Songbird

As a boy I always watched Sky King & a few others. These memories are the force behind this plane. This plane is designed around the Magnum Plus wing (by Tom Dixon & Randy Smith) 700 square inches. Powerd by a PA .61 & or .65.
I had my boy help me with the uploading of photos so it actully might come out.

> As a boy I always watched Sky King & a few others. These
>memories are the force behind this plane. This plane is
>designed around the Magnum Plus wing (by Tom Dixon & Randy
>Smith) 700 square inches. Powerd by a PA .61 & or .65.
> I had my boy help me with the uploading of photos so it
>actully might come out.

I like it. I too watched Sky King. also 12:00 High

Nice, how about a 3/4 view so we can see the plan form.

LAST EDITED ON Nov-25-04 AT 06:12 PM (CST)
 
I watched Skyking too. 12:00 O clock was ground breaking TV, IMHO. But, Seahunt was serious business back then. I'm talking, "turn up that volume."

"I don't know about this tuned pipe business. I practiced on that thing until my lips turned blue, and I still can't play a stinkin note."
"Homer J. Simpson"

Sea Hunt! yes another good show, what about Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea...

When I first came upon Mike Nelsone (pipemakermike) it put me in mind of Seahunt.

What about Whirlybirds?

Tony

Whirly-Birds...Any one remember "Rip Chord?"

John,

Man, that looks nice. Seems like you've been talking to 'zilla. Looks a bit like his designs. I like it.

LAST EDITED ON Nov-25-04 AT 05:10 PM (CST)
 
About half of the original Sky King episodes are available online at the link below. I watched these every Saturday morning as a kid, and often sit back and watch them now on the computer when I have a few minutes of free time:

http://www.americanflyers.net/entertainment/skyking.asp

Now, if only someone would make Steve Canyon available...

Bill Groman

WOW!!!

Thanks for the link! I LOVE it!

BIGS

" What constitutes the dignity of a craft is that it creates a fellowship, that it binds men together and fashions for them a common language. For there is but one problem - the problem of human relations."

I watch these via the link too, over and over. Saturday morning was always a battle between my sister and myself. She wanted to watch Fury, a dumb horse show, man, Sky King had horses too but that didn't matter. I'd like to see Whirlybirds again too.

Bill:

THANKS! I've watched a couple of Sky Kings already and does that bring back memories. I was born in 45 and I can't imagine a better era to be a youngster than in the '50s!

Take care,

One of my favorite episodes has Sky visiting a Naval Air Station, then borrowing an F9 to go chase, shoot up and force down his own evil twin flying the SongBird. I used to sit so close to the TV I could practically feel the prop wash as the SongBird flew over in the intro.

After each time I watched that show on Saturday morning I would run to my room and start carving and gluing balsa.

Bill Groman

Very nice looking airplane.....The outside shot looks a lot like Seattle....I sure don't miss the constant rain....Summer this year was on a Wednesday....

Tnx, Mike, the "Old Harley Man" [email protected]

John:

Funny you mention SKY KING. The Cessna 310 used late in the series is now flying locally and a modeler friend and aircraft mechanic is servicing it.

Don't know what happened to the Cessna Bobcat used in the early part of the series but my guess is that it's gone on to Termite Heaven with the rest of the wood spar planes of that era.

Nice looking stunter!

Hi; Yeah, I would have to dig the pictures out, but it seems to me I saw it at Oshkosh a few years back, looking REAL good. I'm sure I took pics of it. The Cessna Bobcat ( Bamboo Bomber) was pretty cool also!
Dan McEntee

John, your "Songbird" is way prettier than that old pile "Sky King" flew. When are first flights? Steve

Check out "this old pile." I was the Chief Technician on the two and a half year restoration of this "Bamboo Bomber," Cessna T-50, owned by James Kramer of Boyton Beach, FL. (type flown by Kirby Grant AKA Sky King, before he went to the Cessna 310) The project was started in mid 1986, while I was still active duty AF. I Retired in 1987. We finished it in time to win "Grand Champion, Customised Antique," Oshkosh 1989. The ONLY T-50 ever, to have foward looking, color radar. Took me a week to install the radar unit and nearly three months to make the radome. James has owned the plane since 1967, he bought it for $6,700.00...The restoration cost in excess of a quarter million. The plane has logged close to two thousand hours since the restoration and still looks like a Grand Champion. Oh yeah! It now has two 275HP Jakes on it.
Sorry! I could'nt help sharing it with you all.

Someone put the link to Sky King on this board last year I enjoyed watching those thrilling days of yesteryear. I would think finish the cowl,flaps,elevators ,spray clear wet sand,rubout it will be in the air around March 1st.

Sky King, what a great show that was. I liked 12:00 high as well. Combat and Rat Patrol were good shows as well. Nice plane!!

Now if I ever recieve my reworked engines I will get serious about my Spacehound.

"HEY WILBER" put the phone over here so I can call John and say "Looks Good"

Scott(Rifleman was the best)Riese

LAST EDITED ON Nov-26-04 AT 07:47 AM (CST)
 
> Now if I ever recieve my reworked engines I will get
>serious about my Spacehound.

Hi John,
What engine are you planning to use in the Spacehound? And which plans do you have?
After about 25 flights, I had to go in and re-inforce the spars on mine at the edge of the center sheeting. I was/am using a ST 46 in it. Had to add a touch of tail weight (1/4-1/2 oz.) to get the balance right with the 46. With the really small tail it doesn't have great squares, but it REALLY flies nice rounds!
If I can get the time, I am going to make a master for the canopy and I think Mr. Sawyer would pull them.
I like it, it looks neat in the air.
Bill <><

EDIT: Sorry! I think the new plane looks real nice!

Saturday Faves...

Captain Midnight (nice, Bell X-1 like airplane)

Tom Corbett, Space Cadet

Big Top (Noon, Sat). One segment was, essentially, Child Greed, Personified. They would put a bunch of coins in a fishbowl with a small opening. The nosepickers could keep as many coins as they could extract. But...but...the bigger the fist, the less coins they could get out.

LAST EDITED ON Nov-26-04 AT 03:08 PM (CST)
 
Don't forget Buzz Cory of the Space Patrol.

Was there a "Tom Corbett--Space Cadet"?
Randy

>Was there a "Tom Corbett--Space Cadet"?
>Randy

Yep. Back in the 50s, along with "Captain Video"!

See: http://www.solarguard.com/tchome.htm

and: http://www.geocities.com/hollywood/hills/1742/

Google Rules!

LAST EDITED ON Nov-28-04 AT 11:20 AM (CST)
 
Ralph,

Thanks for the links. I was never into Captain Video. I don't think it was shown in my area. But I used to spend my Saturday mornings watching Space Patrol and Tom Corbett, Space Cadet.
I think the main character in either Space Patrol or Space Cadet passed away last week.

...Geez, we're all getting older.

George

Edit: Oops! there are two t's in Corbett.

>Was there a "Tom Corbett--Space Cadet"?
>Randy

Yeah, and the team "space cadet" was taken literally, back then.

I think the idea of "spaciness", "spaced out", etc grew out of '60s or '70s drug culture.

Shifting the topic a bit, Captain Video was a live show, as I recall. Remember the evil Dr Pauli?..."Soon I will rule all of the USA, then the Earth, and then, and then, all the cosmos will be mine!" Or something...

Getting back to the airplanes a bit, I remember seeing a show that had a Beechcraft Bonanza or twin Bonanza. I thought it was Sky King but I guess I'm wrong. Anyone remember it?

...and NO, it wasn't the show with "Hoss" and "Little Joe".

Sky King's Nephew Nipper, flew a E35 Bonanza and Penny, His Niece (Gloria Winters) Flew a J-3 Cub.

Thanks.