Swiss World War 2 fighter
TO THE SWISS, perhaps more than any other nation, war is abhorrent and a phenomenon peculiar to others. Despite their aversion to violence, the Swiss will readily fight to maintain their now traditional neutrality. The Swiss Air Force is unique in that its personnel are militia-civilians for more than 10 months of each year! The terms of the Swiss Confederation expressly forbid the maintenance of regular forces. The Flugwaffe, as the Swiss Air arm is generally known, is a true component of the militia. The tasks of the Flugwaffe have remained virtually unchanged throughout the history of Swiss military aviation, namely, to ensure the integrity of Swiss air space by challenging and, if necessary, destroying any intruder; defending Switzerland from aerial attack, and providing strike and reconnaissance support for Swiss ground forces.
U.S. Mail - Cardboard Douglas M-2
WHAT WOULD you say if I told you it was possible to build a semi-scale control-line model biplane with a 50-in. wingspan for less than $10 in material costs? Well, before you say it can't be done, take a look at the pictures of the Douglas M-2 biplane model presented in this article, because it was built for less than $10 in material costs. Sound interesting? You bet it is! But what can this new wonder material be? I'll give you a few hints. It's something you see everyday and you probably have enough of it around your house, garage or attic right now to build a large-sized model airplane. Well, before you become a candidate for a straitjacket, I'll tell you. It's cardboard, plain old 1/8-in. corrugated cardboard.
Cardboard: FW190
It's apparent from these views that the model is proportioned nicely both for proper balance and flyability. Scale is 2 in. equals 1 ft., which gives a wingspan of 70 in. and fuselage length of 58 in. The color scheme, trim, and rounded shapes result in a realistic Stand-Off Scale look.
Ki-61 Hien
THE PROTOTYPE AIRCRAFT (its name meaning flying swallow in Japanese) was completed in December 1941. It was powered by an Ha-40 liquid-cooled engine which was a revised and lightened version of the German DB601 engine. The Hien reached a speed of 368 mph and performed very well against a captured P-40 and a Bf 109 sent to Japan by submarine. The Hien was a radical departure from traditional Japanese Imperial Army Air Service fighter designs. These earlier aircraft were lightly armed, lightly loaded, and were highly maneuverable. By contrast, the Hien stressed speed and climb-and-dive characteristics. It marked the introduction of pilot armor protection and self-sealing fuel tanks in a Japanese fighter. It also possessed substantially heavier fire power and a markedly sturdier airframe.
Heinkel 100
WHEN THE GERMAN military machine passed over Ernst Heinkel's He 112 in favor of the Messerschmitt Me 109, a disappointed but determined Heinkel made up his mind to build a fighter that was second to none. To prove his engineering talents to the world (and in particular those who'd picked the Me 109 over his offering), he made it one of his chief design aims to break the 450 mph speed record. The result of his avenging efforts was the He 100 fighter.
