Could any of you provide a copy of Ian Peacock's history of the Peacemaker? Or is it posted somewhere?
Thanks!
Scott,
I do not know the that Peacock article is posted anywhere, but here is a quote from his article from the Jan 97 issue of
Aviation Modeller Inernational:
"Few control line modellers have never heard of George Aldrich. His classic design of the Nobler has racked up more National and International competition wins than any other stunt model. Furthermore, it has spawned numerous other designs from mere copies through to the current generation of contest winners.
"Way back in late 1957, George was approached by Ron Moulton, editor of Aeromodeller magazine, with the request that he design a model for the up and coming C/L combat class. Part of the design philosophy was that this model should be powered with a 2.5 cc diesel engine (for that was what was in current use in the U.K. at the time!) rather than the .19 to .35 cu. ins. glow motors more popularly used in the U.S. of A.
"In order to accomplish this criteria, Ron sent George an example of a British diesel, and Oliver Tiger. The result was the Peacemaker, published in Aeromodeller in the spring of 1958. That the Peacemaker, (with it's vulnerable rear fuselage and tailplane), soon became eclipsed by the fast developing "flying wing" concept for the combat class, did nothing to diminish its popularity. It quickly became a best selling plan, both here and abroad, has probably sold more copies that any other control line design before or since!
"The soundness of the design led to a series of Peacemaker look alikes. In America, George worked in conjunction with Top Flite to produce the Flitestreak series of kits, made in a variety of different sizes, to suit an equally wide range of engines,. In Britain, designs influenced by the Peacemaker such as the Keil Kraft Gazelle and the Frog Talisman, both took a slice of the market for the 1.5 cc engines.
"Perhaps less well known was the fact that George, well taken with this "new" type of engine, and impressed by it's tractability, produced a "stunt" version offered of the Peacemaker. This was a few percent larger than the original, was fully flapped, and featured a built up, (rather than profile) fuselage and a proper undercarriage. The plan was published in the May 1960 edition of Model Airplane News, and like its predecessors, was kitted by Top Flite. I always fancied one of these kits, with it's steam moulded balsa fuselage shells, but they were few in number this side of the pond, and out of reach of my pocket money at the time. The design was never published this side of the Atlantic, -- until now!!"
Interesting reading and I think pretty well outlines the genealogy of the Peacemaker profiles in England to the full fuselage Peacemaker published in Model Airplane News and the whole series of Flightstreaks.
Keith
Topic: Top Flite Peacemaker (Read 10433 times)
