Miss San Diego

The aeroplane is a Miss San Diego designed by Elbert Weathers in 1936. In the Air Age Gas Models book, it is referred to as the Westerner, which is really the title of the article. Here are some early photos of my Miss San Diego, lacking some trim, ignition system and servos/receiver. Powered by an original Elf Model 1 serial # 117, it will come out at the recommended weight of 18 oz. even with 2 channels for R/C. It is covered with Polyspan which I dyed with Idye-Poly before covering. Available in a number of colors, it looks the same as colored silkspan and eliminates the tedious spraying of tinted clear dope.

The engine has a displacement of .13 cu.in. All the newer Elfs had a cylinder displacement of .098 cu. in. I also have 2 Elf Twins. Ask Gil Morris about them as he told me that a friend of his won A gas in 1941 with a Zipper with a twin. I'm gonna fly it in fuel allotment, because it runs 43 minutes on 1 oz. of fuel; turns that 12X4 at 3500 RPM!

Dave Acton
Brooklyn Skyscaper

Steven Aero FREDe 2x (part 14)

Dangerous 15x8E APC prop removed.

Plane tried to escape from basement while adjusting throws.

CAUTION:  Electrics can bite.  This one ate the chair.

Trees have grown since the Remuera days.

Stevens Aero FREDe 2x (part 13)

Hi Tom, I ran out of things to do. Still waiting on the decals. I will clean a spot on the work bench for the next project.

I made a quick check of the CG. It is in the ball park. Tonight, Tim Manuella is going to take a few photos of me with Fritz.

Champion plug and High Tension Lead

Manuella photo

Waiting on decals

Stevens Aero FREDe 2X (part 12)

Hi Tom,

 I thought parklite yellow would be better than white for the front of the fuselage. We need to put crosses on the fin and the cross bones and skull on the fuselage.  I may put some red lighting bolts on the yellow. Should have it completed by Monday.

 A backorder on the fuselage covering had slowed this project, but it was finally delivered Wednesday.  Horizon Hobby said they got a lot of complaints about their new covering  and I know why.  They advertised one meter of covering and they showed the pattern. It arrived in a box that was 10X10X10. Inside, were two very short tubes with no instructions. When I opened the tubes up, I found that it was cut into short lengths of varying shapes. They were getting the complaints because people were buying what they thought was the only available iron on plastic covering in the lozenge camouflage and then finding that this was made for a specific ARF. Apparently ARFers can't cut their own pieces out of a roll. Anyhow, we made the best of this. In my "research" I have found that it was common to use this camo in sections and then use some other bold colors for the remainder. 

 A little ostentatious, but when asked about it by German high command Richthofen said: "We are German warriors, not drab English sparrows." (nor parakeets?) We think Fritz would agree.  In any event, they said it adheres at 200° and shrinks at 300°


 

Clutton's Full Size FRED in one of its early schemes