Cold Turkey Embryo... Dick Howard's "Cold Turkey" Embryo Endurance model looks to be a real competitor if built light. A trick Josh Finn suggested on a Yahoo discussion group (among many) with Embryos is the reduction of overall weight by modifying a Peck 7" plastic prop and sanding it down (scraping with a razor will go easier….editor) to 3-gram weight from 6 grams, understanding tail surface weight must be watched and reduced accordingly. Warps being the nemesis of small models, Dick's employment of Warren truss and cracked rib method on the wings provide a more rigid structure. As always, care has to be employed when covering the stab. Go to Plan

Dick Howard was inducted to the FAC Hall of Fame in 2010. Tom Arnold wrote in a letter offering Dick's nomination: "Dick started flying with the Cactus Squadron in Arizona in the early eighties and quickly became one of the flyers to beat as he was very good. I don't know his history in building models although being one of the WWII generation I would most certainly bet he cut his teeth as a kid on the Megows and Comets that got so many of us started. During WWII he flew photo reconnaissance P-38s in Italy, and he modeled his mount, named "Green Eyes," from a Comet kit and showed us west coasters what rubber-powered twins could do. He was a legitimate war hero with experiences of being chased by Me109s (no guns in recon birds, but bad language was allowed), and I am so sorry he did not live to see the honor given to him and his contemporaries today. He was such a modest gentleman that it would have embarrassed him but he most certainly deserved it. (Editor: In corresponding with Dick, I once asked him if he had ever been downright scared in combat. His emphatic answer: "Hell yes!" He also told of watching the wreckage of the P-38 accompanying him on a photo mission burning on the ground. The pilot, a close friend of his, died later in a hospital.)

P-51D Mustang...Certainly no introduction is needed for the P-51D Mustang or this Month's Model designer, Earl Stahl. This beauty was published in June 1946 Air Trails Pictorial. One attractive construction technique used on the tail surfaces is the overlay of 1/16" square over center spar to form a streamline airfoil. This appears very warp resistant. Perhaps the use of a removable plug in landing gear is advisable so when not on static display minimal drag would be encountered. For the really ambitious, carving a 4-bladed prop will get notice at the field, but perhaps fabricating a 4-blader from two plastic props would do the trick. Design certainly looks competitive if built carefully and "adding lightness." Go to Plan

Earl Stahl's articles were published in five magazines, MAN and Air Trails among them. While designing, drawing, prototyping, finally submitting designs for publication, Earl worked for a tiny, Stinson SR10-equipped All American Airways. He was one of the first employees of the company later to become US Airways. Sadly, after seven years of prolific modeling, the duties of raising a family, and career cut into the modeling activity. Earl flew many light aircraft as a private pilot. In his later years, Earl was surprised to realize just how respected his designs are. SAM chapters in England sponsor Stahl-designed contests. NFFS Hall of Fame, SAM Hall of Fame, AMA Hall of Fame, and FAC Hall of Fame, to name a few, share honoring this gentleman. "To have participated in America's romance with aviation – the thrill of flight, its expanding promise for the future – has been a treasured opportunity."…. Earl Stahl, March 1997.