THE MASTHEAD PLANE

 Here‘s a challenge for you!  The Mig-23 was Russia’s swing-wing fighter for the 70’s.  It carried two missiles and a 23 mm twin-barrel gun.  It could hit mach 2.2 at altitude, and had a combat range of about 400 miles.  The radar suite could match just about any US plane, except the F-15.

               So, why is it a challenge?  In addition to the wing sweep mechanism, there is the problem of the total wing loading.  Even extended, those are tiny airfoils!  The landing gear has a knee joint for compact stowage of the gear.  The plane sits very close to the ground, close enough that the ventral fin folds sideways for landing and takeoff!  Add to this the fact that, other than a fixed wing prop-driven version used for gunnery training, I don’t know of a commercial kit for this plane.  If you feel like tackling swing wings, a folding tail, articulated landing gear, and a heavy wing loading, have at it!

MEMBERSHIP

               Membership chairman Al Zerber reports that we have ninety members in the club as of the July meeting.

PROPWASH

VOL XXX, No. 7               July, 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

               Since we met at the field under hurricane conditions, no tickets were pulled for either the door prize or the raffle.

PROPWASH ON THE WEB

The PropWash is the second-largest annual expense the club has.  Postage alone runs to about five dollars per member per year, with printing adding another thee dollars.  Thanks to the efforts of Stephanie Thomas, the newsletter is now being posted on our club website, detroitaeromodelers.org.

               With this in mind, the club voted to allow members to opt out of receiving a printed edition of the newsletter, thus saving the club eight dollars per year per member.  THIS IS NOT MANDATORY!  If you still wish to receive the printed version, you don’t have to do anything.  If you wish to go electronic, contact Mike Cuba at 734-522-7638 or 734-812-0102 to opt out. 

So far, we have had only two people sign up to get their newsletter from the Web!

DRIVING UP TO THE PITS

               Field Marshall Bobby Harmon asks us to remember that we should never drive closer than the flagpole.  I would add that last year the club voted to permit driving up to the pits only to unload or load equipment.  Under normal circumstances we should not park on the field.  That only encourages non-club members to do the same, with a high potential for damage to the runways!

CLASSIFIEDS

Arden McConnell is thinning out his collection.  Here is what he has for sale:

¼ scale Fly Baby, 80”, w/ 33ccHomelite, $500.

Giant Stick, 73”, 31 cc Ryobi, $400

Beaver, from MAN plans, 94”,OS160 twin, Gemini, $1,500.

1/6 scale Gold Anniversary Cub w/floats & wheels, 78”, Super Tiger 51, $250

Kadet Senior, 78”, OS 70 Surpass, $250.

Smith Mini Bipe, 54”, Super Tiger 75, $250.

Large Glider, 111”, $85

Airtronics Olympic II Glider, 100”, $85.

Glider, Cox .09, 78”, $65.

Glider w/ ailerons, Magnum GP 10, 78”, $65.

AR1 Slope Soarer (white), 74”, $50.

AR1 Slope Soarer (striped), 74”, $50.

Bud Nosen ¼ scale Cub, boned out, 110”, $150.

Balsa USA ¼ scale Pup, boned out, 77”, $195.

Goldberg Super Chipmunk w/extra fiberglass cowl from Aeroglass, NIB, 64”, $150.

Midwest Super Stearman, NIB, 65”, $190.

Goldberg Ultimate 10-300 w/ extra fiberglass cowl, NIB, 54”, $155.

OS .46 LA blue (two of them) NIB, $65 each.

Call Arden at 313-274-3185

Club meeting at the field

8/10       Air Show setup                 noon

8/11-12 Air Show                            10 a.m.

8/14       business meeting              6 p.m.     

8/19       August fun fly                    5 p.m.                                                                                             

FIELD DEDICATION

               The field is now officially the Alexander Jefferson Field.  Dedication ceremonies were held June 23^rd.  We had about sixty people in attendance.  In addition to Alex, we had two other Tuskegee Airmen (Larry Milben and James Edwards) and a Tuskegee Airwoman (Elaine McKenny), AMA District VP Bill Oberdieck and his wife, two retired ASAF members, and a high school color guard.

               After the flag ceremony and national anthem, DAM president Arden McConnell made a brief presentation, followed by the main speaker, Larry Milben.  A lifelong friend of Alex’s, Larry recounted their history together, and Alex’s war accomplishments, all the while gently roasting him, before detailing Alex’s lifelong efforts to improve race relations.  Alex was compared to a noble knight riding off to combat on his mighty steed (in this case, a Mustang!) to preserve his country and his honor.

               Alex then gave a short speech, reminding us that not all Tuskegee Airmen were pilots.  It took a lot of ground support, from mechanics to nurses, to keep them flying.  He pointed out that they were fighting for racial equality a full generation before Martin Luther King Jr. came on the scene!  He also recognized Stan Spiewak for their long-term friendship.

               The color guard then lowered the flag, and Arden McConnell presented it to Alex.  Among the members that participated were Stan Spiewak, Arden McConnell, Dennis Gazdecki, Terry Kozlowski, Mitch Golem, Ken Goodlesky, Larry Stein, Calvin Barrett and Tim Kirsten.  Jack Fitch brought his Strawberry Bitch B-24, Bobby Harmon had a red-tail P-51 and a Spitfire there.               Andy Pesonen brought his gigantic red-tail P-51 (101 inch wingspan!), Charlie Thomas had his P-51 there, Chris Tucker brought his Corsair, Bob Mayhew had his PT-19, and Ken Goodlesky showed off Mike Cuba’s red-tail P-51 (Mike was out of town).  Alex’s daughters were mightily impressed with the P-51’s, and even more so when they took to the air!

               As part of the aftermath of the Field dedication, it was moved and passed that the DAM donate $500 for the Tuskegee Airmen museum.  This will be voted on again at the August meeting, since it is above the amount we can allocate without publication in the PropWash.

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

ADVANTAGE HOBBY ONLINE

               Arden McConnell has enrolled the DAM with Advantage Hobby, at advantage hobby.com.  When you sign in with the club name and ID code, then purchase something from them, the club gets a kickback that we can then use for the club raffle.  The prices are comparable to those you find in a brick and mortar store.  The ID code is Q98E7J.  I’ve been told that you can’t find out whether or not an item is in stock until after you’ve ordered it.  Caveat emptor!

AUGUST FLY-IN AND AIRSHOW

               Andy Pesonen (734-422-6389) and Vince Blasky (248-514-8532) report that we already have more than forty pilots committed for our August Air Show.  CD Dave Schiavolin predicts that it will be the biggest R/C show of the year in the metro area.

               We are asking for a few volunteers to stay at the field overnight Friday and Saturday for security, as some of the pilots will be leaving their equipment at the field.  Volunteers will be paid a $25/night stipend.

Bob Nill has volunteered to bring plastic snow fencing to the setup, as our old fencing has evaporated.  Thanks, Bob!

               One minor change to the layout this year is the pit area.  It will be in roughly the same area as before, but will extend back to the east end of runway 27R, with parking for offloading to the east of the runway end.  This will prevent further damage to an already rough surface!  We are also going to close off the west end of the pits with safety fencing.

               This will protect pitted planes from runaway landings and errant taxiing. There will be several openings to the flight line for access from the pit area.

               Andy Pesonen and Vince Blasky are moving along with their plans for an August Fly-In and Air Show.  They asked for, and got, several volunteers at the June meeting to handle aircraft inspection, Friday and Saturday overnight security, Friday setup of tents, fences, and barriers, setting up and controlling parking for spectators and pilots, spotters and a flagman on Joy Road to alert pilots of overlong flights to the north.  Contact Andy at 734-422-6389 or Vince at 248-514-8532

 if you wish to volunteer.

RETIREMENT HOME SHOW

               The DAM, represented by Kathy and Jim Kendzior, Tim Kirsten, Ron Wasiliewski, and Mike Cuba put on a successful show for the

Windwood retirement home on Six Mile west of Haggerty Road on July 12^th.  In spite of the very windy conditions and cramped flying area, Tim “No Fear” Kirsten launched his Soarstar for a short flight.  The winds were strong enough that an arthritic snail could have kept up with its progress on the upwind legs of the flight.  Tim mastered the winds well enough to go around the patch twice before bringing it in for a safe landing. 

               Then Mike Cuba flew his electric mini-Ultra-Stick for two flights.  His more powerful out runner 450 motor was able to cut through the wind, and Mike got up high enough to eliminate the gusty conditions at ground level.  After a couple of rolls and loops, and several circuits of the field, the hard part began… landing! 

               On the second landing, the winds died down, just as the plane was settling in to a powered touch-down.  Since it was now heading toward an eght-foot berm topped with pine trees, Mike elected to cut power and flare, landing in the soft branches a couple of feet up.  Unfortunately, the plane bounced out, and the rudder was slightly damaged.  The thirty spectators all thought it had been planned that way!

               Indoors, Mike flew his E-flite CX helicopter, and we had a static display of R/C and plastic models.  One of the residents told us he had been a radio operator in both B-17’s and B-24’s doing submarine patrol along the Panama Canal during WWII.  Only one resident took us up on the offer to build a catapult glider, but Ron, Kathy, Tim and Jim all built along with him! 

FIELD SAFETY

We had an interesting discussion of common-sense rules at the field during the July meeting.  Without rehashing the incident that sparked the discussion, we agreed on the following ideas.  The pilot with a plane in the air has as his primary responsibility the airplane.  He is not expected to do anything other than fly in a safe manner.  Anyone wishing to cross the runway, for whatever reason, must inform all flying pilots by announcing “Man on the field!”.  Anyone who wishes to bring a plane out and take off while there is a plane already in the air should inform all flying pilots by announcing “Taxiing out!” and “Taking off!”.  It is also the responsibility of the pilot taking off to look down the runway to make sure it is clear before accelerating!

JULY FUN FLY

               The weather for the July fun fly was just about perfect.  Moderate temperatures and high scattered clouds dotted a bright blue sky.  If only the wind would cooperate!  It was a bit blustery, but even so, five pilots signed up to fly.

               The first order of business was, of course, the Bobby-cue.  Grilled hot dogs, cold potato salad, fruit salad and chips were the order of the day.  Once the food was consumed, Charlie held a pilots’ meeting to explain the task for the day.  In an untimed event, we had to do four consecutive loops, then three touch-and-go maneuvers, and ending up with a spot landing.  A missed loop or touch terminated that portion of the routine.

Mike Cuba was up first with an E-Flite electric mini Ultra-Stick.  After an eventful takeoff, he managed three loops before falling out of the fourth, and three touches, before landing sixty feet from the mark!  Charlie Thomas, our CD and eventual winner, performed flawlessly with his Extra 300 profile plane, landing only five feet from the pin.

Team Gazdecki was up next, with Dennis minor flying first with an Ultra Stick.  After four perfect loops, he missed his first touch, and landed sixty feet from the pin.  Dennis major, flying the same plane, missed the pin by twenty-one feet, good for second place.  Finally, Al Zerber, flying a big U-Can-Do 3D, showed us how big a loop he could do with a perfectly controlled flight.  The wind messed with him, though, and his spot landing was off by forty-two feet, good for third place.

               If you are a new pilot, you’re missing an opportunity here.  Charlie is making sure the events are easy enough for anyone to fly, and it’s fun watching the other pilots doing the same maneuvers you’re trying to do!

PARTING SHOT

               Remember, in terms of right of way, full-size air traffic is first, then dead-stick planes, then planes in the air, then men on the field, and last planes taxiing out to take off!

PROPWASH

31425 Myrna, Livonia, Mi. 48154