New stunt designs, Jack Sheeks, and the fun of reading the latest Flying Models

[Scott Richlen]

Rainy day outside, so while catching up on the various threads here I got to thinking of years ago when on a rainy day I would be looking at my latest Flying Models mag - in particular at the latest stunt design.  There was a span of time back then that Jack Sheeks seemed to have a new stunt ship cranked out evey other month and published in Flying Models.  He was really prolific!  I don't recall who drafted all those plans, but whoever it was he must have kept pretty busy.  I know that I always compared the pictures to the plans and sometimes found little errors.  I'm assuming a lot of those plans must have been drawn from a couple of pictures and a few dimensions received in the mail as opposed to a rough drawing with the ship sitting in front of them.  Any idea of how that all happened back in the day?

[Rick Campbell]

When I was a kid, someone at my public library learned that I was a model airplane guy. (I was at the library quite often) The library had once subscribed to FM and MAN, but had decided to stop. They gave me ALL the back issues they had. I took home a massive pile of 60s and 70s era model mags.

Between the Jack Sheeks planes in FM and Phil Granderson writing Round and Round in MAN, it seemed as if CL was a comedy show. These guy were REALLY funny! I did get to meet and have dinner with Phil and met Jack at the NATS.

Cherished memories.

-rc

[Dave Hull]

Great background details, Bob.

I've seen more than a few drafting oddities--and not just missing details that were kind of important. One semi-scale plan in particular had an impossible "double bellcrank" shown. If I recall correctly, it would lower the flaps and the elevators at the same time. That surely speaks to either a very late hour for the draftsman, or a draftsman that was unfamiliar with model airplanes....  It was a nice-looking plane though....

[M Spencer]

The planes got to be ' Cover Girl ' fairly regularly , too .

Not to mention the Whit , enlightening at times .

WAS it rather windy at the parking lot there sometimes ? .

[Scott Richlen]

Bob:

Thanks a ton for that "look behind the curtain"!  I too absolutely loved Jack's Freedom 45!  It was a really beautiful design.  I often wondered how well it flew considering the wing sweepback?  A few years ago someone built a real beautiy and entered it at VSC.

One of the errors in plans I saw (this is not one of Jack's designs) was in the plans for the ME-262.  The pictures showed a pretty substantial spar coming out of the leading edge at the wing-tip to hold the lead-out guides.  I don't think the plans showed anything other than normal leadouts IIRC.

[Jim Kraft]

  Don McGovern was a pretty prolific designer himself with 77 plans on outerzone. I loved Flying Models as it was written by modelers for modelers. But I wasted my time in High School study hall reading Air Trails and motorcycle magazines that were in the school library. Little did I know they would both become a life long passion.

[Dan McEntee]

Having been the Editor of Flying Models magazine for 17 years (but not during the era in which Jack Sheeks was so prolific), I can shed a lot of light on that subject. However, there is the danger of destroying your boyhood visions of what it actually was like in those days at FM. It's akin to looking behind the curtain in the Wizard of Oz...

That was the era spanning the ownership of FM by Rojo Publications (Hal Carstens bought FM from Rojo Publications). The Editor during the "Jack" years was the legendary Don McGovern. Don truly fit the wizard behind the curtain image. He was very creative, but, from what I've heard, was far from the most organized person, or much of a strategic thinker. Don't get me wrong, Don was a great guy, a gifted draftsman and airplane designer (especially seaplanes), and one of the most fun people to be around of that era. He just let deadlines get, well, beyond him at times. Then, like now, it was difficult to find enough good material to fill the pages of the magazine each month. A magazine is a lot like a wood burning stove; it consumes a lot of material each month, and when it's gone, well, it's gone! You have to refill the material bin in order to have something for the next month.  And Don would very often find that he was on or nearing a deadline and had little to nothing with which to fill the pages. Enter one Jack Sheeks.

Jack was a designing and building dynamo, and he could literally design, construct, finish and fly a new stunt model in but a few days. Being a motorcycle cop with a family, Jack naturally welcomed the opportunity to supplement his income by selling model designs to a magazine, and without doubt most of his designs went to Flying Models. Don relied on Jack to turn out a model in a pinch on many occasions to meet a deadline. Don would hurriedly ink the pencil drawings that Jack supplied, and would often get the magazine assembled at the eleventh hour for publication just because Jack came through with a new design on order. Needless to say, Don was most appreciative of Jack's willingness to work in that manner, and so Jack got a lot of "ink." It was a very mutually beneficial arrangement!

I once told Jack that one of his published designs probably saved my life - if not my sanity (of course many will argue that I lost the battle of saving my sanity). It was in May of 1968, and I was in Basic Training at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. I was an Army volunteer and as such carried an RA prefix on my service number (draftees had US prefixes). So, I thought I was pretty tough. But a few weeks into training I found myself more than just a bit homesick and even a bit despondent about my prospects of surviving the next few years. I wasn't contemplating anything drastic mind you, but there were many around me who took that fateful step. If they could break under the pressure, I wasn't too sure that I wouldn't also in time.

I went to the PX (Post Exchange for you civilians) to see if the new Flying Models magazine had arrived. It had arrived and in it was a design by Jack Sheeks! That was the issue in which his Freedom 45 was published, and I read and re-read that article over and over for the next few weeks. It most certainly got me through basic training. Jack seemed very pleased to hear that story.

So, we have Don McGovern's habit of being late on deadlines to thank, at least in part, for the plethora of Jack Sheeks stunt designs in FM. And, as Paul Harvey would say, "That's the rest of the story."

Bob Hunt         

   

    This is the kind of back story stuff that I love to read and hear. it's along the lines of the stories we would hear at the awards banquet at VSC in the early years and and at some NATS banquets!! Nothing scandalous or nasty, just interesting, funny and really a part of the history of the hobby. Bob, this is the kind of stuff I would like to see you, Bill Werwage, Les McDonald, and any body else that was around at the time need to put on paper or tape recorder. It's not just the models, it's the "life style" and history all you guys were living and creating at that time that stunt was growing and expanding. It's really kind of unique in that as the event was growing and evolving, the vintage movement was getting established and growing at the same time, and we were getting the opportunity to fly and compete with a lot of the legends and heroes. we got to see where the event came from at the same time we were looking ahead for what was new. I think it's important to remember the people that built the hobby industry to what it was, and it really did have a "humanity " and brotherhood about it at that time. Flying Models , in my opinion, was the only magazine that really told that story over that whole time period, covering all disciplines of the hobby very well, and made them interesting even for those not participating in them. It didn't turn into a glorified monthly hobby catalog like M.A.N and RCM did. I have Flying Models magazine complete in my magazine collection, and if you check out the issues from the first year under that title in 1946 or '47 , and did the same through out it's history and life span, it managed to change with the times but still had a familiar feel to it, and covered the completely like it always did. It managed to stay the same but was different as time went by. I was shocked when it ceased publication, and like a lot of others have been hoping for a comeback but at this late date I think that hope is gone. I would have rather seen them go back to bi-monthly than stop all together. Those of us that are around my age really did grow up at a great time in the hobby and I am still enjoying it. It would be great if this was recognized  and embraced by the younger generations. The fancy quad copters and drones wouldn't be here without the Good brothers, Howard McEntee, Don McGovern, Bill Winter, Nate and Irwin Polk, Jim Walker, and a lot of other notables.
   Type at you later,
   Dan McEntee

[kevin king]

 I wonder if the planes Jack designed flew as good as they looked? Ive never seen one at the flying field or anywhere  else for that matter. I seem to remember a cool looking corsair he designed, but not much on how they flew

[M Spencer]

He dosnt look disapointed . Jim Vornholt got a 4 th or suchlike with one . Often there was a ' Nats Build ' ship . The usual last minute shenanagins .

My Torino is a decent flying plane once I made a few changes, like more chord on the elevator. I also used the same aileron stock that was used on the original. With the larger flap area, and the small elevator area, the turns were really soft.

I showed the plane, with these changes, and the reason for them, to Jack. He smiled and said that it now looked like the plane as he designed it. He told me that they had cut the elevator chord on the original so the corners were more to what the pilot liked.

Covers a few of the queiries

With This , if you throw a quarter chord line & average the area disposition , ( Or Just look at the C.G. ) and put the bellcrank pivot there , and straight back leadout , they get workable . The Leadouts - internal . 
( If you put a straight line at the LE at the TIPS across , youll see the disposition of the area . ) Almost a obsession , this one ( his 262 )  . So avoid it where I can  )



Also mentions ' bubble ' canopy . With a bit of rise in the top , to it , the little 5 inch Fighter Canopy , I think it'd come out a treat .

A viirtue of most of his designs , things were simple . Like Wingtips  etc , so should build light & quick . No shortage to chose from , either .
A bit of personal ionterpretation rather than exactly A meets B , and youve got the basics for a good performance , AND they catch ' the look ' where theyre ' sorta scale ' .

[M Spencer]

I know. some people never shut up , 



You can see ( Er , I can . anyway ! ) if it was 1/2 in higher at the canopy nose / base , Tapering down to std. fore & aft
with the little ' hood ' on , for the single seater , It look in proportion . or suchlike .


needs the nacelles to curve up into the top too .
Keep tripping over the plan . Must pick it up .

[Sean McEntee]

The old man and I share the "if time and money were no object" dream of building Jack's Mosquito and powering it with 2 LA25s with counter-rotating props

[Dan McEntee]

The old man and I share the "if time and money were no object" dream of building Jack's Mosquito and powering it with 2 LA25s with counter-rotating props

   Well, I've got the RSM kit, and engines, and right and left handed props. Just gotta find a left handed crank shaft or two for LA or FP-25s. I've seen Jim Krieger's Sheeks Mossie fly during an afternoon demo at KidVenture at Oshkosh, and that cemented to idea even more. Once I'm over this knee thing, we'll look at it again, even with just two right hand engines. I do have a right hand and left hand turning Enya.30's , now that I think about it some more!! The Mosquito was in Model Aviation, and may have been one of his last stunt designs published??
 
    Type at you later,
    Dad

[Scott Richlen]

The old man and I share the "if time and money were no object" dream of building Jack's Mosquito and powering it with 2 LA25s with counter-rotating props 

Go for it!!  I think that Jack also built a later-version F5F.  I like the no-nose earlier version , but not sure I'd be able to balance it with no nose sticking out to load with lead.

[James Mills]

The old man and I share the "if time and money were no object" dream of building Jack's Mosquito and powering it with 2 LA25s with counter-rotating props

The counter rotating props would be an easy fix if you went electric.

James

[M Spencer]

CRANKS !

Cant see a FP / LA test for dimn.'s BUt Veco 19 B B cranks 16 (=  a gnats dick ) STROKE . matches .
Frank Bowman had a pile of left hand veco cranks , so I thought Id better got two .
AND theyre said to be 12 m.m. diameter , in the Sceptre flight info .
Previously looking at 40 cranks 7 Radugas ( 18.4 & 20 stroke ) to interchange ,
The GAS PORT WINDOW in the shaft , fore and aft , gets dictatorial .

Therefore both being " B.B." s the FSR / SF ball race ' FP ' might almost take a Veco Crank , But a FP may well do , as the Veco's Short .

BUT I think the Veco cranks a bit thin in the diac / web /  which screws the fore & aft FIT .   
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
If you had a THING that'd do it ,this  might not be to hard . If you had a few spare cranks .
EITHER
Drill the center out of a ' flywheel ; & machine the flywheel off a shaft . Use UHU .

or cut Fwd , behind window . Use a dowel to align ., Vee edges 45 degrees , Weld .

Holden sixes they used to use Falcon Persuit steel cranks cranks cut & machined to take the aft bearing area of a  HOLDEN Steel crank .
As in a aligned machined press fit at the rear jouranaL . welded . PROPERLY . NOT uhu .
Heat applied unsymetrically to correct any post welding misallignment . OBVIOUSLY you try ' sequential pattern weld .

Putting zillions of horsepower through welded things isnt unusual , if youve gottem . a alf orse should be dead easy . IF youve got the Right Gear .



Check out the backgound . this isnt the first one thyve done . Theres ' normalising ' afterward & checking alignment .

TO COBBLE UP YOUR OWN ' LEFT HAND TRACTOR ' Crank .

Stroker motors are fairly popular, and can provide about 235cu in in the most common configuration. Usually they are based on the 221 Ford crank. The original Ford flywheel flange is cut off and the journal turned down. Then the rear journal and flange is cut off a Holden crank and a hole bored into the journal so it can be pressed onto the turned-down Ford rear journal and welded on. The other journals are then ground to suit the Holden rod and main bearings. Provided it's done properly it's quite durable.

[Scott Richlen]

Cant see a FP / LA test for dimn.'s BUt Veco 19 B B cranks 16 (=  a gnats dick ) STROKE . matches .
Frank Bowman had a pile of left hand veco cranks , so I thought Id better got two .
AND theyre said to be 12 m.m. diameter , in the Sceptre flight info .
Previously looking at 40 cranks 7 Radugas ( 18.4 & 20 stroke ) to interchange ,
The GAS PORT WINDOW in the shaft , fore and aft , gets dictatorial .
 

Ummm.....I hit "translate", but it does't seem to work on my desktop....

[M Spencer]

o.k. looked in the shed .

Left Hand Veco 19 B B cranks !

A sensable bloke'd use Veco's !

A Pom would bore & bush a FP case to take the Veco Shaft . Linearly theyre similar .
or butcher a FSR / SF case - AS the 12 m.m. diameter matches but length's are all wrong . But attacking the case with a dremel & a veco nose bearing on shortened housing ? ? ?

From The U S of A with Good Ole American Know How & Can Do , A engine Guru would
 cut a FSR / SF shaft , or FP . Shrink a tube akin to a 4 jaw chuck over it , tack weld crank , remove the ' jig ' , then final weld. And align - Grind - retemper . Or alighn using internal dowel .
Alloy'd drill out easier , If you NEED Counter Rotateing .

The FSR / SF ball race crank is 12 mm o.d. so bigger bore . The FP is 10 mm . SO with the same top end / Rod Up , the FSR / SF is gruntier, swings a bit more prop & saves Nose Weight ! over a FP / LA .

A Engine Shop doing auto cranks should know the welding , retempering tripe backward . The cut out aligns with the crank pin , so dead easy to ' set ' . If you cut it aft of the intake cut out
with a Disc Grinder - Youd need TWO as youd loose 3 or so mm .

Not really aunknown job . But Throwing the WEB of one on the SHAFT of another'd be less tricky . Same circumferance WELD , Dressed afterward . Heat Treated to ' normalise ' .
Doubt a Veco'd BORE to a ' 25 ' easy , Bolts'd be to close to ' another ' liner .

BOWMAN had the Counter Rot. VECO 19 Cranks . Dunno if they went to the new ring bloke , or where .

[john e. holliday]

The old DOC finally got around to reading this.  I met Jack at a NATS while talking to big Art.  I had Jack's Messersmidt (spelling ?) for some time and I needed a plane for VSC.  That was the year they gave an award for for any of Jack's designs that flew.   I got the high point award when I was told to not try too hard and complete the pattern.  Mike Haverly got the top appearance award.  Seems he wan't satisfied with the way his plane was fling and lost it during another trimm flight.  I lost mine at a Topeka contest later when the plane started to do things.  Finally it hit the tarmak.  Seems I didn't have the bell crank rod blocked good and it worked it way out of the lower plywood mount.  I keep thinking of doing another one with a little more detail.  To me it was a good flying plane. 

Bobby Hunt thanks for the story.

[Scott Richlen]

Everett Shoemaker has a very nice ME-109.  I understand that Jack designed two of them and the later was the better flying one.

Everett flew his to a first place in Advanced at our contest...

I hope that someone can post a picture of Everett's.  It's a beauty!!

[Scott Richlen]

I found it!

[Dan McEntee]

Everett Shoemaker has a very nice ME-109.  I understand that Jack designed two of them and the later was the better flying one.

Everett flew his to a first place in Advanced at our contest...

I hope that someone can post a picture of Everett's.  It's a beauty!!

  I was thinking that Jack produced two ME-109s. One was a "Beamer of the Month" effort around the time he did a Spitfire. i think I have both the plans. And then there was another one that BMJR does a kit for, and it has a "standard" ribbed wing. I'll have to check into that.
   Type at you later,
   Dan McEntee

[M Spencer]

Think Goozgog mightve been looking at that . The Messer,  is a shitt , notta schidt .



of corse , theyre all naughty words if youre eight years old .

[Scott Richlen]

I think that Everett said his Sheeks ME-109 was the BMJR kit.