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  BIG BIRDS

 

Rich Minnick's 10 foot (3x scale) 1938 Rocketeer

Page 1 of 3

 Commentary by Andrew Tickle

 

Photography by Aric, Tom Northen and Jay Beasley

 

 

 

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Rich Minnick has always had a fascination for the pot bellied duration models of the 1930's. He has built an 'A' size Rocketeer prior to the big bird10 ft Rocketeer featured here. He also built a Speed 400 version of the pot bellied Diamond Demon, with which he made the 'A' team in the 2009 Speed 400 Postal Contest. And then a 10 ft version. He also built a small and large versions of the Quaker.

 

Andrew  with Rocketeer wing. You can see the right side of the (black and permanently attached) stab sticking vertically out of its sarcophagus (upper left of photo)..

 

 

Out comes the fuselage, carried by John Trumbull.   At far left is the plywood sarcophagus in Rich's truck used to carry the fuselage with the 5 foot tail and fin permanently attached.         Jay Beasley photo

 

 

 


                       That bit goes here, Andrew                                       Aric photo 

 

 

This is the next step after learning to chew gum and walk. Turning the wing hold-down bolts two at a time, closely supervised by Rich.  Good view of the famous potbelly.                                       Jay Beasley photo 

 

 

 

Uhmm....That feels about right now.     Big, shiny, band new airplane, almost ready.     Aric photo

 

 

 

The Big Birds attract the crowds. Rick Minnick's 3x 1938 Rocketeer almost ready for its maiden flight. Looks like a little Champ laying on its back underneath about to be crunched.                Andrew Tickle photo

 

 

         We are now ready for final check, but....     See next page

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