The Flight Line

NEWMAN LAKE AERONAUTICAL PILOTS SOCIETY "We love this stuff"

Newman Lake, Washington AMA Charter 1959 January 2015

In this Issue...  Editor's Note President's Corner  President's Corner By Jack Dubuque  Tips 'n Tricks  Feathered Friends Welcome everyone to the  Feature Article 2015 flying season. I hope that  Latest Meeting Minutes you all enjoy this flying year as much as the  Upcoming Events last.  Projects & Pictures  Airplane of the Month Last year we started having a small BBQ after the club meetings at the flying field and I think it was enjoyed by all. This year I plan to have as many field meetings as possible

Editor's Note and continue with the BBQs. By Dave Schmeder

Hope to see you all out at the field for the Happy New Year! flying and the food.

Jack This is the time of year when many of us start building a new airplane. Not because we NEED another airplane, but because we like "the journey" of creating an aircraft with our own hands. Building an airplane from plans or from a kit is not cost effective (compared to buying an ARF) and is rarely as nicely finished as those of the mass-produced ARFs, but there is NAPS Club Information nothing like the feeling of accomplishment when Location you have completed the maiden flight of a new 11501 North Star Road airplane and landed it safely in ONE PIECE. Newman Lake, WA. 99025

Check out my newest airplane in the Projects and Contacts Photos section. President: Jack Dubuque 509-953-1370

Vice President: Ron Hinton 509-981-5090 Dave Sec/Treasurer: Dave Schmeder 509-928-3691 Field Maintenance: Ron Pierce 509-710-1586

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Did you know.....

... that the Fokker Spin was the first aircraft built by Anthony Fokker? The many bracing wires made the plane resemble a giant spider, hence its name Spin (Dutch for "spider").

Fokker, while studying in Germany, built the Spin in 1910 together with business partner Franz von Daum, who procured the engine. The plane started out as an experimental design to provide Fokker a means to explore his interest in flying. While the first Spin was destroyed when von Daum flew it into a tree, the engine was still salvageable and was used in the second version.

A second version of the Spin was built soon The hard working afterwards, in which Fokker taught himself to fly Newsletter staff and earned his pilot license. This plane was also will be taking a irreparably damaged by von Daum. short break in The fuselage simply consists of two wooden Z February and beams with cross members on which the pilot is Z March, but will Z seated and on which an Argus four-cylinder water- be back in April cooled engine is mounted in the front. The Z with another radiators are placed on the side of the fuselage. exciting issue. The wings and tail consist of two steel tubes with Dave bamboo ribs. The whole structure is held together with steel wire.

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Our Feathered Friends at Newman Lake "Red-tailed Hawk"

This is probably the most common hawk in North America. If you’ve got sharp eyes you’ll see several individuals on almost any long car ride, anywhere. Red-tailed Hawks soar above open fields, slowly turning circles on their broad, rounded wings. Other times you’ll see them atop telephone poles, eyes fixed on the ground to catch the movements of a vole or a rabbit, or simply waiting out cold weather before climbing a thermal updraft into the sky.

Red-tailed Hawks are large hawks with typical Buteo proportions: very broad, rounded wings and a short, wide tail. Large females seen from a distance might fool you into thinking you’re seeing an eagle, (Until an actual eagle comes along). They breed throughout North America, from Alaska east to Nova Scotia and southward and winter across United States north to southern British Columbia and Maritime Provinces.

The habitat for the Red-tailed Hawks include deciduous forests and open country of various kinds, including tundra, plains and farmlands. They lay 2 or 3 white eggs, spotted with brown, in a bulky nest of sticks lined with shreds of bark and bits of fresh green vegetation, placed in a tall tree or on a rock ledge.

The red-tailed hawk is carnivorous, and an opportunistic feeder. Its diet is mainly small mammals, but it also includes birds and reptiles.

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Feature Article U.S. Military Aircraft Roundels

(1918-Present)

Military aircraft insignia are insignia applied to military aircraft to identify the nation or branch of military service to which the aircraft belongs. Many insignia are in the form of a circular roundel or modified roundel; other shapes such as stars, crosses, squares or triangles are also used.

Insignia are often displayed on the sides of the fuselage, the upper and lower surfaces of the wings, as well as on the fin or rudder of an aircraft, although considerable variation can be found amongst different air arms, and within specific air arms over time.

Here is a list of the U.S. Roundels used from 1918 to Present. This may come in handy as you complete your next scale airplane.

1918 A tricolor roundel was introduced by the US Army Air To Service in February 1918 for commonality with the other 1919 allies, all of whom used such roundels.

This was the US insignia in use from August of 1919 until the United States entered World War II. In the pre- WWII years, 1930-1941, the U.S. Military had some of the most colorful aircraft ever flown. "The Golden Age", as this period is sometimes referred to, was a transitional 1919 period for military aircraft, advancing from Bi-Planes to To single wing airplanes. 1942

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In January, the national insignia was added to both wings, top and bottom. The red dot in the center of the 1942 star was removed in the Pacific theater to eliminate To confusion over the Japanese red disc which served as their insignia. The tail rudder stripes were also removed. 1943 These last two changes were accomplished throughout American forces by May of 1942.

In February of 1943, the national insignia was removed from the upper right and lower left wing surfaces. Incidents of "friendly fire" continued after the "red dot" was removed, so the US Government initiated a study and discovered that the "red dot" wasn't the issue because color couldn't be discerned from a long distance anyway. Whereas shapes could. So the probable problem was the circular shape, which could be seen at distances.

1943 After trying out several variations including an oblong (Early) roundel with two stars, they arrived at using white bars flanking the sides of the existing roundel, all with a red outline, which became official in June 1943. This still wasn't entirely satisfactory and the red was replaced with blue in September 1943. On US Navy aircraft painted in gloss midnight blue, the blue of the roundels was difficult to distinguish so the blue portion was eventually dispensed with and only the white portion of the roundel was painted on the aircraft.

1943 September 1943, to January 1947: the thin red outline To was changed to blue. 1947

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In January 1947 red bars were added within the existing 1947 white bars on both USN and USAAF aircraft and in September of the same year, the United States Army Air to Forces (USAAF) became an independent service and was renamed the United States Air Force (USAF). Present In 1955 the USN (Navy) would repaint all its aircraft (Full Color) from midnight blue to light gray over white and would use exactly the same roundel as the USAF again.

Since then there have been some minor variations, mostly having to do with low-visibility versions of the star and 1947 bars roundel. to Air superiority F-15's eliminated the blue outline in the Present 1970s, and later some aircraft replaced the blue with (Low black or a counter-shaded gray, or used a stencil to create Visibility) an outlined version.

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NAPS Club Meeting Minutes

Meeting Minutes from January 10th, 2015: The January meeting was called to order at 10:03 AM by President Jack Dubuque. 14 club members were in attendance.

The November meeting notes were approved as published. The January Treasurer’s report was presented and approved. 16 club members have paid their 2015 flying season dues.

Safety:  Just a cautionary note to those who brave the cold weather and fly in the icy conditions. The ground can get very slick around the start-up benches so be extremely careful.

Old Business:  Swap Meet Results: Bill Burgad reported that after all expenses were paid, the NAPS club did make some money. Those funds will be deposited into the NAPS account. Many thanks go to all those who helped with the event. Members donated food, sale/swap items and an Electric airplane for the raffle.

 Bridge Repairs: One of the Bridge cross-beams has broken on one end and needs to be replaced. In fact, there are several cross-beams which need to be replaced. Ron Pierce has purchased 2 cross-beams for the club to install as soon as the weather improves. Ron will also order 2 more cross-beams to be installed in the Spring.

New Business:  Summer Barbecues: Jack Dubuque reported that the simple barbecues which we had at each club meeting at the flying field last summer were well received by the club members. It is suggested that we continue with the BBQs at the summer club meetings, and that we add a little dessert item (like cookies) and possibly one other item (like chili, a salad, etc.). We will discuss it more as we get closer to the summer season.

Meeting adjourned at 10:35 AM. Next meeting: April 4th (no meeting in February or March) Upcoming Events

Feb 7-9, 2014 Northwest Model Hobby Expo - Monroe, WA

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Projects and Pictures

1/4 Scale Piper J-3 Cub by Dave Schmeder

Statistics

Builder: Dave Schmeder Kit: Sig Model: 1/4 scale Piper J-3 Wing Span: 105" Covering: Century 21 Engine: DLE 20cc gas Finished weight: 13lb 9oz Build: Jan - Dec 2014 Maiden flight: 12/22/2014

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Dec 14, 2014 Dave Schmeder, Patrick Winters, Miles Fuhrman Jack Dubuque, Ron Hinton, Randy Brown

Ron Hinton - Sky Bug

Jack Dubuque - 1/4 scale Cub

Dave Robinson - Bristol

Dec 22, 2014 Dave Schmeder, Jack Dubuque, Ron Hinton, Patrick Winters

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Airplane of the Month Boeing P-26 Peashooter

The Boeing P-26 Peashooter was the first American all-metal production fighter aircraft and the first pursuit monoplane used by the United States Army Air Corps. The P-26 first flew in 1932 and was still in use with the U.S. Army Air Corps as late as 1941 in the Philippines.

The project, funded by Boeing, to produce the Boeing Model 248 began in September 1931, with the Army Air Corps supplying the engines and the instruments. The design, which included an open cockpit, fixed landing gear and externally braced wings, was the last such design procured by the USAAC as a fighter aircraft. The Model 248 had a high landing speed, which caused a number of accidents. To remedy this, flaps were fitted to reduce the landing speed. The Army Air Corps ordered three prototypes, designated XP-936, with the first flight on March 20, 1932.

The Boeing XP-936 was still tricky to land. Because of the short nose, it tended to roll onto its back and would flip forward, injuring a number of pilots. The prototype's unarmored headrest offered virtually no protection in such instances. As a result, production Model 266s ("P-26A"s) had a taller, armored headrest installed.

Two fighters were completed as the "P-26B" with a fuel-injected Pratt & Whitney R-1340-33 engine. These were followed by 23 "P-26C"s, with carbureted R-1340-33s and modified fuel systems. Both the Spanish Air Force (one aircraft) and the Republic of China Air Force (eleven aircraft) ordered examples of the Model 281 version of the P-26C in 1936.

The little "Peashooter", as it became affectionately known by service pilots, was faster than previous American combat aircraft. Nonetheless, due to the rapid progress in aviation design in the 1930s, its design quickly became out dated, with its wire-braced wings, fixed landing gear and open cockpit design features. The Curtiss P-36, Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Hawker Hurricane, with enclosed cockpits, retractable landing gear and cantilever wings, all flew for the first time in 1935, just three years later than the P-26. However, the P-26 was easy to fly, and it remained in service until the U.S. entered World War II.

151 Boeing P-26 Peashooters were built.

--- Wikipedia ---

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