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 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...
|
 Humor in the 1930s was a bit different than
it is today. Times were simpler and thought processes were not as complex as in
today's world where information is attacking you every moment of the day. Public
discourse and personal decorum were held to a higher level, so even stinging jokes
and references usually didn't require lowering yourself into the cultural gutter
to comprehend and appreciate. As you read through these "Wisecrack-Ups"
from the May 1934 issue of Flying Aces magazine, some of the quips will
seem corny or downright dumb. Most can be appreciated even by modern humor standards,
and all will be repeatable to any audience regardless of age or gender. An occasional
nod is given to
Lt. Phineas
Pinkham, of the the "turbulent and inimitable Ninth Pursuit Squadron," during
World War I (known simply as "the World War" at the time since #II had not
occurred yet.)...
 What
was considered in 1937 to be a breakthrough feat for a full-size airplane is today
accomplished regularly in model airplanes. What took hundreds of pounds of generators,
radio gear, sensors, and actuators to perform the first-ever
fully automatic landing is now done with a few ounces of microminiaturized GPS
receiver, processor, MEMS sensors, servos, and a LiPo battery. The HobbyZone Sportsman
S+RTF (see video at bottom) is an example. Most modern commercial aircraft are capable
of landing themselves in an emergency situation. Just today there was a news report
of an American Airlines pilot that died in flight and the copilot took over to land
the airplane; however, that Airbus A320 could have handled the job if necessary...
 Here is an ingenious method for mechanically
generating properly proportioned ribs for wings that are not rectangular - including
sing and double straight tapers and even elliptical planforms. Of course today you
can print out a perfectly dimensioned set of ribs to accommodate any planform and
root-to-tip thickness taper profile. In 1960 when this "'Simplex'
Airfoil Templates" article appeared in the 1960 Annual issue of Air Trails
magazine, such conveniences were in the purview of universities and government research
facilities. Even if you have no need of cutting ribs for tapered wings, it is worth
your time to read this brief article about the mathematical principle - logarithmic
(aka equiangular) spirals - behind the scheme. There are no formulas, so don't be
scared off ;-)
 This
article by science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke, of 2001: A Space Odyssey fame,
suggested the use of surplus German V−2 (Vergeltungswaffe 2; i.e., Retribution Weapon 2) rockets for launching
scientific payloads into space rather than for launching terrorizing attacks on
European cities. The October 1945 publishing date was after Germany had surrendered
in the spring of that year and Allied forces were rounding up war criminals and
confiscating documents and equipment. Clarke describes how an "artificial satellite"
could be caused to circle the earth "perpetually" and was published in the October
1945 edition of Wireless World magazine. The pilot-less V−2, along with
the V−1 "Buzz Bomb," were launched from within Germany and caused massive structural
damage and human death and suffering. For war progenitor and aggressor, Germany,
to call it a retribution weapon was a gross misnomer, especially considering it
was the second time (WWI and WWII) in three decades that the country had attempted
to bring Europe under its dominance with brutal assaults...
 It's hard to believe 1961 was over half a
century ago (62 years to be more precise). That is when this "NARAM," the
National
Association of Rocketry Annual Meet, took place in Denver, Colorado. As with
the U.S. Navy's involvement in the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) Nationals
(Nats), the U.S. Air Force, in July of 1961, officially encouraged model rocketry
as a hobby for USAF personnel, including the Civil Air Patrol (CAP, headquartered
at Ellington AFB, Texas, at the time). The USAF had a vested interest in encouraging
young men to develop an interest in rocket development, operation, and maintenance
in order to ensure an ample supply of enlisted and officer personnel for its missile
programs. The contest has held at the Hogback Rocket Range near Denver, which was
close to Lowry Air Force Base (now closed) and the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado
Springs...
 On April 8, 2024, one of the best total
solar eclipses of the last century crossed the United States from
Texas to Maine. Because the moon was near its closest orbital point to the Earth,
and the Earth was about midway between its orbital apogee and perigee, the sun appeared
relatively small and the moon appeared relatively large. That combination caused
the moon's shadow to be very wide across the face of the Earth. Note in the NASA
eclipse map at the right how much narrower the path of totality was for the August
17, 2017 eclipse. Maximum eclipse for this location was just shy of 81%. That was
enough to cause an eerie feel in the sky, but it was nowhere near dark. Let me state
that when I first became aware of this solar eclipse, it was sometime around 2016,
when I was living in Erie, Pennsylvania. Due to scheduling issues, Melanie and I
decided to not travel to South Carolina to view the August 21, 2017 eclipse,
figuring we would have a front-row seat to it on April 8, 2024, from our house,
which was only a few miles from the center of the path of totality. Life happened,
and we ended up moving back to North Carolina in 2022. Because hotel rooms just
about anywhere in the path of totality were in the $300+ per night range, we stayed
here and missed totality...
 Most aviation enthusiasts, including moi,
think of the Reliant series of airplanes when the name Stinson is mentioned. Edward
"Eddie" Stinson was born in 1893 and at the time of his death due to an airplane
crash, he was the highest time pilot in the world with about 16,000 hours of logged
flight time. The Stinson Aircraft Company merged with Vultee Aircraft in 1932 and
was eventually bought out by the Piper Aircraft Corporation. Here is some interesting
trivia I discovered while researching this 1949 Air Trails magazine article: In
1943, Consolidated Aircraft and Vultee merged, creating Consolidated Vultee Aircraft
Corporation, popularly known as Convair. Convair (ConVAir) manufactured the F-106
Delta Dart, the B-36 Peacemaker bomber with six pusher propeller engines (and later
four jet engines), and also made that familiar XF Pogo vertical-takeoff-and-landing
(VTOL) airplane that had counter-rotating propellers and sat on its tail...
 This is the February 8, 1942, "Flyin'
Jenny" comic strip. The Baltimore Sun newspaper, published not far from where
I grew up near Annapolis, Maryland, carried "Flyin' Jenny" from the late 1930s until
the strip ended in the mid 1940s, so I saved a couple dozen from there. The first
one I downloaded has a publication date of December 7, 1941 - that date "which will
live in infamy," per President Roosevelt. Many Americans were receiving word over
the radio of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor while reading this comic at the
breakfast table. I expect that soon there will be World War II themes. "Flyin'
Jenny," whose real name was Virginia Dare (what's in a name?), was a test pilot
for Starcraft Aviation Factory who divided her time between wringing out new airplane
designs and chasing bad guys. She was the creation of artist and storyteller Russell
Keaton...
 If you do a Google search on
Silkspan and dope covering methods,
a lot of good written instructions can be found. In fact, I suggest you read one
or two of them if you have never done a Silkspan and dope covering job before, or
if it has been a while and you want a refresher course, or if you have tried and
never been able to get an acceptable result. There is no special skill required
to obtain a really nice looking Silkspan and dope finish, there are a couple "gotcha"
scenarios that can ruin an otherwise simple process. I believe the two worst mistakes
you can make are painting dope in air that is too humid, and using a thinner that
is not entirely compatible with the dope (nitrate or butyrate). I decided it might
be a good idea to make a video of how I have been successfully achieving decent
Silkspan and dope finishes for lo these 40 or more years. My finishes have never
won any prizes, but the tissue (Silkspan) has always been nice and taught and the
brushed dope has gone on evenly, with nice, sharp trim lines. The subject of this
tutorial / demonstration is a Sopwith Camel biplane from a Manzano Laser Works kit.
My Camel first flew as a 3-channel radio controlled model, and was covered with
Monokote. It experienced an unplanned encounter with terra firma and broke off half
of the top left wing. Since I had originally planned to build it for control line...
 These are not your father's bombs; in fact,
they're your great-grandfather's bombs. Note that per the title "Bombs of
the World War," there was no "I" or "1" appended to it. That is because as we
learned in grammar class in elementary school while being instructed on creating
outlines, one does not assign a number "1" or a letter "a" or "A" if there will
be no number "2" or letter "b" or B." Since what we now refer to as World War I
was "the war to end all wars," there was no expectation that there would someday
be a World War II. Hence, up until the end of 1941, people referred to the
28 July, 1914 through 11 November, 1918 conflict simply as the "the World War" or
"the Great War." But I digress. Many of the bombs shown here were tossed out of
the cockpit by either the pilot or back seat bomber/gunner. BTW, when I saw that
the Whitehead Aircraft Torpedo supposedly had an 8,000 yard (24,000 feet, or 4.5
miles) range running on compressed air...
 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)...
 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...
 Ambroid was probably the biggest name in
model aircraft cement. It has been around in one form or another since the early
1900s. The name is a portmanteau of amber (its color) and celluloid. By the time
I got into the balsa model building scene in the late 1960's, Duco cement was being
fairly widely used, and since it is what was on the shelf of my local convenience
store, that's what I used. A few years later when I was driving and could visit
hobby shops, I tried
Ambroid cement, but never really took to it, primarily because it seemed to
get brittle quickly. There was never a joint failure I could attribute to Duco cement,
so I stuck with it (pun intended). About ten years or so ago the price of Duco cement
began going way up, so nowadays I use mostly Sigment*. I had used Sigment occasionally
prior to that and had confidence in its integrity. It appears Ambroid cement is
no longer being manufactured, but Sigment is, so I highly recommend it as a general
purpose glue for balsa structures...
 When 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...
 In 1961 when this
Citizen−Ship LT−3 Relayless Receiver promotion appeared in American Modeler
magazine, transistorized circuits were a relatively new thing. Many people were
dubious of the newfangled technology and were leery of the dependability of them.
It didn't take long for the convenience of low weight, small size, higher functionality,
and no need for bulky and heavy high voltage batteries to sway even the most hard
cord tubeist (a word I just made up) toward adopting the format. Even so, the state
of the art had a long way to go to get anywhere close to today's micro- and nano-sized
receivers and servos, with capabilities and reliability levels only dreamed of in
1961. The escapement mechanism featured was powered by a twisted rubber band. A
pulse of current from the receiver caused the control arms to rotate a quarter turn
when a small solenoid released the escapement tab. So, although the receiver itself
was "relayless," the escapement still had one (a relay is a solenoid with make/break
electrical contacts)...
 Featured here in the September 1949 issue
of Air Trails magazine are no fewer than 52 model aircraft (or boat or
car) engines on the market at the time. As with most items considered non-essential
that required critical resources (material and/or manufacturing capacity), the modeling
industry took a hit during the World War II years. Much print space was consumed
by tips and tricks for how to make your own components or substitute material for
what had been customary. Balsa was in short supply because it was (and still is)
used in the construction of air-dropped equipment pallets. Rubber, metal, plastic
(still relatively new at the time), and even some cloth and paper was often difficult
to procure for building or repairing models. Once the war was over, companies went
as fast as they could in converting from wartime production back to peacetime production...
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)...
 Model railroading is probably as big a deal
or even bigger today than it was when this "Basement
Railroad" article appeared in a 1954 issue of Air Trails Hobbies for Young
Men magazine. The level of engineering and artistry exhibited by model railroaders
is utterly amazing. The same can be said for most forms of modeling, but the layouts
created by model railroad enthusiasts trumps what you typically see for model car,
model boat, or model airplane displays. As shown here, there are elaborate railroad
layouts hidden away in basements, garages, and back rooms all over the world. Pitifully,
the decades-long work of some modelers is lost when he passes on, and the parts
are sold off in estates sales or auctions. It pains me to think of the creations
that have ended up in a landfill because the inheritor did not appreciate the value
of the work and equipment. Of course that happens much less frequently these days
with the availability of Etsy and eBay. In fact, some pretty amazing prices are
paid for vintage trains...
 Just as with the Douglas Model Distributors
ad appearing on the same page of the September 1949 issue of Air Trails
magazine, you can see how marketing people knew how to get the attention of men
and boys. Victor Aerosearch ("aerosearch" possibly being an allusion to "aeronautical
research"?), maker of the very popular (at the time) AeroGloss hot fuel-proof dope,
employed the same eye-catching technique. Of course both companies leveraged the
dual meaning of the word "model" to their advantage. Some people like to say you
only need to use an attractive model to get people to notice your product if the
product is not attractive enough on its own to garner interest. Others say the girl
serves two purposes - to get the attention of men in the business and to suggest
that if you use this particular product, you will naturally draw the attention of
girls who look like the one in the ad. Both arguments have merit, but I'm guessing
the most prevalent one is the latter rather than the former.
 Phantom Motors, out of Los Angeles, California,
was one of the early manufacturers of ignition motors for model airplanes, boats,
and cars. This full-page advertisement appeared in the November 1946 issue of Air
Trails magazine. This particular ad had a Christmas theme, as did many of the other
ads in that edition. If you do a search on eBay for vintage Phantom Motors ignition
engines, not much shows up, so that probably means there were either not too many
of them made, or they were not sturdy enough to survive hard landings and frequent
usage so that the engines were trashed. Oh well. The $14.95 price tag in 1946 is
the equivalent of $288.31 in 2021 per the BLS inflation calculator...
 S.C. Smith's cover drawing for this
1956 issue of Air Trails magazine is an enhanced version of Wayne Schindler's
ducted fan Saab Draken 210 free flight [semi] scale model airplane.
Back in the day, there were no commercially available ducted fan units, so they
needed to be designed and fabricated by the builder of the model. The computer optimized
ducted fan units we have today are matched to the powerplant, which much more often
that not is a brushless motor. I don't know if anyone makes a ducted fan for glow
fuel engines anymore. This Saab Draken 210 used a Cox .049 Thermal Hopper glow engine,
which was capable of turning 10,000 rpm. 1956 is the year Cox introduced the
Babe Bee .049 was introduced, but might not have been available at the time. It
could do 13,500 rpm on 15% nitro fuel, so could have added significant thrust
to the ducted fan unit. The six-blade, three-inch diameter fan was not enclosed
in a tightly fitting duct like modern fans are. This new 50 mm diameter (~2")
electric ducted fan (EDF) puts out 770 g (1.6 lb.) of thrust on a 3-cell
LiPo battery...
 I have been using a 4½" bench vise for decades,
and have always wanted to get a larger one. It was OK for most jobs, but there have
been times when I thought for sure I'd break it when hammering or bending metal
parts in it. This
Craftsman 5½" Bench Vise (Model No. 113.228162) appeared on eBay and looked
to be in pretty good condition. I figured a bit of polishing and painting would
restore it to nearly good-as-new. The vise was taken completely apart and all the
paint was removed using a high speed grinder with an abrasive pad. It left the metal
unscathed. Areas that could not be reached with the grinder were wire brushed. Unpainted
metal parts were polished with a fine grit pad. A thin coat of RustOleum primer
was applied, then three coats of gloss red over that. The vise was set in the sun
all day to cure. A thin layer of grease was put on the swivel base mating surfaces,
jaw screw, and where the handle meets the vise jaw...
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...
 Flying Aces magazine had a regular feature
of aviation humor entitled "Wisecrack-Ups." You can tell from the gag lines and
topics that it reflects a very different time that was the 1930s. December 1939,
when this issue was published was, was very shortly after World War II had
begun in Europe, yet one of the comics has an enemy observation balloon, Sopwith
Camels, and Fokker D7s, left over from World War I. Most of the content is
uncredited, except for the artwork. Mention is made of the G.A.R., which is not
familiar to me. The best thing I could come up with for it given the era is maybe
the Grand Army of the Republic...
 Here are a few more photos from the
1959 AMA Nationals,
in continuation of coverage in the July and August issues of Model Aviation
magazine. Some are behind-the-scenes shots rather than just flight line action.
Vintage unbuilt kits of a lot of the airplanes you see in these pictures are selling
for a small fortune today on eBay. BTW, this series of Model Aviation is completely
different than and precedes the current incarnation of Model Aviation that
followed the American Aircraft Modeler and American Modeler titles.
Its size is just 8½" high by 5½" wide, and were typically only about 20 pages. The
February 1959 issue has about twice as many pages because it also contains the 1950-1960
"Official Model Aircraft Regulations Governing Sporting Model Aviation in America."
I have all 12 issue from 1959, and don't know if others are available...
Website visitor Christian H. for buying my Estes Alpha II rocket kit.
He and his son built it and sent this photo - nice job! The original
Astron (Estes) Alpha kit, as can be seen in the
photos, had balsa fins and nose cone. The fins were cut from sheet balsa and needed
to be glued individually to the body tube. Then, both the nose cone and fins needed
to be coated with filler and sanded before painting. I wonder whether the new model,
which uses lightweight plastic and does not require painting, is lighter than the
original?
 Even though I have never attempted to build
a
model covered with microfilm, it is easy to appreciate what a
delicate task properly preparing the solution, covering the frame, and handling
the delicate airframe is, along with the precision handling required to obtain the
correct film thickness and coverage. There have probably been improvements in microfilm
solutions and airframe materials and gluing techniques, but ultimately you need
to form the film on the wing, tail, and propeller surfaces. This 1971 American Aircraft
Modeler magazine article should still be useful for contemporary indoor flyers...
 Flying model helicopter development understandably
took a lot longer than airplanes because of the complex aerodynamic and mechanical
issues that needed to be conquered for successful operation. A few direct drive
rotor systems appeared early on, with the engine mounted in the fuselage, but a
counter-torque force needed to be dealt with as the fuselage wanted to rotate in
the opposite direction as the rotors. Ken Norris' implementation as shown in this
1961 issue of American Modeler magazine, solved that problem by mounting
a pair of engines on a boom that was part of the rotor head assembly. Doing so meant
the only torque transferred to the fuselage was due to any friction between the
free-wheeling rotor shaft and the bearings, and due to accelerations during rotor
speed changes. The physical size... |
