|
 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...
|
 Some of the adventure stories in Flying
Aces magazine were practically full-length novels. The May 1934 issue included
one of Donald Keyhoe's pieces entitled, "Death
Flies the Equator," featuring intrepid G−2 agent, Dick Knight, and his sidekick,
Lothario Doyle, who team up to pit good against evil across the globe. The notorious
"Four Faces" cabal fixed on achieving world domination are a constant challenge
for the wits and wile of our heroic pair. Dick Knight supplies the brunt of required
brainwork while ex-Marine Doyle breaks bones and faces when needed. Both are accomplished
airborne dogfighters, avigators (archaic term for aviator / navigator), and mechanics.
Many of these stories involve fantastic weapons and deception devices, sabotage,
moles, traitors, and incredible feats of flying. They really are "page-turners,"
and the only things that keeps me from reading straight through is wanting to be
able to spread the entertainment across the span of several night's reading in bed.
Unlike most magazines of yesterday and today, Flying Aces usually...
 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...
 When
I first saw this article from a 1946 edition of Radio News, I did a double-take
on the author's name, thinking it was written by long-time model aviation author
and magazine editor William "Bill" Winter. It was actually done by a fellow named
Winters (not Winter). An enthusiastic radio control (R/C) evangelist in his day,
Bill Winter wrote many pieces for electronics magazines such as Popular Electronics.
As I have noted in the past, hobbyists in the electronics realm, as well as in the
fields of aircraft and rocket design, contribute mightily to the state of the art.
Such is also the case in many other arts and sciences. Here we have a report of
some of the earliest radio controlled flying "drones,"
as we call them today. They are a far cry from the palm-size, gyro-stabilized examples
available from commercial distributors nowadays. American film star Reginald Denny
was a pioneer in the development of remote controlled drone aircraft...
 Airplanes and Rockets website visitor
Lieven M. requested that this article on the Blohm Voss 141-B (BV 141-B)
be scanned and posted from the August 1970 edition of American Aircraft Modeler
magazine. The BV 141-B, designed by Mr. Terry Aldrich, is a unique scale subject
in that it is a World War II German fighter-bomber featuring an asymmetrical
configuration. It looks sort of like a P-38 Lightning with the right boom missing.
The engine in on the left at the nose end of the single fuselage boom, and the pilot
compartment is on the right, on the wing. The horizontal stabilizer span is about
80% to the left of the vertical fin, and 20% to the right of it. Construction uses
sheet balsa for the wings, tail surfaces, and profile fuselage. Power is provided
by a single 049 engine...
 Ahhhh, the days before electric powered
everything. I will be the first to admit that the ease of operation, cleanliness,
and quietness of an e-powered model is convenient and helps keep neighbors happy,
but the undeniable fact is that from a motivational perspective, nothing in modeling
compares to a screaming
internal combustion engine (ICE) with blue smoke pouring out of
the exhaust - especially when no muffler is installed. Go on, you can admit it,
unless of course you have never partaken in that aspect of our hobby. When I was
a kid, if I could hear even the slightest hint of a glow engine running, I'd be
on my bicycle pedaling as fast as I could toward the source of the beautiful sound.
Sometimes it was a kid down the road with his Cox tethered car, or on rare occasions
a fellow model airplane flier. A man a couple blocks away flew R/C airplanes and
helicopters, and my sudden presence every time he started up an engine probably
made him cringe (although I did stay out at the street unless invited over). I would
be content to sit on the side of the road and listen to the engine run and if lucky,
get a whiff of the exhaust. I've told Melanie that if I ever lapse into unconsciousness
and cannot otherwise be revived, fire up a Cox .049 in front of me or wave a spent
Estes rocket engine under my nose. I there still is no response...
 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)...
 The
evolution of radio control (R/C, or RC) systems has occurred at about the pace
of most other electromechanical systems from the early part of the last century
up through today. As with other technologies, credit for advancement is shared between
professionals and amateurs. Of course the first transmitters and receivers used
vacuum tubes for amplification and signal generation/detection; it wasn't until
the 1960s that transistorized versions became available for public purchase. Integrated
circuits for modulators and demodulators were introduced in the 1970s, synthesized
oscillators hit the scene in the 1980s, and then spread spectrum changed the landscape
in the mid 2000s. Actuators used to move control surfaces started out as rubber
band-powered escapements and servomotors. Both were all or nothing displacement
in neutral, left, or right. Galloping ghost actuators used constantly flapping control
surfaces that would dwell longer in the left or right, up or down position to effect
control. All were rather crude, but did the job. Proportional systems with feedback
servos permitted control displacement in synchronization with transmitter gimbal
stick position. Digital control eventually replaced analog, providing fine enough
increments that it responded
 Imagine if your path to flying an R/C helicopter
involved first designing, then building, and then troubleshooting the contraption.
That was the burden of pioneers. We have people like
S.S.P. Helicopter designer
Gene Rock to thank for being able to enjoy the state-of-the-art models that are
available today. This article from the August 1972 edition of American Aircraft
Modeler magazine describes the process of machining all the metal parts for
an Enya .45-powered craft. Mr. Rock even designed a very successful mechanical gyro
for keeping the tail under control. If you have ever tried flying an R/C heli without
any type of gyro (I have, on a DuBro Tristar), you will fully appreciate what a
pleasure it is to not have to manually counter torque changes (throttle) with tail
rotor stick input from the transmitter. Around 2008 I bought a Blade MCX2 coaxial
rotor helicopter for flying inside, and the gyro is so good on that thing that you
can put it in a full speed pirouette...
 Peck-Polymers has been around for as long
as I can remember, which was in the late 1960s to early 1970s, when I would have
bought my first aeromodeling magazine (we relied on magazines back then for information
since Al Gore had not yet invented the Internet). In fact, Peck-Polymers was founded
in 1971 by engineer and free-flighter Bob Peck. According to the "About" page on
their website, Bob designed many of the models in the original Peck product line.
He and his wife Sandy we soon kitting designs by Bill Hannan, Bill Warner, Dick
Baxter and many others. Peck-Polymers has also long been at the forefront of design
and engineering of the many small parts that are so critical to free flight rubber
airplanes, such as the bearings and prop shafts. Bob passed away in 1991, and his
wife Sandy kept the company going until late 2007 when she sold it to Tim Goldstein
of A2Z Corp. (now defunct) Tim created the laser-cut kits. In January of 2015, Chuck
Imbergamo of Wind-It-Up Enterprises took ownership of the company and thankfully
is committed to carrying on the tradition of producing Peck-Polymer kits and accessories...
 This "Midget Radio-Controlled
Auto" article from a 1952 issue of Radio & Television News magazine
was a major feat of engineering by Mr. William Minor. He designed and built the
car for his 6-year-old son. The amount of electronics and mechanics he crammed into
such a small volume in that R/C car would have qualified him for an engineering
position at a Japanese SLR (single lens reflex) camera company. Although not explicitly
mentioned, operating the car by radio control back in those days required an amateur
radio operator license. Interestingly, he mentions that when choosing a frequency,
he opted for one above the television broadcast channels so as to avoid interference
with nearby TV sets. I've mentioned before how turning on my 27.195 MHz R/C
system I had as a kid in the early 1970's would cause the neighborhood women to
scream at me for messing up their daytime soap operas. Even though nobody would
deign to undertake such an extensive project nowadays, I thought the extreme effort
by Mr. Minor was worth honoring with a posting of his article...
 Website visitor Doug W. wrote to ask that
I scan and post this article on Dave Platt's familiar
Contender. It
mentions at the end of the article that Top Flite would soon be kitting the Contender,
which indeed it did. The man down the street from me when I was a kid flew radio
controlled models and he had a Contender (early 1970s). It was covered in yellow
and light blue MonoKote - kind of a strange color scheme. When he crashed it beyond
repair, he gave me the carcass. That was a treasure to me at about 13-14 years old.
It was the closest I had ever come to owning an R/C airplane. Occasionally, American
Aircraft Modeler magazine printed plans in blueprint format, which is very difficult
to use as a model building plan. They definitely do not convert well to graphical
format...
 Plans with minimum instructions for the
Miss Max
free flight model were published the July 1961 issue of American Modeler
magazine. Bryant A. Thompson (AMA 2697 - USAF Team Member), of Wichita Fall,
Texas, placed third in the Open Clipper event at the 1960 Dallas Nationals using
his Miss Max cargo design. It lifted 40−½ ounces. The "300" ½A Free Flight and Clipper
Cargo versions are both shown in the plans. Scaling factors for "300" (Class ½A),
"450" (Class A), and "900" (Class B) model sizes are provided. A Cox Pee Wee .020
is drawn on the plans for the Cargo Clipper version. In the top view, note that
the wing is shown "flattened" (without polyhedral). "Flat span" dimensions are what
appear in the table.
 Here is an unusual project for the control
line enthusiast. Bob Tennenbaum's
Jumpin' Giro is an autogyro craft that due to its potential for slow, helicopter-like
flight, can be flown in a small area. That makes Jumpin' Giro a good subject for
old-timers who don't suffer spinning in circles well anymore. It is designed for
an .020 glow fuel engine, but a small electric setup can be easily substituted.
The rotor span is only about 14-15 inches, and as designed there is no form of control;
it simply flies in circles on its own. There is probably not enough centrifugal
force on the tether line to provide positive control, but use of an R/C controlled
electric motor would add to the fun. My guess is it should only be flown in no wind
or very light wind conditions. That leaves out most days in my Erie, Pennsylvania
locale...
 Celestron released the
NexImage
astrophotography camera sometime 2008. I bought it in 2012 for around $100 ($133
in 2023 - a 33% increase due to inflation!). As with most things, if you read
online reviews for the NexImage, most people either love it or hate it. My own experience
is that the frustration I had initially was due to inexperience in setting up the
software and with getting a good focus on the telescope. Once those two obstacles
were overcome, I began getting some really good images of the moon and planets.
Printed Circuit Assembly Front Side Front Side of Both NexImage Printed Circuit
Assemblies Back Side of Both NexImage Printed Circuit Assemblies Celestron now has
a 10 Mpixel version of the camera out called the NexImage 10. It costs $309.
I have learned a bit more about imaging CCDs and will do a bit of shopping around
first. I really do not want to get a DSLR because they are big and heavy. What would
be nice is to buy a medium quality telescope camera for doing deep space imaging
and another for planetary work. The investment would be around $1,000, which is
what an acceptable DSLR would cost. However, the DSLR will not come with software
and, especially for the deep space work, will probably not have as good of a low
light level capability as a camera designed for astroimaging...
 Re-timing, cleaning up (air and fuel flow
passages), freeing up (sliding friction), lightening and balancing (removing unnecessary
material), and breaking in (initial running with rich fuel mixture while interfacing
metal parts fit themselves to each other) are all part of the effort necessary to
create winning engines for model racing events. This 1962 American Modeler
magazine article predates Schnuerle porting (in model engines), ABC (aluminum, brass,
chromium) cylinder liners, and modern metal alloys, but still the concepts are applicable
to today's engines. It purpose is to instruct on proper
engine break-in so that
it will have a long lifespan. Wankel lovers will appreciate the homemade engine
shown...
 I just made a short video of my
Blade 230 S SMART helicopter
in flight to demonstrate how easy it is to fly in the Stability Mode (I've not tried
to fly in the Agility Mode). Easy, that is, after a trial−and−error method of programming
the Spektrum DX6 G3 transmitter. The setting shown in the user's manual leaves
the heli way too unstable IMHO. In order to make it trainer-like, I cranked the
servo throws back to 50% (default 100) and turned up the GER setting to 150 (100
default). Also in Forward Programming I set the Stability to 150 (its highest setting).
After that, she hovers hands−off when there's no wind. I had
Blade 230 S V2
prior to this (sold it), and it flew fine in Stability Mode using the manual's settings,
so something's different with the SAFE version. I was about to give up on flying
it until I made the setting adjustments. I might be willing to sell the heli w/training
gear, two 850 mAh Smart batteries and Smart Charger (w/IC2−IC3 adapter) for
$310 (+shipping) if you're interested. Tx not included.
 The National Association of Rocketry (NAR)
has been around since 1957. At one time, the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA)
was pretty tightly joined with them in covering model rocketry events and promoting
model rocketry. In fact, for while there was space allotted in American Aircraft
Modeler, AMA's monthly magazine, for model rocketry. From February 1968 through
August 1969 there was a newsletter feature entitled "Model
Rocketeer" in addition to a separate article, often written by G. Harry Stine.
A complete list of all editions is provided. The NAR and AMA still work together.
For example, the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) delegates authority for aeromodeling
and spacemodeling to the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA), who has in turn delegated
Spacemodeling (model rocketry) to the NAR...
 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...
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)...
 The type of glass
referred to in this 1953 Science and Mechanics magazine article is not
the solid sheet type made from sand (silicon), but fiberglass. It has
strands of glass mixed into the plastic weave, hence the name. It is the
glass component that causes itching as it pricks your skin. Breathing it into
your lungs is dangerous as the minute particles of glass can lodge in the
tissue. Typical of the era, the workers shown handling the fiberglass have no
protection for eyes, nose, mouth, or skin. Fiberglass ended up not being the
material hoped for because it ultimately could not stand up to the extreme
structural and thermal loads typical of high speed aircraft. It was also not
tolerant of being exposed to intense sunlight while sitting on a tarmac. The few
commercial and homebuilt fiberglass airplanes need to be painted white to
reflect as much ultraviolet light as possible to prevent delamination and
deterioration of the components...
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)...
 This week's puzzle features words and clues,
marked with an asterisk (*), regarding a momentous event which took place this week
on
December 17, 1903. As with my hundreds of previous engineering
and science-themed crossword puzzles, this one contains only clues and terms associated
with engineering, science, physical, astronomy, mathematics, chemistry, etc., which
I have built up over nearly two decades. Many new words and company names have been
added that had not even been created when I started in the year 2002. You will never
find a word taxing your knowledge of a numbnut soap opera star or the name of some
obscure village in the Andes mountains. You might, however, encounter...
  The Peanuts© comic strip, drawn by Charles
Schulz, has been my lifetime favorite. That it is also the world's favorite strip
is no wonder. Now that I have crossed the half-century threshold, I tend to look
back at the innocence and complexity of the themes with a perspective other than
simply entertainment - although I still thoroughly enjoy reading them just to get
a few good laughs. Along the way, I have managed to collect a few bits of memorabilia.
Melanie was a Peanuts fan as a child and actually still had some of her girlhood
collection. Part of her dowry when we married was a couple dozen Peanuts paperback
comic books, Charlie Brown, Lucy, and Snoopy Skediddlers, the Snoopy Christmas tree
ornament, a couple Peanuts banners, and a few other odds and ends. The rest of the
stuff like the Snoopy astronaut and the magazines with early Charles Schulz artwork
was purchased off of eBay. Schroeder, Lucy, and Snoopy Bobbleheads (aka Nodders)
were added in November 2012 as well as the Schroeder & Piano...
 The July 2013 edition of IEEE's Spectrum
magazine had a really good article on a high tech study that is being done on the
manner in which an albatross
manages to fly great distances and for long periods of time while rarely needing
to flap its wings. As shown in the thumbnail (and in the article), an albatross
performs a series of rapid climbs into very strong wind, turns, and dives leeward
nearly to the water's surface, then repeats the process over and over as it makes
its way to its destination. The process is called dynamic soaring. R/C soaring pilots
have been doing the same sort of thing for a few years now. Obviously the albatross
figured out how to fly like that long before mankind was able to mimic it, but the
researchers in the article seem to not have knowledge of the R/C soaring technique.
They are capturing albatrosses in their nests and attaching GPS-based sensors with
data recorders to the birds' back feathers and retrieving the units when the birds
return to their nests...
 The flying business was big business in the
early days of aviation. From the beginning, specialized training and certification
was needed to be trusted in the air with mail, cargo, and the lives of strangers.
As with today, a flyboy could teach himself to fly and put his own neck on the line
(only with ultralights now, though), but anything more meant graduating from a college
curriculum and/or getting training from the military. The Civil Aeronautics Authority
(CAA, now the Federal Aviation Administration cum FAA), oversaw non-military flights
and its Civilian Pilot Training Program (CPTP) regulated and certified private schools
for teaching aspiring pilots aerodynamics, mechanics, weather phenomena, airframe
and powerplant maintenance, rules and regulations, public relations, and other necessary
skills. This "Youth
Air Movement News" column from the December 1939 issue of Flying Aces
magazine reported on the progress of the program, and mentioned here that women
were being permitted into the flying schools as well...
 In this article appearing in the 1960 Annual
edition of Air Trails magazine, author Robert Angel introduces his "Uni−Flow"
concept for U-Control (aka control line, C/L) model airplanes. His method modifies
the standard wedge type metal fuel tank to operate on the same principle as an office
water cooler. By adding a strategically placed additional brass tubing vent, Mr. Angel
contends the pressure on the inside of the tank remains fairly constant as the vacuum
from the engine's carburetor draws fuel. This is preferred to pressurizing the fuel
tank via either a tap on the crankcase or off the muffler (which there were not
a lot of in 1960. Whether or not the Uni−Flow arrangement is any better than a standard
vent line or pressurization is still a matter of debate half a century later, as
can be seen in this StuntHanger.com forum thread. In fact, it seems the standard
C/L metal fuel tank is a form of uni−flow...
 Just like with the old commercial jingle
that went, "Everybody doesn't like something, but nobody doesn't like Sara Lee,"
I can pretty confidently substitute "seaplanes" for "Sara Lee." The
Grumman Widgeon
was one of many iterations of their twin engined amphibious airplanes that is immediately
recognizable to most people over the age of 40. In fact, the Widgeon was the seaplane
that appeared each week on the 1970s television show "Fantasy Island." It was "Ze
plane! Ze plane!" that Tattoo would call out at the beginning of each episode. The
Marh 1967 issue of American Aircraft Modeler magazine carried a nice article on
the Grumman Widgeon's history, along with a fine set of 3-view drawings by Paul R.
Matt...
 "Plane Views" was a monthly feature of
Flying Age magazine, with this installment being from the December 1945
issue. Flying Aces changed its name to Flying Age in the middle
of 1944, probably to focus on the rapidly advancing aeronautical technology prompted
by World War II. Whereas Flying Aces was full of fictional stories
of flying aces during World War I and the interim up though the middle of World
War II - along with plans for airplane models - Flying Age was essentially
an entirely new magazine with very little in the way of model aviation and none
of the adventure stories. Many Flying Aces readers were highly upset at
the extreme change, especially since it essentially abandoned the Flying Aces Club
as well. The Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) had no involvement with either the
Flying Aces or the Flying Age magazines. In fact, I don't recall
the AMA ever being mentioned. The AMA had its own magazine that went by various
titles over the years, including American Modeler, American Aircraft
Modeler, and its present incarnation, Model Aviation...
 Here I am in my back yard in Erie, Pennsylvania,
"playing" with my newly acquired (in June)
Celestron NexStar 8SE telescope.
City lights are fairly bright here to the east and west, but farm land is to the
south and Lake Erie begins two miles to the north, so that limits the light pollution
somewhat. Erie is not that large of a city, so that also helps. Still, compared
to the truly dark skies in areas I have lived in Vermont and Colorado, the seeing
is noticeably bad. I haven't had a chance to try any of the filters that came with
the eyepiece and filter kit that came with the scope. I also bought a Celestron
NexImage camera for use with the telescope. It is only good for really bright objects
like planets and the moon, mainly because the stock interface does not allow long
time exposures. However, there is a hack online that modifies it for longer settings.
The pixel resolution... |
