THERE ARE MANY reasons why we get
into Scale modeling. Many of us began
dreaming about flying before we could even
drive.
I recently saw an Air Trails magazine I
have from February 1939—almost 70 years
ago—and it cost 15¢. The cover read, “You,
Too, Can Be an Army Aviator!”
Although this magazine was published
before I was born, it still brings back
childhood memories of our local Berry
Field Airport here in Nashville, Tennessee.
A multitude of different aircraft have flown
in and out of there between the 1950s and
today.
Memories are just one of many reasons I
keep old magazines around year after year.
The Air Trails cover shows a Lockheed
Connie flying over the Golden Gate Bridge
in San Francisco, California, with what
looks to be the USS United States passing
underneath the bridge at the same time. It
signals a change in transportation
throughout the country—and around the
world, for that matter.
One of the magazine’s articles is “News
of the Aero-nautical World Presented in
Pictures,” and it features the Vickers
bomber, the new XP-40, and the DC-3. The
feature called “Air Student” stresses that,
Also included in this column:
• The PA-11 gets its tail
• The new Old Crow
• Worth a visit virtually or in
person
• The Tophatters story
• Upcoming event news
training in construction, rigging, and
aerodynamics was part of the basic training
for flight back then.
Wow! I wish every AMA club had such
in-depth programs now.
The article I particularly enjoyed was
“Air Hostess.” It revealed many changes in
flight attendants’ jobs throughout the years.
Each young lady of the time carried 1,177
items along with her for each flight for the
passengers’ comfort and pleasure while
flying.
Another of that Air Trails’ features is
about the NAA, or National Aeronautic
Association, which includes full-scale and
model pilots. It even has a photo of the fullscale
Stinson Reliant along with a scale
model. We still take those kinds of pictures
today.
The back of the magazine features
articles about modeling, including plans and
text for the Lackey Zenith, three-views of
the Fokker T-V Dutch bomber and Boeing
XBFB1 biplane, and a photo section called
“Model Matters.” It shows what we refer to
as “old-timers” and scale models, all with a
great deal of dihedral in the wings.
Things have changed, but we still enjoy
building the same types of models.
However, according to one of the
advertisements, you could purchase a Model
D Brown Jr. engine for only $10.
On the inside of the back cover, a onepage
ad promotes solid scale models of the
Martin bomber, Lockheed Electra, Bell
Airacuda fighter, and others, including the
winner of the 1938 Nationals: the Zenith.
A column in the February 1939 Air
Trails is titled “Gliding and Soaring,” and it
features the Schweizer and Pegasus. The
article gives an account of the first flight in
a glider for a student.
We don’t see many Scale glider meets in
this country today; they seem to be more
popular in Europe. This flying segment’s
popularity may rise again in the US. Is
anyone out there building Scale gliders?
Radio systems were primitive in the
1950s and early 1960s. Even when I grew
up in the 1960s, CL models were
predominant in the local scene here in
Nashville. We were lucky to have both
Hobby Lobby and Bob Ruther’s RC World
for modeling supplies. But the import of
Japanese radios made it possible for many
to try radio control.
Piper PA-11: I’ve received several e-mails
about the PA-11, and there is a lot of
interest in Piper products other than the
tried-and-true J-3 Cub. Bill Linke wrote:
“I have had an interest in the PA-11 for
a number of years and have modified
several model Cubs to this scheme. There
are several subtle differences between the
J-3 and the PA-11, besides the cowling and
the nose bowl. The airplane was equipped
with a tank in the left wing. The fuel gauge
was a glass ‘finger’ that stuck down below
the wing with a wire float in it.
“With the full cowl, and wing tank,
there was no need for a nose fuel tank, so
the whole booth cowl is changed, allowing
the windscreen to slope more than the J-3
series airplanes. In the real airplane, the
front seat is higher and the airplane solos
from the front seat instead of the rear as in
all the J-3 airplanes. With the heavier
engine in the PA-11 and PA-18 Super Cubs
the forward pilot seating became standard.”
My PA-11 is coming along more slowly
as we get into the holiday season; I can’t get
into the shop as much as I would like. I have
started the covering and finished the fillets
on the vertical fin.
When making these fillets on the model,
do not glue the fin to the stabilizer before
you make the fillets from the triangle stock
provided in the kit. Before you glue the
fillets to the fin, do as much carving and
sanding as possible.
Use a regular X-Acto knife with a new
blade. Make a pencil outline to show where
you will be cutting on the triangle stock to
make the part fit. Sand the parts down, being
careful to check the fit often.
When you are satisfied, set the vertical
fin on the stabilizer and put the fillets in
place. Stand back and look at them; ensure
that they are equal in both shape and length,
while making sure that they will produce a
scale outline when covered.
Retired Colonel Bud Anderson’s Web site
is great source of WW II music, photos, and
history of the 357th Fighter Group. There are
free screen savers of the P-51B “Old Crow”
and many other photos.
The pictures would interest many Scale
modelers, and the music is a nice touch. The
site also contains a great article and photos
of Jack Roush’s P-51B “Old Crow” that
were published in the October 2008 Flight
Journal magazine.
If you really like the Old Crow, Airborne
Media has a photo pack available that
includes information about the aircraft and
three-views for Scale modelers. Check out
the great set of photos from this past
summer’s EAA [Experimental Aircraft
Association] AirVenture event in Oshkosh,
Wisconsin. There are more than 80 prints,
for $15.95 plus shipping.
I’ve mentioned that if you take a trip to
Florida’s Gulf Coast, you should visit the
National Naval Aviation Museum in
Pensacola, Florida. You can easily spend a
day there—or three. (I’ll get in trouble with
my wife if we do that again.) I’ve been to
many museums related to aviation, and this
one is in the top three on my list.
The Web site gives you an idea of
what is available to photograph before
you go. Most of the airplanes are fully
accessible to the public, and tours of the
restoration facility are available if you ask
in advance. The site includes the
museum’s airplane roster, program
details, information about the café inside
the museum and gift shop, and
information about the IMAX theater.
The research facility is open to the public
and is manned by retired naval personnel. It
amazes me how well lit the museum is
compared to others, such as the National
Museum of the United States Air Force in
Dayton, Ohio, and clean it is. I have no
problem crawling around on the floor,
taking detail shots for whatever project
comes to mind. Check out the Web site and
the museum.
Squadron Signal Publications produces
books covering many military subjects,
including armor, ships, and—my favorite—
military aviation. Fighter Squadron
Fourteen “Tophatters” is by Thomas F.
Gates. The 80-page, card-stock-cover
volume includes history from the beginning
of naval aviation in 1919 through 1991.
The Tophatters transitioned from
biplanes to the F-14 Tomcat fighters
throughout its history. There are some great
shots of vintage biplanes such as the Curtiss
F8C-4 Helldiver, the Curtiss F11 Goshawk,
and the Vought Vindicator, or “Wind
Indicator” as it was called. Also featured are
black-and-white photos of other navalaviation
fighters and bombers.
I have enjoyed the book and found a
good bit of information in it. Check out the
Squadron Web site for more information.
Scale fly-ins and contests are great places to
meet others who are infected with the same
virus, or whatever it is, that makes us want
to build these models. As I’ve reported
throughout the years, one of the great groups
that puts together a good time is the One
Eighth Air Force.
The One Eighth Air Force Scale Fly-In
will be held March 21-22 (it is traditionally
held the next to last weekend in March) in
the Phoenix, Arizona, area. Last year it was
held at the AMPS field. For more
information about this gathering, go to the
club’s Web site and click on the events
calendar.
The U.S. Scale Masters Championships
will be held in Wenatchee, Washington
(known as the “Apple Capital of the
World”), September 10-13. The town is
located north of Yakima, in central
Washington. Check out the Web site or call
to obtain more details. MA
Sources:
Col. Bud Anderson’s Web Site:
www.cebudanderson.com
Airborne Media
(513) 755-7494
www.airbornemedia.com
National Naval Aviation Museum
(850) 452-3604 or (850) 452-3606
www.navalaviationmuseum.org
Squadron
(877) 414-0434
www.squadron.com
One Eighth Air Force Fly-In:
www.oneeighthairforce.org
U.S. Scale Masters Championships
(714) 894-2747
www.scalemasters.org
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/02
Page Numbers: 122,123,124
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/02
Page Numbers: 122,123,124
THERE ARE MANY reasons why we get
into Scale modeling. Many of us began
dreaming about flying before we could even
drive.
I recently saw an Air Trails magazine I
have from February 1939—almost 70 years
ago—and it cost 15¢. The cover read, “You,
Too, Can Be an Army Aviator!”
Although this magazine was published
before I was born, it still brings back
childhood memories of our local Berry
Field Airport here in Nashville, Tennessee.
A multitude of different aircraft have flown
in and out of there between the 1950s and
today.
Memories are just one of many reasons I
keep old magazines around year after year.
The Air Trails cover shows a Lockheed
Connie flying over the Golden Gate Bridge
in San Francisco, California, with what
looks to be the USS United States passing
underneath the bridge at the same time. It
signals a change in transportation
throughout the country—and around the
world, for that matter.
One of the magazine’s articles is “News
of the Aero-nautical World Presented in
Pictures,” and it features the Vickers
bomber, the new XP-40, and the DC-3. The
feature called “Air Student” stresses that,
Also included in this column:
• The PA-11 gets its tail
• The new Old Crow
• Worth a visit virtually or in
person
• The Tophatters story
• Upcoming event news
training in construction, rigging, and
aerodynamics was part of the basic training
for flight back then.
Wow! I wish every AMA club had such
in-depth programs now.
The article I particularly enjoyed was
“Air Hostess.” It revealed many changes in
flight attendants’ jobs throughout the years.
Each young lady of the time carried 1,177
items along with her for each flight for the
passengers’ comfort and pleasure while
flying.
Another of that Air Trails’ features is
about the NAA, or National Aeronautic
Association, which includes full-scale and
model pilots. It even has a photo of the fullscale
Stinson Reliant along with a scale
model. We still take those kinds of pictures
today.
The back of the magazine features
articles about modeling, including plans and
text for the Lackey Zenith, three-views of
the Fokker T-V Dutch bomber and Boeing
XBFB1 biplane, and a photo section called
“Model Matters.” It shows what we refer to
as “old-timers” and scale models, all with a
great deal of dihedral in the wings.
Things have changed, but we still enjoy
building the same types of models.
However, according to one of the
advertisements, you could purchase a Model
D Brown Jr. engine for only $10.
On the inside of the back cover, a onepage
ad promotes solid scale models of the
Martin bomber, Lockheed Electra, Bell
Airacuda fighter, and others, including the
winner of the 1938 Nationals: the Zenith.
A column in the February 1939 Air
Trails is titled “Gliding and Soaring,” and it
features the Schweizer and Pegasus. The
article gives an account of the first flight in
a glider for a student.
We don’t see many Scale glider meets in
this country today; they seem to be more
popular in Europe. This flying segment’s
popularity may rise again in the US. Is
anyone out there building Scale gliders?
Radio systems were primitive in the
1950s and early 1960s. Even when I grew
up in the 1960s, CL models were
predominant in the local scene here in
Nashville. We were lucky to have both
Hobby Lobby and Bob Ruther’s RC World
for modeling supplies. But the import of
Japanese radios made it possible for many
to try radio control.
Piper PA-11: I’ve received several e-mails
about the PA-11, and there is a lot of
interest in Piper products other than the
tried-and-true J-3 Cub. Bill Linke wrote:
“I have had an interest in the PA-11 for
a number of years and have modified
several model Cubs to this scheme. There
are several subtle differences between the
J-3 and the PA-11, besides the cowling and
the nose bowl. The airplane was equipped
with a tank in the left wing. The fuel gauge
was a glass ‘finger’ that stuck down below
the wing with a wire float in it.
“With the full cowl, and wing tank,
there was no need for a nose fuel tank, so
the whole booth cowl is changed, allowing
the windscreen to slope more than the J-3
series airplanes. In the real airplane, the
front seat is higher and the airplane solos
from the front seat instead of the rear as in
all the J-3 airplanes. With the heavier
engine in the PA-11 and PA-18 Super Cubs
the forward pilot seating became standard.”
My PA-11 is coming along more slowly
as we get into the holiday season; I can’t get
into the shop as much as I would like. I have
started the covering and finished the fillets
on the vertical fin.
When making these fillets on the model,
do not glue the fin to the stabilizer before
you make the fillets from the triangle stock
provided in the kit. Before you glue the
fillets to the fin, do as much carving and
sanding as possible.
Use a regular X-Acto knife with a new
blade. Make a pencil outline to show where
you will be cutting on the triangle stock to
make the part fit. Sand the parts down, being
careful to check the fit often.
When you are satisfied, set the vertical
fin on the stabilizer and put the fillets in
place. Stand back and look at them; ensure
that they are equal in both shape and length,
while making sure that they will produce a
scale outline when covered.
Retired Colonel Bud Anderson’s Web site
is great source of WW II music, photos, and
history of the 357th Fighter Group. There are
free screen savers of the P-51B “Old Crow”
and many other photos.
The pictures would interest many Scale
modelers, and the music is a nice touch. The
site also contains a great article and photos
of Jack Roush’s P-51B “Old Crow” that
were published in the October 2008 Flight
Journal magazine.
If you really like the Old Crow, Airborne
Media has a photo pack available that
includes information about the aircraft and
three-views for Scale modelers. Check out
the great set of photos from this past
summer’s EAA [Experimental Aircraft
Association] AirVenture event in Oshkosh,
Wisconsin. There are more than 80 prints,
for $15.95 plus shipping.
I’ve mentioned that if you take a trip to
Florida’s Gulf Coast, you should visit the
National Naval Aviation Museum in
Pensacola, Florida. You can easily spend a
day there—or three. (I’ll get in trouble with
my wife if we do that again.) I’ve been to
many museums related to aviation, and this
one is in the top three on my list.
The Web site gives you an idea of
what is available to photograph before
you go. Most of the airplanes are fully
accessible to the public, and tours of the
restoration facility are available if you ask
in advance. The site includes the
museum’s airplane roster, program
details, information about the café inside
the museum and gift shop, and
information about the IMAX theater.
The research facility is open to the public
and is manned by retired naval personnel. It
amazes me how well lit the museum is
compared to others, such as the National
Museum of the United States Air Force in
Dayton, Ohio, and clean it is. I have no
problem crawling around on the floor,
taking detail shots for whatever project
comes to mind. Check out the Web site and
the museum.
Squadron Signal Publications produces
books covering many military subjects,
including armor, ships, and—my favorite—
military aviation. Fighter Squadron
Fourteen “Tophatters” is by Thomas F.
Gates. The 80-page, card-stock-cover
volume includes history from the beginning
of naval aviation in 1919 through 1991.
The Tophatters transitioned from
biplanes to the F-14 Tomcat fighters
throughout its history. There are some great
shots of vintage biplanes such as the Curtiss
F8C-4 Helldiver, the Curtiss F11 Goshawk,
and the Vought Vindicator, or “Wind
Indicator” as it was called. Also featured are
black-and-white photos of other navalaviation
fighters and bombers.
I have enjoyed the book and found a
good bit of information in it. Check out the
Squadron Web site for more information.
Scale fly-ins and contests are great places to
meet others who are infected with the same
virus, or whatever it is, that makes us want
to build these models. As I’ve reported
throughout the years, one of the great groups
that puts together a good time is the One
Eighth Air Force.
The One Eighth Air Force Scale Fly-In
will be held March 21-22 (it is traditionally
held the next to last weekend in March) in
the Phoenix, Arizona, area. Last year it was
held at the AMPS field. For more
information about this gathering, go to the
club’s Web site and click on the events
calendar.
The U.S. Scale Masters Championships
will be held in Wenatchee, Washington
(known as the “Apple Capital of the
World”), September 10-13. The town is
located north of Yakima, in central
Washington. Check out the Web site or call
to obtain more details. MA
Sources:
Col. Bud Anderson’s Web Site:
www.cebudanderson.com
Airborne Media
(513) 755-7494
www.airbornemedia.com
National Naval Aviation Museum
(850) 452-3604 or (850) 452-3606
www.navalaviationmuseum.org
Squadron
(877) 414-0434
www.squadron.com
One Eighth Air Force Fly-In:
www.oneeighthairforce.org
U.S. Scale Masters Championships
(714) 894-2747
www.scalemasters.org
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/02
Page Numbers: 122,123,124
THERE ARE MANY reasons why we get
into Scale modeling. Many of us began
dreaming about flying before we could even
drive.
I recently saw an Air Trails magazine I
have from February 1939—almost 70 years
ago—and it cost 15¢. The cover read, “You,
Too, Can Be an Army Aviator!”
Although this magazine was published
before I was born, it still brings back
childhood memories of our local Berry
Field Airport here in Nashville, Tennessee.
A multitude of different aircraft have flown
in and out of there between the 1950s and
today.
Memories are just one of many reasons I
keep old magazines around year after year.
The Air Trails cover shows a Lockheed
Connie flying over the Golden Gate Bridge
in San Francisco, California, with what
looks to be the USS United States passing
underneath the bridge at the same time. It
signals a change in transportation
throughout the country—and around the
world, for that matter.
One of the magazine’s articles is “News
of the Aero-nautical World Presented in
Pictures,” and it features the Vickers
bomber, the new XP-40, and the DC-3. The
feature called “Air Student” stresses that,
Also included in this column:
• The PA-11 gets its tail
• The new Old Crow
• Worth a visit virtually or in
person
• The Tophatters story
• Upcoming event news
training in construction, rigging, and
aerodynamics was part of the basic training
for flight back then.
Wow! I wish every AMA club had such
in-depth programs now.
The article I particularly enjoyed was
“Air Hostess.” It revealed many changes in
flight attendants’ jobs throughout the years.
Each young lady of the time carried 1,177
items along with her for each flight for the
passengers’ comfort and pleasure while
flying.
Another of that Air Trails’ features is
about the NAA, or National Aeronautic
Association, which includes full-scale and
model pilots. It even has a photo of the fullscale
Stinson Reliant along with a scale
model. We still take those kinds of pictures
today.
The back of the magazine features
articles about modeling, including plans and
text for the Lackey Zenith, three-views of
the Fokker T-V Dutch bomber and Boeing
XBFB1 biplane, and a photo section called
“Model Matters.” It shows what we refer to
as “old-timers” and scale models, all with a
great deal of dihedral in the wings.
Things have changed, but we still enjoy
building the same types of models.
However, according to one of the
advertisements, you could purchase a Model
D Brown Jr. engine for only $10.
On the inside of the back cover, a onepage
ad promotes solid scale models of the
Martin bomber, Lockheed Electra, Bell
Airacuda fighter, and others, including the
winner of the 1938 Nationals: the Zenith.
A column in the February 1939 Air
Trails is titled “Gliding and Soaring,” and it
features the Schweizer and Pegasus. The
article gives an account of the first flight in
a glider for a student.
We don’t see many Scale glider meets in
this country today; they seem to be more
popular in Europe. This flying segment’s
popularity may rise again in the US. Is
anyone out there building Scale gliders?
Radio systems were primitive in the
1950s and early 1960s. Even when I grew
up in the 1960s, CL models were
predominant in the local scene here in
Nashville. We were lucky to have both
Hobby Lobby and Bob Ruther’s RC World
for modeling supplies. But the import of
Japanese radios made it possible for many
to try radio control.
Piper PA-11: I’ve received several e-mails
about the PA-11, and there is a lot of
interest in Piper products other than the
tried-and-true J-3 Cub. Bill Linke wrote:
“I have had an interest in the PA-11 for
a number of years and have modified
several model Cubs to this scheme. There
are several subtle differences between the
J-3 and the PA-11, besides the cowling and
the nose bowl. The airplane was equipped
with a tank in the left wing. The fuel gauge
was a glass ‘finger’ that stuck down below
the wing with a wire float in it.
“With the full cowl, and wing tank,
there was no need for a nose fuel tank, so
the whole booth cowl is changed, allowing
the windscreen to slope more than the J-3
series airplanes. In the real airplane, the
front seat is higher and the airplane solos
from the front seat instead of the rear as in
all the J-3 airplanes. With the heavier
engine in the PA-11 and PA-18 Super Cubs
the forward pilot seating became standard.”
My PA-11 is coming along more slowly
as we get into the holiday season; I can’t get
into the shop as much as I would like. I have
started the covering and finished the fillets
on the vertical fin.
When making these fillets on the model,
do not glue the fin to the stabilizer before
you make the fillets from the triangle stock
provided in the kit. Before you glue the
fillets to the fin, do as much carving and
sanding as possible.
Use a regular X-Acto knife with a new
blade. Make a pencil outline to show where
you will be cutting on the triangle stock to
make the part fit. Sand the parts down, being
careful to check the fit often.
When you are satisfied, set the vertical
fin on the stabilizer and put the fillets in
place. Stand back and look at them; ensure
that they are equal in both shape and length,
while making sure that they will produce a
scale outline when covered.
Retired Colonel Bud Anderson’s Web site
is great source of WW II music, photos, and
history of the 357th Fighter Group. There are
free screen savers of the P-51B “Old Crow”
and many other photos.
The pictures would interest many Scale
modelers, and the music is a nice touch. The
site also contains a great article and photos
of Jack Roush’s P-51B “Old Crow” that
were published in the October 2008 Flight
Journal magazine.
If you really like the Old Crow, Airborne
Media has a photo pack available that
includes information about the aircraft and
three-views for Scale modelers. Check out
the great set of photos from this past
summer’s EAA [Experimental Aircraft
Association] AirVenture event in Oshkosh,
Wisconsin. There are more than 80 prints,
for $15.95 plus shipping.
I’ve mentioned that if you take a trip to
Florida’s Gulf Coast, you should visit the
National Naval Aviation Museum in
Pensacola, Florida. You can easily spend a
day there—or three. (I’ll get in trouble with
my wife if we do that again.) I’ve been to
many museums related to aviation, and this
one is in the top three on my list.
The Web site gives you an idea of
what is available to photograph before
you go. Most of the airplanes are fully
accessible to the public, and tours of the
restoration facility are available if you ask
in advance. The site includes the
museum’s airplane roster, program
details, information about the café inside
the museum and gift shop, and
information about the IMAX theater.
The research facility is open to the public
and is manned by retired naval personnel. It
amazes me how well lit the museum is
compared to others, such as the National
Museum of the United States Air Force in
Dayton, Ohio, and clean it is. I have no
problem crawling around on the floor,
taking detail shots for whatever project
comes to mind. Check out the Web site and
the museum.
Squadron Signal Publications produces
books covering many military subjects,
including armor, ships, and—my favorite—
military aviation. Fighter Squadron
Fourteen “Tophatters” is by Thomas F.
Gates. The 80-page, card-stock-cover
volume includes history from the beginning
of naval aviation in 1919 through 1991.
The Tophatters transitioned from
biplanes to the F-14 Tomcat fighters
throughout its history. There are some great
shots of vintage biplanes such as the Curtiss
F8C-4 Helldiver, the Curtiss F11 Goshawk,
and the Vought Vindicator, or “Wind
Indicator” as it was called. Also featured are
black-and-white photos of other navalaviation
fighters and bombers.
I have enjoyed the book and found a
good bit of information in it. Check out the
Squadron Web site for more information.
Scale fly-ins and contests are great places to
meet others who are infected with the same
virus, or whatever it is, that makes us want
to build these models. As I’ve reported
throughout the years, one of the great groups
that puts together a good time is the One
Eighth Air Force.
The One Eighth Air Force Scale Fly-In
will be held March 21-22 (it is traditionally
held the next to last weekend in March) in
the Phoenix, Arizona, area. Last year it was
held at the AMPS field. For more
information about this gathering, go to the
club’s Web site and click on the events
calendar.
The U.S. Scale Masters Championships
will be held in Wenatchee, Washington
(known as the “Apple Capital of the
World”), September 10-13. The town is
located north of Yakima, in central
Washington. Check out the Web site or call
to obtain more details. MA
Sources:
Col. Bud Anderson’s Web Site:
www.cebudanderson.com
Airborne Media
(513) 755-7494
www.airbornemedia.com
National Naval Aviation Museum
(850) 452-3604 or (850) 452-3606
www.navalaviationmuseum.org
Squadron
(877) 414-0434
www.squadron.com
One Eighth Air Force Fly-In:
www.oneeighthairforce.org
U.S. Scale Masters Championships
(714) 894-2747
www.scalemasters.org
