Model Aviation Magazine, AMA - Airplanes and Rockets

Sketchbook - Model Building Tips
January 1962 American Modeler

January 1962 American Modeler Cover - Airplanes and Rockets

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.

This Sketchbook was scanned from the January 1962 American Modeler, page 38. Most building tips are timeless. Even in this era of ready-to-fly (RTF), almost-ready-to-fly (ARF), bind-and-fly (BAF), etc., there are still many modelers who build their own aircraft. Nearly all top tier competition fliers build their own models, as do aficionados of vintage (aka old-timer) models. Some guys just would rather build than buy a pre-build airplane, whether from a kit or from plans.

This page has links to every edition of Sketchbook that I have so far.

- Airplanes and Rockets

This Sketchbook was scanned from the January 1962 American Modeler, page 38. There are a couple ideas in this edition that I would not recommend. The first is a method for attaching the primary handle of your control line model to a separate handle that allows the primary to pivot, thereby enabling the pilot to simply hold the contraption above his head and letting the airplane fly in circles without the pilot needing to turn with it. It might seem clever, but I can imagine a whole lot of things that could go wrong with that scenario! The second not-recommended item is placing a piece of sponge material between a transistor package and the circuit board and then saturating it with a volatile chemical prior to soldering the leads in order to allow the evaporative action wick the heat away from the package. It is like putting lighter fluid on charcoal briquettes if the soldering iron/gun gets hot enough and the flash point of the chemical is low enough.

- Airplanes and Rockets

Special drying cabinet built by Harry J. Miller - Airplanes and Rockets

Special drying cabinet, built by Harry J. Miller, Sarasota, Florida, contains heating elements, filter and blower to speed up drying of painted parts and minimize dust nuisance.

control line model is "in the groove," special . handle designed by Frank Kreiger - Airplanes and Rockets

Once control line model is "in the groove," special . handle designed by Frank Kreiger, Shamokin, Pennsylvania allows "pilot" to stand without turning, holding handle above head. Tilt vertically for control.

Austrian modeler, Franz Czerny suggests improvement for sheet balsa wings - Airplanes and Rockets

Well-known Austrian modeler, Franz Czerny suggests improvement for sheet balsa wings to enhance performance and strength. Addition of sheets between ribs adds torsional stiffness.

Vernon Van Diver, Jr, protects transistors - Airplanes and Rockets

Vernon Van Diver, Jr., Woolford, Maryland, protects transistors from heat of soldering by felt or blotting paper spacers, saturating them with acetone or thinner for cooling by evaporation.

New life for leaky air wheels is tip from John Everett - Airplanes and Rockets

New life for leaky air wheels is tip from John Everett, Columbus, Ohio. Holes located underwater, marked, vulcanized by means of piece of rubber band and soldering iron. Worth trying!

Handy for turning wing tanks - Airplanes and Rockets

Handy for turning wing tanks, nose cones, spinners, of balsa is elemental lathe, assembled by Richard Gard, Casey, Illinois, from simple parts and electric motor.

Sketchbook Editions
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Back when the Sketchbook, Gadgetry, Powerless Pointers, and Engine Info columns were run, there were very few pre-built models, and there simply was not as much available in the way of hardware and specialized modeling tools. We were still a nation of designers and builders. The workforce was full of people who worked on production lines, built houses and buildings with hand tools, and did not have distractions like Nintendos and X-Boxes. Remember that plastics were not common material until the early 50s and the transistor wasn't invented until late 47. Enjoy the tips. Some of you will no doubt wax nostalgic over the methods, since you can remember the days when you did the exact same thing!

Posted May 26, 2013





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Kirt Blattenberger Carpe Diem! (Seize the Day!) Even during the busiest times of my life I have endeavored to maintain some form of model building activity. This site has been created to help me chronicle my journey through a lifelong involvement in model aviation, which all began in Mayo, MD ...
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