Nobody builds anymore!
Jay Smith
How many times have you heard people say that nobody builds anymore? I beg to differ and I have the data to back it up!
In a recent poll of a portion of the AMA membership, 39.4% stated they were interested in building. Add to that the fact that the AMA Plans Service sells a significant number of plans each month and it is obvious that people are building, or at least thinking about it.
Building model airplanes is not currently enjoyed by a vast number of modelers as was the case in the 1970s and 1980s, but back then we really didn't have a choice, unless you bought all of your models secondhand.
My first construction project was a Carl Goldberg Eagle II which afforded the opportunity to learn some of the techniques required to build from a kit. In fact, thanks to the family dog, I got to build the fuselage twice!
It's hard to explain the feeling of accomplishment one experiences by bringing a one-dimensional set of plans to a completed three-dimensional form with one's own hands. As the model waits for its structure to be covered, it is much like a blank canvas setting upon an artist's easel, waiting for a splash of color and creativity.
At the point it becomes a finished product, a level of excitement and anticipation builds with the eagerness to see the fruit of our labor take flight. That's when the satisfaction of building a capable flying machine from scratch or a kit is fully realized.
Whether you have gleefully constructed a model, or simply pondered taking on a project, this issue is for you. I hope within its pages you find the information, enthusiasm, and motivation to try your hand at building.
To further entice you, both construction projects in this issue have free, downloadable plans available on our website. If by chance the two attractive models, the PT-19 and Piper Racer, don't pique your interest, all of the more than 16,000 plans from the AMA Plans Service will be available at 20% off until October 31, 2013.
Happy building!
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
