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Important Facts About Balsa Wood, Sig Catalog

Important Facts About Balsa Wood, Sig Catalog - Airplanes and RocketsBalsa wood was a special thing to me as a kid. To me, it represented the essence of model airplanes and model rockets. At the time - the 1960s and 70s - plastic and foam as model components were considered a sign of cheapness, low quality, amateurishness. It was like having "Made in Japan" stamped on it. Now, of course, it's a different world where Japan is renowned for some of the highest quality electronics and cars and the plastic and foam ARFs represent some of the highest-performing aircraft at the flying field. I have owned a few of those foamies, but still, at least for my tastes, nothing beats the look, feel and aroma of balsa. Somehow the tell-tale surface texture of foam, even with a nice paint job, ruins the authenticity of an otherwise beautifully factory-finished scale F4-U Corsair or P-38 Lightning. Sorry, that's just the way it is. Sig Manufacturing was...

TWA in a 1960 Saturday Evening Post

TWA - Trans World Airline, April 29, 1950 The Saturday Evening Post - RF CafeWhen this Trans World Airline (TWA) advertisement appeared in the April 29, 1950, issue of The Saturday Evening Post magazine , the airline industry was transitioning from relying on amphibious aircraft for long-distance overseas flights to using land-based planes. These new aircraft, like the 300-mph Skyliners mentioned in the ad, offered increased speed and comfort, revolutionizing air travel and making it more accessible to the general public. TWA capitalized on this newfound ability to fly customers quickly and comfortably to destinations across the U.S. and around the world, emphasizing the potential for adventure and leisure even within the constraints of a typical two-week vacation...

Lockheed P-38 Lightning

Lockheed Aircraft Corporation P-38 Lightning, April 6, 1942 Life - RF CafeAn April 1942 issue of Life magazine, just four months into WWII, carried this full-page advertisement celebrating the Lockheed P-38 Lightning, a revolutionary fighter aircraft hailed as the world' s fastest - nearing the speed of sound - with unmatched maneuverability, outclassing enemy planes in combat. Built by Lockheed for the U.S. Army and British RAF, the P-38 embodied American ingenuity and freedom, flown by daring pilots defending democracy. The ad positions the Lightning as a symbol of U.S. air supremacy, critical to Allied victory in WWII, while promoting Lockheed's role in advancing aviation for both wartime protection and postwar progress. The closing tagline, "Look to Lockheed for Leadership," reinforces the company's wartime prestige and vision for the future...

Death Flies the Equator

Death Flies the Equator, March 1937 Flying Aces - Airplanes and RocketsSome of the adventure stories in Flying Aces magazine were practically full-length novels. The May 1934 issue included one of Donald Keyhoe's pieces entitled, "Death Flies the Equator," featuring intrepid G-2 agent, Dick Knight, and his sidekick, Lothario Doyle, who team up to pit good against evil across the globe. The notorious "Four Faces" cabal fixed on achieving world domination are a constant challenge for the wits and wile of our heroic pair. Dick Knight supplies the brunt of required brainwork while ex-Marine Doyle breaks bones and faces when needed. Both are accomplished airborne dogfighters, avigators (archaic term for aviator / navigator), and mechanics. Many of these stories involve fantastic weapons and deception devices, sabotage, moles, traitors, and incredible feats of flying. They really are "page-turners," and the only things that keeps me from reading straight through is wanting to be able to spread the entertainment across t

Flettner-Type Rotor Wing-Control Line Model

Flettner-Type Rotor Wing-Control Line Model, March 1957 American Modeler Magazine - Airplanes and RocketsFlettner rotors were at one time believed to be the next big thing in air-driven propulsion. They would replace cloth sails on boats and fixed wings on aeroplanes. I remember seeing such fantastic contraptions in magazines like Mechanix Illustrated and Popular Mechanics back in the 1960's and 1970's. The nouveau sails and wings were actually built on experimental vehicles which can be found in a Google search on Flettner rotor. They operate on the Magnus effect, which is where a lifting force is generated by a spinning sphere or cylinder moving through the air (or water, or any fluid), thereby causing an unequal pressure to build on opposite sides. I had a Magnus rotor kite as a kid in the late 1960's that was made of thin, molded plastic...

The Fantastic Secret Weapons of Germany

Speaking of Pictures... These Are the Fantastic Secret Weapons of Germany, September 10, 1945 Life - RF CafeWithout a doubt, Germany has in the past far overestimated its ability to conquer the world by leveraging its undeniable history of innovation and determination. A success in the Franco-Prussian War gave it a sense of superiority and invincibility. WWI and WWII were lost primarily due to the blitzkrieg strategy later failing to overwhelm and subdue the enemy in short order, causing protracted wars and diminishing resources from within its domain. If Germany had instead exploited its technical prowess in world markets, it might have been an economic superpower today. The native population was/is brilliant. Today, Germany's leaders are, in acts of self-flagellation and penance...

Talking Them In

Talking Them In (February 1938 Boys' Life Article) - Airplanes and RocketsDuring the late 1930s, commercial air transportation experienced a significant boom, largely fueled by the introduction of the Douglas DC-3 in 1935. This aircraft, widely recognized for its efficiency and reliability, revolutionized air travel, making it more accessible and popular than ever before. The rapid growth of this sector placed an unprecedented demand on air traffic control services, as exemplified by the busy operations at Newark, the world's most active airport at the time. The article from the 1938 issue of Boys' Life magazine further illustrates this, detailing a trip from Newark to Pittsburgh, where Air Traffic Control, managed by the Bureau of Air Commerce, played a critical role in ensuring the safe and orderly movement of a burgeoning number of flights, underscoring the vita...

Televising the Moon

Televising the Moon, October 1964 Radio-Electronics - RF CafeIn this October 1964 issue of Radio-Electronics magazine, editor Hugo Gernsback writes about the historic feat on July 31 of that year, where NASA lunar probe Ranger 7's RCA-designed television cameras successfully transmitted the first close-up televised pictures of the moon's surface to Earth after six previous failed attempts. The unmanned spacecraft traveled 240,000 miles through space over 68 hours to capture 4,316 still images with its six high-resolution cameras. These images provided crucial information for future manned lunar explorations, revealing that the dust layer on the moon's surface is likely only 2 to 12 inches deep, and showing small craters down to sizes of three feet. The success of Ranger 7 marked a significant advancement in lunar exploration technology, paving the way for further unmanned missions and eventual manned expeditions to the moon...

Build the S.S.P. Helicopter

S.S.P. Helicopter from the August 1972 American Aircraft Modeler - Airplanes and RocketsImagine if your path to flying an R/C helicopter involved first designing, then building, and then troubleshooting the contraption. That was the burden of pioneers. We have people like S.S.P. Helicopter designer Gene Rock to thank for being able to enjoy the state-of-the-art models that are available today. This article from the August 1972 edition of American Aircraft Modeler magazine describes the process of machining all the metal parts for an Enya .45-powered craft. Mr. Rock even designed a very successful mechanical gyro for keeping the tail under control. If you have ever tried flying an R/C heli without any type of gyro (I have, on a DuBro Tristar), you will fully appreciate what a pleasure it is to not have to manually counter torque changes (throttle) with tail rotor stick input from the transmitter. Around 2008 I bought a Blade MCX2 coaxial rotor helicopter for flying inside, and the gyro is so good on that thing that you can put it in a full speed pirouette...

Heli-Taxis Are Here

Heli-Taxis Are Here, May 1946 Popular Science - Airplanes and RocketsIn 1946, Popular Science magazine highlighted the burgeoning potential of helicopters, detailing their versatility and the innovative ways people envisioned using them, from hunting expeditions and aerial orchestras to funeral services. The article underscored the helicopter's unique capabilities, such as vertical take-off and landing, and its proven utility during World War II in diverse environments. Commercial helicopters were on the cusp of becoming available, with initial deliveries set to start that year, though primarily for business and government use due to high costs and complexities in operation. The piece also discussed the challenges faced by manufacturers, including mechanical complexities like torque and the need for mass production to reduce costs...

United Aircraft Corporation

United Aircraft Corporation, April 29, 1950 The Saturday Evening Post - RF CafeIf you do a lot of overseas air travel for work (or any other reason), this en route time map from a 1950 issue of The Saturday Evening Post magazine might give you a bit of cheering up. Compare the length of time in the air back during the day of propeller-driven airliners versus what you typically experience today. United Aircraft published that a trip from New York to London took 12-½ hours (with favorable winds). The same flight today takes around 7-½ hours, a 40% reduction. From Seattle to Tokyo was 28-½ hours, and is now 10-½ hours, for a 63% reduction! Those shorter flight times are due to both faster jet-powered airplanes and an ability to climb to and cruise at altitudes where jet stream winds are highly additive. Of course having to endure 10-½ hours crammed into a narrow seat with the back of the front...

Tiniest Flying Robot Soars Thanks to Magnets

Tiniest Flying Robot Soars Thanks to Magnets - Airplanes and Rockets"Like a bumblebee flitting from flower to flower, a new insect-inspired flying robot created by engineers at the University of California, Berkeley, can hover, change trajectory and even hit small targets. Less than 1 centimeter in diameter, the device weighs only 21 milligrams, making it the world's smallest wireless robot capable of controlled flight. For a robot to fly, it must be equipped with a power source, like a battery, and electronics for flight control, both of which can be challenging to integrate into very small, lightweight devices. To overcome this issue, Lin and the UC Berkeley team used an external magnetic field to power the device and control the flight path. The robot is shaped like a small propeller and includes two small magnets..."

Snoopy Wind-Up Alarm Clock Restoration

Snoopy Wind-Up Alarm Clock Restoration - Airplanes and RocketsBeing very far-sighted, having a modern alarm clock next to the bed with large LED numbers is a great convenience for seeing the time at night. However, I have always hated the electronic alarm sound and neither do I want music since it tends to put me back to sleep. The old fashioned wind-up mechanical alarm clocks did the job quite handily, and I missed having such a clock after many decades of doing without. So, I decided to look for a Peanuts-themed clock from the 1960s or 70s. This Snoop alarm clock came up for bid on eBay, and I picked it up for under $10, probably because the seller said it did not work. He was correct that it didn't work in its selling condition. However, I disassembled...

DX Hams Do Get Around

DX Hams Do Get Around (November 1940 Boys' Life Article) - Airplanes and RocketsIn this November 1940 issue of the Boy Scouts Boys' Life magazine, amateur radio operators, or "hams," are described as having the ability to communicate across vast distances, connecting far-flung locations such as Goulds, Florida, Cali, Colombia, Cairo, Kenilworth, England, Bombay, and Brisbane. These operators, licensed by the Federal Communications Commission, engage in various activities such as talking to distant stations, participating in contests, and providing emergency communication during natural disasters. With call letters assigned by international treaty, these stations use a combination of code and phone to make contact, exchanging reports and QSL cards. The Radio merit badge was first offered in 1918 and has been...

Cessna 150 3-View

Cessna 150 3-View from the May 1959 Model Aviation - Airplanes and RocketsThe venerable Cessna 150 first came on the scene in 1958. Per Wikipedia, "The Cessna 150 is a two-seat tricycle gear general aviation airplane, that was designed for flight training, touring and personal use. The Cessna 150 is the fourth most produced civilian plane ever, with 23,839 aircraft produced. The Cessna 150 was offered for sale in the 150 basic model, Commuter, Commuter II, Patroller and the aerobatic Aerobat models." The design has changed considerably since 1958, with two of the most notable changes being the vertical fin and the rear fuselage behind the cockpit. Note that a photo of the 1958 Cessna 150 is on the cover of this edition.

Airports: Biggest and Busiest

Airports: Biggest and Busiest (March 1940 Boys' Life Article) - Airplanes and RocketsLaGuardia Airport was dedicated on October 15, 1939 as the New York Municipal Airport, and opened for business on December 2 of that year. It was built on the site of the old Gala Amusement Park at a cost of $40 million. This aerial photograph shown here was taken within a couple months of when LaGuardia first opened since this "Airports: Biggest and Busiest" article appeared in the March 1940 issue of Boys' Life magazine. The recent Google map satellite view is below the page scan, and I superimposed the 1940 runways and taxiways on top of it for comparison. You can see where expansions were built into the water to accommodate longer runways...

Cox Model 789-3, 1½-Volt Starting Battery

Cox Model 789-3, 1½-Volt Starting Battery - Airplanes and RocketsLong before rechargeable nickel-cadmium (NiCad) and nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) batteries were used for starting model airplane engines, we used standard primary type (non-rechargeable) 1.5-volt dry cells. In fact, the nominal 1.2-volt-per-cell potential of NiCad and NiMH batteries were barely high enough to sufficiently light the ignition coils in the glow heads and/or glow plugs, which were designed for 1.5 volts. Today's glow plugs work just fine on 1.2 V or 1.5 V. I have written before about how as a kid on a very small modeling budget, I would often spend a long time flipping the propeller of my Cox .049 engines while using a single, worn-out D-cell battery (usually "borrowed" from my father's only flashlight). One Christmas my parents got me a field kit that included a can of 25% nitro Cox fuel, a glow head clip...

Planes That Didn't Make It

Planes That Didn't Make It, March 1937 Flying Aces - Airplanes and RocketsDuring World War I, the United States spent $1,500,000,000 on military aviation, resulting in the development of various advanced aircraft designs. This 1937 issue of Flying Aces magazine mentions a few of them. This was 19 years after the armistice. Although these planes did not see combat due to the war ending sooner than expected, they showcased American ingenuity and engineering prowess. Notable examples include the L.W.F.G.2, which had a top speed of 130 mph and carried seven guns; the Loening monoplane, which was the fastest two-seater fighter at the time with a speed of 146 mph; and the Curtiss single-seater fighter, capable of reaching 160 mph. These aircraft laid the foundation for modern American military aviation...

Paul Harvey Views

Paul Harvey Views, December 1974 American Aircraft Modeler - Airplanes and RocketsWhile 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. There was a feature article done by Paul Harvey in one of the issues in the 1974 timeframe. 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. This one is from the December 1974 edition...

A 4G Moon Suit

Axiom Space's 4G Moon Suit - RF Cafe"In August last year Nokia and Axiom Space announced they were working to equip the latter's next-generation lunar spacesuits with 4G/LTE connectivity for the for NASA's Artemis III mission to the moon. The idea is that arming the new spacesuit, called Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU), with high-speed cellular-network capabilities means it can support HD video, telemetry data and voice transmission over multiple kilometers on the moon. This means the Artemis III crewmembers will then be able to capture real-time video and communications..."

Huffy 3 Timberline Men's Bicycle Restoration

Vintage Huffy 3 Timberline, 3-Speed Men's Bicycle Restoration, early 1980s - Airplanes and RocketsPreviously I posted the first part of a story about two 1980s-vintage bicycles I bought from a guy off craigslist. That was the complete teardown and restoration of Melanie's Columbia Commuter III, 3-speed women's model. This page has photos from doing the same thing to my Huffy 3 Timberline, 3-speed men's bicycle. One important aspect worth repeating is the use of Krud Kutter for removing all the oil and grease. The stuff is amazing. I soaked all the parts overnight that would fit in a bucket filled with a gallon of it. Upon removing even the grimiest and greasiest components like the gearbox, bearings, and the chain, I discovered they were squeaky clean. A toothbrush removed...

Calvin & Phineas Hamming It Up®™: The Phantom QRM

Calvin & Phineas Hamming It Up®™: The Phantom QRM - RF CafeBeing a long-time fan of John T. Frye's "Carl & Jerry" technodrama™ series, I have been intending to attempt a contemporary version which has a Ham radio theme. Its purpose, as with "Carl & Jerry," is to encourage young people to adopt electronics as a hobby and even as a career, while using Amateur Radio as an enticement. Ham radio offers practical experience in electronic theory, fabrication, and operation in an environment that encourages community service, mentorship, camaraderie, and self discipline. In the U.S., there are approximately 760,000 licensed amateur radio operators; worldwide, the estimated number is around 3,000,000. The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) and the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) track these statistics. This title of the series is, for now anyway, "Calvin & Phineas Hamming It Up," and the first adventure is called, "The Phantom QRM." Call signs are fictitious, chosen to hopefully not step on someone's real call sign. The boys' names derive from my grandson's name...

Winning the National Radio Control Meet

Winning the National Radio Control Meet, March 1940 QST - Airplanes and RocketsYou might wonder why an article entitled "Winning the National Radio Control Meet" for model airplanes would appear in the ARRL's QST magazine. The answer is that back in 1940 when it was published, a Ham license was required to operate a radio control (R/C) transmitter. There were no license-free bands for hobbyists as there are now. In fact, it wasn't until 1976 that the FCC suspended their requirement for registration as an operator, which has returned in the form of an FAA "drone" (aka USAS) pilot directive. The author, William (Bill) E. Good (W8IFD, W2CVI), was the twin brother of Walter (Walt) A. Good (W3NPS), both of whom held doctoral degrees in and physics, and were referred to as "the fathers of radio control." The photo of Bill shows his station...

New Radio Control Gear for Model Airplanes

New Radio Control Gear for Model Airplanes, August 1940 QST - Airplanes and RocketsOften 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 (or inability), 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...

Dope Can

Dope Can, from April 1957 American Modeler - Airplanes and RocketsAmerican Modeler magazine published stories on many forms of modeling including airplanes, cars, boats, and rockets. A lot of attention was paid to teenagers in order to encourage a pursuit of careers in engineering and science. In case you don't know, the U.S. Navy used to sponsor the AMA Nationals specifically to attract young modelers into the service. This 1957 edition reports on the activities of James M. Blackmon, Jr., who was the nation's youngest rocket builder to receive national recognition by the American Rocket Society. He built in his basement a 6' tall liquid-fueled rocket...

Wright J5 "Whirlwind" 9−Cylinder Radial Engine

Wright J5 "Whirlwind" 9-Cylinder Radial Engine, Annual 1960 Air Trails - Airplanes and RocketsFor a few months, Air Trails magazine ran a series of scale line drawings called "Aircraft Engine Scrapbook" which were meant to be cut out and put in a 3-ring binder. They were one-page information sheets on various powerplants of the day containing dimensions, mechanical specifications (displacement, horsepower, compression ration, rotations per minute, etc.), and a brief note on the engine's production and usage history. This drawing for the 9−cylinder Wright J5 "Whirlwind" radial engine must be the first of the series because it is numbered as "−1." Interestingly, the Fokker company is included in the list of "American" aircraft manufacturers who used the J5. I thought Fokker was primarily a Germany / Netherlands company, but according to the Wikipedia entry Anthony Fokker established a presence in the United States in 1927, and eventually merged with General Motors and then North American Aviation. It is ironic that the builder of the P-51 Mustang and the B-25 Mitchell bomber...

Radio Control on the Citizens Band

Radio Control on the Citizens Band, March 1952 Radio and Television News - Airplanes and RocketsRadio control (R/C) of a model does not get much simpler than the transmitter and receiver circuits shown in the schematics of Figure 2. Of course the cleanness of the transmitted signal and the selectivity of the receiver of that signal leaves a lot to be desired. In 1952 when this article appeared in Radio & Television News magazine, the airwaves were not cluttered with wireless communications devices, but given that these radio systems were sharing the electromagnetic spectrum with Citizens Band (CB) radio, the chances of getting "shot down" from nearby operators was pretty high if you lived within a few miles of where CBers were communicating. More sophisticated R/C equipment was available from commercial manufacturers, but this system targeted the do-it-yourself types and those with limited hobby budgets...

SIG Manufacturing Company Advertisement c1963

SIG Manufacturing Company Advertisement, January/February 1963 American Modeler - Airplanes and RocketsSIG Manufacturing, forever located in Montezuma, Iowa, is among the ranks of a dwindling number of America's original model airplane kit and accessories makers and distributors. Sig's catalog from the early 1970s was the first hobby catalog I ever owned. You can bet I read it cover-to-cover many times, wishing to own everything on its pages. In case you don't know, the name SIG is a shortened version of Sigafoose, which is the last name of the company founders, Glen and Hazel Sigafoose. According to a press release, "In February 2011 SIG Manufacturing Co., Inc. was purchased by Herb Rizzo (President), David Martin (VP and General Manager), and Ron Petterec (VP) ...

Starting Control Line Combat

Starting Control Line Combat, Annual 1960 Air Trails - Airplanes and RocketsAccording to this 1960 Air Trails magazine "Starting Control Line Combat" article, the contest event first appeared in the AMA (Academy of Model Aeronautics) rulebook in 1950. Hard to believe that was 72 years ago as of this writing. It's equally hard to believe it was only 8 years before I was born - ugh. Control line combat remains a very popular sport today, and is one of the relatively few aspects of the hobby which has not changed considerably. Engines have gotten more powerful and reliable, and building materials have improved, but the basic outline of the airframe is about the same. The story reports on combat rounds having up to five planes flying at once, duking it out for air superiority. Too bad there's not a video of it with all the flyers trying desperately to not become entangled in each other's lines or even keeping out of each other's way. There must have been a lot of smashed balsa after that event. Anyway, this article provides a lot of detail concerning all aspects of model construction, engine and fuel tank setup, and flying. Interesting fact: In the early days of control line combat, prolonged inverted flight was permitted...

Planes Race Past Speed of Sound

Planes Race Past Sound; Bump in Floor Shows How, June 1948 Popular Science - Airplanes and RocketsChuck Yeager broke the sound barrier in his Bell X−1 (aka Glamorous Glennis) airplane on October 14, 1947, over the Mojave Desert. Control reversal in the transonic realm (transitioning from subsonic to supersonic speeds) is a phenomenon caused, per most authoritative sources, from the pressure wavefront around the aircraft transitioning from entirely in front of the airplane to some point aft of any leading portion of the airframe. That includes the fuselage nose, and wings and empennage leading edges. Airflow can transition from laminar to turbulent at various distances, thereby altering the aerodynamic forces on the fixed and moving portions of the surfaces. Control reversal can also occur due to control surface deflection causing a twist in the fixed surface which opposes the input intention. Britain's Spitfire exhibited such behavior in high speed dives, and even the human-powered Gossamer Condor reportedly had control reversal due to a flimsy airframe structure to the extent that the solution was to reverse the direction of aileron deflection in order to obtain a proper response. Supersonic airframes are rigid enough to mitigate the flexure problem...

The Boom in R/C Boats

The Boom in R/C Boats, May 1955 Popular Electronics - Airplanes and RocketsBill (William) Winter served as the editor of the Academy of Model Aeronautics' (AMA's) American Modeler and American Aircraft Modeler magazines from 1966 through 1974, but his efforts to promote all form of modeling - airplanes, helicopters, cars, boats, trains, and rockets - covered many decades. His first recorded article, "Building the Famous Udet Flamingo," (co-authored by Walter McBride), was published in the March 1935 issue of Universal Model Airplane News magazine. His 264th, "The Soft Touch," appeared in Model Aviation (the latest incarnation of the AMA's flagship magazine) in 1996. This article entitle "The Boom in R/C Boats" appeared in a 1955 edition of Popular Electronics magazine which, during the early ...

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)...

How to Make Scale-Model Planes for Government Use

How to Make Scale-Model Planes for Government Use, May 1942 Popular Science - Airplanes and RocketsWith the entry of the United States into World War II came the need for service members to be trained on many new technologies - among them being airplanes and the ability to identify them quickly. Electronics technicians and airframe and powerplant mechanics were in need, of course, but everyone had to be able to tell friend from foe when airplanes were approaching. In order to assist the war effort, a call went out to civilians to begin producing thousands of models at a 1:72 scale so that at 35 feet away they appeared in size to be that of a full-scale version at about half a mile. Detailed paint jobs were not required - only that the profile from all angles look exactly like the real thing. In fact, the models were painted flat black so as to look like a distant airplane against the background sky. Both Allied and Axis airplane models were needed so that soldiers and sailors could quickly spot a potential danger and decide whether to take cover and prepare to fight, or to continue with business as usual. This article appeared in the May 1942 edition of Popular Science, meaning that it was probably written sometime around February, only a few months after the Japanese attacked our naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941...

A Day in the Life of a Hobby Dealer

A Day in the Life of a Hobby Dealer (November 1962 American Modeler) - Airplanes and RocketsIt's a good bet that many modelers, myself included, have dreamed about owning a hobby shop. How nice it would be to spend our days amongst walls, shelves, and display cases filled with every type of modeling kit and accessory. Melanie and I actually looked into buying one when we lived in Colorado Springs in the early 1990s. It's a good thing we didn't in retrospect, given the way the local hobby shop (LHS) has suffered tremendously since Internet-based purchases have become so popular - especially being tax-free in most areas. There are still big hobby shops left, but they are few and far between. I'm as guilty as the next guy for not doing more to support my LHS, but usually it's for convenience sake more so than price and not paying sales tax. This article from the November 1962 edition of American Modeler magazine, a time when local hobby shops were still the rule rather than the exception, is a humorous "day in the life of a hobby dealer." You can just imagine how plausible the scenario might be...

Important Facts About Balsa Wood, Sig Catalog

Important Facts About Balsa Wood, Sig Catalog - Airplanes and RocketsBalsa wood was a special thing to me as a kid. To me, it represented the essence of model airplanes and model rockets. At the time - the 1960s and 70s - plastic and foam as model components were considered a sign of cheapness, low quality, amateurishness. It was like having "Made in Japan" stamped on it. Now, of course, it's a different world where Japan is renowned for some of the highest quality electronics and cars and the plastic and foam ARFs represent some of the highest-performing aircraft at the flying field. I have owned a few of those foamies, but still, at least for my tastes, nothing beats the look, feel and aroma of balsa. Somehow the tell-tale surface texture of foam, even with a nice paint job, ruins the authenticity of an otherwise beautifully factory-finished scale F4-U Corsair or P-38 Lightning. Sorry, that's just the way it is. Sig Manufacturing was ...

Toledo 1971 - World's Biggest RC Show

Toledo - World's Biggest RC Show, May 1971 American Aircraft Modeler - Airplanes and RocketsThe 1971 Toledo R/C trade show as a major event in large part because of the new generation of transistorized pulse proportional radio control systems being introduced that were rapidly replacing legacy vacuum tube and some solid state reed and escapement systems. A large selection of new model designers were also offered to accommodate the lighter weight, smaller, and more highly functional radios. Fast forward nearly half a century to what will soon be the 2019 Toledo Show and you will find an incredible array of high technology electronics and airframes. Most models will be factory-built, with balsa and plywood kits being mostly extremely small or extremely large models. Glow fuel engines will barely have a presence, having been replaced by large gasoline engines and brushless motors. Transmitters are highly programmable and have no extendable antennas ...

Wisecrack-Ups

Wisecrack-Ups, March 1937 Flying Aces - Airplanes and RocketsIt was May 6, 1937, just a couple months after this comic appeared in the March 1937 issue of Flying Aces' "Wisecrack-ups" feature, that the namesake of the alluded-to dirigible would suffer a fiery end to its service in ferrying passengers back and forth across the Atlantic Ocean. Prior to that, big plans were in the works for making fortunes on luxury travel in the relative safety of a large, inherently stable - and presumably safe - mode of transcontinental travel. Even a switch from highly flammable hydrogen to inert helium was not enough to assuage the flying public's concerns. Besides, helium was rather scarce and therefore expensive at the time. The other comic is rather funny, given the fuselages of both the aeroplane its presumptive passengers. Otherwise, a collection of puns, jokes, and humorous conversations are included. Some of the content's impact will be lost on a younger generation not familiar with the situational circumstances of the era. Enjoy!

Airtronics Aquila Product Review

Airtronics Aquila Product Review, May 1975 RC Modeler - Airplanes and RocketsIt was in this May 1975 issue of R/C Modeler magazine that I first saw the Airtronics Aquila sailplane (way too graceful to refer to it as merely a glider). Airtronics had not introduced a kit yet, but they were selling a canopy and hardware kit along with plans, so I ordered them and scratch built my first Aquila. I was 17 years old then. It was covered to look like the one in the photo above (which would become the kit box label photo). Not having lite ply for the fuselage, I used hard balsa. Somehow I eventually managed to destroy Aquila #1, but by that time a kit was available, so I bought one and also the ABS plastic fuselage. A standard Hi-Start was used for launching. A few years ago I built a 105% Aquila version simply because I wanted another Aquila and had never built a sailplane with a wingspan greater than 99". I am now in the process of building an 80% scale Aquila...

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...

Airtronics Aquila Product Review in the December 1975 R/C Modeler

Airtronics Aquila Product Review, December 1975 R/C Modeler - Airplanes and RocketsIt was in the May 1975 issue of R/C Modeler magazine that I first saw the Airtronics Aquila sailplane (she's way too graceful to refer to her merely as a glider). Airtronics had not introduced a kit yet, but they were selling a canopy and hardware kit along with plans, so I ordered them and scratch built my first Aquila. I was 17 years old then. It was covered to look like the one in the photo above (which would become the kit box label photo). Not having lite ply for the fuselage, I used hard balsa. Somehow I eventually managed to destroy Aquila #1, but by that time a kit was available, so I bought one and also the ABS plastic fuselage. A standard Hi-Start was used for launching. Back in the 1970s, there were still plenty of areas, even near small cities, to stretch out a Hi-Start ...

This Is Where It All Began...

This Is Where It All Began (114 River Road, Edgewater, MD 21037) - Airplanes and Rockets114 River Road, Edgewater, MD 21037 (originally Rt. 4 box 504) is where I grew up - or more appropriately, got older - and spent as much time as possible building and flying every kind of airplane, rocket, and helicopter I could get my hands on. It has been close to 20 years since going back there, but thanks to the miracle of Google Earth, I was able to grab this satellite image of the old stomping grounds. It looks pretty much the way I remember it. My father and I built the addition on the southwest end, and the porch on the southeast side. That section of sidewalk that goes nowhere now used to terminate at a 10'x10' steel shed. Those two outbuildings in the back yard are new. In the zoomed out view of the Google map (below) you can see the entire neighborhood of Holly Hill Harbor. Explanations of the markings will be given later in the story. The yellow circle is approximately where I flew and eventually crashed many control line airplanes. After destroying the first couple Cox plastic models I received as presents at Christmas and/or birthdays, I finally got wise and bought a Cox PT-19 Trainer. It was with the PT-19 Trainer that I finally learned to fly a control line airplane...

Channel Hop!

Channel Hop!, January 1955 Model Airplane News - Airplanes and RocketsOn September 22, 1955, Londoners Sid Allen and George Redlich guided their 6-foot wingspan "Radio Queen" across the English Channel from the white cliffs of Dover to Calais, France, marking a first in the model aviation world - a mere 40 minutes in duration. It was approximately the same path that Louis Bleriot took in 1909 when he became the first to cross the English Channel in an aeroplane using his homebuilt XI Monoplane. As with many (maybe most) record-setting model aircraft flights - be they distance or duration - a diesel engine (ED 0.213 cu. in. Hunter Diesel) was used as the powerplant due to their reliability (no glow plug or spark plug to burn out or foul) and fuel economy. Takeoff weight was 7-1/2 pounds, with 1-1/2 pounds of it being accounted for by three pints of fuel. Guidance was provided by an ED Mk. 4 Miniature, 3-reed type, from the cockpit of a Auster Autocrat monoplane...

Alpha II Rocket Built by Chris H. & Son

Alpha II rocket built by Christian H. & son - Airplanes and Rockets

Estes Alpha rocket kit for sale - Airplanes and Rockets

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?

Air Strength of the Soviet Union

Air Strength of the Soviet Union, October 1941 Flying Aces - Airplanes and RocketsDuring World War II, Russia was considered an ally, being part of the Allied forces battling the Axis powers. The Allied countries were primarily the USA, England, the Soviet Union, China, and France. The Axis of evil was primarily Germany, Japan, and Italy. Interesting, isn't it, that after saving Russia from the Germans and China from the Japanese, they almost immediately became our arch enemies, seeking to destroy the "Capitalist Pigs." Reportedly, Stalin was originally to join with Hitler, but the two could not agree on how to share power in the event of victory. Negotiations went awry after both countries invaded Poland in 1939, which in spite of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, effectively triggered the beginning of World War II. For a deep dive into behind-the-scenes WWII actions, be sure to watch the entire six season of Hogan's Heroes ;-)...

Drones - Putting R/C into War Games

Drones - Putting R/C into War Games, April 1956 Popular Electronics - RF CafeThe term "drone" these days for most invokes the image of a little plastic spider-looking thing with propellers mounted at the ends of the arms - usually with a toothless bumpkin at the controls. Those same people often think drones are relatively new devices. People with a just a little more information automatically classify all radio control (R/C) models, be they traditional fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters, as drones. Pilots of the aforementioned models are even likely, per observers, to have all their teeth and bathe regularly. I happen to be one of the latter type R/C modelers and while I no longer possess all 32 teeth I had at birth, I do bathe regularly. Drones have been around since World War I where they were used for target practice by ground-based marksmen. Once radio remote control became practical, adopting it for use in pilotless aerial platforms was a natural evolution. I have written in the past about what a large contribution hobbyists have made to "drone" technology both through their technical prowess and flying ability...

Short-Wave Radio Lands Army Plane

Short-Wave Radio Lands Army Plane Without Human Aid, December 1937 Radio-Craft - RF CafeWhat 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...



RF Cascade Workbook 2018 by RF Cafe

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