Sky King's "Song Bird"

Sure do! Great model choice. Somewhere I saw a boxing or a kit that included King and Penny.

I just looked at the kit on the Squadron website. Kinda pricey. Still, I'd enjoy building the Songbird. The Sky King TV program was part of my falling in love with airplanes. Another cool build would be Sky King's straight-tail Cessna 310 Songbird.

Hi,  The kit is limited to 1000, hence. I have been trying to find a nice Cessene 310 for a long time, to no avail. Any idea where I can get one?  Would like a 1/48 if posible. Thanks, AARDVARK

Wasn't the USAF equivalent a U-3A?

Rug Rat Resins has 1/48 310 A/B's, U-3A's and 310D's in 1/48.  Hannants has them.  Resin, white metal, and Vacuform.

Built that one when it first came out. It is a very nice kit, good fit and detail.  Unfortunately, the ride home from the last show I put it in was a bit rough, and an LG axle broke.  Haven't gotten around to trying to repair it. It looks a bit sad sitting that way.

ARDVARK003

Hi all, Anyone remember the 50's tv series "Sky King"? I'm 70 I do. Bought a Squadron Bamboo Bomber. I was suprized to find the "Song Bird" decals with it. T-50. Will be a great nostalgia build. Hope everyone is good. Happy modeling. AARDVARK

"Bought a Squadron Bamboo Bomber. When from Out of the blue of the western sky I was surprised to find..." 

That was a time frame of early TV and cowboys and westerns were the rage. Then along came Sky King and niece Penny, a flying cowboy and flying version of Dale Evans. Those were the days. Does anyone remember the flying car? Note: Gene Autry, the singing cowboy, was a transport pilot in the Army Air Corp in WWII. He was a "Technical Sgt." He flew supplies over the "Hump". Happy trails!!!

fotofrank

I just looked at the kit on the Squadron website. Kinda pricey. Still, I'd enjoy building the Songbird. The Sky King TV program was part of my falling in love with airplanes. Another cool build would be Sky King's straight-tail Cessna 310 Songbird.

 

Sure wish Minicraft would do a 310- it is my favorite Cessna.  Minicraft does do 1:48 lightplanes.  While their early ones were so-so kits, the more recent ones are topnotch.  They have not done twins yet, but it is about time for that!

Aardvark, I've almost ordered Squadron's Bamboo Bomber many times. It's nice to know that the songbird decals are included. Thank you for your post.

Frank, I love the pic you posted of that old 310. Wow, even I never I never flew one that old.

Look what I just stumbled upon, an old post about the Czech Models T-50 in Songbird Scheme.

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/m/online/1343968.aspx

And Ardvark asking about the kit, 2 years ago. Is this the same Ardvark, Ardvark3?

PS, I'm sorry to keep whining, but this inop hotlink is really getting on my nerves. It's not just posting, it's a pain trying to follow the hotlinks of others that are not hotlinking.

I know this place is free to us and I haven't lost sight of that and I appreciate it. That said, .............

Greg, I've always like the old straight-tail Cessna airplanes. They just seem to have a lot more character than the later swept tail planes. If I was flush with cash, I'd have me one of these:

Greg

PS, I'm sorry to keep whining, but this inop hotlink is really getting on my nerves. It's not just posting, it's a pain trying to follow the hotlinks of others that are not hotlinking.

I know this place is free to us and I haven't lost sight of that and I appreciate it. That said, .............

 

Is this recent? Had not noticed before.

Nope, no joy, Bill.

Now you have me wondering if I might have a browser problem? You've made me realise nobody is griping about this but me.

I'm going to check some other browers. I'm using the latest Firefox.

fotofrank

Greg, I've always like the old straight-tail Cessna airplanes. They just seem to have a lot more character than the later swept tail planes

Guess I never looked at it that way. You have a point there, Frank.

And yep, I AM old enough to remember those older straight tail 150's. Fondly.

GMorrison

Is this recent? Had not noticed before.

It has been a while since I've had trouble with the hotlink functions. But it didn't start with the big forum remod a couple years back, it is more recent than that, Bill.

I've checked two other browsers, still no joy. 

Don Stauffer

 

 

fotofrank

I just looked at the kit on the Squadron website. Kinda pricey. Still, I'd enjoy building the Songbird. The Sky King TV program was part of my falling in love with airplanes. Another cool build would be Sky King's straight-tail Cessna 310 Songbird.

 

 

 

 

Sure wish Minicraft would do a 310- it is my favorite Cessna.  Minicraft does do 1:48 lightplanes.  While their early ones were so-so kits, the more recent ones are topnotch.  They have not done twins yet, but it is about time for that!

 

 

Why do I remember a Cessna 310 kit from when I was a kid? By Aurora maybe?

I was just reading last night that Mike Wallace, the TV news anchor, was the announcer for many of the radio broadcasts of Sky King.

Aurura did a Cessna 310 in 1/72 nd scale. Wheels up (no landing gear) and no interior. As best I can recall the kit was from the late 1950s, or early 1960s. Note the Cessna 150 is nice, but the 152 is more stable and more forgiving to fly IMHO.  

A review of the Aurora C-310 kit: http://www.internetmodeler.com/2000/july/kit-corner.htm

Most of my two-seat time is in late C-150 (M) and early C-152. My favorite that I rented from AirOrlando was a C-150 "Sparrowhawk" with a 110hp Continental. On a hot day here in Central Florida it would still get above 3000 feet with two onboard and give you an honest 100 knots indicated. Most 100hp 150/152 aircraft were only good for 90 knots +/-. As for the straight-tail, I just like the look. With a 150 hp Lycoming, the airplane would be a rocket ship!

FotoFrank -

Put me in the straight tail league too, they just look more like the old classic designs. Once at a mid west airport I saw what was cunfusing me for a minute, a two place cessna tail dragger, that made me think it was a really clean 140 at first. But the vertical stab and rudder were squared off and swept, not rounded.

Then I realized it was a new 150, that had been converted to a tail wheel version. I asked around a bit, someone knew the airplane owner, he said there was a kit for completing that conversion. I thought that made for a really good looking airplane.

Patrick

Back on topic for a moment. I just received an Ebay notice of a Squadron Encore Models Bamboo Bomber for 20.99. No Sky King decals, just military markings, but still...

OK, I just ordered the kit. From what I can determine from various places I looked, this kit has the Sky King decals as well as USAAC and USN markings. We'll see next Monday.

fotofrank

Back on topic for a moment. I just received an Ebay notice of a Squadron Encore Models Bamboo Bomber for 20.99. No Sky King decals, just military markings, but still...

OK, I just ordered the kit. From what I can determine from various places I looked, this kit has the Sky King decals as well as USAAC and USN markings. We'll see next Monday.

 

Oh oh, you just prompted me to check Squardron. Looks like I waited too long, don't see a trace of the Bamboo Bomber there. I think you made a good buy, Frank.

Greg, I just sent a PM with the link to the kit. It comes from a dealer in Lincoln, Nebraska.

fotofrank

Greg, I just sent a PM with the link to the kit. It comes from a dealer in Lincoln, Nebraska.

 

Got it, complete with a working link! Thank you, kind sir. I've never ordered from eBay before but there is a first time for everything, no?