MODELAEROPLANE NOTES

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 234, 2 October 1937, Page 3 (Supplement)

MODELAEROPLANE NOTES

Just recently the members of the Auckland Model Aeroplane Club who are particularly interested in petroldriven models made a day's excursion to Harrisville, just past Pukekohe. As this is the first big meeting of this kind that the club has held 1 thought that a fairly lengthy description of the whole day's proceedings would be of interest. Besides giving a precis of the day's actual happenings, I think that the various accidents and incidents may prove very enlightening to those who are now building or contemplating building "gas jobs."

First of all, you will remember I said that most of tlie«e models were on view at tlie> Auckland Winter Exhibition and that in consequence of the. "prettying up" process necessary for that show not much flying had been attempted for some months. However, as soon as the models were out of it, the owners got to work with a will and made preparations for a really good flying day. As only a few of them had ever been in the air there was, of course, a great deal of worry as to wing settings, etc., for with these bigger models it is very important to have them set correctly before the take-off, as you will see later on. So we can imagine the .builders with their machines at hone trying out the angles of incidence, getting the electrical systems just right, and giving their engines extensive bench tests. Those who signified their intention of being present were Ralph Court with his big 9ft~span, streamlined Cavalier, Mr. A. Mahonv, of Pukekohe, with a B-J motored, Oft model of his own design, but reminiscent of the Turner ".pecial, N. A. Dobson with a Bunch-motored T-D Coupe, Mr. F. C. Macdonald with a Cyclone-powered T-D Coupe, Frank Martin with a Cyclonepowered T-D and also his own design six-footer. Then Vern Gray had been working hard on a "hush-hush" model of his own design, using a B-J motor, Alan Sykes with his first prize model, using a Cyclone, Ivan Chinnery Brown with the big 10ft K-G, powered with a Brown Junior. The date was set and it was very noticeable that most of these members were not present at the ordinary meeting of the club the day before. Tliey were home getting those last settings of the models right. Quite a lot of running round was necessary, it seems. Wheels were not ready; some fuselages were covered at 11 o'clock that night; motors were looked at with a suspicious eye; and again, at the very last, the models were set up on the level test benches and that last long inspection made. I think the owners dreamed gas models that night and perhaps suffered the "nightmares" of seeing their "ships" diving at the ground under full power.

Well the morning arrived, raining! Not so good, but a telephone call to Pukekohe found the joyful news that it was all right down there and there was no wind. So the cars loaded up. Petrol models take up a lot of room so they were stripped down as far as they could be, wings and tails removed, propellers off, etc. Some fuselages rode on the top of the cars tied down and shrouded with waterproofs. Down at the lield the hosts of the day. Messrs Barnabv and Mahonv, were waiting and from 5.45 a.m. on the cars began turning up. The cars were litwrsifily bursting with owners, machines and sundry mechanics. Stores of petrol, repair kits and sundries of great variety seemed to appear in an endless stream. The owners found their own little spots for saddling paddocks and were soon at work warming the motors up. These engines have a bore varying from Jin to 7-Sin. You can hardly got your thumb down the cylinders but what they lack in size they make up for in noise. Revving at up to 5000 per minute with a sharp staccato note thev certainly can '"bark."

Ralph Court was the first to have his model sot up. engine running and all ready for a lliglit. The field was a little small with too many fences and trees for comfort hut oil' lie went accompanied 'by his many self-appointed helpers carrying spare petrol, booster batteries and whatnot. A very light breeze from the north sent them over to the other side of the field so as to take off into the wind. Kngine going. booster battery wires r<'incij>d. a breathless moment of suspense and the model was released. J lie engine, not fully into its stride faltered a little and the beautiful blue and white painted ship headed straight for tlio only fence near. Crash! Hard luck, Ralph. about, one foot of one wing tip was absolutely torn oil', a bad start for the day. Slowly the funeral procession departed for the pits.

By now motors wore "barking"' everywhere. "DcJbhy" was wrestling with his Bunch, getting it just right, assisted by Chief Engineer Kav Allen, who incidentally, was right out to help evervone in distress or looking like l>eing in distress during the day. Here 1 might mention that, the very friendly spirit between competitors and onlookers was prevalent all day long. Wheels, spark pings and even engines, were gladlv loaned, tools were anybody's and petrol Mowed in a free stream. There was a movement over in Yorn Cray's direction

A DAY OUT WITH THE GAS MODELS.

ASTOUNDING FLIGHTS — MANY LESSONS LEARNED.

as word got round that he was ready. Out to the centre moved the procession again. A couple of test hops showed one or two irregularities and then with a crackling roar the little motor was opened out and away went Gray's high wing model in a beautiful climbing turn. Up and up she went, in one minute being several hundred feet up. Still circling and drifting slowly southwards in the very light breeze this model was a picture to see. Everyone listened.

The amount of petrol was limited, just about a quarter ounce had been put in (actually rather less than this, I understand), and for several minutes the model flew strongly, its engine running perfectly. "She's out" was the cry as the motor was heard to stop. Then the eye-witnesses learned just what they had been asking about. What happened when the motor cut out? Well, nothing except a change in the circling owing to the torque, or turning power of the engine, being now stopped; the model changed its circle and lazily, it seemed, started on a long, slow, circling glide in the other direction. "Looft!" was the cry. Assisted by uprising currents, which abounded that day, the model was gaining height, then circling out of the thermal area it slowly sank out of sight. By this time the owner, timekeeper and a bevy of friends had departed in directions unknown to find the model. Vern was right underneath it, and had the illluck to see it hit a telegraph pole just as it came gliding in. Result, a six-minute flight and a broken wing. However, congratulations showered on the owner, as his theories had been proved out. Now in the meantime the others had not been idle, and at various parts of the field models were making test hops. Dobson had his little T-D just about right, and, putting in a fairly generous supply (about loz) gave the stand clear sisrnal and released his model. A short run and she took the "air like a bird. With a wonderful climb it departed for the skies, going right up to the cloud level in a few minutes. Cars were requisitioned, and away shot the timekeepers trving to keep the model in sight, for Dobby had calmly announced that he had "loaded her up" with gas, so anvthing might happen. This flight was a real thrill, and it was soon a speck in the sky. Fifteen minutes later it was timed down several miles away. Dobby took on that triumphant look which showed him well pleased with himself, his model and, in fact, the wl*)le world in general. After lunch flights were bein" made fairly consistently, and Mr. Mahony decided to put up" his job again. He had done a big flight in the mornin» already. So at about half-past two he let her go. This was the longest flight of the day, and the way that little ship literally bored its way" up to the cloud level at about 1500 ft (some estimated it higher, but I am being conservative) war, amazing. It soon became a speck in the skies, dodging in and out of the co,,ds As you know, there Ls a rule that if a model disappears out of siHit in the clouds a time limit of 1.5 seconds is allowed. If it reappears in that time all is well, and the timing goes on; if it doesn't, the timekeepers have to clock it as down. Rather hard when vou can hear the motor running, but there it is. Hell the timekeepers got up to a count of 1- and 13 several times, but alwavs the model appeared again as a black speck just in time. Following the drift of the model, the timekeepers finallv gave up at about 26 minutes, and after a good search round came home a-a in. Another scouting party had travelled as far as Mercer watching it, and then hnally lost it.

Now officially the flight ended there Ut 6 minutes) but rumour has it that a farmer down Mercer wav saw it circling around about 5 o'clock, still high up. Of course the petrol had been used up in the first portion of the flight, but the model, supported by the ri.-inf air currents, simply seemed glued aloft and probably did not come down till the •l' (K , ot tlie evening. The model was °und two days later and returned intact to its proud but worried owner. Frank Martin put up a good flight: Dobbv made a special record attempt. using the weight rule allowance of gas. and "altogether the day was a wonderful success. 1 cannot possibly mention all the little incidents, humorous and tragic, such as Ivan's K.G. just missing fences bv the proverbial hairbreath. Mr. Maodo'nahl's model-careering round at Oft up. to be caught by a wing tip and pulled into the ground, tli o strainer! expression on the faces at- the moment of take-off the relief when that first climb was over and the engine still held on to its note the quick repairs on the ground, the iargon of "three-to-one" mixtures, advancing the s t ,ark. incidences, dihedrals and such technical subjects. But all agreed that ,t was a wonderful day. and if 'onie had suffered m the cause thev were „„t terribly unhappy, for the sueoes, of the ethers spurred them on'to creator effort The decision was reached fairlv generally however, that small mod-Is wore the best, short timed fli-Vts f Mould be encouraged, and that mom than ever it was essential to the <r,.nd of the sport that all petrol flviu«r should l»e done in the wide open spaces.