I am an incurable aeromodeller now into retirement. This year has been one of finishing off projects. The principal one a Miles Sparrowhawk from the Dennis Bryant plans. That only took me fourteen years. The result is pleasing to me and now that I have got the hang of it it looks great in the air.

Another fun interlude was to resuscitate a Sig Wittman Buster that has been hiding in the loft. Considering how little the wings of this oddity are, It flies really well, and is not the little monster that I recall from 30 years ago. Grass runways are so easy compared to the concrete it last flew from in Oudtshoorn, South Africa. I am very interested to find more scale information on this a/c if anyone has done homework on it. I have photographed it in the Smithsonian, but the kit is of its early iteration. It was changed a lot over its career. I see that a replica has been built at Oshkosh.

Oh and a rescued 1/4 scale DB Bleriot has taken to the skies....

So now I am turning my thoughts to another very long term dream, the Beech D17 Staggerwing.

I made a start on the Royal kit. This is the size that I want, but there are lots of things to improve. 

I am hoping that someone may have followed this path before me. A laser cut set of parts following more closely the construction of the original would be my ideal. Plug in wings, retracts etc. And much lighter weight. I would build it as an electric.

I visited the wonderful museum at Tullahoma years back. And have the documentation from them. But a shortcut would be great If I am to have any hope of completing this project. Any computer work I cannot do. I am a pencil, paper and scalpel modeller!

Charless