Sketchbook - Model Building Tips
March 1962 American Modeler
 

March 1962 American Modeler

March 1962 American Modeler - Airplanes and Rockets Table of Contents
Aeromodeling has seen significant changes over the decades both in technology and preferences. Magazines like American Aircraft Modeler, American Modeler, and Air Trails were the best venues for capturing snapshots of the status quo of the day. All copyrights are hereby acknowledged.

This Sketchbook was scanned from the March 1962 American Modeler, page 40. Most building tips are timeless. Even in this era of ready-to-fly (RTF), almost-ready-to-fly (ARF), bind-and-fly (BAF), etc., there are still many modelers who build their own aircraft. Nearly all top tier competition fliers build their own models, as do aficionados of vintage (aka old-timer) models. Some guys just would rather build than buy a pre-build airplane, whether from a kit or from plans.

This page has links to every edition of Sketchbook that I have so far.

 

Sketchbook from March 1962 American Modeler Magazine - Airplanes and Rockets

Outdoor hand-launch glider fuselage - Airplanes and Rockets
Outdoor hand-launch glider fuselage can be made by joining flat spruce member with triangular balsa strip for strength and resilience, says Ed Sarlls, Jr., Victoria, Texas.
   Add necessary number of steel washers to crankshaft to build up fly­wheel of desired weight - Airplanes and Rockets

Steve Widmayer, Glendale, Calif., simply adds necessary number of steel washers to crankshaft to build up fly­wheel of desired weight. Tube adapter can be used if washers are too large for shaft. 		   Used plastic "dropper attachment" from hospital Intravenous equipment serves as handy timer tank for free-flight models - Airplanes and Rockets

M. D. Atkinson, Flagstaff, Ariz., finds used plastic "dropper attachment" from hospital Intravenous equipment serves as handy timer tank for free-flight models. Fuel supply is visible.
Four oz. talc per pint of color dope gives body for smoothing - Airplanes and Rockets

Experimental finishing technique by B. L. Van Pelt, Vallejo, Calif., produced good coverage with light color, unusual "depth" of finish. Four oz. talc per pint of color dope gives body for smoothing.
Sketchbook Editions
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Back when the Sketchbook, Gadgetry, Powerless Pointers, and Engine Info columns were run, there were very few pre-built models, and there simply was not as much available in the way of hardware and specialized modeling tools. We were still a nation of designers and builders. The workforce was full of people who worked on production lines, built houses and buildings with hand tools, and did not have distractions like Nintendos and X-Boxes. Remember that plastics were not common material until the early 50s and the transistor wasn't invented until late 47. Enjoy the tips. Some of you will no doubt wax nostalgic over the methods, since you can remember the days when you did the exact same thing!

 

 

Posted March 9, 2013