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Gemini VII Launch in December 4, 1965 TV Guide

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

Skydweller Solar Plane Flies in Mississippi

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

Air Trails Sketch Book

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

F-84G Thunderjet Article & Plans

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

Drones Perform Infrastructure Inspections

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

World Championships in Germany

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

Rocket (Jetex) Powered Dyna-Soar

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

Windmill Planes

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

Top 50 NASA Photos

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

Fan Forces Parachute to Ascend with Jumper

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

Wee -38 Lightning Article & Plans

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

The Space Race

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

Model Rocketry Takes off in Oregon

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

HAPS Aircraft for Stratospheric Comms

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

Championship 336 Cessna Skymaster

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

Fox 15x Engine

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

Airnocker Article & Plans

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

Rebinding Damaged Books

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

R&S Counter-UAS to Combat Autonomous Aerial Threats

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

Wind Flying

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

Aviation News Headlines <Archives>

• FCC Rules for 5 GHz Band Drone Operations

EAA Weighs in on MOSAIC

• Smithsonian Opens Hangar Doors to Pilots

• EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2024 July 22-28

• The Smallest Air Force One

Model Boats More Popular Than Ever

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

Square Hare from Delaware Article and Plans

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

WAG - Hand-Held Relayless Dual Transmitter

WAG - Hand-held Relayless Dual Transmitter (January/February 1963 American Modeler) - Airplanes and RocketsIf you like re-visiting the old days of radio control (notice I didn't use the adjective "good") to see how far we have come in terms of equipment, then this article from the January/February 1963 edition of American Modeler magazine is just what you are looking for. Dr. Walter Good (no relationship to the adjective mentioned above) developed this "handheld" transmitter at a featherweight seven pounds to replace his previous 32-pound monstrosity. Modern digital transmitters with 100,000x the processing capability weigh less than a pound. Being a tube circuit admirer, I have always been impressed at what designers were able to do with so little. Some day our kids will look back at the Futaba 14M and wonder how we managed to keep model sin the air with the need to actually hold a transmitter at all (brain wave control will be standard equipment)...

Jonah's Plane

Jonah's Plane (November 1938 Boys' Life Article) - Airplanes and RocketsOld seafarers' superstitions wore on long past the days when sailors believed their ship might run over the edge of the Earth. They carried over into maritime services well into the 20th century, and probably to some extent into the 21st century. It was common to blame a long string of bad luck on one poor sap whose appearance on the scene just happened to coincide with the supposed curse. He was called a "Jonah," after the Biblical character whose presence on a fishing boat caused a constant run of bad weather until the crew finally tossed him overboard where the leviathan of the deep swallowed him. In this story from a 1938 edition of Boys' Life magazine, a particular seaplane suffered problem after problem, like water in the gas tank causing dead stick landings on rough seas, so the pilots and mechanics referred to it as "Jonah's plane." As with many stories of the era, this one centers around airplanes and ships...

Control Line Wind Flying

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

Thrills of the Navy Test Pilots

Thrills of the Navy Test Pilots, August 1937 Popular Mechanics - Airplanes and RocketsWhen I think of a Navy (or Air Force, or Army, or Marine, or Coast Guard) test pilot, what comes to mind is a high powered fighter airplane, a bomber, or even maybe a helicopter, but the guys in this 1937 Popular Mechanics magazine article are proving cargo and personnel type seaplanes. Doing so might not be as glorious as the aforementioned types, but it is still no job for the weak of heart or slow of mind. The average lifetime of a test pilot is less than that of "regular" pilots because not only are new, untried concepts tested, but part of the wringing out procedure involves pushing the craft to its limits to determine whether the design goals were met, and to know what the placarded "never exceed" numbers should be. Many a test pilot perished during the final "10-G" stress tests of airplanes during World War I, which is quite a demand from what were usually stick and tissue (spruce and silk, actually) airframes...

How to Target AirplanesAndRockets.com for Your Google Ads

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

Quiz: Models and Manufacturers

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

Designing RC Helicopters

Designing RC Helicopters, March 1971 American Aircraft Modeler - Airplanes and RocketsJohn Burkam was one of the few true pioneers in free flight and particularly radio controlled model helicopters. His experiments date back into the 1940s. His rubber-powered Penni Helicopter appeared in the January 1970 issue of American Aircraft Modeler. Also, he covered the 1972 and 1974 helicopter Nationals competitions in American Aircraft Modeler. John was an engineer with the Boeing Company. His attention to detail and lack of fear in tackling design issue with numbers, graphs, and formulas is apparent in his work, although any type of design in previously unexplored or little explored areas of technology requires some degree of seat-of-the-pants guestimates. Both philosophies are present in this article. The "Super Susie" is powered by a Cox .049 Tee Dee engine, has four channels, and weighs in at around 2 pounds. That is pretty remarkable for early 1970s equipment. It's too bad someone doesn't produce an .049-powered R/C copter today...

First of the Giants - Triple Tail DC-4

First of the Giants - Triple Tail DC-4, December 1961 American Modeler Magazine - Airplanes and RocketsThe Douglas Aircraft Company's DC−4 conducted its maiden flight on June 7, 1938. It was a hugely successful four-engined aircraft used for civilian and military passenger and cargo transportation. Military versions of the plane were designated C−54 and R5D. The DC−4 was designed to be the airline industry's "dream" airplane - "a Grand Hotel with wings", capable of cruise speeds of more than two hundred miles per hour and a range of 3,300 miles, making it capable of non-stop coast-to-coast flight. Although the DC−4 was the brainchild of United Airlines, a consortium of five companies - United, TWA, American, Eastern and Pan American - financed the endeavor to ensure success would not be hampered due to cost and competition concerns. The airplane's control systems were so complex that a new crew member position called "flight engineer" was created to monitor and tend to all the meters, dials, knobs, switches, and panel lights, while allowing the pilots to worry mostly about flying...

For the Tenderfoot: Bonanza and Mustang

For the Tenderfoot: Bonanza and Mustang Article & Plans, January 1971 American Aircraft Modeler - Airplanes and RocketsWebsite visitor Kenneth E. wrote to say that he is working to build a complete collection of the Tenderfoot models that were published in the Academy of Model Aeronautics' American Aircraft Modeler magazine. The Tenderfoot series was an attempt to provide motivation to young newcomers to the hobby. They were a mix of freeflight rubber powered airplanes and helicopters, gliders, and ¼A & ½A control line designs that built quickly, simply, and cheaply. Kenneth requested reprints of the following three models: the ½A C/L Saucerer from January 1970, the FF HLGs Bonanza and Mustang (this article) from January 1971, and the FF rubber Clodhopper from February 1973...

Paul Harvey - Radio Control Modeler

Paul Harvey - Radio Control Modeler, May 1972 American Aircraft Modeler - Airplanes and RocketsWhilst looking through some old issues of American Aircraft Modeler magazine, I was quite surprised to find that none other than radio great Paul Harvey is (or was) a builder and flyer of radio controlled airplanes. The first feature on Paul Harvey appeared in the May 1972 edition in a monthly column titled, "On the Scene." (see below) Mr. Harvey then wrote a regular column titled "Paul Harvey Views." Understandably, the column only ran for a few months - probably because of his extremely busy schedule. I did a Google search to try to find information on Paul Harvey's modeling activities, but could not find anything at all. That is when I decided to go ahead and reprint this one article from the May 1974 edition of American Aircraft Modeler. I hope he won't mind...

Aviation News - Here and There in the Air

Aviation News - Here and There in the Air, May 1934 Flying Aces - Airplanes and RocketsFlying Aces magazine featured a monthly "Aviation News" column that covered both model and full-size aviation happenings across the country and on foreign soil. This 1934 issue reported on the land-based "lighthouses" which were established throughout the land in order to guide airplanes from airport to airport. Not much in the way of radio direction finding was available at the time, and this method was more consistent and reliable than having farmers build bonfires in their fields for pilots to look for. "Dead reckoning" was still the order of the day back then. Compared to today where only in the most remote areas are lacking any manmade visual object to positive identification while navigating, real "seat of the pants" skill was required to fly cross-country routes without getting lost. Nowadays, GPS-linked and/or inertial navigation systems can flying an airplane from point A to point B without any assistance from a human. Also told...

Miss Max Free Flight Plans

Miss Max Article & Plans, July 1961 American Modeler - Airplanes and RocketsPlans 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.

Southern Senior High School Class of 1976 Yearbook

Southern Senior High School Class of 1976 Yearbook Photos - Airplanes and RocketsThese images were scanned from my 1976 yearbook for Southern Senior High School in Harwood, Maryland. Only pages with information on Seniors is included. Birthdates have been covered over, but everything else remains. Please let me know if you would like your picture and/or information removed. On the other hand, if you would like to send additional information for posting or would like me to send you the full-resolution scan of your page, then please send me an e-mail at KirtAAR@aol.com. A full list of all the names that go with these photos can be found at the bottom of this page. Having them in text format (versus a photo) will allow search engines to find your name and associate it with Southern Senior High School. Oh, and yes, all the photos are in B&W; there are only eight pages with color in the entire book!

Unicopter Article & Plans

Unicopter Article & Plans from the May 1973 American Aircraft Modeler - Airplanes and RocketsHere is a nifty little project for those of you who still actually build your models. Finding plans for a flight-proven rubber band-powered helicopter is rare. This construction article and plans for the Unicopter, a one-bladed chopper by Mr. Bill Hannan, appeared in the May 1973 edition of American Aircraft Modeler. It can be made out of a handful of materials that are probably laying around your hobby bench area. It might not be as exciting as a Blade MCX2 coaxial rotor RC helicopter, but... oh wait, it actually might just be as exciting after all...

How to Target AirplanesAndRockets.com for Your Google Ads

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

Bell Telephone Company - Airlines Communications

Bell Telephone Company - Airlines Communications (December 1961 Boys' Life) - Airplanes and RocketsBell Telephone Company played an important role in the development of the aviation industry by providing communications systems for airlines. As intimated in this promotion in Boys' Life magazine, in 1961, Bell introduced the "air-ground-air" radio system, which allowed pilots to communicate directly with air traffic controllers on the ground, improving safety and efficiency in air travel. This system was a major technological advancement, as it replaced the earlier system of communicating via Morse code, which was slow and prone to errors. The air-ground-air system allowed pilots to communicate in real-time with controllers, enabling faster and more accurate instructions for takeoff, landing, and navigating airspace. Bell Telephone Company continued to innovate in the aviation industry, introducing new technologies such as satellite-based navigation systems and weather radar systems, which have greatly improved air travel safety and efficiency...

Auto Progress: Down Memory Lane

Auto Progress: Down Memory Lane III, December 1954 Air Trails - Airplanes and RocketsAir Trails HOBBIES for Young Men magazine, which was published in the 1950s and 1960s, covered a wide array of subjects including model cars, boats, trains, rockets, and helicopters. It may have billed itself as targeting young men, but men of all ages enjoyed its monthly contents. The December 1945 edition had this spread on some early cars such as the Pierce Silver Arrow and 1922 Durant. The image of line drawings and brief descriptions would also make a good wall poster if you want to print it out. If you are a vintage car aficionado, then most likely you have visited the Jay Leno's Garage website. He has one of the nicest private collections of antique automobiles and motorcycles in the world...

That Feminine Touch - AMA '59 Nats

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

Contest Capers, March 1955 Air Trails

Contest Capers, March 1955 Air Trails - Airplanes and RocketsIf you're anything like me, you have an appreciation for the older comic strips. Getting the message being conveyed sometimes requires a knowledge of the events of the era, but for the most part the humor and/or satire comes through even when you assume it relates to current events. WWI and WWII timeframe comics, for instance, often alluded to the evils of Fascist governments overseas, while today they may be likened to the deeds of our own government. These "Contest Caper" comics from a 1955 edition of Air Trails magazine are timeless...

Combat King Article & Plans

Combat King Article & Plans, June 1959 American Modeler - Airplanes and RocketsThe name Frank Ehling was big in control line circles (pun intended) back in the middle of the last century. He was a very active modeler in free flight, control line, and radio control for that matter, and was the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) technical director for a while. Frank was a prolific and accomplished airplane designer, plans draftsman, flyer, and competitor. This article and plans for his "Combat King" control line combat model appeared in the June 1959 issue of American Modeler magazine. It is a flying wing design with a 37" wingspan and is meant to powered with a .29 to .35 size engine. As with most of the vintage model designs, it would easily be converted to electric power and be competitive. Construction materials are standard balsa and plywood.

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