WELCOME

Editor: Kevin Crozier. Mortons Media Group, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR kcrozier@mortons.co.uk

In the last issue I recalled watching, as a young lad, a segment on radio-controlled aerobatics on ITV’s ‘World of Sport’ programme. I was unable to access the ITV archive to find a clip of this event so I wondered if the BBC had any similar clips. Af ter Googling ‘Model aircraf t BBC archive’ I was rewarded with some segments from 1970 editions of Nationwide, their early evening current af fairs programme (long before the One Show), with one item showing the UK’s top scale modellers of the time, namely Mick Charles, Terry Melleney and Roy Yates. A later episode the same year featured the 1970 Scale World Championships, hosted by the SMAE (Society of Model Aeronautical Engineers, forerunner of the BMFA) which was held at Cranfield. This shows some eyewatering crashes of some very nice scale models, one of which ended up inside the spectator area on the opposite side of the runway – ouch! Some may think that modern day health and safety measures at model shows and events may have gone a bit too far but watching this film really does bring home just how much such changes were needed when presenting our hobby to the general public.

At the bottom of the list of links is a piece from Blue Peter in which John Noakes can be seen steering an R/C Avro Shackleton around the studio f loor, its two inboard glow engines burbling away until swif tly silenced by virtue of John throwing his hanky into the props; the ‘wise way’ to stop the engines, says John… I’m guessing that the engines were set to a fast idle to keep them running during the pressures of the live transmission rather than relying on lower revs and finely tuned carburettors.

Another link takes you to a piece to camera by James Burke, who is seen f lying an R/C Spitfire for Tomorrow’s World – a ‘must watch’ TV programme for young Master Crozier back in 1969, although I have to admit that this particular episode must have passed me by as I have no recollection of it. James’ film ends with a montage of pictures taken of the airfield from a camera mounted underneath another model, leading him to speculate on the possible use of R/C models as spy planes. I wonder what the Tomorrow’s World team would have thought of even the most basic camera equipped drones had they been available back then!

James was of course most famous for his work covering the Apollo moon landings. Finding this clip was one of those rare coincidences that make you think that a higher power must be at work because as I write this I have been keeping an ear open on the exciting events as the first SpaceX Starship prepares to launch from Boca Chica in Southern Texas. Serendipity indeed!

It’s time now to take a brief look at what we have lined up for you in the June issue of RCM&E, starting with our regular columns.

In his latest Bench Blog, Tim Hooper completes the curvaceous Boomer Bus and then turns his attention to starting a recalcitrant spark ignition engine. In One Man & His Shed sunlight proves to be the saviour allowing Dave Goodenough to keep his f light box battery topped up using solar power. Then it’s over to Chris Williams for more Scale Gliding as Chris sees another senior friendly size scale soarer, a Slingsby Type 50 Skylark 4, make the transition from his drawing board and into the sky. Later on, Keith Jackson’s Aerobatic Scene column brings us up to date with all the latest news from the world of F3A f lying before Graham Ashby and Kick the Tyres in which Graham takes a turn on the committee of his model club, attempts to fashion a silk purse out of a sow’s ear with a sheet foam SE5a and encourages us to consider drawing up a post-f light care plan.

For this month’s centre-fold Pro-Plan it’s back to Chris Williams who introduces part one of his article describing the build and f lying of a classic one sixth scale vintage glider, the Slingsby T.30 Prefect.

Our feature articles start with Contra Club, which discusses if two props are better than one; John Stennard attempts to find out as he tests a new contra rotating propeller system for small models. Next, Stephen Wessel makes use of ping pong balls and hair curlers to fabricate the induction pipework for his half size V8 aero engine. Finally, we join John Bristow from Deluxe Materials as he describes the many and varied uses for Super’Phatic! glue.

On test this month David Ashby f lies a trio of small WW2 fighters from Top RC before Helmut Harhaus concludes this month’s reviews by recreating a pioneering rocket propelled aeroplane, the Opel Rak 1, in model form using the FUNModellbau kit. Little did he know when he started but he was in for quite a wild ride!

I hope you enjoy reading it all.

Happy Flying!

On The Cover

Photo: Chris Williams

Slingsby’s Type 30 Prefect from 1948 was intended as a replacement for the Grunau Baby. Designed by Chris Williams at 1:6 scale and with a 2.4M span this is a perfect stablemate for the slightly smaller Wolf, previously published in RCM&E.

Reviews

22 Mini Warbirds

David Ashby f lies a trio of small WW2 fighters from Top RC

64 Opel Rak 1

Helmut Harhaus recreates a pioneering rocket propelled aeroplane in model form using the FUN-Modellbau kit.

28

64

Features

10 CONTRA CLUB

Are two props better than one? John Stennard attempts to find out as he tests a new contra rotating propeller system for small models

42 SUBSCRIBE…

... and receive Luf twaf fe Fighters & Sea Harriers FREE!*

44

Env Aero Engine

In part seven of his ENV aero engine build series Stephen Wessel fabricates the motor’s induction pipework

86 SUPER ’PHATIC!

John Bristow from Deluxe Materials describes a 21st Century glue

Columns

16

Bench Blog

Tim Hooper completes his Boomer Bus curvy wing bird and then turns his attention to starting a recalcitrant spark ignition engine

28 ONE MAN & HIS SHED

Dave Goodenough keeps his f light box battery topped up using solar power before finishing his ‘Beginner’s Bundle’ glider

36

Scale Gliding

Chris Williams sees another senior friendly size scale soarer make the transition from his drawing board and into the sky

72 AEROBATIC SCENE

Keith Jackson brings us up to date with all the latest news from the world of F3A f lying

80 Kick The Tyres

Graham Ashby takes a turn on the committee and encourages us to consider drawing up a post-f light care plan