Model Airplane News Cover for July, 1968
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Note: this is the first issue to have a "split cover" featuring both a model airplane and with some other kind of radio controlled toy as an inset. As far as I am concerned, this was the effective end of MAN as I believed in it. From my point of view everything after this was nothing but ads and hype.

Here is what the blurb about the cover has to say:

"... First of our new covers features Claude McCullough's YAK P or PM -- see pages 26 thru 29. Our color photo shows the tremendous finish which is synonymous with Mac's Scale planes ..."

About Claude McCullough

Claude McCullough (1922-2008) was a very famous modeler, competitor, engineer and writer who is in the Academy of Model Aeronautics' Hall of Fame. His career includes:

• Regular competition with all types of models beginning in 1935; entered his first AMA Nationals in 1941
• Won many awards at AMA Nationals and QSAA contests (as well as others) including best civilian Scale, best scratch-built model, best bi-plane, first in Radio Control Precision Scale and best Scale model
• Has had numerous planes, articles and photographs published in modeling magazines such as Model Airplane News, Air Trails, Radio Control Modeler, and American Aircraft Modeler.
• Wrote a monthly column on Radio Control Scale for American Aircraft Modeler (1970-197)
• Served as associate editor and wrote a monthly column for RC Modeler (1978-1982)
• Designed and built model airplane parts such as transmitters, receivers, escapements, etc
• Had numerous designs turned into commercial kits
• Elected AMA president in 1957

he passed away in 2008 and is missed by most old time modelers.

About the Model

McCullough claims that he designed the model during an Iowa snowstorm, because he has a fondness for red airplanes. The full size YAK was known to be a superb acrobatic flyer and the scale model is just as responsive. You can read about the adventures in creating the model as well as look at sample plans by clicking to enlarge the photos below.

        

Claude McCullough's YAK
Yakolev YAK-18P ("Mouse") or YAK-18PM ("Max")
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About the Full Size Airplane

The Yakovlev Yak-18 was a Soviet tandem two-seat military primary trainer aircraft that entered service in 1946. Two variants for acrobatic competition were made: YAK-18P ("Mouse") or YAK-18PM ("Max").

Alexander Sergeyevich Yakovlev, the famous fighter designer also had great interest in light aircraft design. In May 1945, Yakovlev produced the Yak-18 two-seat primary trainer. It entered service as a trainer later that year and was built by Yakovlev up until 1956. Examples were exported to China in kit form beginning in 1950. The Chinese began producing license built copies in 1954 with the designation CJ-5. The Yak 18's greatest claim to fame is its use as a night bomber by the North Korean Air Force during the Korean War. The aircraft were modified with bomb racks on the wing center section and flew over UN troop locations at night to drop bombs and harass UN forces. The five-cylinder engine reminded many of the US troops of the sound made by early gasoline powered washing machines earning them the name: "Washing Machine Charlie". They became quite a nusiance until US night fighters began shooting them down. Other claims to fame for the Yak-18 are an international speed record for class in 1951 as well as being the aircraft used for initial flight training by Yuri Gagarin (1st human in space) The plane in the MAN article is a model of the civilian versions:

• Yak-18P (NATO reporting name Mouse) Single-seat aerobatic aircraft for use by flying clubs.
• Yak-18PM Aerobatic aircraft.

  

YAK-18P ("Mouse") or YAK-18PM ("Max")
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Here is a video of the Chinese CJ-5 version

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