I'll never forget the first model airplane I ever saw…it flew in circles at the end of 2 steel wires and really started my fascination with all kinds of aircraft. That was back in 1949 at the Moline, Illinois, airport where the local club of U-control flyers flew their planes. I wanted to build and fly one so badly but, being a polio victim prevented me from turning/walking in circles (and I thought I would get dizzy!)…so I just watched…and wished…

Years later, I was at another model airplane contest watching the combat flyers attempting to cut the crepe paper streamer attached to their opponents' plane, when a rather large model, obviously "out of control", passed overhead - it had to be out of control because there were no wires attached to it - but it landed perfectly...no crash! Yup, my first exposure to a Radio Controlled (R/C) model. It didn't take me too long to figure out I wouldn't have to walk or turn in circles (or get dizzy) to control it, so I quickly entered the sport of flying radio controlled models. Fast forward a few years later and I was flying competitively in R/C contests throughout the Midwest and by the time I left the sport I had flown almost every R/C event. But of approximately 30 planes I built (and crashed!) the one shown here is my favorite.

My P-51D was modeled in 1/7 scale (63-1/2 in. span, 10 lbs.) after No. 414137 of the 4th Fighter Group, 335th F. S., 8th Air Force, which was based in Debden, Essex, England, circa September, 1943. (I was one year old then…) I used a 7 channel transmitter to control ailerons, elevator, rudder, throttle, flaps/oil-coolant doors ('51's had two in the belly scoop), main and tailwheel retractable gear and doors,…but the "point getter" was the electrically fired little Estes rockets carried under the wings. Try to imagine the judges' reaction when I did a simulated strafing run 10 feet off the ground at 70 MPH (actual) and 6 little smoke trails following those rockets!

But it crashed...

Two weeks after the U. S. Nationals, there was the typical "pattern" contest (aerobatics) held at the Cedar Rapids (Iowa) flying field. One of the events was "10 foot Military Scale" they added to attract some different aircraft besides the usual tri-gear retract speedsters that pretty much ruled the aerobatic events. It was called "10 foot" because the planes were put in the middle of a 10' circle and were static judged from outside the circle.

I really don't think the contest director expected many entrants, but as it turned out, some really gorgeous military aircraft showed up "out of nowhere"...including the U.S. National Champion who flew a Bearcat or Zero...I just can't remember - sorry. I can tell you that at the beginning of the 3rd and final round I was leading by 10 points.

My last flight felt good...the '51 was trimmed up nicely and I was pretty confident. A mandatory element was a slow "fly-by" where you demonstrated your gear retract cycle, lowered and raised flaps, and any other functionality you needed to prove to the judges. I always followed this by climbing to 500 ft., split-essing into a strafing run, and lighting off those rockets. That maneuver and a good landing could put me ahead of the new National Champ and win the contest!

As I was about to fire the rockets, the plane pitched violently up, rolled a few times and augured in. I was 33 then and I publicly cried in front of the judges and spectators. I suspected someone else had turned his transmitter on just then. Interestingly, there were only two other flyers on 53.200 Mhz (Red/Black) but the officials never were able to find one of them...they were told he "had to leave the contest early." In fairness, my equipment could have simply "glitched" at that moment. Oh well...

I can tell you when it flew, it's full size ancestors would have been proud!

Thanks to the staff at combatsim.com for letting me share this final salute to my plane. All that's left is the aft section of the fuselage, and part of the right wing...and a lot of great memories about that day in its first/last contest.

And if anyone wonders if flying R/C is an advantage in flying computer sims I would have to say, "Not really." The pilot that practices the most will still likely win in most cases.

Epilogue.

I took these Saturday morning. I had forgotten I had the four bladed display prop but I found it next to those two remaining pieces. It now is mounted on the wall above the painting which really influenced me more than anything to model this particular airplane. My wife had given the painting to me as a birthday present and every time I looked at it, I felt the urge to build a model of it. It hung in my office for several years before I decided to.

In fact, I referred to it for my color matches and other "detail" for the model. It is a 18" x 22" commercially available print - you might even be familiar with it.