Aeronca C-3 by Sterling Models

I remember as a kid in Mayo, Maryland, tying a string to the nose of my Sterling Aeronca C-3 model and towing it behind my Huffy bicycle, up and down the street in front of my house. It would weave and dodge back in forth in a sort of gyrating motion a few feet off the ground and then settle into a fairly decent landing. Assuming the Aeronca C-3 met the same ultimate demise as most of my models of the era, it probably succumbed to an airframe failure after early success fed the human desire to go higher and faster than the last time. One thing that stands out in my mind about the Aeronca was that it was one of the most complex models I had attempted to date - especially with building the wing support assembly on top and adding all the flying wires.

The kit shown here was purchased on eBay a week ago. It is yet another addition to my collection of model items I had as a kid. None of my original equipment survived :-(

Sterling Aeronca C-3

by Sterling Models

Sterling Models' Aeronca C-3 "Collegian" Kit Components

Aeronca C-3  Plans (both sides)

Posted April 5, 2015