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Most of us have seen R/C Snoopy dog houses, witches
on brooms, and lawnmowers. Here from the April 1969 edition of American Aircraft Modeler
are some zanier flying platforms that you probably have not seen at the local field.
These contraptions were flown at a meet in Germany. They called it a "weirdo" contest.
Weird is right!
 model world ... on the international scene
Is modeling such a rut that a contest based on wild ideas is the coming thing? In
Germany there was a recent R/C helicopter event. Now we want to show you a successful
"weirdo" contest - all in fun, of course. The photos came from Germany model magazine
FLUG without caption data, so we have improvised accordingly. One may be tempted
to say just anything will fly, but a look at each model shows all are aerodynamically
sound.
 
Saucer - no visible means
of support
This flying saucer stands on its edge to fly. It is an all-Styrofoam 60-powered winged
disc. Controls are just rudder, elevator, motor using Simprop radio system. It was made
by rasping, carving, and sanding blocks of foam; no finish or covering used. Landing
this contraption is weird. It skips, hops, then rolls off into oblivion.
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Mud in your eye! The joy-crate
barrels along
Wonder what Snoopy and his flying dog house would think of this in flight? An S.T.
60-powered beer barrel has full-house radio controls. Airfoil on barrel is symmetrical.
Center-section is reflex lifting surface. Really shakes up the drinking crowd!
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This is no flying barn door!
Now just a minute, where's the outhouse door? Flying? Incredible! Complete with heavy
brass hinges, "clever" flat airfoil. It does fly, though not too stably. Rudder, elevator,
engine control.
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Ever seen a flying umbrella?
We think this powered umbrella is free-flight, stabilized by pendulum effect of the
tail boom. Glide is like a parachute. Landing is easy - it poked into the ground and
stuck.
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Superman - or Wizard of
Oz?
While some of us consider our well-worn airplanes as scarecrows, this modeler seriously
made one. Here the elevator control surface is located at the "hips." Should fly quite
well.
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Self-pushing wheelbarrows
Here we find a real, honest-to-goodness wheel-barrow race. These things have rudder,
motor, and elevator control. Note the "tail" wheel. Nothing impractical, it has been
done before. Flies well.
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Posted August 20, 2011
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