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Fan Forces Parachute to Ascend with Jumper

Fan Forces Parachute to Ascend with Jumper, August 1937 Popular Mechanics - Airplanes and RocketsThis sort of cutting edge technology used to be the domain of military operations, but nowadays it can be found in amusement parks and even at backyard parties. The parachute training facility which appeared in a 1937 issue of Popular Mechanics magazine was real whiz-bang stuff at the time. Although Russia's system is featured here, I have to believe other countries were doing the same sort of thing. Using a high power fan to boost the paratrooper trainee in a simulated parachute descent was an excellent method of introducing men to the sensations and reactions to control inputs via shroud lines. The story noes not mention whether the fan was forceful enough to simulate a free-fall experience. Just today a saw a news item showing such recreational free-fall machine companies called Urban Air and iFall...

Wee -38 Lightning Article & Plans

Wee -38 Lightning Article & Plans, December 1959 American Modeler - Airplanes and RocketsSince first starting with control line model sin the late 1960s, I always intended to build a multi-engine model of some sort, but didn't get around to it until around 2016 when I began construction on a Douglas DC-3 (maiden flight occurred in 2023). With the plethora of ready-to-fly (RTF) and almost RTF (ARF) models on the market today at very reasonable prices, there is no real good excuse for not doing it; so I'll have to stick with my bad excuses. But I digress. This simple twin "Wee-38" Lightning which appeared in the December 1959 issue of American Modeler magazine, uses a pair of Cox .020 or .049 engines and solid balsa components. You could electrify the model with equivalent brushless motors, ESCs, and a LiPo battery pack. It would be nice if a series of ESCs would be marketed for twin motors, since unlike with brushed...

The Space Race

Space Race (ChatGPT-generated content) - Airplanes and RocketsThe Space Race was one of the most significant geopolitical and scientific competitions of the 20th century, driven by the rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. It spanned from the late 1940s through the 1970s, with a focus on achieving superiority in space exploration, a domain viewed as critical not only for scientific advancement but also for military and strategic dominance. Rooted in rocket technology developed during World War II, the Space Race transformed the world's understanding of science and technology, culminating in the most dramatic achievement: the landing of humans on the Moon in 1969. This treatise explores the key milestones, the countries and key players involved, technological developments, the interplay between military...

Model Rocketry Takes off in Oregon

Model Rocketry Takes off in Oregon - Airplanes and RocketsThis article appeared in the November 2024 issue of Astronomy magazine - not sure why. "Brothers is a place that has somehow slipped outside the passage of time. Located in a sea of sagebrush in central Oregon, this former stagecoach stopover once serviced horse-drawn migrants bound for the Willamette Valley. Thanks to the nonprofit organization OregonRocketry, Brothers has outlasted the surrounding ghost towns to find new purpose as one of the preeminent high-power rocket launch sites in America. The group has purchased land and established a site out here in coyote country for the advancement of amateur rocketry and education of future aerospace engineers. They have a waiver from the FAA that currently allows them to blast the things nearly four miles into the air..."

HAPS Aircraft for Stratospheric Comms

SoftBank Trials HAPS Aircraft for Stratospheric Communications - RF Cafe"Japanese operator SoftBank announced that the Sunglaider, its large-scale solar-powered uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) designed for High Altitude Platform Station (HAPS) stratospheric telecommunications, was utilized in a field trial conducted by AeroVironment and the U.S. DoD in New Mexico, the U.S. During the trial, carried out in early August, Sunglider succeeded in achieving stratospheric flight, the Japanese operator said. With a wingspan of 78 meters and the capability to carry payloads weighing up to 75kg, the Sunglider is larger than other publicly announced HAPS UAS..."

Championship 336 Cessna Skymaster

Championship Winning 336 Cessna Skymaster Article & Plans, July/August 1964 American Modeler - Airplanes and RocketsThe Cessna Skymaster (336/337) has always been my favorite twin-engined civilian lightplane. A military version of it is designated as the O-2 Skymaster. For as long as I can remember, I have threatened to build a control-line model of one. Well, that time has finally arrived, and I began by ordering these plans from the AMA Plans Service. It will be powered by a pair of 480-sized brushless motors, and throttle will be controlled by a hand-held car/boat format transmitter, the one I use on my control-line Douglas DC-3. I am modifying the fuselage construction to accommodate the motors, and am adding formers to simplify the building process. Mr. Welch's original omitted formers in the cabin area...

Fox 15x Engine

Fox 15x Engine, November 1961 American Modeler - Airplanes and RocketsFox model airplane engines had a reputation for ruggedness and contest-winning performance, but were also notoriously difficult to get started - at least without an electric starter. In 1961, when this full-page advertisement appeared in American Modeler magazine, electric starters were not in many modelers' field boxes, and particularly those owned by youngsters whose modeling budget came from meager allowances and paper routes. Born in 1958, I was 15 or 16 years old before being able to afford the luxury, and I remember relentlessly flipping the propellers on my Fox 15 and Fox 35 control line engines. Half the time when they...

Airnocker Article & Plans

Airnocker Article & Plans, March 1957 Model Airplane News - Airplanes and RocketsIf you have ever wanted to try your hand (thumbs, to be more specific) at a floatplane, then this 1/2A size Aeronca Champion which appeared in the March 1957 issue of Model Airplane News magazine, is just the ticket. Although designed by Walt Mooney as a free flight ROW (rise-off-water) model that easily converts between wheels and floats, modifications to 3 or 4 channel radio control would be a snap, especially since the plans show separate construction for the control surfaces along the hinge line. With about a 46" wingspan and lightweight but strong construction, this model could easily have been designed with modern electric power...

Rebinding Damaged Books

Rebinding Damaged Books, February 1965 Popular Mechanics - Airplanes and RocketsI did a quick Web search on how to repair damaged book bindings, and as is typical, most of what is out there is a rewritten regurgitation of other pages. Tape and glue are the order of the day per those instructions, but that is really insufficient to effect a good repair on books - particularly older volumes - which use string and fabric along the spine to form a very rugged and durable binding for standing up to repeated use. When you desire to restore a book to as close to its original condition as possible, the more extensive method described in this 1965 Popular Mechanics magazine article is needed. All the tools and materials required are described, as is instructions for assembling a book...

R&S Counter-UAS to Combat Autonomous Aerial Threats

Rohde & Schwarz Advances Counter-UAS Technology to Combat Autonomous Aerial Threats - RF Cafe"Rohde & Schwarz has been at the forefront of addressing the evolving threats posed by advanced drone technology to security, public safety, and critical infrastructure. As drones become more sophisticated and complex, malicious drones equipped with advanced capabilities present significant challenges. To counter these threats, Rohde & Schwarz has developed cutting-edge Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (CUAS) designed to detect, neutralize, and mitigate emerging drone risks effectively. In a recent interview, Martin Woywod, Product Manager for Counter-UAS Systems at Rohde & Schwarz, explained the urgency of counter-drone technology in today's world..."

Wind Flying

Wind Flying - September 1972 American Aircraft Modeler - Airplanes and RocketsAirplanes and Rockets website visitor Lars B. wrote from Sweden requesting that I scan this "Wind Flying" article from the September 1972 edition of American Aircraft Modeler magazine. It describes a method for replacing engines and motors with human power for preforming some pretty impressive C/L aerobatics on windy days. Basically, you drag the model airplane around on its control lines, which often required not just turning in a circle while standing in one place, but walking around a small circle in order to get more speed. If there is any wind, you need to put extra effort into the pulling when moving into the wind. I can remember doing this as a teenager, only I did it with the engine in place but not...

Aviation News Headlines <Archives>

• FCC Rules for 5 GHz Band Drone Operations

EAA Weighs in on MOSAIC

• Smithsonian Opens Hangar Doors to Pilots

• EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2024 July 22-28

• The Smallest Air Force One

Model Boats More Popular Than Ever

Model Boats More Popular Than Ever, Model Annual 1956 Air Trails - Airplanes and RocketsPost World War II was a big time for model building and operating. Veterans and their families helped relieve the stress and anxieties of the era with both scale and original design model boats, cars, trains, submarines, motorcycles helicopters, airplanes, tanks, even oddities like bicycles, farm equipment, carnival layouts, animals, and historic buildings (of which many of those appeared in model train layouts). The level of artistry and craftsmanship was impressive, particularly considering the sparsity of pre-made miniature accoutrements like hardware fittings, mechanisms for operating control surfaces and mechanisms, and even appropriate finishes. Radio control was in its infancy, being largely the realm of modelers with knowledge...

Square Hare from Delaware Article and Plans

Square Hare from Delaware Article and Plans, September 1962 American Modeler - Airplanes and RocketsWebsite visitor Steve R. wrote requesting that I scan and post this "Square Hare" article from the September 1962 issue of American Modeler magazine. Says, Steve, "I built one of these back then on Galloping ghost and it went great till servo failed (modified mighty Midget motor). Later I built another for Class one Aerobatics fitted with OS 40 and Kraft Propo, this was very successful. Nostalgia strikes and I'd like to build another as a sport model." Square Hare from Delaware is a bit unique in that its wing has no spar and is constructed from diagonally arranged ribs sandwiched between 3/32" balsa sheeting. Looking at all the hardware required just for the elevator control really makes you appreciate modern radio gear with servos. Hopefully, Steve will grace us with a photo of his completed Square Hare.

House Passes Bill Restricting DJI Drone Use

House Passes Bill Restricting DJI Drone Use - Airplanes and Rockets"On September 9, the House of Representatives passed H.R.2864: the Countering CCP Drones Act. This would add future equipment made by DJI technologies to the FCC's Covered List on the premise that it poses a risk to U.S. national security. The Countering CCP Drones Act would essentially ban UAS and related tech produced by DJI from operating on U.S. telecommunications infrastructure. This trails several 'inaccurate and unsubstantiated' claims against the company regarding sensitive data sharing with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). This would not directly affect customers, at least for now, though it is guaranteed to have a massive effect on DJI's..."

Tin Goose - She Led the Golden Age

Tin Goose - She Led the Golden Age, February 1962 American Modeler - Airplanes and RocketsI had no idea that there were multiple versions of the Ford Trimotor (aka Tin Goose). This article from an 1962 edition of American Modeler magazine provides a fairly in-depth look at the history of the airplane. If you follow politics at all, you know that Halliburton is a name that became a household word when George Bush chose Dick Cheney as his vice president. According to author Joe Christy, SAFE-way airline, which operated Ford Trimotors, was started by Oklahoma oilman Erle Halliburton, and was sold to TWA (Trans World Airline) in 1931. In an incredible stroke of good fortune, Melanie and I were able to take a ride in a Ford Trimotor in the summer of 2013, flying out of Erie International Airport (see my Ford Trimotor video)...

America's 1955 Modelplane Championships

America's Modelplane Championships, Model Annual 1956 Air Trails - Airplanes and RocketsThe 1955 Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) National Model Airplane Championships, held at the Los Alamitos, California, Naval Air Station was by all measures a smashing success - "the best run Nationals competition in history." Extensive coverage of the event appeared in the Annual Edition of Air Trails magazine. Free flight and control line model airplanes were there, but no radio control types attended; the technology was not yet within reach of enough hobbyists to warrant inclusion. A look at the photos makes evident the amazing quality and variation of models, both scale and non-scale. Take a look at the F4U Corsair with the folding wings, the Ford Trimotor, Fairchild C-119, and the Fokker DR-1 triplane. Speaking of quality models, two of the feminine kind were on-hand to award trophies. Hillevi Rombin, Miss Universe of 1955, and movie starlet Marla English, are pictured with two lucky winners..

Polaris Dawn's 1st Private Space Walk

Polaris Dawn's 1st Private Space Walk - RF CafeUmmm... was this really a "space walk?" If so, then I "sky walked" when I climbed to the top of my 6-foot wooden ladder yesterday. "The world's first commercial space walk, performed by billionaire Jared Isaacman and SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis, tested new technology and was practically flawless. It wasn't a small step - more a clamber, really - but as billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman climbed partway out of a SpaceX Dragon capsule located nearly 740 kilometers above Earth on early Thursday morning, he made a giant leap into spaceflight history. That's because Isaacman is a private citizen who is flying in a commercial spacecraft on a voyage he paid for - not a government-agency...

Boeing B&W 1916 Biplane

Boeing B&W 1916 Biplane March 1965 Model Airplane News - Airplanes and RocketsHere are plans for the Boeing B&W 1916 Biplane that I electronically scanned from my purchased copy of the March 1965 Model Airplane News magazine. When I have more time, I will dig the magazine out of storage and scan/OCR the rest of the article. For now you can at least review the plans. Click on the images for larger versions. I have even large files for them at the original 200 dpi resolution. Designed and built by Mr. Francis Reynolds. Plans for this fine model were drawn by Mr. Ray Vinup. All copyrights (if any) are hereby acknowledged. "The Boeing Model 1, also known as the B & W Seaplane, was a United States single-engine biplane seaplane aircraft. It was the first Boeing product and carried the initials..."

Adjustable Throw Control Line Handle

Adjustable Throw Control Line Handle - Airplanes and RocketsWhen building my Enterprise-E control stunt airplane, I knew that the amount of control surface throw available for both flaps and elevator was extreme, but I wanted to have the reserve capability in case it was needed. It was definitely NOT needed! Fortunately, because of the way the top fuselage hatch is designed for removal there is easy access to the flap control horn, and thereby the ability to move pushrod clevises around to decrease throws. Even with doing that, however, the model is still very sensitive to control line handle movements. My only solution was to obtain a control line handle with line spacing less than the 4-1/4" on the stock Sullivan handle. That spacing has been a little too much for other models as well, so an alternate handle would be nice anyway...

How to Straighten Bowed and Cupped Laminated Countertops

How to Straighten Bowed and Cupped Laminated Countertops - Airplanes and RocketsI received a lot of feedback after first posting this piece on how to straighten cupped and/or bowed laminated countertops. That was a couple years ago. Since I continue to see severely deformed countertops in Lowes and Home Depot, it is worth brining attention to it again. You might be able to get a really good deal on the otherwise unsellable laminated countertops, then use my easy method for nearly perfectly flattening them. Al that is required is sawing a cross-hatch pattern part-way through the bottom surface, and then screwing, gluing, and clamping them whilst being held flat. The wood around the outside edge serves as the space normally placed between the top of the lower cabinet base and the countertop. Tyr it. You'll like it!

UAV SATCOM Terminal Flight Trials Succeed --- add to AAR

UAV SATCOM Terminal Flight Trials Succeed - RF Cafe"Gotonomi, a UAV satellite connectivity solutions provider, has announced the completion of further successful flight trials and the opening of orders for production units of all variants of its UAV satcom terminals at Commercial UAV Expo 2024 in Las Vegas. The launch marks a significant milestone, transitioning from pre-production flight development kits to type-approved, commercial terminals, enabling scalable beyond visual line of sight operations (BVLOS) for drone operators wishing to offer inspection, surveillance, and delivery services. Following extensive verification testing, including flight trials..."

U-Control Model Plane

U-Control Model Plane, October 1952 Popular Mechanics - Airplanes and RocketsWhen I first saw this "U-Control Model Plane" article in a 1952 issue of Popular Mechanics magazine, I expected it to have been written by one of the Stanzel brothers. Long after their entry into the model airplane manufacturing world, Joe and Victor created their line of battery-powered, electric motor-driven control line models in 1958. It eventually included a helicopter, a monoplane, and a flying saucer, amongst other craft. The Stanzels, BTW, invented the Monoline control line system which was adopted by U-control (aka control line) speed modelers because it created much less aerodynamic drag, facilitating higher airspeeds. Maybe this article was a motivation for the Stanzels...

Antique Clothes Chest Restoration

Antique Clothes Chest Restoration - Airplanes and RocketsAnother of Melanie's family's relics is this pine clothes chest. After more than 100 years of use and abuse, this chest was in dire need of restoration. Construction is very low density pine, with dovetailed corners. Finish was a clear varnish with no stain. The bottom, back, and inside had no finish at all. Restoration consisted of knocking apart and re-gluing most joints, sanding, and filling in the multiple dings and scratches where they were really deep. Minor imperfections were kept for the sake of character. Minwax dark walnut stain was used inside and out, and allowed to dry for a week. Then, two coats of Deft satin clear were brushed on with 320 sanding and 0000 steel wool between coats...

SETI Low-Frequency Search for Extraterrestrials

SETI Low-Frequency Search for Extraterrestrials"The SETI Institute, in collaboration with the Berkeley SETI Research Center and the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research, has initiated a pioneering study using the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) in Western Australia. Led by Dr. Chenoa Tremblay of the SETI Institute and Prof. Steven Tingay of Curtin University, this research marks the first search for alien technology in galaxies beyond our own, specifically targeting low radio frequencies (100 MHz). The MWA's extensive field of view (FOV) allowed the research team to examine approximately 2,800 galaxies in a single observation, with known distances for 1,300 of these galaxies..."

1962 British Nationals

British Nationals (1963 Annual Edition American Modeler) - Airplanes and RocketsThis report of the 1962 (16th) British Nationals appeared in the 1963 Annular edition of American Modeler modeler, which I believe was published in January of 1963. Just as back in the day, the U.S. Nationals were held on a military installation (U.S. Navy sponsorship), the British Nats were held at Barkston Heath R.A.F. station. Although technically it was an international event, it appears that Brits and Yanks were the only competitors - or at least the only ones mentioned. See anyone you know?

Baby V-1 Dyna-Jet Flies for Fun

Baby V-1 Dyna-Jet Flies for Fun, May 1946 Popular Science - Airplanes and RocketsWhen Dyna-Jet engine in new or like-new condition is listed for sale or auction on eBay, it usually sells for north of $500. Sometimes buyers get lucky and win an auction for less. This 1946 Popular Science magazine article entitled "Baby V-1 Flies for Fun" appeared just a year after Germany had surrendered unconditionally. Only a year before that, Londoners ran for cover in underground shelters when V-1 "Buzz Bombs" were heard making their tell-tale 45 Hz "buzz" noise as they made their way toward England. "V-1" was from the German Vergeltungswaffe 1 meaning "Vengeance Weapon 1." The only reference to a "robomb" I see other than this article is from a 1944 issue of Time magazines entitled, "Science: How the Robomb Works." As Paul Harvey would famously say, "Now you know... the Rest of the story."

World's Toughest R/C Job - Guidance in Outer Space

World's Toughest R/C Job - Guidance in Outer Space, May 1967 Radio-Electronics - RF CafeSpaceX and Blue Origin have been in the news for the last decade for their efforts (some successful, some not) to autonomously land a spacecraft vertically under its own power. Love it or hate it, NASA has been doing that for nearly six decades. Granted, it was on celestial bodies with lower gravitational acceleration than on Earth, but the earliest craft (Surveyor 1, 1966) had relatively crude electronics aboard, including a Doppler radar, flight computer, and video camera. The now legendary Apollo Guidance Computer has been written about extensively, and is a testimony to the brilliance of the scientists, engineers, managers, operators, and technicians who built and flew it. Articles like this one in the May 1967 issue of Radio-Electronics magazine...

Model Filler and Finish Compatibility Matrix

Model Filler and Finish Compatibility Matrix - Airplanes and RocketsI am not aware of the origin of this matrix, but it is a very useful tool for determining whether certain filler materials and finish chemistries are compatible or, equally important, incompatible. It was included in the July 2012 edition of the Bean Hill Flyers control-line club newsletter. This might save somebody the grief and angst from applying a finish over a base that will cause it to bubble, peel, blister, or not ever dry. One important point this chart indicates is that you can apply butyrate dope over nitrate dope, but you CANNOT apply nitrate dope over butyrate dope. There might be other instances of one-way compatibilities, but if you are not sure, do a test first or avoid the deadly combination altogether. You also need to verify compatibility of the various rattle can...

Model Car Sets 128-m.p.h. Record

Model Racer Sets 128-m.p.h. Record, October 1948 Popular Science - Airplanes and RocketsAccording to Guiness World Records, the current holder of the record for the fastest model car is the "Radio Controlled Bullet," by Nic Case, having achieved a speed of 202.02 mph (325.12 km/h), in 2014. In 2019, Estonian Ando Rohtmets set the tethered model car speed record of 215.92 mph (347.490 kmph). All modern speed records are set using electric motor power, unlike these models reported on in a 1948 issue of Popular Science magazine which used liquid fuel and internal combustion engines (ICE). However, not all of those ICE powerplants had pistons. Mr. Frank Brennan showed up with a DynaJet-powered model car, purportedly fashioned after the Nazi V-1 "Buzz Bomb" (remember this was only a couple years past...

Eclipse Sailplane Article & Plans

Eclipse Sailplane Article & Plans, October 1974 American Aircraft Modeler - Airplanes and RocketsThe Eclipse is a gigantic radio-controlled sailplane model with a 16-foot wingspan, geodesic ribs construction, and "V" tail configuration. It is built up from balsa, plywood, spruce, and a fiberglass tail boom. I remember first seeing the model on the cover of the October 1974 issue of American Aircraft Modeler magazine, and really wanting to build one. Unfortunately, I was only 16 years old at the time and was barely able to afford control line models, let alone a huge RC sailplane. Of course with the cost of balsa today, it is no more affordable now as then. It probably takes four rolls of Monokote to cover! Here are plans for the Eclipse that I electronically scanned from my purchased copy AAM. You might be able to scale up the image...

Semroc Saturn 1B Model Rocket Kit

Supermodel Melanie with Semroc Saturn 1B Model Rocket Kit - Airplanes and RocketsThe Estes Saturn 1B rocket is another model that I really wanted to have as a kid, but just didn't have the money. In those days, I launched everything that I built, so I could not see spending a huge amount of my paper route money only to take the risk of destruction due to the parachutes not deploying properly or maybe an engine malfunction. I had launched enough rockets to know that the probability of something going wrong was directly proportional to the cost and time spent building. Instead, I stuck mostly with models that cost no more than about $3 (in 1960s-1970s dollars). This Saturn 1B model has long been in my rocket building queue, but decade passed before I felt justified spending the money and time to buy and build one. The Saturn 1B was one of the Saturn V's predecessors and was used as the launch vehicle for the first few Apollo missions...

American Telasco Limited Jet Propulsion Lab

American Telasco Limited Jet Propulsion Lab, Annual 1960 Air Trails - Airplanes and RocketsJetex "rocket" motors were quite popular during the 1940s through the 1970s. Their debut in the modeling world was in 1948, per the Jetex.org website. Unlike Estes rocket engines that used combustion to generate a high velocity ejection stream, Jetex fuel pellets merely "burned" at a constant rate while the exhaust was forced through a small orifice in the engine's metal housing (casing). Also unlike Estes engines, the Jetex casing was reusable and re-fuelable. Half a dozen or so sizes and thrust levels eventually were produced. I had a couple of the Jetex 50 engines that got strapped to Guillows balsa gliders and, to some degree, were made to fly in jet-like fashion...

Infographic: Greatest Turning Points in Aviation

Infographic: The Greatest Turning Points in Aviation (BBC) - Airplanes and RocketsInfographics are a big thing (literally) in the business and science world, although they do seem to have passed their prime. Well-done infographics typically have the form of a high aspect ratio drawing that presents a detailed timeline or process flow of events or concepts. The progress can run top to bottom or bottom to top, depending on the creator's intentions. This particular infographic, produced by the BBC's "Great Turning Points" series, outlines the major milestones in development of flying machines beginning with the Wright Flyer in 1903 and progressing through both manned and unmanned airplanes up through the U.S...

Peanuts Stars in Ford Falcon TV Commercials

Peanuts Characters Star in Ford Falcon TV Commercials - Airplanes and Rocketshe first-ever appearance of animated Peanuts characters came in the form of television commercials for the 1960 Ford Falcon. I learned about them in a book titled Peanuts: The Art of Charles M. Schulz. To me, Peanuts represents a more innocent time in America, where neighborhood kids played together, were moral in their actions, and even "crabby" kids like Lucy were not evil. Cops and robbers, cowboys and Indians, pirates and naval mariners did battle with makeshift weapons and only one ball team at a time won a trophy. My sisters and I rode in basic cars like the Ford Falcon, without the benefit of seat belts, crawling up onto the package shelf in the back to watch the world pass by, standing on our heads in the back seat, and thinking it a privilege to get to ride up front on the rare occasions when Mom was not in the car, too. It takes me back to my boyhood days in the 1960s and 70s when similar activities were a part of life, without all the computer-based activities...

Wakefield Model Photos by Peter W.

Wakefield Model Photos by Peter W. - Airplanes and RocketsHere are some photos of very nicely built and finished Wakefield models from UK modeler Peter W. He is an active contester. Peter originally contacted me ask to the Langley Mulvihill article and plans from the July 1962 American Modeler magazine to be scanned and posted, which I did.

How to Target AirplanesAndRockets.com for Your Google Ads

Google AdSense - it makes good sense - Airplanes and RocketsSome companies have expressed an interest in being able to target Airplanes and Rockets via the Google AdSense program. Yes, it is possible to do that. As you might expect, finding the exact information on the Google AdSense website is a bit difficult. This short video does a good job summarizing exactly how to implement the "Ad Targeting" option, then "Placements," and then add "Websites." Just enter   airplanesandrockets.com   . There are other settings to optimize your advertising campaign with keywords (both included and excluded), pricing, scheduling, statistical data collection and reporting, etc. If you are currently using Google AdSense, then please consider this method, and if you are not using AdSense, now would be a good time to look into it. I have had reports from some companies that experience great results using AdSense (not just on Airplanes and Rockets)...

Monokote Sealing Iron Handle Repair

Monokote Sealing Iron Handle Repair - Airplanes and RocketsMy original Top Flite Monokote Sealing Iron, purchased in the mid-1970s, lasted until the late 1990s, when the heating element burned out. A quarter century of use was not too bad. To replace it, I bought a Tower Hobbies iron, and the first time I used it the handle started to bend where it transitions from a hollow round shape to a flat shape. The metal was noticeably softer than the Top Flite handle, which never even hinted at bending. For two decades I have had to be very careful not to press too hard on the iron lest it bend. After many times of bending and straightening the handle, a major stress crack had formed, and it was pretty evident that the handle would not last much longer. I would either need to buy a new Monokote sealing iron, which in all likelihood would be equally cheaply built since Top Flite does not make them anymore, or come up with some kind or repair for this one...

Quiz: Models and Manufacturers

Quiz #1: Models and Manufacturers - Airplanes and RocketsYour knowledge of model aircraft kits, engines, and equipment will need to stretch back a couple decades to score 10 out of 10 on this model-aircraft-themed quiz. 1) Which company manufactured the "Antic" series of open frame R/C models? 4) What is the full last name of Sig Manufacturing's co-founder Hazel Sig? 7) What type of models did Estes first produce? 10) What type of airplane model construction was Cox Manufacturing famous for? Winners get a free 1-year subscription to the Airplanes and Rockets website ;-)   Good luck!

How to Target AirplanesAndRockets.com for Your Google Ads

Google AdSense - it makes good sense - Airplanes and RocketsSome companies have expressed an interest in being able to target Airplanes and Rockets via the Google AdSense program. Yes, it is possible to do that. As you might expect, finding the exact information on the Google AdSense website is a bit difficult. This short video does a good job summarizing exactly how to implement the "Ad Targeting" option, then "Placements," and then add "Websites." Just enter   airplanesandrockets.com   . There are other settings to optimize your advertising campaign with keywords (both included and excluded), pricing, scheduling, statistical data collection and reporting, etc. If you are currently using Google AdSense, then please consider this method, and if you are not using AdSense, now would be a good time to look into it. I have had reports from some companies that experience great results using AdSense (not just on Airplanes and Rockets)...

National Model Distributors Advertisement

National Model Distributors Advertisement, October 1958 American Modeler Magazine - Airplanes and RocketsRemember when when there were no computers or 24/7 TV broadcasts on hundreds of cable channels to take up all your free time, and you would search for a meaningful hobby to keep you occupied? No, probably not for most people who are reading this. Beginning in the late 1990s, local hobby shops (LHSs) were disappearing as interest in activities involving the hands-on wares they sold - model kits, craft kits, et al - was being replaced by activities involving sitting in front of a video display of some sort. Hands-on was coming to mean hands on a video game controller or a keyboard and mouse. Nowadays, hands-on more likely describes activity on a smartphone. Alas, you can't stop progress, as the saying goes, and ultimately that's a good thing. Old timers like me came into the model building world when ready-built flying models primarily meant a molded-plastic Cox .049-powered control line airplane or maybe a .020-powered helicopter...

How to Target AirplanesAndRockets.com for Your Google Ads

Google AdSense - it makes good sense - Airplanes and RocketsSome companies have expressed an interest in being able to target Airplanes and Rockets via the Google AdSense program. Yes, it is possible to do that. As you might expect, finding the exact information on the Google AdSense website is a bit difficult. This short video does a good job summarizing exactly how to implement the "Ad Targeting" option, then "Placements," and then add "Websites." Just enter   airplanesandrockets.com   . There are other settings to optimize your advertising campaign with keywords (both included and excluded), pricing, scheduling, statistical data collection and reporting, etc. If you are currently using Google AdSense, then please consider this method, and if you are not using AdSense, now would be a good time to look into it. I have had reports from some companies that experience great results using AdSense (not just on Airplanes and Rockets)...

Auto Design Competition

Auto Design Competition, from August 1954 Air Trails - Airplanes and RocketsStraight out of Happy Days and American Graffiti are these reader-submitted car designs from Air Trails - Hobbies for Young Men magazine in the year 1954. In 2023 dollars, the $50, $25, and $10 monthly prizes are worth $556, $278, and $111, respectively (per the BLS Inflation Calculator). That was a lot of dough. About the only requirement placed on designs was that the auto designs be realistic based on current technology - no anti-gravity floaters or rocket powered roadsters. All classifications were allowed - military vehicles, hot rods, family sedans, station wagons, etc., etc...

Gliding in Russia - What the USSR Has Done to Develop Gliding

Gliding in Russia, May 1934 Flying Aces - Airplanes and RocketsThe spell checker sure gets a workout with stories from these vintage magazines, specially ones from in the 1920s and 1930s. Common words were sometimes spelled a bit differently than today, and other words are rarely seen anymore. And then there is the mix of foreign words and names of people and places relating to World War I, which had only ended ten to fifteen years prior (1919). Such is the case here in this 1934 issue of Flying Aces magazine in a piece called "Gliding in Russia," and even more so in the fictional wartime stories like "The Ghost from G−2." The "Iron Curtain" is a term adopted at the end of World War II to describe the imaginary line through Europe that divided Russia's Communist world from the Western Democracies; however, Iron Curtain was also used in World War I. Russia had for a long time endeavored to keep its citizens from learning about the benefits earned by peoples of free nations, including superior medical care, food, clothing, appliances, transportation, housing, mental health, etc. At the same time it kept outsiders from reporting on the internal situation of its territories. You can be sure that stories like this one were orchestrated by the Bolsheviks of the Politburo...

Control Line Wind Flying

Wind Flying - September 1972 American Aircraft Modeler - Airplanes and RocketsAirplanes and Rockets website visitor Lars B. wrote from Sweden requesting that I scan this "Wind Flying" article from the September 1972 edition of American Aircraft Modeler magazine. It describes a method for replacing engines and motors with human power for preforming some pretty impressive C/L aerobatics on windy days. Basically, you drag the model airplane around on its control lines, which often required not just turning in a circle while standing in one place, but walking around a small circle in order to get more speed. If there is any wind, you need to put extra effort into the pulling when moving into the wind. I can remember doing this as a teenager, only I did it with the engine in place but not running - usually because I could not afford to buy enough fuel to fly as often as preferred...

Supersweep Hand-Launched Glider

Supersweep, October 1974 American Aircraft Modeler - Airplanes and RocketsThis is part two of an article that began in the September 1974 American Aircraft Modeler magazine. The Supersweep was used to break the long-standing Indoor Hand Launched Glider (IHLG) record of one minute and thirty seconds. In 2009, Stan Buddenbohm set a new record for 1:52.12 (see video below). Website visitor Ward B. recently wrote asking that I post the second article on the Supersweep, so, here it is. Plans can be found in the September 1974 edition of American Aircraft Modeler.

Drones - Putting R/C into War Games

Drones - Putting R/C into War Games, April 1956 Popular Electronics - RF CafeThe term "drone" these days for most invokes the image of a little plastic spider-looking thing with propellers mounted at the ends of the arms - usually with a toothless bumpkin at the controls. Those same people often think drones are relatively new devices. People with a just a little more information automatically classify all radio control (R/C) models, be they traditional fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters, as drones. Pilots of the aforementioned models are even likely, per observers, to have all their teeth and bathe regularly. I happen to be one of the latter type R/C modelers and while I no longer possess all 32 teeth I had at birth, I do bathe regularly. Drones have been around since World War I where they were used for target practice by ground-based marksmen. Once radio remote control became practical, adopting it for use in pilotless aerial platforms was a natural evolution. I have written in the past about what a large contribution hobbyists have made to "drone" technology both through their technical prowess and flying ability...

Sparks on Ice: Radio in the Arctic

Sparks on Ice: Radio in the Arctic, December 1945 Flying Aces - Airplanes and RocketsThe old adage about pioneers taking the arrows is true in many realms - not just the exploration and settling of the wild west. This story entitled "Sparks on Ice" recounting the trials and tribulations of the troops who installed and debugged the first arctic directional beacons appeared in a 1945 issue of Flying Age magazine. "Sparks" (or "Sparky") was an endearing nickname given to early radio operators who used spark gap transmitters to send out their Morse code messages. It stuck around for many years after better transmitter systems were developed - although it is not very often heard today. The most interesting part of Mark Weaver's article is a discussion of the many atmospheric phenomena that affect radio waves of various wavelengths. A lot of smart people - enlisted, commissioned, and civilian - sacrificed mightily...

Fast Start Set Uses The AAM Glowdriver

Fast Start Set Uses The AAM Glowdriver (July 1974 American Aircraft Modeler) - Airplanes and RocketsDanny M., a website visitor from The Land Down Under, wrote to ask that I scan and post this article for what today we would call a "smart" glow plug driver. There is also an accompanying article in the same July 1974 edition of American Aircraft Modeler magazine titled "The AAM Glowdriver." Danny said, "I built one in 1978, it is still working fine. When a friend saw how it would light a plug under water and clear a flooded engine instantly he begged me to build him one. Unfortunately the original article is long gone, so I found your website and noticed that you list the magazine in question." Well, thanks to our resourceful mate, now the plans and article are available again in case you are experiencing a bit of nostalgia...

The Silver Hill Story

The Silver Hill Story, November 1969 American Aircraft Modeler - Airplanes and RocketsMelanie and I visited the Udvar-Hazy annex of the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum for the first time. We visited the main building in Washington, D.C., a time or two a couple decades ago. A major renovation of that facility is underway now, but with the rewriting of history going on these days, their claim of "reimagining" the displays is worrisome. It is amazing to me when looking at the airplanes represented in this story from the November 1969 American Aircraft Modeler that most of them have been restored by now and are on display in one location or the other. It appears maybe the authors' pleas were heeded after all...

How to Target AirplanesAndRockets.com for Your Google Ads

Google AdSense - it makes good sense - Airplanes and RocketsSome companies have expressed an interest in being able to target Airplanes and Rockets via the Google AdSense program. Yes, it is possible to do that. As you might expect, finding the exact information on the Google AdSense website is a bit difficult. This short video does a good job summarizing exactly how to implement the "Ad Targeting" option, then "Placements," and then add "Websites." Just enter   airplanesandrockets.com   . There are other settings to optimize your advertising campaign with keywords (both included and excluded), pricing, scheduling, statistical data collection and reporting, etc. If you are currently using Google AdSense, then please consider this method, and if you are not using AdSense, now would be a good time to look into it. I have had reports from some companies that experience great results using AdSense (not just on Airplanes and Rockets)...

Model Aviation Comics of Yore

Model Aviation Comics of Yore, April 1960 American Modeler - Airplanes and RocketsAs was the case with many magazines up through about the 1970's, comics reflecting the theme of the publication was often found within the pages of each issue. This 1960 edition of American Modeler magazine is a good example. It contained no fewer than six model aviation themed comics, one related to a particular advertisement for the Fox Glo−Master Battery and Plug, and five stand-alone comics. The Table of Contents (TOC) page often had a "silent" comic with no dialog or caption. In fact the comic that spanned both pages 42 and 43 is like typical TOC comic. The control line combat scenario on page 49 reminds me of something you'd see on the old BattleBots show (which I haven't seen in many years, but is evidently still running). Anyway, enjoy them all!

Carve the Italian Beretta 9mm Pistol

Carve the Italian Beretta 9mm Pistol, December 1954 Air Trails - Airplanes and RocketsFinding an article in a modern model airplane magazine like this "Carve the Italian Beretta 9mm Pistol" from a 1954 issue of Air Trails is highly unlikely. For that matters, seeing an advertisement like the Polk's Hobbies Antique Gun Reproductions on the same page has equally low odds. It's not that boys are no longer interested in guns, it's that publishers are afraid to promote them in any manner - even for historical education purposes. Our politicians promote policies that allow criminals to enter the country bringing drugs, weapons, and other contraband; judges set criminals free or lightly sentence them; schools teach kids that all guns by all people (including police and military) are bad, and then want to remove all guns from law-abiding citizens. As the old saying goes, then only the bad guys will have guns. The morons believe putting an orange cap at the end of the barrel on toys guns will save the day, when all a criminal needs to do...

Sears, Roebuck Museum in Greensboro, NC

The Sears, Roebuck Museum in Greensboro, NC - 2022 - Airplanes and RocketsCall me a hopeless nostalgist when it comes to favored institutions I grew up with. I miss Pontiac dealerships, Montgomery Ward, and Radio Shack stores. I miss Uncle Ben on the converted rice package, and the Indian squaw on the Land O'Lakes margarine package. I miss trips to Blockbuster Video stores on Saturday to pick up a movie on VHS tape, and walking through Toys R Us during the Christmas season. General Foods, Woolworth, Eastern Airlines, Circuit City, Western Auto, Drug Fair, Read's Drug, Britt's Department Stores, Lafayette Radio, A&P Grocery, Northern Reflections, Hechinger Home Improvement, and Babbage's Software. All those and more were part of my growing up in the Annapolis, Maryland area (with Parole Plaza being the prime shopping complex in the era). One of the things I miss the most is the old Sear, Roebuck and Co. stores - particularly the Craftsman tools and lawn and garden sections. My parents bought just about everything from Sears, from us kids' (five of us) school clothing, to household appliances, to lawn mowers, to furniture. Sears' Open Hearth sofas, chairs, end tables, etc. (pretty sure we had this), were nice wood and cloth designs which wore well and were fairly inexpensive. Of course the Sears Wish Book and Montgomery Ward Christmas catalogs...

1st TV Airing of "A Charlie Brown Christmas"

"Peanuts on Television," by Charles Schulz - Airplanes and RocketsAs a lifelong admirer of Charles Schulz's Peanuts comic strip, I occasionally buy a collectible item like a Snoopy music box that plays "It's a Long Way to Tipperary," a plastic Schroeder and piano figurine, a Charlie Brown Skediddler, or a Snoopy astronaut from the Apollo era. This time I bought the edition of TV Guide that announced the first showing of the "A Charlie Brown Christmas" cartoon. Also in this edition is the announcement of plans to preempt regular programming to televise the launch of the Gemini VII spacecraft, which carried astronauts Frank Borman and James A. Lovell. It launched right on time at 2:30 pm on December 4th. "As his millions of fans long since have discovered, under that inept, ineffectual, bumbling exterior of Charlie Brown's there beats a heart as soft and sweet as a marshmallow. In the sequence on these pages, drawn exclusively for TV Guide by Charlie's creator, Charles Schulz, he becomes concerned about the true meaning of Christmas...

Standard Aircraft Company Model "J"

Standard Aircraft Company Model "J" Drawings, January 1955 Model Airplane News - Airplanes and RocketsIf the Standard Aircraft Company's model Standard "J" looks a lot like the Curtiss JN−4 "Jenny," there's a good reason - it was manufactured to supplement the Army's urgent need for trainer planes. Its two-seater configuration provided the student-instructor accommodation not available in the high-powered, single-seat fighter and patrol aircraft. The January 1955 issue of Model Airplanes News magazine contained a two-page spread of some of the most highly detailed line drawings you will find of the Standard "J," inked by Willis L. Nye. Mr. Nye produced many such fine quality drawings for both model airplane and professional aeronautical magazines...

Sketchbook: Tips and Tricks

Sketchbook from March 1957 American Modeler Magazine - Airplanes and RocketsThis Sketchbook was scanned from the March 1957 issue of American Modeler magazine, published by the Academy of Model Aeronautics. 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. I like the idea of using a sharpened bullet cartridge for boring lightening holes in ribs, tail surfaces, etc., rather than using a drill bit. The tip about using a slot in the bellcrank for the flaps of a control line stunt models seems a bit iffy, since it can permit oscillations (fluttering) during normal flight...

Covering Up - Tissue and Dope, by Peter Bowers

Covering Up - Tissue and Dope, May 1941 Flying Aces - Airplanes and RocketsPeter Bowers was a well-known designer and builder of both full-size and model airplanes. As an aeronautical engineer working for Boeing in Seattle, he was well qualified for his hobby pursuits of homebuilt airplanes and competition-class free flight airplanes. He was also an aviation photographer and historian with many books and magazine articles to his credit. Bowers' most famous creation is undoubtedly the Bowers Fly Baby monoplane, which won the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) contest in 1962 for the best low-cost, folding-wing plane that can be towed or trailered from home to and from the airport - the goal being to avoid expensive hanger or tie-down fees. The Fly Baby was much in the fashion of a large model as it was constructed almost entirely of wood...

C/L F4F-3 Grumman Wildcat Article & Plans

Control Liner F4F-3 Grumman Wildcat Article & Plans, May/June 1963 American Modeler - Airplanes and RocketsIn 1963, when this article was published in American Modeler magazine, it had only been 18 years since the end of World War II, where the Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat earned its place in the history books as the only fighter in the U.S. armed forces' inventory capable of taking on Japan's Zero fighter. None other than the inestimable Walter A. Musciano designed this 38" wingspan control line model fashioned after ace fighter pilot Joe Foss' Wildcat. It used a .29 size engine, but could easily be converted to electric power. Construction is very typical of the day: rugged and heavy, but durable. Some lightening effort is advised if using electric power...

That Feminine Touch - AMA '59 Nats

That Feminine Touch - AMA '59 Nats, Annual 1960 Air Trails - Airplanes and RocketsAs I have written many times, the lack of proportional representation of women and girls in the model airplane realm is not because when they do show up, no attention is paid to them. In fact it is just the opposite. Go to any flying field of any type - R/C, C/L, or F/F, and watch what happens when a girl shows up with a model if you doubt it. In 1960 and in 2022, and all the years in between, the fairer sex is sought out and highlighted by model aviation magazines. They are never exploited, ignored, or criticized - just the opposite. You can be sure that any female model builder/flyer and/or contest official receives due attention and credit. The 1959 Academy of Model Aeronautics Nationals (Nats) is a prime example of that which I claim to be so. Many other examples can be found in the articles posted here on the AirplanesAndRockets.com website...

Bonanza Debonair Article & Plans

Bonanza Debonair Article & Plans, July 1971 American Aircraft Modeler - Airplanes and RocketsWebsite visitor Eduardo wrote to ask that I scan and post this construction article for the Beechcraft Bonanza Debonair. It appeared in the July 1971 issue of American Aircraft Modeler magazine. I am glad to do so for anyone, at no charge, as time permits. Usually, I am able to get requests completed within a couple days. If plans are still available through the AMA Plans Service, then only lower resolution versions are posted (typically 1500 pixels wide) in order to not cheat the AMA out of needed revenue. Besides, there are distortions in the scaled-up magazine version that would not be present in the AMA's reproductions from the originals. The AMA Plans Service will provide a version of the plans at a size different from the original, so, for instance, if you want a 48" wingspan rather than 60" like the one featured...

ParkZone Radian Electric-Powered Sailplane

ParkZone Radian Electric-Powered Sailplane - Airplanes and RocketsAfter about a 12-month hiatus from flying any kind of model airplane, and having sold all of my RC gear prior to moving to Erie, PA, I looked around for something that would get me back into the air quickly. My first inclination was to build yet another Spirit 2-meter sailplane and put a brushless motor in it like before, but I really didn't want to have to take the time to build it first. I also did not particularly care for most of the ARF gliders that were available, but seeing the ParkZone Radian sailplane on the Horizon Hobby website and watching the video of its flight convinced me to spring the $250 for the RTF version. There certainly is no better value out there - a nice-looking sailplane with brushless motor and controller, servos, a 3-cell Li-Po battery, and a charger, along with a 2.4 GHz spread spectrum radio system. You cannot buy the parts individually for that much. See September 7, 2009 update: Assembly was a piece of cake - just slide the horizontal stabilizer / elevator into place and secure it with the supplied clear tape, then connect the pushrod wire to the control horn...

AMA Museum Donations Viewable Online Now

AMA Museum Donations Viewable Online Now - Airplanes and RocketsThe December 2021 issue of the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) Model Aviation magazine contained an article about the AMA Museum's effort to post model aircraft related historical items on their website. I check to see whether the two kits I donated in 2019 are there, and indeed they are. One is a Parris-Dunn Little Bobby Helicopter Kite Kit and the other is a Guillow's D-4 Menasco Trainer Kit. Both were gifted to me by Mr. Steven Krick. Realizing their historical significance, I contacted the AMA Museum and they gratefully accepted the donation offer. I have not been to the AMA Museum since 1999, not long after the initial building was commissioned, so it would be nice to make another trip there and see the incredible collection on display now - especially the vintage hobby shop.

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Even during the busiest times of my life I have endeavored to maintain some form of model building activity. This site has been created to help me chronicle my journey through a lifelong involvement in model aviation, which all began in Mayo, MD ...

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