Willie Augerin’s Aerobatics School

by Tory Mucaro

--------------------

 

Captain (Ret.) William J. “Willie” Augerin is most noted for his exploits as an Air Force test pilot throughout the 1950s. During this time he established several world records that stand today. Notably, his most experimental aircraft destroyed in a six-month period record has never even been challenged. Most of these feats were accomplished in one of the most radical aircraft designs ever to gouge a crater in the high desert, the White-Westinghouse FU-10 “Sky Sloth” also known as the “Flying Futon” (a model of this aircraft can be seen hanging on the porch).

After his abrupt discharge from the Air Force, he took up crop dusting in Juneau, Alaska. However, due to the extremely short growing season (July 15-17) and the lack of agriculture (as well as insect life) there, he soon turned to barnstorming. This venture was also short lived due to the FAA having outlawed it some thirty years earlier.  He finally settled in Cactus Flats, Arizona where he opened an aerobatics flying school.

Click on images below to see larger images

  

  

The aircraft represented by the model displayed here was his favorite mount during this period. NXT28 was an ex-T28 he purchased in 1967. In this airframe, Willie logged well over a thousand hours training aerobatics hopefuls over the next few years. However, due to his unconventional training techniques (he would often require students to solo prior to their receiving any instruction) the FAA, FCC, FDA and the PTA shut him down in 1973. Willie died five years latter while attempting to be the first to break the sound barrier in a biplane, using a Stearman PT-13 re-fitted with a GE J-79 jet engine.

In constructing this diorama, I used a Monogram 1/48 T-28, a Plasticville “O” scale house trailer and a Matchbox 1/43 scale diecast pickup truck. The Monogram T-28 was built out of the box with a second seat added and custom decals made on the computer. The Plasticville house trailer was heavily modified. The porch, sign, windsock, shed, couch, propane tank, etc. were all scratch built from Evergreen sheet and rod stock, brass or epoxy putty. Custom decals were made on the computer. The Matchbox pickup truck was completely redone including custom decals. I used Celluclay for the groundwork with Woodland Scenics vegetation. The miscellaneous accessories are from my spares box, “O” scale model RR accessories, or were scratch built. The flagpole is from the Plasticville kit, and the flag is made from .005-inch brass sheet. Finally, the vulture perched on the T-28’s tail was sculpted from epoxy putty.

Tory 

Click on images below to see larger images

  

Photos and text © by Tory Mucaro