JD's Jet Stunter

[Tom Niebuhr]

The year was 1968. John D'Ottavio started a jet version of his JD Falcon. In those days they were still experimenting with foam. This airplane used foam with rib like cut outs. The 1/32 skin was applied with contact cement. here was no center spar. These wings tended to come apart in the air, so construction was stopped.

I first saw the airplane in the late '60s. This airplane had trike gear and would have been a show stopper.

John had this airplane with him when he lived in Dallas and then took it back to N.J. I asked him to get the airplane to me and it leap frogged through several hands and finally got to me. The old skins are peeling off, but the contours are amazing.

Of course everything was interupted by my heart attack. My plan was to finish the "Impala" in honor of Ed Elasick, and this would complete my Classics. But after my other commitments are finally completed, "JD's Jet Falcon" is a must to reproduce, with standard construction.

[john e. holliday]

Well keep us posted.

[wwwarbird]

 That is REALLY cool!!!

[Randy Cuberly]

Hey Tom,
Great to see you at it again.  That should make a great kit...not for the faint of heart however.  That fuselage is great stuff.  Molded Balsa??

Randy Cuberly

[Tom Niebuhr]

Randy.
As posted elsewhere, I will no longer be making kits. With my recent health problems it is about time I did some things for myself.

As to John's Jet Falcon, the original was all carved blocks. I will be looking into several methods of doing it with some form of molding the contours. I have at least two thoughts on how I will do it. The start of the project is still a little while off.

[Bill Little]

Hi Tom,

Lots of great contours to the fuselage, especially near the tail.  It would be striking all painted up!  A great piece of stunt history.

Bill