Free Flight Archive is dedicated to the promotion and preservation of stick and tissue rubber powered model airplane building and flying.
In this age of modernization with smaller and smaller radio controlled equipment available we encourage you to venture "Back To The Future" of Free Flight (Always Capitalized) modeling.
Many of the modelers who grew up in the 1930's - 1940's and passed this hobby to their kids, are still active and they keep the stick and tissue tradition alive by building, flying and promoting these models. Every one is an avid aircraft ENTHUSIAST and can identify just about any aircraft known. Many of the classes of models flown in the Flying Aces events are derived from these early designs. Not much has changed in the way these models are built or flown although there have been improvements in covering materials, adhesives, and especially the rubber which we power them with. The Flying Aces club boasts a membership of more than 1500 people in the US and worldwide. They are locally organized into squadrons so they can meet, fly, and hold contests at their respective field. The local squadrons are more interested in coming together for flying and fun and are not too wrapped up on protocol. Members of the Flying Aces are encouraged to also become members of the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA), a nationally known modeling association with over a million members. You will be required to be a member if you fly in some contests, particularly the National Flying Aces events (Nats) and any AMA sanctioned event. The AMA provides a larger voice to support our hobby and also provides group liability insurance coverage for any possible accident incurred while flying. Included with your AMA membership is a monthly magazine highlighting the national activities and local events.
Most of us who build these stick and tissue models have dabbled in many other areas of modeling airplanes. We have nothing against radio control (rc), control line, slope gliders (rc), plastic and any other type of airplane modeling. We have ventured back to our childhood experience of building those 5 cent, 10 cent, 25 cent and up model kits (today they tend to be "very up in price") and we built very few of those upper priced balsa and tissue models.
We've found a new joy in seeing a very light, fairly inexpensive, model airplane circling over head all on it own. From time to time catching a thermal, bringing the mixed emotions of "the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat!"
When our pride and joy flies OOS (Out Of Sight). It flew as intended but the thermal god "Hung" reached down and plucked her out of sight! Often to never be seen again.
But unlike our other modeling friends the "agony" didn't cost us a bass boat! As one of our modeling buddies has said and I paraphrase, "There's nothing quite like seeing your tissued covered model fly overhead looking like a water color stained glass window in the shape of an airplane!"
All joking aside Free Flight Archive is endeavoring to preserve this hobby by making a place where plans of these models can be preserved and lend credit to those who have inspired us to persue this hobby. We do this through our Famous People of Aviation page. Our Hall of Fame to honor those who have helped us to develop our skills, abilities in trimming and flying our models or just being a great modeling buddy.
You'll find pictures of our modeler's planes scattered through out this site as well as a few pages of their work to hopefully inspire you to give it a try!
Our sister site "Stick and Tissue" handles all the hands on building tips, project building documentation, and answering questions that you might encounter in this "Back to the Future" venture of Free Flight stick and tissue modeling! Check us out there at stickandtissue.com Lets build something beautiful together with plans from FFA and with help and encouragement from Stick and Tissue.com! Keeping em flying!