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Aviation History
1935
1935 - 1449.PDF
JUNE 13, 1935. FLIGHT 653 MODELS News for Miniature-aircraft Enthusiasts : What the Clubs are Doing ENERGETIC T HE- two excellent flying models illustrated at the top of this page are the work of Mr. L. S. Wigdor, who is only 15\ years of age, yet has built a most remarkable fleet of flying scale models, mainly—and "unfortunately," as he says—of American types. Another photograph which he encloses shows a lawn which rather resembles a flying meet ing for there are a score of varied and most realistic looking machines parked upon it. MAKING WHEELS AN ordinary indiarubber ball is the basis of a simple method of making landing wheels, suggested by Mr. J. L. Beil- schmidt. Each ball is pierced at diametrically opposite points, and then placed be tween two discs or cones on the axle bush as shown in the accompanying diagram, ad hesive being used for attach ing the latter to the rubber. By suitably proportioning the diameter of the discs or cones in relation to the diameter of the ball, any type of wheel from normal to "doughnut" pattern can be produced. The discs may be made from thin card, plywood, balsa or metal, and axle bushes from rolled paper thin reed, or metal tube. If air leakage on landing is excessive, says Mr. Beilschmidt, it may be prevented by seal ing the tyre, which can be done by drawing a piece of cycle valve tubing over the axle bush and making fillets of rubber cement. THAT " AUTOMATIC PILOT " A READER has written commenting on the "automatic pilot" for model aeroplanes which, as we described last month, has been suggested by an enthusiast in British North Borneo. The gadget, it may be remembered, consisted essentially of a disc which, placed in the airstream, pulled on the elevator controls against the tension of a spring and caused the nose of the machine to rise as the speed increased. The reader remarks that in his experience such a fitting would only tend to exaggerate the difficulty which so many model builders experience, i.e., that of the model climbing steeply under the initial thrust of the airscrew on launching. As we said at the time, most similar brain-waves which we havt' seen have proved unsuccessful, but our overseas reader was so positive about the success of his idea that we considered it worth passing on, if only as a topic for discussion. Indiarubber balls as the basis of normal and (right)' 'doughnut'' wheels Two flying scale models from Mr. L. S. Wigdor's big fleet. Above is a Hawker " High-speed Fury," which even has the scale number of fuselage stringers and wing ribs, and on the left is a Curtiss F.0.C.2 Macon fighter (the type carried by the ill-fated U.S. airship) of 19^ in. span and weighing 2.2 oz. CLUB ACTIVITY A CTIVITY among the model aeroplane clubs is now ^ approaching its zenith, and a number of reports are to hand concerning outdoor activities. A meeting which hundreds of enthusiasts in London and the Home Counties are eagerly awaiting is the Northern Heights Club's Gala Day, which takes place in just over a fortnight's time, i.e., on Sunday, June 30. As already announced in Flight, the venue is Fairey's aerodrome at Heathrow, which lies a little way to the west of the Great West Road extension, between the Bath and Staines roads. All who are interested in model aeronautics will be welcome, and there will be no admission fee. One of the most interest ing items will be a flying scale model contest in which the first prize is the Flight Trophy illustrated at the foot of this page. Anyone may enter for this competition, and need not be a member of a club; the models will first be judged for faithful ness to the original, and will afterwards be required to make three flights, the best total duration counting. No flights of less than five seconds will count. The entrance fee is 6d. The programme begins at 11.30 a.m., and full details may be obtained from Mr. C. A. Rippon, 70, Hampden Way, London, N.14. Among recent events was the first T.M.A.C. Rally of the season, which took place at Wormwood Scrubbs. Mr. W. Worden won the Inter-Group competition (heavyweight sec tion), thus giving the Group III a big lead, and Mr. A. A. Judge was the winner of the take-off contest. In spite of a high wind some excellent flying was seen in the Gamage Cup Contest, held at Wimbledon on May 12. Practically every competitor flew a balsa model built to the popular tapered one piece high - wing formula. The tviner was Mr. G. Mogford, with an average of 78.2 sec. Held at Sywell by arrange ment with the Northampton shire Aero Club, the Midlands Rally of Model Aero Clubs aroused a great deal of interest. The winner in the rubber-driven models section was Mr. A. E. Morrod, who also made best performance in the power class "Gull." Mr. J. B. Allman won the duration contest with The Fhshi Trophy, First a figure of 3 min. 30 sec., and prize in the scale model the altitude competition was contest *• the Northern won by Mr. Morrod. Heights Rally on June 30
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