The recent proliferation and popularity of multi-rotors makes it easy to think that these are something new. And, while they are new, in the grand scheme of things, the idea of them has been around since about 1930. To tell the story of this up-and-coming subset of model aviation, the […]
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The earliest small scale flying model
What do you know about the history of early Free Flight models? The museum is looking for the earliest advertised kit or published plan of a scale model with a wingspan of 13″ or less. There’s some history below to jog your memory. If you have anything to share, please […]
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Bing Autoplan Conservation, pt. 10
We are happy to report that the Bing Autoplan has been fully restored and is now on display! On Friday, January 16th Museum Director Michael Smith picked up the completed Bing Autoplan from ICA in Cleveland. In Muncie, it was unpacked and carefully reassembled. Yesterday the aircraft was […]
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Bing Autoplan Conservation, pt. 9
Thanks to the wonderful folks at the ICA, we have more pictures on the progress of the Bing Autoplan’s conservation. Thanks to everyone at the ICA, who have been doing the work, sharing pictures and keeping us updated!
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Help Identify an Old Model Airplane
Do you know what this model is? The man in this picture is Bill McCoy and the photo was taken around 1943 in Ingram, PA. Bill’s son Jim is hoping someone out there can identify the model airplane in the picture, as Jim would like to build an RC version […]
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New Addition: Restored Bleriot XI
Wings ripped and drooping, this Bleriot XI, probably built from an Ideal kit in the mid-1920s, was pulled out of someone’s attic and put on the auction block in the mid-1990s. There the wife of John J. Phillips saw it, purchased it, and brought it home to her husband as […]
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Give Your Model Some Fashion Sense with Wheel Pants
Popular Mechanics offered some fashion advice for model airplane enthusiasts in their June 1931 issue – dress your model up with wheel pants! Read more in the Popular Mechanics issue on Google Books. Visit the museum’s website for more information on the National Model Aviation Museum.
Continue readingThe Free Flight Gas Model Big Crate III
Carl V. Carlson was an early pioneer in gas-powered Free Flight models. From 1993-1996 Carl worked with a group of family and friends to reproduce his Big Crate III. In 1934, the original Big Crate III set a national record for gas-powered FF planes in the open division with a […]
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Help Identify Old Modeling Photos
A visitor recently brought these photographs to the National Model Aviation Museum and asked if we had any information on the men, the models, or the event they were flying at. We don’t – but maybe somebody out there does! Take a look! If you have any knowledge to share, […]
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Bing Autoplan Conservation, pt. 7
Hey, it is an update on the Bing Autoplan! It has been awhile, sorry, but there was some logistics and paperwork that needed to be completed to finalize the conservation plans. It took time, but progress is being made. Covering: Remember how in the last post about the Bing Autoplan […]
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