Scale Aviator International Magazine Issue 3 | Page 30

This is the flightline with all the 1/6 scale aircraft we flew
during the weekend. After the war, this field was converted
to an apple orchard.

Bomb Group, a B-26 unit, was then followed by
the 354th Fighter Group flying P-51s prior to the 56th
coming in with their P-47s for the remainder of the
war. It had reverted to an apple orchard after the war
for almost 60 years.
But now, in preparation for this 60th anniversary
commemoration of WWII, some of the field was
revamped to accommodate a real P-47 to land there as
well as several other planes, including two P-51s.
I started making inquiries with the directors of the
airshow as to the possibility of bringing my Hairless
Joe airplane over there to participate in the festivities.
They were very helpful and receptive to my idea, and
we coordinated how best to bring this about.
There was a 1/6 scale RC group there that had an
impressive number of excellent flying warbirds and
pilots, and they really helped me out.
Fortunately, I work for a major airline, and at least
the shipping was virtually free. There were several
complicating issues, one being that since I had flown
the plane before and had run gas through the engine,
it was considered to be a dangerous good by the
airlines. So, I had to send the engine separately to a
friend in England, and then put it back on when I got
there. I had to reverse the process to bring it home.
In addition, I had to build a light, but strong crate
that had a maximum allowable shipping weight total
including the plane of 100 pounds, or less. This coffinsized box ended up weighing 98 pounds, just under the

30

Myself and the B24 Liberator “Hookum, Cow” Built by John
Deacon when he