Bill Simon's P-40

Can anyone give me any documentation on Bill Simon's P-40 that was powered by an OS 35S? I need documentation for when it was first built or flown or plans published for someone wishing to build one as a classic legal plane. The plan I have has the number CF-265 (I am assuming February, 1965) in the bottom right hand corner, and was drawn and inked by Bill but has no other date documentation or publishing information on it.

Flying Models didn't publish it until June, 1972.

K.

Leonard,

Email Bob Hunt. He could probably tell you the date the plane was first built and flown. He said in the first article of his that I read (the foam winged Thunderchief) that Bill Simons was his main mentor/teacher.

I already did e-mail Bob, but he is rather busy at the moment trying to wrap up his business and take over as editor of Model Aviation (the AMA magazine). So, don't know if he will even have time to read his e-mail on a regular basis for a while.

Len,

I'm sure I have some stuff on this. I was really taken with this plane several years ago. I'll dig through my stuff and see what I have. It was published, as noted, in June of 72, but I seem to remember comments in the Flying Models article about it being flown several years before. I have the magazine somewhere.

Did anyone get any more information on this plane? Richard Fleming mentioned the Shoestring article in the September 1971 article in Flying Models with pictures that were "about 5 years old." These models were contemporaries, but don't know which came first (or how close together they wre built). Any information to document the date would be appreciated.

Bill, by the way, is not in good health and has forgotten exactly when it was built.

Although Bill Simon (who is in ill health at the present) couldn't remember, himself, if the design were Classic legal or not, I just got word from Bob Hunt, who is familiar enough with the design to tell me that it is not. Apparently, it was first built after the cut-off date (although the rules allow a plane to be "designed" prior to the date...hmmm) and would not, therefore, be considered Classic legal. It is a shame because this design certainly follows the classic designs of the time. But a cut-off date must be established, and I support that--even in Presidential elections.

Knowing Bill a well as anyone I can tell you that he does not design and then build. He gets an idea and builds without plans or even notes.It always worked for him and he likes to keep things simple. Likely the P40 was conceived immediately before construction. I would ask him about the P40 but Leonard has evidently already talked to him.

Leonard --

In the late 50s and early 60s there were a bunch of Indiana designed "Warbirds" that were quite competitive in stunt. The "GobbleSchwanz" (a twin tailed German-flavored P-38), the P-40 (your boy), the Me-109, and the Spitfire Stunter are the ones that come quickly to mind. You may not have heard of it, but there was a popular "Stuka Stunter" also.

The Spitfire is the one I really loved. As I recall, it had a true elleptical wing, but I don't remember how the construction worked. Any plans available out there for the Spitfire? Seems like the designer wasn't too fond of the Spitfire, and kind of wrote it off. Can't remember any names of designers / flyers at this point.