With the Model Builders
May 1941 Flying Aces

May 1941 Flying Aces Table of Contents These pages from vintage modeling magazines like Flying Aces, Air Trails, American Modeler, American Aircraft Modeler, Young Men, Flying Models, Model Airplane News, R/C Modeler, captured the era. All copyrights acknowledged.

Most magazines, whether hobby, professional, news, or otherwise focused, contain a section that features what its readers are up to. Typically included is some combination of reader comments, photos, editorial contents, contest reports, etc. Flying Aces magazine's version of that was "With the Model Builders." Except for a few pioneer experimenters there was not much in the way of radio control in 1941 when this column appeared, so it had free flight and control line models. One photo showed a guy who was getting ready to go into the Army to fight Hitler's and Tojo's minions passing his penchant for aeromodeling on to his little sister.

With the Model Builders

Before enlisting in the army, James Bauer, of New York City, gives his kid sister Helen a couple of pointers on building solid scales. The ship they're holding is a quarter-inch scale Boeing F4B-4.

Gliding nose high near the ground is most always fatal to a gas job, - but Walter Stobie's none too gentle heave gives the ship plenty forward speed to come out of it. Not a bad looker, is it?

Morris Mountjoy, of Hyattsville, Maryland, fastens the lock pins to hold the wings of his Brown-powered Waco. Wing panels are designed to sheer off upon impact without injuring rest of the structure.

The fact that this S.E.5 is so small isn't at all amazing. Human hair is used for guy wires!

Who said models have no personality? Sal Taibi is a big husky fellow. Look at his gassy. And gaunt Hank Shuck strikes a pose quite similar to the design of his ship. Just a couple of champs.

Here's an interesting looking job. It was designed by the Thelpsen brothers, of Loch Raven, Maryland, and was first flown at a city meet. The ship is Brown-powered, fast, and an extremely stable flyer.

Posted January 4, 2020