Full size printed plan and Building notes AJ-1 SAVAGE 1:32 W/S 26 ¾” Power twin rubber

Full size printed plan and Building notes

AJ-1 SAVAGE

Full size printed plan on a sheet 42” x 30” 20 lb bond

Four page article with construction notes and photos Scale

1:32 (3/8”=1ft)

Wingspan 26 ¾”

Power twin rubber

This little known Navy aircraft from the fifties offers surprising performance along with ideal F/F proportions.

By Dick Howard

     As a rubber powered twin, the AJ-1 is nearly perfect. The shoulder wing, long nacelles, plenty of scale vertical tail surface and a nearly slab-sided fuselage, all go toward a good flying model. A few liberties were taken in an effort to keep the weight down (a necessity for twins) It could be made even lighter by using laminated formers but I chose the box and former method for ease of alignment.

   I'm assuming that anyone building the Savage has had some experience with rubber scale models. If not. I'd suggest they get some before starting this. or any other twin. In light of that instructions are held to a minimum as most experienced modelers I know don't follow instructions anyway All seem to have their own technique.

 The North American AJ-1 Savage was a rather short lived Navy bomber designed for carrier operation and capable of delivering nuclear warheads. It had three engines. two conventional (prop) and One jet engine in the fuselage. The jet was for short, high speed (450 mph runs over the target

   The first Savage flew in 1949 and a total of 143 were built in various models They served in their final role with the Navy as aerial tankers until 1960 Two were saved from the scrap yard and converted to fire bombers for the forestry service. One of these crashed and the other was later scrapped. Only two Savages remain. One civilian and the other in the Navy museum.

Thank you for your interest Rose