MODEL AEROPLANE NOTES and General Hobbicrafts

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 65, 17 March 1934, Page 15 (Supplement)

MODEL AEROPLANE NOTES and General Hobbicrafts

SILHOUETTES. "NAME THE 'PLANE" COMPETITION T have several times noticed photographs of aeroplanes taken against a bright sun, and though almost all detail is lost, just 1 lie general shape of the 'plane gives one quite enough to recognise it liy. 1 have, therefore, had these silhouettes of some very well known 'planes prepared. I think that all should lie able to recognise a goodly proportion of them, and many of you, 1 feel sure, will be able to make the whole count correctly. To add a little interest to the competition, 1 ain offering a prize of the Gipsy Moth scale flying model kitset, valued at C/C, to the* reader that sends in the most correct solution, .lust a few rules, so that you will know exactly what to do.

(1) One entry only from each reader. (2) You are required to name the 'plane, and give what details you can about it. not more than 30 words to be used in each description. (3) F.ntries must be addressed to "Propeller," e/o "Star" Office, and the competition cloMiig dnte is definitely March 23. (4) Kaeh competitor must enclose the picture of silhouettes with his entry. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. T.S., of Hemucra, is an interested model builder, and says spine very nice things about these notes. He has built the •'Peanut" and the Kokker D 7. and in his words, "the model hums along at I

about 2(U't high. like an express i i.n Im, looking very realistic. He lias come up against the old bugbear of new model builders, with regard to pitch, and Im' the benefit ol' other readers who may lie a little vague 011 the subject. I am repeating here a portion ot my letter to him dealing with this subject. Re Pitch. The pitch of a propeller is (he distance that it would travel forward (theoretically) on one revolution, just in the same manner that a wood - screw moves forward in a piece of wood. Actually tho pitch is not the thickness of the block, but the thickness of the block and its width, and also its length, all help to determine the pitch. You will note that 1 said theoretically above, and this is quite right, for a propeller actually has quite an amount of '"slip," which, of course, detracts from its efficiency. A

12in propeller with a pitcli of ISin should poll a 'plane through the air exactly ISin each revolution, hut in practice it does not, there being from 30 to 40 per cent "slip" in the average model aeroplane propeller. G. 8., of Sanson sends out an S.O.S. for the plans of the Monocoupe. These appeared in the Model Aeroplane Xotes in February, 1933, and if any of iny readers could spare a copy, or even send along tracings, I will see that they are forwarded.

R. Jones, of To Puke writes in some interesting details with regard to his model "Peanut" monoplane, with which he lias had flights of nearly one minute. For a lone flyer this is jolly good, and I hope he will soon have a few friends, so that he can form his club, which I know he l desires to do.