Kits, Plans, Rubber Strip, Wood, Tissue, and Other Science Olympiad
Wright Stuff Necessities
Bob Clemens 95 Shoreway Drive, Rochester, NY 14612 (716) 392-3346 E-Mail: [email protected]
Updated: December, 2003
Vendors in the model airplane industry are recognizing the presence and importance of the Wright Stuff Science Olympiad
event. Kits designed specifically for 2004 Wright Stuff competition are now available. Many hard-to-locate items are
needed for Wright Stuff flying, including rubber strip, tissue for covering, balsa wood sticks and sheets, various adhesives,
mechanical winders, and more. The following is a short list of vendors offering these materials for Wright Stuff
competition. Please copy and share this list. Although efforts are made to keep this list current, please understand that
vendor catalog information, merchandise prices, e-mail addresses, and web site information are subject to changes without
notice. By all means, check out the web sites. There is much valuable information available from them, with links to many
others.
F.A.I. Model Supply
P.O. Box 366
Sayre, PA 18840-0366 (570) 882-9873 E-mail: [email protected] Web site: faimodelsupply.com/
F.A.I. carries 100+ free flight kits, including the the new Harlan Lil’ Dipperand Big Dipper Wright Stuff kits. FAI is the
prime supplier of Tan Sport and Super Sport rubber strip, the performance standard of the hobby, and also stocks tissue, a
good 15:1 winder, and many other useful items. They are offering a new, specially-designed plastic propeller for 2004
Wright Stuff models. It’s by Ikara in the Czech Republic. Check for availability with FAI proprietor John Clapp. Their
catalog is $2.00, a must for Wright Stuff competitors.
Freedom Flight Models
P.O. Box 142603
Fayetteville, GA 30214 (770) 460-0939 E-mail: [email protected]
www.freedomflightmodels.com
Web site:
At last- a web sited totally dedicated to Wright Stuff models, accessories, and supplies! The models, one for high school,
the other for middle school, are disigned for the 2004 Wright Stuff rules. Either kit will build two models, and both come
with lightweight Ikara plastic propellers that are now allowed for Wright Stuff models. Proprietor Dave Zeigler, an awardwinning Science Olympiad coach, doesn’t stop there. He also sells the excellent K&P rubber winder (see photo on last
page), rubber strip custom-cut for Wright Stuff models, and condenser paper ultralight covering material (see glossary).
Hannan's Runway
Box 210
Magalia, CA 95954 (530) 873-6421
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: http://www.hrunway.com
Hannan's Runway carries a very comprehensive inventory of wonderful books on model airplanes and aircraft history,
many aimed at beginners. They also sell informative videos on free flight modeling, including one on the basics of rubberpowered flying. Hannan's Runway is a splendid resource for anyone getting started in Wright Stuff competition. The $1.00
catalog charge is refundable on your first order. Easier yet, check his excellent and informative web site. Visa and
Mastercharge accepted.
Ray Harlan Indoor Supplies
15 Happy Hollow Road
Wayland, MA 01778 (508) 358-4013
www.indoorduration.com
E-Mail: [email protected]
Web site:
Ray Harlan is an expert indoor flier, and for a number of years has marketed specialized tools and supplies for the serious
indoor model flier. He’s now is offering a new Wright Stuff kit, designed specifically for the 2004 rules. The kit, which will
build two of either the Lil’ Dipper (middle school) or Big Dipper (high school) model, contains everything needed to build
and fly, including a 10-page instruction booklet. Send Ray a stamped, addressed return envelope or call him to get
information on these and other products. One is a simple, accurate scale designed for weighing models and rubber motors.
Indoor Model Supply
Box 2020
Florence, OR 97439
Phone: (541) 902-8508
Web site: http://www.indoormodelsupply.com/
IMS caters to both beginner and veteran indoor fliers, and offers kits, wood, rubber, and lots of other items for this unique
niche of aeromodeling. This includes their Sci Oly Wright Stuff model. IMS carries condenser paper, the lightest covering
material allowed under the Science Olympiad rules. They sell a good rubber winder, plus many non-standard widths of Tan
rubber for indoor flying. Proprietor Lew Gitlow has an informational book on the Wright Stuff event. He takes phone
orders. Catalog is $2.00.
Micro-X Products
P.O. Box 1063
Lorain, OH 44055 (440) 282-8354
E-mail: [email protected]
Micro-X is another vendor dealing primarily with indoor-oriented products: kits, select quality indoor wood, specialty
covering materials (including condenser paper) and accessories, and many sizes of Tan rubber strip. They carry Wright
Stuff kits and smaller widths of Tan rubber and a new $4.95 book on the event by Lew Gitlow (see IMS). Their catalog is
$2.00. Recommended.
Midwest Products Co., Inc.
Educational Products Division
400 S. Indiana Street
P.O. Box 564
Hobart, IN 46342
1-800-348-3497
Web site: www.midwestproducts.com/
Midwest Products Co. is the National Sponsor of the Science Olympiad Wright Stuff event. They offer kits for gliders and
four rubber-powered models, plus teaching texts, packs of rubber strip, a very good 15:1 winder, wood, tools, and
adhesives. Of particular interest to Science Olympiad competitors is their Wright Stuff kit, the Sorcerer (see their web site
for tips on upgrading the model to meet 2004 rules). It has materials enough to build two models. Their Right Flyer, a
robust 19” model, makes a good basic trainer model for Wright Stuff competition at either the middle or high school level
(see last page). Call the Midwest 800 number and ask for their catalog or to order kits.
A brief glossary of frequently used free flight modeling terms
Condenser paper: An extremely light, somewhat fragile paper originally made for use as insulation in electrical
condensers but available in sheets from some vendors for use in covering indoor models. Condenser paper is lighter than
Japanese tissue, and may be a good choice, in lieu of conventional model tissue, to help meet the 2002-3 minimum model
weight of 8 grams.
Endurance model: A model that is designed and built solely to stay aloft for as long as possible. There are many
competition categories of indoor and outdoor endurance models. These models may or may not have a realistic appearance.
Models flown in the Wright Stuff event are endurance models.
Free flight model: A model airplane that flies free of any outside control, such as radio or wires, while airborne. It stability
and flight guidance come from its basic design as well as correct balance and settings of wing, tail, and thrust line.
Indoor model: A model built specifically for flying in an indoor site, such as a school gym, athletic arena, fieldhouse,
aircraft hangar, or other draft-free interior location with suitable floor space and ceiling height. Rubber and electricpowered models, as well as small gliders can be flown indoors. Light weight is an important characteristic of indoor
models, which are comparatively more fragile than those intended to be flown outdoors. Wright Stuff models are indoor
models.
Japanese tissue: A generic name for paper imported from Japan, used for covering the wings, tail, and other parts of
lightweight rubber-powered model aircraft. It's often referred to in catalogs as "Esaki" tissue. This paper is lighter and of
much higher quality than domestic tissue, and comes in seven colors: black, white, red, orange, yellow, blue, and green.
Many of the vendors listed above stock it, and it's highly recommended. Esaki tissue is not as light as condenser paper, but
is stronger and easier to handle.
Rubber lubricant: A slippery substance, usually a liquid, applied to a rubber motor to reduce friction between the strands
when they are tightly wound for flight. Use of a proper lubricant is vital! It enables many more turns to be wound into a
rubber motor than would be possible without it. Rubber lubricants are sold by some of the listed vendors. Automotive
protectants such as Armor All, Formula 2001, and Son of a Gun make very good rubber lubricants and are readily available
where automotive products are sold.
Rubber motor: The loop of rubber strip that is the "motor" for rubber-powered model aircraft. Tan Sport rubber strip (see
below) is formulated especially for powering model aircraft and is sold by a number of the above vendors, most notably
F.A.I. Model Supply. When used with a mechanical winder (see winder, below) and a proper lubricant, rubber motors can
be wound several thousand turns.
Tan Sport & Super Sport rubber: The brand of rubber strip specifically formulated for powering model airplanes,
named for its tan color. Tan Sport and its somewhat more powerful companion, Super Sport, are sold as long continuous
strips of various widths, usually 1/16, 3/32, 1/8, 3/16, and ¼ inch. Its thickness is approximately .045 inch. Rubber-powered
models fly using a loop made from one of these widths. F.A.I. Model Supply of Sayre, Pennsylvania markets Tan rubber
strip directly to both modelers and vendors and works directly with the U.S. manufacturer to constantly monitor and
upgrade its quality. Indoor Model Supply and Micro-X strip Tan into an even greater range of custom widths required for
flying various classes of ultralight indoor models, including those in the Wright Stuff event. Don’t use anything else!
Winder: A hand-held mechanical device used to wind the motors of rubber-powered free flight models. A proper winder
is a must-have piece of equipment for successful rubber model flying. Winders have a hand crank that turns a simple gear
train connected to an output shaft with a hook on its end. The hook holds one end of the rubber motor; the other end
remains attached to either the rear rubber hook or propeller shaft of the firmly held model. The lubricated motor is then
stretched to three or four times its slack length and winding is begun. With each single turn of the hand crank, the output
shaft turns anywhere from 5 to 16 times, depending on the gear ratio of the particular winder. A 10:1 or 15:1 winder is
recommended. The 10:1 makes for easy counting of turns. The person winding slowly shortens the length of the stretch as
he winds, starting to come in at about 50% of desired turns and finishing with the motor at its flying length. The motor is
then carefully transferred to the model. This classic technique allows many more turns to be put into a rubber motor than
would be possible using manual winding of the propeller. Stretch winding using a proper lubricant permits 1,500 to 2,000
or even more turns to be quickly put into a two-gram Wright Stuff rubber motor. More turns give longer flights. FAI Model
Supply, Midwest Products, and Indoor Model Supply all sell good 10:1 and 15:1 K&P winders, imported from England and
easily identified by their yellow housings. Winding for maximum model performance is a learned skill that will improve
with practice and experience. There’s a picture of a K&P winder at the end of this file.
Web Sites
There are a surprising number of web sites on the World Wide Web devoted to free flight modeling. Many have links to
still other related sites, including vendors, so take some time to check them out. These sites are valuable resources for
current information on the hobby, and many have photographs, drawings, and plans for models. Here are three good ones:
National Free Flight Society site: http://freeflight.org/ There's an excellent seven-part tutorial covering every aspect
of building and flying a Wright Stuff model. Highly recommended.
Thayer Syme's free flight site: www.mindspring.com/~thayer5/modelhp.html Thayer’s very active site is full of
ever-growing amounts of information, tips, plans, and model photos. There’s Science Olympiad information too, including
model plans and a national listing of volunteer mentors. This site is highly recommended, and has links to many other
useful free flight sites. Ray Harlan’s illustrated catalog can be found here.
Don Slusarczyk indoor modeling site: www.indoorfreeflight.com/ Don is a record-breaking indoor flier from
Cleveland, Ohio, who's been active in Science Olympiad model plane activities for several years. He has good information
on his site, plus Wright Stuff plans for his Olympus B and Olympus C competition models. There's also a CD-ROM for sale
that covers, in detail, building these models. Both the models and CD meet the new 2004 Wright Stuff rules. Highly
recommended!
Tim Goldstein's indoor modeling site: www.indoorduration.com Tim has lots of good information on indoor flying,
including the Wright Stuff event. He’s also selling a new brand of rubber strip.
Three Books, a Video, and a CD-ROM
Rubber Powered Model Airplanes by Don Ross is an excellent book that covers the basics very well. Your library may
have it, or can borrow a copy via the inter-library loan system. It can be purchased from Don himself for $14.95 post paid:
Don Ross, 38 Churchill Road, Cresskill, NJ 07626. E-mail: [email protected]. It’s highly recommended for Wright
Stuff fliers, coaches, or anyone getting started in the world of free flight rubber-powered modeling.
There are now two publications specifically aimed at Science Olympiad Wright Stuff modeling. One is a 26-page booklet
with a plan, drawings, and instructions for building a Science Olympiad or TSA model. The booklet is available post paid
for $10, with a money-back guarantee. Send it to Gary Baughman, 470 Hardage Farm Drive Marietta, GA 30064. E-mail:
[email protected]. The other can be purchased from Lew Gitlow at Indoor Model Supply (see his listing,
above).
Basics of Rubber Power, an excellent video, is available for $19.95 from Hannan’s Runway (see earlier listing). It has
good basic information and is highly recommended for Science Olympiad coaches and competitors.
Don Slusarczyk, a record-holding indoor flier, has produced a CD-ROM that covers building and flying B & C Wright
Stuff models. See his web site for full details: www.indoorfreeflight.com. He’s updated the CD-ROM to illustrate building
from his B & C model plans for the new 2004 rules.
New to all this? Try the Right Flyer
If time is available, the Right Flyer model from Midwest Products is a good basic trainer for newcomers to Wright Stuff
competition. Although a bit undersize and heavier than the rules allow, it is nonetheless a good flier as built from the kit
and can fly for a minute and a half or more under a 20 ft. ceiling. Its robust construction, using a tough paper covering
material, can withstand a beginner's rough handling as well as the inevitable collisions with walls, light fixtures and other
obstacles usually found at indoor flying sites. It has an excellent instruction manual. Mastering the Right Flyer will help
make later building and flying of higher performance Wright Stuff designs more successful and understandable. It can be
flown with or without its landing gear, which is easily removeable.
While instant-setting glues are good for quick field repairs, carpenter-style glues such as Tite Bond, Sig Bond (at hobby
shops) or Elmer's Carpenters Glue are best choices for construction. Traditional model airplane cement for balsa wood
models, such as Ambroid brand, can also be used. For attaching paper or tissue to a model, try using a fresh glue stick. Cut
and fit all wood joints carefully, prior to gluing, for optimum strength. The old but true adage, “Measure twice, cut once,”
applies here.
Using the relatively short piece of rubber strip provided with the Right Flyer kit will result in too much power and too short
a motor run. Getting long flights indoors requires that the propeller be running during the entire flight, from launch to
touchdown. Start with two grams of Tan II with a width of 3/32 inch. This and other sizes are now available from Midwest
Products, as well as FAI Model Supply and some other vendors on the above list.
A small piece of thin balsa strip or stiff card stock can be glued to the rear edge of the rudder to serve as an adjustable tab
for controlling the circling flight path needed for indoor flying. The tab can be carefully bent in the direction of the desired
turn. Try turning the model to the right for starters. It may turn OK without the tab. A turn diameter of 12-16 feet is about
right.
Mastering the Right Flyer will give students lots of important building and flying experience and will help prepare them to
advance to higher performance Wright Stuff models such as the Lil’ and Big Dipper, or models of their own design.
The Ultimate Goal
The ultimate goal of Wright Stuff competitors should be a well-designed model as large as the rules permit, carefully built
to the lowest weight allowed under the current rules. The new rules for 2003-4 allow a lighter type of plastic propeller than
in past years and this should make building a model to the lowest allowable weight much easier. F.A.I. Model Supply (see
vendor list) is offering a specially designed propeller for Wright Stuff models. Use of a quality scale that is accurate to .1
gram is a must for success. Many schools already have scales that meet this requirement. One company that sells a variety
of accurate scales is Precision Weighing Balances, and can be found at www.scalenet.com/.
Practice is very important. Students should get as much gym time as possible and use it to test and practice with their
models, hopefully with a mentor. Know the rules well. Check all appropriate Internet sites for valuable information and
assistance. Be prepared to build several models in order to get optimum flight performance.
K&P winder
Ikara propeller, now allowed