THE MASTHEAD PLANE

The Caproni Campini N.1 was Italy’s first effort at an airplane with no propeller, first test-flown one year after the first flight of the Heinkel He 178, the first jet plane to fly. I’m reluctant to describe the Campini as a jet, even though it had a reaction engine. The compressor, complete with variable-pitch vanes, was driven by a 900 h.p. Isotta-Franchini piston engine! Once the air was compressed, fuel was injected, and the resulting exhaust developed a thrust of 750 kg. The wingspan of this two-seat plane was forty-eight feet. Its maximum speed at 10,000 feet was a whopping 223 m.p.h.!

This would be a very simple plane to model. The airframe should be no more difficult than any of the WWII prop-driven fighters. On the other hand, developing an authentic model engine would be a trip!

MEMBERSHIP

It’s past time to re-up your membership in DAM! New members are $75, renewing members are $50, family members under age 18 are $12, and life members (ten years minimum in the club, age 65 or more) are $37.50. A late fee will be added to your membership, since the April deadline has already passed. Please check your current roster to make sure we have the correct address and phone number for you. If you want your email included in the roster, add that to your renewal form. As of the April meeting, we have 75 members signed up

PROPWASH

VOL XXX, No. 4 April, 2007

Arden McConnell president 313-274-3185

Mike Cuba vice-president 734-522-7638

Tim Kirsten secretary 313-565-6093

Terry Kozlowski treasurer 734-354-1928

Dennis Gazdecki safety 734-442-3402

Bobby Harmon field 313-541-4204

Al Zerber membership 734-427-4872

Kathy Kendzior at-large 313-274-1402

Ray Piper at-large 313-532-7286

Mike Cuba editor 734-522-7638

Charlie Thomas swap shop 313-565-2973

Bob Mayhew archivist 313-291-6855

Stephanie Thomas webmaster 313-565-2973

website http://detroitaeromodelers.org

RAFFLE WINNERS

Arden McConnell won the $15 gift certificate door prize donated by Nankin Hardware & Hobby.

SUMMER FUN FLYS

Charlie Thomas will CD for us this summer. The events are scheduled for the third Sunday of the month at 5 p.m., starting in May. We will give out raffle prize tickets for prizes this time. Thank you, Charlie!

INTRODUCTORY PILOT PROGRAM

Fliers will be put up in the local hobby shops as part of the introductory pilot program. Stephanie and Charlie Thomas already have eight pilot/instructors lined up. We have some buddy boxes, and a couple of trainers lined up. Arden McConnell is donating a PT-40 to the program. The club voted to allocate $50 to cover the costs of registering the PI’s with the AMA.

AIRSHOW

Andy Pesonen and Vince Blasky are really getting serious about holding an airshow this August. We have already approved a $500 donation for seed money. You will f ind attached to this newsletter a complete budget and agenda for the airshow. Sounds like a winner!

COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM

Sharon Hale, activities volunteer at Brookdale Senior Living Center, has asked us to provide a show similar to the ones we did last year at Laurel Park West. I’ve looked at their facility, and it is much better suited to our purposes. They have sufficient room outdoors for flying both electric helicopters and planes, as well as a meeting room indoors where we can do static display and model construction. I’m looking for a couple of volunteers to work with me on this one, sometime later in the Spring or early Summer. Maybe this time we can get our District VP to notice!

Michael Joseph Cuba

Club meetings are at the Redford Community Center,

12121 Hemingway, in Redford

4/27 indoor flying 5:00 p.m.

5/8 business meeting 7:00 p.m.

5/11 indoor flying 5:00 p.m.

5/20 May Fun Fly 5:00 p.m.

5/25 indoor flying 5:00 p.m.

6/2 Rouge Appreciation noon

CLASSIFIEDS

Jack Shelby is moving to Phoenix, Arizona and donating a large number of planes and equipment to the club to be sold, or otherwise distributed by the club, with proceeds going into the general treasury. Al Zerber is handling the sale. The list includes the following:

Hobbico Avistar 40 ARF, OS .46 SF 2-cycle engine, Futaba Conquest AM radio, 60 inch span

Great Planes Ultrasport 60, OS .91 Surpass 4-cycle engine, Futaba Skysport 6-channel FM radio, 62 inch span.

Great Planes Extra 300 ARF, OS .70 Surpass 4-cycle engine, Futaba Skysport 6-channel FM radio, 58 inch span.

Great Planes Pi0pe Cub ARF, Saito .50 Golden Knight 4-cycle engine, Futaba Skysport 6-channel FM radio, 80 inch span, with a spare wing.

Great Planes Aeromaster 40 biplane, OS .91 Surpass 4-cycle engien, Futaba Gold FG Series FM radio, 52 inch span.

Balsa USA Phaeton II biplane, 60 size, OS .91 Surpass 4-cycle engine, JR Max 4 FM radio, 54 inch span, fabric covered.

Balsa USA Phaeton 90, OS 1.20 Surpass pumped 4-cycle engine, JR Max 6 FM radio, 70 inch span, fabric covered.

Soarstar foam electric , comes with motor, gearbox, prop, ESC, servos and two batteries.

Midwest Aerostar 40 trainer plane only, rough but usable, 60 inch span.

All these planes are ready to fly and all come with chargers. Contact Al Zerber at 734-427-4872

Curt Vanden Bosch has a like new Futaba 9CAP with a metal carrying case and manual for $200, and a like new Accu-Cycle Pro Series battery conditioner/charger for $35. Call Curt at 313-278-7662.

ROUGE APPRECIATION DAY

Friends of Rouge Park is once again holding the Rouge Appreciation Day on June 2. We have been asked to put on an air show at noon, after the morning work crews have finished. They are asking for volunteers to do the cooking. Let’s give Ted Allen a break. Will someone volunteer to take his place? Mike Cuba will be doing his make-and-take catapult glider kits for the kids again, and could use a backup, as well.

FIELD DEDICATION

Plans are coming along for the official dedication of our field as the Alexander Jefferson Model Airplane Field. Home Depot has graciously donated all the materials we need to put up a permanent commemorative sign at the field. The City will dig the holes, set the signs, and pour the concrete, as well as doing the lettering on the sign. Thurston High School will provide a marching band, and Larry Milburn, the adjutant at Selfridge AFB, will provide a color guard. All we need now is a date!

FLIGHT PREP TABLES

There was a proposal to build three more safety tables at $150 for the field at the April meeting. The motion passed by a wide margin. These tables are really popular!

STATIC DISPLAY CONTEST

The number of models presented was down again from last year, but the quality was excellent. Are fewer people bringing in models because they worry about the competition, or are fewer people building models?

Frank Hanson continued to show his love of odd biplanes with his Hot Canary biplane. This is a reverse stagger Reno racer, yellow with blue stripes. This plane eventually won first place in civilian scale, and best of show. Congratulations, Frank!

Our president, Arden McConnell, brought in an 80 inch Balsa USA Eindekker dressed in Eric Williams color scheme. Arden used Super Coverite for the skin. The functional flying wires need adjustment every time it flies. In addition to an OS .91, it carries three pounds of weight in the nose for balance. The nose cowling is an aluminum crock pot liner. This plane was awarded first place in military scale.

Dave Shafer brought in his Great Planes 2 meter Spirit glider, equipped with an .061 Norvel engine. This plane took first place in the sport category.

John Novoselich showed us his 61 inch Rearwin Speedster, equipped with an OS .52 engine. John warns us that this plane will snap in a low speed turn. John took home second place in civilian scale.

Nick Kyriacou brought in his Lanier Extra 3.25 This is Nick’s first laser cut kit, and he loves the way it went together! It‘s got an OS .32 SX engine, and is covered in a shocking pink. He‘s never going to lose sight of this one! Nick picked up second place in the sport category.

Stan Spiewak brought his little Fly Baby bipe. This Aerodrome model uses an Enya .46 engine, and a red and yellow color scheme where it isn‘t covered with manufacturer‘s decals.

Stan also brought a Ken Willard design flat-bottom flying boat, with sploats (combination sponson and floats), and a .15 engine mounted on a pylon over the wing. The plane has very thin fins, made of laminated 1/32nd balsa impregnated with epoxy, and sanded down. You wouldn’t think they could be stiff, but they are! Stan got third place sport for the Drake.

Al Zerber showed us his Super Skybolt from Great Planes. It’s hauled around by an OS .91, and is finished in red, white and blue covering. The bottom surface, blue and white checked, was done by cutting out each square individually! Al picked up third place in civilian scale.

NOTES FROM THE SHOP

Hobbyzone has a new introductory R/C electric to replace the Scout. The new plane is the Phantom, and it’s quite a leap forward. Although it looks similar to the Scout, the Phantom has three-channel control, and an electric eye that will automatically pull the plane out of a steep dive (this function can be turned off at the transmitter). It’s going for $80, while the Scout, a two-channel plane, went for $60. I flew the Phantom in a wind strong enough that I would tell customers not to fly, and it was powerful and responsive enough to stay upwind of me, doing basic maneuvers, for an easy eight minutes.

Michael Joseph Cuba

SPRING FIELD CLEANUP

Although the clouds were desperately trying to paint the sky gray, the sun would on occasion poke its nose into openings as if in competition for a place in the sky and the presence of moisture was predominant in the air, seven enthusiastic guys showed up at the field to partake in our annual field cleanup on Saturday, March 24, at 1000 hours.

Under the skillful guidance of our new Field Marshall Bobby Harmon, members Calvin Barrett, Tim Kirsten, Al Zerber, Denny Sekutowski and Stan Spiewak immediately got started because the threat of rain was imminent.

The guy who always has the simple solution to every problem--- doesn’t understand the question!

While this portion of the crew was concentrating their attention to the pit area and the immediate runways, Leon Ryktarsky scouted the perimeter adjoining Spinoza Drive and Joy Road and brought back a variety of rubbish that half-filled a garbage bag.

Always try to make the corner where you are at a little brighter.

Because of the spirit of cooperation, the task was completed in record time and all left at 1115 hours.

Do you know why?

It started to rain!

When all about you others are running in circles, gnashing their teeth, and in a frenzy, and you’re the only one calm and collected in the group, you don’t understand the problem.

Submitted by Stan Spiewak

NEAT STUFF AT THE TOLEDO SHOW

While I was at the show Friday, I saw one of the better ideas for those of you who who like both scale military planes and ARF’s. A company called Scale Pursuit Models has just released their first offering, a T-34C Mentor, with a wingspan of 89 inches.

What sets this model apart from the pack is its construction. The body and wings are made of EPP foam, which has been machined to its final shape, including interior cutouts for equipment and wood stiffeners. It is then skinned (by you) with molded polycarbonate panels, complete with panel lines and rivet detail. These are trimmed to size and glued onto the EPP. Scuff with a scotch brite pad and you’re ready to paint. The completed plane weighs 27 to 30 pounds, and requires a 4 to 5 h.p. engine, gas or glow (or electric?)

What you end up with is an airframe that is practically indestructible, with good surface detail, and easy repairability. The polycarbonate skins are the same material that two-liter pop bottles are made of. Introductory price is $850. You can contact them on the web atwww.scale pursuit.com, by email at info@scalepursuit.com, or phone them (California!) at 303-953-2925.

NEW EMAIL ADDRESS

Mike Cuba can now be reached at mikecuba@sbcglobal.net.

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL

HOBBY SHOPS!

NANKIN HARDWARE & HOBBY

35101 Ford Rd. 734-722-5700

RIDER'S HOBBY SHOP OF LIVONIA

30991 Five Mile Rd. 734-425-9720

RIDER’S HOBBY SHOP OF TAYLOR

22789 Northline 734-287-7405

ELECTRODYNAMICS

31091 Schoolcraft 734-422-5420

PROP SHOP

23326 Van Dyke 810-757-7160

JOE'S HOBBY CENTER

Grand River & Drake Rd 248-477-6266

PROPWASH

31425 Myrna, Livonia, Mi. 48154