Old-tIme tOwlIne: In the “pre-
Nordic” era, most Towliners resembled fullscale
gliders. Unlike today’s anorexic
thermal-hunters, early line-launched gliders
featured full, built-up (or pod-and-boom)
fuselages and unique surface shapes. They
were graceful, eye-pleasing designs.
Often overlooked, the Towline gliders
aren’t nearly as popular as the gas-powered
models, which is a shame; they’re loads of
fun, for a relatively small investment.
As kids, we built and flew the many
designs and sizes in the JASCO (Junior
Aeronautical Supply Co.) line, but I’m
amazed we got them to fly at all.
We built the aircraft on workbenches that
were best described as “close enough.” Using
single-edge razor blades and Comet cement, the
models’ frames were covered with everything
from gift-wrap tissue, to silkspan, to silk.
I can’t recall anyone in our crowd who
used fixtures or level building boards.
“Fixit Wright” would’ve been aghast.
(I’ll discuss that subject another time.)
Then came the payoff: that first tentative
Mike Keville, 6218 E. Evergreen St., Mesa, AZ 85205; E-mail: [email protected]
OLD-TIMERS
Mystery photo (taken in the 1950s). Can you identify the young
man with the Trixter Beam? Text has hint and the answer.
Les Duffy of SAM Chapter 35, UK. Bright red Bowdon Meteorite
powered by Mills 1.3cc diesel. Photo by Ron Prentice.
The JASCO Thermic 70 Towline Glider provides the author with fond memories.
January 2001 139
140 M ODEL AVIATION
toss. Then we added/reduced nose weight,
incidence, rudder tab, etc., and fiddled with
one or all of those factors.
Eventually the toss resulted in a long, flat,
floating glide, and ended with the model
gently kissing the ground. Finally, there was
the delight of hooking up a towline.
The towlines were approximately 200 to
400 feet long. There were no adjustable
towhooks; separate hooks were standard—
usually one at the center of gravity, one
further back for calm air, and one forward
for windy weather.
Sometimes the hooks were placed on the
side of the fuselage, to counter the effect of
the fixed rudder tab.
Okay, I confess: this topic is the result of
a daydream involving a mid-1950s summer
evening, a Midwestern hayfield, and a
certain Thermic 70. I probably should’ve
left well enough alone, considering most
people prefer powered models.
I like gliders, though. I always have and I
always will, despite my current obsessive
involvement with antique Control Line (CL)
models.
mystery Photo: I’ve included a picture of a
young man holding his version of the early
Guillow Radio Control (RC) design, the
Trixter Beam. Can anyone identify him?
Hint: He’s still active, and has many RC
and CL design articles published.
I’ve included his identity at the end of
the column.
retracting engine: Roy Morihiro was an
innovator, who felt that a gas model’s gliding
time could be improved if the engine and
propeller were retracted out of the slipstream.
That may sound too complicated to be
practical, but you’d have to judge for yourself.
A full description is featured in the
November 1944 Air Trails, beginning on
page 49. The unique mechanism looked
very complicated, but the idea had merit.
Roy was thoughtful enough to include the
description, “this type of ship is definitely not
recommended for the beginner,” which
tempted us to reply, “no kidding!”
Roy claimed there was no machining
required, and all metal parts were available
to the average builder.
The “average builder” in those days was
a 14-year-old kid who constructed sevenfoot,
.60-powered Ignition models from
scratch. No completely assembled, nocovering-
or-painting-required stuff in those
days. (I better not get started on that.)
The retracting mechanism for Roy’s
engine (he used and recommended an
Ohlsson .60) worked by means of a
mechanical timer. Its arm held a pin in place
during powered flight, to keep the engine in
a fixed, upward position.
When the timer was activated, it pulled a
pin that caused rubber bands to retract the
engine along the slide. The engine moving
back along the slide released another set of
pins, which held the hatches in place.
These pins closed over the engine after
retraction—assuming the propeller stopped
in the vertical position, which Roy claimed
it did most of the time.
I don’t know anyone other than Roy who
ever tried this setup. If you did, or you know
someone who did, please drop me a note.
Roy Morihiro was an American of
Japanese ancestry. Employed at one time by
Jim Walker, in 1940 Roy helped demonstrate
a tiny O&R .23-powered model that was
tethered to a pair of wires—the Fireball.
Later employed by the Cleveland Model
& Supply Co. as a designer and draftsman,
Roy eventually joined the famed 442nd “Go
for Broke” Regimental Combat Team,
which enjoyed success in Italy. Roy was
killed in action there in 1945.
Many thanks to San Diego CA’s Dave
Katagiri for this contribution.
Al lidberg’s line of Mini-XL kits continues
to grow.
Released in July, the 1936 Lancer is
typical of Al’s 30-inch-span Old-Time
designs that are suitable for Free Flight (FF)
or RC and electric power.
Suggested power for RC is the VL
HY50B electric motor. Other electrics and
large CO2 motors are suitable. Al suggests
the HiLine MINI-6 electric motor for FF.
The Lancer kit comes with CAD (computeraided
drafting)-drawn blackline plans, full
instructions including dethermalizer details for
FF, balsa-and-plywood printwood, genuine
Esaki tissue, and a vacuum-formed canopy.
There are also suggested sources for
electric motors and miniature RC equipment.
The kit price is $30 postpaid in the US and
Canada. Add $5 for European destinations and
$10 for the Pacific Rim.
Contact A.A. Lidberg Model Plan
Service, 1030 E. Baseline, Suite 105-1074,
Tempe AZ 85283; Tel.: (480) 839-8154; Email
[email protected].
whereas I dabble in certain aspects of this
hobby, people such as Frank Anderson,
Norm Rosenstock, and Wynn Paul are true
historians, who have probably forgotten
more than I’ll ever know about modeling.
I am indebted to them for their contributions.
Modeling’s golden age is nicely recalled
in excellent publications by Frank and his
wife Vicki. Volume I of American
Aeromodeling covers the years 1907-34;
Volume II features events from 1935-41;
and Volume III takes things through 1947.
Frank was generous enough to send me a
copy of Volume I, which was fascinating.
He also produces the well-known
Anderson’s Blue Book—a pictorial and price
guide for collectible American and Canadian
model engines. The book has received rave
reviews from serious collectors and from others.
Space precludes listing all of Frank’s
publications. Contact him directly for more
information, at 753 Hunan St. NE, Palm Bay
FL 32907; Tel.: (321) 984-0103; Fax: (321)
984-0056.
On tap: I’d like to include “Nostalgia”-era
designs in this column.
You may recall that I had to forego a
request to review 1950s-era Payload
designs, because they weren’t truly Old-
Timers; however, they are to many people.
Many designs from the late 1940s and
early 1950s are truly nostalgic, and they
probably deserve inclusion here. I’m
referring to Free Flight, which has a much
different definition of Old-Time than CL
and RC do.
Nonetheless, there’s something about the
sight of, say, a silk-covered Civy Boy or a
Zeek being pulled aloft by a Torpedo
Greenhead engine; it touches the soul of
many who were active circa 1947-1957.
I could be wrong (I certainly have been
before), but I think Nostalgia-era FF models
should be included in this column.
some readers may wonder why I don’t report
on contest results and other current affairs.
There are two reasons: the subjects are
adequately covered by various Special Interest
Group publications, and the magazine’s lead
time is such that most results are well-known
by the time I’d print them.
This year’s SAM (Society of Antique
Modelers) Championships in Pensacola FL is
history when this issue comes out, even though
I’m drafting the column in late August.
None of this affects my ability to plug
our own annual gathering—something I’ve
done with annoying consistency throughout
the years. To wit:
Are you interested in Old-Time CL? If so,
join us in Tucson, Arizona March 22-25, for
the 13th annual Vintage Stunt Championships
(aka “VSC-13”, or “12-A,” as suggested by a
superstitious correspondent).
Events include Ignition-powered Stunt,
the regular Old-Time (pre-1953) event, and
Classic Stunt, for designs from the 1950s
and 1960s.
Preregistration is required, and must be
received no later than March 15. Send it to
Contest Director JoAnn Keville, at the same
address as in the column’s heading.
Complete details and a registration form
will be included in the January-February
Stunt News, the publication of the Precision
Aerobatics Model Pilots’ Association
(PAMPA), or send me a legal-size selfaddressed
stamped envelope for a copy.
the mystery photo is of well-known
designer and genuine nice guy Dick Sarpolus.
It was taken in the early 1950s, at New
Jersey’s Hadley Airport—the site of much
pioneering RC activity.
that’s a wrap. Following the three-issue
trial period, I’ve been asked to stay on.
Please keep those notes and pictures
coming. Since the column is bimonthly, it
may take a while before they’re published,
but I’ll work them in eventually.
If you’d like a written reply, an SASE
will ensure a prompt response.
meanwhile, here’s wishing you and yours a
joyous holiday season and another year of
peace, health, and prosperity. MA
