Ideas for articles in RCM&E

[Tom T]

Ha ha very funny Tim I'll get my spider monkey to check my spelling in future (i'm joking I don't own a monkey, ill just get my pet tiger to check instead)

 

On a more serious note I will learn to check my spelling better in future.

 

Tom

[Erfolg]

Being an engineer, I cannot spell, my grammar is atrocious, as were all the other engineers in the organisation I worked for (well nearly all). That is other than the Oxford educated, Chief Engineer, who could not engineer his way out of a plastic bag. He decided to pin a notice on the communications board, with all the miss spellings he had encountered whilst our boss, with the correct spelling adjacent.

 

The list was extensive, many of those who read it were besides themselves, it was his lack of tact and overall incompetence as an engineer that riled many. His name was Brown. After a few days the list mysteriously grew, a line was added. On one side was Brown, on the other Hovis.

 

The list was torn down in fury. Which lead to all of us going on English courses. Yes the inevitable happened. One Engineer was far better at grammar than the tutor (having a double, somehow having studied Literature and Engineering at either Oxford or Cambridge, very unusual), correcting continuously the misguided grammatical constructions of the tutor. I did feel for her,as I was quite content, hopefully improving my writing, as the buffet's and accommodation were very good.

 

An old idea I know, are stories of famous aviation accomplishments, as say, a two page article, from time to time. Or profiles of full size aircraft.

[Spice Cat]

Tom,

Do like I do and copy you submission onto a word document for checking then direct correct the original.

I worked with a chap once who had a brain the size of a planet. However his writing was unitelligible and words you could make out were usually misspelt. Still a genius though.

As for articles; has anyone modelled a Zeppelin to a reasonable scale????

I would like to see the occasional "Weird but it Flies" articles both on models and full size aviation.

 

Ther just spel checked this and its purfect. Thankks Mr Gates.

[Tom T]

Ther just spel checked this and its purfect. Thankks Mr Gates.

>>>>>> This made me laugh! LOL, Nice one! I will do that in future.

 

Thank you for the great tip!

 

Tom

[PatMc]

Using a spell check is fine but it doesn't highlight or correct using a wrong word as Spice Cat has done in the first line of his post.

 

[Erfolg]

Patmac, you are so hard.

 

I know it is not a new idea, an observation, not all innovations in content and presentation are actually improvements.

 

I do think that RCM&E have stood up well in recent times, where as some of the competitors need to up their game somewhat.

 

Perhaps some of the ideas put forward could be incorporated as one offs, testing the water or just adding variety.

 

I would suggest that all contributors to the magazine should have an area where they can be contacted on the Forum. Nigel Hawes is one that is missing I think.

 

I do like the idea that all free plans, have a build thread directly supported by this site. Peter Miller is very active, not all are as accessible, or have a designer build thread. The idea is about blurring and integrating the magazine and Forum to consolidate the magazine readership.

 

[Spice Cat]

Posted by PatMc on 09/07/2011 14:12:29:

Using a spell check is fine but it doesn't highlight or correct using a wrong word as Spice Cat has done in the first line of his post.

 

Just wait 'til I get hold of Gates........

Edited By Spice Cat on 09/07/2011 20:04:30

[Erfolg]

I have just been looking at a thread which is a question of intake area, motor fan area for DF etc.

 

It did strike me this is an opportunity for BEB to write an article with respect to Fluidics. It could consider static performance and dynamic performance. Based on the F=ma concept, bringing in intake shape, effects of constrictions and cross sectional area transitions.

 

I am sure that BEB will wish to thank me

I have also noticed that there is a fundamental lack of understanding of materials, in the post industrial age. Again I am sure that BEB could produce an number of articles on such aspects such as crystallography and material characteristics, with particular emphasis on steels and alloying. There are other issues such as tri-axial stress in bulk and surface effects on materials. Griffiths (if correct name) crack propagation could be discussed and related to modelling issues. It can be related to crack arresting with matrix composites and the effects of fatigue.

 

I suspect materials and processing technology could provide BEB with at least 5 years of articles.

 

I n case you think I am being flippant I am not. I recognise that the understanding of materials has advanced significantly in the last 50 years, by leaps and bounds.

I awf or is it of to the shed to sulk now, its Timbos fault.

[Lee Smalley]

that article sounds incredibly zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

and has nothing really to do with aero modelling

 

 

 

[PatMc]

Beereycalfs (shouln't that be Beerycalves ?), obviously finds the prospects of the proposed articles as potentially inspirational as I do.

[Tim Mackey]

Posted by Erfolg on 13/07/2011 18:51:57:

I have just been looking at a thread which is a question of intake area, motor fan area for DF etc.

 

It did strike me this is an opportunity for BEB to write an article with respect to Fluidics. It could consider static performance and dynamic performance. Based on the F=ma concept, bringing in intake shape, effects of constrictions and cross sectional area transitions.

 

I am sure that BEB will wish to thank me

I have also noticed that there is a fundamental lack of understanding of materials, in the post industrial age. Again I am sure that BEB could produce an number of articles on such aspects such as crystallography and material characteristics, with particular emphasis on steels and alloying. There are other issues such as tri-axial stress in bulk and surface effects on materials. Griffiths (if correct name) crack propagation could be discussed and related to modelling issues. It can be related to crack arresting with matrix composites and the effects of fatigue.

 

I suspect materials and processing technology could provide BEB with at least 5 years of articles.

 

I n case you think I am being flippant I am not. I recognise that the understanding of materials has advanced significantly in the last 50 years, by leaps and bounds.

I awf or is it of to the shed to sulk now, its Timbos fault.

 

NO! - its "off" actually.

[Tom T]

LOL, this has given me an idea, i'm going to make a thread about spelling and grammar on a Model Forum. Some reason I've seen alot of non related treads to model planes or real planes lately.

 

Tom

[Tim Mackey]

Treads eh Tom - you find those on staircases or tyres mate.

Oh, and of course, a plane would never fly, far too heavy and far better suited to smoothing wood.

Edited By Tim Mackey - Administrator on 13/07/2011 19:20:49

[PatMc]

What's "alot" ?

Are model planes not real ? My imagination has been working overtime for years.

[Tim Mackey]

Guilty as charged - but before the boss spots this lot, we had better get back on topic

[Tom T]

True Tim and I swear my spelling is getting worse.

 

Also there is a difference between real planes and model planes. I love both real and model but what i don't understand is when people wear shirts saying I'm a pilot when flying model airplanes. Hmm..... I wouldn't call myself a pilot I would call myself a model flyer. (sorry if this has offended anyone).

 

Anyway back to topic as Tim says, should we carry this on, on general chitchat because this is an interesting topic?

 

Tom

[Erfolg]

I guess I have to accept my ideas went up like a lead balloon.

 

In mitigation and a final attempt to sell the ideas.

 

It is apparent that most modellers have not a clue what makes a successful DF. Potentially what should work, what reduces performance. BEB could educate and help those who wish to model their own DF model.

 

With respect materials, it is very evident that most of us know little about materials. Has no one wondered why heating some steels to red hot and rapid cooling, makes them become hard and brittle. What are the consequences of notching a material. Why materials may suddenly fail after repeated flexing, yet some do not at low stresses. How your CF wings is working, will the material continue flexing for ever. I believe material technology is fundamental to modelling and wider aspects of life.

 

Having ventured from my shed, it is off to it I must go again, joke over, chagrin complete . Oh! the shame, the humiliation, why was I an engineer.

[Doug Ireland]

I'm not sure if this has been covered but I'd like a tutorial on "pin" type hingeing for Ailerons: Top, Bottom, Middle and a guide to setting up linkages for mechanical Aileron differential as opposed to using the Tx to do it.

[Lindsay Todd]

How about a 'you can fix it' how to fix and repair those artfs, kit and general trad models, fixing a snapped foam wing, split sheeting, broken fuselage, the subjects are endless.

Would make an excellent ongoing series.

Linds

 

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

A series on repair techniques, now that is a good idea!

 

BTW, thanks for volunteering to increase my workload Erfolg! What the rest of you don't realise is the articles would carry the by-line "By BEB", just to draw in the crowds you understand, but they'd really be "ghost written" by Erfolg!

 

BEB

[Erfolg]

BEB

 

The principle reason I have suggested yourself for technical papers, is your current, up to the minute knowledge of the present thoughts regarding materials.

 

With respect to ducts. These are in principle a study in the conservation of energy, forces. In this area your ability to explain succinctly, how to apply some quite simple ideas, which many of us get wrong. In particular that energy can be conjured up from somewhere, other than the fan, all other aspects/features of the system removing energy.

 

I do believe there is a distinct area, where many modellers would benefit from current knowledge.

[Spice Cat]

Posted by Lindsay Todd on 16/07/2011 12:40:21:

How about a 'you can fix it' how to fix and repair those artfs, kit and general trad models, fixing a snapped foam wing, split sheeting, broken fuselage, the subjects are endless.

Would make an excellent ongoing series.

Linds

 

This gets my vote specially after last weekend....

[Seamus O'Leprosy]

Forgive me if this has been covered. I am really enjoying the look back at the RCME mags of the past particulary as I remember them the first time round.
My suggestion is for a similar revisit of some classic plans.
It was reading the recent posts on Peter M Druine Turbulent that sparked this idea.
Some of these classics could do with a second shot in the limelight.
Seamus

[Alan Randall]

As model shops are becoming a bit of a rarety, how about a page about a model shop each month talking about what they stock, what their expertise may be and what the owner/staff do in the way of modeling and other hobbies.There are a number of smaller shops plugging away supplying the hobby as well as the 4 or 5 well known 'big guns'. I suppose this could also extend to some of the email sites as well.

Edited By Alan Randall on 13/09/2011 09:21:23

[Richard Sharman]

Apologies if this has already been suggested - but what about an article summarising the discussion of popular Forum topic ? I'm continually amazed by the depth of information contained in forum topics, but sometimes you have to trawl carefully to sift it out. And most forums(fora ?) probably only reach a small proportion of all the modelers who might be interested if they did but know. So, if an enterprising journalist/editor were to write a succinct summary of the main arguments / facts / links / mis-conceptions, whatever, of the more important threads it could make an interesting article in the magazine. You could even have a "best Forum of the year" award or somesuch.