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Fixit Wright - Model Comic
from the May 1958 edition of Flying Models

Airplanes and Rockets - May 1958 Flying Models cover
Aircraft modeling has undergone significant changes over the decades - both in technology and preferences. Magazines like American Aircraft Modeler, and American Modeler before that, were the best venues for capturing snapshots of the status quo of the day.

I have been scanning and posting excerpts from my collection of AAM and AM, concentrating on model building articles and old advertisements. Whether you are here to wax nostalgic, or are just interested in learning history, hopefully you will find what you are seeking. As time permits, I will be glad to scan articles for you. All copyrights (if any) are hereby acknowledged.
Mr. Bob Buragas and Mr. Gil Evans drew this comic strip titled "Fixit Wright" for the May 1958 edition of Flying Models magazine. The theme of the radio running out of range is a familiar one to old timers. I'm not sure how often that happens with modern radio. My first radio system was a 3-channel OS Digital job that was lucky to reach 1,000 feet. It was highly affected by model orientation and altitude. Back in the early 1970s, my Andrews S-Ray was flying at the original PGRC flying site in Prince Georges, MD, when it went out of range. As I had done too many times in the past, I began running at top speed toward the airplane with the transmitter held high over my head, hoping to re-acquire a lock. It didn't happen that time, and the plane went down in the massive corn field that surrounded the site. My flying buddy Jerry Flynn and I combed the field for an hour or so with no luck. It was getting dark, so we returned the next day and found if just a few feet from a big tree. I was lucky that time. It sure would have been nice to have had a friend with a full-size airplane to help look for it.

I don't know whether this Fixit Wright comic is the first and only of its kind, but the couple Flying Models I own of this vintage do not have other episodes. If you have editions of any of these old magazines and would either scan the comics and e-mails them to me, or perhaps send me the magazine (I'll pay shipping), I'll be glad to post them.


Airplanes and Rockets - Fixit Wright comic from the May 1958 Flying Models


Airplanes and Rockets - Fixit Wright comic from the May 1958 Flying Models

Bill Hutchison - June 1957 American Modeler, page 47