Kenny's Old Time Model Airplane Magazine:
June 2004
Editorial
Hi Gang! Welcome back to these glowing pages. Summer has arrived and by now most of the free world should be free of snow. Heck it is even nice up here.
Last issue I mentioned that I'd like to be able to present the entire content of these magazines, to be able to transport you back 60 to 70 years into the past. This issue, rather than cherry picking highlights from various issues, we'll look at just one magazine, Flying Aces April, 1936. With this I hope to keep all the features within some historical context, and also illustrate just how jam packed with goodies a typical issue was. As it is, I will still only post some of the 100 pages!
I'll keep the intro brief this month and get right into the guts of this issue. Sit back and enjoy Vol 6 No. 1, a slightly different version of
Kenny's Old Time Model Airplane Magazine
The Story
There is no better way to start off a fine summer than with a lighthearted Joe Archibald yarn starring the Phearless Phineas Pinkham.
The story begins with, "Once he got a taste of von Kruller..." I don't know about the rest of you, but this stuff just cracks me up. This has got to be a labour of love. Between the mock German, the italics and the made up words, these stories take forever to edit, but like I said, it just cracks me up :-)
Like all of this months features, this story is taken from the brittle pages of the April, 1936 issue of Flying Aces, I hope you enjoy,
Phineas Pinkham in The Batty Patrol.
The Batty Patrol
SORRY, PHINEAS WILL NOT BE UP FOR A DAY OR TWO :-(
The Departments and Features
Flying Aces, like the other magazines, had their regular little columns which covered the gambit of the flying scene. I'm not going to post all of them, but I'll share a few just to add some flavour.
Wisecrack-ups was the joke page, usually full of what would now be considered pollitically incorrect corn. People don't change that much, I'm sure that it was just as corney in 1936. We all take things too seriously today. I'm sure that this stuff is good for the soul.
WISECRACK-UPS
Modern Planes Album is one of my favorites in that today's (modern?) reader can truly appreciate the age of these magazines with the likes of the Gloster Gladiator being toughted as being the next great defender of the British Iles, able to "nail any prowling raiders, be they Zepplins or heavier than air machines."
Modern Planes Album
Ace McCoy was Flying Aces in-house flight instructor. This month, navigation is tackled. I'm pretty sure that Ace could get you there and back :-)
Ace McCoy - Simplified Avigation
Cover Story There was always an article that told the cover story. This month the cover artist, C.B. Mayshark writes about the Trans-Atlantic air service. Though not yet a reality, the readers of the day could begin to imagine this phenomenon becoming reality in the near future. Remember, just a short 27 years ealier, Bleroit stunned the world by crossing the English Channel!
Flying the Trans-Atlantic Shuttle
The Rubber Powered Model Airplane Plans
This month's scale model is a wizzer, the French Caudron 460. A nice size, at 20" wingspan, I believe this guy could actually be a fun little flyer. A little work on the wing to fuselage connection may be in order though.
The by line credits both Marion Clarke and Robert Smith. I have no way of knowing who did what, but either way, thanks guys.
Clarke and Smith's Caudron 460 Racer
Here is another of the "Flying Aces" jobs like the "Moth." This time it is the Flying Aces Cabin Sportster. Another nice schoolyard special at 24" wingspan and again with the triangular fuselage. A very nostalgic looking ship with a great name. Everyone's seen a Moth. Wow 'em next time out with,
Felix Gutman's Flying Aces Cabin Sportster
Wait, not just the usual two rubber powered models this time out. Flying Aces April 1936 had three, so three you'll get. The Tail-less R.O.G. Special is a swell little twist on the R.O.G. stick.
Jesse Davidson's Tail-less R.O.G. Special
Thermals.
The Solid Model Airplane Plan
If you thought three rubber powered Free Flight models was great, how about about FIVE solid models. The first two are the full instruction jobs, with a trio of three views to let your imagination run rampant.
Let's begin the highlight of the entire issue, the "first published plans of Great Britain's fastest and finest fighter, The New 1936 Hawker." The future Battle of Britain savior, by 1940 kids in know would have been playing with their Hurricane for the past four years.
Robert C. Morrison's Hawker's 1936 Fighter
The second is not an aircraft, but just the engine! Engine modeling was quite popular, if the number of construction articles mean anything. Of course, these articles were critical to those solid modelers who ventured into building an exposed radial powered bipe. This one is the famous Wright "Cyclone" Model R-1750E.
Joe F. Battaglia's Wright "Cyclone"
The first three view is an interesting one. By the looks of it, the Stinson company was peddling off a low wing version of the Gullwing Reliant to Uncle Sam for use as the Stinson Pursuit Trainer. A quick Google didn't come up with any info on this ship. Not sure of anything other than it is another great excuse to look at a beautiful William Winter model airplane plan.
William Winter's Stinson Pursuit Trainer
The next two I'll package together as a Dannysoar Special, two pre-war French jobs that only a mother could love. Ol' Dannysoar has a soft spot for these Ugly Ducklings... I guess someone ought to :-) Be sure to check out Don McCash's Amoit 143 M5 and Nick Limber's Potez 37 R2.
Ugly Ducklings
The Hand Launched Glider Plan
The spring of '36 was early in the history of Gas powered models. With little surprise therefore, there is no gas plan this issue, but rather a good old Hand Launched Glider. With a contest pedegree like this, Hervat's 39-Minute Glider coupled with a classic Frank Zaic write-up and rendering she looks like a sure thing.
Check out, Hervat's 39-Minute Glider as presented by F. Zaic and Associates.
p.s. Just as I'm going to press, I noticed that The Plan Page has a HLG along with a nice info article in this month's posting. Give Garry a look, and tell him Ol' Kenny sent you.
The Advertisement
Again we look at Megow's great line of models. The perfect way to end a great issue!
From the back cover of the April, 1936 issue of Flying Aces.
Megow's Model Airplane Shop
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