Model Airplane News Cover for September, 1949
Tribute to Radio Control
Drawing by Jo Kotula
Photo of Dr. Walter Good
Click to Enlarge

This isue is a tribute to Radio Control. The earliest powered radio control flight was in 1937; the model airplane and radio gear being built by Michigan engineer Dr. Walter Good and his brother Bill who built the models. We believe that this cover portrays Dr. Good, but have no way of establishing that for certain.

The enormous antenna setups required for R/C in the 1940s are shown in this video at about 2 minutes, 49 seconds into the video.

In addition to airplanes, Kotula also gives us cars. Modelers must have been doing well in 1949, because they seem to have brought new cars to the meet: a 1949 Ford at the left and a 1949 Chevrolet Coupe on the right. That big trunk on the Chevy was perfect for hauling the massive R/C gear of the era. The various modelers must have been footloose and fancy free since they are driving two-door cars and not the family sedan.

  

Cars at the R/C Meet
left: 1949 Ford Coupe right: 1949 Chevy Coupe
Click to Enlarge

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