Model Fun #4

When a teenage girl from Kirkwood, Missouri suffered a severe wrist injury that nearly cost her the use of her arm, she refused to let it define her future. Working with her brother Gary and fellow model airplane enthusiasts, Shirley Ann Austin channeled her rehabilitation into competitive flying, competing in championships across the country despite ongoing pain and setbacks. This is the true story of how determination and precision—with help from friends who believed in her—carried her toward something remarkable.

Bobby Benson gets an up-close look at payload flying models—miniature commercial aircraft built to take off, fly, and land while carrying weight, just like real planes do. In this 1955 feature, he and his friends learn about the two competition divisions and the strict rules governing these flying models, from engine size to dummy pilot placement. It's a neat glimpse into a specialized corner of model aviation where form follows function.

When spies target a defense plant for its secret blueprints, they hold a boy hostage to force his brother Bill Ford into handing them over—but the captive's quick thinking and a cleverly disguised model plane set in motion a daring escape that alerts the authorities. With the help of a friend and a fortunate discovery at a local hobby shop, the boys manage to turn the tables on the criminals and bring them to justice. Their bravery earns them recognition from the town's police chief in this action-packed 1955 tale from Model Fun.

When a group of model boatbuilders gather for a friendly competition, they put ingenuity to work—devising a clever system that lets multiple boats race simultaneously around the shore. This issue delivers hands-on guidance on everything from rigging an outboard engine to building a fair racing setup, packed with practical tips on maintenance, fuel handling, and keeping your model boats in top shape.