Captain
(Ret.) William J. “Willie” Augerin is most noted for his exploits as an Air
Force test pilot throughout the 1950s. During this time he established several
world records that stand today. Notably, his most experimental aircraft
destroyed in a six-month period record has never even been challenged. Most of
these feats were accomplished in one of the most radical aircraft designs ever
to gouge a crater in the high desert, the White-Westinghouse FU-10 “Sky
Sloth” also known as the “Flying Futon” (a model of this aircraft can be
seen hanging on the porch).
After
his abrupt discharge from the Air Force, he took up crop dusting in Juneau,
Alaska. However, due to the extremely short growing season (July 15-17) and the
lack of agriculture (as well as insect life) there, he soon turned to
barnstorming. This venture was also short lived due to the FAA having outlawed
it some thirty years earlier. He finally settled in Cactus Flats, Arizona
where he opened an aerobatics flying school.
Click on
images below to see larger images
The
aircraft represented by the model displayed here was his favorite mount during
this period. NXT28 was an ex-T28 he purchased in 1967. In this airframe, Willie
logged well over a thousand hours training aerobatics hopefuls over the next few
years. However, due to his unconventional training techniques (he would often
require students to solo prior to their receiving any instruction) the FAA, FCC,
FDA and the PTA shut him down in 1973. Willie died five years latter while
attempting to be the first to break the sound barrier in a biplane, using a
Stearman PT-13 re-fitted with a GE J-79 jet engine.
In
constructing this diorama, I used a Monogram 1/48 T-28, a Plasticville “O”
scale house trailer and a Matchbox 1/43 scale diecast pickup truck. The Monogram
T-28 was built out of the box with a second seat added and custom decals made on
the computer. The Plasticville house trailer was heavily modified. The porch,
sign, windsock, shed, couch, propane tank, etc. were all scratch built from
Evergreen sheet and rod stock, brass or epoxy putty. Custom decals were made on
the computer. The Matchbox pickup truck was completely redone including custom
decals. I used Celluclay for the groundwork with Woodland Scenics vegetation.
The miscellaneous accessories are from my spares box, “O” scale model RR
accessories, or were scratch built. The flagpole is from the Plasticville kit,
and the flag is made from .005-inch brass sheet. Finally, the vulture perched on
the T-28’s tail was sculpted from epoxy putty.
Tory
Click on
images below to see larger images
|
|