"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..."
Once upon a time there was an organization
called the Boy Scouts of America, whose adult leadership sought to prepare generations
of young men to be brave, enterprising, purposeful, resolute, enduring, partnering,
assuring, reformed, enthusiastic, and devoted to himself, his community, and his
country. Its membership was exclusively biological male. The fact that I used the
term "biological male" is an indicator of what has gone tragically wrong with the
BSA in the last decade or so with wokeness and infiltration by ne're-do-well agents
of change. But, I digress. This aviation themed adventure article appeared in a
1938 issue of Boys' Life magazine, the official publication of the BSA.
Its arctic locale...
The
Estes Astron Gyroc
model rocket, introduced in the late 1960s, is a fascinating example of ingenuity
in model rocketry. It was designed to demonstrate an innovative recovery method
- spin recovery - that set it apart from traditional parachute or streamer recovery
systems. The Gyroc became an instant hit among rocketeers due to its simplicity,
affordability, and the spectacle of its recovery mechanism in action. A newer version
called the "Tazz" is now being sold. It simplifies the building process. Development
History The Gyroc was developed during a period when Estes Industries sought to
expand the educational...
The
Honest John rocket,
officially designated M31, represents one of the earliest tactical ballistic missile
systems deployed by the United States Army. Its inception stemmed from the necessity
for a reliable battlefield nuclear delivery system during the early years of the
Cold War. Development began in 1950 under the auspices of the U.S. Army Ordnance
Corps, with technical guidance provided by the Douglas Aircraft Company, which was
contracted to bring the concept to fruition. By 1953, the Honest John was operational,
making it the first surface-to-surface rocket in the U.S. arsenal designed to deliver
nuclear warheads. Development Timeline and Key Personnel The Honest John program's
roots trace back to increasing tensions in the post-World War II era, as the United
States sought systems capable of delivering nuclear payloads without the need for
long-range...
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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...
These couple
vintage model
aviation comics appeared in the May 1957 issue of the Academy of Model Aeronautics'
American Modeler magazine. The one on page 8 might need some explanation in order
"get it." Back in the era, aviation of all sorts - both model and full-size - was
still a novelty for most people. When either type of aircraft was seen close to
the ground where people could get up-close looks, a crowd would often gather. In
this comic, a huge group of people stopped to watch the model airplane fly, so the
modeler decided it was his civic duty to provide a show for the onlookers. Many
decades ago, comic strips had a very broad appeal with people. Daily newspapers
and magazines often carried a large variety of single pane comics and strip comics...
Dr. Ralph Brooke was a member of the 1963
U.S. International Team, which won the World Champion ships at Genk, Belgium. He
custom designed "Whistler" full house radio control model airplane is featured
in this 1963 issue of American Modeler magazine. The engine was a Veco
.45, which was smaller than the .60 size used by many competitors of the day. The
plans are well-drawn, but the wing portion is broken across the two sheets, and
only the left half is shown. The wingspan is only 59", so it really wouldn't have
been that much trouble to put at least the entire wing half on one sheet. That has
always been a pet peeve of mine. Otherwise, the Whistler is a nice looking model
and could easily be adapted to electric power ...
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)...
Melanie and I have been trying to recall
toys and games we had as kids and then searching for them on eBay to see what is
available. If the price isn't too outrageous, we go ahead and by them. Melanie remembered
having a battery-powered
electromechanical toy dachshund that had a hand-held controller (not much in
the way of radio control back in the 1960s). She finally managed to find one, so
we bid on it and got it for a decent price (I don't recall exactly how much, but
around $30 + shipping). It was advertised as not working, but I figured how hard
can it be to fix something that simple? The dog, controller, and box looked to be
be in excellent condition for its age (manufactured in the later 1950's from what
I can find). The problem ended up being that a wire had broken off the motor. A
little solder fixed that, and now it works as good as new. While apart for repair,
I saw that the front and rear body halves are connected with a large spring, and
the wheels and motor a on a freely rotating...
1976
is the year I was emancipated (aka graduated) from high school, and this issue of
The Old Farmer's Almanac (OFA) happens to be from that year. For as long as I can
remember, the OFA has included a set of Mathematical Puzzles in its annual publication. They range in
difficulty from 1 (very easy) to 5 (sometimes quite difficult). Having been a faithful
buyer and reader of the OFA for as long as I can remember, I have spent many hours
toiling with some of the more challenging examples. In fact, there were a lot which
I never did figure out and needed to look up the answers in the back (come to think
of it, I experienced the same dilemma with my college engineering textbooks). Because
quite a few of the Mathematical Puzzles are worthy of an engineer's cerebration,
contemplation, and deliberation, all I have will be eventually posted here on RF
Cafe. Enjoy!
While living in Colorado Springs, CO, in
the 1990s, our family decided to build a compact
N-gauge model train layout that
looked like the northwestern Nebraska landscape that we had driven through many
time. It represents the old west that comes to mind from the Oregon Trail days,
although that pre-dated the train routes of the day. An inexpensive Lionel N-gauge
train set was purchased, along with a few extra sections of track. Since space was
very limited, a 4' x 4' platform was used, and was cut out of 3/4" plywood in order
to make it rugged enough to be moved around. Three sides were cut from the remaining
4' x 8' sheet. Unfortunately, digital cameras were not the norm then, so I didn't
take a lot of photos throughout the process. Styrofoam sheets were cut and sanded
to form the track underlayment, the hills, and tunnel, then gauze impregnated with
a plaster mix was applied over top of it all. Trees and underbrush, the pond water,
and faux grass...
Here
is a unique concept called the "Gravity Plane" that
theoretically can take off, climb to altitude, cruise, descend, and land using only
stored helium and built-in air compressors. Conceived of by Robert D. Hunt of Hunt
Aviation†, it purports to be entirely self-powered, but in reality we know that
conservation of energy requires that 100% efficiency be realized in order for that
to be so. Still, it is an interesting idea. There are currently automated, unmanned
submarines that employ a similar principle for bobbing up and down through the oceans
to collect research data. While there are lots of technical hurdles to overcome,
it is an approach to "clean" flight that should be explored further, if for no other
reason than to rule it out as a possibility. Maybe this would make a good radio
controlled modeling project for someone. I'd do it, but just don't have the time.
Come to think of it, there might be some stimulus money out there for funding such
a green concept...
In the same manner that radio control model
aircraft are today under scrutiny by government regulating agencies (DHS, FBI, et
al), model rocketry suffered various forms of discrimination in its early days of
widespread popularity. Per this 1963 article from American Modeler magazine,
"The status of model rocketry under the law has often been a questionable one in
several sections of the country. Our hobby has been variously labeled as fireworks,
handling and discharging explosives, public nuisance (which covers a multitude of
sins), disturbance of the peace, a hazard to aircraft in flight, dangerous to persons
and property on the ground, and 'dangerous
killer.' As the record shows it is none of these." The more things change, the
more they stay the same; ignorance is NOT bliss...
Here is a list of
model airplane, helicopter, rocket, and boat videos
put together around 2008. As you might expect, by now many of the websites and/or
the original content are gone. Where possible, I located missing material on the
Archive.org website (the Wayback Machine). Links I couldn't find anywhere have been
deleted. Many of the videos are ones I created for the Airplanes and Rockets website...
I have been wanting to build another Jetco
Shark 15 control line model airplane for a long time and finally decided to
take the dive into the project. Having sold all of my glow fuel engine support equipment
(power panel, fuel pump, electric starter, etc.) in exchange for electric power
equipment, it would be necessary to modify the airframe to accommodate a brushless
outrunner motor, an electronic speed controller (ESC), a motor timer, and a LiPo
battery. I dubbed it the "E-Shark 15." Without a whole lot of engineering calculations,
I settled on one of the two ElectriFly Rimfire .10 motors I purchased to power
my Douglas DC−3 / C−47 twin engine control line models. A 30 A
ESC with a 3-cell (3S), 1300 mAH LiPo completed the package ...
It 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 4-view drawing of the
Fairchild
22 C-7-F (1934) was scanned from page 38B and 38C of my purchased edition of
the July 1968 American Aircraft Modeler (AAM) magazine. It is another example
of Björn Karlström's fine scale drawings. In the pre-Internet days, this sort of
detailed documentation was harder to come by, so AAM provided a great service by
publishing these. Per Wikipedia: "The aircraft was designed by Kreider-Reisner during
negotiations by Sherman Fairchild to take a major share in the company. Marketed
as the Fairchild 22 Model C7 the aircraft was certified in March 1931. The Fairchild
22 was a mixed-construction braced parasol-wing monoplane with a fixed tailwheel
landing gear and a braced tail unit. It had two tandem open cockpits and was initially
powered by a 80hp (60kW) Armstrong Siddeley Genet radial engine. After test flying
the prototype the first production aircraft were re-engined with a 75hp (56kW) Michigan
Rover inverted inline engine. The aircraft was fitted with both inline and radial
piston engines...
My father's side of the family hearkened
from the Buffalo, New York area, but we lived in Mayo, Maryland, where my mother's
family resided. Most summers my father's sister, Bonnie (my aunt) and her husband,
Brian (my uncle) would load my grandparents and another uncle or two into their
big cruiser and drive down for a week. It was always a great time. Every five years
or so, my parents braved a trip with my siblings and me up to Buffalo. I loved it
up there because of the cool weather. Sometime around 1972, we made the trek and
while there, in-between going to Niagara Falls, Crystal Beach, and other nearby
attractions, I built from a Comet kit the
Curtiss JN4-D Jenny
biplane shown below. My Uncle Brian cleared a spot in his basement for me to work.
I left it for him as a decoration. The years passed... and passed... and passed...
The July 2013 edition of IEEE's Spectrum
magazine had a really good article on a high tech study that is being done on the
manner in which an albatross
manages to fly great distances and for long periods of time while rarely needing
to flap its wings. As shown in the thumbnail (and in the article), an albatross
performs a series of rapid climbs into very strong wind, turns, and dives leeward
nearly to the water's surface, then repeats the process over and over as it makes
its way to its destination. The process is called dynamic soaring. R/C soaring pilots
have been doing the same sort of thing for a few years now. Obviously the albatross
figured out how to fly like that long before mankind was able to mimic it, but the
researchers in the article seem to not have knowledge of the R/C soaring technique.
They are capturing albatrosses in their nests and attaching GPS-based sensors with
data recorders to the birds' back feathers and retrieving the units when the birds
return to their nests...
The "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...
Whilst looking through some old issues of
American Aircraft Modeler magazine, I was quite surprised to find that
none other than radio great Paul
Harvey is (or was) a builder and flyer of radio controlled airplanes. The first
feature on Paul Harvey appeared in the May 1972 edition in a monthly column titled,
"On the Scene." (see below) Mr. Harvey then wrote a regular column titled "Paul
Harvey Views." Understandably, the column only ran for a few months - probably because
of his extremely busy schedule. I did a Google search to try to find information
on Paul Harvey's modeling activities, but could not find anything at all. That is
when I decided to go ahead and reprint this one article from the May 1974 edition
of American Aircraft Modeler. I hope he won't mind...
If the Standard Aircraft Company's model
Standard "J" looks a lot like the Curtiss JN−4 "Jenny," there's a good
reason - it was manufactured to supplement the Army's urgent need for trainer planes.
Its two-seater configuration provided the student-instructor accommodation not available
in the high-powered, single-seat fighter and patrol aircraft. The January 1955 issue
of Model Airplanes News magazine contained a two-page spread of some of the most
highly detailed line drawings you will find of the Standard "J," inked by Willis L.
Nye. Mr. Nye produced many such fine quality drawings for both model airplane
and professional aeronautical magazines...
Were you or anyone you know - father, brother,
son, uncle, nephew, grandfather, friend, enemy - attend the
1974 National Miniature Aircraft Championships (NATS) at Lake Charles, Louisiana?
Why that location was chosen for a mid-summer event is beyond me, but the NATS were
held there a few times. John Clemens was Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) president
at the time. I had just become aware of the AMA a few years earlier at the ripe
old age of about 13. After 63 years on Earth I still have never experienced a NATS
- or the Toledo Show for that matter (which, alas, is no more). I have managed to
visit the AMA Headquarters in Muncie, Indiana, twice, though, but that was nearly
two decades ago shortly after they opened. ...but I digress. Here is a thorough
accounting of the goings-on at the 1974 AMA NATS as presented in the November 1974
issue of American Aircraft Modeler magazine...
This "Test Your Knowledge" feature appeared
in the March 1967 issue of American Modeler magazine, immediately following
the "Wanted:
A & P Mechanics - Part II" article (I do not yet have
Part I). Way back in my younger day during the time I was taking flying lessons
and thought a career in flying was the only reasonable path for me, I planned to
earn a Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) license. Destiny had other plans, since
when I signed up for the Delayed Enlistment program with the U.S. Air Force, no
aircraft engine mechanic positions were open, and I ended up in electronics, working
on air traffic control radar maintenance (fixing and aligning, not as an air traffic
controller). As you can see from the test, a masterful grasp on the theory of engine
operation and maintenance was (and still is) required. Back in those days,
only the most qualified people were selected to do the job - lives and fortunes
depended on it. Today, one of the biggest advantages you can have for getting an
aircraft mechanic job is not being a white male of European descent...
By the time these aeroplanes arrived on
the world's airfields, barely a decade had passed since Wilbur and Oliver Wright
made their famous flight in 1903 at Kitty Hawk. World War I broke out in the
middle of 1914, and planners quickly realized the value of air power as soon as
daring pilots proved the unmatched ability (by ground forces) ability to conduct
surveillance and attacks well behind enemy lines. Avoiding ground fire was a relatively
simple matter of flying high enough to keep out or range of bullets and rockets.
However, it was not long before opposing forces found themselves battling each other
high above the ground battle. Air-to-air combat had begun, proving the ruggedness
of both man and machine. A time period of 1908 through 1919 is presented in this
installment of "Air
Progress" appearing in a 1960 issue of American Modeler magazine. Biplanes stilled
ruled the day, with monoplanes being too fragile to hold up under the demands of
high-G aerobatic maneuvering... |