Lou Andrews..How many designs?

Over the weekend I got into a discussion with another old timer who shall remain unknown. He says that Lou (or is it Lew?) Andrews only designed one c/l kit. I can't remember but it seems to me that he designed more than just the Barnstomer, but can't remember anthing else but the Trickster. How about it you c/l historians. Give us the list if you can. Thaks. BCJ

I happen to know that LOU did at least 18 kits for controline. Can anyone name some of them? Come on guys, put on your thinking caps!

I believe the Reactor is also his design, but I've never seen anything that absolutely attributed it to him.
Bare

Bare, you are right; Lou designed both the Reactor and the Trixy which were relieced in kit form in 1955. They were both highly prefab kits; all edges sanded, hindged elevator, etc. These airplanes were far and beyond their time; however, could be tricky to build and cover due to the lack of wing spars but built straight they flew fantastic and they were also expensive for their time costing the price of 2 Ringmasters. Can anyone guess who designed the Galaxy? Come on guys, isn't there anyone else who can name some of Lou's kits? He also did FF and RC kits, too!

Ok guys here's your chance to win a free Ukey 35! The first to name all 16 c/l kits that Lou designed will win the kit. I talked with old rusty lines last night and he has compiled the list. I'm doing this to promote Lou as one of he c/l legends that hasn't gotten the "press" of some of our other heros. Get out those old mags and do your research.Contest runs untill the end of Sept. If noone can get all 16 the kit will be shipped to the guy that names the most.

1. Trixter Babe 1/2A
2. Trixter Invert Jr.
3. Trixter Profile Trainer AB
4. Trixter Profile AB
5. Trixter Profile BC
6. Trixter Twin Profile BC
7. Trixter Barstormer
8. Trixter Barnstormer 1/2A (Baby Barnstormer)
9. Barnstormer Mk II (flaps)
10. Trixy Profile (swept wing)
11. Reactor (combat ship)
12. Trainer I
13. Trainer II
14. Trainer III
15. Rat Racer
16. Galaxy
17. T-28 Profile 1/2A
18. Sky King 1/2A

There is I think another 1/2A profile that goes with the T-28 and Sky King, but I can't remember it at the moment. I THINK there is also another Trixter like the Invert Jr., but can't recall it either at the moment.

Edit function seems not to be working.
That is of course Barnstormer, and not BARstormer (sounds like a Friday night at a biker hangout, doesn't it? hee hee).

I still think Lou did a couple more or so than this, and you are right, he hasn't gotten the press he deserves. Although it is R/C, his "Beam" is one of the all time great models of the early years of R/C too.

JAK

I THINK there was also a 1/2A Mk II Barnstormer with the flaps, but I am NOT sure on that one.

JAK

I now declare JAK the winner! There was also the Tiny Trixter and the Pixie Trixter but these may have been free flight models. Don't forget the A-Ray and the H-Ray r/c planes as well. JAK e-mail me with your mailing add and I'll get your Ukey out asap. BCJ
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Sir,

If you will;
Just pass it on to Nils, or M. Denny, or any of the others who teach C/L fledglings to get up and around, and down, or any worthy beginner you think is interested enough. I have more stuff than I can handle!
Tell 'em it is on me and you (mostly you).

See ya!

Lew also disigned the Aeromaster around 1965. At least thats about the time I first saw it. There is a Aeromaster hanging in the AMA muesum and looks to me like the one that was on the box label. I build an orginal Aeromaster in the early seventys and it is a delight to fly. I still have it, powered by the first Fox Eagle 60. I used to fly it slightly rich and it will lean out during loops, etc., like a 4-2-4 run. Lots of fun.

He also did the Guillow's Explorer R/C job.

JAK

Congratulations to JAK!! Your list was very good and thanks to all the other guys for your interest in my old friend, Lou Andrews, the most undercredited designer in this country. Lou started his model company, Trixter Andrews Model Company, just after WW2; his first kit was aClass C AM6 Cyclonette 1946, then the Trixter Cockpit 1947; this airplane was very popular at the time, he produced these kits while working for Pratt and Whitney in Conn.. Then in 1949, he went to work for Paul K. Guillow Company which was a major kit manufacturer and today, it the largest kit manufacturer in the world. JAK, your list was very complete; I can add a few to your list the Trixter Tiny 1952, the Pixie Trixter 1949 (Pixie may have been a FF) plus Galaxy 1959 and the RC kits the Trixter Beam 1953, the Explorer 1958 and the Vanguard 1960. He also designed a complete line of WW1 kits for Guillow and I'm sure I've missed a few; then sometime around 1964 he started AAMCO Models where he manufactured his famous RC kits(which has been copied by many manufacturers today), some of them are S Ray, H Ray, A Ray, Big Ray, Trainermaster, Minimaster and his greatest of all, the Arrowmaster; which is still be manufactured in 2 sizes by Great Planes. Some of Lou's accomplishments are: International stunt champion 1948, AMA champion '50 and '51 and AMA RC champ 1953. Most of this information came from the Sherman museum, where Dick has most of Lou's kits and airplanes built from his kits all autographed by Lou Andrews, great designer and flyer!

RE: Trixter (Twin Cockpit)1947. My wife error!!

OK JAK,way to go! I will make every effort to get out a Ukey 35 to some deserving beginner or re-tread as you have requested. A special thanks to Old Rusty Lines for his input about one of the top designers in modeling history. BCJ

Hey Joe..

Send it to me and I will get it to De Hill and we will give it to the most deserving beginner at our contest on Sept. 29th & 30th with credit to you guys....

How about that?

The kit will be shipped to you this coming Tues.AM. I'm sure i will be a hit with whoever gets it as a prize. BCJ

Works for me! Someone will be happy (what it is all about), from all I have heard, it is a rugged, good flying airplane.

JAK

That will work, I will talk to De and the gang about coming up with a good way to pick the deserving recipient. And yes the U-Key is a great airplane, I have two with OS 25 FP's that the wife flys. Tough, easy to repair and fly great.

You guys are what much of this hobby is all about.

Thanks for the historical bit, most interesting. I always liked his designs. I still have one of my Guillow's Rat Racers. I wonder if Guillow's still has the tooling for the Trainer series? It would be great if they would make another run. A whole lot of guys in C/L learned to fly on these, they were VERY rugged and flew well, a great value for the money.

J

Jake, Glad you enjoyed our little fun thing with Lou Andrews and if I thought it would do any good I would drive thirty miles to the Guillow's factory and get on my knees and beg them to bring back the Trixter line of airplanes. But with the price of balsa wood today a Guillow Trainer would probably cost something like $75 to $85 for that same kit. It's a shame that the young beginners today are missing out on such a great learning tool. I can remember as a young fellow going to Beverly airport in Beverly, Ma. every Sunday morning on my bicycle (over a 5 mile ride) and launching Lou Andrews yellow oil soaked silk-covered practice Barnstormer (back then you only flew your good airplanes at contest). I even saw Lou lose an RC Trixter Beam o.o.s. and was found a week later three towns over (twenty miles away). Any RC airplane I ever lost was never returned, I guess things have changed since the 50s; anyways i've had fun with this.

Considering what the kits bring on ebay, I think they just might sell, even a limited edition run, like Frank Macy did of the Fireballs. I just missed a bid on a Trainer 3 kit at auction that went for $75. The guy that won it told me in an e-mail that he was going to build it to replace his current one, which had been in service since 1964. He said last year it gave 15 newbies their first taste of C/L, but he said it is getting rather tired now, and he didn't think it would survive another rebuild.

JAK