| Although experiments with rotary winged | | | | wing.The helicopter generates lift by the |
| aircraft may be traced back to Leonardo da | | | | movement of its main rotor blades through the |
| Vinci, successful flights were not achieved | | | | air as its rotor turns. The blades have to be |
| until the 1930s, and it was not until 1941 | | | | moved at high speed and at a comparatively |
| that the first practical, full size | | | | high angle of attack in order to produce |
| helicopter was built by lgor Sikorsky. Model | | | | sufficient lift to raise the model into the |
| enthusiasts are notably quick to emulate | | | | air. Weight is critical and experimenters who |
| full-size aviation achievements, but were not | | | | discovered that their chosen engine had |
| as successful with rotary wing aircraft, and | | | | insufficient power to produce the required |
| it was not until 1968 that the first fully | | | | lift were faced with a vicious circle. |
| controllable R/C model helicopter appeared, | | | | Fitting a larger engine to increase the |
| built by Dr. Dieter Schluter of West | | | | available power also meant an increase in the |
| Germany.Many modellers were convinced that | | | | weight to be lifted.Bigger engines require |
| the single rotor autogiro would be an easier | | | | more fuel and more weight! Increasing the |
| subject to tackle than the helicopter and | | | | angle of the rotor blades in the airflow |
| were conducting their experiments along these | | | | produces more lift, up to a point but this |
| lines, but in fact the first really | | | | also increases the drag of the blade, which |
| successful British R/C autogiro, a semi-scale | | | | now requires more power to move it at the |
| model of the Wallace Autogiro, was first | | | | required speed. All problems were eventually |
| flown in 1978, ten years after the first | | | | overcome and the fully controllable R/C model |
| appearance of the R/C helicopter. Designers | | | | helicopter had arrived.There were, however, |
| and manufacturers the world over were quick | | | | no short cuts in its development: engines, |
| to take advantage of Schluter's success and, | | | | drive gears, rotor blades, control methods, |
| In the early 1970s, model helicopter kits | | | | etc all had to follow a similar design to |
| were on sale in the model shops.In order to | | | | full-size helicopter and be built to the same |
| appreciate the reasons for the slow | | | | exacting standards or perhaps closer to the |
| development of the model helicopter, at least | | | | mechanism design of the full-size |
| a few of the problems which faced the | | | | helicopter.So how difficult is the model |
| pioneers must be considered. These problems | | | | helicopter to control in fight? Well, it has |
| were many and complex, for instance in order | | | | been described as similar to balancing a |
| to achieve fight with any heavier-than-air | | | | steel ball on a knife edge whale riding a |
| machine, the lift force generated by its | | | | bicycle! more on that when you visit Model |
| airfoils must overcome the aircraft's weight. | | | | Aeronautics for Dodos by following the link |
| In the case of a conventional aircraft this | | | | in my resource box.Manolito Montala was a RC |
| is achieved by its forward speed through the | | | | model airplane enthusiast and he also have a |
| air which flows across its airfoil-sectioned | | | | degree in Aeronautical Engineering. He is |
| wing, causing a speeding-up of the air, and | | | | also a CAD Engineer and a webmaster. You will |
| there by a reduction in pressure, over its | | | | find many more topics on rc model helicopters |
| upper surface. At the same time, pressure | | | | by visiting Model Aeronautics For Dodos. |
| increases across its under- surface of the | | | | |