It was observed a long time ago by my hobby shop owner. As a general rule kids building model planes stayed clear of trouble. Any older people on site should take this in consideration. Especially if they want to consider supporting a budding offspring builder. If nothing else his tollerance for dealing with frustations in life should experience some growth.

Originally Posted by barry wilson

It was observed a long time ago by my hobby shop owner. As a general rule kids building model planes stayed clear of trouble. Any older people on site should take this in consideration. Especially if they want to consider supporting a budding offspring builder. If nothing else his tollerance for dealing with frustations in life should experience some growth.

I can vouch for this. When I moved in with my father mainly it was due to my getting in trouble with the law at least once a week. Nothing major, but I was well on my way to being a regular of the system. When I moved in with him, he said "boy, I'm not having any of that bs you pulled while living with your mother". That was all he ever said about it. About a month after I moved in with him, he said, "let's go get a glider". We did, we built it together and learned to fly it together.

I've built several other planes after that, and never once aside from the occasional ticket had a run in with the law again. I guess you could say that by him getting me interested in planes, gave me an outlet a way to express myself and a reason to not roam the streets.

Originally Posted by dedStik

I can vouch for this. When I moved in with my father mainly it was due to my getting in trouble with the law at least once a week. Nothing major, but I was well on my way to being a regular of the system. When I moved in with him, he said "boy, I'm not having any of that bs you pulled while living with your mother". That was all he ever said about it. About a month after I moved in with him, he said, "let's go get a glider". We did, we built it together and learned to fly it together.

I've built several other planes after that, and never once aside from the occasional ticket had a run in with the law again. I guess you could say that by him getting me interested in planes, gave me an outlet a way to express myself and a reason to not roam the streets.

Great story.... thanks for sharing.

Here's a link to a build report for a scratchbuilt from 3 views F84 jet that I'd submit is representative of what "model building" is transitioning into:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1679959
The guy did an outstanding job in my opinion, and as he notes, is the first time he's tried to do that particular construction technique. I think Model Building is alive and well in the 21st century, but materials and techniques are changing. The goal is still a functional, realistic, fun model.

Yeah springer, and I love greenseaships other builds too -- especially what he does with cardboard.

That's basic creativity. It helps to have others appreciate it when you do it, or even make mistakes. RCGroups and my club help provide that kind of interest by others, and makes me interested in seeing what others do and how they build., and allows me to encourage them as well.

So I would say that model building is definitely helped by appreciation, whether from friends close to home, or over the internet now. As a kid, I learned model building from another kid who was into 1/2A C/L models -- the Scientific models that Walter Musciano used to design.

Speaking of Walter, his story of how he got started as a kid is inspirational:

https://www.modelaircraft.org/files/MuscianoWalter.pdf

A few years ago I was corresponding regularly with Walt. What a nice guy!

I've built a few of his models and always enjoyed being able to learn something new with each build.

Andy

The benefits from modeling from an early age are many. My interest started in my preschool years with my older brother and Jim Walker 74 Fighter gliders. Got into building and flying control line planes, which resulted in some duel time in a full-scale Super Cub from my buddy's uncle (a WWII Hellcat pilot). Then came flying lessons (1963), military flight school, and years of flying, both military and private. I still fly and own a Light Sport Aircraft for fun.

AirBike (3 min 33 sec)

Yes, I continued building and flying models, CL for many years, and then into electric RC. I taught my three sons to fly models, so now that is a "family activity," and one is a Private Pilot. I do prefer building with balsa, since I feel like I have more control over the final product. Not only does modeling provide hous of fun, but it gives you the opportunity to get to know some really nice people with interesting stories and experience to share.

Gus Morfis is a retired aircraft design engineer with many years experience creating some of our nation’s fine fighter aircraft. He also designs models, and make plans available. He recently sent the following:

“The sacrifice of the obsolescent Douglas TBD-1 Devastators at the Battle of Midway pulled the Japanese Zeros down to the water's surface. While the Zeros were busy defending their carriers the TBDs, the Douglas SBD-1s Dauntlesses were able to dive down and sink three Japanese carriers in fifteen minutes! There were virtually no Zeros around to intercept them.
This was a loss from which the Japanese were not able to recover, and after the Battle of Midway, the Japanese were forced on to the defensive, with no real hope for them prevailing.

“The Dauntlesses rightly were the heroes of this battle, for they struck the key blows that destroyed Japan's hopes in the Pacific War. Almost all of the Devastators were shot down by the Japanese in that action, and that was the last time that they ever sortied on a combat mission.

“My Devastator Speed 400 design is really very basic to build. Wingspan is 33-1/2" and wing area is 188 sq. in. This is a model that will look well wearing the wartime max sized USN 'meatball' insignia, but it also wore the very colorful USN prewar color scheme.”

The cost of the Devastator plan is $15.00 shipped. Gus will mail it First Class to US addresses. Canadians will have to add $2.00 for additional postage. Contact Gus directly at: cmmorfis@aol.com

Gus has lots of other designs for the true model builders.

MB6

Man, that makes me miss flying UL!
Nice strip, too.

Originally Posted by barry wilson

It was observed a long time ago by my hobby shop owner. As a general rule kids building model planes stayed clear of trouble. Any older people on site should take this in consideration. Especially if they want to consider supporting a budding offspring builder. If nothing else his tollerance for dealing with frustations in life should experience some growth.

From the 50,000 ft level...I feel that model building or building anything that takes time and patience contributes to good kids.. I think when you invest time in building something, your able to see the effort involved in anything someone else creates and from that comes respect for the effort and also things of others. This to me is at the root of decesency.. respect for the individual.

Respect is exactly the subject......I've just come into a Royal Bearcat kit ,partially built.The fuselage is planked with 3/16 x 3/16 balsa strips,and the cowl is also..

The cowl is so perfectly strip planked,it looks as if were wrapped with one piece of balsa. Each strip is fitted so well,that the only proof is the end grain,which shows the planking to have been done with "v'd" strips,which look like a 'W' from the end view.The cowl tapers a little and there is perfect 'herringbone' joinery,due to the taper.

I'm sorry I never got to meet such a craftsman,and I have the deepest respect for his quality of work.
I'm a builder 61 years,and I don't apply enough effort-I know I can finish it well,and I don't apply my efforts only to have it covered up.
I have been inspired to do better,after seeing his work.

old thread i know but i find myself wondering also what has happened to true model building.
im only 32 but have enjoyed all varieties of model building starting off with static plastic kits then progressing to rc cars,then planes and eventually to helicopters.
it is saddening that the young generation today have the idea that building a model is taking the prefab parts out of a box slapping some glue on here and there and add a few servos and its ready.

one of the things i love is the whole idea of scratch building a model,but the new breed of modelers nowadays have the assumption that creating something elaborate and unique is a myth because"if it was possible to build that then someone would have done it and be selling it".they dont understand that its possible no matter what as long as you can spend some or a whole lot of time just thinking about it and how it can work or be created and made to work.

i never had any father to son pass down of knowledge of how to do this or that because unfortunately most of my childhood was spent growing up with divorced parents, i got hooked with a few kits here and their and pushed and fed my interest and love of small scale models to the point that i can sit and indefinately ponder and use my imagination to think about all the parts that can be made to work as they need to and gradually build up a stack of paper with random sketches on of how it will be done.

the sad part is its not just cheaply produced and moderately priced ARF kits that have killed the true art of scratch building or even building a pre manufactured kit of cut components and following a plan, its our lifestyles we all live today.

day to day life has progressed to the point that for most people now there is no 9-5 monday to friday and so no true weekend time for dad to show son or daughter how to create a masterpiece like the one he flys every sunday at the field with the guys that creates that wow moment for the kids to want to be able to build something as great, instead we have such limited time to give our family that its quicker to buy one almost finished put a couple of hours labor in and be ready to fly the same day .

dont get me as hating the arf's i love them and have had a few but theres nothing better than something thats one of a kind and the only one like it and knowing that its a result of your work and effort and the big grin from ear to ear when you take it out to fly for all to see.

as i said earlier im only 32 (although sometimes i do feel i should be about forty something) and my son is two and a half and already i have the seed planted and an interest in rc and helicopters has sprouted along with programming micro controllers for rc related gizmos and such.

now as soon as he see's me get the tx out to tinker and test my circuits he comes running up with wide eyes and a big grin asking me to let him move the sticks and make the servo move or push buttons on the breadboard and see the program running of the circuits, and if i really want to make him laugh out loud in pure excitement and happiness i let him sit with me and watch some heli 3d videos on youtube.

the point is that true model building IS a dying art that we dont see anymore but it is easy for any of us to turn it around with our young ones and get them into it and try and bring it back.

Well said...We know you're out there(want-to builders)and we're trying to find a way to help you earn the pleasures of crafting your own creation...But there's always a reason it can't happen.

I can see some older gentleman, decades ago, watching a kid fly his die-cut FF model, tck'ing his tongue, and wondering where the builders have gone. "If you ever want to REALLY make a model, I'll loan you my axe. All you did was trim glue the wood already cut for you!"

As was stated before, building is alive and well but the materials and methods have changed. Although most scratch builders are experienced fliers, even young people are building their own planes out of inexpensive hardware foam. Some of them are just downright beautiful. I like RTF's, too. Teach a kid to fly, see if they get hooked on how cool it is, and then gently introduce the idea that there are thousands, if not millions, of planes he can fly... he just has to make them, first. Passion breeds diligence; diligence breeds patience. I think it's also worth pointing out that they're doing things with models today that would have been considered impossible decades ago. Yes, I'm talking about electronics. Imagine when you were building your plane if a man handed you a little piece of plastic and said, "If you can learn how to control this, your plane will do anything you could ever dream of it doing. It can fly itself, it can take pictures, you can put a camera in it and with some special glasses feel like you're really flying!" Would you have been interested? I know it's far from the planing sanding finger-gluing world of "true" model building BUT it is an educational, interesting, puzzling, and downright complicated world that many young people are mastering right now.

We currently have entertainment overload. Trying to get a young kid these days interested in scratch building from the beginning is like never exposing them to puzzles at all and at the age of 7 throwing a 10000000(x100^100) piece puzzle at them and expecting them to have fun. "What, you're bored?! What, you think this isn't as cool as your vijamagames and walkpods?! Spoiled kid, no respect!" I'm just saying that you would have a better chance in getting them interested if they were addicted to seeing the final image at the end before they start. I don't know many kids that are just itching for a "slow, relaxing hobby to clear the mind after a hard day of work". This is especially true when considering that they have interactive, interesting, beautiful, social, puzzling, mind blowing entertainment at their fingertips at any time. Often, for free.

Speaking of which, at 31 years old, I think it's worth pointing out that my entire interest in aviation stems from a video game called "Red Baron". I would play it with my dad, when I was much younger, and we had tons of fun together. I remember being interested in those pilots, reading books on them, and their aircraft which fueled my passion to learn more. That knowledge bread a passion to control and experience those things I had read about. That passion led me into FF model building which led to becoming a mechanical/aerospace engineer which will lead to (hopefully) amazing things in aviation in the future. If I hadn't had that, I never would have been interested in aviation much less model building. "This is an Albatross D.Va, from WWI! It was made of wood and flew with a propeller." "Uhhh... yah, sure. That's great. Why should I be innately interested, again? Planes are old technology that has been a common thing since I was a baby. Now, if you could just show me how to make a lightsaber..."

I can't help but wonder how much of our love of building is actually a love of control. When we were kids, we weren't really in control of anything. Someone was always telling us what to do. Then, we are introduced to something that is OURS. It was something we were interested in to begin with but in order to get from point A to point B it's going to take some work; there was no way around it. If there was, we'd have taken the shortest route. "Work smarter, not harder", hah. Anyway, WE decide what to make, WE decide how it is made, and WE decide the quality. We can make new toys for ourselves that, for whatever reason, the parents support (whereas asking for some new toy from the store is almost always met with no). We decide when we work on it, we decide how long it takes, and we decide what other details we want to add to make it "better". Perhaps that's why I always loved those "choose your own adventure" books when I was growing up At any rate, when your brain tells you "I REALLY want that!", but it's not an easy process, you will be more willing to make the extra effort to get it. The things you learn along the way (the joy of having something you made yourself, seeing it all come together, seeing your choices pay off, etc) are worth more than whatever it was you made. The problem now is getting their brain to crave small, wooden models planes that actually fly and look like a real plane from a really cool period of history. "That actually fly" wouldn't be a selling point in today's world, by the way. Lots of things fly, no big deal.

Wufnu,

We, as aeromodelers, have covered this topic of youth in modeling time and time again. Nonetheless, I find your point of view very intriguing, likely because of my ability to relate to it.

My father introduced me to aircraft at a very young age. I caught the modeling bug when I was old enough to appreciate model aircraft and everything that we true builders put into them. I can say with 100% confidence that aeronautics envelopes my entire life and makes me who I am. Here in a few days, I'll be starting a four year trip at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute pursuing a degree in aeronautical engineering. At the same time, I will be a member of NROTC, which will put me on track to join the Navy at the end of my four years at RPI. I am shooting for flight school. I always have been. However, my passion lies in aerodynamics and flight. My experiences in modeling, flight training, and a Navy family has taught me that there is more to flying than "going fast in jets". You can bet that I'll be flying civilian regardless and I'll continue to learn more and more about the wonderful world of aero.

I can't thank the modeling community--including those in my AMA club and the countless members here on RCG--enough for having contributed to my learning and the pursuit of my passion.

Bring modeling back to youth, eh? You've accomplished that with this kid.

Kody

Good luck, Kody! I'm quite envious. I, too, wanted to fly for the military but was too fat and before too long I was too old. I suppose I just didn't want it bad enough to lose the weight in time. I wish I could do it all over again but them's the breaks. You, though, you can do it! Never make a B in college, stay in great shape, and actively volunteer within the community and you've got it golden. You know this already, I'm sure. Also, be very wary of numerical analysis; it's a GPA killer. Well, that was the class at my school, anyway. The professor often said, "Every transcript needs at least one F". Look out for professors like that, too.

Do they still do aeronautical engineering? I thought most universities only called it aerospace these days and liked to make you take things like astrodynamics. Man, I had almost zero interest in the space stuff.

Sorry to go off topic. Balsa strippers.