MODEL AEROPLANE NOTES

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 60, 12 March 1938, Page 3 (Supplement)

MODEL AEROPLANE NOTES

(By PROPELLER.)

Though, of course, catapulting aeroplanes from the (leeks of warships and other craft is by no means new, the latest English version -of the light Reconnaissance machine, the Fairey Seafox, will, I feel sure, interest readers in New Zealand.

Fig. 1 shows a general view of the machine, and a few details may be interesting. It is, barring the wings and tail, entirely made of metal, having what is called the "Al-clad" stressed metal skin. Its floats are also of metal, as the Seafox is designed to land and take-off in very heavy seas. The wings are folding to allow ease of stowage when on board a light cruiser, where space is at a premium. The ensrine is a very powerful Napier Rapier VI., 16 cylinders set in an H formation. This motor develops 35.3 to 370 horse-power at 3650 revolutions per minute at 4750 ft above sea level, and 380 to 395 horse-power at 6000 ft.

Special arrangements are made for taking the enormous strains imposed when the Seafox is catapulted from the deck. When you consider that the 'plane attains a speed of nearly 70 miles per hour froh. the start to the end at a 00ft catapult it is obvious that everything must be made substantial to withstand the "slinging." Incidentally, it is a strain on the pilot as well. However, this new machine has been thoroughly tested and operates quite as expected.

For those model builders that like to have a replica of the interesting 'planes of the year, or even for those model boat builders who are building model warships, I think these details and sketches will prove useful. Model Petrol Topics. The Auckland Model Aeroplane Club liad a real day -out at Hobsonville Air Base lately, by courtesy of the authorities, and favoured by good (in fact, nearly perfect) weather conditions spent a pleasant and most instructive day. Eight petrol models were unloaded from the various cars. I know most of you vi.re thoroughly acquainted with what these models look like, but 'for the sake of those readers not so well versed in our hobby I will digress a little and make a few explanations. The ordinary model aeroplane is built of balsa wood, tissue paper and powered with strands of rubber, and great is the sport of flying them. However, lately there has come into popularity the newer branch of the model flying game, i.e., petrol model flying. These models range from 4ft to 10ft in length, though the popular sizes are all about sft to Oft Gin wingspan. The models are built up just like the rubber-driven ones, only spruce is used a little more in the construction and a heavier, tougher grade of tissue, called bamboo paper, is used for the covering. Great opportunities for making "pretty" jobs are given the builders of these "gas jobs," for owing to the larger size and the absence of that necessity of saving every grain of weight much more attention can be paid to detail and covering, colourings and markings. In the nose of these 'planes will always be found a small engine. A real true live engine, running on petrol and with batteries, coil and condenser. So many people have as"ked me if they are real engines that I may be inclined to over-stress the point.

If you happened to be unlucky enough to put your finger in the 14in propeller when travelling at 4000 to 5000 r.p.m. you would realise that these engines are real enough. And the noise they make is also conclusive evidence. Being of the two-stroke type they make a great chatter and can be heard a thou-

NEW ENGLISH SEAPLANE—CATAPULTED FROM WARSHIPS—PETROL MODEL DOINGS—HERE AND THERE.

sand feet or more lip, even wl.en the model is flying in. the clouds and thus out of sight.

Well, to our particular day. Wc arrived at the •'drome about 10 a.m. and soon the wings were being set on the fuselages, tail gear trimmed up and. of course, the engines were run just to see that they were still O.K. A pair of heavy cells or even a small three-volt battery is used for this initial testing, there being a pair of small cells in the model, but these are only switched on when the model is about to make a free flight, owing to the fact that their capacity is not great. I noticed quite a lot of tuning-up going on, and then awav over to the far end of the 'drome went the owners and models in order to get the greatest distance away from the sea, there being a light westerly blowing. The competition arranged was that the model that put up the greatest aggregate time during the day would win. This was to encourage a number of small flights rather than one or two long ones, it being considered that there is more skill displayed by this type of competition than by sheer duration. Vern. Gray was out early with his new red "bus," and on the whole it proved the most consistent model of the day. He made somewhere about a dozen flights and all landed short of the sea. One flight was a little too long and the model came down in the -nangrove mud. Alan Sykes was not quite successful. The first time eent up the model had a rather bad stall in it, and consequently it made some amazing aerobatics. I feel sure Flight-Lieutenant Allan would have been really jealous had he seen them. The result was a very severe landing, but so well designed was the model (with a little luck thrown in) that no damage barring a broken propeller was done. On his next flight Alan made sure that he had the stall out, but rather under-estimated the time his engine would run on a certain allowance of petrol, and so he again nearly had a heart attack seeing the model sit down quite prettily right out in the channel. Then a small yacht came racing along to retireve it, and Alan confessed that he was quite sure it would run the 'plane down. Result of immersion—no damage at all. Only a drop of two of water got inside the fuselage, but the engine was dismantled and cleaned out with petrol and oil just in case. The model was -ready again in about an hour's time. Wyn. Craven had bad luck with his first flight making a bad landing and doing extensive damage. Messrs. Knowles. Davies and Allen also made a number of flights during the day and added a lot to their knowledge of the

»ame. With the exception of Craven's smash there was only trifling damage done to any model. Our now experienced petrol model flyer X. Dobson had his little T-D coupe out and made the prettiest flights of the day. It was perfect in take-off flight and glide and he got a real round of applause at the end of each flight. Then late in the day, when he and Vern Gray were still only a few seconds apart in the aggregate duration, "Dobby" put up the trim little blue and orange ship again, made a fine flight, and on the glide down it headed for the far end of the 'drome. No one took much notice for a while as we all thought that he would just go on and pick it up as usual. However, after about half an hour's absence, some of the members went over to see what was wrong. &nd the report soon came back that the 'plane had gone missing. Xot a sijrht of it anywhere. The search party thoroughly went up and down and round about, but T% had evidently glided a greater distance than we thought, and landed in the long manuka. Unfortunately night was coming on and the search had to be abandoned. Up till the time of writing this, a week later, the model is still posted missing.

AIR MAIL. R.E.C., Otahuhu, 'wants the plans of a good canvas canoe. I can see that there are a lot of readers wanting one of these so will have to dig round and pet one to publish soon. I have nothing just now suitable. H.N., Devonport, writes in asking foi plans of a canoe about seven feet long. I have nothing really good available now as all the kyak plans are gone. Perhaps you can get hold of that book I mentioned called "How to Build 20 Boats." There are several good canoes in it that could be scaled down a bit. H.G.C., Mangatawhiri.—l published the "Flying Flea" plans over a year ago. I have no spare copies, but some reader may see this S.O.S. and oblige.