Airplanes and Rockets' history & copyright Google search American Modeler Air Trails American Aircraft Modeler Young Men Hobbies Aviation Flying Aces Saturday Evening Post Boys' Life Hobby Distributors Amateur Astronomy Engines & Motors Balsa Densities Silkspan Covering Comics Electronics My Models Model Aircraft Articles Plans Model Boat Articles Plans Model Car Articles Plans Model Train Articles Plans 1941 Crosley 03CB Radio Model helicopter articles & plans Crosswords Model Rocket Articles Plans Restoration Projects Photos Peanuts Collection Model Aircraft Articles Plans Sitemap Homepage Hints and Kinks Amateur Radio Archives of the homepage R/C Modeler Electronics About Airpleans and Rockest, Disclaimer, Terms of Use Model Topics Please Donate to Airplanes and Rockets Parole Plaza, Annapolis, Maryland Hobby Items for Sale Airplanes and Rockets Hero Graphic


Model Aircraft Museum, AMA - Airplanes and Rockets

RF Cascade Workbook 2018 by RF Cafe

Welcome to the Airplanes and Rockets Website

Gemini VII Launch in December 4, 1965 TV Guide

Gemini VII Launch Announcement from December 4, 1965 TV Guide - Airplanes and RocketsWhile looking for the edition of TV Guide that published the first airing of "A Charlie Brown Christmas," I noticed that the time period coincided with the launching of the Gemini VII spacecraft. In a stroke of good fortune, it indeed included an announcement that regularly scheduled programming would be preempted as necessary to provide live coverage of the launch, to give timely updates, and to coverage the splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean. 2:30 Gemini Space Flight The 14-day Gemini VII space flight is scheduled for launching from Cape Kennedy's Pad 19 at 2:30 P.M. Astronauts Frank Borman and James A. Lovell will be making man's longest journey...

Skydweller Solar Plane Flies in Mississippi

Skydweller Solar Plane Flies in Missippippi - Airplanes and Rockets"An aviation company pushing the boundaries of solar-powered flight has successfully finished the first in a series of tests for its uncrewed airplane, taking off from Mississippi's Stennis International Airport for six flights high over the Gulf of Mexico. The company, Skydweller Aero Inc., says its aircraft - essentially a giant drone with a wingspan greater than a 747 - had one flight lasting 22.5 hours and another lasting 16 hours during the initial testing campaign. The company says it is developing technology to enable its airplanes to eventually spend months cruising at 40,000 feet, guided by a team of techs on the ground and using only the sun for fuel. The top of the plane is equipped with 17,000 solar cells..."

Air Trails Sketch Book

Sketch Book, February 1949 Air Trails - Airplanes and RocketsA scheme I have considered for control line models is one of the entries in the "Sketch Book" section of the February 1949 issue of Air Trails magazine. Mr. Joseph Johnson shows how he used a moveable rudder on his scale airplane to increase tension on the control lines when up elevator is commanded. A similar system could be devised for stunt models which increases right rudder (for CCW circles, left rudder for CW) as either up or down elevator is fed in. Another option I have never tried is to have a moveable rudder controlled by a spring connected to a sliding bellcrank platform that would increase outward rudder when line tension lessens, and decrease it when the lines get tight. Such a system would be most useful for compensating for wind gusts that slacken the control lines. Maybe some day I'll have the time to experiment with that. A handful of other ideas are included...

F-84G Thunderjet Article & Plans

F-84G Thunderjet Article & Plans, July 1970 American Aircraft Modeler - Airplanes and RocketsWebsite visitor Bob wrote to ask that I scan and post the construction article and plans for the F-84G Thunderjet control line model. It appeared in the July 1970 issue of American Aircraft Modeler magazine. The unique feature of this model is that the power is supplied by the pilot. A fishing pole and line is used to drag the airplane around the flying circle and a separate, standard two-line elevator control is used to maneuver the model. Construction is sheet balsa. Author Joe Wagner (well-known in the modeling world) claims that with a bit of practice just about any aerobatic maneuver can be accomplished except for the overhead routines like the figure eight...

Drones Perform Infrastructure Inspections

Drones Perform Infrastructure Inspections - Airplanes and Rockets"Drones will be deployed for long distance inspection of infrastructure as well as site security following new rule changes published by the UK Civil Aviation Authority. The aviation regulator's new rules will enable drones to fly beyond the visual line of sight (BVLOS) of remote pilots in so-called 'atypical' operations through its new policy for atypical air environments (AAE). BVLOS flights have been taking place in the UK for several years, but these flights have occurred primarily in trials under strict restrictions..."

World Championships in Germany

World Championships in Germany, Model Annual 1956 Air Trails - Airplanes and RocketsThe 1956 Air Trails magazine Annual Edition reported on the World Championships in Germany for the International Wakefield Cup, F.A.I Free Flight, and Nordic A/2 Glider events. The three '55 World Championships were held in September at the U.S. Air Force's Finthen Airfield, near Wiesbaden, Germany. Competition was fierce amongst European and American contenders. It is worthwhile to remember that 1955 was a mere eleven years after the end of World War II, and that former foes were gathered together for a sporting contest. There could easily have been men there who, without knowing it, were competing against military adversaries they met on the battlefield or in occupied towns a decade earlier...

Rocket (Jetex) Powered Dyna-Soar

Rocket (Jetex) Powered Dyna-Soar Article & Plans, July 1962 American Modeler - Airplanes and RocketsThis rocket boost glider called the Dyna-Soar was powered by American Telasco's version of the Jetex 50 engine. Jetex rocket engines were quite popular with model airplane, boat, and car builders through the early 1970s, at which point the fuel supplies began to disappear. Most Internet sources posit that Imperial Chemicals Industries (ICI) ceased making the fuel pellets due to a combination of liability and regulation issues. ICI, based in Scotland, manufactured the Jetex fuel pellets* from a measured blend of guanidine nitrate, 2,4-dinitroresorcinol, potassium nitrate...

Windmill Planes

Windmill Planes, February 1939 Popular Science - Airplanes and RocketsLeonardo da Vinci is usually credited with producing the first illustration of a helicopter concept. It employed a rotating helical corkscrew device at the top in order to enable the craft and occupant to "screw his way aloft, in much the same manner as Archimedes designed his eponymous helical screw device to lift water from a lower level to a higher level. Water, being dense and cohesive with itself, was easily elevated, whilst air, not being dense or cohesive, did not yield to the same technique. In fact, if the "aerial screw" were able to spin rapidly enough and was of an efficient aerodynamic design, it would work. Here is a 4-screw drone to prove it. These "Windmill Planes" presented in the February 1939 issue of Popular Science magazine represent the state of the art at the time. Surprisingly omitted is an example of Igor Sikorsky's helicopter design, which he first flew successfully in September...

Top 50 NASA Photos

Top 50 NASA Photos - RF Cafe"On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, which began its operations on October 1, 1958, we offer this list of the 50 most memorable images from NASA's history. We recognize that any such ranking is inherently subjective. The rationale for why any one image ranked two slots higher than any other combines several factors, including our attempt to balance the list between human spaceflight, satellite imaging, and planetary exploration. Many wonderful images did not make the final cut - we couldn't convince the editors to give us 20 pages instead of 10. The list omits significant events from space history that were not NASA achievements..."

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.

Workshop Tips for Modelers

Workshop Tips for Modelers, Annual 1960 Air Trails - Airplanes and RocketsThese half-dozen hand-dandy model building tips are as useful today as they were in they appeared in the 1960 Annual issue of Air Trails (Hobbies for Young Men) magazine. Readers submitted their brilliant ideas to the editor, who then created drawings and brief descriptions. I find myself doing many of the things that appear in this and of editions of the vintage modeling magazines - of course that might have something to do with my being "vintage" at this point in life (born in 1958). Back when these items were published, availability of most tools and material was nowhere near as abundant as today. It's hard to imagine anyone nowadays making a drill bit out of a nail, but in a pinch you never know...

Find the Scale Wingspan & Area

Find the Scale Wingspan & Area - June 1969 American Aircraft Modeler - Airplanes and RocketsDave Platt - aka "Mr. Scale" - is one of the world's most accomplished scale model airplane builders and flyers. He somehow manages to turn out magnificently detailed scale models year after year. If you haven't seen his "Platt's Laws of Scale Modeling," derived from his decades of experience, you'll want to do so. He has built and flown his scale models in the realms of free flight, control line, and radio control, using internal combustion engines with propellers, ducted fans, and turbine jets for propulsion. There might be someone somewhere equally qualified to comment on scale airplane modeling, but none more qualified. When this "Find the Scale Wingspan & Area" article appeared in a 1969 issue of American Aircraft Modeler magazine, slide rules were the de rigueur...

Mathematical Puzzles from the 1980 OFA

Mathematical Puzzles, 1980 Old Farmer's Almanac - RF CafeEach autumn I used to anxiously await the appearance of the newest edition of The Old Farmer's Almanac on the store shelf. It is not that I was/am an avid farmer, just that I enjoy reading the anecdotes, tales, and interesting historical tidbits included amongst the pages along with tables of high and low tides, moon and sun rising and setting times, astronomical events, and weather patterns expected for the year that lay ahead. Most of all, I liked working the puzzles and riddles. Over the years the difficulty levels gradually got lower and lower (aka dumbed down), to the point where for the last decade or so I have not even bothered buying the OFA. Now it is full of numbnut stuff. Because quite a few of the Mathematical Puzzles from the older editions are worthy of an engineer's cerebration, contemplation, and deliberation, I am posting the ones I own here on RF Cafe. Answers to numbers 1 through 11...

Sig Balsa "Box of Blocks" - Making Large Blocks out of Small Blocks

Sig Balsa "Box of Blocks" - Making Large Blocks out of Small Blocks - Airplanes and RocketsThe cost of balsa, like everything else, has been rising significantly since the COVID-19 "plandemic" hit the world a couple years ago. Along with it the price of manufactured kits has gone up as well. A simple 1/16" x 3" sheet of balsa now costs around $2.00 (Sig price). In 2019, you could get it for $1.13 per the stored page at Archive.org. That's a 77% increase. Being a scratch builder of model airplanes, I frequently watch e-Bay, RC Universe, RC Groups, etc., for bargains on balsa, but they're getting harder to come by. If you have to order a balsa block online, there is a good chance it will end up being more dense (i.e., harder and heavier) than desired. Since local hobby shops (LHS's) are very rare these days, there is seldom an opportunity to go in and look for a suitable block prior to purchasing...

AMA Nationals 1974: Control Line Scale

AMA Nationals 1974 Lake Charles: Control Line Scale, November 1974 American Aircraft Modeler - Airplanes and RocketsIf you became involved with the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) and its annual Nationals Aeromodeling Championships (Nats) contest anytime after 1995, then you never were part of the crowd that chased the venues around the country from year to year. Although AMA headquarters had been located in Washington, D.C., and then Reston, Virginia, prior to then the Nats organizers attempted to hold the contest in East Coast, Midwest, and West Coast areas. Doing so helped to spread out the hassle involved in packing up models and equipment and traveling all the way across the country every year. The current Muncie, Indiana, location was chosen specifically to provide a centralized spot with easy access, relatively decent weather, and with real estate cheap enough to procure a very large parcel of land. The 1974 Nats was held in Lake Charles, Louisiana...

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...

Look out Below! - Basement Railroad

Look out Below! - Basement Railroad, November 1954 Air Trails - Airplanes and RocketsModel railroading is probably as big a deal or even bigger today than it was when this "Basement Railroad" article appeared in a 1954 issue of Air Trails Hobbies for Young Men magazine. The level of engineering and artistry exhibited by model railroaders is utterly amazing. The same can be said for most forms of modeling, but the layouts created by model railroad enthusiasts trumps what you typically see for model car, model boat, or model airplane displays. As shown here, there are elaborate railroad layouts hidden away in basements, garages, and back rooms all over the world. Pitifully, the decades-long work of some modelers is lost when he passes on, and the parts are sold off in estates sales or auctions. It pains me to think of the creations that have ended up in a landfill because the inheritor did not appreciate the value of the work and equipment. Of course that happens much less frequently these days with the availability of Etsy and eBay. In fact, some pretty amazing prices are paid for vintage trains...

W9USB Third Open American Soaring Contest

W9USB Third Open American Soaring Contest, November 1940 Radio News - Airplanes and RocketsThis particular article from a 1940 issue of Radio News magazine touches on two of my hobbies - airplanes and Amateur radio. Whereas most of my flying experience is with all forms of models, here is a group of Hams who provided logistical radio communications during the 3rd Open American Soaring Contest, held in Lockport, Illinois. W9USB was the call sign granted by the FCC especially for the event. Such a contest requires administration and coordination of air and ground aircraft movement, tow winch operation, pilot status, event scheduling, and emergency services if required (fortunately, none were). Being an all volunteer effort, the "Prairie Dogs" subdivision of the "Hamfesters Club" of Chicago. As pointed out in the article, the highly successful operation was a great public service demonstrating the capability and utility of Amateur radio. Many major Ham equipment manufacturers...

Engine Review: McCoy 29 Red Head

Engine Review: McCoy 29 Red Head, January 1955 Model Airplane News - Airplanes and RocketsAh, the days when glow fuel engines were the rule rather than the exception! Sure, they were mess, noisy, and could be finicky, but other than maybe an idling 8-cylinder with a high-lift cam, Edelbrock intake manifold, Holley 4-barrel carburetor, and a set of Hooker headers, there are few nicer sounds than a model aircraft engine as it comes to life. Sure, I know that modern brushless electric motors are highly reliable and extremely powerful, don't annoy the neighbors, and never leave a gooey mess that takes half a roll of paper towels to clean off your airplane (or helicopter), but those of you who grew up flying in the pre-electric-flight years know what I mean. I confess to having switched to electric back around 2005 - except for Cox .049 engines. McCoy "Red Head" engines were very popular back in the day, and command pretty good prices on eBay today when in good condition...

Charlie's Cox Model Airplane Collection

Charlie's Cox Model Airplane Collection - Airplanes and RocketsAs the old saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. That being the case, here are 8,000 of some of the most amazing words that I've ever seen regarding Cox control line airplanes. These photos were sent to me by Airplanes and Rockets website visitor Charlie H. According to his e-mail, there are around 300 models in all, many of which are still in their original boxes. I see some pretty unique examples in the photos. If my understanding is correct, he is interested in selling his collection. It must be worth a small fortune. I will let you know how to contact him if he does want to sell part or all of the models...

Stuka Stunt Plans

Stuka Stunt Article & Plans, July 1961 American Modeler - Airplanes and Rockets

The Stuka Stunt control line aerobatics model was designed and flown by Don Still. Don was top placing (2066.6 points) member of the winning USA team, with his new version Stuka Stunt, at the 1960 World Stunt Championships in Budapest, Hungary. The model sports a 42" wingspan with a wing area of 391 sq. in., weight is 28-30 ounces. Construction is standard balsa, plywood, and spruce. Plans for the original version Stuka Stunt were featured in the April 1952 issue of Air Trails. The model won the 1952 and 1954 Nationals (Nats), the 1953 Internationals, and the 1951 Tangerine Internationals. It took second place in the 1951 and 1960 Nationals. These plans for Don's new Stuka Stunt appeared in the July 1961 issue of American Modeler magazine.

Andrews Aircraft Model Company (AAMCo) H−Ray Kit

AAMCo Andrews Aircraft Models H-Ray - Airplanes and RocketsThe Andrews Aircraft Model Company (AAMCo) produced a radio control airplane, the H−Ray, that was my first successful RC model. An advertisement from a 1964 edition of RC Modeler includes both the H-Ray (high wing) and the S−Ray (shoulder wing). I'm pretty sure that I put an OS .20 R/C engine in it - probably the only one I had at the time. Advertisement for the OS Digital 3-channel radio control system I bought second-hand from a man down the street from where I lived as a teenager. I paid him $100 for it sometime around 1974 or so. That is the equivalent of $532 in 2020 dollars according to the BLS's Inflation Calculator. My second-hand OS Digital 3-channel radio control system was installed in it, which is why I can still vividly remember running after it with the transmitter held high above my head trying to regain control after it ran out of range. My H-Ray spent a night in a corn field out at the original PGRC club in along Route 301 in southern Maryland because of it. The range with that OS digital system was about 600 feet under ideal conditions...

R/C Compound Escapements & Servos

R/C Compound Escapements & Servos, February 1955 Popular Electronics - RF CafeEarly "servos" were nothing more than the electromechanical equivalents of rubber band-powered escapement. Rather than energizing a solenoid that would allow the rubber band to turn the control arm, the pulse signal from the receiver would set a motor in motion, and then limit switches would stop it once the predetermined position was reached. They had a number of advantages over rubber-powered escapements in that the power delivered to the control surface was not diminished with every actuation (except from some negligible energy drain from the batteries), they were able to deliver a lot more power, and they took up less real estate inside the fuselage. It was a first step toward today's proportional servos. This 1955 issue of Popular Electronics magazines shows the state of the art in the day...

3D-Printed Formers Sterling F4U-1 Corsair

3D-printed formers Sterling F4U-1 Corsair (Boyd Steffen) - Airplanes and RocketsAirplanes and Rockets website visitor Boyd Steffen sent me this photo of the formers he made using a 3D printer. People are building entire flyable model airplanes using 3D printing, including detailed scale airplanes, aerobatic and super fast models, lightweight Park Flyers, and training types. The science/art has come a long way in the last decade. A YouTube search on 3D printed model airplane will have you amazed at what is being done, if you aren't already aware. The guys designing and building them have a very impressive knowledge of what is needed to maximizing strength and rigidity while maintaining minimal weight - no doubt as a result of trial and error...

Race Cars in Your Living Room

Race Cars in Your Living Room, January 1962, American Modeler - Airplanes and RocketsSurprisingly (or maybe not), electric slot car racing is still fairly popular amongst kids. I say surprisingly because with radio control electric cars being under $10 in some cases, it is a wonder that anyone these days wants anything that confines a car to a specific course or has to plug into the wall to work. Back in the 1950s and 1960s, slot car racing was very popular. I can remember even into the 1970s that some of the bigger hobby shops still had slot car tracks set up where you could rent time on the track for a buck or so an hour. If you didn't have your own car, you could rent one there. My good friend, Jerry Flynn, was a slot car aficionado and would lend me one of his spares. I think the hobby shop we went to was in either Bethesda or Rockville, Maryland. It was quite a drive from our neighborhood around Annapolis. While typing out these words I can remember the smell of the electrical arcing of the motor brushes heating the oil we put on the axels and motor bushings. Ah, those were the days...

How NOT to Retrieve a Model

How NOT to Retrieve a Model, from April 1957 American Modeler - Airplanes and RocketsEvery month in Model Aviation, the AMA's monthly publication, there is a "Safety" column that reports on model-related accidents and issues like not charging Li−Po batteries in appropriate containers, not smoking around glow fuel and gasoline, not flipping your propeller with a bare finger, etc. Many moons ago the big safety concern was not flying control line models too near to high voltage power lines. This photo from the April 1957 edition of American Modeler shows some guy attempting to retrieve a radio control model from its landing spot atop a set of telegraph wires. He is standing on a barbed wire fence using a wooden pole to prod it off the lines. The captions asks, "Who knows line voltage?"

Programmable Dynamic Attitude-Aware Motor Speed Control for Electric-Powered Control Line Aircraft

A Programmable Dynamic Attitude-Aware Motor Speed Control for Electric-Powered Control Line Aircraft - Airplanes and RocketsThere is currently a big shift from internal combustion engines to electric motors for powering model vehicles of all sorts - airplanes, helicopters, boats, and cars - and of all control modes - autonomous (free flight), radio control, and control-line. The state of motor and battery technology has passed the point where the weight and thrust available with electric power meets or exceeds that of engines for most applications. Costs are pretty much at parity as well when you compare engine vs. motor and fuel vs. battery acquisition and cost of ownership over the life of the power system. All sorts of useful electronic peripheral equipment has been developed for use with electric motor power: programmable electronic speed controllers, motor cutoffs based on altitude and/or elapsed time for free flight, motor timer/speed controls for control line, and even engine noise generators to give life-like sound to otherwise eerily quiet war birds and commercial transports, to name a few. These devices had made the switch to electric power nearly seamless for most flyers...

Drones - Prelude to "Push-Button" Warfare?

Drones - Prelude to "Push-Button" Warfare?, October 1946 Radio News Article - RF CafeThe term "drone" is relatively new to being common parlance throughout society. Prior to the early 2000s, a drone was thought of as either the mate to a queen bee or a special remotely controlled aircraft used by the military for target practice or for carrying out special missions not deemed safe for human pilots. When this article appeared in a 1952 issue of Radio & Television News magazine, drones were the exclusive purview of the military and research institutions because of high procurement and operational costs. With the advent of inexpensive, highly advanced spread spectrum radio control systems by the hobby community, lightweight and powerful brushless motors and lithium polymer (LiPo) batteries, sophisticated miniature stability and guidance integrated circuits (processors and sensors), and advanced computer simulation, incredibly capable and relatively inexpensive multirotor drones are widely available. From simple toys for erstwhile non-pilots to serious R/C flyers to professional operators, drones are everywhere. A couple days ago I saw a utility company worker using one to inspect power lines along a country road...

AMA Nationals 1974 Lake Charles: CL Stunt

AMA Nationals 1974 Lake Charles: CL Stunt, November 1974 American Aircraft Modeler - Airplanes and RocketsBack in the days when the cycle time between writing articles, proofing, laying out pages, shipping hard copies to printers, setting up presses, and preparing magazine for mailing was about a three or four month process, coverage of a July-August event would finally appear in November-December timeframe. Photos, of course, were all in black and white. Nowadays, with everything done digitally and involving almost no physical, hands-on steps in the process, we often see Nats event happenings as early as September. The November 1974 issue of American Aircraft Modeler magazine included extensive coverage of that year's Nats, which was held in Lake Charles, Louisiana. This is the control line stunt portion. If you were around during the era...

PA-6 Control Line Stunt Model

PA-6 Control Line Stunt Model Article & Plans, July 1968 American Aircraft Modeler - Airplanes and RocketsWebsite visitor Joshua H. wrote asking me to scan and post this article on Bob Baron's "PA-6" control line stunt design that appeared in the July 1968 edition of American Aircraft Modeler magazine. Per the airplane's designer, "Cleverly blended design factors - notably engine/prop combination - make this a truly great stunt design." Great care in planning was used to obtain a model that was lightweight and would fly relatively slowly on 70-foot, 0.015" diameter (low drag) steel lines. Its 56" wingspan and Super-Tigre .35 BB engine with a 50-oz. flying weight on 70' lines reportedly results in a near-perfect stunter...

Academy of Model Aeronautics Government Advocacy Coalition - Airplanes and Rockets

RF Electronics Shapes, Stencils for Office, Visio by RF Cafe

Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) - Airplanes and Rockets

Academy of Model Aeronautics

Tower Hobbies logo - Airplanes and Rockets

Tower Hobbies

Horizon Hobby logo - Airplanes and Rockets

Horizon Hobby

Sig Manufacturing - Airplanes and Rockets

Sig Mfg

Brodak Manufacturing - Airplanes and Rockets

Brodak Mfg