Jerry Burk <  > notifies us:

I'd like to call your attention to a new "small" starter, as advertised in the new August MAN, at $34.95.

Never thought I'd ever want one, but I find myself (now) two weeks into recovery from a triple heart by-pass, and an electric starter may indeed be in my future.

Boy-oh-boy, the SMALL newsletter is more of a life saver than ever before! As always, keep up the good work.

Well there goes the summer.... don't know when I'll get that Dakota in the air now.

Take care, Jerry

Al Lidberg <  > announces:

A new mini-XL old timer FF or R/C model kit, the 1936 New Creations "Lancer" is now in production. This scaled-down model has a 30" wingspan and is suitable for the FAC 'electric replica' event as well as electric or CO2 sport free flight and R/C flying.

It's a distinctive-looking model with a high-mounted stabilizer and a bubble canopy. Please take a look at the website catalog - the Lancer is the first picture you'll see: < http://members.aol.com/aalmps >

Mr. "VL", Hank Fasola, is on the mend after surgery, and production of motors has resumed. The particular motor that I was wondering about is the VL HY50B, as used in the AALmps mini-XL 30" wingspan FF or R/C old-timer "Skylark", and the new "Lancer" kit models.

This motor has been in short supply, but now you can order it directly from Hank. Get the specifics, including a picture of the motor, at: < http://members.aol.com/anneweed/vl.htm >

Last summer we had some discussions about 'how to find lift', and I was able to offer for sale a few hand-cranked bubble machines. In use, soap bubbles can clearly show us thermals in action.

If you'd like to experiment, these machines can be converted to electric power with old slot car or clock gears and a cheap electric motor, so you can go downwind to observe the airflow and take advantage of the very obvious signs of lift.

A formula for easily-mixed, longer-lasting bubble liquid is also provided, but regular bubble solution is readily available in grocery and toy stores.

I now have another small supply of these machines for sale. Please take a look at: < http://members.aol.com/aalmps/bubmach.htm >

Thanks / AL

Felix Lopez <  > wrote:

I'll like to thank Dave Segal for recommending Nalgene products as a source for small fuel tanks. The small 1/2-ounce bottles fit perfectly into my new Peck Polymers Mini Bell. It was fairly easy to install a standard glow fuel stopper to the 1/2-ounce plastic bottle. All I had to do was to cut the bottle neck off and shorten the stopper by half.

It is great to have a tiny leak-proof tank, but fuel pick up became a mystery. The tank is too short for a standard clunk. Could anybody share the specifications on a two pickup system? How does the engine maintain steady pressure? Does anybody know of a better system?

Thanks, Felix Lopez

Carl Risteen <  > suggests:

Let's face it - small engines tend to wear out, or get "over the hill" rather quickly. An increase in piston clearance that would have little ill effect on a .60 can make the little guys quite sick.

Hard chromium plating can replace the tiny amount of metal lost to wear, and can be done at home very cheaply; as little as $10 for gear and chemicals. Any ABC, ABN, or lapped piston engine is an excellent candidate.

The venerated C. O. Wright, an expert modeler whose influence spanned several decades, wrote an article that I found in the 1950 Aeromodeller Annual: "You Can Hard Chrome Plate Pistons".

I assembled a small plating rig, using a peanut butter jar to hold the plating solution, and a baby bottle warmer to heat it to the required temperature. It worked beautifully, just as C. O. said, and my worn-out .049s, and larger engines too, suddenly had a new lease on life. Although I have been doing hard chromium, electro- less nickel, and other types of plating for years, I can add little to C.O. Wright's article, except tips on making little jigs for doing plating on bores; the original article concentrated on lapped iron or steel pistons.

My copy of the 1950 Annual has been missing for many years, but someone out there may have a copy. I would be very grateful for an E-mailed copy of the original article, and many other SMALLnet engine buffs might find it very useful.

Carl Risteen

Marcel Lavoie <  > submitted:

Thank you Glenn Bolick for replying to my question about plans for a foam model made from dozen- and eighteen-size egg cartons.

However, what I saw was on the Net, but where? It was a rubber- powered ROG (Rise-Off-Ground) type -- although I don't remember if it actually had a landing gear.

I have the plans for the Sunny Side Up by John Voorhees in September 1986 Flying Models, which appears to be an excellent model.

Marcel

Phil Huffstatler <  > says:

I got my little MDS .28 powered Tequila Sunrise BARF into the air for the first time last week. Wow! What a hot rod! Feels as fast as my Patriot, except that it won't slow down quite as well. At three pounds with 288 square inches of wing area, it tends to drop a bit fast when the throttle comes off. (Can you say BRICK ?)

Loads of fun though! Will knife edge from here to tomorrow with no other inputs, as long as you can keep the little bugger in sight! It is fun to fly, though I think I'm going to scratch up a lighter version, and change the airfoil, and see if I can get it to slow down some, plus be happy with smaller engines.

I am using full-size radio gear in it, which I know I could pull 8 ounces or better out of it by going to smaller equipment. I got the plane from a man in Alabama over the 'Net, and the .28 engine came on it. It's quite pretty in the air, for a BARF, but my re- design will look very close to it, and I think I could come in under two pounds with an OS .15 on the nose.

That should be just as much fun, and slow down a bit more on landings... Maybe a 1/2A version, with 150 square inches of wing??? Hmmm....

Keep 'em low and inverted!

Phil Huffstatler Austin, Texas

Peter X Havriluk <  > asks:

Last Sunday a modeler who can no longer build or fly gave me a project he framed up very beautifully before he became ill -- a Ben Shereshaw "Commodore" structurally modified for R/C by Bob Oslan. (I think this drawing was published in Model Aviation.)

I have the drawings but not (yet) a copy of the construction article -- that sleeps in my 'archives' somewhere. Now, the plans indicate an Enya .29 for fanning the air. The SMALL question I am presenting is: What sort of results would I get by using a PAW .19 BB Diesel instead of the Enya .29 glow?. Is this notion off-base?

I have had no experience with the engine, having bought it from a friend recently. Seeing as the airplane is framed-up, my influences on flying weight are in the covering, to some degree balance/ballast, and equipment installation. I intend to rig up pull-pull elevator and rudder cables to limit the overall control system weight and weight at the tail. Colored silk will solve the covering problem.

Lightweight wheels and electronics are not a worry. Any ideas from the jury, or any experience to share? Thanks very much !

Ron Leciston <  > wrote:

I would like to have the following event announced in the next SMALLnet Posting:

For the Greater New York Metropolitan Area:

The Roxbury Area Model Airplane Club will be holding its Second Annual SMALL Fly-In on Sunday, August 20, 2000 at the club's field out at the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, on River Road just North of Shawnee, Pennsylvania.

Due to last year's popular demand, this year's event has been relocated from the club's New Jersey field to RAMAC's larger second field North of Shawnee, Pennsylvania.

Flying is limited to Aircraft with .26 cu. in. or smaller displace- ment engines (or equivalent, electric, CO2 or rubber powered motors.) AMA membership is required.

(Last year more than half the aircraft flown were electric.)

DIRECTIONS: From New Jersey: Take I-80 West across Delaware River Bridge, take Exit #52 onto Route 209N for 1.1 miles. Make Right Turn onto Buttermilk Falls Road; Left at Tee onto River Road; Go 4.7 miles North and Turn Right into Hialeah Air Park Parking Lot.

From Pennsylvania: East on I-80, Take Exit #52; the rest is the same.

Please note: There's no camping or concessions in the Park. There are places to stop to camp, get food or supplies in the East Stroudsburg Area. We do have Porta-john Facilities at the Field.

CD Ron Leciston; for Questions email me at <  >.

RAMAC 2000 SMALL FLY-IN Web Page: < http://members.aol.com/Lecisron/smallfly3.html > ( Any update information can be found there, plus links to pictures from last year's event.)

Dave Segal <  > reports:

Some hobby shops have had difficulty in getting SonicTronic products from their distributor. The company is located here in the Philadelphia suburbs, and my hobby shop has also had trouble getting supplies from the distributor.

So I telephoned SonicTronics, and they are still in business -- and will accept direct orders from hobby shops.

Plans for 14 of the various Live Wires, including the Kitten, are available from John Pond Old Time Plan Service. Telephone: 408-292-3382

Dave Segal

Red Scholefield <  > concurs:

Red Scholefield

August Freda <  > contributed:

Re your response to Sam Brauer: Jim Florio (John's son) is beginning to kit the R/C Florio Flyers again. He and a gentleman from Kane, Pennsylvania: Vern Olson -- are going to kit indoor rubber-powered planes. Vern's Science Olympiad kids have won many competitions with Vern's designs. A picture appears in the May 2000 Model Aviation.

I don't know whether Jim Florio is going to kit the gliders. I don't have a complete address, but Jim lives in Dagus Mills, Pennsylvania, which is in the St. Mary's area.

Augie Freda