Model Airplanes

Airplanes have been a part of Bill's life as far back as he can remember. He jokes that his mother was scared by an airplane that buzzed the hospital when he was being born. He was always building plastic model airplanes and building and flying rubber-band and control line models.

Bill started flying radio control models when he was 14 and hasn't stopped since. His first airplane was a H-Ray, with a Galloping Ghost radio. When he was 17 he progressed to digital proportional radio (Futaba MRC F-710) and flew a Falcon 56.

He started working on flying "real" airplanes and quickly found that it was boring (compared to models).

Piper Cub

The Cub is one of my all-time favorite airplanes. While recently on vacation, Bill and I visited the Piper Aviation Museum in Lock Haven, PA.

The newest planes in the fleet--
Fairey Flycatcher
Handley-Page Harrow

Our Early Years
Bill taught me how to fly in June 1976 while we were stationed at Griffiss, AFB in Rome, NY. My first plane was a Falcon 56. Learning to fly on a former B-17 airstrip gave me plenty of room to make mistakes! Our early years of flying RC models (all glow engines at that time) include Rome, NY; St. Louis, MO; Shreveport, LA; Anchorage, AK; Belleville, IL; and McGuire AFB, NJ.

Falcon 56

Died young as most trainer do--due to unpinned hinges.

Sig Klipper

First RC plane I built.

A heavy model that did well against the Mohawk Valley winds.

Rerun

Real trainer. The wing, the tail, the landing gear, and the nose came from three different wrecks. Bill cobbled together the fuselage from scrap balsa. Ugly but it flew well!!!

Viking Funeral for my Cessna Skylane aileron trainer.

"Beaglemania"

Super Kaos 60

Sig Kiwi

I won a 2nd place building award at the St. Louis

Show 'N Tell Contest.

Rumpler Taub

Super Kaos 40

One sweet aerobatic airplane!

Eindecker

Built from Flying Models magazine plans.

Top Flite P-47 Thunderbolt

Top Flite Contender

This model helped me get over that "too slow during approach" stall problem I was having!

Shoestring

Out of production Carl Goldberg kit found in a dusty, old hobby shop. Boy, could we side-slip this airplane!

Hobby Lobby Funster

Four-stroke engine

Slow but maneuverable.

Our last glow airplane

Electric Years

In 1987, Bill was bitten by the electric bug. Over the years of flying glow engines, he was often interested in the small, half-A engined planes. So, when electrics became practical, he was eager to try one out. His first electric plane was the Leisure Wasp. I was NOT impressed. I was having too much fun with the Funster. I enjoyed the long flights, doing touch and goes and just lumbering around the sky on a warm summer's night. I didn't want to give this up for three or so minutes of zip-zip then land!!

Since I had somewhat of an interest in gliders, Bill decided that an electric glider might just help me change my mind. He purchased a Hobby Horn Sensoar. The concept of turning an engine, I mean motor, on and then off in flight intrigued me. Before I knew it, I was soaring with the birds. Flying became a sit-in-a-lounge chair event--very relaxing. I'd search for thermals by looking for the circling birds. I'd turn off the motor, and join my feathered friends in effortless flight. Oh no, the bug got me, too. We sold the Funster and have never looked back. And by the way, I sure don't miss cleaning those messy glow-engine planes!!

The pictures below are some of our electric planes. During this time, we flew in New Jersey, Germany, Nebraska then back to New Jersey.
Unless a manufacturer is stated, the airplane was designed and scratch built by Bill.