National Model Aviation Museum “History Preserved”
By National Model Aviation Museum staff
As seen in the February 2018 Model Aviation.
It’s difficult to pinpoint how much influence Jim Walker had on the hobby of aeromodeling. He was famous not only for his innovations in RC and Control Line (CL), but for his charisma as well. He always seemed to be entrenched in one adventure or another, and was ever eager to introduce model aviation to someone new.
As were many teenagers in the 1920s, Jim was captivated by aviation. He and his brother, Bill, launched a successful ready-to-fly, rubber band-powered model airplane company out of their parents’ basement. After Jim graduated from high school in 1929, the company was renamed American Junior Aircraft Company and was moved to a larger production facility, which was bankrolled by some investors impressed by the brothers’ entrepreneurial spirit.
In 1935, American Junior Aircraft Company was so successful that Jim and Bill were able to purchase the investors’ shares and become president and vice president, respectively. Jim’s wife, Dora, had her hand in the company as its secretary and treasurer.
The number of models and innovations that could be attributed to Jim Walker is innumerable, but two models in particular are fascinating because of their deep connections to the U.S. military: the AJ Interceptor and the Fireball. The two aircraft are contemporaries, and were designed and introduced to the public within a few years of each other.
The AJ Interceptor was a hand-launched catapult folding-wing glider that quickly gained popularity, in part because of Jim’s masterful marketing strategies. After introducing it at the 1939 New York Toy and Hobby Fair, he distributed the models in a number of memorable ways.
He was known to hand launch them from skyscrapers during big parades in Chicago and New York City so that they would land in the hands of those in eager crowds below. He also sold them at football games, following halftime demonstrations that left spectators clamoring for more.
Like many model aircraft, the AJ Interceptor lived a double life as both a recreational toy and a military training tool. The toy was discovered by a serviceman in Texas who was buying gifts for his children and accidentally stumbled upon the models as ideal targets for antiaircraft practice. The American Junior Aircraft Company soon saw thousands of orders for the AJ Interceptor roll in from the US military.
Following some modifications to the catapult, the AJ Interceptor could be launched up to 300 feet into the air, where its folded wings deployed and it could remain airborne for more than 30 minutes. Its rapid ascent mimicked that of a full-scale aircraft and it provided the gunners on the ground with an inexpensive moving target.
Jim Walker’s name is also frequently associated with U-Control, the primary method by which CL is flown today. It was introduced alongside the Fireball at the 1940 National Model Airplane Meet in Chicago.
Always one for drama, Walker interrupted the proceedings by flying the Fireball unannounced, much to the chagrin of the event officials. However, his spectacle paid off—a complete kit was soon made available for “just” $7.50 (equivalent to roughly $130 today) and the American Junior Aircraft Company factory was quickly inundated with orders.
An advertisement in the September 1940 issue of Model Airplane News promoting the Fireball boasted a mere 6-hour build time, partly because of a new concept in model construction called prefabrication.
The Fireball was one of the first ready-to-fly kits available. It had a precut and carved balsa wood fuselage, wing covering cut to shape, and all parts ready for assembly. Better yet, its unique construction allowed for ease of repair after a crash. The design popped apart upon impact and could be easily reassembled to get it back into the air in no time. This was particularly helpful for modelers who modified their Fireballs for CL Stunt, Speed, and Racing events.
The US entered World War II and saw a severe reduction of raw supplies available for the model aviation industry because available building material was rededicated to the war effort. American Junior Aircraft Company, however, continued production using the coveted balsa, metal, and other components because of its involvement with the United States Department of War.
Alongside the AJ Interceptor, the Fireball was also adapted for use by the military. Its wires were removed and it became a Free Flight target drone that was launched from ship decks and used in target practice by machine gunners.
Evidence of Jim Walker’s influence on aeromodeling can be seen everywhere you turn while exploring the galleries in the National Model Aviation Museum. From the U-Reely CL handles, to the unassuming Fireball, to the whimsical Sound Control Airplane, Jim Walker’s legacy is alive and well.
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