Bunkerbarge

I always think of the '52 as the equivilent of the Dakota.

A very versatile workhorse and backbone to many a branch of the services. A lot still in existance as well so you can still see these aircraft around nowadays.

Nigel.D

And none look better than the winter camo one in where eagles dare

wonwinglo

Auster,the all steel aeroplane was the way they were advertised in the aviation press,despite being out of production now for many years they still have a big following throughout the world,as a model subject you could not go wrong,everything is there to ensure a fine flying model,enjoy our small tour of some of the different versions,there are many more besides these here,and if you like draughting par excellence just take a look at the work that has gone into these -



Auster J/1 Autocrat.



The 'Aeroplane' magazine showed this excellent cut-away drawing in 1949 of the Auster Autocar J/5 Series.




Auster IV.

Auster A.O.P.9 Army Observation Post aircraft with Blackburn Bombardier engine.



Auster B.4 Ambulance Freighter G-AMKL,only one aircraft ever built.



Beagle Auster A.O.P.II with a Rolls Royce Continental 10-470 powerplant.

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'And there I was oil on my goggles from a broken pipe,then I looked at the altimeter,all I could see was the makers name !'
www.wonwinglo.scale-models.net/

wonwinglo

If you thought that this issue with the licensing of US military aircraft and vehicles was resolved last year, you were not alone. Evidently, some Congressman contacted one of the big defense contractors in his district and stirred up the pot. They effectively lobbied Congress and the amendment containing the measure against the licensing of replicas US military subjects was removed – the issue died last year. In the meantime, a growing number of defense companies are stepping up their campaigns to collect license fees on military-related subjects.
Let me make one thing perfectly clear – the action that the defense companies are taking to collect license fees is LEGAL. There is no law against what they are doing. Is it right? Should they be allowed to collect license fees for items developed and produced with taxpayer dollars? You decide.
Among the latest attempts within the defense versus hobby industry, someone was recently attempting to collect license fees for models of the Douglas SBD Dauntless. What is more interesting is another company demanding license fees for replicas of the R-2800 radial engine! Where does this stop?
To put this in perspective, let’s review some similar examples within the hobby industry and their effects:

• Every time you purchase a Minicraft 1/144 American Airlines 777 kit, Minicraft had to pay license fees to American for the logo and to Boeing for the 777. Why? These are intellectual property rights and Boeing and American are entitled to collect these fees. This is the commercial world and gone are the days were this same model was free advertising for both Boeing and American. Since today you think nothing about paying extra for a shirt or a hat with some company’s logo (paying them for the right to advertise their product(s)) then why not here too? What does this mean to the bottom line? The retail price of the Minicraft 777 kit is raised enough to cover those same licensing fees.
• Another example: Revell’s 1/24 NASCAR #24 DuPont Monte Carlo driven by Rusty Wallace. You know NASCAR is collecting a decent license fee for their league and GM is probably there for the Monte Carlo name. After all of that, look at the final retail price of this kit (or similar NASCAR subjects) on the store shelves – the difference is a dollar or two more than a non-NASCAR subject.

If you flip this issue around and you own a small company that makes a unique gadget that is becoming quite popular, you don’t want a bunch of people out there getting rich by using your name and product image on t-shirts, coffee cups, model kits, whatever, unless you get a fair share of the proceeds. This gadget that you brought to market was developed with your time, money and hard work, so you’re entitled to the rewards, right? So it goes with other companies and this license fee scheme. In the commercial world, this is all legal, ethical and totally up to each company whether they want to collect license fees for the use of their name and/or logo.
At the end of the day, if license fees are allowed for defense-related models, retail prices will go up. How much will depend on each company’s license fee structure. This may mean that some subjects are no longer worth making. So where does this leave us on the defense side of the licensing debate?

1. The collection of license fees for defense subjects is currently legal
2. A few of the defense companies have successfully lobbied Congress to leave this issue alone
3. While collecting license fees for these defense subjects is legal, there is something wrong about paying taxes and then paying the defense companies a license fee to buy a model that was developed with taxpayer dollars (in my opinion).
4. There is a new amendment underway to curtail the collection of license fees for replicas (toys and models) of military subjects as called out in the earlier.
5. You need to decide where you stand on this issue

What can you do? Wake up and learn from recent history. A few loud voices can make a difference in Congress – just look at some of the laws that have been passed recently.
Regardless of where you stand on this or any other issue, it is about time we start taking a harder look at our elected officials. They do not represent us as they should anymore. We simply elect them because they are Democrat or Republican, not because of their qualifications or their stand on issues of interest to us. Contact your Representative and Senator and tell them what you want them to do about these license fees. Tell them what you want to do about immigration, Iran, the homeless, whatever issues are on your mind. Now here is the important part – hold them accountable! If they vote in line with your beliefs, then they are representing you (and the people around you that have the same values).
If they vote against what you want on those issues of interest to you, then vote them out at the next primary election and look at the candidates from all parties. The core of the Democratic and Republican parties are shifting around so much, it is time to stop rubber-stamping the party and start comparison shopping for the right person for that job.
Hold them accountable. It is up to you.

__________________
'And there I was oil on my goggles from a broken pipe,then I looked at the altimeter,all I could see was the makers name !'
www.wonwinglo.scale-models.net/

Bunkerbarge

Barry,

Whilst I completely agree with your sentiments I think the reality is a bit less than clearly defined. I have always been a great believer in making your point by either voting or deciding where to spend your money but people seem to think there is no point. Everyone complains about the power of the big supermarkets and the death of the corner shop but then everyone buys thier groceries at the big supermarkets because they are cheaper. You get what you deserve.

Politics is similar but the trouble there is that nowadays you don't have a great deal of choice. For a start the three main UK parties will all have candidates who will only be offerring portfolio's that you will agree with a percentage of so you have to decide which is the best for you. You will always be voting for something that you don't agree with. These portfolio's are always put together to attract votes and are written with a degree of flexibility that allows a justifiable cause for the expectations not being met a couple of years down the line.

Then I firmly believe nowadays that the majority of local and national politicians are working for themselves and not the greater good. You only have to watch the childish bickering that goes on in the Houses of Parliament to see that there is very little genuine concern for the good of the country.

I usually find there is not a great deal to choose between the three main candidates and when you look further than that you are into the realms of candidates who are so preoccupied with single issues that they could not possible have anything to offer the greater good of the community or the country.

I think taxation is a classic area to see these things at work. No party wants to be seen to raise taxes as they would loose votes. They all want to be seen to put more money in our pockets so we can all go out and spend it on the holidays, houses and SUV's that we are all so desperate to have. Yet we have the worst health service, police force, local ameneties, schools and highest council taxes for years.

Taxes need to be higher to pay for these things but our selfish greedy society wants the money in thier own pockets and politicians are more than willing to pander to that need.

So whilst I agree with your sentiments I have yet to come across a candidate in any party that I could vote for and genuinely think they will do thier best to improve things and put a stop to what I see as a slow decaying of our society.

I actually had an interesting conversation with a colleague of mine here on the ship about this very subject. He is not in favour of increasing taxes to support things such as schools because he doesn't have any kids. Neither have I but we all should want to produce the best educated next generation because they are going to be making the decisions about our society when we reach retirement. If we don't educate the kids in schools nowadays what are thier views on education going to be in 20 years time?

wonwinglo

Richard,I am sure that you are right because someone once told me that when you see these MP's battling it out in parliament it gives the impression they would not even speak to each other outside,this is far from the truth as they prop up the bar chatting like old buddies regardless of their political beliefs,lets face it,it is just another job to them,well paid with lots of perks,how many really have their heart in it ? like yourself I am dis-illusioned by what they say that they do for our well being,I am not impressed one little bit with their conduct in general.

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'And there I was oil on my goggles from a broken pipe,then I looked at the altimeter,all I could see was the makers name !'
www.wonwinglo.scale-models.net/

flytilbroke

Careful now Barry, the Mekon might get you

wonwinglo

The work of pioneer artist L.Ashwell.Wood is well known,the detail and finesse of this technical illustrators work has become legend,he started working for the War office doing drawings of aircraft,ships,tanks many of which were used in period publications and later boys comics,he became best known for his superb centre spreads in the 'Eagle' a boys comic introduced by the Hulton Press at the request of a reverand who hated the horror comics coming into the UK from America at that time,the success of the 'Eagle' can be judged by the quality of illustration and the stories within,but the cover always featured 'Dan Dare' pilot of the future,whilst PC 49,Riders of the Range had their own sections inside,many journalists cut their teeth with the 'Eagle' such as Mac Donald Hastings who went onto greater things.Eagerly awaited every week were the centre spread illustrations,the originals done in poster paint on smooth board realise hundreds of pounds,but thankfully we can still enjoy the old centre spreads that exist today,here are a few from my own collection for you to enjoy.

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'And there I was oil on my goggles from a broken pipe,then I looked at the altimeter,all I could see was the makers name !'
www.wonwinglo.scale-models.net/

Nigel.D

Ohhhhh Politics!!! Whilst i agree with you Richard on some points ! You like me probably pay 40% tax and our council tax is £1400 per year this all for a really crappy refuse collection where if the bags are not at right angles fail to get collected also wo betide anyone who puts something out not in a bag! with regard to politicians correct me if im wrong but my mp is supposed to represent me not his political party because all i get is labour ideaology and am told how great the health service is (not) how wonderful europe is(most definately not no way never) and this is the best one " how labour have strived and succeded in producing a fully integrated society!!! that one had me laughing more than the "life of Brian"!!! I just want a good education system for my kids and being not afraid to let them out to play! i wonder how i can get a speeding ticket in 24 hrs yet cant get a copper to investigate our car breakin since 4 weeks ago (pressures of work im told yeah !!!! doing what ) i am getting to the point of despair i see people (immigrants) being given council houses and benefits at the drop of a hat. yet a young couple who work for me with a baby have been on the council waiting list for 4 years (their crime !! that they work and have contributed taxes nat insurance and council tax!! they live with his mom) I am getting to believe that we are classed as some kind of milch cow that this government can view with a parasitical avarice!

wonwinglo

Well I hope that like myself everyone has been enjoying the beautiful two days we have just had ? today I decided to open up the summer workshop and get it ready for the seasons outdoor modelling,I say outdoor because I only have a tiny shed and when I am working the things such as bandsaw,sander,Dremel motoshop,home made wood lathe etc go outside to make room,all wood parts are cut outside also which solves the problem od dust getting everywhere,this is also why my larger models are built during the summer months,these days I seem to do more actual building than flying due to the lack of places to fly,my small electric designs satisfy the need to get airborne in the local park where there are no problems due to noise etc.
Anyway the first major job was to place a piece of roofing felt between my workshop shed and an adjoining one which is used as my hangar,the workshop is flat sloping roof and the storage one apex,so you can see it needed some careful folding and joins to get everything to work,all that is now needded is some liquid roof sealer to seal the joins and all should be well,it is amazing how dusty everything gets during the winter months,there is a greenhouse heater in place to keep the condensation down and stop my tools going rusty,it is a bit like opening up the Mary Celeste as everything is virtually left as I finished my summer season around October,even wood blanks that will need finishing off and templates laid out alongside,but the biggest job this year is to overhaul and check over my squadron of flying scale models,no doubt batteries will need replacing and engines turned over,last year virtually nothing got done in that respect done due to a bout of illness rearing its ugly head,also my big Lancaster project still needs finishing,it has only been on the go now for close on six years,everything is built it just needs assembling,I now have a cockpit canopy to place over the framework on the fuselage,once again it is a fine day job as with eleven foot wingspan it takes up a lot of room as can be imagined.
The last job of the day was to move some boxes of bits from my full sized helicopter cockpit storage to between the two sheds in a sort of lean too arrangement,these boxes contained spares for my engines,helicopter models etc they will need sorting out,another task to do soon,so I am feeling quite shattered after that little lot as it expended a lot of energy,have you noticed it is not the actual building that takes the time but getting everything ready that eats up the hours ?
Everyone has their individual way of doing things,mine may seem a bit unorthodox but they fit in with my busy lifestyle,I would not want it any other way.
Everyone enjoy their weekend whatever you are doing.

__________________
'And there I was oil on my goggles from a broken pipe,then I looked at the altimeter,all I could see was the makers name !'
www.wonwinglo.scale-models.net/