D.B. Mathews
F l y i n g f o r F u n
909 N. Maize Rd., Townhouse 734, Wichita KS 67212
THIS MONTH I’LL play a bit of catch-up;
that is, I’ll take a look at several fun subjects
that have been gathering dust while I wrote
about other things. Each by itself doesn’t
justify a complete column but do deserve
some space. I hope you will find these
individual short subjects of some interest.
Wire Models: Friend and fellow airplane
nut Bob Erdman of Maize, Kansas, recently
brought by a couple of extraordinary scale
display models. He fabricates them from 1⁄16-
inch brass welding rod, assorted bending
tools—some of which he has fabricated—
electrical rosin-core solder, and a 75-watt
soldering pencil.
Bob had observed wire models in
catalogs and felt that they lacked detail and
realism, so he decided to re-create prototypes
of aircraft that have been significant to his
lifelong fascination with aviation.
Thus far he has built an American Eagle,
a Piper J-3 Cub, a Fairchild 24, a Stinson
Reliant, a Learjet 232, a Lockheed 12A, a
Sikorsky S-39, a Stearman Kaydet, and a
Cessna UC-78 Bamboo Bomber.
Bob developed his models from scale
drawings (Paul Matt is a favorite),
measurements of full-scale prototypes, and
photographs. None are to any specific
standard scale, but are sized to come out
with 12- to 20-inch wingspans.
Adding incredible detail to the models
makes them true pieces of working art. For
instance, the UC-78 Bobcat shown has
individual rudder pedals, and each engine
contains more than 35 parts. The airplane
itself has more than 500 pieces and took
roughly 200 hours to complete.
Construction is remarkably similar to the
tried-and-true techniques that have been used
for at least 80 years in constructing smallish
rubber-powered Scale models. A fuselage
side is constructed over the plans, and then
the second side is laid on top of it.
The wire parts are bent by hand and with
a pair of needle-nose pliers, and the flat
metal parts are sheet brass from a K&S
selection at a hobby shop. The metal is
annealed by heating it to red and then
allowing it to air-cool. This renders it easy to
burnish into desired shapes.
The subassemblies are not positioned
with a fixture, but are done out in space and
eyeballed into alignment. Resin-core solder
is used to assemble the parts, and excess flux
is cleaned off with mineral spirits (paint
thinner). Resin-core solder has a built-in flux
that needs to be cleaned up!
The wheels for these airplanes usually
incorporate metal hubs from RC-model tail
92 MODEL AVIATION
Bob Erdman made his Cessna Bobcat/Bamboo Bomber/Crane/UC-78/T-50 from
welding rod.
Bob’s Sikorsky amphibian is amazingly detailed in welding rod and sheet brass.
wheels, with drill press-turned basswood
tires. The axles are usually brass tubing. The
propellers are formed from welding rod that
is repeatedly heated and forged (hammered)
to shape with a ball peen.
Bob creates these incredible models for
his own pleasure; they are not for sale, and
he has no interest in building them for others.
His joy is derived from sharing them with
other airplane enthusiasts and reminiscing
about the role each prototype has played in
his life. In a way, that’s what building scale
model airplanes of any type should be about.
Plan-Built: Even though constructing
models from plans is a dying art form, there
are some creative people who still find joy in
the activity. It’s difficult for most of us old-
January 2005 93
Hey, all you plan-builders! Maybe we’re
not an endangered species after all! Maybe
there will be some modelers around to carry
our traditions into the following generations.
The Cruiser 60 was published as a
construction article in the June 2004 MA and
is plans set 959. The MA plans list contains
hundreds of designs for FF, Scale, CL, and
of course RC. You should take a look now
that Jon Rudesill has shown that you don’t
need to be an “expert” to build from plans.
Plans: The Society of Antique Modelers
(SAM) recently released two comprehensive
lists of approved designs: one for Gas
models and the other for Rubber, Hand
Launched Glider, and Towline Glider. These
include all SAM-eligible (pre-1942) models,
and many are eligible for the post-World
War II Nostalgia era. Information furnished
includes the designer/kitter, publication date
if appropriate, span, area, etc.
Also included is a list of plans suppliers
for many of the designs and a list of those
who are producing kits and providing
supplies. The plans are generally redrawn,
and contemporary draftsmen correct the
original errors.
Not listed are the thousands of drawings
that were originally assembled from several
collections and drawn from original
magazine articles and/or kits by John Pond
and his friends. AMA purchased this huge
group of plans, and it is almost ready to be
put back on the market.
National Model Aviation Museum
Curator Michael Smith sent the following in
an E-mail.
“The plans will be for sale, and we are
presently evaluating equipment. The delay
was caused by a change in the location where
the AMA plans service was to be located.
“Originally the service was going to be
located in one of the outbuildings owned by
AMA. However, upon review of the cost
required to start the operation there, it was
decided to locate the service in the museum
building. Consequently, some shuffling was
John Rudesill submitted this photo of his first plan-built project: a Cruiser 60. The
design was published in the June 2004 issue of Model Aviation.
The contents of the laser-cut short kit for the Bandito Grande
that John Mc Avoy makes and sells. Text has details.
The 80-inch-wingspan Bandito Grande as published in the July
2001 Radio Control Modeler, for a 120 four-stroke.
timers to understand why anyone would not
find the same excitement in building a model
from plans or even scratch that we have for a
lifetime.
To the other extreme, I’ve encountered
modelers who fly only ARFs who cannot
comprehend why anyone would want to
construct a model. They seem astonished
that we find enjoyment in such a pursuit.
After years of fighting the ARF concept
philosophically, many of us builders have
capitulated, deciding that some of us are
hobbyists and others are sportsmen. There is
some need for attitude adjustment on both
sides of this matter. If you’re having fun with
the hobby, who really cares how you find it?
However, we builders would appreciate
some understanding too.
Groups that still almost exclusively build
their models are the Flying Aces Club Scale
rubber-power types, most sport FFers, and,
to some extent, the CL fliers. They start with
a blank piece of paper (build from scratch),
construct a model from someone else’s
designs (build from plans), or create from
prepackaged parts (build from a kit). With
a few tiny exceptions, no ARF airplanes
exist in these activities.
Considering the previous, imagine my
astonishment when I received photos of
and a letter about John Rudesill’s
(Modesto, California) plan-built Cruiser
60. They were notable because it was his
first venture into constructing from plans.
He wrote:
“I have built several kits since getting
into the hobby: Four Star 60, Great Planes
Sportster, and an Fw 190, but have always
wanted to build from plans. Your design
really caught my eye and you can see the
result.
“I followed your plans except for no
canopy, and I put a servo in each wing for
the ailerons. I was very careful in cutting
out all the parts and they went together
better than some kits I’ve built. Several of
the guys at the field were amazed that I
would plans build and decided maybe that
it wasn’t as hard to do as they thought.”
required, and is now moving ahead.”
SAM members can obtain the lists of
approved designs from the organization at
Box 60236, Saint Augustine FL 62086.
Watch this magazine for an announcement
about the availability of the John Pond
plans.
An Exception: Now that I’ve (I hope)
clarified the various forms of modelbuilding,
it’s time to contradict myself—sort
of. Short kits fall between plans and kits;
they provide the shaped parts to match plans
but have no hardware, sheet wood, or strip
wood, as you find in regular kits.
This concept provides the “hard-work
parts” for a published or commercial set of
plans, yet it allows the builder to choose
sheet and strip wood from a dealer’s stock
or by mail order from one of the wood
cutters. In this modern era of laser-cut parts,
these short kits’ fit and finish are just short
of miraculous.
Photos illustrate a short kit for and a
completed Bandito Grande, which was
published in the July 2001 Radio Control
Modeler. The kit is available from John Mc
Avoy, 2027 62nd Loop SE, Auburn WA
98092; Tel.: (253) 735-2988; E-mail:
[email protected]. He is cutting kits
for several other published designs.
One purchases the plans from the
magazine, the short kit from John, the sheet
wood, strip wood, and hardware elsewhere,
and ends up with a novel model that is well
outside the norm. There are many other
short-kit suppliers; check out their ads in the
magazines.
Regardless of the model’s pedigree, be sure
to fly it for fun. MA
Edition: Model Aviation - 2005/01
Page Numbers: 92,93,95
Edition: Model Aviation - 2005/01
Page Numbers: 92,93,95
D.B. Mathews
F l y i n g f o r F u n
909 N. Maize Rd., Townhouse 734, Wichita KS 67212
THIS MONTH I’LL play a bit of catch-up;
that is, I’ll take a look at several fun subjects
that have been gathering dust while I wrote
about other things. Each by itself doesn’t
justify a complete column but do deserve
some space. I hope you will find these
individual short subjects of some interest.
Wire Models: Friend and fellow airplane
nut Bob Erdman of Maize, Kansas, recently
brought by a couple of extraordinary scale
display models. He fabricates them from 1⁄16-
inch brass welding rod, assorted bending
tools—some of which he has fabricated—
electrical rosin-core solder, and a 75-watt
soldering pencil.
Bob had observed wire models in
catalogs and felt that they lacked detail and
realism, so he decided to re-create prototypes
of aircraft that have been significant to his
lifelong fascination with aviation.
Thus far he has built an American Eagle,
a Piper J-3 Cub, a Fairchild 24, a Stinson
Reliant, a Learjet 232, a Lockheed 12A, a
Sikorsky S-39, a Stearman Kaydet, and a
Cessna UC-78 Bamboo Bomber.
Bob developed his models from scale
drawings (Paul Matt is a favorite),
measurements of full-scale prototypes, and
photographs. None are to any specific
standard scale, but are sized to come out
with 12- to 20-inch wingspans.
Adding incredible detail to the models
makes them true pieces of working art. For
instance, the UC-78 Bobcat shown has
individual rudder pedals, and each engine
contains more than 35 parts. The airplane
itself has more than 500 pieces and took
roughly 200 hours to complete.
Construction is remarkably similar to the
tried-and-true techniques that have been used
for at least 80 years in constructing smallish
rubber-powered Scale models. A fuselage
side is constructed over the plans, and then
the second side is laid on top of it.
The wire parts are bent by hand and with
a pair of needle-nose pliers, and the flat
metal parts are sheet brass from a K&S
selection at a hobby shop. The metal is
annealed by heating it to red and then
allowing it to air-cool. This renders it easy to
burnish into desired shapes.
The subassemblies are not positioned
with a fixture, but are done out in space and
eyeballed into alignment. Resin-core solder
is used to assemble the parts, and excess flux
is cleaned off with mineral spirits (paint
thinner). Resin-core solder has a built-in flux
that needs to be cleaned up!
The wheels for these airplanes usually
incorporate metal hubs from RC-model tail
92 MODEL AVIATION
Bob Erdman made his Cessna Bobcat/Bamboo Bomber/Crane/UC-78/T-50 from
welding rod.
Bob’s Sikorsky amphibian is amazingly detailed in welding rod and sheet brass.
wheels, with drill press-turned basswood
tires. The axles are usually brass tubing. The
propellers are formed from welding rod that
is repeatedly heated and forged (hammered)
to shape with a ball peen.
Bob creates these incredible models for
his own pleasure; they are not for sale, and
he has no interest in building them for others.
His joy is derived from sharing them with
other airplane enthusiasts and reminiscing
about the role each prototype has played in
his life. In a way, that’s what building scale
model airplanes of any type should be about.
Plan-Built: Even though constructing
models from plans is a dying art form, there
are some creative people who still find joy in
the activity. It’s difficult for most of us old-
January 2005 93
Hey, all you plan-builders! Maybe we’re
not an endangered species after all! Maybe
there will be some modelers around to carry
our traditions into the following generations.
The Cruiser 60 was published as a
construction article in the June 2004 MA and
is plans set 959. The MA plans list contains
hundreds of designs for FF, Scale, CL, and
of course RC. You should take a look now
that Jon Rudesill has shown that you don’t
need to be an “expert” to build from plans.
Plans: The Society of Antique Modelers
(SAM) recently released two comprehensive
lists of approved designs: one for Gas
models and the other for Rubber, Hand
Launched Glider, and Towline Glider. These
include all SAM-eligible (pre-1942) models,
and many are eligible for the post-World
War II Nostalgia era. Information furnished
includes the designer/kitter, publication date
if appropriate, span, area, etc.
Also included is a list of plans suppliers
for many of the designs and a list of those
who are producing kits and providing
supplies. The plans are generally redrawn,
and contemporary draftsmen correct the
original errors.
Not listed are the thousands of drawings
that were originally assembled from several
collections and drawn from original
magazine articles and/or kits by John Pond
and his friends. AMA purchased this huge
group of plans, and it is almost ready to be
put back on the market.
National Model Aviation Museum
Curator Michael Smith sent the following in
an E-mail.
“The plans will be for sale, and we are
presently evaluating equipment. The delay
was caused by a change in the location where
the AMA plans service was to be located.
“Originally the service was going to be
located in one of the outbuildings owned by
AMA. However, upon review of the cost
required to start the operation there, it was
decided to locate the service in the museum
building. Consequently, some shuffling was
John Rudesill submitted this photo of his first plan-built project: a Cruiser 60. The
design was published in the June 2004 issue of Model Aviation.
The contents of the laser-cut short kit for the Bandito Grande
that John Mc Avoy makes and sells. Text has details.
The 80-inch-wingspan Bandito Grande as published in the July
2001 Radio Control Modeler, for a 120 four-stroke.
timers to understand why anyone would not
find the same excitement in building a model
from plans or even scratch that we have for a
lifetime.
To the other extreme, I’ve encountered
modelers who fly only ARFs who cannot
comprehend why anyone would want to
construct a model. They seem astonished
that we find enjoyment in such a pursuit.
After years of fighting the ARF concept
philosophically, many of us builders have
capitulated, deciding that some of us are
hobbyists and others are sportsmen. There is
some need for attitude adjustment on both
sides of this matter. If you’re having fun with
the hobby, who really cares how you find it?
However, we builders would appreciate
some understanding too.
Groups that still almost exclusively build
their models are the Flying Aces Club Scale
rubber-power types, most sport FFers, and,
to some extent, the CL fliers. They start with
a blank piece of paper (build from scratch),
construct a model from someone else’s
designs (build from plans), or create from
prepackaged parts (build from a kit). With
a few tiny exceptions, no ARF airplanes
exist in these activities.
Considering the previous, imagine my
astonishment when I received photos of
and a letter about John Rudesill’s
(Modesto, California) plan-built Cruiser
60. They were notable because it was his
first venture into constructing from plans.
He wrote:
“I have built several kits since getting
into the hobby: Four Star 60, Great Planes
Sportster, and an Fw 190, but have always
wanted to build from plans. Your design
really caught my eye and you can see the
result.
“I followed your plans except for no
canopy, and I put a servo in each wing for
the ailerons. I was very careful in cutting
out all the parts and they went together
better than some kits I’ve built. Several of
the guys at the field were amazed that I
would plans build and decided maybe that
it wasn’t as hard to do as they thought.”
required, and is now moving ahead.”
SAM members can obtain the lists of
approved designs from the organization at
Box 60236, Saint Augustine FL 62086.
Watch this magazine for an announcement
about the availability of the John Pond
plans.
An Exception: Now that I’ve (I hope)
clarified the various forms of modelbuilding,
it’s time to contradict myself—sort
of. Short kits fall between plans and kits;
they provide the shaped parts to match plans
but have no hardware, sheet wood, or strip
wood, as you find in regular kits.
This concept provides the “hard-work
parts” for a published or commercial set of
plans, yet it allows the builder to choose
sheet and strip wood from a dealer’s stock
or by mail order from one of the wood
cutters. In this modern era of laser-cut parts,
these short kits’ fit and finish are just short
of miraculous.
Photos illustrate a short kit for and a
completed Bandito Grande, which was
published in the July 2001 Radio Control
Modeler. The kit is available from John Mc
Avoy, 2027 62nd Loop SE, Auburn WA
98092; Tel.: (253) 735-2988; E-mail:
[email protected]. He is cutting kits
for several other published designs.
One purchases the plans from the
magazine, the short kit from John, the sheet
wood, strip wood, and hardware elsewhere,
and ends up with a novel model that is well
outside the norm. There are many other
short-kit suppliers; check out their ads in the
magazines.
Regardless of the model’s pedigree, be sure
to fly it for fun. MA
Edition: Model Aviation - 2005/01
Page Numbers: 92,93,95
D.B. Mathews
F l y i n g f o r F u n
909 N. Maize Rd., Townhouse 734, Wichita KS 67212
THIS MONTH I’LL play a bit of catch-up;
that is, I’ll take a look at several fun subjects
that have been gathering dust while I wrote
about other things. Each by itself doesn’t
justify a complete column but do deserve
some space. I hope you will find these
individual short subjects of some interest.
Wire Models: Friend and fellow airplane
nut Bob Erdman of Maize, Kansas, recently
brought by a couple of extraordinary scale
display models. He fabricates them from 1⁄16-
inch brass welding rod, assorted bending
tools—some of which he has fabricated—
electrical rosin-core solder, and a 75-watt
soldering pencil.
Bob had observed wire models in
catalogs and felt that they lacked detail and
realism, so he decided to re-create prototypes
of aircraft that have been significant to his
lifelong fascination with aviation.
Thus far he has built an American Eagle,
a Piper J-3 Cub, a Fairchild 24, a Stinson
Reliant, a Learjet 232, a Lockheed 12A, a
Sikorsky S-39, a Stearman Kaydet, and a
Cessna UC-78 Bamboo Bomber.
Bob developed his models from scale
drawings (Paul Matt is a favorite),
measurements of full-scale prototypes, and
photographs. None are to any specific
standard scale, but are sized to come out
with 12- to 20-inch wingspans.
Adding incredible detail to the models
makes them true pieces of working art. For
instance, the UC-78 Bobcat shown has
individual rudder pedals, and each engine
contains more than 35 parts. The airplane
itself has more than 500 pieces and took
roughly 200 hours to complete.
Construction is remarkably similar to the
tried-and-true techniques that have been used
for at least 80 years in constructing smallish
rubber-powered Scale models. A fuselage
side is constructed over the plans, and then
the second side is laid on top of it.
The wire parts are bent by hand and with
a pair of needle-nose pliers, and the flat
metal parts are sheet brass from a K&S
selection at a hobby shop. The metal is
annealed by heating it to red and then
allowing it to air-cool. This renders it easy to
burnish into desired shapes.
The subassemblies are not positioned
with a fixture, but are done out in space and
eyeballed into alignment. Resin-core solder
is used to assemble the parts, and excess flux
is cleaned off with mineral spirits (paint
thinner). Resin-core solder has a built-in flux
that needs to be cleaned up!
The wheels for these airplanes usually
incorporate metal hubs from RC-model tail
92 MODEL AVIATION
Bob Erdman made his Cessna Bobcat/Bamboo Bomber/Crane/UC-78/T-50 from
welding rod.
Bob’s Sikorsky amphibian is amazingly detailed in welding rod and sheet brass.
wheels, with drill press-turned basswood
tires. The axles are usually brass tubing. The
propellers are formed from welding rod that
is repeatedly heated and forged (hammered)
to shape with a ball peen.
Bob creates these incredible models for
his own pleasure; they are not for sale, and
he has no interest in building them for others.
His joy is derived from sharing them with
other airplane enthusiasts and reminiscing
about the role each prototype has played in
his life. In a way, that’s what building scale
model airplanes of any type should be about.
Plan-Built: Even though constructing
models from plans is a dying art form, there
are some creative people who still find joy in
the activity. It’s difficult for most of us old-
January 2005 93
Hey, all you plan-builders! Maybe we’re
not an endangered species after all! Maybe
there will be some modelers around to carry
our traditions into the following generations.
The Cruiser 60 was published as a
construction article in the June 2004 MA and
is plans set 959. The MA plans list contains
hundreds of designs for FF, Scale, CL, and
of course RC. You should take a look now
that Jon Rudesill has shown that you don’t
need to be an “expert” to build from plans.
Plans: The Society of Antique Modelers
(SAM) recently released two comprehensive
lists of approved designs: one for Gas
models and the other for Rubber, Hand
Launched Glider, and Towline Glider. These
include all SAM-eligible (pre-1942) models,
and many are eligible for the post-World
War II Nostalgia era. Information furnished
includes the designer/kitter, publication date
if appropriate, span, area, etc.
Also included is a list of plans suppliers
for many of the designs and a list of those
who are producing kits and providing
supplies. The plans are generally redrawn,
and contemporary draftsmen correct the
original errors.
Not listed are the thousands of drawings
that were originally assembled from several
collections and drawn from original
magazine articles and/or kits by John Pond
and his friends. AMA purchased this huge
group of plans, and it is almost ready to be
put back on the market.
National Model Aviation Museum
Curator Michael Smith sent the following in
an E-mail.
“The plans will be for sale, and we are
presently evaluating equipment. The delay
was caused by a change in the location where
the AMA plans service was to be located.
“Originally the service was going to be
located in one of the outbuildings owned by
AMA. However, upon review of the cost
required to start the operation there, it was
decided to locate the service in the museum
building. Consequently, some shuffling was
John Rudesill submitted this photo of his first plan-built project: a Cruiser 60. The
design was published in the June 2004 issue of Model Aviation.
The contents of the laser-cut short kit for the Bandito Grande
that John Mc Avoy makes and sells. Text has details.
The 80-inch-wingspan Bandito Grande as published in the July
2001 Radio Control Modeler, for a 120 four-stroke.
timers to understand why anyone would not
find the same excitement in building a model
from plans or even scratch that we have for a
lifetime.
To the other extreme, I’ve encountered
modelers who fly only ARFs who cannot
comprehend why anyone would want to
construct a model. They seem astonished
that we find enjoyment in such a pursuit.
After years of fighting the ARF concept
philosophically, many of us builders have
capitulated, deciding that some of us are
hobbyists and others are sportsmen. There is
some need for attitude adjustment on both
sides of this matter. If you’re having fun with
the hobby, who really cares how you find it?
However, we builders would appreciate
some understanding too.
Groups that still almost exclusively build
their models are the Flying Aces Club Scale
rubber-power types, most sport FFers, and,
to some extent, the CL fliers. They start with
a blank piece of paper (build from scratch),
construct a model from someone else’s
designs (build from plans), or create from
prepackaged parts (build from a kit). With
a few tiny exceptions, no ARF airplanes
exist in these activities.
Considering the previous, imagine my
astonishment when I received photos of
and a letter about John Rudesill’s
(Modesto, California) plan-built Cruiser
60. They were notable because it was his
first venture into constructing from plans.
He wrote:
“I have built several kits since getting
into the hobby: Four Star 60, Great Planes
Sportster, and an Fw 190, but have always
wanted to build from plans. Your design
really caught my eye and you can see the
result.
“I followed your plans except for no
canopy, and I put a servo in each wing for
the ailerons. I was very careful in cutting
out all the parts and they went together
better than some kits I’ve built. Several of
the guys at the field were amazed that I
would plans build and decided maybe that
it wasn’t as hard to do as they thought.”
required, and is now moving ahead.”
SAM members can obtain the lists of
approved designs from the organization at
Box 60236, Saint Augustine FL 62086.
Watch this magazine for an announcement
about the availability of the John Pond
plans.
An Exception: Now that I’ve (I hope)
clarified the various forms of modelbuilding,
it’s time to contradict myself—sort
of. Short kits fall between plans and kits;
they provide the shaped parts to match plans
but have no hardware, sheet wood, or strip
wood, as you find in regular kits.
This concept provides the “hard-work
parts” for a published or commercial set of
plans, yet it allows the builder to choose
sheet and strip wood from a dealer’s stock
or by mail order from one of the wood
cutters. In this modern era of laser-cut parts,
these short kits’ fit and finish are just short
of miraculous.
Photos illustrate a short kit for and a
completed Bandito Grande, which was
published in the July 2001 Radio Control
Modeler. The kit is available from John Mc
Avoy, 2027 62nd Loop SE, Auburn WA
98092; Tel.: (253) 735-2988; E-mail:
[email protected]. He is cutting kits
for several other published designs.
One purchases the plans from the
magazine, the short kit from John, the sheet
wood, strip wood, and hardware elsewhere,
and ends up with a novel model that is well
outside the norm. There are many other
short-kit suppliers; check out their ads in the
magazines.
Regardless of the model’s pedigree, be sure
to fly it for fun. MA