Also included in this column:
• Dick Smith’s Top Flite SR-9C
• Cliff Lewis’s Aviation Models
35% Yak-54
• Tony Kirchenko’s Dauntless
• World War I models at the
qualifier
Dick Smith displays his Top Flite Stinson SR-9C. The detailed
model is painted with Nelson Hobby Paint.
Dick Smith of Waynesboro, Virginia, built this eye-catching, 22.5-
pound Stinson SR-9C that is shown on a flyby.
A Desert Aircraft DA-100 twin-cylinder gas engine powers Cliff
Lewis’s Aviation Models 35% Yak-54.
The Yak, shown on a low flyby, has a smoke system and nearly
unlimited vertical power.
Tony Kirchenko’s Dauntless makes a
“dirty pass” at the Scale Masters Qualifier
held in August 2006.
I WANT to take this opportunity to wish
all of you and your families a happy and
healthy new year.
In this issue I will share some photos
that I took on a trip to Virginia and others
from a local Scale Masters Qualifier that I
attended in August 2006.
Stinson SR-9C: Dick Smith of Waynesboro,
Virginia, built a beautifully finished Stinson
SR-9C from a Top Flite kit. The model
spans 100 inches and weighs 22.5 pounds.
The Stinson is powered by a Quadra Q-35
gas engine and is finished with Nelson
Hobby covering material and paint system.
Following instructions, Dick brushed the
paint on. He is extremely satisfied with the
results and recommends Nelson Hobby
paint. If you look closely at the photos you
can see some of the detail Dick added,
including rivets, pitot tube, rib stitching, and
much more.
The model comes with ABS cowling
and wheel pants, but Dick replaced these
with fiberglass parts that he purchased
from Stan’s Fiber Tech.
In 1920 Eddie Stinson formed the
Stinson Airplane Company in Dayton,
Ohio. A few years later he relocated to
Detroit, Michigan, where some local
businessmen supported his plan to establish
the Stinson Aircraft Syndicate and
provided $25,000 to develop a new
monoplane.
The six-seat Stinson Detroiter made its
first flight in January 1926. The aircraft
was heated and had a soundproof cabin,
electric starter, and wheel brakes. The
Detroiter was stable in flight and became
an instant success, which enabled Stinson
to obtain $150,000 in public capital to
incorporate the Stinson Aircraft
Corporation in May 1926. Shortly
afterward Stinson started to refine his
design and business steadily increased.
As fate would have it, Stinson never
enjoyed the success of his company. While
on a sales trip in January 1932, he died in
an aircraft accident at the age of 38. His
newest designs, the 1931 Model W and the
Model R-2/3, were the predecessors to the
most famous of the Stinson line: the
Reliant, which was first introduced in
1933.
Between 1933 and 1941 the Stinson
Aircraft Corporation built more than 1,300
Reliants, from the SR-1 to the SR-10. The
later variant had leather upholstery, walnut
instrument panels, and automobile-type
roll-down windows.
In 1936 the classic Gull Wing was
introduced with the SR-7 model. The
A grouping of colorful World War I models lined up at the Scale Masters Qualifier. See if you can identify them all.
airplane was known for its ease of handling
and its state-of-the-art navigation and
communication radios.
During World War II many privately
owned aircraft were requisitioned by the
military for various transport and liaison
duties. The SR series did not escape this
process and 45 aircraft were initially
requisitioned for military service. They
were rugged airplanes built from fabriccovered,
welded-steel tubing with a single
strut-braced, double-tapered wing. They
could fly at speeds of nearly 165 mph. The
SR was one of the most beautiful aircraft
built during the Golden Age of Aviation.
If you would like more information on
this great-looking model, visit the Top
Flite Web page at www.top-flite.com/
airplanes/topa0310.html.
For more information about the Nelson
Hobby paint system, please visit the
company’s Web site at www.nelson
hobby.com/paint.html. You can write
Nelson Hobby Direct at Box 1327, Keller
TX 76244, or call (817) 431-9898.
Aviation Models Yak-54: New daddy
Cliff Lewis of Palmyra, Virginia, displays
his Aviation Models 35% Yak-54 in one of
the photos. This ARF spans 107 inches and
is powered by a Desert Aircraft DA-100
gas engine.
The model is available in a number of
sizes: 30%, 33%, 35%, 37.5%, and 40%.
The weights range from 16 to 44 pounds
and the model is touted as one of the best
designs for precision aerobatics.
The ARF kit can be completed in 25-40
hours and features an aluminum spinner,
fuel tank, aircraft-grade aluminum wing
tube, aluminum main gear, rubber wheels,
a tail-wheel bracket, aluminum servo arms,
an aluminum stabilizer tube for removable
stabilizer, control horns, hinges, wheel
pants, and SAE bolts and nuts.
For more information about the Yak-54
model, please visit the Troybuilt Web site
at www.troybuiltmodels.com/AMY54.htm.
Dauntless SBD: Tony Kirchenko of East
Setauket, New York, built the Dauntless in
the picture from Ziroli plans. It has a
wingspan of 100 inches. The model has
1,750 square inches of wing area and was
designed to be powered by a 3.7-5.2 cu. in.
gas engine.
In the photo the model is performing a
dirty pass (gear down, flaps down, and
tailhook extended) at the Scale Masters
Qualifier. For more information about the
Dauntless SBD model, please visit the
Ziroli Plans Web site at www.ziroliplans
.com/cat_frameset.html.
The Dauntless flew into history on June
4, 1942, when the 36 aircraft of Scouting
Squadron 6 and Bombing Squadron 6 from
the USS Enterprise arrived over the main
Japanese fleet. Previous attempts to attack
the four Japanese aircraft carriers had
failed because of the air cover provided by
the nimble Zeros.
Japanese aircraft returning from
successful attacks on Midway Island were
taken aboard the four carriers and reloaded
with antishipping weapons to attack
American carriers thought to be in the
area. The aircraft were rearmed to strike
Midway Island for a second time, and
when the first aircraft sped forward on the
flight decks for takeoff, Bombing
Squadron 6 was entering its dives to
attack.
There were no Zeros at altitude to
protect the fleet from this US attack, and
in slightly less than 10 minutes three of
the large Japanese carriers were in flames.
The last Japanese carrier sank soon after.
The Dauntless did more than any other
aircraft to turn the tide of the war in the
Pacific.
When the more modern and powerful
Curtiss Helldiver went into action as the
Dauntless replacement, it was soon realized
that the Helldiver was inferior to the
aircraft it was to replace.
Gaggle of World War I Models: The photo
of World War I aircraft was taken at the
local Scale Masters Qualifier. There were a
number of early aircraft represented at this
contest.
Since color film and photography was
not available during the war to end all
wars, all the photographic documentation
on these aircraft remains in black-andwhite.
Historians quibble over old photos,
looking at the subtle differences in the
shades of gray to attempt to discern what
the true colors were.
Period writings and eyewitness
accounts tell us how colorful many of the
aircraft were. Even swatches of fabric
remain that show us that bold colors were
often used; however, since the ability to
reproduce color on any medium except oils
on canvas back in those days wasn’t
possible, we tend to see this conflict in the
drab photographic colors of black, white,
and gray.
Take a good look at the lineup of
models. Although the colors may not be
completely accurate, this photo gives you
an idea of how these aircraft could have
looked back in teens of 1900.
That’s all for now. If you’re working on an
RC Giant for the winter, take a couple of
photos and send them to me. I would like to
share what’s on your workbench.
Edition: Model Aviation - 2007/01
Page Numbers: 108,109,110
Edition: Model Aviation - 2007/01
Page Numbers: 108,109,110
Also included in this column:
• Dick Smith’s Top Flite SR-9C
• Cliff Lewis’s Aviation Models
35% Yak-54
• Tony Kirchenko’s Dauntless
• World War I models at the
qualifier
Dick Smith displays his Top Flite Stinson SR-9C. The detailed
model is painted with Nelson Hobby Paint.
Dick Smith of Waynesboro, Virginia, built this eye-catching, 22.5-
pound Stinson SR-9C that is shown on a flyby.
A Desert Aircraft DA-100 twin-cylinder gas engine powers Cliff
Lewis’s Aviation Models 35% Yak-54.
The Yak, shown on a low flyby, has a smoke system and nearly
unlimited vertical power.
Tony Kirchenko’s Dauntless makes a
“dirty pass” at the Scale Masters Qualifier
held in August 2006.
I WANT to take this opportunity to wish
all of you and your families a happy and
healthy new year.
In this issue I will share some photos
that I took on a trip to Virginia and others
from a local Scale Masters Qualifier that I
attended in August 2006.
Stinson SR-9C: Dick Smith of Waynesboro,
Virginia, built a beautifully finished Stinson
SR-9C from a Top Flite kit. The model
spans 100 inches and weighs 22.5 pounds.
The Stinson is powered by a Quadra Q-35
gas engine and is finished with Nelson
Hobby covering material and paint system.
Following instructions, Dick brushed the
paint on. He is extremely satisfied with the
results and recommends Nelson Hobby
paint. If you look closely at the photos you
can see some of the detail Dick added,
including rivets, pitot tube, rib stitching, and
much more.
The model comes with ABS cowling
and wheel pants, but Dick replaced these
with fiberglass parts that he purchased
from Stan’s Fiber Tech.
In 1920 Eddie Stinson formed the
Stinson Airplane Company in Dayton,
Ohio. A few years later he relocated to
Detroit, Michigan, where some local
businessmen supported his plan to establish
the Stinson Aircraft Syndicate and
provided $25,000 to develop a new
monoplane.
The six-seat Stinson Detroiter made its
first flight in January 1926. The aircraft
was heated and had a soundproof cabin,
electric starter, and wheel brakes. The
Detroiter was stable in flight and became
an instant success, which enabled Stinson
to obtain $150,000 in public capital to
incorporate the Stinson Aircraft
Corporation in May 1926. Shortly
afterward Stinson started to refine his
design and business steadily increased.
As fate would have it, Stinson never
enjoyed the success of his company. While
on a sales trip in January 1932, he died in
an aircraft accident at the age of 38. His
newest designs, the 1931 Model W and the
Model R-2/3, were the predecessors to the
most famous of the Stinson line: the
Reliant, which was first introduced in
1933.
Between 1933 and 1941 the Stinson
Aircraft Corporation built more than 1,300
Reliants, from the SR-1 to the SR-10. The
later variant had leather upholstery, walnut
instrument panels, and automobile-type
roll-down windows.
In 1936 the classic Gull Wing was
introduced with the SR-7 model. The
A grouping of colorful World War I models lined up at the Scale Masters Qualifier. See if you can identify them all.
airplane was known for its ease of handling
and its state-of-the-art navigation and
communication radios.
During World War II many privately
owned aircraft were requisitioned by the
military for various transport and liaison
duties. The SR series did not escape this
process and 45 aircraft were initially
requisitioned for military service. They
were rugged airplanes built from fabriccovered,
welded-steel tubing with a single
strut-braced, double-tapered wing. They
could fly at speeds of nearly 165 mph. The
SR was one of the most beautiful aircraft
built during the Golden Age of Aviation.
If you would like more information on
this great-looking model, visit the Top
Flite Web page at www.top-flite.com/
airplanes/topa0310.html.
For more information about the Nelson
Hobby paint system, please visit the
company’s Web site at www.nelson
hobby.com/paint.html. You can write
Nelson Hobby Direct at Box 1327, Keller
TX 76244, or call (817) 431-9898.
Aviation Models Yak-54: New daddy
Cliff Lewis of Palmyra, Virginia, displays
his Aviation Models 35% Yak-54 in one of
the photos. This ARF spans 107 inches and
is powered by a Desert Aircraft DA-100
gas engine.
The model is available in a number of
sizes: 30%, 33%, 35%, 37.5%, and 40%.
The weights range from 16 to 44 pounds
and the model is touted as one of the best
designs for precision aerobatics.
The ARF kit can be completed in 25-40
hours and features an aluminum spinner,
fuel tank, aircraft-grade aluminum wing
tube, aluminum main gear, rubber wheels,
a tail-wheel bracket, aluminum servo arms,
an aluminum stabilizer tube for removable
stabilizer, control horns, hinges, wheel
pants, and SAE bolts and nuts.
For more information about the Yak-54
model, please visit the Troybuilt Web site
at www.troybuiltmodels.com/AMY54.htm.
Dauntless SBD: Tony Kirchenko of East
Setauket, New York, built the Dauntless in
the picture from Ziroli plans. It has a
wingspan of 100 inches. The model has
1,750 square inches of wing area and was
designed to be powered by a 3.7-5.2 cu. in.
gas engine.
In the photo the model is performing a
dirty pass (gear down, flaps down, and
tailhook extended) at the Scale Masters
Qualifier. For more information about the
Dauntless SBD model, please visit the
Ziroli Plans Web site at www.ziroliplans
.com/cat_frameset.html.
The Dauntless flew into history on June
4, 1942, when the 36 aircraft of Scouting
Squadron 6 and Bombing Squadron 6 from
the USS Enterprise arrived over the main
Japanese fleet. Previous attempts to attack
the four Japanese aircraft carriers had
failed because of the air cover provided by
the nimble Zeros.
Japanese aircraft returning from
successful attacks on Midway Island were
taken aboard the four carriers and reloaded
with antishipping weapons to attack
American carriers thought to be in the
area. The aircraft were rearmed to strike
Midway Island for a second time, and
when the first aircraft sped forward on the
flight decks for takeoff, Bombing
Squadron 6 was entering its dives to
attack.
There were no Zeros at altitude to
protect the fleet from this US attack, and
in slightly less than 10 minutes three of
the large Japanese carriers were in flames.
The last Japanese carrier sank soon after.
The Dauntless did more than any other
aircraft to turn the tide of the war in the
Pacific.
When the more modern and powerful
Curtiss Helldiver went into action as the
Dauntless replacement, it was soon realized
that the Helldiver was inferior to the
aircraft it was to replace.
Gaggle of World War I Models: The photo
of World War I aircraft was taken at the
local Scale Masters Qualifier. There were a
number of early aircraft represented at this
contest.
Since color film and photography was
not available during the war to end all
wars, all the photographic documentation
on these aircraft remains in black-andwhite.
Historians quibble over old photos,
looking at the subtle differences in the
shades of gray to attempt to discern what
the true colors were.
Period writings and eyewitness
accounts tell us how colorful many of the
aircraft were. Even swatches of fabric
remain that show us that bold colors were
often used; however, since the ability to
reproduce color on any medium except oils
on canvas back in those days wasn’t
possible, we tend to see this conflict in the
drab photographic colors of black, white,
and gray.
Take a good look at the lineup of
models. Although the colors may not be
completely accurate, this photo gives you
an idea of how these aircraft could have
looked back in teens of 1900.
That’s all for now. If you’re working on an
RC Giant for the winter, take a couple of
photos and send them to me. I would like to
share what’s on your workbench.
Edition: Model Aviation - 2007/01
Page Numbers: 108,109,110
Also included in this column:
• Dick Smith’s Top Flite SR-9C
• Cliff Lewis’s Aviation Models
35% Yak-54
• Tony Kirchenko’s Dauntless
• World War I models at the
qualifier
Dick Smith displays his Top Flite Stinson SR-9C. The detailed
model is painted with Nelson Hobby Paint.
Dick Smith of Waynesboro, Virginia, built this eye-catching, 22.5-
pound Stinson SR-9C that is shown on a flyby.
A Desert Aircraft DA-100 twin-cylinder gas engine powers Cliff
Lewis’s Aviation Models 35% Yak-54.
The Yak, shown on a low flyby, has a smoke system and nearly
unlimited vertical power.
Tony Kirchenko’s Dauntless makes a
“dirty pass” at the Scale Masters Qualifier
held in August 2006.
I WANT to take this opportunity to wish
all of you and your families a happy and
healthy new year.
In this issue I will share some photos
that I took on a trip to Virginia and others
from a local Scale Masters Qualifier that I
attended in August 2006.
Stinson SR-9C: Dick Smith of Waynesboro,
Virginia, built a beautifully finished Stinson
SR-9C from a Top Flite kit. The model
spans 100 inches and weighs 22.5 pounds.
The Stinson is powered by a Quadra Q-35
gas engine and is finished with Nelson
Hobby covering material and paint system.
Following instructions, Dick brushed the
paint on. He is extremely satisfied with the
results and recommends Nelson Hobby
paint. If you look closely at the photos you
can see some of the detail Dick added,
including rivets, pitot tube, rib stitching, and
much more.
The model comes with ABS cowling
and wheel pants, but Dick replaced these
with fiberglass parts that he purchased
from Stan’s Fiber Tech.
In 1920 Eddie Stinson formed the
Stinson Airplane Company in Dayton,
Ohio. A few years later he relocated to
Detroit, Michigan, where some local
businessmen supported his plan to establish
the Stinson Aircraft Syndicate and
provided $25,000 to develop a new
monoplane.
The six-seat Stinson Detroiter made its
first flight in January 1926. The aircraft
was heated and had a soundproof cabin,
electric starter, and wheel brakes. The
Detroiter was stable in flight and became
an instant success, which enabled Stinson
to obtain $150,000 in public capital to
incorporate the Stinson Aircraft
Corporation in May 1926. Shortly
afterward Stinson started to refine his
design and business steadily increased.
As fate would have it, Stinson never
enjoyed the success of his company. While
on a sales trip in January 1932, he died in
an aircraft accident at the age of 38. His
newest designs, the 1931 Model W and the
Model R-2/3, were the predecessors to the
most famous of the Stinson line: the
Reliant, which was first introduced in
1933.
Between 1933 and 1941 the Stinson
Aircraft Corporation built more than 1,300
Reliants, from the SR-1 to the SR-10. The
later variant had leather upholstery, walnut
instrument panels, and automobile-type
roll-down windows.
In 1936 the classic Gull Wing was
introduced with the SR-7 model. The
A grouping of colorful World War I models lined up at the Scale Masters Qualifier. See if you can identify them all.
airplane was known for its ease of handling
and its state-of-the-art navigation and
communication radios.
During World War II many privately
owned aircraft were requisitioned by the
military for various transport and liaison
duties. The SR series did not escape this
process and 45 aircraft were initially
requisitioned for military service. They
were rugged airplanes built from fabriccovered,
welded-steel tubing with a single
strut-braced, double-tapered wing. They
could fly at speeds of nearly 165 mph. The
SR was one of the most beautiful aircraft
built during the Golden Age of Aviation.
If you would like more information on
this great-looking model, visit the Top
Flite Web page at www.top-flite.com/
airplanes/topa0310.html.
For more information about the Nelson
Hobby paint system, please visit the
company’s Web site at www.nelson
hobby.com/paint.html. You can write
Nelson Hobby Direct at Box 1327, Keller
TX 76244, or call (817) 431-9898.
Aviation Models Yak-54: New daddy
Cliff Lewis of Palmyra, Virginia, displays
his Aviation Models 35% Yak-54 in one of
the photos. This ARF spans 107 inches and
is powered by a Desert Aircraft DA-100
gas engine.
The model is available in a number of
sizes: 30%, 33%, 35%, 37.5%, and 40%.
The weights range from 16 to 44 pounds
and the model is touted as one of the best
designs for precision aerobatics.
The ARF kit can be completed in 25-40
hours and features an aluminum spinner,
fuel tank, aircraft-grade aluminum wing
tube, aluminum main gear, rubber wheels,
a tail-wheel bracket, aluminum servo arms,
an aluminum stabilizer tube for removable
stabilizer, control horns, hinges, wheel
pants, and SAE bolts and nuts.
For more information about the Yak-54
model, please visit the Troybuilt Web site
at www.troybuiltmodels.com/AMY54.htm.
Dauntless SBD: Tony Kirchenko of East
Setauket, New York, built the Dauntless in
the picture from Ziroli plans. It has a
wingspan of 100 inches. The model has
1,750 square inches of wing area and was
designed to be powered by a 3.7-5.2 cu. in.
gas engine.
In the photo the model is performing a
dirty pass (gear down, flaps down, and
tailhook extended) at the Scale Masters
Qualifier. For more information about the
Dauntless SBD model, please visit the
Ziroli Plans Web site at www.ziroliplans
.com/cat_frameset.html.
The Dauntless flew into history on June
4, 1942, when the 36 aircraft of Scouting
Squadron 6 and Bombing Squadron 6 from
the USS Enterprise arrived over the main
Japanese fleet. Previous attempts to attack
the four Japanese aircraft carriers had
failed because of the air cover provided by
the nimble Zeros.
Japanese aircraft returning from
successful attacks on Midway Island were
taken aboard the four carriers and reloaded
with antishipping weapons to attack
American carriers thought to be in the
area. The aircraft were rearmed to strike
Midway Island for a second time, and
when the first aircraft sped forward on the
flight decks for takeoff, Bombing
Squadron 6 was entering its dives to
attack.
There were no Zeros at altitude to
protect the fleet from this US attack, and
in slightly less than 10 minutes three of
the large Japanese carriers were in flames.
The last Japanese carrier sank soon after.
The Dauntless did more than any other
aircraft to turn the tide of the war in the
Pacific.
When the more modern and powerful
Curtiss Helldiver went into action as the
Dauntless replacement, it was soon realized
that the Helldiver was inferior to the
aircraft it was to replace.
Gaggle of World War I Models: The photo
of World War I aircraft was taken at the
local Scale Masters Qualifier. There were a
number of early aircraft represented at this
contest.
Since color film and photography was
not available during the war to end all
wars, all the photographic documentation
on these aircraft remains in black-andwhite.
Historians quibble over old photos,
looking at the subtle differences in the
shades of gray to attempt to discern what
the true colors were.
Period writings and eyewitness
accounts tell us how colorful many of the
aircraft were. Even swatches of fabric
remain that show us that bold colors were
often used; however, since the ability to
reproduce color on any medium except oils
on canvas back in those days wasn’t
possible, we tend to see this conflict in the
drab photographic colors of black, white,
and gray.
Take a good look at the lineup of
models. Although the colors may not be
completely accurate, this photo gives you
an idea of how these aircraft could have
looked back in teens of 1900.
That’s all for now. If you’re working on an
RC Giant for the winter, take a couple of
photos and send them to me. I would like to
share what’s on your workbench.