Diamond Di goes full circle
Mike Kelly
daytonaskyhawk@aol.com
Mike Kelly (Port Orange, Florida) began building models at a young age, transitioning from models to full-scale airplanes. He eventually made full-scale flying his career, and model airplanes were a part of his leisure time until approximately 15 years ago.
After visiting the EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, many times, Mike and his son decided to build a full-scale Van’s Aircraft RV-8. They learned to rivet, but because of their model-building backgrounds, most of the skills were not new to them.
Mike stated that they designed the painting of the project so that no single piece requiring paint was larger than a model airplane. The RV-8 was painted with a military paint scheme and the nose art was airbrushed on, depicting Mike’s wife, Diane, prompting them to name the aircraft Diamond Di.
One day, Mike’s son was searching the internet for RV-8s. A photo of Diamond Di popped up, but it wasn’t the full-scale aircraft; it was a model airplane. “Sure enough, there it was. My plane with my wife on the nose from Seagull Models,” Mike wrote.
“To say I was blown away would be an understatement. I was used to building models of other people’s airplanes, not building a kit of my own plane.” He promptly ordered three kits: one for himself, and one for each of his sons.
Mike noted:
“The kit was amazing in its accuracy and completeness. A good hobby shop was a necessity to get me up to speed in the hobby again. I found the building of this ARF quick and accurate. Everything fit and it was all there, just like the real Van’s kit.
“The model sitting next to the real plane blows me away. Now I’m learning to fly it. I joined AMA, got my FAA drone [registration] number, and joined the local RC club.
“Thanks Sig Manufacturing and Seagull Models for getting me back involved in the hobby!”
Do you have a high-quality/high-resolution airplane, helicopter, or multirotor photo that you are proud of, or a model aviation-related photo with a great story behind it? Email your “Viewfinder” photo and a description about it to jennifer@modelaircraft.org, or submit it online at www.ModelAviation.com/viewfinder.
