USPS 509190 VOLUME 22 NUMBER 2 ISSN 0033-6866 FEBRUARY 1985

OCELER FEATURE ARTICLES

Don Quixote (Laddie Mikulasko) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 an unusual polish homebuilt model for .40-.60.

Double Jabberwock (Don Srull) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 a twice size r/c version of an old time design.

How-To: (Bob Sealy) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 vertical blade spoiler.

1984 Tournament of Champions (Dick Tichenor) 112 t.o.c. winners.

RCM Subscription Contest .............. ...... ..... .. 148 the win an enya engine contest continues.

Twin Engine Techniques (Dan Parsons) how to properly fly twins.

DEPARTMENTS

155

From The Shop. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 dave platt discusses the scalemasters.

Cunningham On RIC (Chuck Cunningham) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 chuck continues his design series.

Sunday Flier (Ken Willard) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 ken has a couple of controversial topics.

Flying Lowe (Don Lowe) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 don takes a trip.

For What It's Worth (Jerry Smith) . ... .. . ....... , . . . . . . . 40 helpful hints from modelers.

Soaring (Al Doig) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 al discusses sailplane matters.

Engine Clinic (Clarence Lee) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 clarence answers questions on engines.

Power Boating (Howard Power) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 howard describes how to start in boat racing.

Scale Views (Col. Art Johnson) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 art attends the scalemasters championships.

Radio Spectrum (Jim Oddino) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 jim tells about batteries.

Give It A Whirl (John Gorham) ... ...................... 165 helicopter items from john.

Silent Power (Jim Zarembski) ............... ........... 169 jim reports on the keystone electric fly.

Pit Stop (Gene Husting) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174 gene attends 1/12 r/c car world championships.

PRODUCT TESTS Golden Gate Hobbies: Atlanta 60 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

rem builds golden gate atlanta. Bridi Aircraft Design, Inc: Krafty 60 ........ .... ... ... 114

rem builds the bridi krafty 60.

MERCHANDISING SERVICES Showcase '85 ..... . ... . . ... ........ . ........ .... ...... 190 Readers Exchange ...... .. .. . ............. . ........... 212 Advertisers Index ......... ...................... ...... 213

Publisher Don Dewey

Editor Patricia Crews

Technical Editor Dick Kidd

Assist. Editor Dick Tichenor

Art Editor Susan Steele

Advertising Manager Kathleen Acton

Graphics Editor Mary Robillard

Assist. Graphics Editors Beverly Calhoun Barbara Richardson Denise Schwartz

Associate Editors John A. deVries - Al Doig - Chuck Cunningham John Gorham - Gene Hosting - Art Johnson Don Lowe - Clarence Lee - Howard Power Jerry Smith - Ken Willard - Jim Zarembski

Contributing Editors Jim Dalton - Spencer Davidson - Paul Denson - Bob Dick Bill Kaufman - Fred Reese - James Reiss, M.D. - Ron Rodda George Steiner - Ben Strasser - Eric Strengell Bob Wallace - Randy Wrisley

Office Staff Chris De Paepe - Bridget Hayes - Yuki Kataoka Irene Martorana - Mary Petersen - Sue Petersen Ray Reha - Louise Stark - Rachel VanderVorst

This Month• s Cover Features 14 year old Miss Beatrice Mikulasko showing off her dad's "Don Quixote." This 40 powered Polish homebuilt designed by Laddie Mikulasko is featured as a full size construction article this month beginning on page 26. Transparency by Jack Rousseau.

RIC MODELER is published monthly by RIC Modeler Corporation. Don Dewey. President. Editorial and Advertis ing offices at 144 West S iena Madre Boulevard. S ierra Madre, California 91024. Telephone: (818) 355-1476. Office hours: Mon.-Thurs. 7:00-5:00. Second Class U.S. postage paid at Sierra Madre. California and additional mailing offices. Contents copyright 1985 by RIC Modeler Corporation. All rights reserved. Reproductions in wh ole or part, without written permission of the publisher. is prohibited. AH prices appearing in this magazine are subject to change without notice. AJI subscriptions will be taken at the prevailing rate. Postmaster: send address changes to RIC Modeler, P.O. Box 487. Sierra Madre, CA 9 1024. EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS are welcomed by RIC Modeler. but cannot be considered unless guaranteed exclusive. Manuscript must be accompanied by return postage and any material accepted for publication is subject to such editorial revision as is necessary. in our discretion, to meet the requi rements of this magazine. Editorial material is selected on the basis of general interest to the radio control enthusiast and the publisher assumes no responsibility for accuracy of content. The opinions stated in published material are those of the individual author and do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. RIC Modeler Corporation assumes no responsibility for loss or damage of editorial contributions. Upon acceptance, payment will be made after publication at our existing current rate. which covers all authors rights, title t0. and interest in, the materia l mailed including. but not limited to photos , drawings and art work which shall be considered as text. Submission of the manuscript to RIC Modeler expresses a warranty, by the author, that the material is in no way an infringement upon the rights of others. Note: The review or discussion of any product by RCM does not constit ute an endorsement of that product nor any assurance as to its safety or performance by RCM. SUBSCRIPTION RA_TES: The United States $24.00 per year. $47.00 t wo years. Foreign subscription including Canada and Mexico $32.00 for one year (no two year foreign). For further information. see subscription ad. Change of address notices, undelivered copies and orders for subscriptions are to be sent toP.O. Box 487, Sierra Madre, California 91024. Allow6weeks for new subscriptions and changes of address. Back issues available: $2. 75 U.S., $3.50 Foreign. ADVERTISING: Send advertising copy and complet e instructions to Advertising Department. R/C Modeler. P.O. Box 487. Sierra Madre, California 91024. Telephone: (818) 355.1476.

FROM THE SHOP RCM Staff Guest Editorial By Dave Platt (U.S. ScaleMasters Committee)

SCALEMASTERS TO GO INTERNATIONAL!

T he United States ScaleMasters Championship, brainchild of Harris Lee and several scale enthusiasts of Southern California, was born in

1980. The concept is simple enough:.invite the winners of a series of regional qualifiers to compete together in the Final meet. Let anyone enter the qualifiers. Have enough qualifiers so that everyone can find one within easy reach. If you fail to qualify at one regional (top 20%), you can go to another and try again. Already qualified builders do not count for selection purposes at a later qualifier, so the top 20% of new winners qualify.

The concept is not new. The idea of the regional qualifier to fly in a Final has been used before in the USA, and successfully. But it is the first time it has been proposed for Scale RIC and then carried out. Harris, aided by stalwarts like Bert Ayers, Bob Olson, Bert Baker, Frank Tiano, and Roy Pratt worked hard to bring the ScaleMasters to fruit.

And what fruit! Each year the ScaleMasters has attracted more entries and resulted in a better Final. Hundreds of scale fans nationwide try each year to be one of the forty or so who can fly in the Final. Some modelers go to every qualifier within 1000 miles to try to make it.

What special magic enables the ScaleMasters to generate such enthusiasm and determination? We can name a few reasons: first, the Final is always beautifully run. Everyone involved is a real scale modeler, not some old has-been or a "relative of someone who once built a model." This goes for the rules committee, the C.D., the judges, and all of the help. Next, it is a simply wonderful social occasion, where you can fly with the best, learn something, and then go out with them for evening social activity. Friendship and fun are held paramount; the seriousness of the contest itself is never allowed to act as an • anchor to these precepts.

But probably an equally important reason for such success has been the rules --- or perhaps lack of them. To explain: the rules committee, realizing t hat the Final

contestants were going to be a select few with a high skill level, felt released from an obligation to maintain fussy procedures, or rules intended to shore-up the confidence of those with small chance of placing well. The AMA, quite rightly, does this by a category system (Sportsman Class and Expert Class). Since everyone at the Final is presumed to be an expert, there is only one class. Moreover, while the AMA places Stand-Off Scale and Giant Scale in separate categories, the Masters does not. Once again, the feeling is that since we are only dealing with experts, let them build and enter whatever they choose, up to the limits of Giant Scale. In other words, it's like Giant Scale except there are no minimums. Inasmuch as very few models ever reach these limits ( 40 lbs. and 3. 7 cu. in. engine) this means, in effect, that these are limits that are not limits. Whatever you want to build, you can. Incidentally, the record shows that the best Masters competition scale m"'odels rarely go over 25 lbs. or 2 cu. in. - way inside the rules.

There are probably as many more good reasons that we didn't mention, but this combination of efficient organization, an atmosphere of fellowship and excellence, and a rules formula that allows the creative scale modeler total freedom to pursue his own personal desires, has made the ScaleMasters the best RIC Scale contest the USA has ever seen. Indeed, nowhere in the world can you find the state of the art in RIC Scale on display as it is at the Masters. So we come back to our heading. We have had many foreign visitors at our Finals and, seeing such action, it naturally wasn't long before these fellows wanted to be a part of it. In response to this the Masters committee has for some two years been discussing the issues involved. Several serious questions arose: how many nations could be accommodated? How many team members from each? What about their qualification procedures? These and a host of minor matters, such as frequency, legality, insurance, etc. , needed addressing. Feeling that no insurmountable problem is evident, the committee has given blessing to the opening of the Masters to foreign participation. The name, of course will change. It will become the ScaleMasters Championship. What will not change are the factors that have made the Masters a success. Indeed, we feel that our guests will make the Final an even richer experience.

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England, France, Germany, Scandinavia and elsewhere! If you want to be a part of this, proceed as follows:

(a) Contact the Headquarters of the body governing model aviation in your own country (M.A.A.C., M.A.A.A., S.M.A.E., etc.).

(b) Request them to send to: Foreign Participation Coordinator, 6940 N.W. 15th St., Plantation, Florida 33313, for the information package detailing participation in the ScaleMasters Championship.

(c) When this is received, call a meeting of interested parties to discuss further action.

(d) When agreement is reached, have your governing body contact us further. Note that no arrangements can be made on an individual basis.

Editors Note: In view of the significance of this decision, RCM has asked several well-known RIC Scale fliers for their comments:

Tom Cook (ScaleMasters Champion). Kent Walters (ScaleMasters Champion). Charlie Chambers (ScaleMasters competitor and former

U.S. Team Member to FAI R IC Champs). Dave Platt (Scale designer and ScaleMasters f/,ier).

Comments from Tom Cook: As an annual participant in the ScaleMasters program, I

am encouraged to hear that next year foreign countries will be invited to participate.

It is indeed unfortunate that the Scale World Championships, which follow the existing F AI rules continue to restrict our model aircraft to unrealistic weight and power requirements. For whatever reasons that this has continued I am unsure, but I do know for a fact that this country is normally represented by something less than our best modelers. The group of us who has participated in the ScaleMasters overall agree that the current F AI set of rules is far too conservative. We are not advocating the monster models which really have no place, but we want the option of being able to construct and compete with a somewhat larger model. In my opinion they are safer and more realistic in most all cases.

The initial goal of the ScaleMasters was to offer a schedule of qualifying meets to guarantee that the best models compete in the Finals each year. This concept has

succeeded and is most obvious if you observe the quality of the models at the ScaleMasters Finals in comparison with those at the F AI qualifications.

I sincerely hope that our current FAI rules representatives will consider a more lenient set of power and weight limitations in the future. If not, it seems unlikely the two groups will ever find some common ground. Possibly it is time for some new blood to handle AMA's Scale column, as I have yet to see even a mention as to the existence of the ScaleMasters program in print. We owe it to the U.S. Scale modelers in general to insure that we field the best possible team for each World Championships. Whether or not the ScaleMasters can evolve into a legitimate World Championships remains to be seen, but it does seem possible with the current set of rest rictive rules hindering FAI competitions.

I hope that by inviting foreign competitors into the ScaleMasters program we can bring in those modelers from other countries who may also feel stymied by the current FAI rules.

Tom Cook

Comments from Kent Walters: Over the past five years, the U.S. ScaleMasters program

has demonstrated an efficient and well-accepted format in selecting the most qualified contestants to compete for the title of U.S. ScaleMasters Champion. It has been successful not only because of its invitational selection process of top modelers, but also because of its simplicity in operation (without the pomp and circumstance) after the selection process is complete. The camraderie instilled by this type of environment between competitors has always been a big plus for the ScaleMasters Championship event .

Perhaps the most interesting point to be made for the U.S. ScaleMasters program is its flexibility in recognizing latest trends in scale modeling that will improve fidelity to scale competition. Accommodating such changes into its publicized program each year, assures the selection process for the true champion in RIC scale modeling.

It is not at all surprising the U.S. ScaleMasters program should now consider evolving.into the next significant step to further improve the level of competition by going international in scope. It will still be essentially a U.S.

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operated event, but the qualifying regionals that we have been familiar with in the U.S. will simply be extended to other countries as well.

For the competitor in scale modeling, it will finally permit competition on the international level without the restrictive FAI weight and engine limits which simply have not kept up to date with "what's happening" in scale modeling in recent years. During this time, there has been little doubt in the RIC scale community of modelers (and consequently manufacturers) that the larger models provide the greatest potential in flying realistically and safely to achieve the objectives and goals of the scale modeler. Yet it is these very models that are primarily excluded by restrictive weight limits (13.2 lbs.) in F AI competition. It is very difficult to understand just why the F AI has previously chosen to ignore the reality of these changing trends in scale modeling around the world. Now it seems they have divorced themselves entirely from this issue or any other by freezing rule changes for the next four years. Evaluating their logic in this may be both academic and futile to us since the bottom line effect of their actions simply indicates they are no longer able to recognize or stimulate international scale competition in its best evolving form. As a consequence, the "World ScaleMasters Championship" program will acquire immediate importance to help fill an unfortunate void in open competition on an international scope.

In my estimation, forecasting the success of the expanded Masters event requires little imagination and will in all probability grow each successive year after its introduction (in the next one to two years) in number of countries attending. For those modelers previously attending as

qualified contestants to the U.S. ScaleMasters Championship, in the future it will mean being given the additional privilege of attending an event with the opportunity of meeting and competing with the best scale modelers around the world. That alone will be a significant step in consolidating RIC scale modeling on a "grand scale" which otherwise seems to have fragmented itself from a lack of open competition on a world level over various weight category and engine size limitations. In comparison, the ScaleMasters program essentially defines ,µpper limits following those of AMA Giant Scale competition which is ample operating range for serious competing models.

Last but certainly not least, the new proposed World ScaleMasters program will be an even greater attraction for both sponsors and e-0mpetitors than in the past, particularly when there is involved the opportunity to capture the most prestigious crown likely to be identified in our recreation as "ScaleMasters Champion of the World!"

On that note, I will end my story here and only add thanks to RCM for the opportunity to express an opinion on the World ScaleMasters Championship program.

Kent Walters

Comments from Charlie Chambers: Once in every few years something really great develops

in the model airplane hobby. It may be a new engine or radio, or an improved method of building and covering our models. When the modeling world learns about this development, we consider it a major happening.

I consider the good news that the ScaleMasters is going to be an International meet to be such a major development. I

7

consider this move will have far reaching consequences. All scale modelers build and fly scale for some particular

reason. My reason was, I wanted to fly in International competition, which meant getting on the U.S. team for the F AI Internats. International competition is in my mind, "la creme de la creme." To build up my knowledge to the point where I could compete on this level, I spent several years competing in the U.S. Nationals.

Finally, I had gained enough experience to make the U.S. team. Representing the U.S. at the FAI Internats was a very satisfying experience for me.

However, in retrospect, I find there are several _things that could have improved the F AI competition. The rules favor early, slow flying aircraft. I'd drop the wing loading rule, increase the model weight limit and allow use of higher displacement engines. These changes would allow a wider selection of subjects to participate. Many of these subjects are presently constrained from being competitive by the rules.

With that out of the way, let's return to the ScaleMasters. This competition, to me, means bringing the best modelers and their models together to fly on a relaxed but highly competitive basis. But to fly at the ScaleMasters Final, you must qualify at one of the regional qualifiers.

At the Final you will find the gamut of scale models. This diversity of models is a result of the rules. Now we will be able to compete internationally and be able to enjoy any model subject, limited only by the modeler's imagination. What good news!

I'm building my model now ... hope to see yours at next year's ScaleMasters International contest.

Charlie Chambers

Comments from Dave Platt: It is a matter of historical record that all of the best and

most prestigious international events are ones sponsored by a single nation. Countless examples, in many sports, come to mind: the Indy 500, the Wimbledon Tennis Championships, the U.S. Open Golf Tournament, and so on. In our own field, we'd name the International Tournament of Champions in Las Vegas; and, at one time, we could have named the Wakefield Cup.

But what happened to the Wakefield is symptomatic of events controlled by an international committee; while • sponsored by England it stood as modeling's most prestigious event, its winning as modeling's highest honor. After the FAI takeover it diminished, until today nobody outside of the Wakefield category knows or cares who won.

This pathetic rundown was accomplished by standard F AI procedure --- squabbles over rules and pathological attention to the have-nots (typical example, from C/L Speed: "Nitro is hard to obtain in some countries; let's outlaw nitro"). Instead of tackling the problems of availabilities and world-class skills head-on, a sort of "Lowest common denominator" is all that can be agreed upon by an international committee.

In F AI RIC Scale, we have a somewhat different but equally disastrous scenario. Here, again, the problem is the rules, but not for the same reasons. Nobody has outlawed modern radios, for instance, on the grounds that they might be hard to find or afford in Bangladesh. What we have instead is a willful determination by the committee to deny progress. The basic formula of a .60 and 13 lb. limit is obsolete and has long been so. Unnecessary and subject restrictive rules govern such matters as area and wing

8

loadings; the quaint complexity system can only be described as absurd (a biplane is 10% harder to fly than a monoplane, for heaven's sake?)_ The inevitable result is that today, several nations have dozens of world class RIC scale experts who will not compete in F Al. This includes the USA. Questions have been raised about a "boycott." But is it a boycott when the modeler, who faces all the work of producing a world-class model which will only be any good at one contest, says, "I don't want to play with your toys ... if you won't accept what I build, do without me." Who is boycotting who? Many of these experts also feel that by competing they would be dignifying these rules and delaying further the necessary changes; that the most effective expression of their disapproval in non-participation.

The standard excuse for not raising the .60 limit has been that "In many countries, this is the law of the land." This is a lie. The F AI allows 1.20 if a 4-cycle. Are we supposed to believe that the laws of these lands differentiates between a 2-cycle and a 4-cycle model airplane engine? More recently, another excuse offered has been 1hat if the limit were raised, the .60 size airplane would be outclassed. Why - because bigger models are better? If so, what kind of rules seek to prevent us from building a better model? And, anyway, why are we artificially insulating the .60 engine? Not that I'm arguing against sixties, I'm not. The issue here is the individual's freedom to do what he wants. If all of this seems a bit frightful, there's worse yet. The FAI committee has voted itself a 4-year freeze on rule changes! Aside from being lazy and arrogant, this is also a supreme conceit ("We cannot have overlooked anything. What we've done is so perfect it will stand for 4 years"). Most of all, the freeze is unintelligent . This is a technological hobby! A lot happens in one year! How are your rules, already so antiquated, going to look after four additional years?

Attempts to bring change have been frustrated by the fact that AMA's influence ts minimal. We don't even get to choose our own delegate to the F AI committee! Incredible, but true. The would-be F Al RIC Scale contestant has no voice in who represents him. How different from AMA's own system, where rule charige procedures are known to all, available to any member, systematically dealt with in a high visibility environment.

I really believe that the F AI fiasco was inevitable where an international committee is involved. The churlishness and intrigue (exemplified by the Olympic Games) are standard and normal today. The original intent of international fellowship and camraderie is drowned in a quicksand of political chicanery.

The answer - the only answer - that I can see is for a return to the system that works - the one-nation host meet. This is what the ScaleMasters can now do. Any who still approve the F AI formula can compete under it, and good luck. The rest ofus, who need genuine good fellowship and provocative challenge, will take the ScaleMasters. The FAI might think they have the prestige, because of who they are. Not so. The Masters has the prestige, because we the modelers have decided to bestow it there.

In these circumstances it is only fair and proper that we open the Masters to international competition. We have four years while FAI basks in its self-imposed doldrums; let's use them to get some inertia behind the ScaleMasters Tournament.

Dave Platt

•