Wendell Hostetler inducted into the AMA Model Aviation Hall of Fame

Rc Giant Scale

WELCOME BACK. This past winter was another tough season for readers and their families as the COVID-19 virus and its newest variants quickly spread. Thankfully, our hobby provides some downtime from the negativity in our daily lives.

For some good news, prolific Giant Scale designer Wendell Hostetler was honored at the AMA Headquarters in Muncie, Indiana, and inducted into the AMA Model Aviation Hall of Fame. Every year for the past 41 years, Wendell has offered a new Giant Scale design for our pleasure. He’s been a good friend to all modelers, and his wonderful designs will be built and flown for many years to come. Way to go, Wendell!

I want to take this opportunity in the "RC Giant Scale" column to also honor Wendell with a submission of a freshly completed Gee Bee Model Z that was built by Jim McQueen, of Wading River, New York, from Wendell’s plans.

Jim used the plans to cut out every part. It took him slightly less than a year of on-and-off construction to complete the model. It is covered with Oratex material and painted with Klass Kote paint. The model is powered by a 3W 106 twin-cylinder gas engine. Graphics were done by Red5 Designs.

Beautiful work, Jim. What a great way to honor Wendell.

Another Way to Start Your RC Giant Scale Aircraft

Throughout the years, I have seen a few different ways to start a large gas or glow engine, such as with an onboard electric starter, a spring starter, or a handheld starter using a cone with a rubber insert, to name a few. However, I’ve never seen a Hucks starter used on our models.

spot a hucks starter attachment
It’s easy to spot a Hucks starter attachment on any aircraft. Here, a Hucks starter boss is shown on a Japanese Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa at the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson AZ. Photo by Paul Woodford.

For some background, toward the end of World War I, pilot Bentfield Charles Hucks came up with a better way to start aircraft engines than the old tried-and-true, pull-the-propeller-through method. It employed a Ford Model TT truck that had a power takeoff with a shaft that attached to a device on the propeller washer. In fact, the crank-start attachment used on the Ford engines of the day might have inspired him.

First called the Airco Aero Engine Starter, it was later renamed in honor of Hucks, after he passed away from the infamous Spanish Flu in the epidemic of 1918. The Hucks starter was used throughout the 1920s, ’30s, and even during World War II by a number of nations.

Looking at old photos of the full-scale Polikarpov I-16, I could see the starter attachment protruding from the spinner, so I figured that if it worked on the fullscale aircraft, it would work on the model.

I had a friend help with CAD drawings and sent them off to Darrell at Sierra Giant Scale Products. He modified and simplified the part into a single piece of steel. In a few days, I had a Hucks attachment.

Because I didn’t have a ¼-scale Ford TT Hucks starter truck available, the next step was to make a starter wand. I bought a set of inexpensive, 12-inch hex-drive socket extensions that came in ¼-, ⅛- and ½-inch sizes. I used the ⅜-inch drive and cut the socket head off with my Dremel tool. The next step was to heat up and drill a ⅛-inch hole near the tip. The heat softened the steel so that I could drill a ⅛-inch hole. I then installed a short piece of music wire using red threadlocker. The music wire was the perfect size to engage the Hucks attachment.

Next, it was time to test the Hucks starting system. I used an old 18-volt battery-powered drill to turn over the engine, and it worked like a charm. The wand engaged the Hucks adapter and when the engine started, the higher rpm just gently pushed the wand out. There was no need to provide any forward or backward pressure— it just disengaged smoothly.

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this shows the polikarpov
This shows the Polikarpov I-16 cowling, propeller, and spinner. The Hucks boss that is protruding from the spinner is both functional and offers scale detail.

I was as thrilled as one can be. It reminded me of the old adage, "Even a blind squirrel finds a nut or two."

If you have a model of a full-scale aircraft that used a Hucks starter, have one made. I guarantee you will be happy. Now if I can find someone who will make a ¼-scale Ford TT Hucks starter truck, that would be amazing.

That’s all for now. My best to all of you and please stay safe.

the starter wand is inserted
The starter wand is inserted into the Hucks boss.
the starter wand is seated
The starter wand is seated into position and is ready for starting.
jim mcqueen is shown with his wendell
Jim McQueen is shown with his Wendell Hostetler plans-built Gee Bee Model Z that is powered by a 3W 106 gas engine.

SOURCES:

Hostetler’s Plans

(330) 682-8896

www.hostetlersplans.com

Sierra Giant Scale Products

(440) 476-4885

www.sierragiant.com

Klass Kote

(612) 243-1234

www.klasskote.com

Red5 Designs

(516) 353-8860

www.red5designs.com

Balsa USA

(800) 225-7287

https://shop.balsausa.com

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