Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) | Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) | Int'l RC Helicopter Association (IRCHA)
League of Silent Flight (LSF) | National Association of Rocketry (NAR) | National Free Flight Society (NFFS) | Society of Antique Modelers (SAM)

Mr. Jim Wander and I met on the Internet when I answered a Craig's List ad for a Sig Citabria kit for sale. Jim lives outside of Cincinnati, OH, and I live in Erie, PA, so he had to go to the trouble of packing and shipping the kit rather than just handle a local deal as with most Craig's List sales. The whole exchange (his Citabria for my $$$) went very smoothly.

During our series of e-mails and phone calls, he mentioned that he had built a Guillows PBY-5a Catalina model as an open-frame display subject. Jim was kind enough to provide me with the following photographs of his model, which I am honored to make available here. It is a shame to cover such craftsmanship and not be able to admire the artistry of it, so lucky for us he decided to leave it uncovered.

Having built a Guillows DC-3 model myself, I can attest to the attention to detail that exists in the Guillows kits, and the large number of parts - often small parts - that need to be assembled. Many vacuum-formed components must be cut out and glued together, as can be seen in these images. As if that was not enough work, printed cardboard and paper parts need to be cut out and placed as well. Even the propeller blades need to be shaped and painted.

                            
                            



There are modelers out there who adapt these larger scale Guillows kits to radio control flight. One example is Bill Gaylord, whose amazing work is displayed here on Airplanes and Rockets along with some of the Internet forums.

           
                 Buy a Guillows PBY-5a Catalina Model             Philip, Sally & Melanie with a PBY-5 Catalina