106 M ODEL AVIATION
Who hAS the red pen? Model Aviation
now has an Aeromodeling Editor, and I
think you’ll see subtle changes and
improvements in the magazine in the
years to come. Robin “Bob” Hunt is the
new man, and he brings a wealth of
valuable aeromodeling experience to
MA’s pages.
Bob gave modelers reliable information
as the editor of Flying Models for more than
17 years. He was inducted into the AMA
Model Aviation Hall of Fame in August.
Bob is a World Champion (1978) in
Control Line Precision Aerobatics—”Stunt”
to the layperson—and he has several
brilliant model designs to his credit.
Years ago, I built one of Bob’s
SuperTigre .46-powered World Champion
Genesis Stunt models. Because of his
unique ability to impart hands-on
knowledge by way of the written word, the
model turned out a few clicks better than it
might have otherwise.
As a result, my Hunt Genesis has been
on display in the AMA museum since 1987.
Bob has aeromodeling experience across
the board; he is an experienced Radio
Control, Control Line, and Free Flight flier,
a dedicated modeler, and a consummate
craftsman in each aeromodeling category.
I think we’re about to enter a new era
of informative publishing in Model
Aviation’s feature articles.
Please join me in welcoming Bob
Hunt to Model Aviation. I grew up
reading this guy’s things, and I learned a
lot about modeling from him—so will
you. He’s a friend, and is definitely one
of the good guys.
Back up, Jack! Ignorance may be bliss, but
it’s more fun to get a good enlightening
every now and then.
Last August, I received a very
informative letter from South Carolina
modeler Paul M. Bergstrand. I hope you’ll
enjoy reading it as much as I did.
“A Readers’ Projects paragraph in the
October Radio Control Scale column
mentions that ‘Texan Carl Hock built a
colorful pair of good-guy/bad-guy
Buffalos.’ This sounds like the good guy is
the USA and the bad guy is a Nazi. The
problem is that the other Buffalo is actually
representing a Finnish fighter.
“Confusing the Finnish ‘hakaristi’
with the Nazi ‘swastika’ is a common
mistake. The Finns adopted the light
blue hakaristi on their aircraft during
WW I. The black Nazi swastika is at a
45-degree angle from the hakaristi, and
was adopted years later.
“Adding to this misidentification
problem is that Finland was a
cobelligerent against the Soviet Union.
Finland was attacked by the Soviet Union
in 1939 and stood their ground alone.
Several western countries—USA, Great
Britain, Italy—provided some material
support with the shipment of second-hand
aircraft, such as the Buffalo, to be used
for the defense of Finland.
“Finland, however, was eventually
forced to cede some of their land to the
Soviets.
“When Nazi Germany later attacked
the Soviets, the Finns took this as an
opportunity to regain their territory, and
became a cobelligerent against the
Soviet Union. To my knowledge, the
Finn military only engaged in action
against the Soviets, and that action
stopped once their territory was
regained.
“I am pointing this out because it is a
common mistake, and many of your
loyal readers (and I count myself as one
of them) will end up confusing the light
blue hakaristi of Finland with the black
Nazi swastika. Who is wearing the white
hat can be another discussion.
“I have included several Web sites
that can provide more and better
historical detail.
“www.jyu.fi/~mg/history/fafwwii.shtml
“The Finnish Air Forces in World War 2
“www.sci-fi/~ambush/faf/faf.html
“Finnish Aircraft in World War 2, by
Pentti Perttula
“www.sci-fi/~fta/history.htm
“Finnish fighter history—Finnish
Fighter Tactics Academy
“www.hkkk.fi/~yrjola/war/finland/
“Finland in World War 2, by Matti Yrjölä
“www.jiop.fi/ksimuseo/index.html
“Tikkakoski Finnish Air Force Museum”
Thank you, Paul. I really appreciate
this kind of correspondence. It’s
constructive, informative, and it does a
good job of helping us toward a better
understanding of this very difficult time
in world history.
Paul also recommends Finnish Aces of
WW 2, Osprey Aircraft of the Aces #23,
published in 1998 by Osprey Publishing
Ltd., 443 Park Ave. S., Suite 801, New
York NY 10016.
Docu-Search: Is this “National Buffalo
Month” or have I missed something?
Rodney Abrahams is looking for threeviews
and plans for the Brewster Buffalo in
1.20 size. He describes the aircraft as “an
early WW II fighter that provided the
turkey for the Japanese Zeros turkey shoot
in the battle for Wake Island.”
I’m sure there’s no shortage of
information about this airplane, but the
1.20 size stipulation is enough to allow a
such commonly available subject to appear
in Docu-Search.
If any of you has something to fit the
bill, please contact Robert Abrahams at
170 Rock Run Rd., Port Deposit MD
21904.
Robert Hixson has three-views of the
Dalotel DM-165 Viking, but he is seeking
photographs of the full-scale aircraft and
anecdotal and factual information. How
many of these aircraft still survive?
Where are they?
Robert claims that “experts” have
advised him to abandon his quest. Despite
that, he is hoping that you can provide him
with the necessary information.
If you can help, please contact Robert
Hixson at 1242-36th Ave., San Francisco
CA 94122.
Joe Gratzer would like to locate plans
and a good three-view for the Northrop YC-
125 Raider. Joe writes:
“The commercial version was known as
the N-23 Pioneer. I have seen the full-scale
aircraft at the Air Force Museum in
Dayton, Ohio, but I have not been able to
locate any plans.
“I would like to build this model as an
Electric, using three Speed 400 motors and
a wingspan between 50 and 60 inches. Any
help would be appreciated.”
Jeff Troy, 19 E. Mt. Pleasant Ave., Ambler PA 19002
RADIO CONTROL SCALE
I think we’re about
to enter a new era
of informative
publishing in
Model Aviation’s
feature articles.
If you can help him do the trick, please
contact Joe Gratzer at 886 Hwy. 85
Connector, Brooks GA 30205.
Charlie Gay needs plans, photos, threeviews,
drawings, and anything else he can
accumulate to document the Folkerts SK-2
Racer. He is particularly concerned with
photos of the cockpit and retractable gear.
According to Charlie, this aircraft is
also known as “Toots” or “The Foo.” Can
you help? Contact Charlie Gay at 15
Runway Rd., Tunkhannock PA 18657.
Tim Cassidy seeks specific color
verification on the “white” Fieseler
Storch. “This particular variation was used
by the Germans in Poland about 1937,”
wrote Tim. “The model I am building is 1⁄8
scale. Any help will be appreciated.”
If you have ever tried to match film
coverings or have owned a General
Motors car from the 1980s, you’ve
probably already learned that white
isn’t always white.
If you can come up with specific
color documentation, please contact
Tim Cassidy at 393 E. Market St.,
Stockton CA 95202.
Jim Fulfaro needs a copy of
Squadron/Signal Publications’ F7F
Tigercat in Action.
This title may be out of print, but it
should be readily available from almost
any hobby shop or bookstore in the US if
it is still in circulation. If you strike out
locally, try Squadron/Signal Publications,
1115 Crowley Dr., Carrollton TX 75011.
If the book is a memory and you
have a copy you no longer need, please
contact Jim Fulfaro at 122 Candee
Ave., Sayville NY 11782.
Build straight and fly safely, my friends.
We’ll do this again. MA
