118 MODEL AVIATION
A look at many famous military trainers and why they make great models
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Scale Stan Alexander
Also included in this column:
• The Swedish Air Force
Museum
• AeroDetail Series: The
Curtiss JN-4 Jenny
Hal Parenti’s North American T-28 Trojan built from Dave Platt plans.
Dale Arvin’s SNJ/AT-6 was built from the Yellow Aircraft kit.
One of the many Top Flite Beechcraft T-34 models seen in
competition. It’s a great beginner’s model for Sportsman.
This US Navy version of the PT-17—the N2S3 Stearman—is by
Kevin Knebel of Royal Palm Beach, Florida.
DURING WORLD War I, trainer-type
aircraft were crude at best, as were most
airplanes worldwide. However, the
competitive technology, and inventions that
war creates, brought fighters called “scout”
aircraft and trainers to new heights in
technology.
Before World War II the United States
developed the BT series, which stood for Basic
Trainer; PT series, which stood for Primary
Trainer; and AT series, which stood for
Advanced Trainer for the US Army Air Corps.
After the new pilots were finished with most of
these types, they were usually classified as
bomber, transport, or pursuit candidates with
further training for their specialty.
But why do trainers (for the most part)
make great Scale models? It’s simple; as a
group they are forgiving and generally have
good flight characteristics. Most also have
wide-track landing gear, thick airfoils, and
gentle stall characteristics.
Many trainers were as easy to land and take
off as any aircraft that is flown today. Most
were aerobatic to at least a certain degree.
Many of these designs have been re-engined
with additional horsepower to make them fully
aerobatic or useful for other purposes such as
crop dusting.
The US had many different types of
trainers during World War II, as did the British
and the Germans, but this month I’ll take a
look at our country’s trainers.
The PT-13 and PT-17 series of primary
trainers for the US Army and the US Navy came from a long line of
Stearman biplanes produced in the 1930s. Boeing bought out Stearman
and the BT-13 and BT-17 became Boeing products. These aircraft were
not as forgiving as the PT-19 that Fairchild built, which had much wider
main landing gear and more dihedral in the wing for stability.
The PT-19 was built in an in-line-inverted-engine version and a
radial-powered version. Depending on who built the aircraft, how it was
powered, and what equipment it featured, it was called the PT-19, PT-
23, PT-26, or Fairchild 62. The in-line-powered version used a Ranger
175-horsepower engine. The Continental radial engine produced 220
horsepower.
There have been numerous kits of the PT-19 and all its versions.
Hangar 9 had an ARF of this airplane a few years ago. Dynaflite had an
inexpensive 1/5-scale version of it in kit form. With all the different color
schemes available out there for different fullscale
versions, I would hope that it would come
back again as a kit.
For those who are a little more industrious,
Wendell Hostetler has plans for a 26% version
of the PT-19 with a wingspan of 114 inches
that weighs approximately 25 pounds. It’s a
wonder to me that a company such as Balsa
USA hasn’t come out with a series of military
trainers. It does offer the Stearman and the J-3
Cub, which was used for almost everything in
World War II.
Vultee built the BT-13, commonly known
as the “vibrator.” It had a habit of making the
glass canopy shake and the whole aircraft
shudder when it was beginning to stall. This
undoubtedly saved many pilots who were
completing this part of their training.
After the war this aircraft type wasn’t
widely used by anyone except by crop-dusting
companies, who pulled the 450-horsepower
engine off the nose and put it on a PT-17.
This model of the Vultee BT-13 is a pretty sight at any Scale
competition. It’s a good flier and performer.
This North American 16-4M was built in Sweden as the Sk 14. It is on display at the
Swedish Air Force Museum in Linköping. Notice the tires on it.
The BT-13 does make for a great model,
and the late Bert Baker had a 96-inchwingspan
kit of the airplane. I haven’t heard
whether or not anyone bought the rights to that
and other kits, but I hope to see it out again.
Yellow Aircraft was reported to have bought
many of Bert’s old kits.
North American Aviation Inc. has a history
of building trainer aircraft from its beginning.
These airplanes were originally sold to the US
Army Air Corps, then to the US Navy and
most of our allies.
One of the most famous World War II
trainers was the AT-6, which was also called
the “SNJ” in Navy circles. However, the first
trainer that bore the North American name
was the NA-16. It was a two-holer-cockpit
type like the PT-19, with fixed gear and fabric
fuselage sides. But it bore a striking
resemblance to the AT-6, which came along a
little later.
At any national or international
competition you will probably see one, if not
more, of the famous trainers in action in the
guise of the T-6 or SNJ. Why? The aircraft
gives the modeler a huge opportunity to add
details to the cockpit and canopy area. The
thing is covered with many rivets, and it
comes with two mechanical options—flaps
and retracts—for Scale competition.
The aircraft was powered by a Pratt &
Whitney R-1340 engine with 600 horsepower,
and other versions were powered by different
radials and in-line engines, but not in large
production numbers.
Many modelers think an AT-6 was as fast
as any World War II fighter. It was not. The
aircraft had a cruise speed of approximately
180 mph with a maximum speed of 200 mph.
The landing speed was as slow as that of
many other lighter trainer types, at 65 mph.
Our allies bought and/or built by license
different versions of the AT-6 or NA-16
design. World War II ally Sweden bought the
NA-16 with fixed gear.
After evaluating the type at its flying
school at Ljungbyhed, orders were placed
with the Swedish SAJA company for 35
more. For the most part, Sweden, Finland,
and Norway relied on foreign aircraft
manufacturers to supply them with airplanes
or the designs at that time.
The NA-16 design had fixed gear with
balloon tires, which helped cushion the
landing on rough terrain. The type could also
be fitted with skis in winter, which was
critical in that part of the world.
There is only one NA-16 left that I’m
aware of in Sweden, shown in its striking
color scheme in an accompanying photo. The
T-6 was also turned into a fighter. It was
designated the P-64, but the type was not
produced in large numbers.
North American went on to produce the
successful T-28 Trojan and the T-2 Buckeye
jet trainer for all the services, as well as the
crew trainer designated the T-39 Sabreliner.
The Pica T-28 kit has been popular through
the years, and Dave Platt has one of the best
sets of T-28 plans. Lots of dihedral, tricycle
gear for ground handling, retracts, flaps, and
plenty of color schemes are popular reasons to
build a trainer of this type.
The Beechcraft T-34 Mentor has also had
much success as a model in various scales,
and several versions of it have been produced
by many kit manufacturers. There are
countless sets of plans and kit cutters who
have different kits of these aircraft.
Bob Banka of Bob’s Aircraft
Documentation has several Foto-Paaks for the
trainers I’ve mentioned, and in many different
color schemes. Bob Holman Plans has several
different plans sets for the T-6 and other
aircraft.
Aircraft Museums: The Swedish Air Force
Museum located outside of Linköping,
Sweden, is a great stop for anyone who is
interested in Scale modeling. Many of the
staff members are aeromodelers and are
willing to help you in any way to photograph
the aircraft. The museum houses many
different types of airplanes from several
different countries.
I’ve written about training aircraft this
month, and the Swedish Air Force Museum is
where I saw the North American 16-4. The
museum also has a Tiger Moth, an Fw 44
biplane, a Saab 91B Safir, an Me 108, an
Albatros B.II, and many other trainers. Some
of the aircraft there are the only ones of their
type left in the world, including the Ju 86
transport and the Russian Polikarpov I-16
Ratta.
For more information and hours, check
out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_Air
_Force_Museum.
Scale Documentation: The Curtiss JN-4
Jenny was put into service during World War
I to train US pilots at various fields here and
in the United Kingdom. B.D. Thomas and
Glenn Curtiss designed the aircraft, of which
more than 6,000 were eventually built.
The AeroDetail CD gives the modeler
some of the best detail shots of a museum
aircraft. It is not the Jenny shown on the cover
of the CD. I was expecting the Kelly Field
airframe, but it isn’t. The Kelly Field airframe
would have been the US Air Corps version.
Instead, enclosed is a civil version with
“Burt City Aero Co.” on the rudder. The
fuselage is a dark olive drab with “McWhorter
Bros.” on the left side.
There are detail shots of all the rigging,
bungee-cord suspension on the main landing
gear, wire wheels, cockpit instruments, engine
details including the exposed rocker arms, and
exhaust manifolds. There are turnbuckles and
cables galore, and also included are detail
shots of the outboard landing skids, which are
located under the lower wing panels.
The speed indicator is interesting; it has
120 mph on the high end. Don’t think I would
want to be in a Jenny going that fast! If you
like turnbuckles and rigging and many details,
this is a Scale subject for you.
I’ve never been up in a Jenny, but this
airframe really makes you want to take the
ride. Check it and many other aircraft types,
trainers included, out at Model Activity Press
Ltd., 63-65 Woodside Rd., Amersham, Bucks,
HP6 6AA, Great Britain. Remember that they
are eight hours ahead of us over there if you
call at 011-1494-433453. The Web site is
www.modelactivitypress.com. MA
Sources:
Bob’s Aircraft Documentation
3114 Yukon Ave.
Costa Mesa CA 92626
(714) 979-8058
www.bobsairdoc.com
Wendell Hostetler’s Plans
545 Jerome Dr.
Orrville OH 44667
(440) 682-8896
www.aero-sports.com/whplans
Balsa USA
Box 164
Marinette WI 54143
(906) 863-6421
www.balsausa.com
Edition: Model Aviation - 2007/04
Page Numbers: 118,119,120
Edition: Model Aviation - 2007/04
Page Numbers: 118,119,120
118 MODEL AVIATION
A look at many famous military trainers and why they make great models
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Scale Stan Alexander
Also included in this column:
• The Swedish Air Force
Museum
• AeroDetail Series: The
Curtiss JN-4 Jenny
Hal Parenti’s North American T-28 Trojan built from Dave Platt plans.
Dale Arvin’s SNJ/AT-6 was built from the Yellow Aircraft kit.
One of the many Top Flite Beechcraft T-34 models seen in
competition. It’s a great beginner’s model for Sportsman.
This US Navy version of the PT-17—the N2S3 Stearman—is by
Kevin Knebel of Royal Palm Beach, Florida.
DURING WORLD War I, trainer-type
aircraft were crude at best, as were most
airplanes worldwide. However, the
competitive technology, and inventions that
war creates, brought fighters called “scout”
aircraft and trainers to new heights in
technology.
Before World War II the United States
developed the BT series, which stood for Basic
Trainer; PT series, which stood for Primary
Trainer; and AT series, which stood for
Advanced Trainer for the US Army Air Corps.
After the new pilots were finished with most of
these types, they were usually classified as
bomber, transport, or pursuit candidates with
further training for their specialty.
But why do trainers (for the most part)
make great Scale models? It’s simple; as a
group they are forgiving and generally have
good flight characteristics. Most also have
wide-track landing gear, thick airfoils, and
gentle stall characteristics.
Many trainers were as easy to land and take
off as any aircraft that is flown today. Most
were aerobatic to at least a certain degree.
Many of these designs have been re-engined
with additional horsepower to make them fully
aerobatic or useful for other purposes such as
crop dusting.
The US had many different types of
trainers during World War II, as did the British
and the Germans, but this month I’ll take a
look at our country’s trainers.
The PT-13 and PT-17 series of primary
trainers for the US Army and the US Navy came from a long line of
Stearman biplanes produced in the 1930s. Boeing bought out Stearman
and the BT-13 and BT-17 became Boeing products. These aircraft were
not as forgiving as the PT-19 that Fairchild built, which had much wider
main landing gear and more dihedral in the wing for stability.
The PT-19 was built in an in-line-inverted-engine version and a
radial-powered version. Depending on who built the aircraft, how it was
powered, and what equipment it featured, it was called the PT-19, PT-
23, PT-26, or Fairchild 62. The in-line-powered version used a Ranger
175-horsepower engine. The Continental radial engine produced 220
horsepower.
There have been numerous kits of the PT-19 and all its versions.
Hangar 9 had an ARF of this airplane a few years ago. Dynaflite had an
inexpensive 1/5-scale version of it in kit form. With all the different color
schemes available out there for different fullscale
versions, I would hope that it would come
back again as a kit.
For those who are a little more industrious,
Wendell Hostetler has plans for a 26% version
of the PT-19 with a wingspan of 114 inches
that weighs approximately 25 pounds. It’s a
wonder to me that a company such as Balsa
USA hasn’t come out with a series of military
trainers. It does offer the Stearman and the J-3
Cub, which was used for almost everything in
World War II.
Vultee built the BT-13, commonly known
as the “vibrator.” It had a habit of making the
glass canopy shake and the whole aircraft
shudder when it was beginning to stall. This
undoubtedly saved many pilots who were
completing this part of their training.
After the war this aircraft type wasn’t
widely used by anyone except by crop-dusting
companies, who pulled the 450-horsepower
engine off the nose and put it on a PT-17.
This model of the Vultee BT-13 is a pretty sight at any Scale
competition. It’s a good flier and performer.
This North American 16-4M was built in Sweden as the Sk 14. It is on display at the
Swedish Air Force Museum in Linköping. Notice the tires on it.
The BT-13 does make for a great model,
and the late Bert Baker had a 96-inchwingspan
kit of the airplane. I haven’t heard
whether or not anyone bought the rights to that
and other kits, but I hope to see it out again.
Yellow Aircraft was reported to have bought
many of Bert’s old kits.
North American Aviation Inc. has a history
of building trainer aircraft from its beginning.
These airplanes were originally sold to the US
Army Air Corps, then to the US Navy and
most of our allies.
One of the most famous World War II
trainers was the AT-6, which was also called
the “SNJ” in Navy circles. However, the first
trainer that bore the North American name
was the NA-16. It was a two-holer-cockpit
type like the PT-19, with fixed gear and fabric
fuselage sides. But it bore a striking
resemblance to the AT-6, which came along a
little later.
At any national or international
competition you will probably see one, if not
more, of the famous trainers in action in the
guise of the T-6 or SNJ. Why? The aircraft
gives the modeler a huge opportunity to add
details to the cockpit and canopy area. The
thing is covered with many rivets, and it
comes with two mechanical options—flaps
and retracts—for Scale competition.
The aircraft was powered by a Pratt &
Whitney R-1340 engine with 600 horsepower,
and other versions were powered by different
radials and in-line engines, but not in large
production numbers.
Many modelers think an AT-6 was as fast
as any World War II fighter. It was not. The
aircraft had a cruise speed of approximately
180 mph with a maximum speed of 200 mph.
The landing speed was as slow as that of
many other lighter trainer types, at 65 mph.
Our allies bought and/or built by license
different versions of the AT-6 or NA-16
design. World War II ally Sweden bought the
NA-16 with fixed gear.
After evaluating the type at its flying
school at Ljungbyhed, orders were placed
with the Swedish SAJA company for 35
more. For the most part, Sweden, Finland,
and Norway relied on foreign aircraft
manufacturers to supply them with airplanes
or the designs at that time.
The NA-16 design had fixed gear with
balloon tires, which helped cushion the
landing on rough terrain. The type could also
be fitted with skis in winter, which was
critical in that part of the world.
There is only one NA-16 left that I’m
aware of in Sweden, shown in its striking
color scheme in an accompanying photo. The
T-6 was also turned into a fighter. It was
designated the P-64, but the type was not
produced in large numbers.
North American went on to produce the
successful T-28 Trojan and the T-2 Buckeye
jet trainer for all the services, as well as the
crew trainer designated the T-39 Sabreliner.
The Pica T-28 kit has been popular through
the years, and Dave Platt has one of the best
sets of T-28 plans. Lots of dihedral, tricycle
gear for ground handling, retracts, flaps, and
plenty of color schemes are popular reasons to
build a trainer of this type.
The Beechcraft T-34 Mentor has also had
much success as a model in various scales,
and several versions of it have been produced
by many kit manufacturers. There are
countless sets of plans and kit cutters who
have different kits of these aircraft.
Bob Banka of Bob’s Aircraft
Documentation has several Foto-Paaks for the
trainers I’ve mentioned, and in many different
color schemes. Bob Holman Plans has several
different plans sets for the T-6 and other
aircraft.
Aircraft Museums: The Swedish Air Force
Museum located outside of Linköping,
Sweden, is a great stop for anyone who is
interested in Scale modeling. Many of the
staff members are aeromodelers and are
willing to help you in any way to photograph
the aircraft. The museum houses many
different types of airplanes from several
different countries.
I’ve written about training aircraft this
month, and the Swedish Air Force Museum is
where I saw the North American 16-4. The
museum also has a Tiger Moth, an Fw 44
biplane, a Saab 91B Safir, an Me 108, an
Albatros B.II, and many other trainers. Some
of the aircraft there are the only ones of their
type left in the world, including the Ju 86
transport and the Russian Polikarpov I-16
Ratta.
For more information and hours, check
out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_Air
_Force_Museum.
Scale Documentation: The Curtiss JN-4
Jenny was put into service during World War
I to train US pilots at various fields here and
in the United Kingdom. B.D. Thomas and
Glenn Curtiss designed the aircraft, of which
more than 6,000 were eventually built.
The AeroDetail CD gives the modeler
some of the best detail shots of a museum
aircraft. It is not the Jenny shown on the cover
of the CD. I was expecting the Kelly Field
airframe, but it isn’t. The Kelly Field airframe
would have been the US Air Corps version.
Instead, enclosed is a civil version with
“Burt City Aero Co.” on the rudder. The
fuselage is a dark olive drab with “McWhorter
Bros.” on the left side.
There are detail shots of all the rigging,
bungee-cord suspension on the main landing
gear, wire wheels, cockpit instruments, engine
details including the exposed rocker arms, and
exhaust manifolds. There are turnbuckles and
cables galore, and also included are detail
shots of the outboard landing skids, which are
located under the lower wing panels.
The speed indicator is interesting; it has
120 mph on the high end. Don’t think I would
want to be in a Jenny going that fast! If you
like turnbuckles and rigging and many details,
this is a Scale subject for you.
I’ve never been up in a Jenny, but this
airframe really makes you want to take the
ride. Check it and many other aircraft types,
trainers included, out at Model Activity Press
Ltd., 63-65 Woodside Rd., Amersham, Bucks,
HP6 6AA, Great Britain. Remember that they
are eight hours ahead of us over there if you
call at 011-1494-433453. The Web site is
www.modelactivitypress.com. MA
Sources:
Bob’s Aircraft Documentation
3114 Yukon Ave.
Costa Mesa CA 92626
(714) 979-8058
www.bobsairdoc.com
Wendell Hostetler’s Plans
545 Jerome Dr.
Orrville OH 44667
(440) 682-8896
www.aero-sports.com/whplans
Balsa USA
Box 164
Marinette WI 54143
(906) 863-6421
www.balsausa.com
Edition: Model Aviation - 2007/04
Page Numbers: 118,119,120
118 MODEL AVIATION
A look at many famous military trainers and why they make great models
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Scale Stan Alexander
Also included in this column:
• The Swedish Air Force
Museum
• AeroDetail Series: The
Curtiss JN-4 Jenny
Hal Parenti’s North American T-28 Trojan built from Dave Platt plans.
Dale Arvin’s SNJ/AT-6 was built from the Yellow Aircraft kit.
One of the many Top Flite Beechcraft T-34 models seen in
competition. It’s a great beginner’s model for Sportsman.
This US Navy version of the PT-17—the N2S3 Stearman—is by
Kevin Knebel of Royal Palm Beach, Florida.
DURING WORLD War I, trainer-type
aircraft were crude at best, as were most
airplanes worldwide. However, the
competitive technology, and inventions that
war creates, brought fighters called “scout”
aircraft and trainers to new heights in
technology.
Before World War II the United States
developed the BT series, which stood for Basic
Trainer; PT series, which stood for Primary
Trainer; and AT series, which stood for
Advanced Trainer for the US Army Air Corps.
After the new pilots were finished with most of
these types, they were usually classified as
bomber, transport, or pursuit candidates with
further training for their specialty.
But why do trainers (for the most part)
make great Scale models? It’s simple; as a
group they are forgiving and generally have
good flight characteristics. Most also have
wide-track landing gear, thick airfoils, and
gentle stall characteristics.
Many trainers were as easy to land and take
off as any aircraft that is flown today. Most
were aerobatic to at least a certain degree.
Many of these designs have been re-engined
with additional horsepower to make them fully
aerobatic or useful for other purposes such as
crop dusting.
The US had many different types of
trainers during World War II, as did the British
and the Germans, but this month I’ll take a
look at our country’s trainers.
The PT-13 and PT-17 series of primary
trainers for the US Army and the US Navy came from a long line of
Stearman biplanes produced in the 1930s. Boeing bought out Stearman
and the BT-13 and BT-17 became Boeing products. These aircraft were
not as forgiving as the PT-19 that Fairchild built, which had much wider
main landing gear and more dihedral in the wing for stability.
The PT-19 was built in an in-line-inverted-engine version and a
radial-powered version. Depending on who built the aircraft, how it was
powered, and what equipment it featured, it was called the PT-19, PT-
23, PT-26, or Fairchild 62. The in-line-powered version used a Ranger
175-horsepower engine. The Continental radial engine produced 220
horsepower.
There have been numerous kits of the PT-19 and all its versions.
Hangar 9 had an ARF of this airplane a few years ago. Dynaflite had an
inexpensive 1/5-scale version of it in kit form. With all the different color
schemes available out there for different fullscale
versions, I would hope that it would come
back again as a kit.
For those who are a little more industrious,
Wendell Hostetler has plans for a 26% version
of the PT-19 with a wingspan of 114 inches
that weighs approximately 25 pounds. It’s a
wonder to me that a company such as Balsa
USA hasn’t come out with a series of military
trainers. It does offer the Stearman and the J-3
Cub, which was used for almost everything in
World War II.
Vultee built the BT-13, commonly known
as the “vibrator.” It had a habit of making the
glass canopy shake and the whole aircraft
shudder when it was beginning to stall. This
undoubtedly saved many pilots who were
completing this part of their training.
After the war this aircraft type wasn’t
widely used by anyone except by crop-dusting
companies, who pulled the 450-horsepower
engine off the nose and put it on a PT-17.
This model of the Vultee BT-13 is a pretty sight at any Scale
competition. It’s a good flier and performer.
This North American 16-4M was built in Sweden as the Sk 14. It is on display at the
Swedish Air Force Museum in Linköping. Notice the tires on it.
The BT-13 does make for a great model,
and the late Bert Baker had a 96-inchwingspan
kit of the airplane. I haven’t heard
whether or not anyone bought the rights to that
and other kits, but I hope to see it out again.
Yellow Aircraft was reported to have bought
many of Bert’s old kits.
North American Aviation Inc. has a history
of building trainer aircraft from its beginning.
These airplanes were originally sold to the US
Army Air Corps, then to the US Navy and
most of our allies.
One of the most famous World War II
trainers was the AT-6, which was also called
the “SNJ” in Navy circles. However, the first
trainer that bore the North American name
was the NA-16. It was a two-holer-cockpit
type like the PT-19, with fixed gear and fabric
fuselage sides. But it bore a striking
resemblance to the AT-6, which came along a
little later.
At any national or international
competition you will probably see one, if not
more, of the famous trainers in action in the
guise of the T-6 or SNJ. Why? The aircraft
gives the modeler a huge opportunity to add
details to the cockpit and canopy area. The
thing is covered with many rivets, and it
comes with two mechanical options—flaps
and retracts—for Scale competition.
The aircraft was powered by a Pratt &
Whitney R-1340 engine with 600 horsepower,
and other versions were powered by different
radials and in-line engines, but not in large
production numbers.
Many modelers think an AT-6 was as fast
as any World War II fighter. It was not. The
aircraft had a cruise speed of approximately
180 mph with a maximum speed of 200 mph.
The landing speed was as slow as that of
many other lighter trainer types, at 65 mph.
Our allies bought and/or built by license
different versions of the AT-6 or NA-16
design. World War II ally Sweden bought the
NA-16 with fixed gear.
After evaluating the type at its flying
school at Ljungbyhed, orders were placed
with the Swedish SAJA company for 35
more. For the most part, Sweden, Finland,
and Norway relied on foreign aircraft
manufacturers to supply them with airplanes
or the designs at that time.
The NA-16 design had fixed gear with
balloon tires, which helped cushion the
landing on rough terrain. The type could also
be fitted with skis in winter, which was
critical in that part of the world.
There is only one NA-16 left that I’m
aware of in Sweden, shown in its striking
color scheme in an accompanying photo. The
T-6 was also turned into a fighter. It was
designated the P-64, but the type was not
produced in large numbers.
North American went on to produce the
successful T-28 Trojan and the T-2 Buckeye
jet trainer for all the services, as well as the
crew trainer designated the T-39 Sabreliner.
The Pica T-28 kit has been popular through
the years, and Dave Platt has one of the best
sets of T-28 plans. Lots of dihedral, tricycle
gear for ground handling, retracts, flaps, and
plenty of color schemes are popular reasons to
build a trainer of this type.
The Beechcraft T-34 Mentor has also had
much success as a model in various scales,
and several versions of it have been produced
by many kit manufacturers. There are
countless sets of plans and kit cutters who
have different kits of these aircraft.
Bob Banka of Bob’s Aircraft
Documentation has several Foto-Paaks for the
trainers I’ve mentioned, and in many different
color schemes. Bob Holman Plans has several
different plans sets for the T-6 and other
aircraft.
Aircraft Museums: The Swedish Air Force
Museum located outside of Linköping,
Sweden, is a great stop for anyone who is
interested in Scale modeling. Many of the
staff members are aeromodelers and are
willing to help you in any way to photograph
the aircraft. The museum houses many
different types of airplanes from several
different countries.
I’ve written about training aircraft this
month, and the Swedish Air Force Museum is
where I saw the North American 16-4. The
museum also has a Tiger Moth, an Fw 44
biplane, a Saab 91B Safir, an Me 108, an
Albatros B.II, and many other trainers. Some
of the aircraft there are the only ones of their
type left in the world, including the Ju 86
transport and the Russian Polikarpov I-16
Ratta.
For more information and hours, check
out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_Air
_Force_Museum.
Scale Documentation: The Curtiss JN-4
Jenny was put into service during World War
I to train US pilots at various fields here and
in the United Kingdom. B.D. Thomas and
Glenn Curtiss designed the aircraft, of which
more than 6,000 were eventually built.
The AeroDetail CD gives the modeler
some of the best detail shots of a museum
aircraft. It is not the Jenny shown on the cover
of the CD. I was expecting the Kelly Field
airframe, but it isn’t. The Kelly Field airframe
would have been the US Air Corps version.
Instead, enclosed is a civil version with
“Burt City Aero Co.” on the rudder. The
fuselage is a dark olive drab with “McWhorter
Bros.” on the left side.
There are detail shots of all the rigging,
bungee-cord suspension on the main landing
gear, wire wheels, cockpit instruments, engine
details including the exposed rocker arms, and
exhaust manifolds. There are turnbuckles and
cables galore, and also included are detail
shots of the outboard landing skids, which are
located under the lower wing panels.
The speed indicator is interesting; it has
120 mph on the high end. Don’t think I would
want to be in a Jenny going that fast! If you
like turnbuckles and rigging and many details,
this is a Scale subject for you.
I’ve never been up in a Jenny, but this
airframe really makes you want to take the
ride. Check it and many other aircraft types,
trainers included, out at Model Activity Press
Ltd., 63-65 Woodside Rd., Amersham, Bucks,
HP6 6AA, Great Britain. Remember that they
are eight hours ahead of us over there if you
call at 011-1494-433453. The Web site is
www.modelactivitypress.com. MA
Sources:
Bob’s Aircraft Documentation
3114 Yukon Ave.
Costa Mesa CA 92626
(714) 979-8058
www.bobsairdoc.com
Wendell Hostetler’s Plans
545 Jerome Dr.
Orrville OH 44667
(440) 682-8896
www.aero-sports.com/whplans
Balsa USA
Box 164
Marinette WI 54143
(906) 863-6421
www.balsausa.com
