January 2014 Newsletter

  The December Meeting Minutes - 

We met at the Wonderful Chinese Restaurant for a delicious meal and chit chat.  I do not hear all that well but I think that everyone had a good time.  no "business" was transacted.

Model of the month.

Two things this month!  Neither is a model, oh well.

First is a "Single Blade Free-wheeling Prop" by Donald Mertens, Page 33, MAN Oct 1940.  No blade layout, just features for balancing single blade prop and employing a free-wheeling drive.  Plans follow.

 

Second is man carrying tandem glider from 

The Boy Mechanic, 1914,  HH Winsor editor.  All detail design is absent.  The wings have no control surfaces and dihedral is not employed.   The "pilot" is shown well aft of the center of lift.  This could be a safety feature.  If there is a wind blowing, the glider should rear up and blow over backward while still on the ground.  When I was a kid I wanted a foot launched glider, fortunately I could not afford the material but I could get to the library and read books all the way back to Octave Chanute.  

2014 Event Calendar

I, Ken Holden, youse editor typed tis ub so ther mayb some typus.  Error corrections and updates seriously welcome!  Info largely from SAM 21.  We of SAM 51 need to make a few decisions about fun flys. 

March 3, SGMA Spring Contest, FF/RC Sunday only

March 22-3, SAM 26 Spring Opener, Wekerly Field, Bakersfield

Apr 4-5, NCFFC Sierra Champs, FF only, Waegell

April 24  SAM 51 Fun Fly, WDA
May 1, WX alternate May 8  SAM 51 Fun Fly, WDA

June 1, West States Chanps FF/ OTRC Waegell

June 5 WX alternate  June 12 SAM 51 Fun Fly WDA

July 3 WX alternate July 10  SAM 51 Fun Fly WDA

August 7 WX alternate August August 14  SAM 51 Fun Fly WDA

Sept 8, SGMA SGMA Combo OTRC, Waegell

Sept 27-9, SAM 27 Crash & Bash, Schmidt Ranch

Oct 6-11, SAM Champs, Muncie 

Oct 26, SGMA Fall Contest OTRC Waegell

Gossip - my (Ken speaking) garage was burgled and among other things much of my IC model stuff was taken.  I am bummed out needless to say.  A lot of that stuff was irreplaceable in the 21st century, as you all well know.  My sense of balance just took another hit so I think it is time to move up to gum band FF.  Crashes only hurt the ego of the rubber band bunch.  I know, I know, gum bands are expensive but if purchased a quarter pound at time and wound to less than 70% of max they last for a couple of dozen flights making it reasonable.

Now on to the aviation stuff!!!

Tandem Monoplane Glider

By George F. Mace

The monoplane glider illustrated has better fore-and-aft stability than the biplane, is lighter in proportion to the supporting surface, simpler to build, and requires very little time to assemble or take apart. The material list is as follows:

FRAME

 

4 pieces of bamboo, 14  ft. long, tapering from 1-1/2 to 1  in.   

8 pieces of spruce, 1/2  in. thick, 1  in. wide, and 3  ft. long.   

8 pieces of spruce, 1/2  in. thick, 1  in. wide, and 2  ft. long.  

WINGS

 

4 main-wing bars, spruce, 3/4  in. thick, 1-1/4  in. wide, and 18  ft. long.   

8 wing crosspieces, spruce, 3/4  in. square, and 4  ft. long.   

38   wing ribs, poplar or spruce, 1/4  in. thick, 3/4  in. wide, and 64  in. long.  

The first thing to do is to make the main frame which is composed of the four bamboo poles. The poles take the corners of a 2-ft. square space and are supported with the pieces of spruce that are 2  ft. and 3  ft. long, the shorter lengths running horizontally and the longer upright, so that each upright piece extends 1  ft. above the two upper poles. All joints should be fastened with 3/16-in. stove bolts. The wire used to truss the glider is No. 16 gauge piano wire. The trussing is done in all directions, crossing the wires between the frame parts, except in the center or space between the four poles.

The Start of the Glide should be Made from the Top of a Hill, Then a Little Run will Carry the Airman Several Hundred Feet through the Air

The framework of the main wings is put together by bolting one of the crosspieces at each end of two wing bars, then another 4  ft. from each end, whereupon the wing bars are bolted to the main frame. The frame is then braced diagonally between these pieces. The ribs, spaced 1  ft. apart, are fastened to this frame with 1-in. brads. The ribs are so bent that the highest part will be 5 or 6  in. above the horizontal. The bending must be uniform and is done when fastening them in place.

The material used to cover the wings and rudders is strong muslin. The cloth is first tacked to the front wing bar, then to the ribs, and sewed to a wire which is fastened between the ends of the ribs. Large brass-head tacks should be used through a strip of tape to fasten the cloth to the ribs. The rear wings are constructed in a similar manner. After the cloth is in place it is coated with starch or varnish.

Details of Tandem Monoplane Glider, Showing the Main Frame and Wing Construction, and the Manner of Placing the Crossed Bracing Wires Between the Parts and to the Wing Ends

The two vertical rectangular spaces in the main frame, just under the rear wings, are covered with cloth to act as a rudder. The upper and lower bracing wires for the wings are attached with snaps and rings so that the glider can be easily taken apart.

It is best not to use the glider in a wind greater than 30 miles an hour. It is started from the top of a hill in the usual manner. Glides can be made running from 60 to several hundred feet.