Here is a transcript of the article appearing in the January 1959 edition of Model Aircraft.

A Pioneer

We have a great respect for the pioneers of model aviation, especially when their work possesses the vision and quality of that of the late David Stanger. Not only did Mr. Stanger design and build very successful flying models, but he also, albeit of necessity, for there was none commercially obtainable, designed and built the engines with which they were powered.

In the issue of Flight dated April 25th, 1914, is a description of the two machines shown in the photos below, both of which aroused considerable attention at the 1914 Aero show at Olympia. The Monoplane had a span of 10ft., with a chord of 2ft., while the fuselage was of triangular section braced with 300lb. breaking strain piano wire. Power was supplied by a "V" four, o.h.v., engine of 1.25in. bore x 1.5in. stroke, which drove a 30in. dia x 22in. pitch prop at 1,600 r.p.m. This gave the model an all up weight of 20lb., in spite of which it made a number of very successful flights.

Even more successful was the canard biplane, and this can doubtless be attributed to its much lower loading. Spanning 7ft. x 1ft. chord, it weighed 10.75lb. in flying trim, and this time the engine was an o.h.v. "V" twin driving a 22 x 18in. prop at 2,000r.p.m. It was with this machine that Stanger set up a record flight of 51sec. in 1914.

Constructionally these models were extremely interesting, following closely as they did, full scale practice, and no words could do justice to the details that are evident from a close study of the original photographs. However, to suggest, as is sometimes done, that today's modellers cannot execute this sort of craftsmanahip is ridiculous, they can, and do, and indeed their models fly rather in the manner that Mr. Stanger's must have performed - i.e. realistically.

Mr. Stanger produced more than just the two motors and models mentioned, and although all that remains of the models are photographs, the engines, plus two three-cylinder ones and a single, are still with us and it is hoped that they will be added to Peter Chinn's collection.

Click on the links below for further articles on David Stanger, Model Aviator:

Flight - 28th May 1910

Flight - 25th April 1914

Engine Collectors' Journal - 1969

Aeromodeller Annual 1969-70

SAM Speaks - 2001/02

BMFA News - August 2012