152 MODEL AVIATION
Dennis O. Norman, 11216 Lake Ave., Cleveland OH 44102
FREE FLIGHT SCALE
HI, SKYSTERS! There is lots of news—most of it happy but some
of it sad. Following my old reflex to people saying that they have
“good news and bad news,” I will share the bad news first.
The Flying Aces Club (FAC) has lost one of its founding fathers;
Bob Thompson passed away February 11, 2004. He was one of the
organization’s zaniest members. He often flew in FAC character,
complete with leather flying helmet and goggles. When depicting
the “bad boys” of the FAC, he was also known to wear a short,
black scalloped cape.
As are so many FAC members, Bob was well educated. He
graduated from Deerfield Academy, earned his bachelor’s degree in
history from Stanford University, and earned his master’s degree in
history from Yale University.
He followed his education with a 40-year career as a history and
German teacher at Francis T. Maloney High School in Meriden,
Connecticut, until he retired three years ago. Bob was kind,
charitable, and brilliant. He was a multifaceted man of letters who
spoke passionately about ancient and modern history.
Bob was not only a scholar, but he was also a loving father of
two sons who have cherished memories of him rumbling down the
road in his Bentley or his vintage Volkswagen, talking, laughing,
and enjoying life to the fullest. His great sense of humor and his
dynamic and unusual approach to life made him a natural leader.
We are all indebted to him and inspired by his memory.
Several years ago I wrote a poem to memorialize FAC members
who have passed on. It was inspired in part by the sonnet “High
Flight” by John G. Magee—a 19-year-old American pilot officer
who was killed while serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force in
England in December 1941. I call my poem “The Flying Ace.” It
speaks to all who have enjoyed our fine hobby.
Oh I have seen the clear blue depth of summer sky;
And felt thermals in the lush warmth of their best.
I have stood on meadows in grass waist high;
Dreamed, drew, cut, built, covered, and put to test.
Fragile birds of sticks and tissue with rubber hearts;
The great Bob Thompson just before launching his Embryo
endurance model at the 1976 AMA Nats. Chris Clemens photo.
Young Bob Thompson launches rubber-powered Stinson Tri
Motor at 1972 Cleveland All Scale Meet. Russ Brown photo.
Never-before-published photo of Bob Thompson launching Langley
Aerodrome at 1992 FAC Nats (Geneseo NY). Bob Clemens photo.
10sig5.QXD 7/23/04 9:33 am Page 152
October 2004 153
God’s sun shown through them with a beauty
bright;
Calling out colors and the details of their
inner parts;
As high they soared overhead, sometimes out
of sight.
All my dreams have risen far from my mortal
touch;
But ever closer to the eternal touch of my
Divine Maker.
Though I aged, the happy child in me lived,
did much;
And gave, and got, a joyful life that shamed
its taker.
Kevin Lehnert of the Alamo Escadrille FAC
enjoyed my blurb about laying out
construction plans from three-view drawings.
I will elaborate on this in a future column,
but as I stated earlier, there is good news for
you.
Bob Holman has just published his latest
list of old-time plans and laser-cut parts, and
it is a beauty. CAD-drawn plans, assuring
parts accuracy, bring new life to classic FF
types such as the Cleveland Gull, the Comet
Sparky, the Flying Aces Moth, the 1939 Korda Wakefield, the Lanzo
Cabin (1933), the Earl Stahl Hurricane, the Vito Garofalo Heaven
Bound, several Jimmie Allen types, and many more.
For those who want to remind me that this column is supposed to
be devoted to FF Scale, I hasten to add that Bob Holman also
presents several Scale subjects by such greats as Chet Lanzo, Earl
Stahl, and Henry Struck.
Bob laser-cuts high-quality wood and is justly proud of his
efforts. You can obtain a free copy of his latest list by sending an
SASE and a few stamps to Bob Holman Plans, Box 741, San
Bernardino CA 92402. You can also call him at (909) 885-3959, Fax
him at (909) 889-9307, or E-mail him at [email protected]. The
Web site is http://bhplans.com/.
Bill Hannan had kind words about the April 2004 column and the
FAC presentation. Hannan’s Runway remains one of the best sources
for flying Scale publications. His latest catalog lists significant titles
such as his Stick & Tissue series, his impressive Ampersand series,
his Models and Methods International, Don Ross’s Flying Models,
Book 2, Harper’s 1913 Aircraft Book by A.H. Verrill, and the late
Paul Matt’s Scale Aircraft Drawings (two volumes).
The new AMA-made Cleveland Free Flight Society banner at its first outing on May 23,
2004. Contact AMA for details.
Robert J. Passerelli built this all-silver Bristol Gypsy M-1 racer.
Photo by Robert Passerelli.
Peter Smart of England with his all-foam Mosquito and
Barracuda models. Photo by Charles Newman.
A younger Dennis Norman (L) and friends prepare to test-flight
his four-engine (rubber-powered) Tu 95. Ichiro Yamada photo.
10sig5.QXD 7/23/04 9:33 am Page 153
Bill also offers The Master Scratch
Builders by Alcorn, Lee, and Cooke;
numerous informative videos (including one
about me); and most of the excellent
Windsock series of datafiles (World War I
from England).
Those are but a few publications that are
available. For more information, contact Bill
at Hannan’s Runway, Box 210, Magalia CA
95954; Tel.: (530) 873-6421; Fax: (530) 873-
6329; E-mail: [email protected]; Web
Site: www.hrunway.com.
Bill also sent a photo of a much younger
me preparing to demonstrate my rubberpowered
Tu 95 “Bear” for Ichiro Yamada, his
charming wife, and a few friends.
Jim Fiorello of Golden Age Reproductions
(GAR) is 81. After 15 years, he is putting his
business up for sale. Started by the late Joe
Fitzgibbon and his friends Harry Keshishian
and Bill Harney in the mid-1970s, GAR made
a notable contribution to our hobby by
restoring and preserving hundreds of classic
Scale plans from the 1930s.
Those of you who are fortunate enough to
own a copy of the original GAR catalog know
what a magnificent effort it was. The
company still markets a large number of plans
and kits based on reproductions of classic
rubber-powered Scale subjects. If you would
like further information, contact Jim at Box
1685, Andover MA 01810. He can be reached
by telephone at (978) 687-0024 or E-mail at
[email protected].
In speaking with Jim, I mentioned that I
have an idea to use his kit of the Albatros
D.Va (spanning 22 inches) as the first subject
for a new series of covering kits printed on
Japanese tissue, using the color-copier method
I described in my article “Color Copier
Techniques” in the June 2002 MA.
My thought is to create a full set of color
markings for a famous Albatros D.Va such as
“Stropp”—the one owned by the Smithsonian
National Air and Space Museum, which will
fit the GAR kit. I am working on the artwork
for Stropp as this goes to press. If I finish it in
time, I will be showing it at this year’s FAC
event that will be held at the AMA site in
Muncie, Indiana, September 11-12.
Robert J. Passerelli wrote in asking for
information about carving balsa propellers. I
sent him a short list of published materials,
which he found extremely helpful.
That list included one page excerpt from
the July 1939 Air Trails magazine, a
discussion of “Propeller Pitch” by Duncan
McRae in the March/April 1998 edition of
The Windsock newsletter, chapter 6 of the
book Making Scale Model Airplanes Fly by
W.F. McCombs, and the “Building and
Finishing” chapter by the late J.D. McHard in
the plans book Flying Scale Models of WWII,
originally published by Model Builder
magazine in 1974.
There are many other sources of
information about carving propellers, but
these helped answer his questions.
One of the best sources of information about
FF Scale activity is the various club
newsletters that have been published
throughout the years. The Cloudbusters
Model Airplane Club of Detroit is in its 65th
year and publishes the wonderful bimonthly
Cloudbusters Newsletter.
As do many club newsletters, it usually
contains photos of members’ latest projects,
plans, sketches, and diagrams showing
various useful techniques. The May/June
2004 issue presents a classic way to make
spoked wheels using a fixture.
Cloudbusters membership and a
subscription are available for $10 per year,
which is well worth it. For further
information, contact the Cloudbusters Model
Airplane Club in care of Fred Gregg at 37693
Gregory Dr., Sterling Heights MI 48312.
Of course, there are many other
newsletters, and I will tell you about some of
them in the future. Clubs are welcome to
contact me with newsletter specifics. I will be
happy to share the details with you as they
arrive.
I have the honor of reporting on this year’s
FAC Nats. At this writing, I am pleased to tell
you that the photographic talents of Bob
Clemens, Fred Wunsche, Vic Nippert, and
others who want to help will be featured.
I am creating a slip which will be given for
each model photographed. I cannot promise
that every airplane photographed will be
published, but I can assure you that any model
that gets its picture taken must have a slip
filled out and turned in to be considered for
publication.
There will probably be too many pictures
for the FAC Nats article, but there should be a
rich supply of photos for future use. I look
forward to seeing you and your fine work at
this year’s contest. MA
Edition: Model Aviation - 2004/10
Page Numbers: 152,153,154
Edition: Model Aviation - 2004/10
Page Numbers: 152,153,154
152 MODEL AVIATION
Dennis O. Norman, 11216 Lake Ave., Cleveland OH 44102
FREE FLIGHT SCALE
HI, SKYSTERS! There is lots of news—most of it happy but some
of it sad. Following my old reflex to people saying that they have
“good news and bad news,” I will share the bad news first.
The Flying Aces Club (FAC) has lost one of its founding fathers;
Bob Thompson passed away February 11, 2004. He was one of the
organization’s zaniest members. He often flew in FAC character,
complete with leather flying helmet and goggles. When depicting
the “bad boys” of the FAC, he was also known to wear a short,
black scalloped cape.
As are so many FAC members, Bob was well educated. He
graduated from Deerfield Academy, earned his bachelor’s degree in
history from Stanford University, and earned his master’s degree in
history from Yale University.
He followed his education with a 40-year career as a history and
German teacher at Francis T. Maloney High School in Meriden,
Connecticut, until he retired three years ago. Bob was kind,
charitable, and brilliant. He was a multifaceted man of letters who
spoke passionately about ancient and modern history.
Bob was not only a scholar, but he was also a loving father of
two sons who have cherished memories of him rumbling down the
road in his Bentley or his vintage Volkswagen, talking, laughing,
and enjoying life to the fullest. His great sense of humor and his
dynamic and unusual approach to life made him a natural leader.
We are all indebted to him and inspired by his memory.
Several years ago I wrote a poem to memorialize FAC members
who have passed on. It was inspired in part by the sonnet “High
Flight” by John G. Magee—a 19-year-old American pilot officer
who was killed while serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force in
England in December 1941. I call my poem “The Flying Ace.” It
speaks to all who have enjoyed our fine hobby.
Oh I have seen the clear blue depth of summer sky;
And felt thermals in the lush warmth of their best.
I have stood on meadows in grass waist high;
Dreamed, drew, cut, built, covered, and put to test.
Fragile birds of sticks and tissue with rubber hearts;
The great Bob Thompson just before launching his Embryo
endurance model at the 1976 AMA Nats. Chris Clemens photo.
Young Bob Thompson launches rubber-powered Stinson Tri
Motor at 1972 Cleveland All Scale Meet. Russ Brown photo.
Never-before-published photo of Bob Thompson launching Langley
Aerodrome at 1992 FAC Nats (Geneseo NY). Bob Clemens photo.
10sig5.QXD 7/23/04 9:33 am Page 152
October 2004 153
God’s sun shown through them with a beauty
bright;
Calling out colors and the details of their
inner parts;
As high they soared overhead, sometimes out
of sight.
All my dreams have risen far from my mortal
touch;
But ever closer to the eternal touch of my
Divine Maker.
Though I aged, the happy child in me lived,
did much;
And gave, and got, a joyful life that shamed
its taker.
Kevin Lehnert of the Alamo Escadrille FAC
enjoyed my blurb about laying out
construction plans from three-view drawings.
I will elaborate on this in a future column,
but as I stated earlier, there is good news for
you.
Bob Holman has just published his latest
list of old-time plans and laser-cut parts, and
it is a beauty. CAD-drawn plans, assuring
parts accuracy, bring new life to classic FF
types such as the Cleveland Gull, the Comet
Sparky, the Flying Aces Moth, the 1939 Korda Wakefield, the Lanzo
Cabin (1933), the Earl Stahl Hurricane, the Vito Garofalo Heaven
Bound, several Jimmie Allen types, and many more.
For those who want to remind me that this column is supposed to
be devoted to FF Scale, I hasten to add that Bob Holman also
presents several Scale subjects by such greats as Chet Lanzo, Earl
Stahl, and Henry Struck.
Bob laser-cuts high-quality wood and is justly proud of his
efforts. You can obtain a free copy of his latest list by sending an
SASE and a few stamps to Bob Holman Plans, Box 741, San
Bernardino CA 92402. You can also call him at (909) 885-3959, Fax
him at (909) 889-9307, or E-mail him at [email protected]. The
Web site is http://bhplans.com/.
Bill Hannan had kind words about the April 2004 column and the
FAC presentation. Hannan’s Runway remains one of the best sources
for flying Scale publications. His latest catalog lists significant titles
such as his Stick & Tissue series, his impressive Ampersand series,
his Models and Methods International, Don Ross’s Flying Models,
Book 2, Harper’s 1913 Aircraft Book by A.H. Verrill, and the late
Paul Matt’s Scale Aircraft Drawings (two volumes).
The new AMA-made Cleveland Free Flight Society banner at its first outing on May 23,
2004. Contact AMA for details.
Robert J. Passerelli built this all-silver Bristol Gypsy M-1 racer.
Photo by Robert Passerelli.
Peter Smart of England with his all-foam Mosquito and
Barracuda models. Photo by Charles Newman.
A younger Dennis Norman (L) and friends prepare to test-flight
his four-engine (rubber-powered) Tu 95. Ichiro Yamada photo.
10sig5.QXD 7/23/04 9:33 am Page 153
Bill also offers The Master Scratch
Builders by Alcorn, Lee, and Cooke;
numerous informative videos (including one
about me); and most of the excellent
Windsock series of datafiles (World War I
from England).
Those are but a few publications that are
available. For more information, contact Bill
at Hannan’s Runway, Box 210, Magalia CA
95954; Tel.: (530) 873-6421; Fax: (530) 873-
6329; E-mail: [email protected]; Web
Site: www.hrunway.com.
Bill also sent a photo of a much younger
me preparing to demonstrate my rubberpowered
Tu 95 “Bear” for Ichiro Yamada, his
charming wife, and a few friends.
Jim Fiorello of Golden Age Reproductions
(GAR) is 81. After 15 years, he is putting his
business up for sale. Started by the late Joe
Fitzgibbon and his friends Harry Keshishian
and Bill Harney in the mid-1970s, GAR made
a notable contribution to our hobby by
restoring and preserving hundreds of classic
Scale plans from the 1930s.
Those of you who are fortunate enough to
own a copy of the original GAR catalog know
what a magnificent effort it was. The
company still markets a large number of plans
and kits based on reproductions of classic
rubber-powered Scale subjects. If you would
like further information, contact Jim at Box
1685, Andover MA 01810. He can be reached
by telephone at (978) 687-0024 or E-mail at
[email protected].
In speaking with Jim, I mentioned that I
have an idea to use his kit of the Albatros
D.Va (spanning 22 inches) as the first subject
for a new series of covering kits printed on
Japanese tissue, using the color-copier method
I described in my article “Color Copier
Techniques” in the June 2002 MA.
My thought is to create a full set of color
markings for a famous Albatros D.Va such as
“Stropp”—the one owned by the Smithsonian
National Air and Space Museum, which will
fit the GAR kit. I am working on the artwork
for Stropp as this goes to press. If I finish it in
time, I will be showing it at this year’s FAC
event that will be held at the AMA site in
Muncie, Indiana, September 11-12.
Robert J. Passerelli wrote in asking for
information about carving balsa propellers. I
sent him a short list of published materials,
which he found extremely helpful.
That list included one page excerpt from
the July 1939 Air Trails magazine, a
discussion of “Propeller Pitch” by Duncan
McRae in the March/April 1998 edition of
The Windsock newsletter, chapter 6 of the
book Making Scale Model Airplanes Fly by
W.F. McCombs, and the “Building and
Finishing” chapter by the late J.D. McHard in
the plans book Flying Scale Models of WWII,
originally published by Model Builder
magazine in 1974.
There are many other sources of
information about carving propellers, but
these helped answer his questions.
One of the best sources of information about
FF Scale activity is the various club
newsletters that have been published
throughout the years. The Cloudbusters
Model Airplane Club of Detroit is in its 65th
year and publishes the wonderful bimonthly
Cloudbusters Newsletter.
As do many club newsletters, it usually
contains photos of members’ latest projects,
plans, sketches, and diagrams showing
various useful techniques. The May/June
2004 issue presents a classic way to make
spoked wheels using a fixture.
Cloudbusters membership and a
subscription are available for $10 per year,
which is well worth it. For further
information, contact the Cloudbusters Model
Airplane Club in care of Fred Gregg at 37693
Gregory Dr., Sterling Heights MI 48312.
Of course, there are many other
newsletters, and I will tell you about some of
them in the future. Clubs are welcome to
contact me with newsletter specifics. I will be
happy to share the details with you as they
arrive.
I have the honor of reporting on this year’s
FAC Nats. At this writing, I am pleased to tell
you that the photographic talents of Bob
Clemens, Fred Wunsche, Vic Nippert, and
others who want to help will be featured.
I am creating a slip which will be given for
each model photographed. I cannot promise
that every airplane photographed will be
published, but I can assure you that any model
that gets its picture taken must have a slip
filled out and turned in to be considered for
publication.
There will probably be too many pictures
for the FAC Nats article, but there should be a
rich supply of photos for future use. I look
forward to seeing you and your fine work at
this year’s contest. MA
Edition: Model Aviation - 2004/10
Page Numbers: 152,153,154
152 MODEL AVIATION
Dennis O. Norman, 11216 Lake Ave., Cleveland OH 44102
FREE FLIGHT SCALE
HI, SKYSTERS! There is lots of news—most of it happy but some
of it sad. Following my old reflex to people saying that they have
“good news and bad news,” I will share the bad news first.
The Flying Aces Club (FAC) has lost one of its founding fathers;
Bob Thompson passed away February 11, 2004. He was one of the
organization’s zaniest members. He often flew in FAC character,
complete with leather flying helmet and goggles. When depicting
the “bad boys” of the FAC, he was also known to wear a short,
black scalloped cape.
As are so many FAC members, Bob was well educated. He
graduated from Deerfield Academy, earned his bachelor’s degree in
history from Stanford University, and earned his master’s degree in
history from Yale University.
He followed his education with a 40-year career as a history and
German teacher at Francis T. Maloney High School in Meriden,
Connecticut, until he retired three years ago. Bob was kind,
charitable, and brilliant. He was a multifaceted man of letters who
spoke passionately about ancient and modern history.
Bob was not only a scholar, but he was also a loving father of
two sons who have cherished memories of him rumbling down the
road in his Bentley or his vintage Volkswagen, talking, laughing,
and enjoying life to the fullest. His great sense of humor and his
dynamic and unusual approach to life made him a natural leader.
We are all indebted to him and inspired by his memory.
Several years ago I wrote a poem to memorialize FAC members
who have passed on. It was inspired in part by the sonnet “High
Flight” by John G. Magee—a 19-year-old American pilot officer
who was killed while serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force in
England in December 1941. I call my poem “The Flying Ace.” It
speaks to all who have enjoyed our fine hobby.
Oh I have seen the clear blue depth of summer sky;
And felt thermals in the lush warmth of their best.
I have stood on meadows in grass waist high;
Dreamed, drew, cut, built, covered, and put to test.
Fragile birds of sticks and tissue with rubber hearts;
The great Bob Thompson just before launching his Embryo
endurance model at the 1976 AMA Nats. Chris Clemens photo.
Young Bob Thompson launches rubber-powered Stinson Tri
Motor at 1972 Cleveland All Scale Meet. Russ Brown photo.
Never-before-published photo of Bob Thompson launching Langley
Aerodrome at 1992 FAC Nats (Geneseo NY). Bob Clemens photo.
10sig5.QXD 7/23/04 9:33 am Page 152
October 2004 153
God’s sun shown through them with a beauty
bright;
Calling out colors and the details of their
inner parts;
As high they soared overhead, sometimes out
of sight.
All my dreams have risen far from my mortal
touch;
But ever closer to the eternal touch of my
Divine Maker.
Though I aged, the happy child in me lived,
did much;
And gave, and got, a joyful life that shamed
its taker.
Kevin Lehnert of the Alamo Escadrille FAC
enjoyed my blurb about laying out
construction plans from three-view drawings.
I will elaborate on this in a future column,
but as I stated earlier, there is good news for
you.
Bob Holman has just published his latest
list of old-time plans and laser-cut parts, and
it is a beauty. CAD-drawn plans, assuring
parts accuracy, bring new life to classic FF
types such as the Cleveland Gull, the Comet
Sparky, the Flying Aces Moth, the 1939 Korda Wakefield, the Lanzo
Cabin (1933), the Earl Stahl Hurricane, the Vito Garofalo Heaven
Bound, several Jimmie Allen types, and many more.
For those who want to remind me that this column is supposed to
be devoted to FF Scale, I hasten to add that Bob Holman also
presents several Scale subjects by such greats as Chet Lanzo, Earl
Stahl, and Henry Struck.
Bob laser-cuts high-quality wood and is justly proud of his
efforts. You can obtain a free copy of his latest list by sending an
SASE and a few stamps to Bob Holman Plans, Box 741, San
Bernardino CA 92402. You can also call him at (909) 885-3959, Fax
him at (909) 889-9307, or E-mail him at [email protected]. The
Web site is http://bhplans.com/.
Bill Hannan had kind words about the April 2004 column and the
FAC presentation. Hannan’s Runway remains one of the best sources
for flying Scale publications. His latest catalog lists significant titles
such as his Stick & Tissue series, his impressive Ampersand series,
his Models and Methods International, Don Ross’s Flying Models,
Book 2, Harper’s 1913 Aircraft Book by A.H. Verrill, and the late
Paul Matt’s Scale Aircraft Drawings (two volumes).
The new AMA-made Cleveland Free Flight Society banner at its first outing on May 23,
2004. Contact AMA for details.
Robert J. Passerelli built this all-silver Bristol Gypsy M-1 racer.
Photo by Robert Passerelli.
Peter Smart of England with his all-foam Mosquito and
Barracuda models. Photo by Charles Newman.
A younger Dennis Norman (L) and friends prepare to test-flight
his four-engine (rubber-powered) Tu 95. Ichiro Yamada photo.
10sig5.QXD 7/23/04 9:33 am Page 153
Bill also offers The Master Scratch
Builders by Alcorn, Lee, and Cooke;
numerous informative videos (including one
about me); and most of the excellent
Windsock series of datafiles (World War I
from England).
Those are but a few publications that are
available. For more information, contact Bill
at Hannan’s Runway, Box 210, Magalia CA
95954; Tel.: (530) 873-6421; Fax: (530) 873-
6329; E-mail: [email protected]; Web
Site: www.hrunway.com.
Bill also sent a photo of a much younger
me preparing to demonstrate my rubberpowered
Tu 95 “Bear” for Ichiro Yamada, his
charming wife, and a few friends.
Jim Fiorello of Golden Age Reproductions
(GAR) is 81. After 15 years, he is putting his
business up for sale. Started by the late Joe
Fitzgibbon and his friends Harry Keshishian
and Bill Harney in the mid-1970s, GAR made
a notable contribution to our hobby by
restoring and preserving hundreds of classic
Scale plans from the 1930s.
Those of you who are fortunate enough to
own a copy of the original GAR catalog know
what a magnificent effort it was. The
company still markets a large number of plans
and kits based on reproductions of classic
rubber-powered Scale subjects. If you would
like further information, contact Jim at Box
1685, Andover MA 01810. He can be reached
by telephone at (978) 687-0024 or E-mail at
[email protected].
In speaking with Jim, I mentioned that I
have an idea to use his kit of the Albatros
D.Va (spanning 22 inches) as the first subject
for a new series of covering kits printed on
Japanese tissue, using the color-copier method
I described in my article “Color Copier
Techniques” in the June 2002 MA.
My thought is to create a full set of color
markings for a famous Albatros D.Va such as
“Stropp”—the one owned by the Smithsonian
National Air and Space Museum, which will
fit the GAR kit. I am working on the artwork
for Stropp as this goes to press. If I finish it in
time, I will be showing it at this year’s FAC
event that will be held at the AMA site in
Muncie, Indiana, September 11-12.
Robert J. Passerelli wrote in asking for
information about carving balsa propellers. I
sent him a short list of published materials,
which he found extremely helpful.
That list included one page excerpt from
the July 1939 Air Trails magazine, a
discussion of “Propeller Pitch” by Duncan
McRae in the March/April 1998 edition of
The Windsock newsletter, chapter 6 of the
book Making Scale Model Airplanes Fly by
W.F. McCombs, and the “Building and
Finishing” chapter by the late J.D. McHard in
the plans book Flying Scale Models of WWII,
originally published by Model Builder
magazine in 1974.
There are many other sources of
information about carving propellers, but
these helped answer his questions.
One of the best sources of information about
FF Scale activity is the various club
newsletters that have been published
throughout the years. The Cloudbusters
Model Airplane Club of Detroit is in its 65th
year and publishes the wonderful bimonthly
Cloudbusters Newsletter.
As do many club newsletters, it usually
contains photos of members’ latest projects,
plans, sketches, and diagrams showing
various useful techniques. The May/June
2004 issue presents a classic way to make
spoked wheels using a fixture.
Cloudbusters membership and a
subscription are available for $10 per year,
which is well worth it. For further
information, contact the Cloudbusters Model
Airplane Club in care of Fred Gregg at 37693
Gregory Dr., Sterling Heights MI 48312.
Of course, there are many other
newsletters, and I will tell you about some of
them in the future. Clubs are welcome to
contact me with newsletter specifics. I will be
happy to share the details with you as they
arrive.
I have the honor of reporting on this year’s
FAC Nats. At this writing, I am pleased to tell
you that the photographic talents of Bob
Clemens, Fred Wunsche, Vic Nippert, and
others who want to help will be featured.
I am creating a slip which will be given for
each model photographed. I cannot promise
that every airplane photographed will be
published, but I can assure you that any model
that gets its picture taken must have a slip
filled out and turned in to be considered for
publication.
There will probably be too many pictures
for the FAC Nats article, but there should be a
rich supply of photos for future use. I look
forward to seeing you and your fine work at
this year’s contest. MA