mail you forgot the amount - expect
a blank check.
Really blank!
Hey - this is great fun - been the most rambling since the Rat left.
Anybody know about putting panel lines on top of decals?
I almost ready to put decals on the Zero - and don't dare
put panel lines on after - also I don't wanna clear coat because
I'll lose the flattening effect I already have. But if I don't
clear coat I bet fuel will destroy the decals - right?
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2597 | Hobbypoxy make a flat that works with clear | RANGER::REITH | Jim (RANGER::) Reith - LJO2 | Fri Apr 03 1992 16:48 | 3 |
| HobbyPoxy used to make a flat spray hardener for their paint. I sprayed
it over my Spitfire and it flattened everything out and made it
fuelproof (epoxy clear paint).
|
| 239.2600 | Dan and Terry's excellent gastronomic adventure. | ELMAGO::TTOMBAUGH | Naked in a cave in the Jemez | Mon Apr 06 1992 11:25 | 59 |
| Oh my aching (insert name of favorite anatomical part here) !
Dan Miner blew into town friday night and really kept me hopping.
Ha-ha, just kidding Dan. I can nearly walk unassisted again.
Friday night he, his cousin, cousins son, and I hit Gardunos for
Mexican food. The Mariachis favored our table. Later that night
I noticed my hearing recovering somewhat after the *trumpet in the ear*
routine. 8-).
Saturday morning it was a quick stop at a breakfast buffet. Later that
morning I noticed my stomach recovering after an unaccustomed egg and
sausage routine.
Then it was out to the sod farm where we would test my new winch,
introduce Dan to any of the local loonies who showed up, and do
something else....oh yes, fly some planes.
John I. and his wife showed up, Alcyone and G.L., Bruce T, Camano
and Tim and his son, Oly and Chuperosa.
Everyone else was out of town, too lazy to drive to the sod farm.
All the F3B guys were going out on sunday, so Dan missed seeing them
as well as meeting Dave T. who was in Wyo.
John tested my winch first, and it hurled the Alcyone skyward in fine
fashion. Then it was Bruce's turn. Half way up, the entire empennage
of the Camano let go, and with the fin and stab flopping in the wind,
it did a rather shallow inverted dive into the sod. No further
damage other than the fuselage which had re-broken at the repair point
from the Az. contest crash damage when he lost the stab on launch.
Then it was my turn with the Legend. The first flight was good for the
first 5 min. thermal round for my LSF level I and the landing got
me the first of the 5 spot landings.
Dan timed, shagged line and signed LSF forms. Also he devised a
measuring tape out of an xmtr. strap since noone had a tape measure.
I decided to go with the Thermic Traveler to get the remaining 4 spot
landings. This required another 8-12 launches and recaptured that
old-time flapless feeling as I veered wildly over, around, and
occasionally on the the spot. Dan stoicly stood his ground, measuring,
video taping, gazing across the prarie at approaching squalls, rapidly
building cumuli, etc.
When I finally decided he had worked hard enough to earn a little stick
time he flew the Thermic Traveler and learned about its yaw and general
instability.
Then it was on to several short flights with the Legend. By this time
a total cloud blanket of the sun and cool winds from squalls had
pretty well shut off all lift.
He had to be on the road to Tucson by 3 pm so we packed up and headed
back to town.
We enjoyed his all-too-brief visit and he survived it so what more
can you ask ?
Terry
|
| 239.2601 | Gremlin's invade Gardener, low pressure area recorded. | EMDS::SNOW | | Fri Apr 24 1992 09:32 | 75 |
|
Ah, spring! The ability to stand outside without a jacket, plenty of
daylight left after you get out of work, warm brezes!
Breezes hell! It was down right windy! But Dan Weier and I were not to
be deterred. We met at the Gardener flying site a bit after 5 yesterday. I had
a new Gremlin, or rather an old Gremlin with a new engine, to test fly, and
decided it would be better to test it at the practically deserted Gardener
field. I took a flight with my trusty 25 powered gremlin first to limber up the
thumbs. All was fine till the turbulence from the trees on the far side of the
runway grabbed the plane during a low speed pass and landed it for me! :-)
Then it was time to fuel up the new Sunday Gremlin and see what it
would do. I had taken the OS32 out of it to put in the Fun One. After about 20
minutes or so of looking at this big gaping hole in the front of the gremlin,
I remebered a Skyward 46 engine I had sitting on the shelf. I argued with
myself for a while, but reasoned that this engine, supposed to be close to the
Magnum 45, and mounted on a larger wing, wouldn't be in the same supersonic
class as the Weier-bat. A couple of hours of modification to the fuselage and
the engine was in place. Initial check showed the cg too far back so a 2.5"
DuBro spinner was installed.
The Skyward started easily, once I remembered to open the needle valve!
A moment or to to get the needle set at a rich setting as the engine still has
less than an hour on it, and it was time to give it a go. I started with an apc
11-6 prop which turned out to be a bit over propped. It likes a 10-7 a lot
better. Anyway, after cautioning the spectators in the pits to keep their eyes
open, DW2 and I walked out to the runway. Facing into the wind I opened the
throttle and launched the sucker. The next 30-45 seconds were ones I don't want
to go through again anytime soon. Launched into a 15mph headwind, the gremlin
shot straight up and started to loop back over towards the pits. Full down
elevator did nothing more than keep the plane from coming over the top. It was
still trying to climbout at a good 60 degree angle. All this only took a couple
of seconds but felt like minutes! At this point I cut the throttle, figuring
to let it come down somewhere away from folks and where I could find it. As
soon as it slowed down I was able to get control and start sorting it out.
After a short period of flying it at 1/4 throttle using the trims I found it
was flyable. Opening the throttle I was at last able to get it to full speed
and maintain full control. However I am sure that the weathermen will be talking
about the record low pressure cell that suddenly appeared over Gardener for
years to come!! :-)
Speedwise, it was nowhere near as fast as Dan's on it's first flight.
As I noted, the 11-6 was too much, and it was running very rich. As the flights
progressed through the evening I was able to start leaning it out, and by the
end of the session I was starting to get closer in speed. I was flying with 50%
exponential on the ailerons, and 30% on the elevator. This makes the plane
easier to fly smoothly. However as we discovered, flying it with the CG about
1" too far back makes it rather skittish. Without the exponential it would have
really been a handful.
On either the 3rd or 4th flight I decided to see if it would spin. This
wing had always recovered from spins before, (except for the time Eric H.
suggested I try high rate elevator and aileron at the same time) so I wasn't
expecting the result. It took a bit for it to transition from the falling leaf
to spinning. Once it did I started feeding in full down elevator. All that did
was flatten the spin! Okay, I throttled back, no effect. Reversing controls,
throttling back up still made no difference. By this time I had spun down from
the 400' where I had started to disappear behind the infamous barn. I cut the
throttle as it went out of sight and held in a slight bit of up elevator just
in case. "Yer down in the swamp!" cracked an old timer that had been watching
Dan and I with a rather amused grin the whole time we were there. The plane had
disappeared about 1/4 mile away. We hopped into Dans car and headed off to what
I was sure would be a lost cause.
We hadn't gone 500' down the road when I spotted something in a clearing
that ran steeply down hill from the road to the thickly wooded and swampy area
at the bottom of the valley. We pulled up to the side of the road and sitting
upright a couple of hundred yards down the hill in the meadow was the gremlin!
The only damage was a broken prop! The old timer thought we were kidding when we
drove back up less than 10 minutes later. He couldn't believe it when I pulled
the plane out of Dans car, changed props, and went flying again!
We must've put in 6-7 flights apiece before it was time to pack up.
Outside of losing $8-$10 in broken props, I would rate the experiment as being
successful. I'll move the cg forward to smooth things out, and as the engine
continues to break in I'll experiment a bit more with different props to
find the right combination. With the 44-46" wing it's a bit slower than Dan's,
but still quick enough to be challenging!
|
| 239.2602 | 1/12 Scale WWII Combat AMA 704 RC Combat | KAY::FISHER | The higher, the fewer | Tue May 12 1992 09:50 | 77 |
| Found this on the use net the other day - thought it had some general interest.
I wasn't aware that they were making an AMA event around it and I thought I
read most of the stuff written about these CRX models.
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
The May 1992 issue of Model Airplane News had a construction article
for two 1/12 scale World War Two RC Combat airplans for the new
AMA 704 RC Combat event.
After reading this article I became interested in this event; and wrote
to Greg Rose for further information.
Greg sent me a copy of the rules and a source of plans as well as an
application for his news letter.
Basically the event requires all planes be 1 inch == 1 foot (1/12 scale)
of World War II era fighters -- 1935 - 1955.
The maximum weight for these planes is 2.2 pounds for single engine designs
and 2.5 pounds for multi-engine designs.
The engine size is .15 for designs in which the prototype was powered by an
inline engine, .20 for designs in which the prototype was powered by a radial
engine, and .20 combined for multi-engine designs.
The object is to stay within a designated air space and try to cut a 30 foot
streamer tailed by the other models.
Greg is publishing a newsletter for members of the International Dogfighters
Association IDA-USA the "A.C.E Reporter"
Membership and the newsletter is availiable fro $10.00 a year from:
Greg Rose IDA-USA
3429 Elmy
Orion, MI 48359
(313) 391-2149
Gus Morfis of CRX Scale has 8 or so plans for 1/12 scale fighters designed for
this event they cost between $8.50 and $12.50 each post paid. They can be ordered
from:
Gus Morfis
4709 Green Meadows Ave
Torrance, CA 90505-5507
(310) 378-5679
Well enough of my ramblings.
Has anybody participated or witnessed this event?
Or have any additional information?
Please post questions / responses!
JRC
--
If Mr. News spews so, it must be true.
++++++++++++++++++++++ The full NEWS header follows +++++++++++++++++++++++++++
News Article 8825
Path: nntpd.lkg.dec.com!nntpd2.cxo.dec.com!pa.dec.com!decwrl!olivea!uunet!dscares!neptune!jrc
From: [email protected] (J R Cowley)
Newsgroups: rec.models.rc
Subject: WWII Combat
Summary: Discussion of 1/12 Scale WWII RC Combat AMA 704
Keywords: 1/12 Scale WWII Combat AMA 704 RC Combat
Message-ID: <jrc.705264481@neptune>
Date: 7 May 92 18:48:01 GMT
Sender: news@dscares
Organization: Digital Sound Corporation
Lines: 51
|
| 239.2603 | Let the immigrant flood begin.... | ELMAGO::TTOMBAUGH | Ceramic Nose Puppys here now ! | Fri May 29 1992 09:22 | 42 |
| Ok, ok, I swear this is the last word on the subject....
From the 5/28 Tribune:
For the past six weeks or so, a young woman in a fluorescent hot
pink bikini has been selling hot dogs from a cart along Uptown Bl.
^^^^^^^^^^^
She sits on a picnic cooler under some shade trees in front
of the United New Mexico Bank building's parking lot.
Across the street are a Sunwest Bank branch and Entre Computer Center.
Down the street is the Dean Witter brokerage firm and Kelleher & Mcleod
law firm, among other businesses.
About every 10 minutes a car drives by and honks. She waves.
Two guys in a blue compact honk and pull over. "How much are the hot
dogs?"
She bends over to tell them. The driver replies, "$3.25 for a hot
dog? Let me drop him off. I'll be back."
While a neighborhood filled with stockbrokers, bankers, computer
service reps- in other words, suits- may be enjoying the view, others
say they'd like to see bikini-clad Erin Currens walk her dogs somewhere
^^^^^^^^^^^
else.
" Personally, I find it offensive and demeaning," says Sue Lowrey, an
attorney with Kelleher & Mcleod. Currens attire is bad enough, Lowrey
and others say. But does she have to call her hot dogs "Hooters"?
For example, leaflets found on cars at City Centre read: "Hooter
Alert." And in case you don't get the reference, she lets the bikini
^^^^^^
do the talking.
Her manager, Chris Ballard, who chaperones her most days, knows what
he is selling but never uses the "b" word. "We're selling the best in
outdoor food entertainment."...............
Sayonara GIs
Terry
|
| 239.2604 | 8^) | HANNAH::REITH | Jim HANNAH:: Reith DSG1/2E6 235-8039 | Fri May 29 1992 09:28 | 1 |
| That was a cruel parting shot...
|
| 239.2605 | 8^) | RCFLYR::CAVANAGH | Jim Cavanagh SHR1-3/R20 Dtn:237-2252 | Fri May 29 1992 10:23 | 14 |
|
And to think that all we get to see if the Evl-1 flashing the locals as he
changes into his flying attire in the parking lot. It just aint fair! 8^)
When's the next bus leaving?? 8^)
Jim
|
| 239.2606 | 8^) | HANNAH::REITH | Jim HANNAH:: Reith DSG1/2E6 235-8039 | Fri May 29 1992 10:43 | 1 |
| Hey Terry, Wanna tell Jim how cheap housing is out there? 8^)
|
| 239.2607 | Give me a home...where the bikinis roam.... 8^) | RCFLYR::CAVANAGH | Jim Cavanagh SHR1-3/R20 Dtn:237-2252 | Fri May 29 1992 10:58 | 20 |
| >> Hey Terry, Wanna tell Jim how cheap housing is out there? 8^)
That's it....hit a guy while he's down!
So Terry....how cheap *is* housing out there?
8^)
Jim
|
| 239.2608 | < | EMDS::SNOW | | Fri May 29 1992 11:05 | 4 |
|
Jim,
It's not the price, it's the "Quality" of the houses!! :-)
|
| 239.2609 | No 'flashing' problems here...oo-er. | ELMAGO::TTOMBAUGH | Ceramic Nose Puppys here now ! | Fri May 29 1992 11:49 | 16 |
| Jeez, are you guys gluttons for punishment or what ?
The average new home price is in the $80-90k range. This is for
the typical 3 bdr. 2 car garage tract home. $150K will buy you
a pretty nice custom built.
Property taxes are pretty low, mine are ~$250/year, but with a vets
exemption.
ABO's gonna have ~70+ vacancies after today but they're not planning
to backfill except with temps.
Ya still got a coupla of hours to drag me into a radio religion
debate or sumpthin.
Terry
|
| 239.2610 | A flying plane project. | STOHUB::JETRGR::EATON | Dan Eaton St.Louis,MO,USA, 445-6522 | Fri Jun 19 1992 13:02 | 19 |
| We had our club meeting a couple of weeks ago and had an interesting visitor.
A gentleman by the name of Wayne Cook came to show us the progress he's made
on his latest project. Wayne has a background in designing and building full
size race cars, and home built airplanes. His present project is a
streamlined very esthetically pleasing sportcar/aircraft. The full sized plane
will be powered by an ISUZU 365 Hp turbocharged liquid-cooled engine. Total
projected weight for the aircraft will be 1600 lbs. The aircraft will have a
cruise speed around 185 mph. When detached from the wing structure, the car will
weigh in at about 900 pounds. Because of this, the computer that controls the
engine will restrict the horsepower to around 150 hp. Wayne said a 900 pound car
with a 365 hp engine was real close to an Indy racer and he had to restrict the
horsepower on the ground to keep people from killing themselves.
To test out the concept, Wayne has built a 1/4 scale model which he brought
along to the meeting. Picture a hatchback style sports car with a short pylon
sitting ontop the roof/hatchback area. On top of the pylon is the wing and
running out the back is a boom that supports the pusher prop and tailfins. The
horizontal stabs have anhedral. Looks neat and will be interesting to see it
fly. The model is powered by a weed wacker engine.
|
| 239.2611 | Did you mean "Flying Car project? :) | WMOIS::WEIER | Wings are just a place to hang Ailerons | Fri Jun 19 1992 15:18 | 4 |
|
Not a "flying plane" project! How will they ever get a "plane" to
fly? Now, it someone were building a flying car project, that would be
interesting! :) :)
|
| 239.2612 | A pictures worth a thousand words | STOHUB::JETRGR::EATON | Dan Eaton St.Louis,MO,USA, 445-6522 | Mon Jun 22 1992 15:15 | 8 |
| > Not a "flying plane" project! How will they ever get a "plane" to
> fly? Now, it someone were building a flying car project, that would be
> interesting! :) :)
Duh... Guess I goofed that up. Yep, were really talking about a flying car. 8^)
And just to prove it, copy 17156::FLYING_CAR1.PS to your system and print it.
It's a digitised picture of the 1/4 scale version in Postscript format.
|
| 239.2613 | Just havin fun! :) :) | WMOIS::WEIER | Wings are just a place to hang Ailerons | Tue Jun 23 1992 09:15 | 15 |
|
Dan,
Sorry, couldn't resist! :) :)
Sounds fascinating, keep us posted it you hear any more about it.
Even though "flying cars" have been flown before, there haven't been
any breakthroughs in the concept for quite awhile. It will be
interesting to see if a practical model can be developed now that
technology has advanced.
Dan
|
| 239.2614 | Interesting | LEDS::WATT | | Tue Jun 23 1992 13:05 | 7 |
| I'd have fun disabling the HP reducer! I always wanted an Indy car.
:-) By the time the Feds get through with it the weight will double
and the HP will go down by a factor of 2. Then it won't fly. Can you
see flying 10mph bumpers?
Charlie
|
| 239.2615 | A visit to the EAA's Eagle hangar | STOHUB::JETRGR::EATON | Dan Eaton St.Louis,MO,USA, 445-6522 | Fri Jul 17 1992 13:04 | 43 |
| I took last week off and took my wife to her parents in upper Michigan. It's
been a couple of years since I last went to the EAA museum at Oshkosh so I let
it be known that one of the days up there I was going to go look at airplanes.
The last time I went to the museum, they didn't have the Eagle hanger done. I
was really looking forward to seeing that. The Eagle hangar is a hanger
(surprise, huh) with WWII aircraft and displays in it. We entered on the upper
level thru a dark corridor lined with lighted diorama's with aviation scenes
modeled from the WWII period. You come out of the corridor and find yourself
on a balcony over looking the hanger floor. What a view! On the floor was a
B-17, P-51, P-38, Corsair, Bearcat, Zero, L-4, Mosquito, Curtis seaplane, and
cute little red low wing plane that turned out to be a target drone.
Occupying the balcony was a small Qunson (sp?) hut set up as a mission
briefing room. They have a 5 minute film you can watch to explain the purpose
os the Eagle hangar. Next to the hut was an information machine set up to
display a picture of any of the aircraft from the era.
We went down stairs to get an up close look at the planes. I made a bee line for
the B-17. They were charging $2.00 to go inside and I'd always wanted to go
onboard one. The only other times I've had a chance was at air shows were they
wanted a lot more, had long lines, and you got a quick and idrty toor. There
weren't too many people around so my son and I got to have the b-17 all to
ourselves. It was great, though I was a little disappointed that they had the
bottom turret out. They were doing restoration work on the plane.
It was also a thrill to see the P-38. I'd never seen one up close before. This
one was painted (or not painted, it was silver) up as one of Dick Bong's steeds
The dive flaps were a much more complicated arrangement than I had been led
to believe from the books I've read on the P-38.
Besides the planes, they had a lot of neat displays. They had a nice collection
of engines. The Merlin was smaller than I had imagined and the radial from the
B-29 was a heck of a lot longer than I thought a radial could ever be. They had
a display on the board with a map and LED's showing an actual bombing mission
flown in Europe. As the LEDS representing the bombers moved across the map,
other lights would come on to show they were under attack from flak or fighters
and a story board would let you know exactly what was happening. They also
had a model of an aircraft carrier from the period. A big model, about 10 feet
long
Due to some other commitments, we hadn't got to the museum until about 15:00
and all too soon they were announcing they were closing at 17:00. I definitely
have to go again next year.
|
| 239.2616 | Zeke's alive | KAY::FISHER | The higher, the fewer | Fri Jul 17 1992 15:34 | 18 |
| ><<< Note 239.2615 by STOHUB::JETRGR::EATON "Dan Eaton St.Louis,MO,USA, 445-6522" >>>
> -< A visit to the EAA's Eagle hangar >-
...
>on a balcony over looking the hanger floor. What a view! On the floor was a
>B-17, P-51, P-38, Corsair, Bearcat, Zero, L-4, Mosquito, Curtis seaplane, and
Oh - Oh - Oh.
Tell me about the Zero.
Did you take any pictures?
What color was it?
Any idea what model it was?
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
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|
| 239.2617 | And tell me more about the P-38 8^) | HANNAH::REITH | Jim HANNAH:: Reith DSG1/2E6 235-8039 | Fri Jul 17 1992 15:54 | 3 |
| Kay,
I'll bet it weighed less... 8^)
|
| 239.2618 | A >little< more info | STOHUB::JETRGR::EATON | Dan Eaton St.Louis,MO,USA, 445-6522 | Fri Jul 17 1992 17:10 | 31 |
|
>Tell me about the Zero.
>Did you take any pictures?
Sorry Kay, the wife wanted the camera that day so I was without. I promise I'll
take some pictures of it when I go back next year. You should be about ready for
them by then, right? 8^) However, this plane was there when I went thru the
museum two years so maybe somebody else has been and has pictures. Ajai,
perhaps?
>What color was it?
Dark Green. Compared to the P-38 or the B-17 it just didn't catch my attention.
>Any idea what model it was?
No idea at all. It a plane with a low wing and a radial engine up front. One of
the things that surprised me was there were no signs by the planes describing
what they were..
>And tell me more about the P-38 8^)
Jim, the P-38 was in natural aluminum finish. The reason I knew it was done up
like Dick Bongs plane was it had the picture of his fiancee on the side of the
nose. I can't tell you much more because without the camera we took in too many
details in too short of time for much more to stick. One thing I did note was
that the B-17 was flyable complete with signs on the inside warning people not
to touch the controls because of the safety hazzard to the pilots the next time
they flew. With that in mind, it may be that the P-38 is flyable also and
might take to the air during the EAA convention.
Just had a thought, my neighbor is going to the convention and I 'll ask him to
get some pictures of the P-38 and Zero if he can.
|
| 239.2619 | Where's this museum?? | HANNAH::REITH | Jim HANNAH:: Reith DSG1/2E6 235-8039 | Fri Jul 17 1992 17:24 | 6 |
| Thanks for entering the info. Could you give more specifics about the museum
location? Finding a P-38 on display has been a background task and if I end
up out in the area, I'm going to take the time to stop by. Given a long enough
wait, Massachusetts starts being "in the neighborhood" 8^)
My thoughts while i read your account was, "Wow, down amongst those planes"
|
| 239.2620 | Go West, young man | STOHUB::JETRGR::EATON | Dan Eaton St.Louis,MO,USA, 445-6522 | Fri Jul 17 1992 18:16 | 37 |
| >Thanks for entering the info. Could you give more specifics about the museum
>location? Finding a P-38 on display has been a background task and if I end
>up out in the area, I'm going to take the time to stop by. Given a long enough
>wait, Massachusetts starts being "in the neighborhood" 8^)
Directions to the EAA Museum from Massachusetts
1. Get on I-90 going West
2. See above
3. See above
4. After a long time of doing 1. (approximately 18-19 hours) you'll come to
Chicago
5. Take I-94 north
6. After an hour or six depending on the traffic you'll come to Milwaukee
7. Take 894 West and then US 41 north for about an hour.
When you see the F-86 on the pylon you're there.
8. Get off at the Airport/Eaa Museum exit in Oshkosh.
9. Head East and make a right st the first intersection to get on the outer road.
The outer road runs along the Western edge of the airport they have the
convention at.
10 Follow the signs to the museum.
11 The Eagle hanger is in the very back of the museum. Unless you've got a
seriously one track mind it'll take you a while to work your way back thru
all of the other displays..
12. Have a big dinner of brats and fried cheeze curds afterwards
>My thoughts while i read your account was, "Wow, down amongst those planes"
Yeah, it was really neat walking out on that balcony and seeing all of thos
planes. And THEN I nothiced that you could go down and wander among them.
Almost forgot. They have a hanger where they do restoration /project work
attached to the museum. They had a Mig 15, Mig 21, and a Douglas A4 in there
when I went. When I got back to my in-laws, my mother-in-law, showed me a short
artical in there local newspaper annopuncing that the EAA had just bought nine
arly jets from a defunct museum down in Houston.
|
| 239.2621 | Just arrive one day early! | KAY::FISHER | The higher, the fewer | Mon Jul 20 1992 09:55 | 10 |
| There will be day trip to the EAA Museum exit in Oshkosh
for all the early birds at the National Sailplane Symposium.
If you are there the Friday before you take a bus trip to Oshkosh.
I'm about ready so sign up - can't I generate any other interest?
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2622 | More on the early jets the EAA aqquired | STOHUB::JETRGR::EATON | Dan Eaton St.Louis,MO,USA, 445-6522 | Fri Jul 31 1992 14:11 | 11 |
| RE239.262
>Almost forgot. They have a hanger where they do restoration /project work
>attached to the museum. They had a Mig 15, Mig 21, and a Douglas A4 in there
>when I went. When I got back to my in-laws, my mother-in-law, showed me a short
>artical in there local newspaper annopuncing that the EAA had just bought nine
>early jets from a defunct museum down in Houston.
My in-laws sent me a clipping from their local paper. The nine aircraft were:
British Hawker "Hunter", T-33 "Shooting Star", F-104 "Starfighter", MIG-15,
MIG-21, two F-86 "Sabres", A-4 Skyhawk, and a deHavilland "Vampire". They got them
from the Combat Jet Flying Museum.
|
| 239.2623 | Contact your locl Russian Embassy for delivery | SENIOR::NEWBERY | WELCOME TO CLEVELAND | Mon Aug 03 1992 17:56 | 5 |
|
According to the news this AM you can now buy your very own MiG 21.
Its been de-armored, but that would only make it go faster right??
|
| 239.2624 | Al Casey's got a JOB!!! (sort of) | RGB::MINER | Dan Miner, DTN:225-4015, HLO2-1/J12 (@ H11) | Fri Oct 23 1992 12:17 | 7 |
| I just got off the phone w/ the Desert Rat. (Planning on when we'll
be gettin' together next week.) Anyway, he's got a job now at a
Hobbytown USA in Phoenix. He says it pays less than unemployment
did, but that ran out. So working in a hobby store is better than
nuthin'.
Al's "work" (yeah right) number is 602-993-0122.
|
| 239.2625 | 8^) 8^) | HANNAH::REITH | Jim HANNAH:: Reith DSG1/2E6 235-8039 | Fri Oct 23 1992 12:21 | 1 |
| You'll have to tell us stories of "Ray's in the Desert" when you get back!
|
| 239.2626 | Al Casey - qualifies for scale masters - again | KAY::FISHER | The higher, the fewer | Tue Mar 16 1993 13:57 | 27 |
| Well - I just got off the phone talking to Al Casey - and guess what?
He just finished qualifying the MiG 3 again (for the 9th time).
He placed 3 at their local qualifier and got a static score
of 92.something.
Another well done for the Rat and we can expect to see pictures
in all the local mags when they hold the masters in Mile Square park.
If you have an inclination - give him a ring at work and
pass on an additional congratulations - I'm sure he'd
love to hear from any of you.
He is working at a local Phoenix hobby shop at (602)993-0122
If you'd rather do an evening call his home phone is (602)863-1456.
I believe nobody in history has ever qualified the same plane
9 times for the scale masters.
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
|
| 239.2627 | Trip report (driving through a blizzard to fly 8^) | 3D::REITH | Jim 3D::Reith MLO1-2/c37 223-2021 | Mon Mar 22 1993 14:45 | 70 |
| Well we got out of the house at 7pm friday night and stopped at the bank
and a few other places only to get back to the house at 7:30 8^) We made
it to the Delaware Memorial Bridge before we saw snow. Virginia was the
worst with 2-3" of slush getting thrown up in frozen rooster tails by the
passing trucks. 3-4 hours of 30mph and we pulled over for food. When we
came out it had changed to rain and we were able to pick up the pace
again. We were close enough to the coast that we had rain most of the rest
of the way down with some snow in Georgia but nothing on the road. The
wind was pretty strong and you could feel it push the car around. I did
about 800 miles (out of 1200) and Jimmy and Rose split the rest. We
arrived at my parents' in Ocala FL about 7:30pm saturday night.
Sunday I went over to where my father said they flew. Nobody there (25mph
winds). The hobby store was closed so I didn't have any fuel. Monday when
the hobby shop opened I got my fuel and found that the field my father
took me to was closed down and got directions to the new field. Got out
there and it was empty and locked. Got two names from the Hobby store and
two numbers from the gate at the field. Got hold of the club president
that night and explained the situation and that I had AMA and he gave me
the combo to the lock and said to give his name if anyone asked. Other
than a short time Tuesday morning, I had a private field 10 minutes from
my parents place. 3 hours tuesday AM, an hour and a half tuesday night, a
trip over to the president's business to meet him and invited to fly in
his backyard. His backyard was a 500' open square surrounded by trees and
power lines. I asked him if he wanted to head out after work and he said
we could fly there at lunchtime if I was interested. The wind was still
kicking up at about 20mph and it was blowing over his building. I did
was would be called a "downwind" launch into the rotor off the building.
The trusty (or is that "rusty"?) Gremlin bobbed and weaved but climbed out
and started doing it's thing. The guy was impressed with the handling but
didn't feel he could stay oriented enough to try the sticks so we made
plans to meet out at the field at dawn for a couple more hours of flying
and trading sticktime.
The president was flying a ship called the Fun Machine. It looks a lot like
a small Hots but it's actually a .20 sized Ugly stick fuselage with a turtle
deck and canopy added. It has a fully sheeted built up wing and flies with
a rear piped YS45! All up weight is 3 pounds 8^) One of the local troopers
clocked it at 140mph. His launch was from a vertical release and the plane
leapt into the air and accellerated with authority. I have one on the way 8^)
This plane is kitted in Ocala and has been shown in ZAP ads in the past. The
President will get a Gremlin in exchange and I'll send another one along to
be raffled off by the club as a thank you for use of the field. It sure made
it a great week considering the horrible weather. The club is the Marion County
Radio Aeromodeler club and call themselves the "Cloud Dancers". If anyone is
going to be in the Ocala FL area, let me know and I'll give you directions.
It's worth the trip.
There is another glider only club about 10 miles south of my parents place
that has winches set up all the time. It looked like it would be a great
field to go with gliders but I didn't have anything with me. I may ship
something down ahead of time next time.
My final note is that Ultracoat is not very well liked down there. I found the
two hobby shops dumping their stock at $8 a roll. I picked up 5 rolls of
fluorescents at that price and left with a BIG smile. I must say that modelers
are modelers everywhere you go and I was very pleased to find such a nice bunch
of guys to fly with. Allowing me to fly unescorted really allowed me to make use
of the iffy weather. Most of the family just hung around the house but I was able
to really wring out last years combat Gremlin. I left feeling I really had a
handle on the way it was flying.
I got sick and tired of everyone telling me that it was so nice last week and
it was a shame that it was so cold (60s) and windy. It was a day to die for in
New England in March so I just smiled and headed out to the field.
Trip home was 23.5 hours friday night to saturday night. I'm building a bunch
of new Gremlins so I have some for next season and also so I have one as part
of the trade for the winch. Gotta get those done this week and then I can get
back to the Alcyone 2M.
|
| 239.2628 | Blimp story from the usenet | KAY::FISHER | A watched pack never peaks. | Fri Oct 29 1993 14:14 | 81 |
| Interesting blimp story from the usenet.
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] (Shawn Clever) writes:
|>
|> Hey guys...
|>
|> I have never posted here before, so forgive any display of ignorance...
|>
|> I am looking for either plans or a model, or information of any kind on
|> how to build or buy an RC blimp. Actually, I would be more interested
|> in a rigid structure model, -- a zepplin, like the hindenburg-- but,
|> I would go with a blimp if that was all I could get info on.
|>
|> I have had some ideas in my head for constructing such a craft, and
|> even with my extremely limited RC knowledge, I believe it would
|> be pretty easy to control and fly. I just am reluctant to embark
|> on inventing one since I have little model building experience.
|>
|> Does anyone make an RC blimp kit? Or RC zepplin with a rigid framework?
|>
|> I would love to build one about 7 feet long that could just cruise over
|> our football field.
Speaking of "Blimps", I'd like to relate a story about a blimp
experience. The person involved is a pattern flier from Columbus, OH
that I know.
The flier with the blimp episode had an RC blimp done up like the
Budwiser full scale blimp. He and a friend had been flying the blimp
indoors at hockey games in Columbus. About 4 weeks ago, it was nice
outside so they decided to fly it outside. Apparently, due to the
heat of the Sun, the helium expanded and the blimp started going up
and up; it was very quickly out of range.
The blimp was followed by car and at some point it was decided to call
channel 4 to see if they could track it with their helicopter. The
channel 4 helicopter managed to rendezvous with the blimp and they
tried to get it down by using the prop wash. Unfortunatly in the
process the gondola came off the blimp and the blimp shot straight up
to about 7000 - 8000 ft.
Channel 4 got some great footage of the event and they showed it on
the news all day. A couple of days later I went to a pattern contest
in Columbus (Oct. 10 - 11) and there was a party at this person's
house. He played the video from channel 4. It was hilarious. He
told us that he was sitting in a bar later that day when Channel 4
showed the tape of the blimp chase. So here's RC blimp flipping end
over end in the rotorwash of the helicopter. When the gondola fell
off some woman at the bar said, "Oh, those poor people!"
I don't think the blimp or the gondola were ever found.
So the question is: do you really want to fly an RC blimp outdoors?
_________________________________________________________________
Mike Walpole | This space | [email protected]
Mead Data Central| accidentally |...!uunet!meaddata!msw
Miamisburg, OH | left blank! |
(513)865-1086 | |
++++++++++++++++++++++ The full NEWS header follows +++++++++++++++++++++++++++
News Article 19258
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From: [email protected] (Michael Walpole)
Newsgroups: rec.models.rc
Subject: Re: Blimps?
Date: 28 Oct 1993 15:34:46 GMT
Organization: Mead Data Central, Dayton OH
Lines: 56
Distribution: na
Message-ID: <[email protected]>
References: <[email protected]>
NNTP-Posting-Host: daedalus.meaddata.com
Keywords: Where do I get one?
|
| 239.2629 | Horten Flying Wing | CXDOCS::TAVARES | Have Pen, Will Travel | Wed Jan 12 1994 15:47 | 590 |
| Article 3475 of alt.paranet.ufo:
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From: [email protected] (John Powell)
Newsgroups: alt.paranet.ufo
Subject: Horten Flying Wing, 1/5
Message-ID: <[email protected]>
Date: 17 Dec 93 04:43:00 GMT
Sender: [email protected] (newsout1.26)
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The Horten Flying Wing in World War II: The History & Development of the
Ho 229, by H. P. Dabrowski, translated from the German by David Johnson.
(Schiffer Military History Vol. 47, ISBN 0-88740-357-3)
Sources:
--------
R. Horten/ P.F. Selinger: "Nurflugel", Graz 1983 D. Myhra: "Horten 229"
Monogram Close-Up No. 12, Boylston 1983
B. Lange: "Typenhandbuch der deutschen Luftfahrttechnik", Koblenz 1986
T-2 Report ''German Flying Wings Designed by Horten Brothers",
Wright-Patterson AFB 1946
W. Rosler: "Bericht uber den Fluganfall des
Turbinen-Nurflugel-Flugzeuges Horten IX, V2... (1985, unpublished)
Working Discussion on the 229 Mock-up (13. 10. 1944)
DVL Short Report on the Testing of the Flying Characteristics of the
Horten IX V-1 (Berlin-Adlershof, July 7, 1944)
Power Plant Installation in Go 229 (Horten), (V3+V5), March 7, 1945,
Junkers Flugzeugl- und Motorenwerke A.G.
Flight Log of Lt. Erwin Ziller via Dr. Jorg Ziller
Correspondence with W. Horten, R. Horten, H.J. Meier, D. Myhra, K.
Nickel, W. Radinger, R. Roeser, W. Rosler, H. Scheidhauer, P.F.
Selinger, G. Sengfelder, R. Stadler.
The Horten 229 Fighter-Bomber
The Horten H V, H VII and
H IX All-Wing Aircraft
Preliminary Remarks
The subject of "all-wing" aircraft is too extensive to be
covered in depth here. Therefore, only the Horten H V, H VII and H IX
(the latter also known as the Ho or Go 229) will be dealt with, all of
which were twin-engined aircraft.
Doctor Reimar Horten, together with Dipl.Ing. Peter Selinger,
has written about all of his aircraft in detail in the book Nurflugel
(Weishaupt Verlag, Graz 1983). Major Walter Horten, at that time
Technical Advisor of the General of Fighters in the
Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM), made feasible the realization of his
brother's designs.
Nothing New Under The Sun...
When the newest American super-bomber, the Northrop B-2, was
revealed to the public at Palmdale, California on November 22, 1988,
many aviation history enthusiasts must have noted that the configuration
selected by the aircraft's designers, namely that of the "flying wing,"
had been resurrected from the dead, as it were. Although present day
experience has shown that the all-wing configuration is the best one for
avoiding detection by enemy radar (aided by the latest technology in
materials, electronics and computers), the same configuration has been
in practical use since about 1930. The first jet-powered all-wing
aircraft flew in Germany on February 2, 1945, and at the time was also
virtually undetectable by radar, partly on account of its mixed
construction (wooden wings).
In the United States, John Knudsen Northrop had been working on
all-wing aircraft since the end of the 1920s. His first aircraft of this
configuration (although it did employ two small vertical tail fins on
thin tail booms) was the "Flying Wing," which flew in 1929. Because of
poor economic conditions during the 1930s, Northrop's twin-engined
all-wing N1M did not appear until 1940, and the N9M until 1942.
Individual projects were undertaken in varlous countries, but in
the Soviet Union there were numerous attempts, some of them very
promising, to learn the secrets of the all-wing aircraft. The most
successful Soviet designer was Boris Ivanovich Chernanovski, who
developed a series of projects from 1921 to 1940.
In Germany, the Horten brothers, Reimar and Walter, had in mind
a pure all-wing aircraft with no vertical control surfaces of any kind.
Inspired by the Stork- and Delta-type tailless aircraft of Alexander
Lippisch, they began their work at the end of the 1920s. Successful
flight tests of their first tailless glider were carried out at
Bonn-Hangelar airfield in July 1933. By 1934 they were working at
Germany's "Gliding Mecca," the Wasserkuppe. The all-wing concept had
achieved its first practical success.
Although development of the all-wing aircraft began at about the
same time in Germany, the Soviet Union and America, there was no
collaboration whatsoever between designers. In spite of this, design
teams in these widely separated parts of the world were convinced that
the all-wing aircraft was the best configuration and pursued the idea
with much idealism. It is no wonder, therefore, that the concept has
been revived in the present day.
The Northrop "Flying Wings" and the twin-engined Horten H V, H
VII and H IX aircraft described herein can in a way be considered the
forerunners of the B-2.
The H V was a pure research aircraft equipped with two
counter-rotating pusher propellers: The H IX was designed as a
twin-engined, turbojet fighter-bomber, and the H VII, also with two
pusher propellers, was intended to serve as a trainer for jet aircraft.
Detailed descriptions of the three types follow.
--
John Powell - via ParaNet node 1:104/422
UUCP: !scicom!paranet!User_Name
INTERNET: [email protected]
Article 3476 of alt.paranet.ufo:
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From: [email protected] (John Powell)
Newsgroups: alt.paranet.ufo
Subject: Horten Flying Wing, 2/5
Message-ID: <[email protected]>
Date: 17 Dec 93 04:44:00 GMT
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Horten Va, W.-Nr. 5
The H Va was built in 1936/37 in cooperation with the Dynamit AG
in Troisdorf, near Cologne. A synthetic material (Trolitax) were used in
the aircraft's construction. Use of this material resulted in a series
of problems, even though the glider Hol's der Teufel had previously been
built using this method. Several of the solutions to these problems were
patented by the Dynamit company. The nose of the H V was covered in
clear Cellon and the two pilots occupied prone positions. The aircraft
was fitted with a tricycle undercarriage with faired main members (only
the nosewheel was retractable), and the two Hirth HM-60-R engines drove
two-bladed pusher propellers directly (no extension shafts). The
propeller manufacturer Peter Kempel produced the propellers from
Lignofol (beech wood impregnated with synthetic resin). The H Va
introduced novel movable wingtip control surfaces.
The aircraft's only flight took place at Bonn-Hangelar in early
1937. In the aircraft were Walter and Reimar Horten. The extreme aft
location of the engines made the aircraft unstable, and at its low
takeoff speed the aircraft's controls were unable to overcome the
resulting tail-heaviness at the moment of rotation. The H Va became
airborne briefly, then crashed, damaging the aircraft seriously. The
injuries sustained by the two men were relatively minor (Walter Horten
knocked out his two upper front teeth). Following the accident the
Dynamit AG collected the remains of the H Va to carry out tests on the
materials used in its construction.
Horten Vb, W.-Nr. 9
The H Vb was a research aircraft built at Cologne-Ostheim using
conventional construction methods (wood and steel tube) on instructions
from Major Dinort with the approval of Ernst Udet. As a result of the
accident with the H Va, the movable wingtip controls were dispensed with
and the designers turned to more conventional elevons. The Hirth engines
of the unlucky H Va were used again, but were positioned further forward
and drove their propellers vla short extension shafts, resulting in a
more favorable weight distribution. The H Vb's pilots sat upright next
to each other and were provided with individual raised canopies. Like
the H Va, the H Vb had a fixed tricycle undercarriage. The aircraft's
first flight took place at Cologne-Ostheim in autumn 1937 with Walter
Horten at the controls. From the beginning of the war in 1939 until 1941
the aircraft was parked in the open at Potsdam-Werder airfield, which
was not altogether beneficial for an aircraft built largely of wood.
Horten Vc, W.-Nr. 27
Efforts by the Luftwaffe-Inspektion 3 (Lln 3, or Luftwaffe
Inspectorate for Fighters, whose Technical Department Head was Walter
Horten) succeeded in convincing Generalflugzeugmeister Ernst Udet that
it was advisable to retum the H V to flying status. In August 1941 a
special detachment of Lln 3 was formed in Minden to oversee the
reconstruction of the aircraft by the Peschke Firm. Peschke, a former
WW I fighter pilot, had established a flying school at Hangelar and
later an aircraft repair facility at Minden, The latter facility
repaired aircraft such as the Fw 44 Stieglitz, He 72 Kadett, Fi 156
Storch and the RK Schwalbe. Peschke and the Horten brothers knew each
other from Hangelar. In charge of the Lln 3 detachment was Luftwaffe
Leutnant Reimar Horten. His team consisted of three designing engineers
and five other men, including Heinz Scheidhauer, an experienced all-wing
glider specialist. Later the special detachment was moved to Gottingen
and enlarged to thirty men (soldiers, engineers, craftsmen and so on).
The Horten Vc was converted from the H Vb, which had been badly
damaged by the elements. In Minden the two-seat H Vb became a
single-seat aircraft. The pilot was accommodated in a normal seated
position. The H Va's Hirth engines were retained, as were its steel tube
and wood construction and fixed undercarriage. As property of the
military, it was finished in standard Luftwaffe camouflage and was
assigned the code PE + HO (PE for Peschke and HO for Horten).
The H Vc made its first flight on May 26, 1942. Walter Horten
later flew the machine to Gottingen, where Luftwaffenkommando IX was
being formed.
Flugkapitan Prof. Dr. Josef Stuper, then Director of the
Instituts fur Forschungsflugbetrieb und Flugwesen (Institute for Flight
Research and Aviation) at the Aerodynamischen Versuchsanstalt (AVA)
Gottingen (Gottingen Aerodynamic Research Institute), carried out test
flights in the H Vc. Late in the summer of 1943 an incident occurred
involving the H Vc. Stuper took off from the center of the airfield with
the aircraft's flaps in the down position. The aircraft's under-carriage
struck the roof of a hangar and the H Vc crashed. Stuper escaped without
serious injury, but the aircraft was badly damaged. It was subsequently
stored at Gottingen in anticipation of restoration following the end of
the war. Events were to prove differently, however, as all of the
aircraft held there were assembled at the edge of the airfield and
burned following Germany's surrender. A projected glider tug based on
the H Vc was not built.
Horten VII, W.-Nr. 29
Construction of the H VII took place at the Gottingen Bureau.
The aircraft's wings, which were of wooden construction, were built by
the Lln 3 workshop, while the center section, which was of welded tube
steel construction with Dural skinning, was manufactured by the Peschke
Firm in Minden. The aircraft made its first flight in May 1943 with
Heinz Scheidhauer and Walter Horten on board. The aircraft had
originally been conceived as a flying test-bed for the Argus-Schmidt
pulse-jet engine after the H V had proved unsuitable for the role. When
this plan was abandoned it was proposed as a fighter training aircraft.
The H VII was powered by two Argus AS-10-SC engines drivinq two-bladed
constant-speed propellers via extension shafts. The aircraft featured a
fully retractable twin nosewheel under-carriage. So-called "wingtip
rudders" were used in place of a conventional rudder. The aircraft was
assigned the RLM-Number 8-226. The aircraft's pilots were Heinz
Scheidhauer, Erwin Ziller and Walter Horten. In autumn 1944 Oberst
Knemeyer demonstrated the H VII to Hermann Goring at Oranienburg, after
the Reichsmarschall had expressed a desire to see a Horten aircraft in
action.
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Subject: Horten Flying Wing, 3/5
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Knemeyer was the RLM flight-test chief and was favorably
disposed toward the aircraft developed by the Horten brothers. Goring, a
former WW I fighter pilot, had not participated in the later gliding
boom and was unfamiliar with the aircraft which emerged from the
program. He wanted to see the aircraft fly on one engine, which Heinz
Scheidhauer did without any hesitation. The Reichsmarschall was
impressed; the Peschke Firm received an order for twenty examples.
Construction of the H VII V2 began in 1944, but the aircraft had
not been completed when the war ended. The V3, which was to see the
"wingtip rudders" replaced by spoilers above and below the wings, as on
the H IX, progressed no farther than the manufacturing of various
components.
In February 1945 Heinz Scheidhauer flew the H VII to Gottingen.
Hydraulic failure prevented him from extending the aircraft's
undercarriage, and he was forced to make a belly landing. The resulting
damage had not been repaired when, on April 7, 1945, US troops occupied
the airfield. The aircraft presumably suffered the same fate as the H V
and was burned.
Horten IX V1, W.-Nr. 38
Walter Horten was aware of the performance achieved by the DFS
194 rocket-powered research aircraft, and thus knew that wooden
construction methods were suitable for high-performance aircraft. After
seeing the Me 262 in March 1943 he set out to acquire information on the
Jumo 004 turbojet engine. Further work on the H VII was abandoned and
all efforts were concentrated on the H IX, which originated from
Goring's 1000x1000x1000 demand, in which the Reichsmarschall specified
that no new project would be considered unless it achieved the following
performance figures: a speed of at least 1,000 kph and the ability to
carry a 1,000 kg bomb load 1,000 km into enemy territory. Justifiable
deviations from these figures would be accepted. At that time Walter
Horten was a Hauptmann on the staff of Lln3. He managed to obtain a
transfer to Gottingen, where he took over command of Luftwaffenkommando
IX. Soon afterward, however, the Kommando was officially disbanded, and
as a result Lln3 ceased to be the office responsible for development of
the Horten projects. New life was injected into the Horten Firm, when,
in August, Hermann Goring informed the company that work on the H IX
turbojet fighter-bomber was to proceed with all urgency and that it was
to construct a flyable, but unpowered, example as soon as possible.
Luftwaffenkommando IX, which officially no longer existed,
continued to be funded and carried on its work, but without direct
influence from the Technischen Amt of the RLM. The H IX V1 was an
unpowered research glider and received the RLM-Number 8-229. The
aircraft was of mixed construction (welded steel tube and wood) and was
covered with several layers of plywood of various qualities, the outer
layer being of the best quality. This method of construction made radar
detection of the aircraft extremely difficult. The pilot was
accommodated in a normal seated position. The first flight of the V1
took place on March 1, 1944, at Gottingen with Heinz Scheidhauer at the
controls. Following several towed takeoffs, the aircraft was sent to
Oranienburg near Berlin for flight testing, with Scheidhauer as pilot. A
brief report submitted by the DVL on April 7, 1944, indicated that the
aircraft provided an excellent gun platform.
In order to simulate the stabilizing effect of the engines,
which were absent from the V1, the aircraft's main undercarriage legs
were faired from the outset; only the aircraft's nosewheel was
retractable. On March 5 the nose gear failed after it developed a wobble
on Oranienburg's concrete runway. A special pressure suit was to have
replaced the absent cockpit pressurization, but was never used in
practice.
The machine was sent to Brandis, where it was to be tested by
the military and used for training purposes. It was found there by
soldiers of the US 9th Armored Division at the end of the war and was
later burned in a "clearing action."
Horten HIX, Werk-Nr.9, 1944/45
The H IX V2 was a test machine powered by two Jumo 004 turbojets
and was assigned the RLM number 8-229. It was the world's first
turbojet-powered all-wing aircraft. The V2 had a fully retractable
undercarriage and was unarmed. The pilot was accommodated in a
conventional seated position.
Serious difficulties and delays in construction arose when the
planned BMW 003 engines had to be replaced by more powerful Jumo 004s.
The diameter of the Junkers engine was greater than that of the BMW
product, requiring redesign of the engine bays. Like its predecessors,
the aircraft was of mixed construction. The V2's undercarriage consisted
of the tailwheel from a wrecked He 177 bomber, which was used as
nosewheel, and the main undercarriage from a Bf 109 fighter.
The first test flight was made from Oranienburg on February 2,
1945, with Leutnant Erwin Ziller at the controls, and lasted about 30
minutes. The Horten brothers had known Ziller from the competitions at
the Wasserkuppe. Ziller had familiarized himself with all-wing aircraft
in December 1944 and January 1945, making several flights in the Horten
H IX V1 glider (an He 111 served as glider tug) and the twin-engined
Horten H VII at Oranienburg.
Ziller spent the last three days of December 1944 at
Erprobungsstelle Rechlin, where he made a total of five flights in the
Me 262. These flights provided Ziller with an opportunity to become
familiar with the operation and characteristics of the Jumo 004 turbojet
engine.
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Subject: Horten Flying Wing, 4/5
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At the end of a second successful test flight on February 3,
1945, Ziller deployed the aircraft's braking parachute too soon on his
landing approach. The result was a hard landing which damaged the
aircraft's main undercarrlage. Consequently, the third test flight in
the Horten H IX did not take place until February 18, 1945. Returning
after about 45 minutes in the air, Ziller was seen to dive the aircraft
and pull up several times at an altitude of about 800 meters, apparently
in an effort to relight an engine. The undercarriage was lowered
unusually early, at an altitude of about 400 meters. The V2's speed
decreased and, accompanied by increasing engine noise, its nose dropped
and the aircraft entered a right-hand turn. The H IX completed a 360
degree turn with its wings banked 20 degrees. It then accelerated and
completed a second and third 360 degree turn, the angle of bank
increasing all the while. As it began a fourth circle, the aircraft
struck the frozen turf beyond the airfield boundary.
Walter Rosler was the first Horten employee to reach the crash
site, about two-and-a-half minutes after the accident. In his report he
stated: "The first thing I saw was the two Junkers engines lying on the
other side of the embankment. I could hear the turbine running down in
the still-warm left power plant, while there was not a sound from the
cooled-off right engine which lay beside it. . ." There was a strong
smell of fuel, but no fire. Other than the jet engines and plexiglass
cockpit hood, the aircraft had been completely destroyed. Like the
engines, Ziller was ejected from the aircraft on impact. He was thrown
against a large tree and killed instantly. Ziller had not used his
radio, and had continued to fly the aircraft with an engine out and the
undercarriage extended. He did not attempt to use his ejection seat and
parachute to safety, and the aicraft's canopy was not jettisoned. It
seems certain that he was attempting to save the valuable aircraft.
What had happened? The empty compressed air bottle in the
wreckage confirmed that the undercarriage had been lowered with
compressed air after a loss of hydraulic power following the failure of
an engine. Had there been a stall, beginning at the right wingtip? Had
the test pilot been rendered unconscious and unable to react by
carbonizing oil from the remaining engine, which had eventually
overheated? (There were no bulkheads separating the cockpit from the
engine bays.)
Unfortunately, only Leutnant Ziller could have answered these
questions, and he had failed to survive. In the opinion of the
investigating experts sabotage could not be ruled out.
Horten H IX V3, RLN-Number 8-229
The H IX V3 was an unarmed, twin-Jet, single seat aircraft.
Further production of the fighter bomber was assigned to the Gothaer
Waggonfabrik (GWF). Well-known for its Go 241 carg0 glider, Gotha was
considered the company best suited to manufacture Horten aircraft. The
aircraft's turbojet engines were installed splayed 15 degrees left and
right of the aircraft centerline and 4 degrees nose down. The new
installation was tested in a center section mock-up. Construction of the
H IX V3 was nearly complete when the Gotha Works at Friederichsroda was
overrun by troops of the American 3rd Army's VII Corps on April 14,
1945. The aircraft was assigned the number T2-490 by the Americans. The
aircraft's official RLM designation is uncertain, as it was referred to
as the Ho 229 as well as the Go 229. Also found in the destroyed and
abandoned works were several other prototypes in various stages of
construction, including a two-seat version.
The V3 was sent to the United States by ship, along with other
captured aircraft, and finally ended up in the H. H. "Hap" Arnold
collection of the Air Force Technical Museum. The all-wing aircraft was
to have been brought to flying status at Park Ridge, Illinois, but
budget cuts in the late forties and early fifties brought these plans to
an end. The V3 was handed over to the present-day National Air and Space
Museum (NASM) in Washington D.C.
Technical Data:
---------------
Type Span/m Length/m Height/m Empty Gross
------------ weight/kg weight/kg
------ -------- -------- --------- ---------
Horten H Va 14.00 - - 1,600 1,840
Horten Vb 16.00 6.00 2.10 1,360 1,600
Horetn Vc 16.00 6.00 - 1,440 1,600
Horten H VII 16.00 7.40 2.60 2,200 3,200
Horten IX V1 16.76 7.60 - 1,900 2,000
Horten H IX V2 16.76 7.47 2.81 4,844 6,876
Horten H IX V3 16.80 7.47 2.81 5,067 8,999
Horten H IX V4 - - - -
Horten H IX V5 - - - -
Horten H IX V6 16.76 - - - -
Horten IX V7 - - - -
Horten IX V8 - - - -
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Subject: Horten Flying Wing, 5/5
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Technical Data:
---------------
Type Power Plants Output Maximum Cruise Landing
------------ speed/kph speed/kph speed/kph
------------ ------ --------- --------- ----------
Horten H Va 2xHirth HM60R 80HP each 280 250 84
Horten Vb 2xHirth HM60R 80HP each 260 230 70
Horetn Vc 2xHirth HM60R 80HP each 260 230 70
Horten H VII 2xArgus AS10C 240HP each 340 310 100
Horten IX V1 - - - - 75
Horten H IX V2 2xJumo 004B-2 900KG each 977 690 145
Horten H IX V3 2xJumo 004B-2 900KG each 977 632 156
Horten H IX V4 - - - - -
Horten H IX V5 - - - - -
Horten H IX V6 2xJumo 004B-2 900KG each - - -
Horten IX V7 - - - - -
Horten IX V8 - - - - -
Technical Data:
---------------
Type Crew Armament Remarks
------------ ------- -------- ------------------------------
Horten H Va 2 prone - Research aircraft, synthetic
materials.
Horten Vb 2 prone - Research aircraft, mixed wood
and steel tube construction.
Horetn Vc 1 seated - Research aircraft, mixed wood
and steel tube construction.
Horten H VII 2 seated - Fighter trainer Ho 226,
wood-Dural construction.
Horten IX V1 1 - Research aircraft, mixed wood
and steel tube construction.
Horten H IX V2 1 seated - Fighter test aircraft, wood and
steel tube construction.
Horten H IX V3 1 seated 2xMK 103 or Fighter-bomber Ho Prototype
4xMK 108 or Reconnaissance Aircraft.
2xMK 108 and
2xRB8-/81
Horten H IX V4 1 seated - Ho 229 B-1 night fighter.
Horten H IX V5 1 seated - Ho 229 B-1 night fighter.
Horten H IX V6 2 seated 4xMK 108 or Trainer, night fighter trainer.
2xMK 103
Horten IX V7 - Prototype 3, A-series with full
equipment.
Horten IX V8 - -
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|
| 239.2630 | XF5U Flying Pancake | CXDOCS::TAVARES | Have Pen, Will Travel | Wed Jan 12 1994 15:51 | 858 |
| Article 3435 of alt.paranet.ufo:
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From: [email protected] (John Powell)
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Subject: V-173 & XF5U-1, 1/7
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Excerpt: Chance Vought V-173 and XF5U-1 Flying Pancakes, ISBN 0-942612-21-3
V-173 & XF5U-1 Program Highlights:
7 MARCH 1939: V-173 blueprints submitted to the Navy.
7 APRIL 1939: Navy requests that NACA investigate the V-173
proposal.
11 JULY 1939: Navy requests that Vought build a flying model based
on NACA wind tunnel tests.
15 AUGUST 1939: Vought proposes a full scale flying model.
2 OCTOBER 1939: Navy approves testing at NACA of 24" free-flying
V-173 model.
6 MARCH 1940: NACA wind tunnel test results forwarded to Navy.
30 APRIL 1940: Based on wind tunnel tests ailevators are added to
the V-173.
4 MAY 1940: Navy places contract for the V-173.
OCTOBER 1940: Aielron controls and adjustable stabilizers added to
the V-173.
14 April 1941: VS-315 propeller drive system designs submitted to
the Navy.
30 JULY 1941: Navy assigns serial number 02978 to the V-173.
15 SEPTEMBER 1941: V-173 ready for delivery to NACA for wind tunnel
testing.
DECEMBER 1941: Wind tunnel tests conducted at NACA Langley.
19 JANUARY 1942: Navy requests Vought submit a proposal for two
experimental fighters based on VS-315 specifications
and successful V-173 wind tunnel tests.
10 FEBRUARY 1942: Navy requests 1/3 scale model of the VS-315 (XF5U-1).
MAY 1942: E. J. Greenwood assigned as project engineer to work
with Zimmerman.
30 JUNE 1942: VS-315 informal proposal submitted to Navy.
10 SEPTEMBER 1942: Navy requests letter or intent.
17 SEPTEMBER 1942: Letter of intent issued for VS-315 (XF5U-1).
23 NOVEMBER 1942: First flight of V-173 made by Boone Guyton.
24 APRIL 1943: XF5U-1 propeller drive system approved by Navy.
3 JUNE 1943: R. H. Burroughs makes forced landing of V-173 on
Lordship Beach.
7 JUNE 1943: XF5U-1 mock-up inspection.
6 AUGUST 1943: Final XF5U-1 mock-up inspection.
22 OCTOBER 1943: V-173 modified with all-flying horizontal stabilizers
after forced landing.
NOVEMBER 1943: Flapping prop blades proposed for XF5U-1.
31 DECEMBER 1943: CDR. Ramsey and LCDR. Booth fly the V-173.
18 FEBRUARY 1944: Vought submitted a proposal to modify the XF5U-1
propeller hubs.
28 MARCH 1944: Vought proposes to terminate V-173 contract and
incorporate the V-173 program into the XF5U-1
contract.
13 MAY 1944: V-173 contract changed.
27 MAY 1944: Voughts final proposal for termination of V-173
contract and consolidation into the XF5U-1 contract.
18 JANUARY 1945: Vought requests permission to transport XF5U-1 to
Muroc Dry Lake (Edwards AFB), California, for flight
testing.
24 MARCH 1945: Vought requests contract amendment after auditing
cost estimates.
13 April 1945: Vought requests reduction in flight and static test
programs.
19 MAY 1945: Vought requests Navy waive V-173 final demonstrations
and BIS trials.
26 MAY 1945: R. H. Burroughs makes forced landing on Mill River
golf course.
20 AUGUST 1945: XF5U-1 rolled out with F4U-4 style four blade
propellers.
17 MARCH 1947: XF5U-1 contract cancelled by the Navy.
Introduction
This book was created from manuscripts written by and provided
by Art Schoeni public affairs official for Vought from 1953 to 1978.
These writings have been published in; Aeroplane Monthly (Nov. & Dec.
1975), Air Classics (Vol. 11/8 Aug. 1975), and Historical Aviation Album
(Vol. VIII). Two other good references on the Pancakes are Aeroplanes
Vought by G. Moran and Air Enthusiast (Vol. 4/6 June 1 973). The other
major contributor to this book was Tommy Thomason who provided a modern
view of the program and the kit reviews. The V-173 drawings were
provided by Ed Clendenin of Eagle Talon models.
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Subject: V-173 & XF5U-1, 2/7
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Anyone having photos or other information on this or any other
naval or marine aircraft, may submit them for possible inclusion in
future issues. Any material submitted will become the property of NAVAL
FIGHTERS unless prior arrangement is made. Individuals are responsible
for security clearance of any material before submission. ISBN
0-942612-21-3 Steve Ginter, 1754 Warfield Cir., Simi Valley, California,
93063.
The "Flying Pancake", "Flying Flapjack", "Flying saucer", and
"Zimmer's Skimmer" were all names used to describe Charles H.
Zimmerman's unorthodox V-173 and XFSU-I aircraft. Two other
descriptions; the world's fastest and slowest-flying airplane and the
world's first vertical takeoff and landing airplane, might have been
used to describe the XF5U-1 that was built but never flown. Zimmerman's
brainchild was conceived and designed to do just that, but was never
given the chance. The protracted development program and the advent of
jet aircraft caused the cancellation of the project on 17 March 1947.
The "Flying Pancake's" designer, Charles Zimmerman, graduated
from the University of Kansas in 1930 with a degree in electrical
engineering. Included in his course of study was a class in introductory
aeronautics which helped him secure a job with NACA (National Advisory
Committee for Aeronautics) at their Langley Field facility. Before he
got into the business of designing and building the Pancakes, Zimmerman
made a name for himself by first solving the problem of a free-spinning
wind tunnel and then developing a free-flight wind tunnel.
In a NACA design competition for a civilian lightplane in 1933,
he designed a circular-wing aeroplane that was to fly at high speed and
yet hover like a helicopter. The plane would utilize wingtip-mounted
airscrews rotating in opposite direction to the wingtip vortices,
thereby preventing their formation and increasing the aerodynamic
efficiency. Initially two engines driving their own propellers were
planned, but later both engines drove a common drive shaft for safety.
His design won the competition with its aerodynamic excellence and sound
engineering. However, NACA rejected the idea for further development
because it was "too advanced". One of the runner-ups became the popular
Ercoupe.
Although NACA shelved the idea, Zimmerman did not. With the help
of two co-workers, Richard Noyes and John McKeller, Zimmerman worked on
the concept in off-duty hours. During 1934-35 several test models were
built to try out flight characteristics. As originally planned, the
little airplane was to carry three passengers lying prone to promote
streamlining, changing to upright positions in flight. The idea was
incorporated in a US patent procured by Zimmerman in 1938. The idea had
been abandoned before then because of its marginal comfort.
One of the flying models Zimmerman built was a one-man, wooden
flying machine with a seven foot wingspan and powered by two 25 h.p.
Cleone engines from France. He and his associates never could get the
two engines synchronized, and he turned to a 20 inch span rubber-band-
powered model in 1936. The model performed as predicted and after NACA
executives reviewed films of the tests, it was suggested that he try to
interest private industry or the military in the concept. Zimmerman
convinced Eugene E. Wilson, president of the United Aircraft
Corporation, that the idea had merit, and he joined the Chance Vought
Aircraft division in 1937.
In October 1938, Zimmerman attempted to interest the Army in a
short range liaison-observation type aircraft designated V-170. The Army
declined, and in November he tried to interest the Civil Aeronautics
Authority with his V-171 design (a larger V-162). He tried the Army
again in December with a V-172 attack-bomber version, which was again
rejected.
Zimmerman constructed an electric-powered model, the V-162,
which was operated by two pilots using remote control. Tests were run in
a hangar, with the tethered airplane flying so well that the US Navy
became interested and advanced research funds. The V-162 was hinged so
that the rear quarter of the circular fuselage, including the two
vertical rudders, acted as an elevator.
By 1939 drafting work, engineering design and aerodynamic studies
were underway with Navy financing.
The prototype V-173 was constructed with standard wing fabric
covering the entire plane, in an effort to save weight and money.
Originally the V-173 had no horizontal outboard stabilizers, but model
tests indicated that this idea was unsatisfactory and the "flying tail"
(all-moveable tail) was developed. Two Continental A-80 engines, rated
at 80 h.p. each, turned 16 foot 6 inch three-bladed propellers, although
the original plan had called for two-bladed units. The stork-like fixed
landing gear gave the plane a 22 degree nose-high ground angle.
The basic wing area and wing planform were the same for the
V-173 and the XF5U-1. The wing area was 427 square feet, with the
planform being derived from a circle 23 feet 4 inches in diameter by, in
effect, sliding the tip sections forward relative to the root chord so
that the quarterchord points were in line. The sections were
symmetrical, NACA 0015, and there was neither twist nor dihedral in the
wing.
--
John Powell - via ParaNet node 1:104/422
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From: [email protected] (John Powell)
Newsgroups: alt.paranet.ufo
Subject: V-173 & XF5U-1, 3/7
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The major differences between the two planes were in weight and
power. The V-173 weighed about 3050 pounds for most of its flights,
giving it a power loading of 19.1 pounds per horse power. The high power
loading was the major defciency of the aircraft and the main cause of
two forced landings it had during testing. The engines later installed
in the XF5U-1 were Pratt & Whitney R-2000-7 of 1,350 h.p. each. To
achieve greater performance it was planned to install more powerful
Pratt & Whitney R-2000-2(D) engines of 1,600 h.p. each. With these
engines the 16,802 pound (loaded) aircraft would have had a power
loading factor of 5.2 pounds per horse power. It was still doubtful that
the airplane could take off vertically and fly forward at 500 m.p.h.
Thus there was talk of powering the XF5U-1 with modern turbine engines.
It was thought that it would then have been able to fly easily on one
engine and have been capable of demonstrating its inherent capability to
hover and otherwise per form as a V/STOL aircraft.
Because of its light weight, low power notwithstanding, the
V-173 could lift off the runway in calm air after a 200 foot run. In a
25 knot wind it could be airborne in a zero run. It cruised during tests
at about 75 m.p.h., and had a top speed of 738 m.p.h. Because it was an
experimental aircraft, it carried only 20 gallons of fuel for short test
flights.
"The V-173 was carefully designed with a unique wooden structure
which was expensive to build but light, efficient and trouble free. The
gearing, shafting and propellers indeed were highly experimental, and we
were not in a position to develop them as thoroughly as would have been
desirable prior to flight", Zimmerman said.
The V-173 was test flown for the first time from Stratford,
Connecticut, on 23 November 1942 by Boone T. Guyton, a former Navy
fighter pilot and Vought's chief test pilot. During its test life the
V-173 was flown for a total of 131 hours by Guyton, Richard Burroughs,
Charles A. Lindbergh and a number of Navy pilots.
The V-173 had gone through weeks of engine runs and ground taxi
tests. Guyton had conferred endlessly with Zimmerman after he had taken
the airplane five feet into the air on a taxi run. "I guess we're ready
to fly, Charlie," he told Zimmerman.
"The initial flight of the plane was one of the most interesting
I had made in my career as a professional pilot", Guyton said later.
"Strapping on the football helmet I used as a crash helmet, I checked
out the engines and controls. As I taxied out from the line Zimmerman
waved, shook both hands and walked toward the crash truck from which he
was to watch the flight.
"As I pulled into the wind, I noticed the police guard searching
for cameras among cars parked along the road by the runway. Kids hanging
on the fence were ushered back. Halfway down the take-off run, the same
bump in the runway I had hit hundreds of times before annoyed me. The
crash truck, overhung on either side with eager observers. paced my
run.
"As soon as we were airborne and away from the ground effect,
which was large on this type airplane," Guyton said, "I was quickly
distressed by the extreme heaviness and sluggishness of the controls. It
was apparent that there was a question as to whether I could obtain
enough control to bank the airplane sufficiently to complete a turn back
to the runway. I was already considering the probable effects of a water
landing straight ahead in Long Island Sound."
Although thoughts of a crash crossed Guyton's mind, he also
thought about the ten years Zimmerman had worked to get the NACA, Chance
Vought and the Navy to accept his concept of a high speed, short
take-off and landing airplane. "My thoughts were subconsciously on
Charlie back on the runway," he said. "The man whose anxious moment was
now the culmination of his years of maximum effort on this single
project."
Guyton had the 3,050 pound airplane's stick gripped tightly in
both hands. It took a lot of muscle to move it, but the response was
positive. He flew it up to 300 feet. The Sound was below and the nose
still pointed skyward. Banking slightly, he started a slow sweeping
turn, noticing that the rudders were effective and the engines were
running at nearly full power.
"Slowly the airplane moved back toward the airport. I felt
elated and had a foolish impulse to yell, 'Charlie, she flies!'" He
brought the Pancake down to the end of the runway. The landing proved to
be "not at all normal." Guyton applied power to effect the flare and
decrease the vertical descent, as a helicopter pilot might do. Still
using all his muscle on the stick, he eased the nose still higher with
three-quarter's power.
"I managed to get the stick full aft and the airplane settled so
quickly on the ground from its last few feet of descent that it was both
startling and pleasing. The V-173 rolled about 50 feet, it seemed.
Landing speed was about 50 m.p.h. I immediately noted to myself that
this airplane, designed to be a vertical take-off and landing airplane,
showed every promise of filling its design concept mission."
Guyton climbed down through the entry hatch in the floor of the
discus-shaped aircraft, to be congratulated by Zimmerman and the ground
crew upon sucessfully completing the 13 minute first flight.
The heavy control forces which required Guyton to use both hands
on the stick were soon reduced. By varying propeller blade angles and
improving the power characteristics of the engines slightly, performance
was improved. Trim tabs on the "flying tail", were added and proved
helpful.
After about 40 or 50 flights the stabilizing flap, as Vought
called it, was added to the trailing wing edge. As Guyton recalls, "I
had problems getting the tail down effectively during a low or no power
landing. I called it ground effect. The trailing edge flap was to
provide automatic relief by deflecting up under the ground effect load
when perhaps ten feet above the landing surface. It proved effective,
but as I recall, not startling. The airplane always had a tendency to
pitch nose down as the flare for landing was made, and more so when
power was reduced.
--
John Powell - via ParaNet node 1:104/422
UUCP: !scicom!paranet!User_Name
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From: [email protected] (John Powell)
Newsgroups: alt.paranet.ufo
Subject: V-173 & XF5U-1, 4/7
Message-ID: <[email protected]>
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Guyton reported that the cockpit comfort left much to be
desired. Lack of power boost on the controls made stick movement
difficult, visibility was poor, and he developed backaches from having
to lean forward to see where he was going. The cockpit was almost flush
with the wing's leading edge. Plexiglass openings in the floor, to let
him see the ground on take-off and landing, were useless ---- Guyton
reported he was too busy to use them.
During the first and subsequent test flights, of which Guyton
made 54, vibration in the cockpit was a persistent problem. This was
caused by resonant frequency between the propellers and the nacelle
structure, which Zimmerman greatly alleviated by installing vibration
dampers on the propellers. The problem was not met in the heavily
constructed XF5U-1 but it led to develpment of articulated propeller
blades in the fighter to avoid the non-symmetrical airflow at high
angles of attack. Brakes in the V-173 were marginal for taxiing and
braking purposes, although safe but cumbersome for ground maneuvering.
Guyton summed up his feelings about the airplane after the first
few flights: "To a pilot, being able to apply full power, raise the nose
as high as it could be held, have control of the plane about all axes
without stalling, was a fascinating event." With full aft stick, full up
elevator, full power on both engines, and the airplane in a flight
attitude of 45 degrees, he was able to maintain lateral and longitudinal
control at all times.
"Throughout the entire flight test program we never were able to
make the airplane stall completely or even approach a spinning
condition. A notable flight characteristic was the rapid decrease in
speed as the airplane was pulled into a tight turn. I found this
deceleration to be almost a fascination that would make the plane a
formidable opponent in a dogfight.
"On the initial flight, because of the engines' low power, the
airplane could not be flown at sufficient speed to gain a level-flight
attitude. This, coupled with the high stick forces, made me apprehensive
about being able to turn and land at the field. The Zimmer Skimmer as
the plane affectionately was callied, was interesting and fun --- but
not comfortable --- to fly.
"The nose-high attitude, at all low speed flight ranges except
in maneuvers and dives, gave mushy, high stick forces and slow response
to the controls. With restricted vision from the cockpit sideways and
down or aft and down, I always felt like I had a reasonable workout
after flying. The aircraft also had a nose-down tendency during landing.
"It was a truly different airplane to fly. It felt normal even
on the first landing after that hairy, long slow turn. You actually
applied power in flaring for a landing. Being a former naval carrier
pilot, I was keen for the idea of vertically landing a 500 m.p.h.
fighter to a hook installation on a cruiser or battleship."
After Guyton made the first thirteen flights, he was seriously
injured in an F4U Corsair crash, and Richard Burroughs took over flying
the V-173 for a time. Charles A. Lindbergh made flight number 34, and
several Navy pilots made flights, including CDR Ramsey, CDR Booth and LT
Najeeb E. Halaby, later head of the FAA in the US. Other company pilots
who flew it were William B. Boothby, C. L. Sharp and W. H. B. Millar.
During its flying career, the Pancake was involved in several
mishaps which were not too serious because of its light weight and slow
speed. On one occasion it landed on Mill River golf course at Stratford.
Being a secret project, the plane was placed under guard and towed back
to the factory at night.
An engine vapor lock forced it to make an emergency landing on 3
June 1943, on Lordship Beach on Long Island Sound. Pilot Burroughs
flipped it over on its back in soft sand trying to avoid running over a
sunbather, whose towel was found underneath the upturned Pancake when it
was righted.
The aircraft broke two propeller blades in the mishap. Lindbergh
and Zimmerman were watching when it disappeared from sight and rushed to
the beach. Up to then Lindbergh had declined to fly the aircraft. "He
was worried that if the aircraft turned over on its back the cockpit
would be crushed and he would be trapped," Zimmerman recalled. "The
aircraft did overturn, the canopy was not crushed. Burroughs exited
through it after shoving some sand aside." Lindy then remarked to
Zimmerman, "Now I'm ready to fly it." The airpiane was towed back to the
nearby plant and repaired.
A third near-serious event came during the thirtieth anniversary
airshow of Chance Vought Aircraft in 1947. With Guyton at the controls,
the plane had difficulty getting up flying speed and lift in the hot
air. It nearly ran into high tension wires and a cliff near the end of
the runway.
After the airshow the V-173 flew back the Vought factory in
Stratford, Connecticut. It was to be the swan song for spectacular-
looking airplane that had paved the way for the XF5U-1 Navy fighter. The
full-scale but lightly-built V-173 was put in storage at the Norfolk,
Virginia, Naval Station. Today, its vertical fins and "flying tail"
removed, it is in storage at the Smithsonian Institution's Air Museum
warehouse in Silver Hill, Maryland.
Shortly thereafter the XF5U-1 contract was suddenly cancelled on
17 March 1947, after it had made a number of success taxiing trials but
before it had a chance to fly. The day of the jet engine had arrived and
XF5U-1's chance to prove itself was ended and the XF5U-1 was ordered to
be demolished.
In September 1941 the Navy asked Vought to build two military
versions of the V-173 designated VS-315, which later became the XF5U-1.
One would be a flight test aircraft and the other was to be used for
static testing in the laboratories.
The V-173 was finished in glossy bright (chrome) yellow upper
surfaces which wrapped several feet under the forward leading edge. The
lower surface, vertical stabilizers and landinq gear were painted with a
silver dope. On the upper surface the two engine access doors were
outlined in black and there was a black line extending almost completely
aft from the back of the canopy.
--
John Powell - via ParaNet node 1:104/422
UUCP: !scicom!paranet!User_Name
INTERNET: [email protected]
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From: [email protected] (John Powell)
Newsgroups: alt.paranet.ufo
Subject: V-173 & XF5U-1, 5/7
Message-ID: <[email protected]>
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A wooden mock-up of the fighter was completed on 7 June 1943. By
November it was decided that the interim propellers on the XF5U-1 would
not do, and that propellers with articulated or "flapping blades" would
be required.
Flight tests in the V-173 were progressing satisfactorily and
the contract for the program was consolidated with the XF5U-1. Such a
contract was issued on 15 July 1944. Because of the nature of the
Pancake development program, Vought requested the Navy for permission to
transport the XF5U-1 flight test vehicle to Muroc Dry Lake in
California, where unlimited emergency landing space and few observers
would make testing easier. This move was never made. Plans had called
for the aircraft to go to Muroc via the Panama Canal that December for
its first flight.
Gear box problems in the big right-angle drive shafts to each
propeller had negated the chance to fly the XF5U-1 safely from any
airfield other than Muroc. The quarter-million dollar price tag on the
test program also was a factor, and the Navy preferred to spend the
money on jet aircraft. The complicated shafting and gear boxes presented
problems that might have hampered the project anyway as other turboprop
projects of that era also were having gear box trouble.
The original propellers installed on the XF5U-1 fighter were
conventional Hamilton Standard Hydromatics, similar to those on the
F4U-4 Corsair. It was unlikely that these props were used for any other
purpose than for appearance or for engine and gear shaft testing. It has
been speculated that the F4U-4 props were used for taxi tests, but that
capability is questionable since the XF5U-1 drive system was intended to
operate counter-rotating propellers and the F4U-4 props were of the same
hand, although the left hand blades appear to be reversed with the
Hamilton Standard Insignia being on the back side. This would have
allowed some shakedown of the aircraft systems with the engines running
at low power.
When it was discovered that flapping blades would be required to
avoid vibration by unsymmetrical airflow and to resist heavy loads when
flying at high angles of attack, Zimmerman had a problem. "For a time it
appeared the project would have to be abandoned," Zimmerman said, "but
after a desperate weekend of work I came up with a design using two
pairs of teetering blades, similar to the Bell helicopter rotor, one
pair mounted ahead of the other to form a fourbladed propeller."
The XF5U-1 was powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney R-2000-7
engines developing 1,350 h.p. each. The predicted speed range of the big
fighter was amazing. Whereas other designers could not better a
one-to-four ratio in landing speed to top speed, the Vought machine was
expected to achieve a range from 40 to 415 m.p.h with the original
engines, 20 to 460 with water injection and 0 to 550 with gas turbine
powerplants. Carrying 261 gallons in the prototype V-173 the XF5U-1 had
an expected range of 1,000 miles. Compared to the V-173's take off in
200 feet in calm air, the XF5U-1, which weighed 14,550 pounds (empty),
would have required 721 feet to take off with the original engines. The
XF5U-1 also had a slightly lower ground angle of 18 degrees which was
nearly 5 degrees less than the V-173.
Armament for the XF5U-1 was to be six .50 cal machine guns or
four 20mm cannons and two 1,000 pound bombs or drop tanks. The guns were
to be stacked vertically between the engines and the cockpit. The guns
were never installed in the XF5U-1.
When the end came the Navy ordered the flight test fighter to be
destroyed. The static test example had already been broken up during
laboratory strength tests, as had been intended. The sad task of
destroying the aircraft fell to Lee C. Stetson, acting chief of the
experimental department, which had built the two machines.
Both R-2000 engines were removed, along with instruments and
other salvageable items, and the aircraft was then placed under a crane,
from which hung a huge steel ball. The first few drops failed to dent
the strong framework, so measurements were made and the ball dropped
between main beams and spars. The wrecking ball went through the
metal-and-balsa sandwich skin, called Metalite, and hit the pavement
below. After a few more drops the shiny new aeroplane was a pile of
twisted aluminium. Blowtorch wielding employees completed the
destruction by cutting the framework into small pieces. These scraps,
together with jigs and materials from other projects were piled together
for bidding by the local scrap dealers.
During this procedure the Navy requested Vought to return some
$6,000 worth of pure silver used in making bearing plates in the
propeller gear boxes. Both guards and engineers attempted to find the
silver in the snow covered pile of metal, but in the end the company
paid the Navy for the silver and sold the scrap to a dealer. When the
dealer found the silver he tried to sell it to a downtown jeweler who
called the police and the F.B.I. At which point, Vought officials had to
vouch for the scrap dealer's right to have the silver.
With the completion of the Flying Pancake program, the Navy
approved the transfer of the V-173 to the Smithsonian. Although a light
aircraft, the V-173's width of more than 30 feet almost filled a city
street. A tractor towed it through Stratford and Bridgeport during the
daytime and put it aboard a tugboat for transport to Norfolk. It took
the tugboat two days and nights to make the short voyage in a snowstorm.
Transfer to the Smithsonian storage yard came at a later date.
So the fifteen year dreams of inventor Charles H. Zimmerman with
the financial and engineering support of Chance Vought Aircraft went out
the door on the eve of apparent success. Later projects like the XC-142A
and XV-15 would be destined to pick up the testing legacy of the Flying
Pancakes.
A 1990s View of the F5U
Tommy Thomason, an exective with Bell Helicopter Textron, had
this to say about the program: "It is probably just as well that the F5U
program was terminated when it was. The concept will live on as an
unfulfilled dream rather than as the disappointment it would have
probably become. The performance projections were undoubtedly optimistic
and the actual and prospective shortcomings of the concept and design
were being overlooked or minimized.
--
John Powell - via ParaNet node 1:104/422
UUCP: !scicom!paranet!User_Name
INTERNET: [email protected]
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From: [email protected] (John Powell)
Newsgroups: alt.paranet.ufo
Subject: V-173 & XF5U-1, 6/7
Message-ID: <[email protected]>
Date: 10 Dec 93 01:49:00 GMT
Sender: [email protected] (newsout1.26)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:3607/20.1 - Frontier, Cullman AL
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.2 and 3, 1993. UFO Magazine P.O.Box 1053,
Sunland, CA 91041-1053.
2. Just Cause, Number 35, March 1993. Citizens Against UFO Secrecy,
(CAUS), PO Box 218, Coventry, CT 06238.
3. International UFO Reporter (IUR), Vol. 18, No. 3, May/June, 1993.
J. Allen Hynek Center for UFO Studies (CUFOS), 2457 W. Peterson Ave.,
Chicago, IL 60659
===========================================================================
San Francisco, CA
12 June 1993
Dear Dale:
I welcome your inquiries, and I am glad to see that the 'Pentacle'
memo has come out of obscurity. The document you sent me appears to be
genuine. It corresponds to the one I saw.
The question of its origin may be unimportant. Perhaps the people who
released it will go public eventually (I have an idea who they might be). The
best course of action, however, would be to seek access to the original
document, and to others of the same vintage.
I enclose a copy of my recent comments to Barry Greenwood on the same
subject.
With best regards,
/s/ Jacques
===========================================================================
Dale: FYI
(I don't know if this will be published
by Greenwood.) J.V.
27 April 1993
Barry Greenwood
JUST CAUSE
Dear Barry:
Thank you for sending me your thoughtful commentary about the Pentacle
document. I do agree with you on one point: the significance of the memo
comes, in part, from what it does not say. In particular, it makes no
reference to any recovered UFO hardware, at Roswell or elsewhere, or to alien
bodies. The greater significance of what it does say will slowly emerge in
coming years as the overall implications come to light. Let me draw your
attention to three specific points.
1. Project Twinkle and other observational efforts by the military, which
you mention in an effort to show that Pentacle was only dusting off an old
idea, were purely passive projects. In sharp contrast the Pentacle proposal
goes far beyond anything mentioned before. It daringly states that "many
different types of aerial activity should be _secretly and purposefully
scheduled within the area_ (my emphasis)." It is difficult to be more clear.
We are not talking simply about setting up observing stations and cameras. We
are talking about large-scale, covert simulation of UFO waves under military
control.
2. The greatest implication, which is perhaps not obvious on first reading
but which amounts to a scandal of major proportion in the eyes of any
scientist, has to do with the outright manipulation of the Robertson panel.
Here is a special meeting of the five most eminent scientists in the land,
assembled by the government to discuss a matter of national security. Not only
are they not made aware of all the data, but another group has already decided
"what can and cannot be discussed (Pentacle's own words!)" when they meet. Dr.
Hynek categorically stated to me that the panel was not briefed about the
Pentacle proposals.
<continued>
--
John Powell - via ParaNet node 1:104/422
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From: [email protected] (Pete Porro)
Newsgroups: alt.paranet.ufo
Subject: Re: V-173 & XF5U-1, 6/7
Message-ID: <[email protected]>
Date: 13 Dec 93 16:28:09 GMT
Sender: [email protected] (newsout1.26)
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Lines: 23
> .2 and 3, 1993. UFO Magazine P.O.Box 1053,
> Sunland, CA 91041-1053.
>
> 2. Just Cause, Number 35, March 1993. Citizens Against UFO
> Secrecy,
> (CAUS), PO Box 218, Coventry, CT 06238.
>
> 3. International UFO Reporter (IUR), Vol. 18, No. 3, May/June,
> 1993.
> J. Allen Hynek Center for UFO Studies (CUFOS), 2457 W.
> Peterson Ave.,
> Chicago, IL 60659
>
This is a portion of part 6/7 which doesn't look anything like the first five?
Also there was no part 7/7 at all, even one with another message text inside
it. Can you resend the last two parts?
--
Pete Porro - via ParaNet node 1:104/422
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From: [email protected] (John Powell)
Newsgroups: alt.paranet.ufo
Subject: V-173 & XF5U-1, 7/7
Message-ID: <[email protected]>
Date: 10 Dec 93 01:49:00 GMT
Organization: Paranet Information Service, Denver, CO (303) 429-2654 Voice
Lines: 66
m
reacted with fury when Hynek went back to Battelle in 1967, demanding to know
the truth. The man I have called Pentacle snatched his notes away and told him
in no uncertain terms that the contents of the memo were not to be discussed,
under any circumstances.
I find it odd that a group that claims to be interested in the historical
study of our field, as _Just Cause does, should fail to see the significance
of the Pentacle Memo, which is an authentic document, when so much time, money
and ink have been devoted over the last several years to an in-depth analysis
of the MJ-12 papers, which were faked. Perhaps the Pentacle memo only proves
that scientific studies of UFOs (and even their classified components) have
been manipulated since the fifties. But it also suggests several avenues
of research which are vital to the future of this field: why were Pentacle's
proposals kept from the panel? Were his plans for a secret simulation of UFO
waves implemented? If so, when, where and how? What was discovered as a
result? Are these simulations still going on? I invite your group to turn its
investigative resources and its analytical talent to this important task.
In reading _Forbidden Science_, you should recognize that the book is a
Diary, not an analytical report or a memoir. Therefore many important
inferences, many relevant details, can only be found by reading between the
lines. Your preliminary analysis of the Pentacle memo is not unfair, but it is
somewhat simplistic, and it takes it out of context. I invite you to go back
for a second, closer reading.
cc: Fred Beckman
/s/ Jacques Vallee
===========================================================================
SECRET
SECURITY INFORMATION
G-1579-4
cc: B. D. Thomas
H. C. Cross/A. D. Westerman
L. R. Jackson
W. T. Reid
P. J. Rieppal
V. W. Ellsey/R. J. Lund January 9, 1953
Files
Extra [handwritten]
Mr. Miles E. Coll
Box 9575
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
Attention Capt. Edward J. Ruppelt
Dear Mr. Coll:
This letter concerns a preliminary recommendation to ATIC on
future methods of handling the problem of unidentified aerial objects.
This recommendation is based on our experience to date in analyzing
several thousands of reports on this subject. We regard the
recommendation as preliminary because our analysis is not yet complete,
and we are not able to document it where we feel it should be supported
by facts from the SEEN-BY: 107/939 2617/408
--
John Powell - via ParaNet node 1:104/422
UUCP: !scicom!paranet!User_Name
INTERNET: [email protected]
|
| 239.2631 | greetings from the desert rat | FRUST::HERMANN | Siempre Ch�vere | Tue Mar 15 1994 03:44 | 8 |
| hi folx,
greetings from the desert rat to all of you!
a frined of mine is traveling to phoenix, so i checked out the possibility
to bring me along something from the hobby shop al is working at (see .2626).
cheers
joe t.
|
| 239.2632 | | RANGER::REITH | | Wed Dec 14 1994 09:12 | 9 |
| I figured I'd reactivate this topic since this is what it's all about. The
notesfile is suffering from people having left. It turns out I can support a
mailing list that people can email to that will get distributed to the
subscribers through my racores account on world. I'm considering doing a
Gremlin-lovers list but it could be possible to do a DECRCM-alumni list as well.
What do people think about it? (it would all be done via email but you would get
mail and replies from anyone/everyone)
Jim
|
| 239.2633 | Sounds good to me | SNAX::SMITH | I FEEL THE NEED | Wed Dec 14 1994 09:16 | 2 |
| But I'm not quite clear on where the mail goes and who see's it and
who can respond. Can you clarify a little.
|
| 239.2634 | | RANGER::REITH | | Wed Dec 14 1994 09:43 | 17 |
| The list is supported by an electronic agent (majordomo in this case). people
sign on by sending a "subscribe" message to the "agent". Any mail sent to the
list goes to all the subscribers who can recieve it as either individual
messages or as a once a day/week/month digest. Think of the list as the
notesfile, the subscribers as people with it in their notebook, and the email to
the list as replies/topics in the notesfile. There are settings that you can
make that will allow archiving information and the list can either be moderated
or unmoderated (I'd rather not play censor, personally).
Basically it would give this "notesfile banter/questions" capability to anyone
with internet access (that could email to world.std.com) so the quantum people
would be able to get it as well as anyone that has AOL or Compuserve. It also
allows people to "lurk" as read-only subscribers to see what information is
available. It's an expansion of the NERCCA mailing list I'm currently doing
manually that would allow anyone to post a question/comment to the list.
I've requested information on it from my service provider.
|
| 239.2635 | | QUARRY::lindner | Dave Lindner | Wed Dec 14 1994 10:54 | 12 |
|
Its a cool idea. My 2 cents would be to keep it open to all topics, i.e.
lunchtime BS or whatever. (The more open it is, the less likely it
is to die.)
Whatever happened to starting a newsgroup alt.rc.hta or whatever? Last
time I asked the response was underwhelming to say the least. I'd hate
to see you go through all the work of setting up this thing only to
find the traffic die to nothing, a couple of months later.
Dave
|
| 239.2636 | | RANGER::REITH | | Wed Dec 14 1994 11:12 | 25 |
| Well, not everyone reads news (I avoid it like the plague) but almost everyone
has email access when they move on (even on lowly VMS systems 8^)
As to keeping it open to all topics, I see no problem with having one of the
lists set up that way. There has also been some interest in a discussion group
on the net for R/C Combat.
There isn't a lot of work to set it up, there may be some usage fees involved
(for me through my account) at some point so it's easier for me to write them
off if it's Gremlin related. if the fees are small, I have no problem hosting
this type of anything goes forum as well. It would be nice to see some of the
old style banter from back in the "DECRCM held monthly meetings" days. It allows
anyone to interact from anywhere connected to the internet even if all they have
is a modem and a dumb terminal.
Basically, I'm looking to see if there's interest in doing it. The Gremlin one
will initially be me posting the electronic NERCCA newsletter (like I've been
doing through a distribution list in my account) and anyone can be read-only if
they'd like. If they want the mail volume to be low, select a daily/weekly
digest format where it all comes in a single message. This automates the "put me
on the list" requests and allows people to request the FAQs or back issues from
the archives. The announcements that have been posted to the net have already
had the "subscribe <list> <name>" format so that I COULD go this route.
Jim
|
| 239.2637 | I'm interested | MKOTS3::MARRONE | | Wed Dec 14 1994 12:24 | 11 |
| I'm getting more interested in the Internet every day, so I'd like to
participate. Jim, assuming you are going ahead with this, what do you
need from us in the way of information, just the internet address?
Mine is: "[email protected]"
I'm also in the process of getting IP and Mosiac installed on my
laptop. Should be a full-blown cyber-punk in no time.
Regards,
Joe
|
| 239.2638 | | RANGER::REITH | | Wed Dec 14 1994 13:18 | 11 |
| Actually, once it's figured out and set up, I'll post an email address and you
simply send it a message with a specific format, and you're on. It will confirm
with another message that will tell you how to unsubscribe, if you want to, in
the future.
I did get the costs and due to the payment plan I'm on, I get the first two
lists free and don't pay anything for the first 500 subscribers. I'm going to
continue to get feedback and probably set these up over the holidays.
I think it would be neat to hear back from Charlie Watt and Mark Antry and
others on a somewhat interactive basis.
|
| 239.2639 | Everyone has a better idea... | NETCAD::WALTER | | Wed Dec 14 1994 15:50 | 12 |
| Sounds like a pretty good idea Jim. The only disadvantage I foresee
is that there's no "threading" of the topics by mail. That's a feature
you get with the newsgroups. But using a newsgroup, you might pick up
a lot of outside traffic that you really weren't looking for. It's a
toss up.
Can we create a newsgroup with limited access? I think that would be
ideal. Subscribe to it like you would subscribe to a list. Best of
both worlds. Can it be done?
Dave
|
| 239.2640 | ain't it the truth... | QUARRY::lindner | Dave Lindner | Wed Dec 14 1994 16:03 | 25 |
|
> But using a newsgroup, you might pick up
> a lot of outside traffic that you really weren't looking for. It's a
> toss up.
Then again you might find a contributor that you wouldn't have found
with your mailing list.
> Can we create a newsgroup with limited access?
You can create a moderated newsgroup, set up the moderator to pass
through postings only from certain individuals, but anyone could
read it, and its not a difficult thing to forge a post. Similarly
there is software out there that will take mail from majo-domo et. al.
and post it to a newsgroup.
I'm not sure who you're trying to exclude here. I'd be more worried
about the newsgroup dying due to lack of activity rather than too
many people posting to the newsgroup.
I think you're overestimating the "net"'s interest in alt.*
Dave
|
| 239.2641 | I'll probably set it up and see how it goes for a bit | RANGER::REITH | | Wed Dec 14 1994 16:22 | 14 |
| I think Dave is just worried about the typical signal to noise ratio of the
newsgroups.
The mailing list could be moderated in which case I would have to "approve" a
posting which makes me the bottleneck or it could be "subscriber only" which
means you'd have to register to post. My preference is to go unmoderated since
part of this is to minimize my effort for the current NERCCA stuff. People have
been talking about keeping in touch in an interactive way after DEC and I
figured it might be worth a shot.
I'm currently on several of these lists, including one of ex-Symbolics people
that like to keep in touch. It's nice to have a mechanism that allows easy
interaction without having to keep track of "Where'd so-an-so move to now". You
only need tohave one point to email to.
|
| 239.2642 | To change the subject for a minute | SNAX::SMITH | I FEEL THE NEED | Thu Dec 15 1994 07:24 | 4 |
| Eric spoke to Al Casey the other night and after 4 years, Al finally
has a "real" job and is back to work. Not sure for who, but basically
doing the same thing he did for DEC. So, he can no longer be reached
at the hobby shop, but rather at his home phone number.
|
| 239.2643 | Made my night | RANGER::REITH | | Fri Jan 13 1995 10:34 | 10 |
| I got a phone call from one of my customers last night (what a surprise) and he
informed me that our little experiment with using an RG-15 airfoil on a 55lbs
Mideras class racer had managed to wing the silver at it's first national meet.
He's sending me pictures and a more thorough account along with an additional
order for more wings. They's using fiberglass/balsa/fiberglass stressed skins.
He said the 55 pound plane was out-turning 30 pound planes so they're looking at
chopping the weight this time now that they've proven the concept. Got a lot of
attention with their "thin" wing design. I've been told my name is somewhere on
the plane 8^)
|
| 239.2644 | Cool | SNAX::SMITH | I FEEL THE NEED | Fri Jan 13 1995 11:26 | 4 |
| All right Jim. !!!!!!! Love to see the pictures when ya get them.
Just one question.....Why didn't you write this "little expreiment" off
as a business trip and fly out there. 8^)
|
| 239.2645 | | RANGER::REITH | | Fri Jan 13 1995 13:53 | 3 |
| Mostly because they called me afterwards 8^)
Besides, my "spare time" stockpile is fully depleted 8^)
|
| 239.2646 | | RANGER::REITH | | Mon Jan 23 1995 15:56 | 11 |
| The new March MAN came in today's mail. Along with my ad in the buyer's guide,
the Madera race coverage is in there. It looks like I was wrong... The plane I
did the wings for appears to have WON the Silver class race. I don't fully
understand this format but it looks like it was the fastest of the 6th-10th
fastest planes at the meet (if I'm reading it correctly)
Also got a pretty reasonable mention in the R/C Combat column in this month's MA
but SOMEONE forgot to list the contestant names in with the picture of the New
Hampshire Gremlin contest 8^)
Jim
|
| 239.2647 | Oh boy! | MKOTS3::MARRONE | | Tue Jan 24 1995 11:44 | 4 |
| Whooooppps! I'm guilty, cause when I sent in the photo and article I
forgot to list who was in the photo. Sorry guys.
-Joe
|
| 239.2648 | Turn and Burn! | CTUADM::MALONE | Always Obtuse | Thu Jun 01 1995 16:59 | 14 |
| Late shift today....just got in from the flying field. What a day!
The air is clear, warm and still(rare here due to our proximity to the
mountains). Not only this, but I had the flying field to myself (and a
few gophers). Finally got a chance to wring out the old TIGER II. I
like it's stability and looks, a little hard to see edge on though. It
does a nice job of holding attitude upon stick centering. Only real
draw back is the tail feathers. Just a little shy on wood back there,
and I have had to stiffen it up on numerous occasions. This time I
cracked the main spar doing some fast rolls. Think I'll insert a
carbon-fibre re-inforced one this time. Also I think I'll add some
fillets to strengthen up the Stab. Still a fine day's flying though!
Rod(Hav'n a little trouble gett'n focused here this afternoon!)
|
| 239.2649 | Still Ramblin'!!!! | ANGLIN::SPOHR | | Fri Jun 30 1995 15:52 | 11 |
| I spoke with Al Casey (the original Desert Rat) yesterday and he is
alive and well.
He would like to hear from those who knew him during his years at DEC.
He can be reached at his employer - Arizona Precision 602-516-3754
He has'nt been real active in the hobby over the last few years, but is
making a come back and could use the encouragement.
Have nice day!
|
| 239.2650 | Rambling | GAAS::FISHER | while (!asleep) sheep++; | Wed Apr 17 1996 14:04 | 22 |
| Al Casey would have liked this one.
Bye --+--
Kay R. Fisher |
---------------O---------------
################################################################################
Subject: high tech
"Response to a wildfire on the south of France's Cote d'Azur was billed
as a marvel of modern fire-fighting technology. Two specially-built flying
boats zoomed in, skimmed the waters of the Mediterranean, scooping vast
amounts of water into their belly tanks, and then dropped the water on
the hillside fire. All was jolly and the wine flowed freely until a body
was found in the ashes.
"The coroner found that the gentleman had apparently fallen from a great
height, suffering serious injuries before being burned to death. The
report further noted that the victim was wearing a bathing suit, snorkel,
and swim fins."
Courtesy of Roland Esparza
|