Model Airplane Secrets Basic to Advanced Strategies On Model Airplanes Bruce Bird Model Airplane Secrets Contents Introduction: The Joy of Flight...............................................................................................................................5 In The Beginning….............................................................................................................................................................6 Getting Started...............................................................................................................................................................9 Cost.....................................................................................................................................................................9 Power, Speed, and Range................................................................................................................................10 Types of Airplanes.....................................................................................................................................................11 Static Airplane Models.......................................................................................................................................11 Flying Models.....................................................................................................................................................12 Kits versus Pre-builts.........................................................................................................................................12 RTF....................................................................................................................................................................13 ARF/ARTF.........................................................................................................................................................13 More Acronyms: Free Flight and Control Line..................................................................................................13 Gliders and Sailplanes.......................................................................................................................................13 Toy Planes.........................................................................................................................................................14 Trainer RC.........................................................................................................................................................15 Radio-Controlled................................................................................................................................................16 Electric Power....................................................................................................................................................16 Glow or Gasoline Fueled Radio-Controlled.......................................................................................................18 Model Plane Anatomy – the naming of the parts..........................................................................................20 Adhesives – holding it all together......................................................................................................................23 Cyanoacrylates..................................................................................................................................................23 Accelerator/Kicker..............................................................................................................................................23 CA debonders....................................................................................................................................................23 Epoxy resins......................................................................................................................................................23 Finishing resin....................................................................................................................................................23 Clear or Canopy glue.........................................................................................................................................23 Engines...........................................................................................................................................................................25 In Focus: Model Airplane Engines......................................................................................................................26 Types of Engines...............................................................................................................................................26 Two-Cycle Glow.................................................................................................................................................26 Four-Cycle Glow................................................................................................................................................26 Two and Four-Cycle Gas (petrol)......................................................................................................................27 Diesel.................................................................................................................................................................27 Wankel...............................................................................................................................................................27 Gas Turbine.......................................................................................................................................................27 Pulse Jet............................................................................................................................................................28 Multi-Cylinder.....................................................................................................................................................28 Ducted fans........................................................................................................................................................28 How to Choose an Engine.................................................................................................................................28 Top Rated..........................................................................................................................................................28 Reliability...........................................................................................................................................................29 Tuned Mufflers...................................................................................................................................................29 Propellers......................................................................................................................................................................31 © Bravos Direct 2005-2007 www.modelairplanesecrets.com Model Airplane Secrets Aerodynamics - The Basic’s...................................................................................................................................33 General..............................................................................................................................................................33 Airfoil..................................................................................................................................................................33 Dihedral.............................................................................................................................................................35 Anhedral............................................................................................................................................................35 Landing Gear Location......................................................................................................................................35 Wing Specs........................................................................................................................................................35 Radio Control..............................................................................................................................................................36 Transmitter.........................................................................................................................................................36 Receiver.............................................................................................................................................................36 Servo.................................................................................................................................................................36 Buddy Box.........................................................................................................................................................37 Frequency..........................................................................................................................................................37 Flying..............................................................................................................................................................................38 Where to fly........................................................................................................................................................38 Pre-flight............................................................................................................................................................38 Radio checks.....................................................................................................................................................38 Co-Pilot..............................................................................................................................................................39 Weight and Balance...........................................................................................................................................39 Following the Manual.........................................................................................................................................40 Getting Airborne.................................................................................................................................................40 Test Glide..........................................................................................................................................................40 Powered Flight...................................................................................................................................................40 Ground Roll........................................................................................................................................................40 Taking Off..........................................................................................................................................................41 Lift off.................................................................................................................................................................41 Launch...............................................................................................................................................................41 Trimming the Plane............................................................................................................................................41 High Turns.........................................................................................................................................................41 Gentle Turns......................................................................................................................................................42 Disorientation.....................................................................................................................................................42 Landing Spot......................................................................................................................................................42 Landing..............................................................................................................................................................42 Washout.............................................................................................................................................................42 Field Safety........................................................................................................................................................43 Those “‘Oh dear!...” moments............................................................................................................................44 Field Equipment.................................................................................................................................................44 Tools..................................................................................................................................................................44 Final Tips.......................................................................................................................................................................46 10 Questions & Answers..........................................................................................................................................47 How Do I Start?.................................................................................................................................................47 How Much Does It Cost?...................................................................................................................................47 How Far Will It Go?............................................................................................................................................48 How Fast Will It Fly?..........................................................................................................................................48 Can I teach myself, or do I need an instructor?.................................................................................................48 How Hard Will It Be to Build?............................................................................................................................48 © Bravos Direct 2005-2007 www.modelairplanesecrets.com Model Airplane Secrets What Should I Look for in My First Plane?...................................................................................................................49 What’s the Best Kind of Radio?.........................................................................................................................49 Do I Need a License?........................................................................................................................................49 If It Stalls Out, Will My Plane Crash?.................................................................................................................49 Happy Landings!........................................................................................................................................................51 Note: Print both sides. Save your paper - and the planet. This book is designed to be printed on both sides of the paper as with any regular book. For home printers that only print one side, simply select [Print odd pages only] from your printer options. Then re-feed the same pages and select [print even pages only] so that it prints on the opposite side. You may have to reverse the page order by hand from the first run before re-feeding the paper depending on your printer. Test on one or two pages of another document first to get the ordering right. For simplicity, the page numbering adopted is the same as Acrobat uses for viewing online starting with .1. for the cover. To read onscreen (not recommended), click on the Table of Contents button on your Acrobat Reader toolbar to show Acrobat's Table of Contents on the left side of your screen. Click on any chapter title to jump to that chapter. Then, choose one of the three sizing buttons to adjust the page size to your liking. Table of Contents Button: Sizing Buttons: © Bravos Direct 2005-2007 www.modelairplanesecrets.com Model Airplane Secrets Introduction: The Joy of Flight You’ve always had that dream. You know the one, you take one step outside yourself and all of a sudden you’re soaring among the clouds. Ever since you can remember, the mysteries of the deep blue sky above have attracted you. You wanted to be an astronaut, a pilot, anything to get you up there, where you’d have limitless freedom to bank and turn, swoop and soar above the static world below. But, sadly, life got in the way of your flying dreams. Somehow, at some point, the line of people destined to become pilots diverged from your own – or maybe it just hasn’t happened – just yet! How and why is your personal tale, but it doesn’t mean those dreams must be lost forever. Thousands of people take up flying every year. But they attend no courses, enter no cockpit, and don’t even visit an airport. Still they get the sensation of freedom, the command of controls, the adrenaline rush and the satisfaction of a great landing on a blustery day. Welcome to the world of model airplanes. When most people think of model airplanes, they usually think first of the plastic scale models available in most toy shops. These can be an absorbing hobby in themselves with a particular branch of aeromodelers devoting many hours to meticulous completion of models to an incredibly high standard. While this certainly describes one type of model airplane, we’re going to focus more on flying models in this book. We’ll discuss something that’s more a passion than just a simple hobby. The type of model airplanes that we’re interested in can have wingspans of up to 20 feet, can reach speeds up to 200 miles per hour, and can travel as far as the eye can see. Or may weigh only a few ounces and fly slower than you can walk. Either way, these are serious planes for serious people. The great thing about model airplanes is that there is something for everyone. You can choose a simple plane, perfect for a child or novice flyer, or build one from the ground up and get involved in some serious competition. You can spend from $30 for an off-the-shelf model to thousands of dollars for a personal, one-of- a-kind, creation. People of all ages can enjoy this exciting hobby. If you’re looking for something new and different, something exciting and fun, then model airplanes could very well be the answer. As you’ll discover in this book, there are hundreds upon hundreds of incredible models from which to choose, each with it’s own unique characteristics. Each with its own special thrill. Because of the great diversity (and the wonder of flying), you’ll have a blast getting started and quickly become hooked! And this is a social pastime - there are many clubs where you can meet other model plane enthusiasts, and get the opportunity to watch others and learn from real experts. Convinced? Well then, you’ve got a lot to learn. So sit back, tighten your seatbelt, and put your hand on the throttle - it’s time for lift off! 5 © Bravos Direct 2005-2007 www.modelairplanesecrets.com Model Airplane Secrets In The Beginning…. A Frenchman, Alphonse Penaud, is generally credited with the first public demonstration of a model airplane. His rubber-powered model plane “Planophore”, made its public appearance in Paris in 1871 and flew 131 feet. He had first worked on rubber powered helicopters before turning to fixed wing aircraft and he is credited as an early inspiration by the Wright brothers who went on to develop the first powered aircraft after their father gave them a toy helicopter based on Penaud’s designs. The famous Wright brothers flight with the Kitty Hawk in 1903 generated some interest in modeling and a model club was formed in New York in 1907. Although the designs of these initial planes were very basic - they were generally constructed out of materials like bamboo, pine, spruce, basswood, and tissue paper - they offered a means for aviation enthusiasts to enjoy traversing their own little piece of blue sky. The Wright brothers Kitty Hawk Meanwhile, back in the full-scale world, the 1920’s and 1930’s became what was called the “Golden Age of Air Racing.” During the Great Depression people participated in air races for a chance to win thousands of dollars. This incentive inspired many inventive souls to build race planes in the hope of winning the big prizes; everyone needed the money in those days immediately after the Great Depression. With big financial incentives the competing designs soon turned into serious racing planes capable of clocking amazing speeds. As air racing became more popular, the enthusiasts vying for the big prize included everyone including entrepreneurs, aircraft companies, members of the military and even members of the general public. The Granville brothers of Massachusetts, for instance, began building a two-seater biplane called the Gee Bee Model A. It was a tremendous success. Following up on their groundbreaking creation, Granville Brothers Aviation continued the quest for speed and built a whole series of Gee Bee aircraft which became among the best-known (and some say most dangerous) race planes of that era. On one occasion they made $16,000 in prize money flying a plane that cost $5,000 to build, so you can see the incentive. The Gee Bee racer All engine in the pursuit of speed. No wonder it was considered difficult to fly. Coupled with this enthusiasm for air races, it was Charles Lindbergh’s flight across the Atlantic to Paris in 1927 which really fired the public imagination. Several thousand model kit manufacturers sprang up in the year following his flight to satisfy this burst of enthusiasm. Today the world of do-it-yourself aviation is stronger than ever, though the desire to build one’s own flying machine is usually converted into a passion for model airplanes. You’ll find thousands of clubs around the country, and hundreds of model planes from which to choose. There are, however, different niches from - 6 - © Bravos Direct 2005-2007 www.modelairplanesecrets.com HTU Model Airplane Secrets An early twin-pusher model –it remains a very successful design. which to choose: many people simply want something small and easy while others go all-out, looking for the maximum in power and speed. Yet others are fascinated by the challenge of designing and building their own airplane from scratch. Most people involved with model airplanes love being able to control their plane courtesy of the wonders of radio control. Although there are still those who will have nothing to do with this modern jiggery-pokery and prefer to stay with free flight planes just as there are those who prefer sailplanes to powered models. There are also those who do some of both according to their taste. But how did radio controlled flight begin? Radio-controlled flight, usually referred to as RC, was largely developed by people blessed with interests in both flying and amateur radio; two very different activities. Two early pioneers were Clinton DeSoto and Ross Hull, who flew sailplanes in the first public exhibition of RC flight. About 1933 the first small gasoline powered engines were developed to turn those early sailplanes into model airplanes. Although this made the model more realistic it also created the problem of preventing your model together with its expensive engine simply flying off over the horizon because, once airborne, you had not way of controlling it. Clinton deSoto was probably the first to envisage radio as the solution to this problem. At that time radio was in its infancy. It is difficult to believe in this day and age when there is so much computing and communicating capability wrapped up in the form of a tiny mobile phone that the simplest radio set up achievable at that time to operate just a single channel weighed in at 5 lbs (2.3kg). The ‘model’ airplane developed to carry this assembly of bulky radio equipment had a wing span of 18 ft and a total weight of 20 lbs! With continuous development and help from his colleague, Russ Hull, who came from the rapidly developing world of radio, the weight of the radio equipment was progressively reduced. Two other names must also be mentioned in conjunction with the origins of RC: the brothers Bill and Walter Good. Walter had an enormous passion for model airplanes while his twin brother, Bill, understood radio transmission and together in 1937 they built the first RC model plane. That first successful plane was given the name “Guff,” had an 8-foot wingspan, and weighed 8.5 lbs. For the ‘Guff’, two radio frequencies were used: one to control the elevator and the other, the plane’s - 7 - © Bravos Direct 2005-2007 www.modelairplanesecrets.com Model Airplane Secrets rudder (we’ll go over these terms soon). The servo to convert the radio signal into physical movement of the aircraft controls was mounted on the tail surface, and an outlet and extra-long extension cord was used for the transmitter. Just as the Kitty Hawk was the beginning of something wonderful for full size flying, the Guff was considered a huge step in the history of model planes. So much so that you can still see it on display today at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington. The “Guff” hanging in the Smithsonian Museum. Radio-controlled planes have come a long way. While some people use them as toys for amusement, others are serious competitors. If you’re interested in model planes, you can choose anything from a high- wing mounted trainer to sailplanes to jet powered models of modern military aircraft. The sky’s the limit! As you would expect with such a range of goodies, you also have a huge selection of prices. When you start looking at all the components you can add, it gets really exciting and, as you can imagine, more than a bit overwhelming. That’s what this book is for - to help guide you through the whole process, from buying to flying. - 8 - © Bravos Direct 2005-2007 www.modelairplanesecrets.com HTU Model Airplane Secrets Getting Started Now that you have a little background on model planes, you’ll want to figure out what it takes to get started - to make sure this is truly the right venture for you. There are many initial considerations with model airplanes so we’ll just go over the basics so that you’ll know what to expect. Cost The cost of your hobby can be whatever you decide to make it. The principles of flight remain the same whether you make paper airplanes from cast off copy paper or the most complex, technical models. All the same, before you do anything else, it’s wise to determine your budget - and then stick with it. For instance, if your really strapped for cash you can find sites on the web which show you how to build models from paper and cardboard, or you could buy a nice fun plane for as little as $100 - or spend $1,000 or more for just the basic equipment of a high-end version. You need to know in advance where you’re likely to fall on the scale. Whatever your price range, packages are available that come with all the equipment needed. You can start with toy airplanes often known as park or backyard flyers that may cost no more than $30. Then a ‘proper’ radio controlled model ready to go will often start around $150 for a beginner, and head into the thousands for those who get really serious. This can be an expensive sport and the costs can get out of hand if you allow them to, so it’s best to understand the financial aspects of model airplanes before you go out to buy. Yet keep in mind that you do not have to spend a lot of money to enjoy your hobby; if you pay attention, you’ll have a blast no matter how much you spend. Don’t forget that everything you learn with a low cost model will save you money when you move on to something more expensive. A B-17 model. An indication of what you can achieve. Good to dream about but best to keep your dreams in check as a beginner. - 9 - © Bravos Direct 2005-2007 www.modelairplanesecrets.com Model Airplane Secrets Power, Speed, and Range An important factor, especially if you plan to take part in one of the many types of competition, is the power source. As we’ll discuss later, most beginner’s models these days will be powered by electric motors. You might then choose to move on to two-stroke engine internal combustion engine that burns a mixture of methanol/nitro-methane/oil known as glow fuel. However, there are also four-stroke engines, rotaries, turbines and others as well. The type of motor will determine your maximum speed or the amount of torque you have available for prop driven airplanes. The power derived from jet engines is defined differently and you can probably leave that till much later. There is a wide choice of airplanes suitable for beginners with max speeds that might range from so slow that you can fly them indoors up to about 45 miles per hour and with the bigger ones landing at speeds between 12 and 15 mph. Yet if you develop your skills to fly the more advanced type of plane, you can reach speeds up to 200 mph - amazing for a model, right!? Just go and look at this video for an example: http://www.hugi.is/hahradi/bigboxes.php?box_id=51208&f_id=1277 As for distance or range, the radio-controlled models on the market today may fly about one mile though park flyers for beginners will be rather less. Just remember - you have to maintain control of the plane, which means you have to be able to see it. Therefore, even if you’re flying a plane with a six-foot wingspan, once it’s half a mile or more away, depending on visibility, it will be nearly impossible to see. And if you can’t see it then you can’t control it. - 10 - © Bravos Direct 2005-2007 www.modelairplanesecrets.com