C/LStunt M
ike Gibson, of Abilene, Texas, has
volunteered at the Ben
Richey Boys Ranch for the past seven years. He teaches as many kids as he can to learn to fly control line models and, with the support of his friend, Kerry Fortune, he is able to take at least three young modelers to the AMA Na- tionals in Muncie each year. He has been known to sneak out of his business and fly with the boys and even cut balsa kits on his water jet at his manufacturing plant. I met Mike and his kids about five years ago at the Nats, and Mike helped others be- come more aware of his program by submit- ting two columns for me in FLYINGMODELS. The kids from the Ben Richey Boys Ranch have done well enough to help the kit and engine coffers of the ranch. On my last trip to the VSC in Tucson, Mike and Kerry gra- ciously helped us by allowing us to stay on the ranch and see what the kids were doing. I personally have given them several kits and engines from my own small collection. I was helping one family in the Golconda com- munity and that endeavor went by the way- side, so I switched my support to Mike Gib- son and his boys. These boys are encouraged by parents and grandparents to be a part of the ranch and they are in no way forced to be there. They are able to leave at their own discretion. Kids might stay from several months to several years depending upon their individual situations.
Mike needed a simpler kit to get the kids through the building process faster and onto the grass circles just outside their hobby room. Pat Johnston came to the rescue. He has been a wonderful person who has assisted so many modelers with CAD plans and new models to build. Pat put together a foam wing and wood kit of a Navy Hellcat/Wildcat, an Army Air Force P-51 and a Ringmaster clone. The control system is placed at the top of the wing and the wing slips through the body for easy gluing and repairing. The leadout guide is located at the top of the in- board wing tip and wing tip weights are
by allen brickhaus You can reach Allen Brickhausat PO Box 206, Golconda, Illinois 62938, or via e-mail at
abkb801@shawneelink.net
PHOTOGRAPHY: ALLEN BRICKHAUS
Shown at the Ben Richey Boys Ranch are Mike and Jill Gibson to the left, Elaine and Kerry Fortune plus Allen’s travel partner for the VSC 2011, Wes Eakin.
glued on the outboard wing tip or on the un- der side of the outer wing tip end. The CAD plans, the laser cut balsa and plywood parts and the cut foam wing is available through Pat Johnston at
patsplans@yahoo.com.
Leather fillets for Stunt models I have used leather fillets before. I like them and they are easy to apply to many Stunt type models. Walter Umland supplied me with the latest cut versions of the leather fillets. I will have the wing and fuselage joint filled and sanded to form a 90-degree angle. I like using the smaller version as they add less weight and curve better around the leading edge of even somewhat non-blunt wings.
I begin my work at the bottom aft end of the wing fillet. I cut the leather fillet with a sharp scissors and trim with a brand new sin- gle-edged razor blade. I cut the leather piece to fit the contours of the bottom aft end of the wooden gusset. I then push the newly cut end
into the wing and fuselage joint and tack glue with a tiny bit of thin CyA. I move forward with the application of the leather fillet and use aliphatic (water-based) glues to hold the fillet in place on the straight gusset only. The fillet is held in place with straight pins. I allow this to dry and begin moving around the rest of the wing and fuselage joint, curve around the leading edge and ap- ply the fillet material until I reach the top flap area gusset. When this is dry, I then cut the end of the leather to match the shape of the gusset and glue and pin down again with the water based glue. When all is in place and dry, remove the pins and continue the finish of your model. Here’s a link to reach Walter Umland and purchase his fillet material:
http://tinyurl.com/at5rlnx.
Prop Jig
I needed to cut some carbon fiber blades to a shorter length and wanted to use a fixture that would accurately make them the exact
PHOTO: MIKE GIBSON
Pat Johnston provided the foam wing and wood kits for these warbirds (above) to help get the kids at the Ben Richey Boys Ranch through the building process faster. Leather fillets (at right) provided by Walter Umland help keep the wing and fuselage joint clean looking and light.
60 JANUARY 2013
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