Model Aeroplanes and Their Engines: A Practical Book for Beginners
9781465671127
213 pages
Library of Alexandria
Overview
Model aëroplaning, as a sport, was first introduced in America during the year of 1907. It was then that the first model aëroplane club in America was formed by Miss E. L. Todd, with the assistance of Mr. Edward Durant, now Director of the Aëro Science Club of America. Prior to this the model aëroplane was considered an instrument of experimentation or, when built to resemble a full sized machine, was used for exhibition purposes. Noted scientists, men such as Maxim, Langley, Eiffel and others, depended largely on models to bring about the desired results during their experiments. Before the Wright Brothers brought forth and launched the first heavier than air machine their experiments, to a great extent, were confined to model aëroplanes. There is little doubt but that a large majority of aviators engaged in flying machines in different parts of the world were at one time in their career interested in the construction and flying of model aircraft, and from which no doubt they obtained their initial knowledge of the aëroplane, in so far as the same principles and laws apply to any aëroplane, regardless of its size. The first model aëroplane club went under the name of the New York Model Aëro Club and during its existence a great many of its contests were carried on in armories. The reason for this was because of the fact that the greater number of the models prevalent at that time were built along the lines of full sized machines, and their manner of construction was such as to interfere with the flying efficiency of the model. Streamline construction was something unknown to model constructors in those days and, in consequence, crudely constructed and heavy models were very often evidenced, and, as a result, flights of over one hundred feet were very seldom made. At about the same time model enthusiasts in both England and France were actively engaged in constructing and flying models, but the type of model used was of a different design from those flown by the American modelists and as a result of this innovation many of the early records were held abroad. The type of model flown by the English modelists resembled in appearance the letter “A”, hence the term “A” type. It was not long after the introduction of this type of model in America that model aëroplaning as a sport began to assume an aspect of great interest. Models were constructed along simpler lines and with a greater tendency toward doing away with all unnecessary parts, thus increasing the flying qualities of the models. Flights of greater distance and duration were the objects sought and, in their efforts to achieve them new records were made at most every contest, until flights of from 500 to 1000 feet were common occurrences. By the use of the A type model and the single stick model which made its appearance shortly after the A type model, American modelists succeeded in breaking most of the world records for this type of model which is now termed by English modelists “flying sticks.”
