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Modelplane Sketchbook
July 1954 Air Trails Hobbies for Young Men

July 1954 Air Trails
July 1954 Air Trails Cover - Airplanes and RocketsTable of Contents

These pages from vintage modeling magazines like Flying Aces, Air Trails, American Modeler, American Aircraft Modeler, Young Men, Flying Models, Model Airplane News, R/C Modeler, captured the era. All copyrights acknowledged.

Here are a half dozen more tips and ideas that might make your aeromodelling hobby a little easier -especially if you ardently adhere to doing things 'the old way.' Most of the homebrew schemes presented in this and the many other "Sketchbook" postings are these days available in pre-made form, with higher reliability, made of inexpensive materials, and low in cost. The converted hand drill-cum-rubber-winder is a good example. In 1954, most workshops had such a drill, but now everyone has a battery-powered, variable speed drill that would make the job much easier and easily accomplished with one hand. As evidenced by the amount of effort I put into scanning and posting these vintage articles for you to enjoy, I appreciate the ingenuity and effort of those who forged the path to where modeling is today, but I also don't see any sense in making life any harder than it is already. It's the same in my woodworking shop - power tools when possible and appropriate, and hand tools otherwise.

Modelplane Sketchbook

Modelplane Sketchbook, July 1954 Air TrailsHave you developed something new in construction, control or flying? Send a rough sketch - we'll redraw it and pay $5 for each accepted. Contributions should be original ideas: sorry, we cannot enter into any correspondence on submissions.

 

 

 

Anti-vibration tube for new-rule Wakefield fuselages - Airplanes and Rockets

English modeler P. Gasson suggests celluloid "anti-vibration" tube for new-rule Wakefield fuselages. Prevents motor slashing covering and damage from rubber lubricant.

Aluminum extension-mount for Thermal Hopper - Airplanes and Rockets

Aluminum extension-mount for "Thermal Hopper" engines places needle-valve ahead of firewall. Self-aligned by mounting bolts says Tom Henebry, Chula Vista, Calif.

Heavy-duty winder made from hand drill - Airplanes and Rockets

Safe, heavy-duty winder made from hand drill has shackle for attaching to safety belt - Submitted by Dick Salzer, Patchogue, N.Y.

One-man R/C distance check - Airplanes and Rockets

One-man R/C distance check made by plugging in 6 v. battery and bulb in series through relay contracts .... check at night; bulb visible up to 3/4 mile distance on signal reports Howard Davenport, Tucson, Ariz.

Dependable dethermalizer gadget - Airplanes and Rockets

Dependable dethermalizer "gadget" is actuated by any plunger-type pneumatic timer. Works best under load says John Tatone, San Francisco, Calif.

High powered free flights - Airplanes and Rockets

G. R. Nolin, Fairborn, Ohio, suggests special tab for fast, high powered free flights.

Sketchbook Editions

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Back when the Sketchbook, Gadgetry, Powerless Pointers, and Engine Info columns were run, there were very few pre-built models, and there simply was not as much available in the way of hardware and specialized modeling tools. We were still a nation of designers and builders. The workforce was full of people who worked on production lines, built houses and buildings with hand tools, and did not have distractions like Nintendos and X-Boxes. Remember that plastics were not common material until the early 50s and the transistor wasn't invented until late 47. Enjoy the tips. Some of you will no doubt wax nostalgic over the methods, since you can remember the days when you did the exact same thing!

 

 

Posted June 3, 2017

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