These archive pages are provided in order to make it easier for you to find items
that you remember seeing on the Airplanes and Rockets homepage. Of course probably
the easiest way to find anything on the website is to use the "Search AAR" box at
the top of every page.
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 "Stratolaunch offered a glimpse of the future
when, in October, it posted a photo of the prototype upper composite skin of its
Talon-A hypersonic research vehicle on Twitter. When completed, it will test
hypersonic payloads at speeds up to Mach 6. While Talon-A can take off horizontally,
it will primarily be launched by Stratolaunch's enormous jet carrier aircraft. Originally
designed to launch satellites, the company pivoted to providing a test-bed for hypersonic
vehicles following the death of founder Paul Allen in 2018 and its acquisition by
new investors. Company spokesperson Art Pettigrue says the carrier offers unique
advantages: 'We are able to provide a wide hypersonic flight envelope for our customers...
 It is surprising that today there is no equivalent
to the Jetex type motors that provide a simple and safe form of jet propulsion for
small airplane models. you can still buy Jetex engines on eBay for not too much
money, but the fuel pellets are quite expensive. Over the years, a couple companies
have manufactured Jetex-compatible fuel pellets, but all of those are gone now,
too. A couple decades have probably passed since Jetex fuel pellets were available.
American Modeler and a few other magazines used to run build and fly articles for
Jetex powered model airplanes. This April 1960issue included plans for the JexJet,
which uses the Jetex 35 or Jetex 50 size engine. A built-up wing (23"
wingspan) and horizontal stabilizer helps keep the weight down. If anyone knows
of an available Jetex fuel pellet source, including instructions for safely making
your own...
 Yes,
this is another article that will probably appeal to a small percentage of RF Cafe
visitors, but please countenance my indulgence in things aeronautical as well as
things electrical. The early 1930s was a time when both
airplanes and electronics were a wonder and a mystery to most of the public
worldwide. Of course today both are still a mystery to the public but the wonder
is gone - it's merely taken for granted. Many idiosyncrasies of airborne electronic
communications were encountered for the first time, like the need for proper grounding
and static electricity dissipation. Ruggedization of chassis assemblies in terms
of mechanical vibration and shock as well as for temperature extremes was a real
challenge to engineers, technicians, and pilots...
 "The
Perseverance rover's
Mars Helicopter (Ingenuity) will take off, navigate, and land on Mars without
human intervention. Tucked under the belly of the Perseverance rover that will be
landing on Mars in just a few days is a little helicopter called Ingenuity. Its
body is the size of a box of tissues, slung underneath a pair of 1.2m carbon fiber
rotors on top of four spindly legs. It weighs just 1.8kg, but the importance of
its mission is massive. If everything goes according to plan, Ingenuity will become
the first aircraft to fly on Mars. In order for this to work, Ingenuity has to survive
frigid temperatures, manage merciless power constraints, and attempt a series of
90 second flights while separated from Earth by 10 light minutes. Which means that
real-time communication..."
 The
Macchi
MB−308 (or MB.308), designed by Ermanno Bazzocchi, was one of the most popular
light planes in Italy in the 1940s. Although it appears to be of Cessna type construction
with an aluminum skin, in fact the MB−308 was of made entirely of wood - just like
this free flight model of it by Cristo Russo. With a wingspan of 24", it is a medium
size rubber-powered (or CO2) model built in stick and tissue form. The tricycle
landing gear was unusual in the era, and is not found very often even in more contemporary
free flight models. These plans and building article appeared in the September 1949
issue of Air Trails magazine...
 "The big silver airplane parked in an open
field was the only worthy target for miles. The Japanese bombers quickly sieved
the exposed
Douglas DC-3 with hundreds of machine gun bullets. Hugh Woods, a pilot with
China National Aviation Corporation (CNAC), was watching from a nearby hillside.
His heart sank as a 100-kilogram bomb detonated under the right wing of his aircraft,
throwing dirt, grass, and splintered aluminum across Suifu airfield. His crew and
passengers were alive and unharmed, but his precious airplane was gone. With the
wing mangled, there would be no chance of escape. More attackers would soon return
to finish the job. The best Woods and his men could do was to hide the wounded airliner
among the trees..."
 For some odd reason the venue for the
1954 F.A.I. World Model Air Olympics was not mentioned in this pictorial featured
in the November 1954 issue of Air Trails magazine. However, an article appeared
in the July 27, 1954 edition of The New York Times newspaper stating that the event
took place at Suffolk County Air Force Base in New York state. The 1955 event also
occurred there according to this 1955 Air Trails article entitled "International
Meets: Rubber Power Wakefield F.A.I. Free Flight 'Gas'." Do you recognize anyone
here?
 My first 45 logged hours were in a
Piper Colt! "Browsing the web in search of an airplane to buy is not unlike
taking a stroll through your local bookstore; the newest and trendiest items tend
to be featured prominently, with substantial fanfare. Carbon Cubs, Kitfoxes and
Cessna 170s dominate social media and are featured front and center, while commanding
ever-increasing prices on the usual classified sites. But hiding in the quiet, less-traveled
aisles toward the back of the store, treasures can be found: older, less-flashy
editions that, while frequently passed over, nonetheless faithfully continue to
provide wonderful experiences. Such is the case with the Piper Colt. Often overlooked
as a lower-powered..."
 Website visitor David S., who wrote
a while back to let me know about the line of Atlantis Models* re−manufactured vintage
plastic kits, recently sent these photos of his amazing collection of
model airplanes and rockets.
As you can seem, most of the airplanes are rubber-powered free-flight. A few electric-powered
R/C models are hangared in the garage over the door (a good use of the space). Let's
see, for airplanes I spy a P−47 Thunderbolt, an L−4 Grasshopper, a J−3 (or maybe
a J−5) Cub, a couple P−51 Mustangs, A Focke-Wulf, a Beechcraft Bonanza, a Supermarine
Spitfire (or two), a Sopwith Camel, a Fairchild something-or-other, a P−40 Warhawk,
and a Stearman PT−17. In the rocket category is an Estes Mars Lander, an Alpha (of
course), a Gyroc, an Honest John, an Aerobee, a Big Bertha, and an Avenger. How
many can you identify? David didn't mention whether he flies the free-flight models
and rockets or if they're primarily hangar queens...
 "Sony unveiled its
Airpeak drone at CES, the world’s largest consumer electronics and information
technology show, which opened over the internet Monday. The 2021 Consumer Electronics
Show, which is scheduled to run through Thursday, aims to create connections and
showcase the latest in robotics, smart devices, digital health and more. Some 1,800
exhibitors are participating in the show, forced to go online by the coronavirus
pandemic. Airpeak marks Sony’s entry into the drone business. It can wield Sony's
Alpha mirrorless cameras and is expected to allow creators to shoot high-definition
aerial videos. 'With Sony's technology, creativity has no limits..."
 "I treat Bloodhound as a very low-flying
airplane,” says Ron Ayers, the chief aerodynamicist for the
Bloodhound Land Speed Record project - a Mach-busting car designed to exceed
800 mph. 'We're trying to go faster at ground level than any jet fighter has,' says
the project's driver, Andy Green, a retired Royal Air Force fighter pilot. 'No jet
airplane has demonstrated sustained speed at low-level over 1,000 mph.' Ayers and
Green are no strangers to land-speed records. They were part of the team that worked
on the Thrust SSC (supersonic car), which blazed across Nevada's Black Rock Desert
in 1997, setting the current world land-speed record of 763 mph..."
 If the distributor name, American Telasco,
seems familiar, it is because they were the importers of the very popular line of
Jetex engines.
Allbon engines were the product of Mr. Alan L. Allbon, of Sunbury-on-Thames,
England. As with in automobiles, Diesel engines were quite popular in Europe, and
most of the Diesels available in the United States were imported from overseas.
A few of the Allbon engines were a huge success - notably the 0.5 cc Dart and
the 1.49 cc Javelin Mk I - and challenged production capacity to a point
that jeopardized the company's market position as competitors moved in to fill the
void. Allbon operated independently from 1948 through 1952, after which it partnered
with Davies-Charlton. That means this 1954 advertisement in Air Trails magazine
appeared in the partnership era. For a deep dive into the history of Allbon, check
out The Early Years at Allbon, by Adrian Duncan...
 Here is an unusual project for the control
line enthusiast. Bob Tennenbaum's
Jumpin' Giro is an autogyro craft that due to its potential for slow, helicopter-like
flight, can be flown in a small area. That makes Jumpin' Giro a good subject for
old-timers who don't suffer spinning in circles well anymore. It is designed for
an .020 glow fuel engine, but a small electric setup can be easily substituted.
The rotor span is only about 14-15 inches, and as designed there is no form of control;
it simply flies in circles on its own. There is probably not enough centrifugal
force on the tether line to provide positive control, but use of an R/C controlled
electric motor would add to the fun. My guess is it should only be flown in no wind
or very light wind conditions. That leaves out most days in my Erie, Pennsylvania
locale...
 Considering that only three-and-a-half decades
had passed since the brothers Wright first flew their eponymous "Flyer" off the
sands of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, it is pretty impressive to think that by 1938
the majority of commercial air transport planes were under the able control of electromechanical
apparatus(es?). Rudder, elevator, aileron, and throttle, driven by electrical servomechanisms
rather than human hands and feet, responded to the signals to analog computers fed
data from onboard barometer, accelerometer, level, and compass sensors, and from
ground-based radio directional beams. That was for mostly straight and level flight
from one fixed waypoint to another. An ability to program vectored flight paths
came later. This "Radio
Lands the Plane" article discusses progress being made in the realm of completely
automated landings. As can be seen, the framework for modern instrument landings
systems was being laid...
 "As the largest state public power organization
in the U.S., New York Power Authority (NYPA) operates more than 1,400 circuit-miles
of transmission lines. Live lines can now be inspected up-close by
drone-mounted cameras connected to a private LTE network, the utility said recently.
Currently, humans have to fly by the lines in order to inspect them. NYPA said its
drone test also demonstrated that high-definition video and thermal imaging can
be live-streamed from drones using private LTE. 'It is extremely gratifying to see
the progress of this drone test,' said Gil Quiniones, NYPA president and CEO. 'The
pilot program to install private LTE wireless technology across our generation and
transmission network is integral to NYPA's transition..."
 This slideshow stepping through the years
of the Camaro holds special meaning for me since my first car was a '69
Camaro SS. "Chevrolet introduced its
Mustang-fighting Camaro selling the first one on September 29, 1966. The first
episode of Star Trek debuted on NBC TV three weeks earlier. For the 1968 model year,
the just-introduced Camaro saw changes mainly for regulatory issues, such as the
newly mandated side marker lights in the fenders. For 1969, Chevrolet stylists toughened
the Camaro, widening the rear fenders and adding crisp character lines atop the
wheel arches, rendering the openings trapezoidal rather than rounded. After a late
production start, the second-generation Camaro..."
 As the old saying goes, a picture is worth
a thousand words. That being the case, here are 8,000 of some of the most amazing
words that I've ever seen regarding
Cox control line airplanes.
These photos were sent to me by Airplanes and Rockets website visitor Charlie H.
According to his e-mail, there are around 300 models in all, many of which are still
in their original boxes. I see some pretty unique examples in the photos. If my
understanding is correct, he is interested in selling his collection. It must be
worth a small fortune. I will let you know how to contact him if he does want to
sell part or all of the models...
 "Who needs
a sensor from the manufacturer? Researchers from the University of Washington have
equipped their drone with one of nature's finest detectors: a
moth antenna. 'Nature really blows our human-made odor sensors out of the water,'
said UW doctoral student Melanie Anderson , lead researcher of the aerial vehicle
known as the 'Smellicopter.' 'By using an actual moth antenna with Smellicopter,
we're able to get the best of both worlds: the sensitivity of a biological organism
on a robotic platform where we can control its motion.' The live antenna responds
to chemical signals, allowing the flying vehicle to navigate toward specific odors..."
 For the last dozen years or so, I have been
working to re-acquire some of the items I remember having as a kid and teenager
back in the 1960s and 1970s. Dittos for Melanie's stuff. Very few of the original
articles survived my handling, but fortunately many other people took better care
of their stuff (or their parents did), so much of it is available on eBay. Back
in the early days of eBay, a lot of the vintage gears could be purchased at a decent
price, but nowadays the costs have skyrocketed. This 1960s era
Carrom (aka Carom) Game Board
came from our daughter, who found it in a Goodwill store for just a couple bucks.
Even Goodwill and Salvation Army store prices have gone through the roof, but she
got this at one of the specialty "Bins" outlets...
 Japanese involvement in World War I
is generally not as well known as it is for World War II. The surprise attack
at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, has permanently implanted itself as one of
the nation's most memorable events, and obviously the U.S. and Japan were mortal
enemies until the Japs' unconditional surrender on September 2, 1945, following
the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Conversely, Japan was part of the Allied
(aka Entente) powers in World War I, and was considered an ally of America,
Great Britain, Italy, and France (primarily) in their war against Germany, Austria,
and the Ottoman Empire. It was one of those "the enemy of my enemy is my friend"
scenarios. Japan played a major role in barricading German sea lanes in the South
Pacific...
 "Autonomous
aircraft systems have the potential to save lives, and NASA Armstrong Flight
Research Center's Resilient Autonomy project is at the forefront of development.
These advanced software systems are preventing air-to-ground collisions in piloted
aircraft and the project is now focusing on developments to prevent aircraft from
colliding with other aircraft in the air. The software can better manage the mission
intent of the flight while always maneuvering within the acceptable performance
limits of the aircraft, much like how a pilot manages a safe flight. Autonomous
aircraft systems have the potential to save lives..."
 Buhl Aircraft Company, founded in 1925 in
Detroit, Michigan, really had just two successful airplane designs - the CA−6 Airsedan
and the
LA−1
Bull Pup. The Buhl A−1 Autogyro was a novelty aircraft that never gained popularity.
It came out in 1931, a year before the company went out of business. This 1/2A size
Bull Pup construction by Charles Hollinger article and plans appeared in a 1950
issue of Air Trails magazine. The Bull Pup began life as a rubber powered model,
and Mr. Hollinger adapted it for powered free flight at a request from Air
Trails editors. Its 35" wingspan is a convenient size and makes for an economical
building project, even more so with today's balsa prices. A conversion to electric
power with three-channel R/C would be easily accomplished...
 As a lifelong admirer of Charles Schulz's
Peanuts comic strip, I occasionally buy a collectible item like a Snoopy music box
that plays "It's a Long Way to Tipperary," a plastic Schroeder and piano figurine,
a Charlie Brown Skediddler, or a Snoopy astronaut from the Apollo era. This time
I bought the edition of TV Guide that announced the first showing of the "A Charlie Brown Christmas"
cartoon. Also in this edition is the announcement of plans to preempt regular programming
to televise the launch of the Gemini VII spacecraft, which carried astronauts
Frank Borman and James A. Lovell. It launched right on time at 7:30 pm on December
4th, 1965. "As his millions of fans long since have discovered, under that inept, ineffectual,
bumbling exterior of Charlie Brown's there beats a heart as soft and sweet as a
marshmallow. In the sequence on these pages, drawn exclusively for TV Guide by Charlie's
creator, Charles Schulz, he becomes concerned about the true meaning of Christmas...
 "An
intelligent parachute system deploys itself an emergency to bring the damaged
drone safely to the ground. The system can be easily mounted to a drone at any time
using a bayonet lock. Intelligent electronics monitor the flight condition, independent
of flight control; an algorithm implements automatic crash detection. In an emergency,
the pilot no longer has to react and press a release button. The system operates
without explosive, pyrotechnical components. Drone Rescue Systems GmbH, awarded
by the European Space Agency (ESNC-2016), developed the fastest and most efficient
parachute safety solution for drones available on the market right now..."
 Airplanes and Rockets website visitor L. Ross
wrote to request that this article featuring
Warren Kurth's Jetstream A-1 towline glider be posted. I recently purchased
the November 1960 issue of American Modeler magazine, where it appeared, so I scanned
and processed the images and text. Detailed building, covering, and flying instructions
are provided by Mr. Kurth. The Jetstream's projected wingspan is given on the
plans as 47", with a wing area of 269 square inches. The fuselage is 31" long with
a balsa box construction, while the wing an tail surfaces are sticks and sheet ribs.
The wing airfoil is undercambered, which makes covering with Jap tissue a little
tricky, but the horizontal stabilizer uses a flat bottom lifting airfoil. Instructions
for making the regulation A-1 towline is even given. The model is built so light
that it requires more than 1.5 ounces of ballast to bring it up to the A-1 class
minimum of 5.08 oz (144 grams)...
 The old adage about pioneers taking the arrows
is true in many realms - not just the exploration and settling of the wild west.
This story entitled "Sparks
on Ice" recounting the trials and tribulations of the troops who installed and
debugged the first arctic directional beacons appeared in a 1945 issue of Flying
Age magazine. "Sparks" (or "Sparky") was an endearing nickname given to early radio
operators who used spark gap transmitters to send out their Morse code messages.
It stuck around for many years after better transmitter systems were developed -
although it is not very often heard today. The most interesting part of Mark Weaver's
article is a discussion of the many atmospheric phenomena that affect radio waves
of various wavelengths. A lot of smart people - enlisted, commissioned, and civilian
- sacrificed mightily...
 Experts and news outlets told Americans
and people of the world not use hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) as on off-label treatment
for the Wuhan Flu, in spite of its being safely prescribed for decades. We were
told by "experts" that no vaccine could possibly be developed in less than a year.
Now, the American Medical Association (AMA) has changed its mind on HCQ and a vaccine
is being distributed today. Politically motivated fake science has likely caused
suffering and death for an untold number of people. Per
Resolution 509 (p18), November 2020: "RESOLVED, That our American Medical Association
rescind its statement calling for physicians to stop prescribing hydroxychloroquine
and chloroquine until sufficient evidence becomes available to conclusively illustrate
that the harm associated with use outweighs benefit early in the disease course..."
Careful who you listen to - it could kill you.
 "In smaller spacecraft such as CubeSat satellites,
a
salt-based monopropellant is showing promise. The propellant, called FAM-110A,
is a mixture of two commercially available salts. It can be used in a combined chemical-electric
thruster. A rocket engine using the propellant could be practical at almost any
pressure level; however, it also leaves a significant amount of liquid residue after
it burns. This is undesirable because it means that the combustion is incomplete.
The formulation requires changes in order to improve efficiency of its combustion..."
 This "Mactuator," or
magnetic
actuator for radio controlled models, may be a form of the very first truly
digital servo - that is to say that a digital input consisting of ones and zeroes
determines the position of the control arm. Analog servos and their "digital" cousins
of the types employed by R/C modelers use the relative position and width of a pulse
in a train of pulses to determine what the position of the control arm will be.
The main difference between the two types is the refresh rate of analog versus digital
- about 20 milliseconds vs. 0.3 milliseconds, respectively. Most people
not familiar with hobby type servos would probably assume - and understandably so
- that a digital servo takes as a signal input a binary word of some length instructing
it where to position the control arm. For instance, the receiver might output a
10-bit word that represents 210 = 1024 discrete positions for the servo...
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