"She's
a junk dealer's daughter, but she's given the air to Lord Rennell's
heir. Explained sultry, blonde Nina Hobbs, 21...'He didn't pay me enough
attention. He was much more interested in model airplanes.'" That line
was in a 1962 edition of American Modeler magazine. I'm guessing
such a situation is not uncommon even today, or at least a lot of wives
give it serious consideration. There are a few other interesting items,
and plans for the Spearhead swept-wing free flight model. Model Progress
By Al Lewis
After
viewing new hobby-model merchandise at the industry's yearly "trade
show" in Chicago we are happy to report that flying-type balsawood airplane
kits are making a come-back! In the works is Secret Operator #049's
report on the affair which we hope to present in the next issue - if
he can spirit it out of the closed-door session...
By
Walter Musciano. That's the byline on a new book, "Werner Voss,
The Fearless Fighter," published by Hobby Helpers Library. Walt's control
line plans for Voss' DR.I World War One Fokker Triplane appeared in
our March 1960 issue (and on Hobby Helper's Group Plan #360).
In addition to the story of the youthful daredevil pilot, this booklet
contains 25 photos with illuminating data on Voss, his family, and the
airplanes he flew. The remarkable Voss was famous for such exploits
as fighting singlehanded a flight of advanced English pilots for ten
minutes and putting bullets through every one of their aircraft.
World War One "buffs," air historians, and scale modelers should
be delighted to know that the following titles by Musciano in addition
to "Werner Voss, The Fearless Fighter" are in production by Hobby Helpers
Library: "A. Raymond Brooks, Yankee Ace, William Barker, World's Greatest
Fighter Pilot" (there's a title that should stir up some real arguments!),
and "George Guynemer, Idol of France." $1.50 each. FLASH
from George Harris. George is responsible for that magnificent
radio controlled Spitfire in our February 1962 issue. He spotted a "goof"
on the plans: "The 1/8" ply nose plate is too big for the spinner and
should be 3 1/2"-diameter outside. I thought I had all the drawings
of my earlier and larger Spit safely hidden while I was tracing, but
apparently got the old nose plate by mistake. Hope nobody shoots me!"
Nope, George, we're certain no one will enter a serious complaint...especially
in light of the tremendous interest shown in that R/C Spitfire. Hobby
Helpers says they were (1) swamped with initial orders for the full
size plans, and (2) inundated with complaints when they couldn't ship
out same immediately. It wasn't HH's fault, fans; we were (1) slow in
retrieving the drawings from the printer and (2) getting them to Hobby
Helpers. Harris' model was displayed by Sterling Models at the
aforementioned hobby-trade show (held annually in Chicago in cold-windy
February); it drew raves from the most blasé buyer. We predict a great
future for this Sterling kit as well as old friend George ("Sassy Saucer")
Hams.
 Big
Doings at AHC. Speaking of being inundated...America's Hobby
Center (146
W. 22nd St., New York 11, N. Y.) has been busy and ever (1) combing
through their vast inventory for special sales items and (2) turning
over the printing presses to produce two booklets small in size
but
big in the info-data department. AHC's latest "Bargain Bulletin"
has interesting price combos on all kinds of kits and powerplants, supplies
and accessories. Lots of illustrations. It's yours by sending request
and unused 4 cent stamp to AHC at address above. "A-B-C of Model
Building and Flying" and "Controline Model Plans Book," both 64-page
compendiums offered by AHC, are jam-packed with info. Handy 3 1/2" x
5 1/4" size fits the pocket. Material was condensed from books originally
selling for $2 apiece, so need we say more about value? Two-bits (25
cents) each from AHC.

Tatone's newest; aluminum tube fuselage. |
Almost Forgot! One gets so "wound up" over the once-a-year
model industry biz show that it's easy to overlook such mundane items
as photo captions. No excuses, we know.Anyhoo-o-o, our lead
photos introduce John Tatone's latest free flight contest model. Fuselage
is an aluminum tube, highly polished (Gene Pond pix). Our curmudgeon-type
mind, while admiring John's artistry (he's a jeweler's jeweler), started
reflecting on the AMA "builder-of-model" requirement. We found in the
Academy's rule book this: "The Contest Director shall make every reasonable
effort to assure himself that each flyer has completely 'constructed'
the model(s) he uses in competition, including the covering where used,
with 'constructed' to be interpreted as the action required to complete
a model starting with no more prefabrication than the amount used in
the average kit." We're not picking on John, whom we like and
whose models we always admire. His aluminum tube fuselage was preceded
by other folks' fiberglass fishing rod towline glider bodies, anyway.
And these were never barred from contests. Looking farther along in
the AMA rules we found the escape clause: "Materials and design may
be obtained from any source, including kits." Okay, I go to a sporting
goods store and get my f-g pole for my glider fuselage, and I go to
a building supply firm and get my aluminum tube for my free flight!
Al
Vela, another West Coaster who builds beautiful F/F jobs, is pictured
with his newest Class C design. It mounts a Torp 35 (Series 61) using
a 10/4 prop. Really goes up, reports Dick Everett..."good for a sure
5 minutes on 15-second motor run." Goodbye and Thanks
to MMFF. Advises Ted Clodius of the New York (N.Y.) Mirror
newspaper: "Because of a dearth of entries from younger contestants,
the New York Mirror announces that the Model Flying Fair, a fixture
for 15 years, has been cancelled for 1962." Since the MMFF was
a part of the Mirror's year-round youth activity promotion, we can understand
why a lack of Junior participants would result in the affair being dropped.
Rather than just say "what a pity," let's give the Mirror and its staff
a rousing cheer for 15 eye-opening meets. Directors have included Leon
Shulman and Art Hasselbach (Consolidated Models). But it was Clodius
and his crew that worked for months each year on meet details, amassing
"hardware" and arranging full-scale airshows. Second
Thought. Press-time note from Howard McEntee concerns his Double-Bubble
(see page 16): "Since my model is fairly heavy - lots of dope - and
the old Pee Wee was getting tired, I tried it with a Tee Dee .02 (and
prop specified in article for T.D.). Much faster climb, could use a
little more downthrust than shown for P.W. So Tee Dee might be considered
if weight goes over 11-oz." Interesting Lead?
Headline and opening paragraphs in New York World-Telegram and Sun story
via Associated Press: "Junk Man's Daughter Gives the Air to Heir. London
- She's a junk dealer's daughter, but she's given the air to Lord Rennell's
heir. Explained sultry, blonde Nina Hobbs, 21...'He didn't pay me enough
attention. He was much more interested in model airplanes.'''

Spearhead Free Flight Airplane Plans
Posted July 27, 2013
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