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Columbia Model Works P-38 - 3/3/2002 8:05:47 PM   
jfangohr



Posts: 140
Joined: 12/9/2001
From: Columbia, MO, USA
Status: offline 		Hi gang,

Is anyone out there still flying the Columbia Model Works P-38? It’s been several years since my brother and I sold the business and the subject doesn’t come up very often. But I’m curious............still get calls once in a while from folks with questions and on rare occasions, still get dollar bills in the mail for info pack requests (amazing how long some keep their old modeling mags and respond to the old ads).

Would you believe that we have nothing left, not even a set of plans. I’ve kicked around the idea of building another one just for old times sake but can’t. We sold countless sets of plans so someone out there must have a set laying around. Would you like to sell them? Or how about a kit?

The one that my brother flew took 800 hours to design and build. He kept track of his hours just for grins. Obviously, building one from a kit or the plans doesn’t take nearly that long but I know that it’s a big and long project. Sure was a great flyer though, and some of you may remember seeing it fly at Byrons years ago. Put almost 150 flights on it before it’s final demise (punched the throttle for a go around and the right engine quit. It was upside down in the blink of an eye.....and SPLAT!) My brother was never one for complexity, and refused to consider an engine sync system or gyro. We had glow engines in it (Supertigre 2500’s) but today I would use small gassers and a gyro.

I guess I’m feeling kind of nostalgic today, wishing that we had never sold the business. It was a lot of work though, since each kit was cut by hand on a band saw. The neatest thing was when we sold several DC-3 kits to Industrial Light and Magic for the movie Congo. Remember the DC-3 kit? That was a great kit and flyer as well.

I guess I kind of miss it all, but I feel better now.

John Fangohr
       Post #: 1

Columbia Model Works P-38 - 3/3/2002 11:38:30 PM   
AndySteere



Posts: 243
Joined: 12/29/2001
From: Columbia, MO, USA
Status: offline 		Never too late for a comeback!

Andy

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Columbia Models P-38 - 3/4/2002 5:48:00 AM   
budcop



Posts: 237
Joined: 12/10/2001
From: Gray, TN, USA
Status: offline 		John, I will be your first customer for plans, kit, whatever, I have been trying to find a kit for a year now!!!!!!!!Bud...

_____________________________

Bud Williams
AMA 1651

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Columbia Model Works P-38 - 3/4/2002 6:40:57 AM   
jfangohr



Posts: 140
Joined: 12/9/2001
From: Columbia, MO, USA
Status: offline 		Bud,

Here's an interesting shot. Did you ever see this issue?

Attachments
Click to see fullsize image.
Click for fullsize

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photo - 3/4/2002 6:59:20 AM   
budcop



Posts: 237
Joined: 12/10/2001
From: Gray, TN, USA
Status: offline 		no John I missed that one, what a great shot of a wonderfull airplane, we need to get you back in business. I'm ready (foaming at the mouth) to build one of your designs......Bud

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Bud Williams
AMA 1651

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Columbia Model Works P-38 - 3/5/2002 9:05:47 AM   
BalsaOvercast



Posts: 229
Joined: 2/8/2002
From: Platte City, MO, USA
Status: offline 		As one of the club members present at both the demise of the P-38 and the one aileron landing of the DC-3, I can attest to not only the great design and engineering work of Joe and John, but also to the incredible flying skills of them both.

The P-38 kit was THE P-38 kit for several years, and I have an idea that Ziroli's kit was inspired by it. It is a shame that it has become "extinct"...

John, didn't Richard Geres have that kit a few years back? I'd be willing to bet he still has the plans if you gave him a call up in Taylor, MO. Just a thought.

Put me on the short list for the new Hellcat. I would have to convince the wife, but I think she'd see things my way eventually...

_____________________________

John Cooper
KCRC President

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Columbia Model Works P-38 - 3/6/2002 5:16:06 AM   
jfangohr



Posts: 140
Joined: 12/9/2001
From: Columbia, MO, USA
Status: offline 		Mr. Cooper,

Roger Geer (in Taylor, MO) is the only one that I know that is still flying one. He had it at our annual Extravaganza in Jefferson City last year. Didn’t get to see it fly because I arrived too late (he’d found a problem that needed to be addressed). I thought about talking to him about his plans but since he’s still flying it he no doubt wants to keep them.

If I decide to kit the Hellcat I’ll be sure and let you know.

John

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Columbia Model Works P-38 - 3/6/2002 8:04:29 AM   
BalsaOvercast



Posts: 229
Joined: 2/8/2002
From: Platte City, MO, USA
Status: offline 		Oops! Roger, not Richard. Richard Gere is that fool of an actor I never liked much.

John, do you think Roger would at least let you borrow the plans to make a copy of them? He'd still get to keep 'em, and you'd have a set, too. I'd love to see that plane kitted again...ah...the memories...

_____________________________

John Cooper
KCRC President

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P-38 - 3/11/2002 7:58:16 AM   
ProfLooney



Posts: 2413
Joined: 1/18/2002
From: Moline, IL, USA
Status: offline 		Hi John I just sold mine last year. I still have my plans they are great plans and it was truly a pleasure to build. I may have to build anotherone as soon as I build my Ziroli B-25. Since you brought it up I will have to pull the plans out and see if they are still good enough to work with or the years have tattered them. If they good I will have to run and scan them to cd.

I will try to find them and if they are ok I will get them scanned to cd and send out sets

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Great War R/C
Http://www.proflooney.net

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P-38 - 3/11/2002 8:15:51 AM   
ProfLooney



Posts: 2413
Joined: 1/18/2002
From: Moline, IL, USA
Status: offline 		Well Sorry guys I found the plans but they are so faded and hard tpo read plus the fact the mice have drilled lightening holes in them. I wished they had the technology back when I bought them to scan them to cd ahh well Cest la vie

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Columbia Model Works P-38 - 3/11/2002 9:56:10 AM   
Chad Veich



Posts: 2811
Joined: 12/13/2001
From: Litchfield Park, AZ, USA
Status: online 		Hi John, I may have asked you this already but did you guys have somebody working on a smaller 88" or so P-38 that you were going to kit? I picked up the plugs, drawings, and a set of glass parts (no molds though) for one this size that was supposedly going to be kitted but the gentleman doing the work passed away before it was completed. The plugs and glass work is absolutely beautiful (very scale also) and I have passed the whole package along to a friend who is going to finish the job. He intends to make it one piece, ala the Yellow kit. Should be very nice and a good size. Anyway, just wondering if you knew the history of the project per chance. Regards, Chad Veich.

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Smaller P-38 - 3/12/2002 5:17:28 AM   
jfangohr



Posts: 140
Joined: 12/9/2001
From: Columbia, MO, USA
Status: offline 		Chad,

Your question rings a bell, in that I remember someone asking this before. The answer is no, we were not involved in any way, nor did we know about or hear any rumors of a smaller kit coming out. If memory serves, our competition at that time was the Baker and the CBA kit, although there were reliable rumors of Ziroli coming out with a set of plans for one (now a reality of course).

An 88 or 90 incher would be a popular size, and no doubt a good flyer if you could keep the weight down (fiberglass kits have a tendency to be heavier than balsa and ply). My guess is a kit that size would generate a lot of interest!

John

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Columbia Model Works P-38 - 3/12/2002 5:44:40 AM   
jfangohr



Posts: 140
Joined: 12/9/2001
From: Columbia, MO, USA
Status: offline 		ProfLooney,

Too bad about those plans.....the search continues. So, tell me about the one you built. Was it the scale or sport scale? How many flights did it have on it? Would be interested in any comments you have.

John Fangohr

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P-38 - 3/12/2002 6:03:30 AM   
ProfLooney



Posts: 2413
Joined: 1/18/2002
From: Moline, IL, USA
Status: offline 		I built the scale version. I loved it and tried to contact you a couple times but one thing left off the plans was contact info lol. it was sweet and although it was scale and I only made it to local competitions it had a couple extras that made it the envy of evryone namely I had rockets that actually launched and used the BB cannons from the model ships in the nose.

for flight characteristics it was scarey very scarey as it was my first twin engine. After about 10 flights or so i became comfortable with it and had a blast. it was a rocket and as such glad for the flaps. Takeoff was a no brainer it tracked fairly straight and had nice ground handling. when landing i hit the flaps to abt 35 degrees and kept the engines humming and it came in nice and slow otherwise with any less flaps it was a rocket and liked to fall quick but that is the norm with all warbirds. overall I would give it a rating of abt 7 out of 10. only reason i give it that low is because of the support (sorry but had a hard time figuring out who to contact as I found you by luck then lost contact info). It was fairly easy to build and pretty well documented especially if I remember you had a nice drawing on aligning the booms which helped alot. it handled great and had about 120 flights on it with 3 1 engine landings and 1 of those was able to make a go around to land without too terribly much trouble. it was an enjoyable plane and like I said would have loved to build another if the plans had been salvageable.

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Great War R/C
Http://www.proflooney.net

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