Little Ships

In a cavernous armory in Manhattan, two days last week, a hundred-odd boys of high-school age moved quietly about the floor, some carrying tiny, fragile model airplanes, others standing with heads thrown back, gaping anxiously at the roof. Up under the lofty girders, slowly and silently circled little gossamer shapes. At intervals an announcer boomed a number through a megaphone. The only other noise in the hall was an incessant metallic undertone like the sound of a score of egg-beaters. This came from a number of gadgets not unlike egg-beaters in the hands of some of the boys. They were devices for winding the rubber-band motors of the little planes. Such was the scene of the Eastern States indoor championship meet for miniature ships, sponsored by The Universal Model Airplane News.

Three events were run off in the meet, all for flight duration. One was for Baby R. O. G. (rise-off-ground) types, one for fuselage models, one for "open sticks." The Baby R. 0. G. class was limited to models of 30 sq. in. maximum wing area, 8 in. length. One after another 20 "babies" took off from the floor, made wide spirals toward the arched ceiling, propellers flailing the air. One after another fluttered floorward, rubber motors slack, to land on paper-thin balsa-wood wheels, until at the end of 7 1/2 min. only one was still in the air for a new world record in its class.

The winning model, owned by Herbert Owen of New Britain, Conn., had an enormous advantage of lightness. It weighed only .03 oz. Instead of Japanese tissue, its wing was made of "microfilm," a transparent, opalescent substance that looks something like Cellophane. It is made from a nitrocellulose fluid base (e.g. collodion, bronzing liquid, etc.) that-floats on' water in a gossamer layer, dries in a sheet about one-eighth the weight of superfine tissue. The winner was awarded the Sportsman Pilot Cup, originally posted by Sportsman Pilot (monthly) for a race which did not come off in the National Air Races last September.

The youth who won second place in the Baby R. O. G. class, Carl Goldberg, 20, of Purchase, N. Y., was regarded as the most important contender in the meet. Now a student at University of Wisconsin, Goldberg has been building and racing models in the U. S. meets for about five years, usually takes highest honors. Younger boys speak of him with awe. Officials laud his sportsmanship.

Planes in the fuselage class are larger than R. O. G.'s but not scale models of full-sized airplanes. They have no landing gear, are launched from the hand. Winner was John Zaic, 18, of Manhattan, with a flight of 6 min. 57 sec. Goldberg finished fourth.

Simplest of all flying; models is the "open stick," in which the wings and propeller are affixed to a single thin stick of balsa wood. This time Goldberg seemed a sure winner when his plane had stayed up 13 min. But just then it smacked into a rafter and spiralled to the floor. Goldberg elected to waive its performance as a "delayed flight" in hope of improving his time. But his next trial lasted only 9 min. 15 sec. Meanwhile a husky youth in a black & orange football sweater with a large "9" on his back, and a baseball cap with a "P" on the-visor, had entered the lists. He was an unknown, George Schweigart of National Park, N. J. Working feverishly at his "pit" on the sidelines he had converted a fuselage type into an open-stick just in time for the event. A moment before the start he broke the cardboard-thin-propeller, carved from a single block of balsa. He bent the propeller into place, launched it anyway. With grace and dignity the little 'ship flew for 10 min. 45 sec., won first place.

For his total points in all three events Goldberg emerged as usual, champion of the meet.

Observers noted the deadly earnestness of the contestants. They gathered in little groups, talking in terms of dihedral, torque, centre-of-gravity, drag, wing-loading, etc., etc. Each construction job is a complete problem in aerodynamics.

As in all indoor meets, models were bound to collide with something. Now and then one would wedge itself among the rafters. If it could not be dislodged by a toy balloon on a long string, its owner would calmly climb after it. When the planes settle toward the heads of those on the floor, strict etiquette must be observed: One must never jump hastily out of the way. That disturbs the air currents and may cause a plane to dive to the floor. Proper procedure is to swing one's head slowly, or squat gently.

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