Neighborhood Model Airplane Day!

[Dave Nyce]

The kids had a great time on Saturday, flying at our second Model Airplane Day! They did great, and a few even tried loops (and some, a figure 9). We had grilled hotdogs, chips, and drinks. Some kids have finished building their own planes in my shop, and can now start building their second one. Others are just starting to build their first plane. When building planes, the kids learn how the engines work, how to cut wood, use a drill press, sanding, using a screwdriver, various types of glue and epoxy, pliers, bench vise, needle nose, wire cutters, and painting. We fly Half-A planes with Cox .049 engines.

[Dave Nyce]

More photos. (Some photos are a little blurry. I let the kids take turns using my Nikon, since I was busy.)

[Steve Helmick]

Wow! Great effort! Around here, many of the schools don't have any shop classes, because they are afraid of the liability of a student getting a scratch.

Where I went to Jr. High and HS, a shop class was mandatory. I'm sure some kids probably got a splinter, but I was already running the drillpress and table saw at home and don't recall any injuries for me. Yeehaw!  Steve

[John Park]

Wow! Great effort! Around here, many of the schools don't have any shop classes, because they are afraid of the liability of a student getting a scratch.

Where I went to Jr. High and HS, a shop class was mandatory. I'm sure some kids probably got a splinter, but I was already running the drillpress and table saw at home and don't recall any injuries for me. Yeehaw!  Steve

Back in the mid-'50s, my father used to give me his used Gillette razor blades to cut the printwood in the kits I'd started building.  Once, when I'd cut myself, he told me that cutting yourself was the best way to learn how NOT to cut yourself.  I think he was right.

John

[Jeremy Chinn]

One or more of those kids will someday be an engineer, a mechanic, or something that was inspired by the time you've spent with them. They'll all have fun memories.

Way to go making this happen!

[john e. holliday]

This is great.  Hope some of the fathers get involved also.  Nothing like father-son happenings.

[Dave Nyce]

Does anyone have any of the old Cox glow plug clips in your junk drawers? The kids seem to like them the best (but I like the hinged type better). I make them up with two D cells, as shown in the photo, and give them to the kids.