Kingpin

[Mike Danford]

A friend is loaning me what he called a “kingpin”.  Simple research shows it’s a Scientific kit called the “giant kingpin”, the 44” version of the 1/2a.

Couldn’t help but notice the similarities to my All American Sr. 

Is it a DeBolt design?

[paulwells66]

I think Walt Musciano designed all the scientific kits

https://aerofred.com/search.php?search_fields=image_designer&search_keywords=Walter%20A.%20Musciano

[Jim Svitko]

I had a Giant Kingpin.  That was so long ago I can't remember what engine I had on it.  Most likely a Fox.  The plane flew quite well.  Certainly not a contender for a Nats championship but good enough to learn some maneuvers and enjoy a Sunday afternoon with the gang.

[Dalton Hammett]

Last time I saw a Scientific Kingpin was in Pocatello, Idaho, circa 1971 or 72.  Tools, it isn't as ugly as a Ring Master, but a close cousin. 

I don't know about that Ty,   I believe it had a mono-wheel and that would give it an extra ugly point in my opinion.     Blackhawk continued the kit for a while so there are a few still kicking around.     Never had one but I understand they could fly well ?

[Jim Svitko]

I remember using a typical profile landing gear (two wheels) on my Kingpin.  The Giant Kingpin has a fairly large wing area so it will do OK for the most part.

At one time, Tom Dixon's website listed all the plans he had available and plans for the Giant Kingpin were there.

[jim gilmore]

Many moons ago in the 1980,si still live in NYC. I would to to america hobby center and buy scientific kits and the guy there was Nice enough to sell them to me at the prices marked on the kits..... Talking about a priviledge..... Kits I know I bought were a razzle dazzle, a stuntmaster, a p51 of some scientific an f86 a kinpin and a few others that escape my memory as well as 2 biplanes that i think were called lil toots.

[Trostle]

There was an organization called "Kits and Plans Antiquitous" which is now defunct as of sometime after the 1990's.  They had a quarterly newsletter called "The KAPA Kollector".  The organization was devoted to, as its name suggests, the early years of model aviation.  The June 1997 issue of The KAPA Kollector was devoted to Walter Musciano and included 50 pages.  This included an 8 page history of Musciano written by him.  Then, it showed the half century of Walt musciano's designs, articles and books which took 8 more pages to list (typed, single spaced).  Included in that listing was all of Musciano's Scientific kits.  Lo and behold, there is a "Kingpin Jr" for 1/2 A (profile and built up-wing) and a "Kingpin Sr"  for .15 - .29 (carved fuselage and built-up wing).  The wing span for each of these models is not given.

The December 1998 issue of The KAPA Collector was 24 pages, all about John D. Frisoli and Scientific Models, Inc, written by Walt Musciano.  This included a 3 page history of Frisoli and the Scientific Models company.  Several pages showed a sampling of the Scientific advertisements in the model magazines from the 30's through the 60's.  Also included was a sampling of the plans that came with these kits and photographs of those models.  Unfortunately, these pages do not show or make reference to the "Kingpin".

Keith

[Dalton Hammett]

Actually,   the 1/2A version was the Kingpin.    I have one of the kits still.    The larger one was the Giant Kingpin.    The Scientific kits list that came in the kit lists the Kingpin as kit #71.   The wingspan does not show on the box,  likely because it was a smaller plane,  62 Sq. In. for .010 - .049.

[Dennis Leonhardi]

I think Walt Musciano designed all the scientific kits

https://aerofred.com/search.php?search_fields=image_designer&search_keywords=Walter%20A.%20Musciano

Not all of them by any means.  We're a bunch of control line flyers, how many know that Scientific produced a lot of free flight kits before the days of glow plugs?

And one of the most popular plans in demand today is for the Paul Del Gatto P-40 Warhawk, a 43" wingspan profile that Scientific kitted.

Dennis

[Dennis Leonhardi]

My question re: Scientific Models: How many were advertised but never produced?  I seem to remember quite a few models advertised - probably in the early '60s - that looked sharp but never seemed to come available.

Dennis

[Dalton Hammett]

My question re: Scientific Models: How many were advertised but never produced?  I seem to remember quite a few models advertised - probably in the early '60s - that looked sharp but never seemed to come available.

Dennis

There probably were kits planned and cancelled but the problem i had back then was most areas just had small hobby shops.   The closest to me was in Conneaut Ohio then and it was a magazine/newspaper store.   I was interested at the time in building a biplane,  He had a Whipsaw kit to offer.    The only place we could get what we wanted was AHC in New York or a place called Corvette's in Philly.    No bad reflection on the local stores they just couldn't invest in large inventories and if you remember the old AHC catalogue,  there was actually a lot of kits being produced.

[Scott Richlen]

When I was in 5th grade in Orient, Oregon the bookmobile would come around once a week.  They had one of Walt Musciano's books, maybe "The Model Plane Manuel".  I checked it out all of the time.  What dreams are made of for a 5th grader.

[Dennis Leonhardi]

When I was in 5th grade in Orient, Oregon the bookmobile would come around once a week.  They had one of Walt Musciano's books, maybe "The Model Plane Manuel".  I checked it out all of the time.  What dreams are made of for a 5th grader.

"Building and Flying Model Airplanes" by Walt.  I must have read and re-read our high school's copy a hundred times.

I was just getting started in the early '50s - Scientific produced the "2 in 1" kit - Mustang and F-86 Sabre profiles - and AHC advertised it heavily.  Wow!  Two of the planes we were using in the Korean War, and I think it originally sold for about a dollar!  The price went all the way up to $1.95!

Did we realize we were living in Camelot?

 

[Norm Faith Jr.]

I don't know about that Ty,   I believe it had a mono-wheel and that would give it an extra ugly point in my opinion.     Blackhawk continued the kit for a while so there are a few still kicking around.     Never had one but I understand they could fly well ?

Hey Dalton, Did I ever send you any pictures of the "Ambroid Maverick" I built from the drawings you made fore me several years ago?
Norm

[Norm Faith Jr.]

Dalton, Here is the Maverick.
Norm

[Dalton Hammett]

Dalton, Here is the Maverick.
Norm

Hi Norm         You sure did a great job with a real amature set of plans.    What are you building now ??       For some unknown reason I'm into Ringmasters..............

Dalton

[Steve Helmick]

When I was in 5th grade in Orient, Oregon the bookmobile would come around once a week.  They had one of Walt Musciano's books, maybe "The Model Plane Manuel".  I checked it out all of the time.  What dreams are made of for a 5th grader.

Ah, not far from Boring, Oregon. At least, I'd heard of Boring.  Steve   

[Scott Richlen]

We lived out in the country, among the berry farms.  I picked strawberries (at a penny a hakek) and saved my allowance so I could buy a Cox Babee and a Stuntmaster.  I think it was a hobby shop in Gresham that my Dad took my brother and me to.  Classic little one-aisle hobby shop with a zillion Scientific kits.

When we got home, my Mom had a fit: "You should be saving that money for college!"