I’m sure almost all of you played with balsa wood gliders at some time in your youth, just as I did.   Whether it was a toy that your mom or dad bought you for “being good” … a party favor … or something you spent your allowance on in order to have some fun with friends on sunny, summer’s day. 

We just opened the packages … slid the wings and tails into the slots … and we were ready to go flying.   Few of us even bothered to read the assembly instructions.   We all knew what airplanes looked like.   Assembly was simple and easy … almost intuitive.

Some of the gliders, we merely tossed into the air.   Some we shot skyward with rubber band catapults.   Others had rubber-band “motors” that we wound furiously and released to fly off under their own power.

Many youngsters loved to fly toy airplanes, but … like me … lacked the building skills necessary to assemble those marvelously complicated balsa wood stick & tissue kits.   So these “ready-to-fly” (RTF) balsa wood toys provided an easy way for us to enter the realm of flight.

We soon discovered that we could alter the way the gliders flew by moving the wings forward and back … or by adding weight to the nose … or by changing the shape of the wings and tail with a piece of sandpaper … or even by winding more and more knots into the rubber-band motors.

Unknowingly, we were actually learning about the basics of flight in almost the same way Wilber & Orville Wright did ... experimentation.  (As the legend goes, it was the gift of a rubber-band powered helicopter toy that first piqued the Wright’s interest in flying.) 

Many, many times, our best flights ended with the airplanes landing on a neighbor’s rooftop, or in a tree or disappearing totally from sight.   But a quick trip to the store could easily replenish our “air force”.  They seemed to be available everywhere, with lots of company choices.   There were company names like America Junior Classics, North Pacific, Guillow, Comet, Testors, Champion and Top Flite.   And many others I can’t remember. 

Fond memories indeed.  And for me, the start of what turned out to be a 35 year career in aviation. 

Although hand-made airplane-like (or bird-like) flying toys appeared in the 1800’s, it’s unclear exactly when company-made RTF toy airplanes first became available.   Some model airplane kits reportedly appeared as early as 1910.   1911 issues of “Aircraft” magazine (about “real” airplanes) had numerous ads from several manufacturers for model airplanes in kit and RTF form.   Most of these were expensive to buy.   In a time when $20-25 per week was a really good, working-class salary, the Ideal Model Aeroplane Co. (which became the Ideal Toy Co.) advertised airplane kits for $4-6.   RTF versions sold for as much as $20.   Most of the Ideal RTF airplanes were “factory built” examples of their kit aircraft. 

From 1914-20, Ideal offered wood and fiber board RTF gliders for 45 cents.  Though not inexpensive by any means, these can probably be considered some of the fore-runners of our “toy” airplanes.

In the 1920’s and 30’s, balsa wood became more readily available and the number of simple RTF toy gliders increased.   Certainly the Charles Lindbergh phenomenon also boosted sales of toy and model airplanes of all types.  However, most were still only available from hobby shops, finer toy stores or through mail order.  Many of the companies that would become household names in the toy and model airplane world … American Junior Classics, the Paul K Guillow Co., the Cleveland Model & Supply Co., the Testor Corporation and Comet Model Airplane & Supply Co. … all had their beginnings in this period.

During World War 2, balsa wood was considered to be a “strategic material”, so toy airplane production was reduced dramatically.   However, AJ Classics founder Jim Walker cleverly developed a launching platform for his folding wing balsa gliders.  This provided the Army with a quick and effective system for gunnery practice.   As a result, AJ Classics received significant supplies of balsa and over 120,000 Walker gliders met their doom for the war effort.       

After the war, balsa once again became plentiful.   As the post-war economy … and family “production” … boomed, dozens of companies now competed in the toy airplane market.   The number and variety of toy airplanes was truly dazzling.   New and important entrants into the RTF glider market included North Pacific Products, Pactra Chemical Co. and Top Flite.

For many of us, great airplane names like Hornet, Interceptor, Super Ace, Super Saber, Space Kadet, Ceiling Walker, Skeeter and Sleek Streek became integral parts of our everyday vocabulary.

In 1953, the Paul K.Guillow Co. introduced the Jetfire glider, which was the first of its type to be mass-produced and packaged in high-speed machinery.   This allowed Guillow to meet the production quantity and unit price demands of the now-flourishing “chain stores”.  The mass-marketing success of Guillow and a slowing economy spelled the end for many of the smaller companies in the 1950’s and 60’s.   Some, like AJ Classics, North Pacific and Comet disappeared into larger companies.   Others just disappeared.   By the 1970’s, only a few players were left in the game.

The Warneford Aeroplane
The elder statesman of my collection is the rubber-band powered Warneford Aeroplane from England (ca 1915).   Like the first Wright flyer, the Warneford uses a canard-type configuration … with the small stabilizer in front and the large wing at the back.  It’s exquisitely constructed with a wood framework, tiny metal pegs at each joint and is covered in silk.  It came fully completed from the factory.   All the owner had to do was clip on the wing and canard … wind the prop … and let her go.

It’s believed that the airplane was named for Flight Sub-Lieutenant R.A.C. Warneford, who was the first Royal Navy pilot to receive the Victoria Cross.   In June 1915, Warneford attacked and destroyed the German Zeppelin LZ37.   Warneford’s airplane had no guns.  He flew over LZ37 and dropped his small load of bombs directly onto the airship.   Tragically, he perished 10 days later testing an airplane.   Warneford became a national hero in England.

Wanner Gliders
The earliest airplanes in my collection with sheet balsa wings are these two No. 180 gliders (ca 1924) from the George D Wanner Co. of Dayton, Ohio.  They also have the canard configuration and have thickly coated wire skids to smooth out those rough landings.  You can put the canard in the forward position for long, flat glides or slide the canard into an angled slot for performing loops.

Of the three similar Wanner RTF gliders that I’ve found, all had printed advertising on the wings.   The Wanner Co. was primarily known for the manufacture of stick & tissue airplane kits, so it appears that Wanner built many of his RTF gliders as commercial promotional items.

The Boomerang Plane
The “Boomerang Plane” is a rather unusual biplane catapult glider from the 1930’s, attributed to the Brown Manufacturing Co. of Clinton, Missouri.   Not only are two identical wings used on the same glider, but the rubber-band catapult is incorporated into the rubber nosepiece of the glider itself.  As its name implies, if you adjust the wings properly, it will return in your general direction after being launched.   (I emphasize “general direction”.) 

The company produced a variety of toys and games in the 1920’s and 30’s.   Lawrence Brown is said to have been instrumental in popularizing Chinese Checkers in the US during this period.   Some of his wooden game boards use similar patterns and printing colors that you see on this strange little airplane.

The American Junior Classics Hornet
The American Junior Classics Hornet is one of the legendary RTF rubber-band powered airplanes of the 1930’s, 40’s and 50’s.   Jim Walker engineered this little beauty with steamed airfoil wings and a highly efficient propeller.   Right out of the box, the Hornet was capable of long, impressive flights by any boy or girl lucky enough to get one.   The Hornet is still used as a standard for RTF flight performance by model airplane enthusiasts today.   This particular example dates to the late 1940’s, but the “new” AJ Classics company can make one for you just like it today.   

Until the untimely death of Jim Walker in the late 1950’s and the subsequent absorption of the company into Pactra Chemical Co., AJ Classics had been one of the largest producers of RTF and gas-powered model airplanes in the world.   In the Jim Walker era, they had sold over 230 million airplanes.

The Cleveland Model & Supply Co.
This rubber-band powered RTF “Mustang” was made by the Cleveland Model & Supply Co. of Cleveland, Ohio.   It dates from the late 1940’s, and was the only rubber-powered RTF airplane Cleveland made in its long history.  It was reportedly made for only a short time, and I understand that it is quite rare.  I feel privileged to have it in my collection.          

The Cleveland Model & Supply Co. is reported to be the oldest continuously surviving model airplane company in the world.   Many model airplane enthusiasts believe that Cleveland is the Rolls Royce of wood model airplane kits.   Impeccable engineering and the finest materials were the hallmarks of Cleveland’s stick & tissue airplanes.   (Sadly, Cleveland now only sells plans for its magnificent aircraft.   No kits have been made for decades.)  

Wood Gliders in Advertising

Almost as soon as wood gliders began zooming through the skies … savvy marketing folks realized these toys could be used very successfully for advertising and promotional purposes.   Just as today, it’s all about brand recognition and brand loyalty.

In our little grouping of promo gliders we have, clockwise from top left:

BP-British Petroleum promotional glider (date & manufacturer unknown)  -  I don’t have any specific information on the date and details of this glider.

Paul Newman Salsa promotional glider (attributed to Paul K Guillow Co.)  -  This glider was one of the gifts contained in a “goodie bag” given by Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward to guests at a party at the Boathouse in Central Park in 2002.   Among the guests were Bette Midler, Michael J Fox, Alec Baldwin and Susan Saranden.   I’m sure they all spent countless hours flying their gliders after the party.

Oxol promotional glider (Broadfield Toy Co. circa 1930’s)  -  Oxol was a rather nasty cleaning product “containing lime and acids” manufactured by the J L  Prescott Co. of Passaic NJ.   The glider was part of a mail-in offer.   It has unusually big wings and an extremely high tail … so this little glider would have been a nice, stable “floater” in light winds.   The glider came with its original … and fragile … assembly and flight instruction envelope and its associated thick mailing envelope from Oxol.    

Kellogg’s Pep cereal promotional model/glider (unknown manufacturer, circa 1941-43)  -  This little airplane was more of a model than flying glider.   It came on a plank of thin wood … printed nicely on both sides. The owner had to cut the pieces from the plank and assemble the airplane with glue.   This was one of those “send in your box-tops” type of promotion … and with at least 19 different airplanes to get … you had to eat lots & lots & lots of cereal to complete a set.  

Beechnut –Lifesavers/American Airlines promotional glider (North Pacific Products Co.  1967)  -  This glider was given away at stores when you bought 12 packages of Beechnut gum or Lifesavers candy in 1967.   On the back of the glider package, there was an additional mail-in offer for a plastic model of an American Airlines 707 airliner.   But you had to buy 18 packages of gum or candy … and pay 75 cents … to get the plastic model.

As you can see, wood gliders not only have a universal appeal to kids as playthings … but have an almost equally strong appeal to marketers for advertising and promotional purposes.   From gasoline to salsa … breakfast cereal to kitchen cleaner … if you want to sell it, put it on a wood glider.   (This author neither recommends nor indorses any of these products.)  

Broadfield American Eagle

The Broadfield Toy Company of Hempstead NY was established in 1919 … and ads for their flying toy airplanes appeared in “The American Boy Magazine” in the 1920’s.   Broadfield sold everything from airplane plans and parts, to complete kits and ready-to-fly airplanes.   Prices ranged from 25 cents to $10.

This particular ready-to-fly airplane probably dates from the late 1920’s to early 1930’s.  It is a “canard” configuration … with the small wing (canard) in front and the large wing in back    The canard sat in a small notch that provided several degrees of up-angle.

Also included with the original kit was a launch stick (dowel) with a lengthy rubber-band, to provide for catapult launches of the Eagle.   The box indicates you should stretch the rubber-band catapult rubber out to “8 to 10 feet or more” to properly launch the glider.  Unfortunately, all the rubber in this kit has petrified into small bits.   It would have been interesting to see this super-long piece of catapult rubber.               

Also notable with this kit was the wonderful artwork on the box.  You can clearly see the 2 suggested methods of launch … catapult stick pushed into the ground and the stick ably held by an assistant.  The back of the box even showed some girls sharing in the enjoyment of flying the Eagle.   Imagine that … girls flying model airplanes.

Martian Flying Saucer

This very strange Martian flying saucer goes to the top of my “what were they thinking” list for wood gliders.   It comes to us from Crafco Corporation of Santa Barbara, CA in 1956 … and was an obvious attempt to capitalize on the nation’s preoccupation with UFO’s.   At the time, one wondered who would invade the nation first … the Soviet Union or aliens from outer space.

In assembling this … uh … craft for its photo shoot, I was amazed at how thin and fragile the balsa wood pieces were.  Probably a high percentage of these toys never got past the assembly stage.   Once put together, I tried a few gentle flights across the living room carpet.   For this article, it was photographed at the angle it assumed repeatedly the moment it left my fingertips … nose-diving nearly straight down to the carpet below.   If this is how a flying saucer really flies … we have no fear from alien invasion.

Ceiling Walker

This rather unusual flying toy helicopter was made by Jim Walker’s American Junior Classics Company, in the early 1950’s.   It was designed by Jim to fly primarily straight up using the rubber-band powered lower rotor … then gently descending by the spinning action provided by the fixed upper rotor.

The box indicates you can fly it upwards outdoors … or use it as a “torpedo” indoors.    (How many siblings that may have been chased around their house by the use of this torpedo option is something I care not to speculate on.)    

Outdoor flights of over 100 feet high were not unusual … depending on how many strands of rubber you used to power your Ceiling Walker and how tightly you wound them.   The kit provided 3 identical strands of rubber.

Folding Wing Gliders

One of the ever-present challenges for any wood glider pilot is to get the glider high enough in the air to ensure a long and graceful flight.   Unfortunately, a small child’s arm just doesn’t usually have enough “oomph” to give a glider decent altitude.   This problem was recognized by glider manufacturers even in the early 1920’s.  Soon, many gliders started to be sold with “catapults” … usually long rubber-bands attached to sticks.   A notch was placed in the forward portion of the glider’s fuselage.   By placing the end of the rubber-band in the notch … the pilot could now sling-shot the glider into the sky.

However, the glider’s wings still produced enough “drag” and instability to somewhat limit the success of the catapult system.   We pilots wanted still more altitude!

In the 1930’s, several manufacturers were working with the idea of folding the glider’s wings during the “launch phase” to streamline the craft and provide some additional altitude, before the wings redeployed to their normal position.  The usual plan was to catapult the glider into the air with the wings folded.   Air pressure would keep the wings folded on the way up.  Once the airspeed decreased at the top of the climb, some mechanism … usually a rubber-band … would “snap” the wings open and lock them into their normal position.   These folding wing gliders required some fairly sophisticated engineering, and several manufacturers patented their designs.

My earliest folding wing glider is the “Fly Way” by the Paul K Guillow Company from Wakefield, MA.   It probably dates from the 1930’s and was actually tossed into the air by holding onto the ends of the folded wings, rather then using a catapult.   The box art shows the glider being thrown into the air by what appears to be an adult.   I’m a bit dubious at the chances that many children were successful launching this glider very high with the underhand toss method depicted on the box.   This design seemed to have disappeared rather quickly.

The smallest folding wing glider shown is another Guillow design … probably from the 1960’s.   It uses the more traditional catapult system for launch and the wings fold upwards with air pressure when the glider is launched.   At the top of the climb … “50 to 75 feet” according to the package … the wings unfold once again.

The third glider is an Interceptor II from AJ Classics in McMinnville, OR.   It’s a contemporary airplane based on a design patented by company founder Jim Walker in 1940.  It is by far the most sophisticated of the three airplanes.  The wings fold up and pivot backwards for a true missile-like launch configuration.   As was mentioned in Part One of my wood glider article, this design was so successful that the military used them by the tens of thousands for gunnery practice during World War II.

I hope you enjoyed this brief look at some of my toy airplane treasures.   Gathering information on them can be as challenging as finding them in good condition.  If you have additional information on these, have memorable experiences to share or have wood RTF aircraft in your own collection, please feel free to contact me.

Dave Pecota