I wanted a gas powered airplane when I was growing up in the 1950s. At that time the planes were tethered by a control line and could be only be flown in a circle with maybe a few loops. I didn’t get the plane but i did get a flying platform, a gas powered model of the Hiller VZ-1 Pawnee direct -lift rotor aircraft.

To start the engine, I had to connect a dry cell to the glow plug and flick the propeller until it turned over. The tether for the aircraft was a stiff wire to keep it from just spinning around and it would hover in a most unremarkable way. This toy did not get much attention, but it was certainly unique.

A lot of advances have occurred with model planes over 60 years. I had a nice chat with Daniel Alton (Dan’s Auto) as he was flying two of his planes on the ice at Water Loom Pond in New Ipswich. He was guiding them through all types of acrobatics. I noticed that he used a battery to power the glow plug just as I had done in the 1950s. I realize that drones are the latest thing, but it was a treat to see these planes in flight.