|
 "September 30 marked the end of the FAA's
fiscal year and with it, the annual conclusion of the annual 12-month tracking of
fatal accidents among experimental category aircraft. The preliminary numbers
from the agency received late last week appear to present an excellent snapshot
of safety over the past year. While the final totals are still being tabulated,
the initial total of 37 accidents is well below the FAA's not-to-exceed figure of
46 for the period. That includes 29 fatal accidents in homebuilt aircraft. More
details will be available in the coming weeks as the FAA's annual total of GA activity..."
 Hi Johnson was a well-known designer
and manufacturer of model airplane engines in the middle of the last century. His
series of throttled engines was widely used in the early years of radio control.
A lot of research went into producing the engines to produce long lifetime, easy
starting, and consistency of operation. The
Johnson
35 R/C, which is the subject of this 1962 American Modeler magazine
article, was one of the first to used dual ball bearings on the crankshaft, contributing
mightily to the accomplishment of the aforementioned goals. The state of the art
for all types of model flying had advanced to where pilots could expect...
 As with most things these days related to
model airplane components, extensive research into materials, structure, and functionality
have been thoroughly researched and engineered to the point where the modeler has
little more to do that install parts into his craft. Parameters have been thoroughly
analyzed using computers over a wide range of input stimuli to determine the optimal
configuration. The effort dedicated by author Wayne Schindler to design and conduct
an experiment to determine the optimal dimensions and shapes for a
ducted
fan propulsion system is nothing short of academic. His efforts produced a list
of design parameters to consider when building a ducted fan-powered model airplane.
The net result in Mr. Schindler's case was an amazing 325% thrust improvement...
 "A
study from Canada has found a 26% annual chance that space debris will re-enter
the atmosphere and
pass through a busy flight area. The chance of space debris hitting an aircraft
is very low, but the research from a team at the University of British Columbia
highlights that the potential for uncontrolled space debris to disrupt flights and
create additional costs for airlines and passengers is not. The research is published
in Scientific Reports. In 2022, a re-entering 20-tonne..."
 The
Gloster E.1/44, presented in this 1948 issue of Popular Science magazine,
was a British experimental jet fighter developed in the 1940s as a potential single-engine
counterpart to the twin-engine Gloster Meteor. Designed by the Gloster Aircraft
Company to meet Air Ministry Specification E.1/44, it was powered by a Rolls-Royce
Nene turbojet and featured a sleek, straight-wing design with a tricycle landing
gear. Initially conceived as a simpler and more economical jet fighter for the Royal
Air Force, the project faced numerous delays due to shifting priorities...
 During
World War II, Americans, Britains, Frenchmen, and other civilians were seriously
engaged in helping to defend their homeland. Those who were not in the military
gathered bottles, tin cans, tires, and clothing to use in the war effort. Others
volunteered at the Red Cross, veterans' hospitals, and USO offices. Some stood guard
at their nation's seashores and land borders, both as armed sentries and as troop
and aircraft spotters. As part of the civil defense effort, listening devices were
built to help detect the sound of approaching airplanes. In patriotic tradition,
magazines like Popular Science published many articles to assist the population
contribute. Here is a plan for a "Homemade
Plane Detector." It used a horn "antenna" that...
 As a member of the Academy of Model Aeronautics
(AMA) since around 1971 (AMA # 92498), I have witnessed a lot of change in the organization
as well as in the model industry. When I first joined as a teenager, AMA headquarters
consisted of rented office space in a Washington, D.C., building, Richard Nixon
was president, and the war in Viet Nam was on nightly news. AMA headquarters moved
into a brand new building, which included museum space, on purchased property in
Reston, Virginia, in 1983. A growing AMA membership and the desire to consolidate
national competitions to a central location resulted in
establishing residence in Muncie, Indiana, where the 25,000 square-foot Frank
V. Ehling Complex celebrated its grand opening in 1992. Since then, an additional
25,000 square feet of space...
 I did not bother to look up what the
world record endurance flight length is for an R/C glider as of this writing,
but in December 1956 when this article appeared in the first edition of American
Modeler magazine, a team of three modelers did 8 hours, 34 minutes and 21 seconds
at Torrey Pines, California. That would be an amazing accomplishment with today's
equipment, but these guys did it with a vacuum tube receiver and an escapement mechanism
driven by a twisted rubber band - rudder-only! No elevator control, no flaps or
speed brakes, no gyroscopic stabilization, no proportional rudder deflection. It
was left, center, or right...
 This is the earliest known photo of me with
a control line airplane - a Cox PT-19 Trainer.
I'm guessing it was summer of 1969, when I would have been 12 to 13 years old (my
birthday is August 18, so it could have been before or after). I remember that 1969
was the year because it was the year that Hurricane Camille tore up Biloxi, Mississippi
(where I would many years later be stationed for electronics training in the USAF)
and the rains even in Mayo, Maryland, where I lived, were torrential. It is the
airplane with which I first learned to fly control line. There was another Cox control
line plane that I had prior to the PT-19 Trainer, but I cannot recall...
 Mr. Bill Gaylord has been gracious enough
to allow me to post photos and information about his fine
Guillow's free-flight
model airplanes that he
converted to electric powered R/C. The level of craftsmanship is incredible
both in the frame-up and the covering and finish. You can find lots of photos and
details of the build on the RCGroups bulletin board. I do not see whether he has
ever flown any of these models. My guess is that with the structural beefing up
required to support the motor, battery, and R/C gear results in a high wing loading.
I personally would never dare risk these models by trying to fly them! They would
all spend their days as hanger queens - display only...
 It is kind of amazing that as recently as
1950, aircraft manufacturers were still using
radial engines on new aircraft. This 1950 issue of Air Trails magazine
reports on the Navy's P2V-4 Neptune, the latest model of Lockheed's patrol bomber,
which is powered by two 3,200 horse power Wright Turbo-Cyclone radials. In-line
engine formats are definitely more streamlined, but from a maintenance perspective,
being able to change out a single cylinder rather than an servicing the entire block
was definitely handier. Having only ever ridden in one airplane having a radial
engine (a Ford Trimotor), I can't say...
 1963 was five years since America's first
communications satellite, Echo, was placed in orbit. Echo was a passive, spherical
reflector that merely provided a good reflective surface for bouncing radio signals
off of. By 1963, when this
Eavesdropping on Satellites article appeared in Popular Electronics
magazine, the space race was well underway and active communications satellites
were being launched at a rapid pace. Spotting and tracking satellites has long been
a popular pastime with two types of hobbyists: amateur astronomers using telescopes
and binoculars, and amateur radio operators using antennas and receivers...
 The other night Melanie and I were watching
an episode of the old Gilligan's Island television show titled "Wrongway Feldman,"
which was about a long-forgotten, famous aviator who took a wrong turn during a
race and ended up being stranded on the same island as seven famous castaways. The
"Spirit of the Bronx" airplane featured in the show was referred to by Wrongway
as a Krieder Reisner KR21. It is a right nice looking biplane. I immediately hit
the pause button and looked it up on Google. The KR-21, according to the EAA AirVenture
Museum's website, was manufactured in the 1929-1930 timespan, had a 22'-7" wingspan,
and a 125 hp Kinner B5 (R-440), 372 cubic inch, 5-cylinder radial...
 "After years of aircraft and infrastructure
development, the
electric vertical takeoff and landing industry faces a broadly self-imposed
deadline of 2025 for entering commercial service with a new generation of air taxis,
shuttles, and freight carriers. Many companies have said for years that they would
begin carrying passengers or cargo and ramping up mass production of aircraft by
2025. Today, however, meeting that goal seems like a lot to ask, given the challenging
investor climate and the long process for gaining FAA certification of new aircraft.
In many ways the field of eVTOL companies has developed in a manner similar to that
of the early car industry, which began with dozens of manufacturers..."
 We take for granted today that we are able
to legally use radio control systems without obtaining an
operator's license, but that has only been the case since the late 1970s. Prior
to that, a Citizens Radio Station License needed to be procured from the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC). No examination was required, but a fee was charged.
I think mine cost something like $5. FCC Part 15 rules permitted license-free
operation in designated frequency bands then as it does now, with a limit on maximum
power output for both intentional and unintentional...
 "NASA's
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
(JPL) and the historic Mount Wilson Observatory in California appear to be unscathed
by the Eaton fire burning through Pasadena and Altadena - for now. However, over
150 JPL employees have lost their homes, said the center's director Laurie Leshin
in a post on X on Friday morning. The center lies in the foothills of Pasadena,
within the Eaton fire's mandatory evacuation zone. The Eaton fire, which has burned
14,000 acres and 5,000 structures as of Friday afternoon, is one of several fires
raging in the L.A. region this week amid dangerously high winds and dry conditions..."
•
3 Drone Pilots Arrested for Interfering with LA Firefighters
• The Charge Toward
Fleetwide Unleaded Fuel
• Good News for
Experimental Aircraft Accident Totals
•
Missing Pilot Found After Fatal Plane Crash
• Last Call for
AOPA Foundation Scholarships
• EAA Evaluating
FAA Medical Policy Changes
 Airplanes & Rockets website visitor
David T. wrote asking about locating an article where the author reports on
having initially tried
aero-towing by a powered airplane with the tow line connected to the tail of
the tow plane. I have never seen that method tried, and this article demonstrates
why it is not commonplace. Disaster evidently resulted, so the author ended up connecting
the tow line to the wing hold-down bolts and success ensued. This is the only aero-tow
article I could find in the 1975 year range that David referenced, but it is not
what he was looking for. If you know of an article that contains the experience
he requested, please send me an e-mail and I will pass it along to David...
 American Modeler magazine has a rich history
rooted in the enthusiasm for model aircraft, covering topics such as building, flying,
engines, fuel, contests, advertisements, and product reviews. Its lineage can be
traced back to the publication Air Trails, which underwent a transformation
in 1955 to focus on scale modeling, broadening its scope to include aircraft, cars,
and trains. This evolution culminated in the December 1956 rebranding of Air
Trails as American Modeler. The first issue under this title was volume
47, number 3. Initially, the magazine was published monthly, catering to a wide
audience of hobbyists and enthusiasts. Albert L. "Al" Lewis, a pivotal figure in
the magazine's history, served as editor during its formative years. His tenure
began in the late 1950s and extended...
 The term "gas" when referring to
miniature 2-cycle internal combustion engines (ICE) for model airplanes, boats,
cars, and helicopters, has its origin in the early days of modeling. Similar to
full-size automotive gas engines, they ran on gasoline, and used a spark plug with
a high voltage power source and timing mechanism that was an integral part of the
engine. As with a lawn mower or outboard boat engine, timing of the spark relative
to the position of the piston in the cylinder is critical for optimum performance.
Tuning the system could be a real challenge if inferior gas was used, the spark
plug was worn or dirty, or the spark generator / timing was poorly...
 Today, computer software has replaced much
of the simulation and experimentation that used to be the sole domain of
wind and smoke tunnels.
The mathematical equations are so complex for high resolution, 3-dimensional calculations
that very powerful computers are required to run even relatively simple simulations.
While there are programs that can be purchased for about $1,000 that do a good job
for uncomplicated shapes, large, university and corporation scale computers are
needed for "serious" work like designing commercial and military aircraft, passenger...
 Often when I see photos of some of the early
radio control gear for model airplanes, I have a simultaneous reaction of aghastness
and marvel at the crudity and ingenuousness, respectively, of the electromechanical
devices - the same kind of reaction I have to stories about early surgical procedures
and equipment. In 1940, when this article appeared in the ARRL's QST magazine,
successful takeoffs and landings were considered notable events not so much because
of pilot ability, but because of the low reliability of available electronic and
mechanical gear. Vacuum tubes with attendant heavy, high voltage power supplies,
and heavy metal gears and shafts required large airframes to support all the weight
and bulk. Modern-day low-cost, readily available R/C models incorporate, depending
on your requirements, autopilot, total prefabrication of airframe, propulsion, and
guidance components. BTW, dig Mr. Bohnenblust's ride in that photo...
 After dropping off some stuff at the Erie
City Mission, Melanie and I walked through the display floor to see what was available.
We've gotten some good things there in the past, including a Queen Anne chair and
a china hutch. We've been looking for a used, full-size bed for the spare bedroom
to replace the twin bed that used to be our daughter's. Fortunately, the Erie City
Mission had recently acquired a turn-of-the-20th-century
rope bed that, according to lore, used to belong to the owner of a defunct local
brewery (Kohler?). Heavy pine is used for the entire framework. It was in fair shape,
with expected dings and scratches from 100+ years of use. Rather than undertake
a total restoration...
 The
1961 Academy of Model Aeronautics' (AMA's) National Model Airplane Championships
(aka "The Nats") were held that year at Willow Grove Naval Air Station just North
of Philadelphia. The U.S. military was concerned with encouraging young men to excel
in the field of aviation in order to help breed future pilots, mechanics, researchers,
and other aerospace related careers within the Army, Air Force, Marines, and Navy.
In fact, the U.S. Navy was a prime sponsor of the Nats for many years. In the
early 1970s, geniuses in the Pentagon decided that such activity was no longer a
good investment, so the AMA had to find other private and public venues for events.
The AMA's flagship publication, American Modeler magazine, provided coverage...
 If
you have been around the Airplanes and Rockets website for a while, you are probably
aware that my hobby activities have been funded by my profession in radio communications
(see RFCafe.com). Reading this, you likely
also know that each year the AMA holds national championships for all forms of model
aviation including radio control, control, and free flight. Airplanes, helicopters,
and theses day drones, are the primary focus, while rockets, cars, and boats are
sometimes featured. Various classes of contents are conducted, including Expert
and Standard, Senior and Junior, and others. What really caught my attention this
year and last year was the first name of the champion for the Junior class of control
line flying - Angstrom! Is that a great name or what? It sure beats Kirt. The name,
of course, is a unit of wavelength named in honor of
Anders Jonas Ångström.
Here is the origin of Ebernez.
 "Designed to operate as a high-altitude,
long-endurance surveillance and reconnaissance platform the aircraft - defined as
a
High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (HAPS) Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) - has been
designed by BAE Systems subsidiary Prismatic, a division of the company's FalconWorks
advanced research and development arm. Alongside reconnaissance, the aircraft has
the potential to be used in the delivery of communications networks including 4G
and 5G and could be used in a wide range of applications, such as disaster relief
and border protection, as a cost-effective alternative..."
|
 With as expensive as carpet is these days
(even cheap carpet is expensive), protecting it from the ravages of a computer chair
is essential for preservation. Casters wreak havoc with carpet, and even if you
replace the castors with fixed feet (w/ or w/o Teflon bottoms), deep depressions
are formed. One solution is too buy one of the plastic carpet protectors, but they're
big and ugly. Nice ones are available, but they're usually very expensive. I have
seen picture of very nice rectangular wooden surfaces people have built to allow
the chair to roll, but my space is cramped. All I need is a compact surface to contain
the chair feet without requiring the chair to roll. Since the seat swivels, getting
in and out of it is simple enough. My solution is shown in the photos. It did not
take long to construct, and is as diminutive as possible, being just large enough
to cover the foot span. The base of the
computer chair carpet
protector is cut from 1/2" furniture grade plywood...
 If you are looking for a little bit different
type of control line model, then
Short Snorter might fit the bill. It was designed by George Hinz
and appeared in the October 1958 issue of American Modeler magazine. Short
Snorter is .20 to .35-size stunt or combat model that is essentially a flying wing,
and features a built-up fuselage and wing. The wingspan is around 40", but of course
since you will be printing the plans, you can make the model larger or smaller.
standard construction materials and methods are used throughout. Mr. Hinz cautions
about making certain that the center of gravity is properly located since a tail
...
 This is a rare find. After having a Saved
Search on eBay for years, looking for an
O.S.
Digitron DP-3, 3-Channel Radio Control System with original packaging and documentation,
one finally came up for sale. It was listed with inexact wording in the title, so
maybe that's why I found it before others. It had only been listed for a few minutes,
and I bought it instantly. This has got to be one of the primo examples left in
the world. All the original packaging and documentation is here, even including
a set of O.S. Digital decals. Why the enthusiasm, you might ask? This was my
very first R/C system that I bought from a neighbor for $100, back in 1974, when
I was a mere 15 or 16 years old. To my best recollection, it came with everything
here. The fitted leather transmitter case was very nice, and it kept the metal chassis
in excellent condition. My radio was on 27.195 MHz (green flag), and at the
time, an FCC license was required to operate it...
 Back in the days when the cycle time between
writing articles, proofing, laying out pages, shipping hard copies to printers,
setting up presses, and preparing magazine for mailing was about a three or four
month process, coverage of a July-August event would finally appear in November-December
timeframe. Photos, of course, were all in black and white. Nowadays, with everything
done digitally and involving almost no physical, hands-on steps in the process,
we often see Nats event happenings as early as September. The November 1974 issue
of American Aircraft Modeler magazine included extensive coverage of that
year's Nats, which was held in Lake Charles, Louisiana. This is the
control line stunt portion. If you were around during the era...
 The turbojet-power version of "Alain's
Duck" canard has made its maiden flight. As you can see in the video (on the
page), it handles as smoothly as the other versions. Of course Alain's piloting
skills play at least a small part in how well she flies. More details will
follow once Alain supplies them ...
 By 1960 when this "And
Aweigh They Go!" article appeared in the Annual edition of Air Trails magazine,
radio control systems had advanced to where they were providing a semblance of proportional
control, were smaller in volume and weight (thanks to semiconductors rather than
vacuum tubes), and were more affordable and reliable. Model engines, too, were more
convenient and easier to operate thank to the advent of glow fuel and glow plugs
rather than gasoline and spark ignition systems. Some modelers still employed the
older equipment or a mix of old and new, but the serious contenders did then as
they do now by tending to go with the latest and greatest engines, electronics,
hardware, and construction techniques. The model boats featured here are examples
of the latter...
 You might expect this "Flying
Broomstick" article to be about one of the many novelty witch-on-a-broomstick
models that typically appear in September or October issues of model airplane magazines,
but in this case it is simply a contest-worthy Class C rubber free flight job.
The fuselage has a slight resemblance to an old wooden broomstick, but the similarity
pretty much stops there. The hollow tubular fuselage made of rolled 1/16"' balsa
holds 18 strands of rubber. Semi-elliptical shaped wings with a gull type dihedral
give it unique look. Per designer / builder Kukuvich, "Flights of 2 min., 30 sec.,
are common in "dead air" and are accomplished without the help of risers..."
 Airplanes and Rockets visitor Dave J. wrote
to ask that I post this article on the
Missy DARA
(Dayton Air Racing Association ) quarter midget racer that appeared in the April
1974 edition of American Aircraft Modeler magazine. It is a scale knockoff of the
full-scale Miss Dara Formula racer. I offer to do this for people at no charge as
time permits. Also, I usually post a scan of the plans, but if you are going to
build the model, I highly recommend buying a set from the AMA Plans Service if they
are still available. Missy Dara plans do not appear to be available at this time.
The AMA will scale the plans to any size you need, so you're not locked into the
original wingspan. House of Balsa manufactured a Miss Dara kit back in the 1980s...
 These 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!
 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)...
 Being a lover of vintage electronics and
aircraft modeling equipment, I had the bright idea that I would buy a vintage Packard
Bell desktop computer like I had many moons ago and transplant the innards of my
ASUS G750JX Republic of Gamers (RoG) notebook computer into it. After carefully
measuring the notebook computer's outside dimensions and estimating the size of
the various models of PB computers, I settled on a
Packard Bell Legend 406CD and bought it from a guy on eBay. I
wanted the type that actually sits on the desktop, with the monitor sitting on top
of it. The computer arrived as advertised - dirty but in good mechanical condition,
and cleanable. Having never opened the ASUS G750JX ...
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)...
 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...
 Here on page 388 of the Sears 1969 Christmas
Wish Book is a wide selection of modern
AM-FM
clock radios. The ad says, "Instant sound solid state table and clock radios."
In 2011, most people use their cellphone clocks for everything from appointment
keeping to wakeup alarms. Displays are LCD with a few LED straggles still around.
The model shown here can only be found at the Salvation Army store or a thrift shop...
maybe at a yard sale. Use the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' inflation calculator
to see what items cost in today's dollars. That $19.50" AM-FM clock radio would
cost...
 My introduction to using a wood lathe was
my high school wood shop class in my Junior year (circa 1974-1975) at Southern Senior
High in Harwood, MD. Mr. Charles Smith was the teacher. I have him to thank
for imparting a lifelong love for woodworking. Back in those days, we respected
teachers by addressing them Mr., Mrs., or Ms. Surprisingly, about a decade after
graduating, I ran into Mr. Smith at AACC while taking a class toward my electrical
engineering degree (he was not in my class). The wood shop at Robins AFB was well-equipped,
and include a wood lathe. I used it to turn a couple lamps from blocks of oak provided
by a Sgt. Eddie Nugent from my radar shop, who had cut down a tree a year or so
earlier. One of the two, which incorporated a burnt-out thyratron tube from the
S-band search radar, disappeared decades ago. I gave it to Melanie as a Christmas
present before we got married (in 1983). The other oak lamp is still around today.
After getting out of the USAF in 1982, I bought a
Craftsman 12"
wood lathe from the Sears store in Parole Plaza, in Annapolis, Maryland. When
Melanie and I got married, I set it up in the basement work shop of our tiny Cade
Cod house in Arnold, Maryland. You can also see in the photo my first Craftsman
radial arm saw, also bought at the Parole Plaza Sears store. After four decades
of moving from place to place many times, I still have a Craftsman radial arm saw...
 QST is the official publication
of the Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL), the world's oldest and largest organization
for Ham radio enthusiasts. Many amateur radio operators also have an interest in
astronomy and as such, occasionally articles appear covering topics on amateur radio
astronomy. There are also quite a few articles dealing indirectly with aspects of
astronomy such as Earth-Moon-Earth (EME) communications where signals are bounced
off the moon's surface in order to facilitate transmission (although it is really
more of a hobby achievement). The October 2012 edition of QST had an article
entitled, "Those Mysterious
Signals," which discusses galactic noise in the 10-meter band. Arch Doty (W7ACD)
writes about the low-level background noise that is persistent in the high frequency
(HF) bands. At HF, Cygnus A and Cassiopeia A are major sources of cosmic
noise, for example. Low level signals come from pulsars, quasars, black holes, and
other remote objects that were created during the early formation of our universe.
However, the strongest background noise emanates from the center of the Milky Way
galaxy with a source that is a mere 27,000 years old...
 Throughout World War II, American companies
produced lavish, full-color advertisements for magazines to let the public know
how the war effort was being aided by their products. Part of the motivation was
probably to ease the suffering most people were experiencing through rationing of
gasoline, food staples like flour and sugar (and coffee), and the scarcity of new
products and replacement parts as priority was given to supplying our military's
efforts to beat back and defeat the Communist, Socialist, Nazi regimes across Europe,
Africa, and the South Pacific.
Mobilgas, Mobileoil,
and other such variations on the Mobile name were major players in the energy industry
at the time this advertisement appeared in Life magazine. Not knowing what the "Socony-Vacuum"
part of the label meant, I did a search and found this on the Exxon website: "The
flying red horse was first used by Vacuum Oil in South Africa in 1911. In 1931,
when Vacuum merged with Socony, the red Pegasus – a symbol of speed and power –
was adopted as its U.S. trademark. In 1968, Mobil adopted new-look Pegasus service
stations. The red Pegasus remains among the most recognized corporate symbols in
American petroleum history." I wouldn't bet much money on the last statement. My
guess is almost nobody under 40 years old could tell you what it is.
 While I never had the pleasure of owning
an AAMCo Lou Andrews
Aeromaster Too
biplane, it was one of the many kits I though someday I would build. After 61 years
of existence, there still is no Aeromaster Too kit in my collection, and at this
point likely never will be. The Aeromaster Too was a four-channel ("full-house"
as it was known back in the day) aerobatic biplane with a 48" wingspan for .45 to
.61 in3 displacement glow fuel engines. It used balsa, plywood, and hardwood construction
along with music wire components for the landing gear and cabane struts. The photos
presented here were downloaded from multiple Aeromaster Too kits listed on eBay.
They typically sell in the $125 to $200 price range, which is very comparable to
what a new kit of similar size and complexity would sell for today...
 The "Sketchbook" feature in American Modeler magazine presented
"hints and kinks" furnished by readers came up with good ideas to help make building
and operating model airplanes (primarily), car, and boats a little easier. Some
of them are pretty good, and I have applied the principles in my own efforts over
the years. October 1961, the date of this set of ideas, was a couple years before
my time of building models. Being born in 1958, it would probably have been around
1966 or 1967 before I was building and flying Estes rockets and rubber powered airplanes.
By 1969 I was flying Cox control line models, and it was maybe 1971 or 1972 before
building my first control line model. When reading over these vintage Sketchbook
ideas, I always pay attention to the names of the submitters to see whether any
are recognizable as someone who would later become renowned in the modeling world.
There is a good chance that the "E. R. Violett, Jr." with the control line fabric
hinge technique is none other than Bob Violett...
 Now here's a term I had never heard before:
"desmodromic valve." I thought it was something that Cox made up by borrowing the
"drom" part of Thimble Drome. Not so. According to Wikipedia, "In general mechanical
terms, the word desmodromic is used to refer to mechanisms that have different controls
for their actuation in different directions." It describes the type of valve used
in the full-scale Mercedes-Benz W196 Racer. The Cox model uses their famous .049
glow fuel engine. There is an ocean of information available on Cox engines, cars,
helicopters, boats, and airplanes. The
Cox Mercedes-Benz
W196 was a scale model of the real Formula One car that ran in many European
Grand Prix races. The mechanical features were quite sophisticated, including a
flywheel with integrates fan for cooling the engine, spring-loaded suspension, and
an adjustable muffler for desired quietness/power tradeoff, and careful engineering
to assure compatibility of hot metal parts against molded plastic. The Cox Mercedes-Benz
Racer on occasionally shows up on eBay, but be prepared for a shock price tag compared
to the original $20 back in 1961 when this article appeared in American Modeler
magazine...
 One nice thing about having a website like
Airplanes and Rockets is that every once in a while a famous person will contact
me with some great information. It happened again recently when David J. Holland
wrote about how he still has the original artwork of his "Flying Men"
models from the cover of the 1962 Annual Edition of American Modeler. He
sent a photo of the magazine cover next to the framed original, along with a photo
of his actual control line model. Says Dave, "The picture is of a magazine cover
and article about my funny face models in the '50s and early 1960s. The model pictured
is the third version as I wore out the first two. The story and cover were the result
of a demonstration flight I did during the Sunday air show at the 1961 Nationals
at the Willow Grove, PA, naval air station. I have the original art work of the
cover, four times the size of the magazine..." |
