John H. Rood

Seems the last time any build progress happened here, colour photography hadn't yet been invented? Shameful, but I'm back at her now. Thanks, all, for your patience. Back at it now! Morning sun earlier today and The Douglas Tech Rep in deep meditation this morning before a mysterious MONOLITH from "2001: A Space Odyssey", serving now as a *new* and *full-depth* 1/16th ply dihedral brace/wing joiner for the Skyhawk: Dry-fit came out OK. Next is to attach the aileron torque rods and the inboard TE. Earlier, one of The Tech Rep's able engineers evaluates A4D-1 Skyhawk curve radii; this was before the introduction of the refueling probe. Note her footwear, crucial to proper Skyhawk test procedurals and PSS search & rescue maneuverings...

SCHOOLMASTER -- that brings back early 1970s memories for me... Correction: Late 1960s!

SCHOOLMASTER -- that brings back early 1970s memories for me. Yet another friendly design from the prolific Ken Willard. I built mine from the Top Flite kit, my friends and I were teenagers struggling to get a used Min-X "Galloping Ghost" and Rand LR-3 actuator radio system to actually work, get the engine to start, the tail surfaces wiggling to and fro like some sort of mad fool's invention. Meanwhile all the grownups out there at Sepulveda Basin (Van Nuys, Californina) had all kinds of success with their "multis" as we called them. Steerable nose gear, brakes, electric fuel pumps in the pits, the works. Not much R/C aero-success for us kiddos until we were able to buy proper digital proportional radios. Then we got the hang of things... then came girls, college, the usual.

Martin, may I ask what types of glue have you been using thus far? I'm especially curious as to what works well with the planking process, as in, "sandability". Cheers on a great build.

Martin, thanks for that detailed list. Helps a lot with getting organized and ready. Here in the USA, I’m ordering the wood I need from National Balsa in Ware, Massachusetts, and their inventory matches your specs very nicely. Piece of cake!

At the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola: An FJ-2 painted in spurious markings to represent XFJ-2 Bu 133755. Note the 4x20mm cannon installation, as contrasted with the F-86 Sabre's 6x.50 calibre. A small detail, also: the XFJ-2 had the same nose inlet shape as the F-86E/F, whereas the production FJ-2 on view here has a just slightly deeper nose. The follow-on FJ-3 had a yet deeper nose shape, and the later FJ-4 was a different airplane altogether, only superficially resembling its predecessors. ABOVE: Pax River! Home of the NATC -- and TPS, the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. BELOW: Watch that MiG !!! Note the clean lines of the Sabre/Fury family from aft, and the gaping maw of what looks to be an FJ-4 in the foreground. Edited By John H. Rood on 16/09/2019 05:15:04

ABOVE: A project for THE MAD STENCILER! Some of my photos are c/o the noted author, researcher, and model builder Tommy Thomason and his excellent TAILSPIN TOPICS blog. Tommy's meticulous eye for detail is just the kind of thing we addicts crave. For example, here he traces the FJ Fury & F-86 Sabre lineage and development.

Posted by Steve McLaren on 07/08/2016 13:46:39: I always thought these whiskey bottle tubes would be useful for something! I started to make this exhaust shroud as a template for cutting a bit of 1/16th balsa, but then I thought - why not just use it as it is? Steve, it's a safe bet that more than a few members of the global Scooter drivers and fixers community will vouch for this unique touch of sparkle to your model's mojo!

Excellent. Best wishes on the Sabre adventure.

Toshiro, it is good to see that you have a proper furry four-legged inspector for your new F-86 Sabre project. These things matter; accept no substitutes!

Posted by Toshiro Saruwatari on 14/08/2019 03:04:52: In 1964, a squadron of JASDF F-86s drew the Olympic symbol over the skies of Tokyo, during the opening ceremony of the Olympic games. Ohhhhh... the excitement of that epic 1964 Tokyo Olympiade. I was just 9 years young (and I am 64 now), yet I the remember the stunning upset victory by unheralded USA runner Billy Mills in the 10,000 metre race. Mills was a Native American, born in impoverished circumstances, overcoming harsh obstacles en route to a college degree, a commission in the US Marines, and this stunning 1964 victory in Tokyo became a “forever” moment in modern Olympic history. **LINK** Best wishes on your Blue Impulse Sabre!

Drones look an awful lot like SKEET, clay pigeons as it were, so why not pay a visit to Grandad's shotgun cabinet, caress Ol' Bessie with your finest gunsmith's care, and then go on out there and give those daffy drones a good hunt!

AS SEEN TODAY on HYPERSCALE: This I.P.M.S. good guy Jef Verswyvel is a hoot, AND he has no idea yet that a 1/12th scale monster Lib is emerging from the Meade Aircraft Werks! Edited By J.H. Rood on 14/11/2018 20:05:42

18 Sept 2018 and back in the fray. Adding balsa bits here and there toward final-shaping the fuselage.

Superb work, guys!  Best wishes on your weekend. Edited By J.H. Rood on 08/09/2018 15:11:25

I landed on this page 2 first, saw your Hurricane all in white and thought “Ohhh... he’s doing a Russian winter white “distemper” scheme. Next I saw your page 1. A two-seat Hurricane, and camo. Fantastic!

Posted by Peter Garsden on 23/08/2018 19:09:09: ...as Willie Wonka would say "So much time, so little to do....no reverse that."... Fun coincidence, as Willy's creator Roald Dahl flew Hurricanes and Gladiators in Greece!

JUST A TEST: Posting a pic via my flickr account. This one was back on 6th March 2018.

May 2018: Phil Cooke posted some photos the other day, and... hey! The entire album at a glance:     Edited By Pete B - Moderator on 17/05/2018 22:02:26

Just a screenshot from my phone, an IG post this week by our friends in Ottawa:

This photo recently appeared somewheres online; photographer’s name I do not yet possess but I will add it asap.

Posted by Andy Meade on 14/03/2018 18:04:00: Are you putting a wig on then? Moments in Time!   Edited By John H. Rood on 14/03/2018 23:02:42

Posted by Andy Meade on 14/03/2018 14:45:56: Crikey, who did their CGI - Wallace and Gromit?! I know who I'd call...

Here's the teaser for that new movie. Edited By John H. Rood on 14/03/2018 14:32:05