Letters to the Editor
All letters will be carefully considered; those of general interest will be used. Send to Model Aviation, 815 15th St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20005.
Not the Last of Bill Winter
I guess I can't qualify as a real old-timer, since I was introduced to model building in the Cub Scouts in 1942. But this started a lifelong love affair with the hobby that has been continuous since that time, even during my Army days, college, etc.
When any activity is all-consuming, there is the need to find out everything there is about it. Model magazines keep us in touch with what's happening, inspire new ideas, and, most important to the democratic process, provide a forum for differing viewpoints. I can hardly remember a time when there hasn't been some sort of controversy raging in the modeling world.
Anyway, the precise circumstances are not that important. What is essential is being able to drop the burden when the time is right. Retirement or semi-retirement for a model builder is paradise. (I wish I were in that position, but I must wait for quite some time.) There are so many projects, so many plans tucked away in a closet, and that notebook filled with sketches (some of which would be pretty good today, even though some date from the '50s).
Fan letters are not my thing. But this is intended to be just that. The name of Bill Winter means model building, and writing about it. It would be a shame to see you drop out of the mainstream of communicating with other modelers. However, whatever you do in your new activities, I know it will be directed toward promoting and enriching model building for everyone.
The picture in the August MA says it all. This hobby keeps us forever young. Of course, we are both slowing down in being able to shag after our models. But RC takes care of that.
Floyd Carter Los Altos, CA
All the good ones leave at some time or other
I am saddened to know that I will not have the pleasure and the benefit of Bill Winter's thoughts in the future. Through 40 years of modeling, I have followed him around the various magazines, and have enjoyed his efforts, although I never told him so. Best that it be done now.
To me, Model Aviation was Bill Winter's finest hour. In spite of the constant flak, month after month, he gave us the most consistently outstanding piece of model aviation literature ever published. Model Aviation provided the best substantive modeling material to be had anywhere. He obviously has a great skill; reading his work was to savor the thrill of a Bay Ridge Topper against the blue sky above Van Cortlandt Park. Thank you, Bill, for all your efforts for all these many years. They are appreciated.
Louis M. Guerrieri San Carlos, CA
I have just read with great distress Bill Winter's last column for your magazine. I have been involved with RC for only about a year or so, but I have come to appreciate "For Openers" more than any other regular column. It is, I think, his "old-fashioned" attitude toward flying—I can picture this man, alone or with a few companions, just watching his Buzzard make its leisurely way through the sky above some quiet field. It is this sense of simple enjoyment and tranquility (real or imagined) which attracted me to the sport last year, and I can sense it in Bill Winter as in no other featured contributor.
I wish merely to express my own appreciation for what Mr. Winter has given me in the past months, and to express my sincere desire that he may prosper in whatever endeavor he now chooses to pursue. I feel that I have lost someone whom I never had a chance to meet.
Jim Stein Maryland Heights, MO
Cannot really believe we have heard the last from Bill Winter. I certainly hope not, for he has been one of the few speakers over the years who has had his head screwed on all of the time. Not only as a pro-AMAC, but as a pro-modeler.
I do not concern myself over him and his future, but rather over us and our future if he is no longer heard from.
May I wish him well in whatever he does and thank him for all of his past efforts in our interests.
He is one of the greats.
Red Gunning Lumberton, NC
These four are only a small sampling of many letters received since word was out that Bill Winter has resigned as editor of Model Aviation magazine, not to mention the phone calls. Bill did have a big role in building MA to where it is today, and we are thankful—especially for the groundwork that he laid, which will make carrying on and reaching for new heights much easier. But will Bill really be gone? Not really—mostly just a change in roles. You'll see his beginning new feature, "Just For the Fun of It," on page 100 of this issue, and every month afterwards. Is Bill having fun? You bet!
He Made Our Day
Just a note to tell you how much I appreciate the article by Gene Page in April 1980 Model Aviation.
I have been flying Slow Combat for a few years, but the article by Gene Page encouraged me to try Fast. I have built three FAWFS and have been pleased with each one. This is also my first experience with foam. The wings I have cut show my inexperience, but they have been good enough to win some Combat matches. After seeing this airplane perform, three other men in our club are going to try it.
John E. Hudspeth Amarillo, TX
Let's Hear It for Safety Nuts
I enjoy reading Model Aviation every month. My present interest is Radio Control, but I have engaged in all facets of the hobby over the past 40 years. I have been a member of the Long Island Radio Control Society (AMA #456) for almost 20 years and have served as president for three years, vice-president for three years and secretary for almost six years. My present position is chairman of the Safety Committee, which is why I am writing to you now.
Since the inception of Model Aviation the feature model of the month has been shown on the ground and in flight without an AMA safety nut or rounded spinner on the propeller shaft. Our club has always enforced this rule along with all the other AMA safety rules. I feel that since all AMA members receive and read Model Aviation, the featured model of the month should comply with the safety rules.
When I go to our flying site each week I carry many extra spinners of all sizes (as does our Safety Committee) and loan them to new members who come to fly without any propeller shaft cover. Model Aviation should make our lives much easier by promoting the safety regulations.
Please continue the excellent job you are doing keeping Model Aviation up-to-date with the latest news in model aviation.
Glen Nesbitt Hempstead, NY
Yep, Times Have Changed
I've just recently returned to model building after a long absence. How things have changed! I didn't recognize most of the stuff in the local hobby shop: rockets, ducted fan units, planes made out of coffee cups, aliphatic and cyanoacrylate adhesives (Hot Stuff, Zap, etc.); new categories such as Manhattan Cabin, P-30, etc. I used to think pronouncing and spelling "Phineas Pinkham" was tough. Now, I'm confronted with "Schnurcler-ported."
Even the magazines looked different (boats in Model Airplane News?). I guess it's progress, but I do miss covers by Frank Tinsley and Jo Kotula.
Incidentally, I have quite a collection of old magazines, as well as a very early Megow pamphlet.
I was pleased to see the RC Dakota (someone sent me to it). My brothers and I built and flew many of the original FF versions. I was never able to demolish one. They either flew out of sight or were stolen. After building the first one, I couldn't believe it was going to fly—what with those stubby wings, and all that left thrust. But there was no way to test glide, so you just fired up the old Cox and tossed it. They always flew out of hand.
I only saw one Dakota that didn't fly. A guy at Mile Square (Fountain Valley) didn't believe that the left thrust should be in as directed, and changed it to right. The crash sheared off both wings on one side, and he handed the remains to me in disgust.
I used Ace balsa glider stock to replace the wings, shortening the lower panels by one inch each, and adding a like amount to the top for an unequal span. I installed "N" struts in place of "I" struts, and a different vertical fin to give it an old-fashioned look. It flew as well as the unmodified ones.
I'm sorry the original Dakota is not still kitted. It would be an ideal transition model for beginners. I also think there should be a place allowed for profile models to encourage beginners. I've had many fun hours with profiles, including some of my own designs. (I especially remember Bill Barnes' Silver Lancer, Nov. '61 American Modeler, Hobby Helpers #1161, and a Beechcraft D-17 in the March-April Sig Air-Modeler).
I'm sorry magazines for beginners don't seem to make it.
Speaking of Phineas Pinkham, I did a tribute to that joker in a pulp fanzine a few years back, and received a nice note from his mentor, author Joe Archibald. He is a prolific writer and a great cartoonist.
Well, as Phineas would say in his fractured French, "Adoo!"
Bud Owen Santa Ana, CA
Memories of the Dakota, that very flyable Free Flight biplane, will live on forever, or so it seems. And we think Bud is saying something significant when he relates that his modified version flew as well as those that were unmodified. Rubber-power profiles, indeed, are fun—and some guys use them as test-beds for working out "bugs" in bigger models, usually Scale. We have an article by Don S. coming up which explains how he does this and features a plan for a rubber-power profile Japanese Navy Shinden.
RC Milestones
Just back from England with a lot to report on Ducted Fans, but am now catching up on my reading.
I had a letter from D. B. Mathews, who thinks that the Super Brigadier was the first trainer—before the Live Wire and the Beam by over a year.
More important, and it's always omission problems in such articles, I think that Plecan should have mentioned Joe Raspanete's Monster Buccaneer of 1939. This was the first digital RC (not proportional). It used a telephone-dial system (dial "0" to "wipe out" all controls and return to neutral). A two-speed Foster 99 powered it, and it was shown on the back of Berkeley's 1940 catalog.
Joe had the potential to win the Nats, but the Good Brothers had the flying experience.
Also a milestone was Hank Struck's 2-in.-scale Cessna 170 (Berkeley kit), probably the first RC to log 100 hours. And Hank's Buster (still flying) probably was the first Quarter-Scale RC.
Not well-known, but at the beginning of the Galloping Ghost era was Bill Jonke's Impulse, a terrific trainer that didn't go over commercially.
Bill Elfinger Atlanta, GA
We think that Paul Plecan has earned high marks for his "Milestones in RC" in the July issue. In articles like this, we always brace ourselves for an onslaught of suggestions of models which should have been included. But as we knew he would, Plecan did very careful work. For those who might not know, Bill Elfinger headed up Berkeley Models for many years. During its heyday, Berkeley was probably the biggest U.S. kit maker, if not the biggest in the world.
Quarter-Scale in England
May I congratulate you on a fine magazine. I have been reading AMA's official publication for some time now; however, the May and June 1980 issues have really taken my eye, in particular Henry Haffke's 1/4-scale Gee Bee Senior Sportster Model Y. I would, therefore, consider it an honor if you would send me the plans of this 1/4-scale model. Plan number is 299.
One-fourth scale is only just beginning to "take off" in this country. I have almost completed a 1/4-scale Cub built from Sid Morgan's plans. Power will be a Webra 91, radio will be a Kraft and, hopefully, my next 1/4-scale model will be the Gee Bee.
P.S. Please keep up the good work.
James Bunke Desford, Leicester, England
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
