|
 This 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...
 Since 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 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...
 This 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..."
 "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..."
 The
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 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...
 If 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...
 I 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...
 "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..."
 Airplanes 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...
• 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
 Post 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...
 Website 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.
 "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..."
 I 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)...
 The
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..
 Ummm... 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...
 Here 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..."
 When 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...
 I 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!
 "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..."
 When 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...
 Another 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...
 "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..."
 This 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?
 When
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."
 SpaceX
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...
 I 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...
 According 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...
 The
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...
 The 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...
 Jetex "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...
 Infographics 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...
|
 he 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...
 Here 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.
 Some 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)...
 My 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...
 Your 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!
Some 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)...
 Remember 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...
Some 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)...
 Straight 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...
 The 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...
 Airplanes 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...
 This 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.
 The
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...
 The 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...
 Danny 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...
 Melanie 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...
Some 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)...
 As 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!
 Finding 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...
 Call 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...
 As 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...
 If 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...
 This
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...
 Peter 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...
 In 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...
 As 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...
 Website 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...
 After 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...
 The 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. |
