Model Airplane News Cover for May, 1966
Bolero
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Here is what the blurb about the cover has to say:

"... Enrique R. Toscano of Monterrey, Mexico submitted this excellent color shot of his 5-year old daughter, Luisita and his beautiful Hobbypoxy-finished "Bolero" built from Lou Proctor's plans in MAN 4/64. Cowling formed of fiberglass, power in it is a Fox 0.59 [engine] and [it uses] Obit proportional [radio control equipment] to steer it about the skies. Flying field inthe photo is used regularly by Monterrey fliers ..."

About the Model

The Bolero was designed by RC enthusiast Lou Proctor and originally presented in the April, 1964 issue more than a year before the cover photo was taken. Proctor's intent was to create a stunt biplane that would make maximum use of [then] new proportional control.You can read about Bolero and look at an excellent cross-section drawing by Doug Rolfe (who was famous for that sort of thing) by clicking to enlarge the photos below. In an unusual departure, MAN did not include plans with the article, breaking a 36 year tradition. Editor Schroder concluded that the plans were "too complex" and suggested that you had to buy them ...

     

Bolero Radio Controlled Stunt Biplane
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About some of those credits:

• Hobbypoxy was a two-part epoxy finish that has since been banned by the government. It yielded an unusually hard but flexible finish that was very lightweight. Old time modelers remeber that it had a wonderful high gloss, although it was difficult to use. For a while there was a black market in resin and catalyst, but all has vanished.
• Orbit Electronics was a California firm that was among the first to offer proportional radio control. Non-proportional throttle control is binary (power on or off) You can't signal half speed or anything other than all or nothing. (similar things hold for nonproportional elevators, rudders, etc.) On the other hand, proportional control means you can choose to move the controls in incremental amounts -- a little speed or a lot, a slight turn to the right or a sharper turn to the right. In other words, the model RC reacts in proportion to how much you move the controls on thetransmitter.
• Fox Engines were made by the legendary "Duke" Fox and had a very good reputation for reliability. Click here to read the fascinating history of this company.

  

  

Components used for Mr. Toscano's Bolero
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