Issue No.10

August 2011

VICTORIAN MODEL NEWS

Inside this issue

Colin Stones 1934 - 2011 Top Gun 2011. Indoor Scale at Donvale. World of Models Charity Show.

3 4-6 7 8-9

Vicscale Trophy 2011.

10-11

Omaka Air Show Retrospective.

12-13

Jack Northrop.

14-16

Vicscale at the State Field.

17

ARF Yak 54 Rebuild.

18-19

Anthony Mott’s “Tedium E”

20-21

Vicscale at Bacchus Marsh.

22

David Anderson’s Percival “Mew Gull”

23

Another Senior Moment.

24

VICSCALE

From the Editor.

Victorian Flying Scale Aircraft Association The Special Interest Group for Scale Modelling in Victoria.

It’s mid-winter and we have returned to our normal cold and wet conditions after years of drought. Many flying fields are now constantly wet and only the diehards are persisting as models receive a coating of water and mud with every take-off and landing. The competitive side of our hobby has also slackened off with the cold weather and it’s difficult to find current events to write about. However, the newsletter demands content and I hope that readers continue to enjoy the historic forays that I sometimes introduce when modelling activity is slow. The newsletter circulation is increasing and is now approaching 200. I would like to see it continue to grow and still welcome input from individuals and clubs who have projects or activities planned or in progress that may be of interest to the general modelling fraternity. John Lamont.

IF YOU LIKE TO FLY SCALE AIRCRAFT THEN VICSCALE IS THE PLACE TO BE. General Meetings are held bi-monthly on the first Thursday of the even months at the Field Naturalist Club of Victoria, 1 Gardenia Street, Blackburn. Visitors are always welcome and a highlight of meetings is the presentation of new models as they are constructed, and discussion on building techniques by members.

Noel Whitehead shows his Top Flite Corsair under construction.

Scale events are held at various venues and are also listed in the VMAA calendar. Open to all members of the MAAA, VICSCALE events cater for both ARF’s and owner built models. VICSCALE members are always available to advise or assist you in your building project, explain the competition rules, or guide you through the flying schedule.

This newsletter is published bi-monthly to feature scale building and flying, and modelling events in the State of Victoria, Australia. Contributing material and requests for inclusion on the distribution list may be forwarded to — John Lamont Unit 5, 1326 Main Road, Eltham, 3095 Ph: 03 9431 0044 E-mail: [email protected]

Gary Sunderland’s ARF Me109 in flight, powered by a OS 120 four stroke.

VICSCALE FLYING PROGRAMME. August 7th

Sportscale & ARF

Keilor

August 27th-28th

Sportscale / Scale Rally

Albury

On the Cover.

October 10th

P&DARCS

Frank Curzon’s 1/5 scale model of the Pegoud Bleriot XI-2 is 1.5m wingspan, weighs 1.5kg, and is electric powered.

State Championship F4C, Large Scale

October 23rd

ARF State Championship

Ballarat

page 2

Victorian Model News

Vale

Colin Stones 1934 - 2011

(Gary Sunderland)

My memories of Col Stones go back to the Lloyd Street State This superb aeroplane was later displayed for many years at the School and the 1st Malvern boy scout troop. Col started building Drage Museum in Wangaratta. model aeroplanes then and introduced me to the hobby. Marriage to Meryl and a family slowed down Colin’s modelling activiFrom the start Col displayed the painstaking attention to detail and ties for a time but he made up for this by establishing his own airmeticulous workmanship which marked his modelling and led to his craft welding business at Moorabbin, becoming a major service career as an aircraft welder of the highest reputation. He led our provider to the industry and to gliding clubs, and also to the many small group flying at Murrumbeena, where the High School is now amateur built aeroplane constructors. Many of the amateur built located, with Dave Birrell, later a GMH test engineer and secretary aeroplanes still flying today were welded up by Col Stones.** of PARCS club, and Ted Hall, a printer and notable “Old Timer” After his retirement Colin took up modelling once more with the vintage flyer in recent years. Sandringham indoor flight group. No longer interested in competitive Col joined the Windsor MAC and flew control line models at Dendy flying he obviously enjoyed the company of fellow modellers and the Park, teaming up with Tony Cincotta who piloted Col’s models in relaxed atmosphere of indoor flying. team racing events. Colin bought one of the new ETA 29 engines and carefully lapped it in by turning it for hours in a lathe. This was He will be sadly missed by many in the aviation industry, the amaone part of his apprentice training that the instructors did not know teur builders, glider pilots and model flyers. about. Col also flew in free flight duration events, mainly power models, his favourite model being the APS “Stomper”. At one stage he became * 14,000 feet Free Flight Gain of Height. Certainly an Australian interested in record flying and set an Australian model altitude rec- Record - still current? And possibly a World Record at the time? ord. These were the days before radio control so the free flight model was launched from Berwick airfield, with the Hearn brothers flying ** Including the writer’s own MOBA 2D sailplane VH-GVI. chase below in a light aeroplane to witness the flight as FAI official observers. Eventually they lost sight of it with the model still climbing, the model was lost but Colin had his record.* Col started work as an aircraft welder with “Bib” Stillwell, trading as Executive Air Services and met up with Doug Cole. One of their first jobs was a complete strip down and restoration of “Bibs” Beech 17, a classic steel tube and fabric biplane from 1938.

Victorian Model News

page 3

TOP GUN 2011 (by Vic Larsen)

We arrived in Lakeland, Florida as the Texas members of Team New Zealand about noon on the 26th of April after driving 1300 miles from our home near Fort Worth, Texas. We met every one for lunch and proceeded out to the field.

We had two to three hundred acres of grass with no real obstructions. Frank Tiano, the man at Top Gun, had installed a golf green style runway strip in the midst of this field that accommodated all types including jets. This is the best location I have seen in the times I have been able to attend.

Brian Borland had a test flight in the morning and Gwyn Avenell was to fly in the afternoon. Due to the large number of entries test flying is tightly controlled. Wednesday through Friday are Pro-Am days; scale flying, no documentation or builder of the model rule. We spent much of that time adjusting to the conditions-hot and humidtesting prop sizes and fixing small glitches in the aircraft after their long trip half way around the world. The evenings were spent debriefing in the bar at the Hilton Hotel, telling lies, enjoying the good food and making new friends.

Many countries were represented from many continents. Besides NZ I was happy to see Greg Tracey (with a nice Hurricane) from Oz, other competitors were from North, South, and Central America, Canada, Sweden, Spain and beyond. I'm not sure how many entries were there but five lines ran continuously all day every day. If you were late to the line you were skipped; a tight ship. The Kiwi's did a great job and came to compete. Gwyn took first place in Static with his immaculate SBD and Brian took third. That's moving ahead of lots of great hardware. After the dust settled Brian also I might say here that the team airplanes travelled to the event in first finished fifth overall with a superb final flight.— smiles all around. class. After release from Air New Zealand at LA International Gwyn and wife Christina transported the boxes to Chino where a fellow The next day, after a trip to Pensacola FL, Barbara and I met Brian competitor loaded them into his truck and drove them across coun- and John Butler (I should say here that John was acting as a mantry to the meet. This was some lorry. Imagine the largest over the ager/coach/caller and kept these boys in front of the judges at all road vehicle with a 17 foot apartment and a double deck trailer with times) at the US Naval Air Museum and showed them through what a full machine shop and enough supplies to out fit a hobby shop. I think is one of the world’s best. I have six or so airplanes in there The tailgate was also a hydraulic lift to accommodate the street legal that I love to reacquaint with. vehicle carried on the trip. Just the beginning of the hospitality extended to the boys from down under. A trip to Top Gun is a world class experience where only the best are represented. Saturday brought us a welcome cold front and moderate temperature, light winds and low humidity. The model field layout was on the south side of Lakeland airport, which continued to operate commercial and private aircraft throughout the event.

The Goodwine family travel in comfort with living quarters, model storage, local transportation and a well equipped workshop all contained in this giant rig.

page 4

Victorian Model News

A couple of engineering masterpieces on display.

John Butler, Vic Larsen and Brian Borland at the Naval Air Museum.

Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless at the museum.

Greg Tracey’s Hawker Hurricane, built by Ross Woodcock, took 4th place in the Unlimited Class.

Something a bit different, this Polish Lubin R13-D placed 10th in the Masters Class.

Nice model of the Vultee BT-13 by Denny and Sean Cole placed 7th in the Team Class.

Me 109 by Jeff Foley took 4th place in Masters Class.

Victorian Model News

page 5

TOP GUN 2011

The New Zealander’s pit area complete with flag. Sopwith Camel took 5th in Team Class for Marvin Erbesfeld and Ransom Fairchild.

Gwyn Avenell’s Dauntless at the static judging.

Gwyn Avenell’s Douglas Dauntless has flown at several FAI World Champs and placed 6th in the Masters Class.

Westland Wyvern By David Wigley won the Masters Class.

page 6

Brian Borland’s Miles Hawk has also flown at several FAI World Champs. Placed 5th in the Masters Class.

This Albatros D.Va by David Johnson placed 3rd in Masters Class.

Victorian Model News

Indoor Scale

at Donvale.

Colin Parker’s “Fike” is a consistent performer.

Paul Butler powers up his “FROG” Pup.

Sean O’Connor prepares his Bleriot 11 for flight.

Victorian Model News

This year’s State Indoor Championships for Peanut Scale and Open Scale at DISC again had only a few entries, but it is still fascinating to see these tiny models fly. This is the stage for our veteran free flight modellers who still maintain an ability to work with ultra lightweight structures, and to make their models perform to extraordinary limits. It’s an education in patience as they make the finest of adjustments to flying surfaces and thrustlines and coax these models into a stable flight pattern.

Colin also flew this replica of Bert Hinkler’s Avro Avian.

The “Fike” is a popular, competitive design. This one by Mike Glaister.

Gary Sunderland’s model of the BE2c.

page 7

World of Models Charity Show The Manningham DISC (Doncaster Indoor Stadium Complex) is one of the locations used for indoor flying, both free flight and radio controlled, in suburban Melbourne and when I heard that Martin Lui, representing AEFA Indoor Flight and the Surrey Park Model Boat Club, together with John Higgins (Facility Manager), Aidan Kelly (ARK Innovation) and Darien Cassidy (Indoor Free Flight Society), was organising a show for charity at that venue I thought that it would make an interesting article. Set up in aid of the Cancer Council and Motor Neurone Association it proved to be a cosmopolitan display featuring boats, cars, helicopters and aeroplanes. With 500+ spectators passing through in the five hours of the display each of the two charities received $1000. Model Engines also donated a raffle prize which raised $300. There was a lot of activity with many fine models on display and I will let my pictures tell the story.

Jim Fullarton and Colin Parker ponder over Jim’s four-winged ornithopter (an ornithopter is a flapping wing aircraft if you didn’t already know).

Rubber whirring, cranks swinging, wings flapping - the ornithopter in flight.

page 8

Paul Butler’s models are a 280mm span version of the “FROG” Pup biplane and a scaled down Keil Kraft “Sportster”, all from foam sheet.

Sean O’Connor’s scaled down version of the model designed and built by Gordon Light of USA and flown by proxy in the UK to win the 1935 Wakefield Trophy. Jim Fullarton was a member of the 1935 Australian team and also sent a model to the UK to be flown by proxy.

Another scaled down Wakefield model by Sean O’Connor. The original model was designed and built by Alan Lim Joon of Australia and flown by proxy to 3rd place at the 1954 event in USA. The 1954 Wakefield Trophy was won by Alan King of Australia who travelled to the US to compete.

Victorian Model News

Radio controlled cars provided by Aidan Kelly were popular with the younger generation but that smooth, shiny floor was a bit tricky.

Members of VARMS displayed a fine group of vintage gliders.

Anthony Mott displayed his collection of scratch built electric powered, radio controlled indoor scale models.

Indoor micro models are popular and are also excellent performers. Trojan and Mosquito belong to Bob Allen.

Roly Gaumann flew this micro Corsair with other small models in the gymnastics room, circuiting above the gym apparatus.

Phillip Clarke is the owner/builder of this model of the RAN’s Armidale Class patrol boat. No, It’s not HMAS “Hammersley” !

Ken Burge built this clinker hulled Thames launch powered by a Stuart Turner Double 10 steam engine.

Peter Eames’ mahogany planked model of “Baby Bootlegger”, the racer that won the APBA 1924 &1925 Gold Cups and the 1925 Dodge Memorial Trophy.

Victorian Model News

page 9

The

VICSCALE TROPHY

2011

Two excellent days of sunshine and a good turn out of competitors David Law had a double victory once again with his Vampire winning and models saw the 2011 VICSCALE Trophy again provide the oc- the VICSCALE Trophy and his Spitfire taking out first in XL Scale. The Vampire’s static score virtually ensured a win as the model alcasion for a fine display of scale modelling and flying. ways flies superbly. Gary Sunderland was unfortunate in again damWith the promise of several extra large models being available this aging his recently repaired Fokker D.VII. Noel Whitehead had underyear a new category was introduced for larger models. With no carriage problems after a heavy arrival and Roger Carrigg’s Airacoweight limit and no static judging the only requirement for this class bra was well down on static points, so that left the rest of us trying for was a minimum wingspan of 2.5m and this opened the way for some the minor places. larger ARF’s to fly in competition. Clive Butler made the trip from The ARF section was Tasmania with his large keenly contested and Wirraway but elected to Glen White made two fly the model in the fine flights on Sunday VICSCALE Trophy rather to just pip Noel than the XL class. This Whitehead for first left Steve Malman’s place. Roger flew his Cessna as the only true Stearman with his contestant in the event, usual skill to place the remainder being third. Haydn Hampmodels that would norson was in with a mally have flown in either chance until he too the Vicscale Trophy or damaged the underthe ARF competition. carriage of his Zero in a heavy landing. The Ballarat club made their usual strong presThe Saturday evenence at this event with ing dinner at the RSL Glen White winning the was enjoyed by those ARF section and Noel attending and we look Findlay placing second in forward to next year’s the VICSCALE Trophy. event and further Roger Carrigg took third success at the VRF’s in ARF with his Stearman fine venue. so the boys from the bush did rather well. David Law’s VICSCALE TROPHY winning Vampire in flight.

Max Rowan, Noel Findlay, Glenn White, Roger Carrigg, David Anderson and Haydn Hampson keep an eye on proceedings.

page 10

The Ballarat club was well represented and took out a number of placings.

Victorian Model News

David Law was the winner of the VICSCALE TROPHY and also took out the XL event. COMPETITOR

Glen White of the Ballarat club produced two excellent flights on Sunday to win the ARF event.

VICSCALE TROPHY

MODEL

STATIC

RND 1

RND 2

RND 3

RND 4

TOTAL

D. LAW

DH VAMPIRE

2947.5

2261

2659.5

2793

2806

5747

1

N. FINDLAY

DH GYPSY MOTH

2674.5

2365.5

2528.5

2562

2658.5

5239.8

2

C. BUTLER

CAC WIRRAWAY

2673.5

1796

2401

2416

DNF

5082

3

J. LAMONT

SPACEWALKER

2625

2028.5

2218.5

2356

2338.5

4972.3

4

G. SUNDERLAND

FOKKER D.VII

2257.5

1924

2078.5

DNF

DNF

4176.8

5

R. CARRIGG

P-39 AIRACOBRA

1620

2168

2268.5

2299

2279.5

3909.3

6

N. WHITEHEAD

F4U CORSAIR

2067

2252.5

DNF

DNF

DNF

3193.3

7

ARF SCALE COMPETITOR

MODEL

RND 1

RND 2

RND 3

RND 4

TOTAL

G. WHITE

EXTRA 300

1998

2044

2372

2438

2405

1

N. WHITEHEAD

RV-4

2285

2285

2451

2348

2399.5

2

R. CARRIGG

SUPER STEARMAN

2220

2357

2371

2405

2388

3

J. LAMONT

EXTRA 300

2155

2290

2341

2298

2319.5

4

H. HAMPSON

ZERO

2385

2221

2220

DNF

2302.5

5

I. LAMONT

EXTRA 300

2106

2305

2299

2286

2302

6

S. MALCMAN

CESSNA 182

2088

2287

2282

2241

2284.5

7

M. ROWAN

PIPER PAWNEE

1504

2029

2099

2154

2126.5

8

P. WINTER

YAK 54

1745

2209

DNF

DNF

1977

9

D. MALCMAN

SPACEWALKER

1661

1815

1685

1727

1771

10

G. SUNDERLAND

Me 109

1218

DNF

DNF

DNF

509

11

XL SCALE COMPETITOR

MODEL

RND 1

RND 2

RND 3

RND 4

TOTAL

D. LAW

SPITFIRE

2384

2468

2384

2549

2508.5

1

M. WERNER

EXTRA MX2

2211

2205

2399

2472

2425.5

2

S. MALCMAN

CESSNA 182

2168

2355

2302

2241

2328.5

3

A. MOTT

CESSNA 182

2128

2278

2358

2191

2318

4

T. GRIEGER

PIPER SUPER CUB

2057

1879

2091

2323

2207

5

P. WINTER

PIPER J3 CUB

2223

1879

DNF

DNF

2097.5

6

Victorian Model News

page 11

Some Retrospective Comments on the 2011 Omaka Air Show. (David Anderson) My first impressions of the Air Show were “Gob Smacked”! Where else would you see seven Fokker Triplanes, a D.V11, Albatros Va, Sopwith Camel, Bristol Fighter and a Tripehound (Sopwith Triplane), all in the air together performing choreographed dog fights! A cacophony of sight, sound and smell. The ability to bring extinct aircraft back to life by the Vintage Aviator Company in New Zealand, is just amazing. After the initial excitement of the above and witnessing the dog fighting , finer details were enjoyed such as comparing the Sopwith Camel’s blipping rotary le Rhône engine to the Mercedes powered Albatros’ deep engine note. This created a real vintage atmosphere of old engines. Omaka Air Show was a nice balance, between the old and the not so old! After the WWI aircraft did their stuff faster aircraft appeared in the sky, such as a couple of Spitfires, a Kitty Hawk, and a 2000 hp Corsair that carried out aerobatics low and fast, enough to get your heart pumping. The weather that threatened to spoil Saturday and Sunday’s events cleared up to a full day’s flying and the only disappointment of the whole trip was not seeing the FE.2b and the BE.2’s which were built by TVAL (The Vintage Aviation Limited), the world’s leading practitioner of WWI aircraft construction.

As this was our first trip to Omaka, we did not realise that these aircraft were still at the Hood Aerodrome at Masterton, on the North Island so, after the Easter Air Display, we flew to “WINDY, WET WELLINGTON” to be met at the airport by our editor in an attempt to see these planes at Masterton. However, when we got to the aerodrome we found that the production team were working to a deadline on a Sopwith Snipe and time did not permit for them to show us the FE.2b and the BE.2’s. We wondered who the Sopwith Snipe was being built for (maybe for Kermit Weeks). The mind was running overtime, would this Snipe reproduction be fitted with a Bentley BR2 of 230 h.p? My memories went back (as they do!) to the early 1960’s when I served my apprenticeship with Ruston and Hornsby of Lincoln, England. This company, under license, built Sopwith Snipe aircraft, amongst many other aircraft, for the WWI war effort. I have photos of BR2 engines on test in factory bays, similar to the factory bays I was working in some 40 years later in my apprenticeship. Where have the years gone! To sum up, our trip to Omaka’s Air Display was an experience we will remember for a long time. It was world class and getting so close to the planes and meeting full size pilots and visiting aero modelers, all added to the enjoyment.

Preparing Ruston Clerget engines for test.

Battle damage to the Sopwith Camel of 70 Squadron’s 2nd Lt. Todd.

The Sopwith Snipe.

page 12

Victorian Model News

THE SOPWITH SNIPE RUSTONS LAST MACHINE was Herbert Smith’s replacement for the Camel, the 7F.1 Snipe. The type was powered by Bentley’s 230 h.p. BR2 engine, the first British production engine with aluminium cylinders, which was also built by Rustons. The first Snipe, E7337, was delivered in October 1918. Late production aircraft featured a revised tail fin and horn-balanced ailerons. Many Snipes and indeed late production Camels, were put into storage and eventually scrapped. Quite a number of A final production batch of 300 Snipes was started and the Ruston Snipes were reserved for Royal Air Force use post- first of the fourteen, H351, was delivered to Thetford on 28th August, 1919. H364 followed on September 10th, the next war and, as late as 1924, sixty-eight were still in service. eleven (H365-375) were delivered engine-less to Wadden, Aircraft work at Rustons was slowly run down and replaced near Croydon, on the 20th September, 1919 when H449 had by motor car production. Snipes after E7798 (12/6/19) were just been started. All of the aircraft in the works were disdeliverd to Oddfellows Hall, Thetford, for finishing by the patched to Thetford and Huntingdon, Rustons becoming an aircraft constructor of the past. Portholme Aerodrome Company of Huntingdon.

Ruston-built Bentley B.R.2 engine on centre pivot test stand.

Victorian Model News

page 13

Jack Northrop Jack Northrop excelled as a designer both of conventional aircraft and of strikingly unusual concepts. He is associated with many design breakthroughs, ranging from the famous Lockheed Vega of the 1920s to the giant Northrop flying wings of the 1940s.

It had the moulded monocoque fuselage of his 1918 Lockheed S-1 and the unbraced wing introduced in the early 1920s by Dutch aeronautical pioneer Anthony Fokker.

As has been common throughout aviation history, John Knudsen Northrop became fascinated with planes as a young man. Born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1895, his family moved first to Nebraska and then in 1904 to Santa Barbara, California. They were poor, and Northrop's formal education ended with high school graduation. He worked as a garage mechanic, then as an architectural draftsman, where he acquired some of the skills that would turn him into a skilled and inventive designer. His first job in aviation was with the Loughead brothers (later Lockheed), who had come to Santa Barbara in 1916 to build planes. Northrop designed their F-1, a large 10-seat flying boat, and the S1, a two-seat sports biplane. It featured an innovative monocoque body constructed from two moulded plywood half-shells, looking much like canoes, that were glued together around wooden hoops, and also an unconventional system for lateral control.

The Loughead S-1.

In 1921, the Loughead brothers shut down, and Northrop went to work for his father. When his father went broke in 1923, Northrop found his way to the Douglas Company. From 1923 to 1926, Northrop designed parts of the Douglas World Cruiser airplane. In 1926, when Lockheed was re-established, Northrop returned to the company as chief engineer. He was largely responsible for the design of the sleek, single-engine Lockheed Vega that would set a standard for clean design.

page 14

The Lockheed Vega.

Northrop wanted to move ahead with more innovative designs but Lockheed's investors were happy with the profitable Vega. So, a little more than a year later, Northrop left Lockheed and formed the Avion Corporation in partnership with Kenneth Jay. There he experimented with the design of flying wing aircraft and developed his unique all-metal multicellular wing construction technique with its crisscrossing ribs and lengthwise parts forming a framework that looked like an egg carton. Northrop strongly believed that the flying wing was the way to higher performance and greater aerodynamic efficiency. He built his first crude flying wing aircraft, but it was difficult to control. Northrop lacked enough money to continue independent operations, however, and the giant holding company, the United Aircraft & Transport Corporation (UATC), which also included Boeing and Stearman Aircraft, absorbed Avion in October 1929. As part of UATC, Northrop operated as the Northrop Corporation, a division of UATC. It was the Depression and Northrop shelved his flying-wing ideas and designed the Alpha, which was sold to TWA and actually made money. The Alpha was a single-engine all-metal passenger and mail plane with an open cockpit behind its enclosed cabin and split flaps. It used multicellular aluminium alloy sheets rather than wood for its wings, fuselage, and tail. It also had the most modern

Victorian Model News

Northrop Alpha.

radio and navigation equipment, and for winter operations, was the first commercial plane with rubber de-icer boots on the wings and tail. But even with modest sales of the Alpha (about 20 were sold), Northrop experienced financial problems. On September 1, 1931, UATC consolidated Northrop with Stearman Aircraft and planned to move the whole operation to Wichita, Kansas. Northrop had no desire to return to the Midwest, so he exercised a clause in his contract and quit UATC rather than relocate. Northrop tried to form a new company again. In January 1932, he partnered with Donald Douglas and formed the Northrop Corporation. Douglas held 51 per cent of the stock. Douglas would use Northrop's multicellular wing structure on his early passenger airplanes, including the famous DC-3. While with Douglas, Northrop modified the Alpha and built the Gamma, Beta, and Delta. Only 60 Gammas were sold, but these airplanes fulfilled many missions and were successful as export planes.

Douglas A-17.

During the 1930s, Douglas experienced labour problems that affected the Northrop Corporation and eventually caused Douglas first to buy Northrop's 49 per cent of the business and then, on September 8, 1937, to dissolve Northrop completely. Almost 1,400 jobs were lost. Northrop had resigned from Douglas on January 1, 1938, and left the business a bitter man, declaring that he was done with the aircraft industry. But, nevertheless, in August 1939, with the money he received when Douglas bought him out, he formed Northrop Aircraft, Inc.

Lincoln Ellsworth and the “Polar Star” Antarctic Explorer.

Northrop Gamma.

Their market was limited, though, when the Civil Aeronautics Authority forbade the use of single-engine planes on scheduled passenger flights. Douglas converted the Alpha into the BT-1 and A-17 for the U.S. Army Air Corps. Ironically, in 1935 and 1936, two Northrop attack bombers that were closely related to the A-17s were shipped to Japan for testing by the Japanese Navy. They were then handed over to Japan's best warplane companies for engineering analysis.

Douglas BT-1

Victorian Model News

On November 23, 1935, explorer Lincoln Ellsworth, with Canadian pilot Herbert Hollick-Kenyon, took off in the Northrop Gamma “Polar Star” from Dundee Island in the Weddell Sea and headed across Antarctica to Little America. This was not the first time that Ellsworth had attempted a trans-antarctic flight in the Polar Star. Antarctica was the last continent to be discovered and the only one that was mapped entirely from the air. Aerial explorers from the United States, Great Britain, Australia, Norway, Canada, and France can be credited with this feat, and Lincoln Ellsworth was one of the most tenacious of these explorers. Ellsworth, a World War I pilot, was the son of a Chicago millionaire coal mine owner. He went on his first polar expedition in 1925 with the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen. In May 1929, Ellsworth, Amundsen, and Italian dirigible pilot Umberto Nobile made the first transpolar flight in history, from Spitzbergen, Norway, to Alaska, in the airship Norge. It was Ellsworth's use of the airplane for exploration, rather than his skills as a pilot, that earned him his place in aviation history. Ellsworth first took the Polar Star to the Antarctic in 1934. Sir Hubert Wilkins, the famous Australian polar explorer, went along as advisor, and the Polar Star's pilot was Bernt Balchen. The expedition reached the Bay of Whales by ship on January 6,1934, and Ellsworth intended to make a round-trip flight with Balchen between the Bay of Whales and the Weddell Sea. page 15

However, the 15-foot-thick ice on which the Polar Star was standing broke apart and one of the skis slipped through a crack.

In April 1936, Lincoln Ellsworth donated the Polar Star to the Smithsonian.

The aircraft was almost lost, but after long hours of work it was recovered and put back on the ship to be returned to the United States for repairs. Ellsworth and the expedition went back to Antarctica in September. October and November were considered the best months for flying there, and this time Ellsworth planned to fly from Deception Island to the head of the Weddell Sea. However, before any flight could be made, the Polar Star had to be shipped to Magellanes, Chile, for repairs to a broken connecting rod, and by the time the aircraft returned to Deception Island, snow conditions made it impossible to use the runway. The expedition then tried Snow Hill Island on Antarctica's east coast. On January 3, 1935, Ellsworth and Balchen made a successful flight to Graham Land, but clouds and snow forced them to return to Snow Hill Island after several hours. That November. Ellsworth and Hollick-Kenyon finally succeeded in flying the Polar Star across Antarctica. After their take off on the 23rd, they flew at an altitude of 13,400 feet; on crossing the 12,000foot peaks of the Eternity Range, they became the first men to visit western Antarctica. Ellsworth named a portion of that area James W. Ellsworth Land in honour of his father.

The Polar Star on display in the Smithsonian Institute.

Barrie Reaby’s model of the Northrop Gamma “Polar Star”

The Polar Star made four landings during its flight across the Antarctic. After a blizzard that occurred during the night at the third camp, the inside of the plane was packed solid with drifted snow. The two explorers spent a whole day scooping out the dry, powdery snow with a teacup. On December 5, fuel exhaustion forced them down about 25 miles short of their goal of Little America. They walked for six days to reach there, and then settled down in the camp abandoned by Richard E. Byrd several years earlier. The British Research Society ship Discovery II sighted them on January 15, 1936. Hollick-Kenyon later returned to recover the Polar Star. The total distance flown by the Polar Star before its forced landing was about 2,400 miles. The U.S. Congress voted Ellsworth a special gold medal for his Antarctic exploration and "for claiming on behalf of the United States approximately 350,000 square miles of land in the Antarctic representing the last unclaimed territory in the world." The Polar Star was one of two Northrop Gammas that were the first aircraft produced in 1933 by the newly established Northrop Corporation of Inglewood, California. The Gamma is a low-wing, all-metal cantilever monoplane with a 710-hp 9-cylinder Pratt & Whitney Hornet engine. The one built for Ellsworth had two seats in tandem with dual controls. The other of these first two Gammas was built for Frank Hawks, who at the time was a pilot for Texaco. Hawks' Gamma was a single seat model. On June 2,1933, Hawks set a west east nonstop record in his Gamma, flying from Los Angeles to Floyd Bennett Field, New York, in 13 hours, 26 minutes, 15 seconds.

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Barrie’s model is 1.8m wingspan, weighs around 4kg and is powered by a OS 60 four stroke engine. The model was a very successful flyer but continual difficulties with take off and landing due to the tightly spatted wheels have led to it ending its days as a “hangar queen” in the workshop of Barrie’s son, Leigh.

Victorian Model News

ARF had a larger entry and again it was a good contest with some high scores achieved. Noel Whitehead continued his winning run with his RV-4 and Ian and I filled the minor places with our pair of psychedelic Extra’s.

VICSCALE at the State Field

Gary Sunderland had some difficulty with his Me109 on the rough strip but his one successful flight scored well and he looks to be coming to grips with his venture into WWII aircraft.

Another excellent event at the State Field, the early promise of strong wind died away after a couple of hours and we finished flying in almost perfect conditions. Flying for the first time from the E-W strip, which is quite a distance from the clubhouse, necessitated long walks back and forth to deliver score sheets to Keith Schneider safely ensconced in the warm building. Ignoring several suggestions Keith wisely refused our invitation to move out to the much colder flying area!

Anthony Mott’s large ARF Cessna 182, powered by a OS 300 Gemini Twin.

Despite a small entry in the scale section it was keenly contested. With scores improving as the wind abated Brian Whellan won with his Turbulent from Peter Dealy’s Citabria and Rob Dickson’s venerable BV 155.

Ian, Noel and Anthony with the top three ARF’s. Paul Winter’s scale Piper Cub and ARF Yak54 in the background. ARF RESULTS

Brian Whellan’s veteran Turbulent still looks as good as ever. SCALE RESULTS

CONTESTANT

MODEL

RND 1

RND 2

RND 3

TOTAL

N.WHITEHEAD

RV-4

1980

2431.5

2571

2501.3 1

J. LAMONT

EXTRA 300

2266.5

2485.5

2416.5

2451

I. LAMONT

EXTRA 300

2100

2304

2320.5

2312.3 3

A. MOTT

CESSNA 182

2206.5

2335.5

DNF

2270.8 4

2

CONTESTANT

MODEL

RND 1

RND 2

RND 3

TOTAL

T. GRIEGER

GEE BEE

1663.5

2161.5

2310

2235.8 5

B. WHELLAN

TURBULENT

1883

2330

2263

2296.5 1

G. LEPP

CESSNA 150

2107.5

2187

2278.5

2232.8 6

P. DEALY

CITABRIA

1990

2187

2279

2233

P. WINTER

YAK 54

1798.5

2011.5

2016

2013.8 7

R. DICKSON

BV 155

1299

2155

2022

2178.5 3

J.FINOCCHIARO SPARROWHAWK

1837.5

2055

1821

1946.3 8

P. WINTER

PIPER CUB

1739

2019

2334

2176.5 4

G.SUNDERLAND Me 109

DNF

2185.5

DNF

1092.8 9

Victorian Model News

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Rebuilding my Yak 54 When competing with the Yak in a Vicscale event at Lilydale field some months back, I managed to clip a tree branch on the far side of the field while completing a reverse 1/2 Cuban Eight. The impact turned the model into the trees and it crashed out of sight in the small forest. Wending our way into the bushland while being attacked by mosquitos the size of B-17’s we managed to retrieve the wreckage and as the model was something of a favourite but now out of production, and with no replacement parts available I decided to repair it. This is the second Yak I have owned, both Seagull ARF’s, and I still had the wings of the first model, one intact and one damaged, together with the fuselage top hatch which included the cockpit canopy. The rest of the that model had been scrapped after a BIG crash. Naturally it was the left wing of both that was undamaged so I couldn’t substitute one wing for the other and had to repair the least damaged of the two right wings.

The leading edge and some of the sheeting was removed to determine the extent of the damage to the right wing.

A couple of split ribs were glued up and the nose of the ribs extended to align with the new section of leading edge. The balsa strips under the existing sheeting were added to support the new sheeting.

Top and bottom sheeting added, gaps filled and leading edge sanded to shape.

The Lilydale crash wiped off the front fuselage back to the wing but the two plywood side frames were largely undamaged, except for a few cracks here and there, and the thin but flexible fibreglass cowl was cracked and torn in several places but repairable. All of the laser cut plywood formers in the front were fragmented and I pondered how to go about the repair. After some thought I decided to put it back together as it was originally made and spent some days checking the remaining scraps of formers, measuring them, and drawing the complete formers on the computer for laser cutting by Andrew Smallridge of SC Models. I’ve been a bit lax on progress recently and next issue will hopefully see the completion of the repair and the Yak back in the air. Finished wing repair. I salvaged some covering from the damaged wing of the earlier Yak to match the colour.

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Victorian Model News

The plywood side frames were not badly damaged but there were a lot of cracks in the balsa outer sheeting and these were glued up.

The fibreglass cowl was cracked and torn in a few places but repairable. Matching the paint colours might be a problem.

The cowl was cleaned and then further cleaned inside with acetone. A temporary ring from craftwood held the cowl to shape while fibreglass reinforcing patches were applied inside the cowl in the damaged areas.

Some of the fuselage covering was removed to determine the extent of damage.

Victorian Model News

The sides were cleaned up and damaged balsa removed. Note how cleanly the formers came out - not a lot of glue used in the construction.

Bits and pieces salvaged from the crash site. Although not re-usable they proved valuable when drawing up the replacement parts.

Cad drawing of replacement formers which are to be laser cut.

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Anthony Mott’s Duration Flying

TEDIUM E “the next step”

Test flights have yet to be carried out, and should indicate if it is all worth the trouble. The best Australian time set for this category is 3hrs 24min set by Ray Pike back in 1998 (pre li-po’s ?). The World record is unknown as the section of the FAI/CIAM web site covering records, which had not been updated since March 2009, was withdrawn in April this year. It is interesting to note that 1700g of kerosene fuel will fly a 5kg model for 30 hours. A 3300g battery pack may fly a similar model for no more than 5 hours. No wonder the car manufacturers are having problems with their all-electric vehicles. Hydrocarbons forever !

Having renovated Tedium 3 for another go at the endurance record some time later this year (late Nov or Dec), I thought that maybe during the winter months I should build another fuselage for an electric powered Tedium to have a go at the Australian (and maybe world) records for the battery powered electric endurance category, classification 171. (There are other electric classifications for solar electric, and combination of solar and battery power.) So the first task was to find out how much energy was required to get a 5kg model plus 520g of u/c unit off the ground. I knew that the motor in Tedium 3 had to be doing a good 3,600 rpm on the APC 16x10 prop to get airborne, so it was a matter of selecting a suitable electric motor, fitting the 16x10 prop, and running it up to 3,600 revs and see how many watts were required.

A new prop driver was required to suit the APC propeller.

A range of APC "E" props were acquired, and a number of prop, motor and battery tests conducted. The current favoured combination is a Turnigy 3639 motor, 14x10 APC E prop, a Castle Creations 50 amp "lite" ESC and a 3S battery pack. The CAD drawings of the Tedium 2 fuselage were modified by making the nose longer, a smaller fuselage cross section at the wing, and a longer compartment for the battery packs. The spruce and ply in Tedium 2 was replaced with balsa, and lightness added all over. The fuselage is covered with Litespan, except the bottom of the fuselage from the nose to the rear of the wing which is covered with the more durable Solarfilm. The complete fuselage structure including the rudder and elevator servos weighs 380g. I was not going to build another wing, that would be too much work ! Anyway, the wing performs very well, even if it could be a bit lighter than the 740 grams it weighs.

Outrunner motor with the new prop driver and attachment fittings.

The complete model, excluding battery packs, is expected to weigh about 1700g, which may allow carrying 9 of the 3S packs, but certainly 8. By my guesses this may allow about 4 1/2 hours of flight. A problem with the electric model is that it is 5kg at takeoff, and still 5kg on landing, whereas Tedium 3 burnt off 1700g of fuel during its 29 1/2 hour flight. A telemetry unit (under the hatch on the nose) will tell me the voltage of the battery pack "on the fly". This will give me a guide as to when the flight should be terminated safely. The radio system uses a separate lithium battery pack, and does not rely on the propulsion pack. Motor set up on the test stand.

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Victorian Model News

Rudder and elevator controls are pull-pull cable operated. Fuselage structure completed prior to covering.

New fuselage and tail assembly weighs in at 380g. Commercial Telemetry unit mounted under top panel of fuselage.

Framework of new fuselage under construction.

Front of finished model with motor and prop installed.

Fully assembled aircraft ready for trials.

Victorian Model News

page 21

VICSCALE at Bacchus Marsh

At last, a reasonable day at Bacchus Marsh! After being blown away for the past four years the weather gods relented and the usual gale force wind dropped down to merely strong and gusty, allowing the usual good turn out of scale models to take to the air. Undeterred by the bitter cold the local members and the trio of VFSAA members who attended flew until early afternoon, sustained by a nice BBQ lunch. Peter Rady, and Gary Sunderland were unfortunate to lose their RV-4 and Me109 in severe crashes, both attributable to pilot error. AWARDS 1. Peter Sinclair 2. Doug Henwood 3. Mark Peterson

P-47 Thunderbolt Piper J3 Cub Fairchild PT-17

Gary Sunderland had his usual fleet of models, ARF Spitfire and Me109 together with his scratch built Nieuport 26 in the background. A nice ARF model of the Sopwith Camel from Hangar 9, owned by Doug Henwood and powered by a Saito 62 four stroke engine.

An unusual prototype, particularly for a ARF model, this Macchi M.33 Schneider Trophy racer is owned by Graeme Williams of BMMAA.

Peter Rady’s ill fated 1/4 scale ARF RV-4 was powered by a OS 91 four stroke engine.

Peter Van Alkemade’s ARF Corby Starlet is refinished in the colour scheme of his father’s full size aircraft.

Another model by Doug Henwood, this Beechcraft Bonanza A-35 looked very smart.

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Victorian Model News

David Anderson’s Percival “Mew Gull” Prior to his retirement earlier this year, David put together a ARF version of his favourite Percival “Mew Gull”. Now well into retirement and with more time at his disposal a recent visit to the Nepean field with Barrie and Brett Reaby saw the Gull take to the air. Model is by Seagull and with a wingspan of 1.88m it weighs in at 4.5kg. Powered by a OS 120E four stroke engine the model flies well, as can be seen in these photos taken by Brett Reaby.

Cockpit detail has been improved and a nice pilot figure added.

A final control check before the first flight.

Aircraft looks realistic in flight with the pilot clearly visible.

With the OS 120 on song the Gull moves away. Nicely set up for landing, nose up and settling steadily as power is reduced.

David left the wheel covers off for the first flights and also raked the undercarriage a little further forward.

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A smooth touchdown to complete the first flight.

page 23

Another Senior Moment ? Time for my second flight at the recent event at the State Field. Top up the tank. Connect the glow plug lead. Switch on the transmitter. Switch the model on. Set the throttle to idle. Apply the starter and away goes the 120 at a steady idle. Disconnect the lead and check the throttle. Damn! the throttle doesn’t respond. Check the switches on the model and the transmitter - both OK. Check the selected model on the transmitter OK. Fiddle with the throttle stick, still stuck on idle . How can this be, it was fine for my first flight. Look at the model again - there’s a pilot in the cockpit. Oops, WRONG AIRCRAFT!

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Ian and I have flown the two models together on several occasions and, while spectators have sometimes wondered who was flying what, we have never had a problem as your concentration tends to sharpen when you’re in the air and trying to fly close together. But apparently not when you are side by side in the pits!

Victorian Model News