Back home today from over a week in Visita staying in the motorhome. Busy week at SNG Studio and for me personally. 

Things are moving at long last with our quest to find a Rocket Launch site. I think we have found one. 

I have my first meeting with the Civil Air Patrol this Tuesday at Camarillo airport.

Thursday I’m going to Point Mugu Naval Air Station by invitation on base to see maneuvers.

This weekend is the Wings Over Camarillo air show we were invited to. We will have a table there to meet the public in the STEM Pavillion. https://wingsovercamarillo.com/

I’ll finish up this Super Orbital Transport for the airshow this week. Gloss white goes on today and decals.

I have a new plane to start. A Luscombe 8e Silvaire. 53 inch span. Beautiful kit and plane.

 

I’ll also be building this lovely Sebring MG bridge from https://www.racetrackscenics.com/#/ for my slot car track.

Next week I’ll start the new mask of the Ray Harryhausen 7th Voyage of Sinbad Cyclops!

Great things ahead!

Great to be back.

Just to let you all know I’m still here but entertaining Mary’s grandchildren until this Sunday. Monday we are back online and filling your orders for masks, props, and other items. If you order now they will be made next week.

We will also be at the Camarillo Airshow next weekend. https://wingsovercamarillo.com/ We were invited by the airshow and given a table for our rocketry and model airplane group.

It’s open to the public. Come visit us and enjoy the show.

I’m currently building this Estes Super Orbital Transport for our table in hopes of attacking young people to our section. We will be in the STEM Pavilion.

Life is an amazing thing. It really is. Since I was a small child and I saw my first airplane in the sky I wanted to fly. I flew rubber powered airplanes and made rockets. I watched every space launch and movie from “Strategic Air Command” to the Disneys “Man in Space”. To quote Pink floyd I could never “escape its irresistible grasp”.

I didn’t have the notice from my parents. They didn’t kindle my interest or take it seriously. That was a shame. But I never stopped trying. I’d make rockets out of cardboard tubes and use C02 to launch them. I would do whatever I could to get a little piece of me up into that sky.

I grew up. I went to Hollywood and had a wonderful career but during that time I had a building table where I built model airplanes and flew my socks off. I never stopped looking up. Today I’m still doing it and will until I drop. I don’t think any of us will ever know why the sky calls us like it does. But it’s in your soul. Once an aviator always an aviator.

I have regretted never getting a private pilot’s license, a PPL. I had many opportunities and the money to do this in my career. But Hollywood was demanding and time was always hard to find.

So here I am 70 years old. Still looking up at the planes flying out of Oxnard airport, Camerillo, and point Mugu. Wishing I could be up there.

Yesterday I received an email from the local Civil Air Patrol Squadron 61 stationed at Camarillo Airport. One of my favorites. They asked me if I could join them to assist with their cadet rocketry program and model flight. I said yes. Camarillo airport is 15 minutes from my house.

Ricardo of the Squadron called me and we had a very long talk about all this and airplanes. He and his wife both work in military aviation. Ricardo is like all of us. A died in the wool aviation wing nut with a solid passion for all things that fly.

He encouraged me to join the Civil Air Patrol. I didn’t know this could be done by someone like me but he assured me it could. He also told me I could go on missions in their aircraft. Also, using Microsoft Flight sim 2020 I could get formal training in learning how to converse with the ATC. They have software that plugs in and allows you to talk with a virtual ATC with real air traffic controllers and virtual air traffic. 

What this all may lead to is flying with them. Getting some stick time and maybe a PPL at long last. If nothing else I’ll get to wear a flight suit and get up there. Up there where I have been looking since I was 3 years old. To say I’m excited is an understatement.

I have my first meeting with the Squadron August 9th.

The moral to this story is never, never give up. And keep that inner child alive and well. And be ready. There are always great things ahead.

Quoted from the Civil Air Patrol page:

Squadron 61 contributes to the Civil Air Patrol’s mission as America’s premier public service organization for carrying out emergency services and disaster relief missions nationwide. As the auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, CAP’s vigilant citizen volunteers, including the members of Squadron 61  are there to search for and find the lost, provide comfort in times of disaster and work to keep the homeland safe. The Squadron is part of a compliment of 60,000 members who selflessly devote their time, energy and expertise toward the well-being of their communities, while also promoting aviation and related fields through aerospace education and helping shape future leaders through CAP’s cadet program.

“Supporting America’s communities with emergency response, diverse aviation and ground services, youth development, and promotion of air, space and cyber power.”

I want to thank everyone that has been so kind as to contribute and donate to helping us with the making of our next film.

I love short films. To me they are a true art in film like no other. Unlike making feature films you may not have a huge budget and crew but you do have absolute freedom as an artist.

Thank you!

https://igg.me/at/a-conversation-with-my-father/x/18791283#/

We just raised our prices for the first time in 9 years. The cost of shipping has gone so much we had no choice. We raised everything by 15 percent. 5 percent lower than the national average.

These are worse than hard times and I hope you’ll understand. The price of rubber, plaster, and resin is all up.

I’m enjoying my time off with the grandkids. Mary and I took them to the harbor that’s within walking distance of our home. Rosie and I watched the seals. This one male seal has the right idea about how to enjoy life. He was just laying on his back in the water peacefully floating and enjoying.

I also started back on my ME P. 1101 RC jet. Installing the landing gear is a challenge to say the least. The actual WW2 German jet had the landing gear located in this rather difficult location but I worked it out and now I can do the other main gear.

Nose wheel will be sticking up into the duct but I’ll vacuum form an aerodynamic blister for it to smooth the airflow. 

This is a kit I made back in 2003. One of the first electric composite RC jets back in the day. I’m building this one with all new modern equipment. The old Wemotec unit is just for placement. I have a new E-flite motor and fan inbound. This will run on 4s.

It’s officially Grandchildren for the next two weeks. I will try to work between the lines over the next two weeks but it will be sketchy. 

I did get to my Sunday flying yesterday and flew the little BF-109 with its new landing gear. It flew so well I flew it several times. Nice and smooth like a larger plane. I am very pleased. It was a great day of flying. All 3 planes flew well for many flights.

  I’ve started a new build while I wait for my Luscombe Silvaire kit to arrive. This is what the plane will look like when built. 52 inch span with opening doors and full cockpit interior. I plan to install lights too.  

This little WW2 Zero has a 17 inch span. It’s an amazing kit built just like a large kit in miniature. It has ailerons, rudder, throttle and elevator and can be flown indoors and outdoors on calm days. I’ve had this for a few years and its small size makes it ideal for a build at home.

All orders are fininshed and the Seemore will be shipped today.

We have our first production meeting at the end of August. In the meantime the actors are reading the script. Mary and I are making plans and sharing ideas. Dr. Chris Landon is a producer on the film and we are using his location to shoot the film both interior and exterior.

More about this film after our first production meeting at the end of August.

Another Seemore is about to be shipped. Back to working on my painting and working on some planes.

“A Conversation with my Father” screenplay is finished and we are starting production. I’m writing two more scripts. “Forever flight” and “The Switch”.

I am still thinking about that “Next Mask” project sculpt. I want to do something classic or maybe a creature or alien design of my own since Seemore has been so popular. He was an alien of my design.

I’d love to hear your input on this so I make something you might enjoy adding to your collection.

In fact the Seemore mold is beginning to wear out. I will soon have to pull a master and make new molds from the cleaned up master. Thanks to all of you for all the orders this year.

I just finished a new script. This time, no special effects CGI, no creatures, and no space ships. All shot on location. No special wardrobe. Contemporary. Real life drama with a twist at the end that even gets me and I’m the writer.

This will be the 4th SNG Studio short film and we start production now. I’m so excited to be making films as it was and is my first love.

More on this soon. The title is, “A conversation with my Father”.