Many capable modellers believe control line provides an ideal form of control for all sorts of flying scale model aircraft.

Scale models of full sized man-carrying aircraft have sometimes been the most impressive control line planes to be seen.  Their builders lavished countless hours on their construction and preparation as only true enthusiasts can, producing numerous single-engined planes, multi engined types, and even an occasional jet aircraft sporting propellers.  When you think about it, only a fully aerobatic aircraft needs the complete freedom allowed by radio control.

Photos:

1.  Southern Cross flies well as a scale model .

2.  One of Australia's most successful control line scale modellers is Max Newnham, seen here with two of his creations.

3.  West Australian state champion in Vintage A racing for 2002 is this near scale model of a Hawker Tempest fighter raced by Norm Kirton (pilot) and Charlie Stone.  The Tempest is one of Charlie's favourite aeroplanes.

4.  Lindsay Edwards with his scale Avro Anson at the Gawler Nationals of 1959. Powered by two .35 engines, the model featured very good interior detail, a retractable undercarriage, and placed third.

5.  Monty Tyrrell (pilot), Eddie Keggin (Captain) and John Elliot (Flight Engineer) donned authentic uniforms to win the 1964/5 Nationals at Melbourne.  Model is a B17 Fortress powered by 4 ED Hunter diesels of 3.46cc each.

6.  Reg Towell's model looks pretty close to being a scale model and flew well enough to take 6th place in Expert Aerobatics at the 2002/3 Nats at Albury.

Following the theory that if even a brick on the end of a string can be made to fly then any kind of plane should be flyable by control line, more than a few scale models have ended up very heavy and have flown poorly, with great difficulty, if at all.  For this reason competitions for flying scale models have often been less than successful even at major meetings such as the Nationals.

Competition winners have invariably been modellers who produce a plane capable of convincing flight.  And in the accompanying pictures you will see some semi scale models that fly very convincingly indeed.