¼ Scale Ted Smith AEROSTAR

25 May 2015 8:09 PM | Marshall Henley

Author: Stan Burak

In the mid 1940's, Ted Smith and some guys designed the Aero Commander.  It was done in a small hanger, part time as Ted was the project engineer of the Douglas A-20 bomber.  Twenty years later in 1963, Ted left Rockwell Commander with a new idea, similar to the Jet Commander except piston power.  The Ted Smith Aircraft Company was started in the San Fernando Valley in Northridge in 1965 to design the structure and build the proto type.  In March of 1965, I was employee number 7.  I designed structure until July of 1966, when I left for TWA.  I had to build a model.  The Aero Commander is well known, but the Aerostar is not.  Four companies built it, with Piper the last one ending in 1984 after 1010 built.

My model is 1/4 scale, 110 inch span, 37 pounds and powered by DLE35RA's.  It has not flown, but hope to fly it this year.  It should be available in kits.  Laser Design Services is now looking at the drawings for possible selling of the drawings and laser wood kits.  I am starting the fuselage plug for giantscaletwins.com to make the production molds for his fiberglass and foam kits.  I have flown the Aerostar and if my model flies as well, that will be fabulous! 

If anybody in the club is interested in building one, please contact me. (Stan can be located in the Members Directory - you must be a member to see his contact info).

Stan Burak



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