One of the defining characteristics of these kit, apart from the pack of interesting(if heavy) plastic parts:
is the 'monofoil' balsa wing, best seen on the Mustang featured in the previous post:
David Stern had built a number of the Speedee-Bilt jet kits. He comments:
"If one lightens the balsa parts and uses a Jetex 50B, they will fly, but the wings are really short. However, a Jetex 100 will make it fly like the real thing"
Ron's replica kits are splendidly reproduced:
Above: A Ron Anderson Replica of the Monogram F-84. This one was originally from Howard Metcalfe's collection. As you can see, they are indeed very nicely engineered.
David comments:
"The F-86 [in particular] had tail surfaces too small for stable flight, but when replaced with larger surface area, it would fly. I built the F-84 the most and Ron made longer wing sets for me when I ordered two Kits".
This was all most interesting, especially when David told me, as well as the F-86 with the small tailplane, Ron had added a MiG-15, and (oh joy!) a P-80 Shooting Star. Below is a recent catalogue:
Ron is, I'm pleased to say, still in production, so if you fancy any of these models, I can pass you his email address. He did, though, tell me to warn potential purchasers that a single kit, posted from the US, will put you back 45 USD. Such are the postal rates from the US.
Nothing daunted, I ordered a P.80. Here is Ron's beautiful prototype:
You will recognise the colour scheme, about which David writes:
"I talked Ron into the Red trim and decals for the 94th 'Hat-in-the-Ring' 94th Squadron. The squadron was sent from California to Ladd Field in Alaska for "Cold Weather" tests.
Several planes crashed due to accessory equipment not functioning well in the extreme cold. The "Chinese, or Fire-Engine red" stood out against the snow of the Tundra in winter very well!"
Which is all fascinating stuff! David has written about all this in 'The Aviation Historian', an article well worth tracking down and reading.
Simply click on the link below:
Aviation Historian
Ron comments about his model:
"It would certainly be a challenge to get this one to fly with a Jetex. It's rather heavy in its stock form what with all the heavy plastic parts and shaped blocks. The prototype display model weighed in at a hair under 2 oz. (57 grams). I believe that using balsa for the plastic nose, intakes, tip tanks, and exhaust, hollowing the blocks (or using sheeting), eliminating the landing gear, choosing light balsa, and minimizing the finish it would be easy to cut the weight in half.
Perhaps using vac formed parts instead of cast resin parts would be a good compromise on weight without the trouble of carving new replacement parts. It would be easy to vac form the parts in question using the cast parts as patterns".
But we Rapier/Jetex fliers love a challenge.
My kit will, I hope, soon be on its way, and I shall report on building (and lightening) it in due course. And then (I also hope) about its flying characteristics. David says his F-84 flew like the real thing with a Jetex 100, so I wonder what my P.80 will do with an L-2 HP (or even an L-3) up its jet pipe!
We will see.
Meanwhile I will continue with my template for the profile KK Shooting Star. If any one else would like one (printed on tissue) when its finished, please let me know.