Now that the holidays are over, it is time to get back to the workshop and make some progress on that new building project you’ve been planning for a while. Sure, there are a lot of great ARFs out there these days, but have you ever considered the possibility of actually cutting wood and building a model of your own?

Cutting a clean stack of ribs like these is easier than you might think.

I’m going to jump over a few basic steps here and go right to the one area that many people tell me is a real stumbling block for them when building from plans or older kits-cutting ribs. And to make the discussion even less intimidating this time, I am only going to talk about cutting ribs for a constant chord wing.

Long before today’s fancy laser cutters, model airplane kits commonly included “print wood” ““ sheets of balsa that had the were printed with the part outlines. The instructions told you to carefully cut out the parts and then assemble them. Well, if your skills with one of dad’s worn out razor blades were typical of most beginners, you soon found that it was hard to cut a straight line, let alone follow the smooth curve of a rib or former. Accurately cutting snug spar notches is also a challenge, until you know a few secrets.

Secret Number One? Don’t Do It Freehand.

Those long-saved scraps of plywood are perfect for rib templates.

Even with the best printwood or plans, hand cutting ribs without some sort of a guide is nearly impossible if you want consistent results. Start by making a simple template from any reasonably thin, easily-worked material. My favorite is 1/16 plywood. It is thick enough to guide the blade well, yet flexible and easy to work. 1/32 ply works well too and can be readily cut with shop scissors. I have also used formica and, in a pinch, thick cardstock such as cardboard from a new shirt or a cereal box.

Print out or make a photocopy of the plan area showing the rib shape, rough-cut it out with scissors and glue it to your template material. You don’t need a great bond here, so some spray glue, some glue stick or even a finger’s smear of Elmers will do just fine. Thin or soft stock can be cut close to the line with a pair of heavy-duty scissors, than sanded to shape. With thicker and harder stock I reach for a jeweler’s or coping saw or turn on a scroll or band saw. Be sure to cut just outside the outline, then sand to final shape with a sanding block.

Results of a few minutes with a scroll saw and sanding block.

Don’t forget to trim the spar pockets to fit the intended stock, along with the leading and trailing edge areas. I often use a small file to accurately shape the notches in plywood templates. Check these notches against stock of the proper dimension. While you many not use the notches now as you cut a full set, they come in handy if you need just one or two for repairs. At this point I harden the edges of my template with thin CA. Once it cures, a few final swipes with 220-grit will smooth it nicely.

Time or Money?

Before cutting the first rib you have a choice to make. You must decide whether your balsa stash is more valuable than your time. If wood is precious, you can layout your cutting pattern with the ribs close-spaced, rotating the template to fit the ribs together with minimal waste. When I opt for this approach, I use a soft pencil to trace the shapes on the sheet stock so that I don’t lose track of my intended pattern.

You can also do the layout on a piece of paper if you don’t want to draw on the wood. Now take the template, hold it in place on the sheet and trace around it with a new blade in your hobby knife. Take care to keep the blade vertical and tight against the template. The bevel and CA along the edge should be enough to keep the blade edge from cutting into the template.

Don’t try to cut out the notches at this point. Notching the ribs with your hobby knife often splits the edge of the rib and maintaining consistency is a challenge. In a few paragraphs I will describe an easy-to-make, simple sanding tool that quickly gives accurate notches. It also allows you to notch all the ribs at once, ensuring that they are properly aligned.

If you want to cut the notches by hand anyway, work carefully with a light touch on the knife. Pressing hard while you cut can split the grain near the edge of the ribs. I find that my best results come from pressing the blade down through through the balsa when notching, rather that drawing the blade on a pull stroke as used when cutting the outlines.

Mass Production

Using the rib template to set the saw fence.

Working tightly on the material does slow the process a little though. More often than not, I measure the max height of the rib then cut strips to this width. While you can use just a straight edge and knife to cut these strips, I prefer a bit more consistency. I have several “balsa strippers” designed to make quick work of cutting consistent strips. The least expensive is the Master Airscrew Balsa Stripper. It is often available for a few dollars at your local hobby shop. Faster and more accurate cuts come from my Byrnes Model Machines Table Saw, along with a much higher tool cost and wood wasted from its kerf. Regardless of which tool I am using, I use the rib template to set the fence spacing. This “gang-cutting” technique does leave more wood in the bin, but it is much faster when cutting a larger number of ribs.

The miter fence and stop block quickly reduces the strip stock to individual rib blanks.

Now take these strips and cut them to the exact rib length. These will be the ribs for my McGuire Quadruplane and, despite what it says on my template, I needed 40 of them. Setting up the miter stop block gave me consistent, repeatable results with my table saw. I’ve achieved similar results with a few scraps of hardwood or plywood tacked to a piece of light ply to reference a steel ruler and the rib blanks so I could cut them accurately by hand. Yes, cutting by hand is a bit slower, but it works very well if that is your only option.

Cutting notches with the Byrnes precision table saw.

Once I have enough pieces, I stack them all together and cut the spar notches. Here I am again using my bench-top Byrnes table saw. The saw blade cuts a narrow kerf, so I have set the rip fence to reference one side of the spar notch and clamped my shop-made stop block to the miter fence for the other. I carefully set the blade height based on the spar thickness. Ganging the rib blanks as shown helps minimize variation between ribs. I like to run a sharpie along one corner to help maintain orientation over the next few steps.

Make A Sanding Stick

This simple sanding tool creates near-perfect spar slots with little effort or investment.

Don’t think you have to have a table saw to notch ribs though. You can also use a spar sanding stick that only takes a few minutes to make and will repay you many times over with clean, consistent spar notches. To make a custom sanding stick, start with a piece of ply, rock-hard balsa or even hardwood that is the same thickness as the intended spar. Glue a piece of 120-grit to the edge using thick CA. I put the paper face down on my bench, and then apply glue to the wood and press it down on the paper. A quick spritz of kicker will quickly cure the glue once you have the stick in position. Now carefully trim it to the width of the wood with a razor blade. Don’t worry if the blade wanders a bit. A few swipes with a sanding block will quickly trim any excess right to the edge of your stock. This tool could be used as is, or given increased accuracy with another simple step.

Note the 1/8 balsa shim used to space the second guide rail on the near side of the spar sanding tool.

Controlling the depth of your spar slot is a lot easier if you affix guide rails made of hardwood or ply to the sides of the sander. You could add just one, but I usually add one to each side. I like to give them a quick smoothing on the lower edge where they will contact the ribs. Set a scrap of wood the same dimension as the intended spar depth on your workbench and use it as a shim as you glue on the rails. You can protect the shim with a bit of waxed paper or just be careful as you glue the rails in place. In all honesty, I often can’t be bothered to reach for the box of waxed paper and just work carefully as I position the stop blocks. As soon as you have the rail in place, check the underside for glue squeeze out. A few swipes with a scrap of wood will smooth any excess glue and prevent damaging the ribs. Now mark the spar dimensions on your new sander for future reference.

Firmly clamp the rib blanks together and mark for the desired spar location.

In use I clamp a number of rib blanks together, then just pencil on some guide lines at the spar location. One helpful option is to make another line on the blanks, spaced a bit from the intended notch. While I didn’t draw such a line on this stack of ribs, doing so gives a great visual reference for your guide rail and lets you align the sanding tool very accurately. It only takes a few seconds to notch the stack of rib blanks. The bit about 120 grit isn’t cast in stone either. I have used paper as fine as 180 grit when making these tools and while it works well, it is definitely slower going than with a coarser grit. On the other hand, you don’t want to go so coarse that you have to worry about tear out. I have used anything between 80 and 180. It really comes down to the size of the spar and what sandpaper is most handy.

With snug fitting spar notches, these ribs are ready to shape.

Whether you use a small table saw or a custom sanding stick really doesn’t matter. Both work well and give similar results. To be honest, Once you have a few of these sticks made up and close at hand, I am not even sure that the table saw is significantly faster due to the extended setup time involved.

Alignment Fence

Locate the rib blank and template with the spar stub.

Cutting the notches before shaping flat bottom ribs also lets you index the blank and rib template against a fence. Glue a small tab that fits the spar notch to the straight edge of a scrap of ply or hardwood. This guide needs to be at least as thick as the rib stock and template combined. You will use the stub and straight edge to align the stock and template. I clamp this fence over a self-healing cutting mat on the edge of my workbench simply so it doesn’t move around as I work with it.

A couple light passes with a sharp new blade will accurately shape the rib in no time.

Take care when you “load” each blank and the template to ensure they are both firmly seated against the edge of the fence and spar stub. Similarly, hold both securely when it comes time to cut the rib outline. These simple measures can yield a rib set that doesn’t need sanding.

Results To Be Proud Of

Once I had made the template, jig and cut the rib blanks, it took just 10 minutes to cut the outline of all 40 ribs for my McGuire Quadruplane, and I then lined them up on a scrap of spar stock to admire my handiwork. The freshly sliced ribs were more consistent than many from kits I built before laser cutting was common and I could have used them as they were. Instead I added just a couple of swipes with my sanding block to finish the stack off smoothly.

Next time I’ll move on to assembling the wings and share a few more tips there.

Tools Needed
Hobby knife
Cutting matt
Straight edge

Supplies Needed
Balsa sheet with the proper thickness for the design
Thin plywood, non-corrugated cardboard or formica

Learn how to bind/I.D. Link your Minima series receiver to an AFHSS-equipped 2.4GHz Hitec transmitter.

What You’ll Need:

• Hitec Minima series 2.4GHz receiver
• Hitec Aurora 9, Optic 6 Sport, Eclipse 7, or other AFHSS compatible transmitter
• (optional) Hitec HPP-22 USB programming module
• (optional) Digital or analog servo for setup verification, Rx battery, and receiver power switch

Prerequisite: Basic understanding of RC radio systems, servo and battery connections and radio system operation.
Builder’s Skill Level: Novice

Visit the Hitec website for more information about Minima series receivers, AFHSS radio systems, software/firmware updates, and available accessories.

The HB W.29 was designed to battle Britain’s flying boats that were patrolling the North Sea at the time. They were rather successful in that role, despite a late appearance near the end of the war. I’ve long been intrigued by this unusual design, with its forest of struts and inverted rudder, designed to prevent the observer/gunner from damaging this critical control in the heat of combat. The HB W.29, along with the derivative W.33, was used after the Great War throughout Scandinavia for patrolling the coast and delivering mail, among other tasks.

Maxford USA included some nice details in the design of the W.29, taking care of many of the little things you might do on your own to upgrade a more typical ARF. For instance the detailed engine brings the model alive and the cockpit interior is prepainted black so you don’t have to paint the raw balsa wood yourself. This model offers a chance to fly something completely different at your next float-fly, or even from grass or snow with the optional ski setup.

Assembly Notes

I replaced the stock strut hardware shown with shorter black socket head cap screws.

The W.29 is best suited to the more experienced modeler and pilot. For example the included manual may seem a little sparse at first glance, but with a few previous builds under your belt you should find it guides you through the assembly process smoothly. I made a few notes during my assembly process and wanted to share those points with you.

The complex strut work comes preformed and predrilled, and simply bolts together. The kit also includes a complete set of metric hardware for the build. As you can see though, the stock machine screws were quite a bit longer than necessary. I also thought that black fasteners would look better and so substituted some shorter socket head cap screws.

Once I had the appropriate size fastener at each location, I removed and replaced them one at a time to add a small drop of Pacer’s premium grade Z-42 blue Thread Locker and ensure they stay on the airframe.

I found it easiest to put a few drops of Thread Locker on an inverted plastic cup so I could dip each fastener in turn, instead of continuously reaching for the bottle and possibly applying too much.

While you will want to see them on the model, refrain from mounting the dummy engine and optional detail kit components until after completing the rest of the assembly. You don’t want to damage these pieces while working on the rest of the model. You will also need access to the back of the firewall when mounting the motor, an area blocked by the dummy engine.

Hemostats were a great help when installing the blind nuts for mounting the motor.

The firewall comes laser etched with guidelines to help mount the motor, but it is not predrilled. I carefully positioned the recommended motor, drilled for the mounting bolts and then used locking forceps to hold the lower T-nuts securely while I positioned them. Again, a small drop of Z-42 blue Thread Locker will hold the motor mounting screws securely while still allowing convenient removal later.

Proper Balance

Maxford USA has published an addendum on their web site that instructs you how to keep the CG forward when flying with floats. The prototypical floats do not have a lot of reserve buoyancy and it is possible for the tail to sag into the water while at rest.

Remove bulkhead cross bracing as shown for access to the battery compartment.

In order to mount the battery as far forward as possible for an improved CG, you will need to remove the wood bracing structure in the bulkhead just forward of the cockpit insert as you can see in the before and after photos here. I clipped out the excess wood using diagonal wire cutters and then cleaned up the rough edges with one of Robart’s carbide sanding drums mounted in my Dremel tool. This only took a few moments and I can now mount my Thunder Power batteries in the forward section of the fuselage. I haven’t done it yet, but I plan to add some internal blocking to allow installing the battery as far forward as possible without actually contacting the back of the motor.

Since we are talking about floats, note also that the manual recommends you fully seal the covering on the bottom of the floats. The floats are covered with film coming down the sides and wrapping underneath. Regardless of how carefully you iron down the edges, the natural flow of water forces it directly into these seams and it will loosen the covering. Instead of using an adhesive to seal the seams, I covered the bottom of my floats with clear Monokote, carrying the film up around the sides of the float a quarter inch or so. This doubles up the covering on the bottom of the floats and shields the original critical seam. The edge of the Monokote is now out of the area where most of the stress occurs and is aimed away from the water flow, much like a course of shingles on a roof. I have not had any troubles with the covering since.

More on flying the Hansa Brandenburg W.29

I mentioned to Rob that I was looking forward to further exploring the piloting challenge that the W.29 presents and that it is best suited to experienced pilots. Several more outings have both reinforced that initial opinion and also tempered my initial personal caution. I am now quite comfortable flying the W.29 as I have come to know and respect its predilections. Like many early aircraft, it has a strong personality that you must discover and embrace to fly it successfully.

Like landing on a narrow runway, these floats will keep you on your toes. They are are small by modern standards, yet perfectly adequate for their intended mission. You do need to pay attention though, as they offer little masking of sloppy technique and may encourage your friends to a bit of good natured heckling.

Pay attention to your pitch and yaw attitude at touchdown. If you flare late and touch down on the forward part of the float the short tails will let them pitch up and skip off the water more readily than with longer floats. Similarly dipping a wing is possible with the narrow stance. You can see examples of this in the video. Again, these are not problems, just something to note and remember while flying this scale model. You will also see landings where I properly balanced the pitch and power to set down on the step. In these cases I was rewarded with the delightful, laughter-like, pitter-patter of the wavelets lapping the flat bottom floats. Find the right combination for your W.29 and you too will alight gently back on the lake.

By comparison, I have a similarly-sized sport model on floats that are 50 percent longer with a stance nearly 60 percent wider. Landing it well is significantly easier, but its design also benefits from another 90 years of cumulative aeronautical experience. Because of its period challenge, I find my smooth landings with the Hansa Brandenburg much more satisfying.

There is little rear float volume and if the W.29 rocks back the relative CG position will also shift aft. This effectively diminishes the buoyancy even more and with no prop wash over the tail I have found it resting with its aft fuselage in the water. No worries, I just tickle the throttle a bit and it stands right back up.

One of the tricks to flying the Hansa Brandenburg lies in recognizing its unusual fuselage design. We often use a level fuselage as a pitch indicator when flying, but that doesn’t work with this model. The fuselage rise aft of the cockpits provides an unfamiliar picture. Once I adapted to that difference, my flying and landings became much smoother and quite enjoyable.

As mentioned in the video, I used Hitec’s Aurora 9 transmitter and Voice Telemetry module to monitor my onboard power throughout the flight. This is a great way to help prevent being caught off-shore with a low battery and has saved me from an awkward retrieval more than a few times already.
 

Summary

While some examples of this unique model have been built from plans, to the best of my knowledge Maxford USA is first company to ever offer the HB W.29 as a flying kit or ARF. This model is nicely executed and effectively captures the historic nature of the prototype both in appearance and in the air. If you are interested in early aircraft and want a WWI model with a distinctive personality that few have seen before, Maxford USA’s Hansa Brandenburg W.29 could be what you are seeking. I love the unique, vintage challenge that this model offers. Put on your weathered leather jacket, helmet and goggles and step back to its time and you too will find it a wonderful partner.
 

 
Thayer Syme
2 Brothers Hobby

Additional Resources

Hitec USA, www.hitecrcd.com, (858) 748-6948
Maxford USA, www.maxfordusa.com, (866) 706-8288
MonoKote, distributed exclusively by Hobbico, www.monokote.com, (217) 398-8970
Pacer Adhesives, www.zapglue.com, (863) 607-6611
Robart Mfg., www.robart.com, (630) 584-7616
Thunder Power RC, www.thunderpowerrc.com, (702) 228-8883

Morning fog hovers over the flight line before most pilots are awake. Photo from an Electric Flights Hawkeye.

The Northeast Electric Aircraft Technology Fair, known simply as the NEAT Fair, has been a cornerstone event for electric RC enthusiasts ever since its inception in 2000. The NEAT Fair is the brainchild of Tom Hunt, long-time president of the Silent Electric Flyers of Long Island (SEFLI). For each of the last 13 years, Hunt and his team of selfless volunteers have descended upon the Peaceful Valley Campground to ensure that the rest of the attendees have the best event possible. This is unquestionably the largest annual electric fly-in, with almost 400 registered pilots, over 2000 spectators and over 40 vendors and sponsors on site this last year. The weather this year was spectacular, with just a bit of wind on Saturday, though not enough to discourage flying for the dedicated pilots.

New Products

As always there were some exciting new products introduced at the NEAT Fair this year. Several spring immediately to mind as representative examples of the wide diversity within this hobby.

Several new airplanes caught my eye. Both Hobbico and Park Scale Models introduced models of the de Havilland Beaver and they couldn’t be much more different. Hobbico’s new offering comes to us from Flyzone’s Select Scale line. This detailed foam model spans 59.5 inches and comes nearly ready for flight with both wheels and floats included in the box. I had the chance to fly it on floats and was very impressed by its appearance, performance and durability. It comes with preinstalled navigation and landing lights that gave it that extra touch of realism while on final approach to the pond. Unfortunately a tree claimed the float-equipped demo model after I flew it, so we only have video of it on wheels from the NEAT Fair. Needless to say I’m hoping to review this one before my local lake ices over!

On the other end of the spectrum is a diminutive laser cut balsa kit from Park Scale Models. This is the second offering in the PSM Wisp Series. Like the Monocoupe before it, the 19-inch Beaver incorporates a modular tray that carries the power and radio systems salvaged from a ParkZone RTF. This tray is designed to move between airframes and uses magnets to hold it in place and also to secure the pushrods. Swapping between the Monocoupe and Beaver took PSM owner Zeke Brubaker just a few seconds at the indoor micro demo session. Zeke’s prototype Beaver weighs 1.25 ounces ready for flight and also features detailed markings on tissue that he laminated to the balsa airframe.

The new Flyzone micro SE-5a

Hobbico’s R&D Manager David Johnson also gave us a first look at the fourth installment of Flyzone’s WWI series. This time it is an SE-5a and it sets a new bar for detail on a micro RTF model. The airframe we saw was from production tooling and in addition to its nicely detailed armaments, exhaust and radiator, it also featured water-slide decals and rib and stringer detail molded into the flying surfaces and fuselage. Look for this 36-gram beauty to be released in early winter for somewhere under $100.

FMA Direct is well known for their innovative chargers and flight stabilization systems and introduced the Hard Deck at NEAT this year. Two years in development, this unique product integrates with their Co-Pilot II flight stabilizer to set a minimum altitude below which the Co-Pilot seizes control and restores the aircraft to straight and level flight. Their mid-day demo showed the unit installed in a helicopter and it was extremely impressive. Regardless of the flight attitude at which the helicopter descended through the 50-foot altitude set in the Co-Pilot/Hard Deck combo it immediately returned to a stable hover. This combination will be a welcome aid for flight training for anyone learning to fly, or perfect complex aerobatic maneuvers.

Warbird fans will definitely take note of the new Top Flite Focke-Wulf FW-190. Equipped with the big Rimfire 65cc brushless motor, 12S 5000mAh LiPo and Robart’s new electric retracts, this 50cc, 85-inch legend from WWII flies as smoothly and realistically as you can imagine. Dan Landis flew the big Focke-Wulf during the demos with every indication that it is destined to be a classic.

The ZippKits Sea Monkey

Finally, for pure lighthearted simple fun, I don’t think you can do much better than ZippKits Sea Monkey. This whimsical foam slow flyer spans 35 inches and weighs about 8 ounces ready to fly. With a low parts count the 3-channel Sea Monkey looks like it can be built in a couple hours and flown just about anywhere. It is designed as a calm-water seaplane than can also fly off grass. An optional amphib kit lets you also taxi in and out of the water and fly from smooth surfaces. I had a chance to fly their demo model from the pond and loved it. It only needs a few feet to get off the water and flies slow enough that I envision easy landings on a back yard pool. With the wheels and its ultra light 4-ounce wing loading it would also be a suitable gym flyer. Don’t worry about getting bored though. The recommended power system allows near vertical climbs along with loops and rolls.

Relaxing Fun

In addition to see exciting new products, the NEAT Fair is an annual opportunity to visit with old friends and make new ones, show off your latest creation or just admire those of others. The general feel of the event is low key relaxing fun. The action starts early, with people showing up at least a few days before the event’s official start. Indeed, even Thursday which is officially an arrival and vendor setup day is covered by the event’s AMA sanction.

Numerous official and unofficial themed events bring some focus to the weekend’s fun. For instance on Thursday and Friday mornings Park Scale Models sponsored a Mini Drake fly-in for builders and pilots of their popular Mini Drake flying boat or any other sub 6-ounce seaplane. The Mini Drake is based on Ken Willard’s original glow powered model featured over 30 years ago in Model Aviation and it remains a favorite design. The PSM version spans just under 24 inches and weighs 4-5 ounces in flying trim. This was my “NEAT Fair model” for 2012 and will soon be a featured review here at 2 Brother’s Hobby. Suffice it to say, as my third Drake in as many different sizes, I’m a fan of this cute little flying boat.

Each morning at 7:30 the Bergen County Silent Fliers hosted a Dawn Patrol event for smaller WWI models at the park flyer flightline. These were sponsored by Hobbico and David Johnson was on hand to present some of their Flyzone Micro WWI planes as prizes.

To end each day’s official flying at the main flight line was the traditional Mass Warbird launch. Fifty brave pilots, minus one, dared the skies over Shinhopple at this annual favorite event on Friday with a few less on Saturday due to attrition.

New This Year

One of the improvements to the event this year was a full-scale hangar that appeared in Vendor’s Row. The campsite management turned this into a Swap Shop for us, giving a place to pass along old models or look for something “new” for our own collection. For a modest 10-percent fee off the final sale price, pilot offering something for sale were freed from having to stay close to their own pit areas hoping someone would come by to haggle. It also greatly reduced the number of “for sale” signs along the flight line, presenting a unified location to do some shopping. It seemed to be quite successful, with numerous models bought and sold over the weekend. If you needed any more motivation to see what was being offered, there was also a commercial quality pizza oven running with delicious slices and full pies being offered at very reasonable prices.

Another noticeable change this year was a reduction in announcements. Numerous sponsors give generously to the pilot raffle. Instead of paging the 8-10 winners each day, the winners were posted on a white board at the main headquarters tent. A quick glance at the board would let the winners know to report to choose a prize without broadcasting to the thousand or so people who were there at any given time.

Like most large events, time is set aside during the middle of the day for demo flights by the vendors and selected individuals with unique models. This year’s demo included something for everyone, including beautifully finished warbirds, breathtaking aerobatic displays giant scale racers, a huge Eurofighter jet that slowed to a crawl. On the other end of the speed spectrum were some high-powered speed machines that have been clocked over 200 mph. With so many beautifully executed models flown, it would be hard to pick a favorite model from the show,

After Hours

The flight line is officially open and monitored from 9 am until just after 5 pm each day, but that doesn’t limit the action outside those times. The afore mentioned Dawn Patrol was just some of the early morning action and the evening flying goes well into the night. Joe and Cindi Malinchak did a great job with the indoor flying at the nearby Downsville School gym. They arranged extended hours this year which proved quite popular for those with models best flown without wind. The demos on Saturday night saw many big names from the indoor and micro community showing off their latest models. Gordon Johnson from the Boston Micronauts continues with his skeletal cartoon planes, insisting that they are so much fun that he has little time left for other model styles!

Somehow Joe Malinchak managed to squeeze some building in between his day-job flying and organizing the indoor event. New this year was his sub 10-inch profile twin de Havilland Dash-8-100 built from Durabatics foam. This model replicates Joe’s office, though with a gross weight of just 5.5 grams! The model had no control surfaces, with control by differential thrust of two 4mm motors.

Joe Malinchak's incredible MiG-15s

Also new for Joe was his 1.8-gram, 4.4-inch Mig 15, or 1:90 scale. Yes, those numbers are correct! Joe built the Mig using .018-inch thick Durabatics foam and equipped it with a 450mg 15mm EDF powered by a single phase brushless motor. The rabbit receiver weighs just 115mg and he controls the model with a single 30mg actuator on the rudder. This is the latest in a series of MiG 15′s that Joe has built, each a little smaller than the last. Apparently last year’s 1:72 MiG was not small enough!

Once you put the transmitter down for the day you will most likely realize you are starving. The non-stop action makes it very easy to forget to recharge your own batteries and fortunately that isn’t hard to do at the NEAT Fair. In addition to the onsite catering, there is a strong cooking tradition among those camping on the field that leaves many wondering if they should rename this great event, the “EAT Fair.” It seems that everything is fair game on the grill at the NEAT Fair. I’ve seen and sampled cauldrons of stew, fine steaks, home-made french fries, spectacular chili, mouth watering burgers, ribs, seafood and more. The Bergen County crew is known for their Saturday night deep fry, with everything from turkeys to oreos and snicker bars finding their way into the oil. Bring along a little offering and I can ensure you will not go hungry at this great event and will most likely meet many new friends at the same time.

Don’t Miss the Fun

No question, the NEAT Fair is an old-fashioned fly in, offering plenty of flying at a great site with wonderful people all around. Four dedicated flight lines spread the action for spectators and pilots alike so you rarely feel crowded. And if you need a break from the flying-or need some spare parts to keep flying-there are plenty of vendors willing to help you repair your model or pick out a new one. The NEAT Fair 2013 is already scheduled for September 12 ““ 15 and advance registration will begin in late Spring. Be sure to mark it down on your calendar and get started soon on your next pride and joy. You will find countless new friends in the Catskills next fall, cheering on your effort.

External Resources

NEAT Fair, www.neatfair.org
Peaceful Valley Camground, www.nypeacefulvalley.com, (607) 363-2211
SEFLI, www.sefli.org
Bergen County Silent Fliers, www.bergencountysilentfliers.net

2012 Sponsors

Air Age Media, www.airage.com, (203) 529-4630
Baron Technology, baronengraving.com, (203) 452-0515
Beacon Adhesives, www.beaconadhesives.com, (914) 699-3405
Castle Creations, www.castlecreations.com, (913) 390-6939
FMA Direct, www.fmadirect.com, (800) 343-2934
Hitec USA, www.hitecrcd.com, (858) 748-6948
Hobbico, www.hobbico.com, (800) 682-8948
Horizon Hobby, www.horizonhobby.com, (800) 338-4639
LazerToyz, www.lazertoyz.com, (440) 840-9625
Lukes RC Planes, www.lukesrcplanes.com, (330) 448-6498
Model Sounds Inc., www.modelsoundsinc.com, contactus@modelsoundsinc.com
Multiplex, www.multiplexusa.com, (858) 748-6948
Stevens AeroModel, www.stevensaero.com, (719) 387-4187
Time Flies Hobbies, www.timeflyshobbies.com
Tom Hunt
Bob Aberle

Vendors

3dxhobbies, 3dxhobbies.com, (888) 317-8016
Aero Craft RC, www.aerocraftrc.com, (631) 369-9319
Air Hobby, www.FlyAirHobbyRC.com, (989) 430-7622
Airlandseahobbies, www.airlandseahobbies.com, (877) 315-1624
Easytiger Models, www.easytigermodels.com, (917) 971-3322
J&R Hobby Hardware, www.jrhobbyhardware.com
JustGoFly, www.JustGoFly.com, (866) 206-1955, info@justgofly.com
Killerplanes, www.killerplanes.com
Micro Fasteners, www.microfasteners.com, (800) 892-6917
Mountain Models, www.mountainmodels.com, (719) 630-3186
National Balsa, www.nationalbalsa.com, (413) 277-9500
NWV HobbyTech, newwavevintage.com/rc-hobbies.html, (570) 409-6500
Park Scale Models, www.parkscalemodels.com, ZekeBrubaker@ParkScaleModels.com
RC Toys / Tanicpacks, www.tanicpacks.com, (800) 728-6976
RA Cores, www.racores.com, info@racores.com
Radical RC, www.radicalrc.com, (937) 256-7727
SKS Video Productions, www.sksvideo.com, (800) 988-6488
SLK Electronics, slkelectronics.com, (336) 291-7379
Tech-Bond Solutions, www.tech-bond.net, (877) 565-7225
Urban RC, www.vampowerpro.com, (850) 472-0550
Zipp Manufacturing, www.zippkits.com, (866) 922-9477

October 27, 2012 marks the 100th anniversary of Carl Goldberg’s birth. Like many others with an appreciation of our aeromodeling history, I was committed to not letting this significant milestone pass unobserved.

Even those relatively new to model aviation have likely come across his name. Carl Goldberg was one of the most influential designers our hobby has ever seen. He built his first model at the age of 13, made his first pilgrimage to the National Championships two years later and is famous for attending the Nats every year thereafter for 56 years. Along the way he worked as a tireless promoter of the hobby. He designed countless models for beginners and experts alike. One of his best-known and most successful models in later years was the venerable Gentle Lady sailplane. He developed the Gentle Lady during his “retirement” in the late 1970s and it was originally published as a construction feature in the February 1980 issue of Radio Control Modeler. A year later it was available as a kit from his company, Carl Goldberg Models (CGM). The Gentle Lady was aptly named and its mild manners have introduced thousands of modelers to the joys of flying radio control sailplanes.

Modernizing a Classic

While current sailplanes have far eclipsed its contest performance, the Gentle Lady remains an extremely viable option for training, sport flying and club contests. Hobbico acquired CGM five years ago and now offers two updated versions of the Gentle Lady under their Great Planes product line. CGM’s original die-cut kit now features precision laser cut parts for an enjoyable and more accurate building experience. They have also recently released the Carl Goldberg Classics Gentle Lady ARF, allowing you to enjoy your first flights after just a few hours at the workbench.

Training the Next Generation

It was the Gentle Lady ARF-clad in its seasonally-appropriate colors-that my 9 year old son and I flew this morning to commemorate Goldberg’s birth. Gryffin and I put in half a dozen flights or so before a non-RC schedule took hold of the rest of our day. And while conditions and location were far from ideal, we both had a great time, he gained a bit more confidence with a transmitter in his hands and is looking forward to our next outing. What more could I ask? The Gentle Lady is so ideally suited to this mission that I can only believe such delightful father-son moments provided at least some of the inspiration for its design.

Thank you, Mr. Goldberg, for your legacy and a wonderful day with my boy. It was an honor to fly one of your great designs today.

For more on Carl Goldber’s remarkable life, you can read his biography on the AMA web site.

Equipment Used

Tactic TTX404 and TTX600 transmitters with wireless link trainer
Tactic TR624 SLT receiver
Futaba S-3004 servos
Great Planes Dynaflite Up-Start

External Resources

Carl Goldberg Products, distributed exclusively by Hobbico, www.carlgoldbergproducts.com, (800) 682-8948

Great Planes, distributed exclusively by Hobbico, www.greatplanes.com, (800) 682-8948

Futaba, distributed exclusively by Hobbico, www.futaba-rc.com, (800) 682-8948

Hobbico, www.hobbico.com, (800) 682-8948

Tactic Radios, distributed exclusively by Hobbico, www.tacticrc.com, (800) 682-8948

As you can see by the photo here, my McGuire Quadruplane is coming along nicely, but there is still much to do. I’ve had a great time piecing it together, carefully selecting wood for each component and milling the raw stock to shape. I have also taken many photographs to illustrate future articles that pass along my basic stick building techniques.

Next up on the Quad will be jigging the wings into position so I can make up the struts. As designed, the struts are an inch wide and pass around the wing spars, so that adds an extra challenge. Jason’s original Free Flight design had no central wing spars and the one piece struts simply passed through pockets attached to the relevant ribs. I have two possible solutions for this detail and am still undecided about which route to take. Working out such design questions is one of the many enjoyable challenges I find when designing and building my own models.

The home stretch will include the landing gear and fitting the radio gear and power systems before covering and final assembly. And if leaving for the event wasn’t deadline enough, I am now racing to get as much done as possible before Hurricane Sandy swings into town.

Thanks Hitec!

We would all have plenty of time to build a perfect world, and while I’ve been trying to make significant progress every day, that isn’t always easy. I’m not immune to the typical family distractions and inevitably progress has been slower than I hoped. On the other hand, inspiration often comes when you least expect it.

For instance, I walked out the door for a few errands this morning and nearly tripped over a package from Hitec. It was a few days earlier than I had anticipated and much larger as well. Tucked inside was the pair of HS-35 servos and Minima 6E receiver that I needed for my Quad. What I hadn’t expected was a much-appreciated transmitter case to protect my Aurora 9. Up until now it has been hitchhiking along in other cases and it will be great to have a dedicated, permanent space for it and any associated accessories.

This case has a nice feature that I immediately noticed-wire bales to prevent the top from opening beyond the hinge design limits. I’ve had other cases without these bales and bent the hinges when the top tried to flop open beyond 90 degrees and lay flat. It’s little product details like this that mean so much.

Hitec has built their reputation on quality, affordable products and I have been a happy customer for almost 20 years. I won’t entrust my personal projects to equipment that I don’t trust implicitly and Hitec’s radio gear is my short list. I can still recall pacing off the initial range test with my first Hitec receiver. I was well over 400 feet from my model-still with a solid signal-before I gave up, walked back and flew. No question, that was the single longest range test I have ever done!

Thanks Hitec, for your countless contributions to our hobby over the years and support of my latest project.

Back to the Workshop!

I’ve made a lot of progress over the last eight days with more yet to go, so I will check out for now. Sandy permitting, be sure to stop by in Columbus next weekend and say hi!

External Resources

Hitec USA, www.hitecrcd.com, (858) 748-6948

Like anything else in life, available time in the workshop ebbs and flows and we have to make the best of what we can find. The last 18 months or so has been pretty busy and I realized recently that my workshop time has been in very short supply. As much as I enjoying gluing sticks together, I haven’t been building nearly as much as I prefer.

Park Scale Models Mini Drake

Inspiration

While watching the noon demos at NEAT this year, a few of us mused that as dramatic and impressive as the big show planes were, there seemed a gap to be filled. Where were those midsize balsa models that are so practical for everyday flying? Spanning roughly 45-60 inches, such models are big enough to fly well in a bit of a breeze, yet still often compact enough to carry assembled and don’t stress the budget too much. These days a 3-400-watt electric setup is just as likely as a glow engine to power such a model, but glow or electric, sport or scale, matters not. These models are the bread and butter of RC and deserve more attention.

A handful of friends have committed to designing and building a series of mid-size Golden Age air racers for a demo flight next year. The primary goal is to show off a series of practical, everyday flyers that are inexpensive and easily built. Yes, we are doing scale models, or “fantasy” scale, but endeavor to keep them affordable, light and most of all, fun to fly. None are likely to be competition-caliber models, just simple, recognizable fun airplanes that beg for the next flight. Besides, September is air racing season!

My entry will be a design I have long contemplated, the French Caudron C.450 racer. The C.450 won the Coupe Deutsch de la Meurthe-Germany’s equivalent of the Thompson Trophy Race-in 1934 and 1936. I love its long inline cowl, low stance, fully spatted landing gear and sleek outlines. I am also considering its sister ship, the C.460. This one came to Cleveland in 1936 and dominated the National Air Races, winning both the Greve and Thompson Trophies. The C.460 is essentially identical to the C.450, save the addition of retractable landing gear. This extra complexity would likely add a bit of weight and fidgeting, thus drifting a bit from our primary goal, but the thought of tucking up its legs is enticing. I will take a long look at Robart’s new electric retracts before making the final decision.

Also in the mix for next fall is a Hall Bulldog, LRT-14 Meteor, Clipped-Wing Monocoupe, Percival Mew Gull and the Cessna CR-3. There are countless other suitable designs, waiting just for someone to pick up a knife and bottle of glue. Hopefully we will inspire a few more of you to consider “rolling your own” and realize the pleasure of flying your own creation.

But first, a “snack”

Jason McGuire's original Quadruplane

I’ve a healthy supply of SIG balsa on the shelf and as you can see, the first strips are cut, the fuselage plans are on the workbench and I have a suitable set of wheels ready to go. Let’s see if my new Quad will make it to Columbus next month.

Yes, it is good to be back in the workshop!

External Resources

Electrifly, distributed exclusively by Hobbico, www.electrifly.com, (800) 682-8948
Free Flight Mailing List
Hitec USA, www.hitecrcd.com, (858) 748-6948
NEAT Fair, www.neatfair.org
Park Scale Models, www.parkscalemodels.com
SIG Manufacturing, www.sigmfg.com, (800) 247-5008
Thunder Power RC, www.thunderpowerrc.com, (702) 228-8883

With Labor Day weekend nearly upon us and the kids going back to school, it is also easy to believe that the flying season is almost over. No question, the holidays will be here before we know it, yet even for those of us living in northern climes there is still time for a lot of good flying before mothballing the fleet for its winter’s rest. If you are looking for an excuse to venture beyond your local club field, here are just a few of the many great events that remain on this year’s calendar.

Indiana Warbird Campaign

Labor Day weekend is host to numerous events around the country and perhaps one of the most impressive is the Indiana Warbird Campaign. Presented by the Henry County Wright Flyers at the AMA National Flying Site in Muncie, Indiana on August 30 ““ September 1, the Indiana Warbird Campaign celebrates all aircraft that have served in the military from before WWI through to the present day.

Rhinebeck Jamboree

If you are booked Labor Day weekend, the Mid-Hudson Radio Control Society will host the 46th annual Rhinebeck Jamboree at Cole Palen’s Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome September 7th through 9th. The 2012 Rhinebeck Jamboree promises to continue the tradition of celebrating early aviation and is open to all Pioneer, WWI and Golden Age models. In addition to the many unique models, Old Rhinebeck will also showcase their full-scale vintage aircraft, including an original 1909 Bleriot XI, the oldest aircraft currently being flown in the U.S.

Horizon Hobby Air Meet

This internationally recognized aviation event comes to Sanford, Maine, September 6-9 and joins forces with the Maine Model Jet Rally to create an incredible hobby event that promises to thrill the entire family. Come on out to see an amazing display of some of the finest models and most renowned pilots from around the world including WWII warbirds, firebreathing jets and dazzling helicopter performances. Aerobatic champion Matt Chapman will amaze you with his full-scale aerobatic routine in his stunning Embry-Riddle Eagle 580. Saturday evening will include live music, night flying and spectacular fireworks. You can also try your hand at RC at the car track, and best of all, admission is free.

U.S. Scale Masters Championship

If you are in the Midwest, consider checking out the U.S. Scale Masters Championship, hosted by the Ohio River View RC Fliers in Rosewood, Indiana, Sept. 6-9. Featuring the best of the best, including many past champions, the U.S. Scale Masters Championship is the place to see stunning scale models in action.

Midwest Regional Float Fly

If you want a lower key weekend, how about relaxing at Island Lake State Park just east of Brighton, Michigan? Home of the Midwest Regional Float Fly – billed as “The best Float Fly Event of the year” – this looks to be an ideal location for float flying. The 22nd edition of this great event will be September 8 and 9, hosted as always by the Skymasters R/C Club of Michigan.

NEAT Fair

I am usually scrambling for workshop time throughout August, hoping to finish up a project or two before the NEAT Fair, the largest gathering for electric models, modelers and spectators in the country. I had hoped to have my Classic Aero Sikorsky S-39 ready for NEAT this year, but it just wasn’t meant to be. Instead I should have a Mini Drake built from a laser cut kit by Park Scale Models ready for the PSM Mini Drake Fly-In. It is still on the bench but is going together very quickly. As you can see at the bottom of the page, I will be using Hitec radio gear and Thunder Power batteries, though I have not settled on the rest of power system yet. And yes, the Mini Drake will be a future 2 Brothers review.

Great Grape Gathering

photo courtesy of Bob Clemens

Fall Classic Float Fly – Shuswap Lake, B.C.

photo courtesy of Beverly Hudson/Team Tracon

eWeek ““ the electric Joe Nall

You certainly can’t talk RC events without discussing the chance of flying at the Triple Tree Aerodrome in Woodruff, South Carolina. While Joe Nall is a spring fly in and has come and gone this year, this idyllic site also plays host to eWeek in the fall. This year’s event is scheduled for September 27 ““ 30, though I am confident folks will be flying any and everything electric a few days earlier than that! Just like Joe Nall, eWeek utilizes the entire facility, with five separate flight lines dedicated to helicopters, sport/scale, 3D, float and park flying. If it’s electric, bring it along and experience fun, fellowship and hospitality, Triple Tree style! Last year’s inaugural event drew over 300 pilots, making this one of the leading events, right out of the gate!

Golden Age Air Museum RC Model Airshow

The Golden Age Air Museum is a fascinating museum of full scale vintage aircraft that just happens to be run by a volunteer staff that also loves model airplanes. September 29 ““ 30 is their annual “Golden Age Radio-Control Aircraft Model Meet & Airshow” sponsored by the Tri-County Sky Barons. This event features scale models of pre-WWII designs and a full-scale mid-day air show showcasing the museum’s collection. Don’t forget a little “fun money” for a ride in their 1929 Waco biplane!

Don’t Miss Out!

These are just a few of the many events that stretch the flying season fun well past Labor Day. For a more comprehensive list of what will be happening near you, take a look at the AMA event calendar. Now however,  I need to run off and get back to the Mini Drake. As you can see, it still has quite a way to go!

External Resources

AMA, www.modelaircraft.org
Classic Aero, www.classicaero.com, classicaero@charter.net
Golden Age Air Museum, www.goldenageair.org, (717) 933-9566
Great Grape Gathering, www.oldwakefields.com/5252.html, jjmoseley@look.ca
Hitec USA, www.hitecrcd.com, (858) 748-6948
Horizon Hobby Air Meet, www.usairmeet.com
Indiana Warbird Campaign, www.indianawarbirdcampaign.com
Midwest Regional Float Fly, www.skymasters.org
NEAT Fair, www.neatfair.org
Park Scale Models, www.parkscalemodels.com
Rhinebeck Jamboree, www.mhrcs.com/pages/Jamboree.htm, www.oldrhinebeck.org
Shuswap Lake Fall Classic, www.slams.ca
Team Tracon, www.teamtracon.com
Thunder Power RC, www.thunderpowerrc.com, (702) 228-8883
Triple Tree Aerodrome, www.tripletreeaerodrome.com
U.S. Scale Masters Championships, www.usscalemasters.org

One of Flyzone’s latest is the Millennium Master EP, a modern little speedster. Patterned after a full scale Italian light plane, the Flyzone Millennium Master beautifully replicates the sleek, flowing lines of the full scale aircraft and promises to answer the same dream of low cost, high performance fun for its RC pilots. See how it measures up in our 5X5 review…

Summary

The full scale Millennium Master was designed for high efficiency cross-country flight, while maintaining thrilling fighter-like performance and unlimited visibility. Key requirements for this mission are stable handling, smooth tracking and a shape that offers minimal disturbance to the air as it flies. Those same characteristics also make for a great model flyer and Flyzone has successfully capitalized on that recipe with this version.

We tested the Tx-R option and mated it to a Futaba 8FGA Super using Tactic’s AnyLink module for control. AnyLink offers seamless compatibility between the Tactic receiver and Futaba transmitter. With the motor, servos and receiver pre-installed, the Tx-R edition reduces your prep time on the workbench to an absolute minimum. The compact Aero-cell foam airframe is beautifully molded and finished, a faithful replica of its inspiration. This is a model that looks great, travels well and uses affordable batteries, letting you take to the air whenever the mood strikes. If you already have a receiver and flight battery available, a Rx-R version is also available.

A quick snapshot on this one shows high marks all around. It looks great and flies wonderfully in the hands of anyone comfortable with a full-house, four-channel model. The efficient power system pulls the Flyzone Millennium Master into the air almost as soon as you advance the throttle and offers thrilling performance sure to satisfy any pilot. You will easily find great ground handling, high speed passes, stable inverted flight, smooth turns, traditional aerobatics and more as you explore its flight envelope. The light airframe also provides honest, slow-speed handling, allowing smooth, stabilized approaches and easy landings on the stable tricycle landing gear.

Check out our video review to learn more about this Italian beauty that you can take home and fly today.

Thayer

Additional Resources

AnyLink, distributed exclusively by Hobbico, www.tacticrc.com, (800) 682-8948
Flyzone, distributed exclusively by Hobbico, www.flyzoneplanes.com, (800) 682-8948
Futaba, distributed exclusively by Hobbico, www.futaba-rc.com, (800) 682-8948

5X5 Scoring

The Flyline Great Lakes Trainer is a classic stick and stringer kit that continues to turn up from time to time. I simply couldn't hang wheel collars on this compact scale model.

Worth the Extra Effort

Is this wheel collar really as secure as it looks?

One of the most common pieces of hardware on model planes is the lowly wheel collar. Du-Bro has been supplying them to hobbyists for decades and they do their job very well. Certainly some pilots will curse them for failing at times, but in my experience they fail me only after I have failed them first. Deceptively simple in appearance, properly installing a wheel collar takes a bit more time than a quick twist of the hex key.

Simply tightening the set screw against the typical music wire landing gear axle may seem secure, but it is a proven recipe for disappointment. Music wire is quite hard and getting a good “bite” against it means overtightening the set screw. The danger here is that wheel collars are plated brass and stripping their threads is a common result of too much torque.

Barely visible, the set screw mark on the music wire suggests the collar was not securely set.

With just a little extra attention during installation, wheel collars can provide a secure retaining method for the wheels on your model. Once you know where the wheel collar wants to be, moderately tighten the set screw and then loosen and remove the collar. The set screw should leave a light mark on the wire. I sometimes put a dab of ink from a sharpie on the mark so I don’t lose track of it.

Now grab your Dremel^® tool with a fiber-reinforced abrasive cut-off wheel and create a small flat on the wire where the set screw scratched the axle. You don’t have to go too deep, but do be careful to make the ground surface as smooth and even as you can to provide a solid bearing point.

Grinding a flat on the axle and applying a drop of Pacer's Z-42 Thread Locker ensures the best possible chance of secure mounting with wheel collars.

Check the flat by tightening the set screw against it, then backing off just enough to be able to slide the collar on the axle a little bit. You want the screw to catch on the sides of the flat to prevent the collar from sliding off the end of the axle. Creating this physical interference will let you lock the collar in place without needing to risk stripping the threads for the set screw. Now remove the collar and reinstall the wheel.

Remove the set screw from the collar and give it a drop or two of blue thread locker so you will be able to remove it at some point down the road. Most hobby shops should stock the Pacer line and their Z-42 thread locker works very well. Reinstall the screw and tighten it securely against the axle flat. Wipe off any excess and let the thread locker dry. The wheel collar should now stay in place until you decide to remove it.

This ARF included machine screws for its wheel collars instead of more discrete set screws.

One trend that I have seen increasing over the years is that ARFs sometimes come with conventional machine screws with heads on them for the wheel collars instead of hex-drive set screws. I would rather not see a threaded screw sticking out of a wheel collar and replace them whenever I can.

If you opt to go this route be very careful when checking new set screws. More often than not, the original screws and wheel collars have a metric thread and finding the right replacement in your parts jar could be a challenge. If I can’t find a suitable replacement I simply install them facing down or aft, and pretend that I don’t see them all that often.

Another Option

This park flyer is a perfect example of when not to use wheel collars. It weighs less than 10 ounces when flying and while not a large impact, the collars do add measurable weight.

While wheel collars are handy and easy to use, they aren’t always appropriate. They can look out of scale on smaller models and add unnecessary weight. In these cases, and when I want a more scale look, I’ll often use a lightweight cotter pin instead. This technique is low profile, looks great and can be used on most models. It also takes advantage of the common tendency for stock wheel hubs to have a larger bore than the axle size.

I cut the wheel hubs for the Flyline Great Lakes Trainer from the bottom of aluminum beverage cans. They are not dished enough to hide a wheel collar, but offer more than enough room for a little extra tubing and some copper wire.

If your wheel is loose on the axle, find a suitable piece of brass tubing that will sleeve over the axle and act as a shim to fill the gap. Usually just one piece is necessary, but I have seen cases where two pieces of tubing sleeved together are needed.

Clean the tubing and solder a brass washer onto one end. This will keep the wheel from binding on the angled landing gear strut. I find soldering to the tube requires less heat than soldering to the wire strut. While you are waiting for the joint to cool, slide the wheel onto the axle, mark the wire and cut it off flush to the outside edge of the wheel hub, or even just short of that. The Dremel tool works well here and has been the tool of choice for generations of modelers. If you don’t want to shower your workbench with sparks though, there is another option. I often reach for a pair of high quality wire cutters that I got a while back from by Stevens AeroModel. Do not use side cutting pliers or diagonal cutters. The cutting edge on these tools is simply not up to the stress of music wire and you will most likely damage them on your first attempted cut.

These wire cutters are available in two sizes from Stevens AeroModel and are made specifically for shearing hardened music wire.

Now slide your tubing over the axle and reinstall the wheel. Slide another washer onto the tube against the hub and make a mark at the outer face of the washer. Remove the tube and cross drill it with a 1/32-inch hole then cut the tube off about 1/16 outside of the hole you just drilled. Now reinstall the tube on the axle. While you can solder it to the axle, I usually just use a drop or two of thin Zap super glue to hold the tubing in place. Finally, reinstall the wheel and washer.

My quarter scale SR Batteries Eindecker uses actual cotter pins to secure its 6-inch wheels.

While I do use actual cotter pins on larger models, I typically use a short piece of copper phone wire on smaller models instead. This is the same soft copper wire that I use when binding gear legs before soldering. The wire bends easily and the insulation can be color-keyed to your model, as long as black, green, red or yellow suits you. You can also strip off the insulation to reveal the copper. Insert the wire through the tube, bend one end around the axle then bend the other side and trim with a pair of diagonal cutters.

Make Your Own

My Sherline lathe made short work of turning custom aluminum axle sleeves and washers for my FREDe.

On occasion I have found wheels that needed a larger shim than was easily accomplished with stock tubing sizes. In these cases it only takes a few moments to turn a custom flanged shim using my Sherline lathe and a length of 6061-T6 aluminum.

Most recently I used this technique to secure a pair of wheels on my Stevens AeroModel FREDe 1.5x. I had chosen a pair of 4-inch foam wheels from my spares box that looked suitably oversized for this cartoony airframe. They originally were for a much larger and heavier model and the hubs were bored for 5mm axles. The FREDe 1.5x comes with 1/8-inch music wire landing gear. Machining my own adapters instead of using tubing meant being able to get a smooth, wobble-free fit.

Pinning the aluminum axle shims of my Stevens AeroModel FREDe 1.5x. This model's whimsy was the perfect excuse to color key the wire.

Making the adapters went quickly on the lathe and was a gratifying project. After creating the center bore and turning the axle diameter and inner flange to size, I parted the piece off from the bar stock and moved it to my drill press. I first made a small dimple with a center drill, then switched to my final 1/32-inch drill size to pop the holes through for the cotter pin. After thoroughly cleaning all mating surfaces, I pressed the new parts onto the wire axles until they started to bind at the legs and secured them with thin Zap. Given the nature of the plane, I couldn’t help but go with a length of the red lead to key the color from the fuselage.

This is a simple and lightweight solution to keeping the wheels on your plane. While it does take a bit longer than installing wheel collars, I feel the extra effort is worth it on many models. The method looks great, especially on vintage flyers, and is quite light. I have used this technique for over 20 years on everything from park flyers to quarter scale without any failures.

If It Is Worth Doing …

I didn't have room for sleeving the axles on my version of Dave Johnson's pseudo-scale Albatros B1. In this case I annealed the end of the 1/16 music wire axles and cross-drilled them for the retaining wire. I could have soldered a washer in place but didn't want to risk the monofilament spokes on my handmade wheels.

Regardless of how you choose to hold your wheels in place, there is no good excuse for having them come off your model unless you say so. Wheel collars and cotter pins are both effective means of accomplishing the task, as long as you take a few moments to do the job right. A little extra effort in the workshop before the first flight inevitably saves much more time and aggravation later. Knowing you gave it your all will also give you one less thing to worry about whenever you take to the air.

External Resources

Du-Bro, www.dubro.com, (800) 848-9411
Pacer Adhesives, www.zapglue.com, (863) 607-6611
Sherline Products, www.sherline.com, (800) 541-0735
Stevens AeroModel, www.stevensaero.com, (719) 387-4187