Keith Laumer Reference on Stephen Colbert
 

I thought this was pretty cool. Keith Laumer reference at 4:15.

That is very cool! I remember reading Keith’s model airplane book, recommended by Milton Dickey (Dickeybird), and shortly learning afterwards that Keith also had written sci-fi books. Very interesting guy…. Also, love his model designs as they are unique and have character.

Brian

I have the book and a few of his novels. I also built one of his designs.
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I picked up on both model planes and SF within some months of each other. I recognized the name but thought it was just a coincidence until I read the author notes on the cover flap of the model airplane book.

Even publishing all his model designs in the magazines and the couple of boolks still wouldn't keep a house over anyone's head... Thank goodness for SF... :D

Bipeflyer,

I remember your Zoomerang - sharp looking.

My favorites are the Zoomerang, Little Red Twin and Twin Lizzie.

Brian

Outerzone.co.uk has a good number of Keith Laumer plane plans. They have also digitized and made available his book, cover shown by Bipe Flyer, How to Design and Build Flying Models 4th on the list at Outerzone Book List . Rather than point directly to his book, some may find the list of other books interesting. Although it shows a copyright of 1975, probably one of the last versions, I remember reading this book at the Keesler AFB library in the mid 1960's as an adolescent. Keith's book must have been very popular, because through the years I have checked it out from various public libraries in different states.

One of his interesting chapters was on rebuilding a wreck, where he illustrates various techniques. Today, not many bother with repairing heavier damaged ARF's. I even unsubscribed from one thread, because of the negative attitude toward my suggestion that the medium sized trainer was restorable. It wasn't that badly broken up. "No one has time and the kit is cheap ($75 US plus shipping)" is a weak excuse. If one knows how to manage their personal time, they could simply keep the damaged plane on the back burner, work on it here and there, little by little. It is how I did it when working full time, and at a fraction of the cost of a new ARF.

Anyway, Keith's designs have that certain charm about them. Upsizing his free flight models slightly or leave as-is at 1/4-A engine scale would make ideal half-A candidates.

Dave Fritzke has a page dedicated to many of the Laumer models with available PDF downloads.

Keith Laumer page of Model Plane Designs

If you will note, Plan #10 is the Push Up, which is also Chapter 10 of Keith's book. Dave basically reprinted the 4 pages that had the plan. In 2013, I forwarded to Steve of Outerzone a plan that I had made from copies of the book pages. I borrowed Keith's book from a library some 6 years earlier. After scanning the pages, I used graphics editing software to join those partials plus add the isometric. I also mirrored the half top view and elevator, so they would be complete along with elevator, plus joined the tip portion of rudder to it. A little clean up, rescaling the drawing full size (book was 2/3rd scale at 20" to fit pages) and now I had something I could build from.

The best of plans overtook me, one of these days I will build Push Up, may be even upsize it twice for .10 or .15 power (60" wingspan, has high aspect ratio - narrower width for length wing area is within .10 power). I could cover it like a WW2 Stinson L-5 with invasion stripes, then call it the Military Push Up. ;)

Outerzone Plan #664 - Keith Laumer's 30" Push Up cabin F/F

Galloping Ghost,

Enjoyed your story on the Push Up. A ton of work, but worth it. I have a few projects on my list that would take similar effort but would be fun for the journey and end result.
Would like to see your Military Push Up someday :).
Clever…

Thanks, av8rsodt. I think such would do honor for the late Keith Laumer, as he had an Air Force officer background.