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Home Page Archive (page 16)

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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21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36

This Could Be the Future of Hypersonic Flight

This Could Be the Future of Hypersonic Flight - Airplanes and Rockets"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...

Jet Powered "JexJet" for Youthful Payload Pilots

Jet Powered "JexJet" for Youthful Payload Pilots Article & Plans, April 1960 American Modeler - Airplanes and RocketsIt 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...

How to Break into the Aviation Radio Game

How to Break into the Aviation Radio Game, April 1932 Radio News - RF CafeYes, 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...

NASA Helicopter Will Soon Fly on Mars

NASA Helicopter Will Soon Fly on Mars - Airplanes and Rockets"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..."

Macchi MB-308 Free Flight

Macchi MB-308, September 1949 Air Trails - Airplanes and RocketsThe 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...

These Frankenplanes Are Built from Parts of Other Planes

These Frankenplanes Are Built from Parts of Other Planes - Airplanes and Rockets"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..."

World Model Air Olympics

World Model Air Olympics, November 1954 Air Trails - Airplanes and RocketsFor 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?

Piper Colt: A Real Contender

Piper Colt: A Real Contender - Airplanes and RocketsMy 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..."

Airplane and Rocket Models by David S.

Airplane and Rocket Models by David S. - Airplanes and RocketsWebsite 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 Unveils Airpeak Drone at CES

Sony Unveils Airpeak Drone at CES -  Airplanes and Rockets"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..."

800 MPH in a Jet-Powered Car

800 MPH in a Jet-Powered Car - Airplanes and Rockets"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..."

Allbon Diesel Engines

Allbon Diesel Engines, November 1954 Air Trails - Airplanes and RocketsIf 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...

Round-the-Pole Circle Whirly: The Jumpin' Giro

Round-the-Pole Circle Whirly: The Jumpin' Giro, Annual 1958 Air Trails - Airplanes and RocketsHere 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...

Radio Lands the Plane

Radio Lands the Plane, August 1938 Radio News - RF CafeConsidering 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...

Drones Use Private LTE to Monitor Power Lines

Drones Use Private LTE to Monitor Power Lines -  Airplanes and Rockets"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..."

Gallery of Chevy Camaro History

Gallery of Chevy Camaro History - Airplanes and RocketsThis 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..."

Charlie's Cox Model Airplane Collection

Charlie's Cox Model Airplane Collection - Airplanes and RocketsAs 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...

"Smellicopter" Uses Live Moth Antenna to Seek Smells

"Smellicopter" Uses Live Moth Antenna to Seek Smells - Airplanes and Rockets"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..."

Vintage Carrom Board (and Box) Restoration

Vintage Carrom Board Restoration - Airplanes and RocketsFor 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 Air Force After World War I

Air Progress - Japanese Air Force After World War I, November 1954 Air Trails - Airplanes and RocketsJapanese 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...

UAV Software Prioritizes Human Safety

UAV Software Prioritizes Human Safety - Airplanes and Rockets"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 Bull Pup Article & Plans

Buhl Bull Pup, October 1950 Air Trails - Airplanes and RocketsBuhl 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...

1st TV Airing of "A Charlie Brown Christmas"

"Peanuts on Television," by Charles Schulz - Airplanes and RocketsAs 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...

Smart Parachute Rescues Drones

Smart Parachute Rescues Drones - Airplanes and Rockets"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..."

A-1 Jetstream Towline Glider

A/1 Jetstream Towline Glider, November 1960 American Modeler Magazine - Airplanes and RocketsAirplanes 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)...

Sparks on Ice: Radio in the Arctic

Sparks on Ice: Radio in the Arctic, December 1945 Flying Aces - Airplanes and RocketsThe 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...

Ban on Hydroxychloroquine Rescinded by AMA

Ban on Hydroxychloroquine Rescinded by AMA - RF CafeExperts 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.

Salt-Based Propellant Could Power Rockets

Salt-Based Propellant Could Power Rockets - Airplanes and Rockets"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..."

Mactuator: Magnetic Actuator for R/C

Mactuator: Magnetic Actuator for R/C, November 1954 Air Trails - Airplanes and RocketsThis "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...

RF Cascade Workbook 2018 by RF Cafe

RF Electronics Shapes, Stencils for Office, Visio by RF Cafe

Academy of Model Aeronautics Government Advocacy Coalition - Airplanes and Rockets

Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) - Airplanes and Rockets

Academy of Model Aeronautics

Tower Hobbies logo - Airplanes and Rockets

Tower Hobbies

Horizon Hobby logo - Airplanes and Rockets

Horizon Hobby

Sig Manufacturing - Airplanes and Rockets

Sig Mfg

Brodak Manufacturing - Airplanes and Rockets

Brodak Mfg