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