Watch out, she’s pretty scary. And spooky. And creepy. And she really flies.
It isn’t a Halloween trick, either. She’s a flying witch. Because, she’s really a radio-controlled model airplane, powered by a Super Tigre .61 engine.
Her name is Sandy.
Sandy was built in 1982 by Stanley J. Hyman, based on plans by Col. Art Johnson in the October 1980 issue of Radio Control Modeler (RCM). Art called his creation “Vroom Hilda,” but due to some family jokes, Stanley’s version became Sandy (apparently it was a play off the word “sandwich”). The jokes didn’t stop at her name; commenters during flights liked to make jokes referring to “the old witch” as Stanley’s wife. Further jokes were made about the “witch-chucker” whose job it was to launch Sandy into the wind, as she was not able to roll (or run?) in a traditional take-off.
Sandy wasn’t just a Halloween treat – Stanley flew her year round for about 30 years. He also didn’t fly just her, but had a hangar full of novelty aircraft, including a flying lawn mower, and an electric-powered flying pizza box.
Happy Halloween!
Sandy was donated to the museum in Memory of Stanley J. Hyman II. Thank you for helping to grow the museum’s collection!
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For more information on the National Model Aviation Museum, including our location, hours and admission fees visit: www.modelaircraft.org/museum