The model aircraft hobby offers quality time in all the many segments of this recreation we call the building and flying of model aircraft. In our case the focus is on large R/C aircraft. We have the mainstay group that enjoy the full spectrum of both the building and the flying. Another group, that because of time and/or space required for building, opt to lean more to buying their airframes ready to fly or go with the almost ready to fly fine kits that are now available. Others get their greatest pleasure from the challenge of designing and/or building a machine that flies. The important thing is we all enjoy the fun we have when we can be at the flying fields together to see friends and make new ones.

I enjoy the whole spectrum but since I became a senior citizen I seem to have a greater amount of quality time in my workshop now that going to work every day isn't a necessary evil. I now am able to build a few of those things that I never had time to do previously.

We always need lots of new airframes so a few simple kit projects came to the building board. The first was a Morris Hobbies BalsaNova 120, with a Saito 150. This is a good clean design with a few new good building design items that I had not seen before. The design calls for a balsa skin on the entire airframe, 3/32 on the fuse and wings and 1/16 on the tail group.

Very strong and yet very light. The unique look of the airplane is the long and tall fuselage rear side area that seems to beg for lots of knife edge passes. I built the 80" wing choice and covered it with Ultracote.

A friend dropped off a partially built Sig Four Star 120 that he no longer needed. This was a short simple task that appears to be an excellent sport flier. I finished it with 21st Century Fabric as a PT-19 look alike making the air corps insignia from 21st fabric as well. The use of this material is very easy and looks like painted fabric on those type applications but the real great thing is the ease with which you can use it for most any trim applications.

For a little nostalgia an old timer grew mostly from the scrap box and stock items that were around in the shop. A friend loaned me a set of plans for an 84 inch "Miss America" which had been a winning free flight fkom the mid 1930's. This design was a builders delight with lots of sticks and pieces. Ahead of it's time the design has semi symmetrical airfoils on the wings and stab. The wing has a classic elliptical shape and features only modest dihedral and no poly-hedral at the tips. Covering is super Coverite with clear dope for the silk and dope look with red and blue dope for trim. It has a O.S. 48 4 stroke for power.

My two sons, who also fly IMAA legal aircraft, got on my case about kit building and scratch building from plans. They told me it was time to design and build something of my own again. I gave in to their wishes and decided upon an early biplane design from 1921, called the Sperry Messenger. It was designed by the Army Air Service and the contract awarded to Sperry to built the first five units. All I had was a couple of articles with pictures and a excellent 3 view. This cute little biplane had four ailerons and a well suited long nose moment, due to the small light three cylinder engine. Full scale wing span was only 20 feet.

A 30 percent scale seemed just right with 72 inch span and a fuselage large enough to easily carry an in stock Quadra 4-40. The other feature of interest was there were no flying, landing, or drag wires. A solid strut was used fore and aft in the location needed for the flying wires and standard N struts between the wings. Construction was bass wood, aircraft plywood, and balsa. Covering was again super Coverite but this time the color was Krylon satin almond with the trim colors on the tail and insignia done with 21st century fabric. All the originals were delivered with a light khaki tan color over all and black serial numbers on the fuselage. Model has lots of wing area which gives a 15 ounce wing loading. It is very rewarding to draw, design, and build something from scratch.

My current project is a 10 foot Hostetler Cessna 150. Had to be different so I have modified it to a "Texas Taildragger" which really changes the look of things. I have installed a D&B 3.7 twin under the hood and framing up is almost complete with servos installed. Covering will be SIG Koverall and finish will be with acrylic lacquer or enamel. I located a color photo of another modified 2 wheel 150 with an aftermarket paint scheme which I will probably use.

I will probably finish off the building season with another Miles Reed Solution X (77 inch span biplane). I hope the above did not bore you too much but model airplanes are the thing. Being an officer in the IMAA is secondary in the big picture. We must keep our priorities in order. Let's enjoy our hobby.