Page:Kitecraft and kite tournaments (1914).djvu/145

Rh of good plans of kites and model aeroplanes will be sent out during the coming season.

Spruce sticks can be obtained again this year at 1335 E. 6th St. at the Southern California Box Co., in 25c bundles or more.

The Goodyear Rubber Co., No. 324 S. Broadway is carrying string rubber and will have one sixteenth and one eighth inch, very good sizes. Models propelled by rubber bands should be from 20″ to 30″ across. Do not make the planes too wide, much of the failure of models is due to this mistake.

Two firms in the east are advertising small gasoline motors for model aeroplanes. Models to carry these motors should be from 6′ to 8′ or more. Models so equipped are operated by cords running to the ground. One boy claims to have succeeded with a storage battery under his arm and an Ajax motor in his model. If we get our model well under control we should be able to carry the storage battery on a wheel as suggested two years ago. No one has reported a success with the clockspring device. A long coiled steel wire spring has more promising possibilities.

Look for advertisements in "Popular Mechanics" and other magazines, for firms carrying parts such as gears, rubber motors, etc. There will be a few events for commercially manufactured models, but these are not to compete with home made.

The usual kite events will be about the same as during the past two years. The quarter mile dash with the use of reels will be used; also an eighth mile dash will be listed this year in which the string is to be would in by hand.

The "Scientific American" of October 14, 1911, has an article on "How to make a Model Aeroplane that will fly 700 feet". Look it up.

Ask at the libraries for Mr. Collin's books on "Model Aeroplanes". There is a second book out by this author that seems very good.

Look out for ideas in the daily newspapers and at the Dominguez meet.

Principals please post.

Respectfully, CHAS. M. MILLER.