Heinkel H.E. 18
IN 1924, only six years after the "war to end all wars," there were rumblings within Germany to circumvent the sanctions imposed by the allies. These sanctions precluded the re-creation of an aircraft industry. One of the prime players in the rebirth of German aviation was Dr. Ernst Heinkel, a brilliant professor and engineer. Heinkel developed a light, instructional plane which showed much promise by winning the Gothenburg competition in 1923. This was the basis for development of a much improved version, which emerged in 1924 as the Heinkel Model H.E. 18.
Letters to the Editor
AEROMODELING LOST one of its "quiet giants" on November 19, 1991 with the passing of Herbert J. Clukey of Fairfax, Virginia. Herb was a cofounder of Flyline Models and president of the firm until his untimely death at age 66. In addition to being responsible for many of the Flyline kit designs, he was the draftsman of a number of beautiful construction plans used in Model Aviation and other publications. Herb was born in Jackman, Maine, where he spent his entire youth until serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II. In addition to being an ardent modeler, he was a most talented musician and played tenor saxophone in several of the popular "big bands" of the postwar era.
Wiley Post Biplane
THE COLLAPSE of the stock market in 1929, followed by the great depression of the 1930s, came at a time when all Americans were filled with unprecedented enthusiasm for aviation. To a large extent this mania for flying was brought about by Lindbergh's successful Atlantic crossing, which was followed by other daring and history-making flights. With the economy as it was at that time, however, most of the enthusiasm manifested itself in the form of reading aviation publications and day dreaming of the time when one could afford to buy an airplane and become a pilot. Then, as at other times in our history, there were those determined and resourceful individuals who were not content to merely day dream. They had to put their dreams and ideas into action; into the development of actual hardware. Many barns, shops, and basements became small aircraft factories, just as is the case with homebuilders today, utilizing such tools, materials, and engines as could readily be obtained.
Fieseler Storch
IT IS SOMEWHAT ironical that one of the most ungainly aircraft ever designed should be the product of an accomplished aerobatic pilot and fighter ace. But such is the case of the "Storch." It was conceived, designed, and developed by Gerhard Fieseler, one of Germany's most renowned aerobatic pilots, and a World War I fighter "ace" with 22 victories. The Storch was the outgrowth of Fieseler's experience gained from work with light, highly-efficient aircraft during the early 1930s. It was one of three responses to an official specification issued in 1935 for a 2-3 seat, multi-purpose communications aircraft. The specification required that the latest aerodynamic highlift devices be used in order to obtain maximum short take-off and landing capabilities. It also specified that the 8-cylinder, inverted-Vee, 240-hp Argus engine be used. And thusly, the Fi 156 came into being when Fieseler's company, Fieseler-Flugzeugbau G.m.b.H., of Kassell-Bettenhausen, was awarded the contract.
Bed Check Charlie
THE PO 2, or the U-2 as it was first designated, can be likened to an Iron Curtain version of our Jenny, Travelair, and Stearman all in one. It was designed in 1927 as a replacement for the old Avro 504K's which were used as primary trainers for the Soviet Air Force up to that time. The success of the U-2 as a trainer is emphasized by the fact that almost 40,000 were produced and used by all of the communist nations. It not only proved to be a fine primary trainer but a capable agricultural aircraft, a flying ambulance, and a popular flying club ship as well. Probably one of the best known roles was that of "Bed-Check Charlie," when it was flown almost nightly by North Korean pilots through valleys and below radar nets to harass United Nations troops with hand grenades, light bombs, and machine gun fire. It was produced under license in Poland as the CSS-13 up to 1955, and many are still flying today as working-aircraft in all of the countries of the Sino-Soviet block.
