Dawn Patrol

Cheito laid out the parts: balsa frames, spars, ribs, leading edges, spinner, prop, struts, wheels, canopy, cowling, wheels, decals and tissue. He checked his paints: olive drab green, flat tan, light gray, yellow, flat black and flat white. All was in order: glue, filler, pins, Exacto knife, rubber bands, masking tape, water spray and sandpaper.

 First, he built the wings: leading edges, trailing edges, ribs and spars. He checked the wing's cantilever for the proper angle. Then, he built the rudder and elevator. Next, he built the fuselage: frames, more spars, cowling, rubber band, prop and spinner. After the glue dried, he cut the tissue for the airplane's skin and glued it to the fuselage, wings, elevator and rudder. Next, he glued the canopy, wings, rudder and elevator to the fuselage. He then sprayed the tissue with water and dried it under a lamp so it would shrink tight and smooth on the airplane. Then the paint: green and tan camouflage on the top, light gray on the bottom, flat white spinner, flat black prop and wheels, and yellow prop tips. After the paint dried, he carefully applied the decals to the model marking it as a Spitfire of the Royal Air Force 607 Squadron. The next morning the Cheito awoke at daybreak, picked up his carefully crafted model, quietly walked to the balcony, wound the prop as tight as he could, aimed the airplane at the field across the street, and launched it from his parent's 10th floor apartment.

Jose M. Caldas, September 26, 2013.