Letters to the Editor
Thanks from Lodge Family
We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for selecting our grandson John's letter for the June issue of Model Aviation. As a result of his letter, a very kind reader from California called and offered John a ready-to-fly RC airplane. He even went miles out of his way to deliver it right to John.
He advised John to find a local RC flying club and an instructor. John did both. He attended the May meeting of the Las Vegas RC Flying Club. The members gave John a warm welcome. They introduced him as a celebrity and wanted to hear about his article and the RC airplane. One of the members who won a prize in a drawing gave it to John.
Later that week John went to William Bennett Field where another member gave him flying lessons on a buddy box. We're so grateful that John was able to connect with so many caring and generous people.
Once again, thank you from all of John's family.
Robert and Shirley Lodge Las Vegas, Nevada
Cornell Confusion
On page 27 of the June issue of Model Aviation a Fairchild PT-19 with an enclosed canopy built by Charlie Baker is shown as a PT-26. On page 98 of the same issue a similar canopied Fairchild is shown as a PT-23. Next to that picture is another Fairchild with a radial engine. This is called a PT-26.
You may have mixed up the captions of these two pictures as the documents that I have indicate that the canopied Fairchild on page 27 is indeed a PT-26.
I don't know if the Fairchild with the radial engine was a PT-23, but it is interesting to note that the prototype used a Kinner engine. It was manufactured by Howard Aircraft, builder of the Howard DGA-15, owned by Benny Howard, and builder of several winning racing airplanes, including the "Mr. Mulligan."
The factory where these trainers were built was in Saint Charles, Illinois, across the road on the east side of the DuPage County Airport. The building was owned by other businesses since World War II and about 12 or 15 years ago it burned to the ground. Another bit of interesting history gone.
George McAleer Ivins, Utah
Impressed With FTGU
I just received your July issue and was very impressed with Bob Aberle's latest "From the Ground Up" column. They just keep getting better and better.
"From the Ground Up" is a well-written primer with excellent insights and solutions for the RC airplane modeling novice. It provides sentence after sentence of practical advice and great tips and suggestions from someone who obviously has mastered his art.
The columns have been included in our club library as an excellent resource for the novice pilot or for anyone who wants to brush up on their modeling skills.
Charles R. Varvaro Ontario, California
Feels Deceived
I am a long-time airplane modeler, almost 30 years, and while I do fly airplanes (not very well) my passion is building. I grew up in New Jersey and lived there for 62 years. When I got into the sport in 1975 I joined a club and we went to all the shows.
The big one back east was the WRAM show held in Westchester, New York, usually at the Westchester Civic Center but sometimes at Yonkers Raceway. These shows were a joy to go to. It was all about airplanes and most of the vendors were there to display their wares and introduce new items.
In 1993 I moved to California and because of all that was going on with my family at that time I stopped building, and for about 10 years I did nothing with airplanes. I am now back in the sport full time and enjoying it very much.
And now for the reason I am writing to you. I read most of the publication and came across the advertisement about the RCX show. The ad talked about airplanes and race cars. I looked forward to it with much anticipation.
Much to my disappointment, it was 80% race cars and 20% airplanes. I feel that I was deceived. On the website vendors were listed but vendors who make product for both sports featured race car items. It is my opinion that if a show features both sports at the same venue it should be made abundantly clear which vendors will be displaying airplane items and which will feature race car items. This way attendees can intelligently decide whether it is worthwhile for them to attend.
I might add that the people I spoke to about this show were also disappointed and stated that they would not attend next year's show.
This is a hobby, and most people are passionate about their hobby, particularly builders like myself. I think this type of behavior degrades the sport. There is plenty of room for both sports even at the same arena, but it should be executed properly.
Robert Stanley Laguna Niguel, California
One That Got Away
I have been involved in this great hobby of ours for the majority of my life. Starting with those simple gliders with the solid body and slip-in sheet wing to my ten functional (not crashed) radio-control aircraft.
But between the gliders and RC aircraft, there were my Free Flight airplanes. Watching my progress in building these airplanes was like Homer in the film October Sky. My initial airplanes did not fly at all. The next ones flew, but never did what they were supposed to do.
I was becoming fed up with my lack of success and was close to giving up Free Flight when I saw the Easy-Built Models Wakefield model. This was the largest Free Flight kit I had ever seen and at $20, I bought it. Like many fifteen-year-olds, I spent every minute of my time building the airplane and finished it in about twenty hours. I modified the kit in many ways such as lightening the ribs and replacing the diagonal braces with string. The resulting airplane was both strong and light.
The initial flights were great, especially for someone who never had an airplane fly more than ten seconds. The airplane maintained a 45-degree climb angle and leveled off after a few seconds. It made about three flights with durations longer than two minutes. Then I added what I should not have — one hundred feet of Sig's 1/4-inch rubber band.
I flew my airplane on its "great flight" in a field about one mile inland from Lake Michigan. The weather was calm and the sun had been up for about an hour. To wind the rubber band took about ten minutes.
With one hand holding the fuselage and the other on the propeller, I thrust it forward. The airplane instantly pointed its nose straight into the sky and shot upward like a rocket. The airplane was under power for more than a minute. At the apex of its flight, it was merely a small dot in the sky in a slow, turning descent. I watched it fly for about five minutes until the worst of my fears became a reality.
Facing east, I felt a slight breeze on the back of my neck. I chased after my airplane until I could walk no farther. If I wanted to get my airplane, I would need to swim. I watched my airplane as it drifted east and lost sight of it before it hit the water.
For some strange reason, I think this is going to be one of those "the one that got away" stories I'll be saving someday down the road. Unfortunately, that means some people might not believe me.
Allan Froehlich Cedarburg, Wisconsin
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
