#FantasyFreeFlight: A 1915 Aeromodeling Conversation

Here’s a snippet of what modeling was like for the model airplane pioneers 100 years ago, in poem form.  Hopefully, this puts you in the mood for #FantasyFreeFlight, starting next week!

“A Conversation Between A Model Boy and a Passing Old Lady”

By Arthur Elton Nealy

Lady-   Little Boy, what is that which you have in your hand?
Boy-     A model flying machine.
Lady-   A wee, baby aeroplane; goodness me! It’s something I never have seen.
How high
In the sky
Little boy, will it fly?
Boy-    O, way out of sight when the wind is just right and the rubbers are wound good and strong.

Lady-   Well, who’d have thought such a contraption could be! Now, how do you push it along?
Boy-     In the air.
Lady-   But where?
Boy-     Those propellers right there.
Lady-   What? They make it go!
Then how do you know
That you won’t fall down and be killed?
Boy-    Well, Miss,
It’s like this;
As it won’t lift me up, you see, I will never be spilled.
Lady-   What!  Won’t lift you up!  You said it would fly,
O, every so high
Little boy, are you joking or telling a lie?
Boy-   Well it can!
But a span
Of a foot and half is not meant for a man.
Lady-  Then who does the steering, and where does he sit?  My goodness! A flyer must have lots of grit.
Boy-    But Miss!
Now This
Is a model.  Gee Whiz!
Lady-   I see, it’s a toy
Made for some little boy.
Boy-     No, no.  Not a toy!
But a model! (Oh, Joy!)
Lady-   My dear,
You appear
Rather peevish, I fear.
But nowadays the urchins are all of ‘em spoiled.
Ah, things were so different when I was a child!
Little brat!
What is that?
Boy-    A winder.  (Old cat!)

Lady-   Well, now, will you wind it and fly it for me?
Boy-    Yes, Yes, if you’ll hold it a minute, I’ll see.
(Hands propellers to lady and starts winding)
These bands are the motors, you see how the wrap
Around tighter and tight – and sometimes go SNAP!
Lady-   Oh! Ow!
Boy-    That’s how
The motor back-fires.  Here, take it again.
Lady–   My goodness, no, sonny – t’was bad enough then.

Credit:  Nealy, Arthur E. “A Conversation Between a Model Boy and a Passing Old Lady.”  Aerial Age Weekly, April 12, 1915, pg. 91.

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