Model Display "Bent Throttles: 100 Years of Air Racing"
By Tim Nelson
INTRODUCTION
NorthWest Scale Modelers (NWSM) is a loose confederation of modelers based at Seattle's Museum of Flight (MoF). The two organizations collaborate to stage a quarterly lobby display of scale models related to a mutually agreed upon theme (for example, the Spanish Civil War, "50 Years of NASA"
Organized air racing as we would recognize it today began in the spring and summer of 1909. The breakthrough air meet at Reims, France in August 1909 is commonly thought of as the first air race, but there were other preceding events that year (see References). Regardless, the centennial of air racing is something that needed to be observed and commemorated in a way that only modelers can. Thus in August 2009, NWSM installed a new MoF display titled "Bent Throttles: 100 Years of Air Racing".
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But that's OK. We in Seattle are lucky to pursue our hobby in a very vibrant and active modeling community. Among us, we had already built many interesting and significant subjects in support of this display. Reviewing what models were already completed, we then selected some missing must-have subjects - and unsuspecting modelers - to fill out the display.
THE MODELS AND MODELERS
The following is a list of models which represent the triumphs, tragedies, achievements, and disappointments of air racing over the last 100 years. It only scratches the surface, as to be expected with only 2 small display cases available. However, these models will bring this aspect of aviation history to the attention of many thousands of MoF visitors during the display's three month run:
Subject, scale, modeler (asterisk if model built expressly for this display)
* Curtiss Golden Flyer "Reims Racer, 1/72, Tim Nelson
* Parnall Pixie, 1/48, Mike Morrow
Dormoy "Bathtub", 1/72, Mike Morrow
* Sopwith Tabloid, 1/72, Tim Nelson
Macchi M.33, 1/144, Jim Schubert
Curtiss R3C-2, 1/48, Mike Millette
Piaggio-Pegna PC.7, 1/48, Jim Schubert
Supermarine S.6B, 1/48, Jim Schubert
Macchi-Castoldi MC.72, 1/48, Jim Schubert
De Havilland 88 Comet "Black Magic", 1/72, Douglas Moore
* De Havilland 88 Comet "Grosvenor House", 1/72, Robert Allen
Douglas KLM DC-2 "Uiver", 1/200 diecast, Tim Nelson Collection
Bugatti Model 100, 1/43, Jim Schubert
Payen Pa.22 "Flechair", 1/72, Jim Schubert
Laird Super Solution, 1/32, John Summerford
Wedell-Williams 92, 1/32, John Koon
Seversky P-35, 1/32, John Summerford
Caudron C.860, 1/48, Jim Schubert
* Travel Air "Mystery Ship", 1/48, Stephen Tontoni
Laird Solution, 1/48, Mike Morrow
Gee Bee Z "Super Sportster", 1/32, John Koon
Gee Bee R1 "Super Sportster", 1/72, Bill Glinski
Howard DGA-5 "Ike", 1/48, Jim Schubert
* Folkerts SK-3 "Speed King", 1/72, Tim Nelson
* Rider R-4 "Firecracker", 1/32, Mike Morrow
Bell P-39 "Cobra II", 1/32, John Summerford
* Goodyear F2G Super Corsair, 1/72, John Newcome
* North American P-51 Mustang "Beguine", 1/48, Don Conrard
Thompson Trophy, approx 1/12, Tim Lawson Collection
* DHC-1 Chipmunk, 1/72, Bob Hill
Grumman Bearcat "Conquest 1", 1/72, Terry Moore
North American P-51 "Roto-Finish", 1/72, Bill Glinski
Hawker Sea Fury "Miss Merced", 1/48, Terry Moore
Formula 1 "Nemesis", 1/48, John Summerford
SNJ-6 "Two of Hearts", 1/72, Al Sauer
LOOKING AHEAD
The primary Czar and Grand Poohbah of the NWSM MoF displays is IM contributor Stephen Tontoni. Planned upcoming displays we are working on include the following:
Nov 2009 - Sci-Fi Vehicles
Feb 2010 - Firsts/Records/Long Distance Flights
May 2010 - Strangers in a Strange Land (aircraft in unexpected markings)
Aug 2010 - Battle of Britain
Nov 2010 - Korean Air War
Feb 2011 - 50 Years of Human Spaceflight
May 2011 - Operation Barbarossa (1941 German invasion of USSR)
Aug 2011 - Civil/Sport/Private/General Aviation (plus mil uses)
Nov 2011 - Pearl Harbor (1941)
If you're in Seattle, check out the world class MoF and be sure to view the NWSM display near the Café entrance.
REFERENCES
"The Worlds' First Air Races: The May-June 1909 Port-Aviation Meetings", Anders Bruun, Bent Throttles Journal #47, April 2009
"The World's First Air Races: The June-July 1909 Douai Meeting", "The World's First Air Races: The July 1909 Vichy Meeting", Anders Bruun, Bent Throttles Journal #48, July 2009
IPMS Racing and Records Special Interest Group
Red Pegasus Decals, a great resource for modelers wishing to model some of these subjects.