Argentineans are very creative people. They have a knack for food, dances
and…aviation.
Being myself originally from Argentina, let this be an homage to those pioneers that far away from the then centers of
development nevertheless dared to dream.
Mr. Federico Correa, an engineer, was one of the many pioneers that
fed and propelled aviation in the country from the early days. Of his innovative
design only one photo seems to be available, which I saw published in the AAHS
(American Aviation Historical Society) Journal. Some helpful data there provided
the basic core for the reproduction presented here.
The creation that resembled a boat on top of a carriage roofed by
an overstretched empanada (the typical, yummy, Argentinean turnover) never
–that we know of- took to the air, but was enthusiastically taxied at the
historical airstrip of El Palomar.
Click on
images below to see larger images
The model
started getting what was already made: the Aeroclub engine and prop to
represent the Gnome Omega rotary engine. The prop in this case goes behind
the engine. Four photoetched wheels were set apart too. The main elements
were made of styrene of adequate thicknesses according to their function.
The “wing” required a special approach depicted in the images, were a
bed of styrene was prepared and engraved and then painted to represent the
supporting structure of the original. Some additional elements -as per the
photo of the real plane- were fabricated in diverse materials to populate
the Jules Verne-like apparatus. Then I realized that I had to make 1,816
struts, all different of course. Tricky little thing. My consolation laid
in the fact that no decals would be needed.
The diverse tanks were made of brass. One wonders why would
you need so many tanks, but then you speculate that one was for the
gasoline, one for the oil, one more may have been for the soup and the
other for drinking water (in the event the plane may remain indefinitely
suspended in the air).
It becomes apparent that aviators of that time period seemed
to believe that Mr. Louis Bleriot achieved success in his renowned Across
the Channel Flight only thanks to the aerodynamic properties of his beret
and mustache, since every photo of the era shows wanna-be pilots so
groomed.
Equally apt to navigate at “El Tigre” river delta given its canoe-shaped
fuselage, have a tea under the “umbrella wing” at the Palermo Woods or
cruise elegantly on the supporting undercarriage at the
9 de Julio Avenue
in Buenos Aires, it is surely a loss that gravity stubbornly kept it firmly attached to the
ground.
My deepest thanks to fellow modeler Mr. Psarras, (aka the Monster
of the
Black
Swamp
) who provided Greek recipes and aviation information in masterfully balanced
quantities.
Note: We have lately received some correspondence regarding our
modeling output, which some of you seem to find somehow notable. We would like
to clarify a few things: We are not shamelessly rich (In real life we earn our
subsistence producing artwork -that should give you an idea- under other name,
of course ), nor we posses –yet- a time machine of any sort. All our craft is
based in careful planning and assimilation.
The Borg Modeling Collective
Gabriel Stern
Click on
images below to see larger images
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