ON MODEL PLANES

New Zealand Listener, Volume 18, Issue 444, 26 December 1947, Page 25

ON MODEL PLANES

journal, we are somewhat allergic to events of local rather than Dominion-wide interest, we weakened the other day under a bombardment of enthusiasm from one, W. G. Read, and sent our Auckland _ representative along to have a look at the Auckland Model Aero Club’s exhibition being held at the War Memorial Museum, For the exhibition, portion of the first floor of the Museum had been decked out like Christmas week at a departmental store. Suspended on strings and grounded on tables were a collection of aeroplanes such as would delight the heart of any boy-they ranged from models with a nine-foot wing span to tiny replicas of craft that have made air history. Our correspondent was quite content to walk round the exhibits, but his companion. soon dived under the ropes, and ignoring the impressive notices "PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH" enthusiastically picked up the models and explained w or fx vine them fly. Smooth explanations of who and why warded off the custodian. Apparently, our correspondent reports, models are not just models to the enthusiast, They are sailplanes or gliders, rubber models, gas A 5 being a national

models, or solid scale models. In addition, there is direct control, radio control and free flying. And although the young bay with his first kit invariably starts off with the glider-type of model, this does not mean that modellers who never get past the glider stage are laoked down upon by the gas model types. No, sir! A modeller can specialise in gliders, The classes of models are explained by their names. The solid scale models do not fly; they*‘are exact replicas jn miniature of full-size planes. The sailplanes and gliders just do the best they can after being Jaunched, while the rubber models depend for their movement on the unwinding ‘of thin rubber bands attached to the propeller and the gas types on oil-burning engines. The one thing all models have in common is the requirement of an impressive degree of patience in building them. Larger models have as many as 1000 separate parts which have to be carefully put together. But even simple models are a test of temper. Having gone through all this nervewracking building, the next thing is to fiy the aircraft, and as much skill is required in flying the things as there is in making them, Mr. Read volunteered. Now there is indoor flying and direct control flying and outdoor free flight. ~~

Of these three our representative expressed a strong prejudice against the last. In indoor flying the worst that can happen is that the model bash itself against some obstacle such as a wall, ceiling, or the wife of the judge; with direct control the plane can’t get away because it is attached to the flier by means of a pair of vires with which he controls the plane’s aerobatics (the Wire moves that horizontal piece of the tail of the plane); but with free flight the plane is let loose with only the prayers of the owner to bring it safely back, and the chances are that it will end up in the sea, tangle itself up in a fe.ce, or be eaten by a cow-cows have a great liking for model aeroplanes, the dope used to tighten the fabric being adelectable appetiser to them. However, although the cows may prove a little difficult at Wanganui at the New Year when the national championships are held, a watery grave is not predicted for many models as the prevailing winds there are off the sea.