Red Racer: It's the Comet kit of the 1930s, dubbed "Demon of Speed." It looks very much like a scale model of a "real" airplane but Google came up with only a pedal car, a very late "Red Bull" racer, and a Dehavillan Comet (twin engined) with a red paint job. There has been some interest in running a Red Racer event at the 2010 FAC Nats, although it might not necessarily be based on this exact plan. As you can see, the construction is extremely light, OK for indoor flying but bound to suffer on a typical Geneseo-type windy day. Preshrunk tissue is definitely the order for the wing and tail surfaces. Unfortunately, the cowling is no longer "furnished in the kit," so you will have to improvise. A customary approach would be to cut a circular disk like part "U" from 1/8" sheet and form a strip of bond paper around it. The weight of the landing gear, unless minimized, can nullify the benefit of light construction elsewhere. Use the lightest balsa available for the pants and wheels; 1/16" sheet of heavier balsa should be OK for the legs. Regrettably, the dimensions for the prop block are not legible but ½" thick by 3/4" wide by 6" long might be the intention. A fairly low-pitch prop would seem to be suitable for the 6" length if two strands of 1/8" rubber will power this model. A 5" or 6"plastic prop is worth a try. The photo shown is a good color scheme - for a racer that may or may not have existed. Go to Plan

The Convertible Cabin Model - Wheels or Skis" is Windy Sock's gift to you snow birds "up north." Of course. We southerners stay home whenever there is ice on the bird bath. When the birds are walking, our zealous guys are at the building board; the rest are watching TV. The plan is from July1943 Air Age magazine, and it comes to us through Al Backstrom. The wingspan measures out to about 22" so the prop block of 8" looks OK; a plastic prop of that size might do just as well, especially if it is modified as in "Papered Plastic Prop," as shown in this month's issue. Give it a try and tell us about the result, OK? Go to Plan