by Ray Hostetler

Dad was an extremely prolific designer. How did he do it all? Wow.

The annual Toledo Model Expo was the motivator for Dad's designs. Each spring, he would select an airplane he would like to model. He would draft a working set of plans in late spring and start building the airplane in the summer. After a test flight sometime between November and January, he would fine-tune the design and "ink" the plans on mylar in the early spring. His plans are works of art. In the first week of April, he would pack up the new airplane and head to Toledo.

At the end of each Show, the drive home was always enjoyable. We would go over the numbers, recall the people we saw, and then talk about the next design. The new design was usually finalized that evening or the next day, and the process started all over again. Dad often commented, "I wouldn't have built half the airplanes I did if there was not a Toledo Show."

Many years Dad built (or designed) more than one airplane. Around 1999-2000, Dad started to let other people build the prototype airplane. On a few plans, prototypes were not built. If we are not sure that Dad (or someone else) built the airplane, it is listed as (?). If you have clarifying information, please let us know.

Note: Plans dated January or later were for that year's Toledo show. Plans dated in November or December were for the coming Toledo show (10/8/92 for the '93 show).

Skybolt: 2/17/79

Dad's prototype Skybolt. He is holding the smaller Sig Skybolt.
He was 51 years old when he debuted this model at the '79 Toledo show.

Liberty Sport: 1/10/80

Bucker Jungmeister: 3/10/80

Curtis Hawk P6E: 1/24/81

Art Chester's Jeep: 1/14/82

Piper Vagabond: 1/31/83

54" Floats: 6/8/83

Turner Special: 1/10/84

Lockheed Sirius: 1/9/85

Wedell Williams Red Lion: 1/12/86

Fairchild PT-19: 1/20/88

Piper Cub: 1/4/89

60" Floats: 8/7/89

Cessna 206: 2/1/90

Diabolo: 12/12/90

Cessna 150/152: 3/9/92

Lancair IV and ES: 10/8/92

Cessna Skymaster: 1/7/94

Nemesis: 2/9/94

Gee Bee R2 25%: 12/20/94

Stinson Reliant 25%: 1/12/96

Giles 202 35%: 7/19/96

Pitts S-1-11B 35%: 1/5/97

Cessna 421 24%: 7/17/97

Giles 202 55%: 4/25/98

Gee Bee R2 33%: 1/12/99 (?)

Edge 540T: 6/21/99 (John Krone)

Gee Bee Z 29%: 12/4/00

Gee Bee Z 33% 2/16/01 (not built)

Cessna 182: 1/20/01 (John Grable)

Super Decathlon: 8/20/01 (John Krone)

Cessna 172: 10/02

Piper Tri Pacer: 11/7/03

Cessna 310R: 1/04 (John Krone, but never finished)

Stinson Voyager: 1/12/04

Extra 300XS 27%: 12/12/04

Extra 300XS 33%: 1/17/05 (?)

Full Tilt Boogie (Mong): 6/24/05

Aeronca Champion: 11/18/05

Taylorcraft BC-12-D: 12/4/06

Cessna 195: 1/7/08 (not built)

Navion: 3/13/08 (Keith Hedge)

Piper Pawnee: 12/19/08

Fairchild 24 R&W: 1/9/10

Luscombe Silvaire 8: 1/29/10 (not built)

Cessna Bird Dog: 10/15/10

DeHavilland Beaver 22% 12/21/10 (not built)

Cessna 170: 10/20/11 (not built)

Mr. Mulligan: 11/21/11

Piper Cherokee: 11/7/12 (Eric Granger)

RV-4: 10/9/13

Beech Bonanza: 11/21/13 (Danny Carroza)

DeHavilland Beaver 20%: 12/6/14

50" Floats: 6/6/15

RV-14: 11/30/15

Waco YMF-5: 8/15/16 (Frank Fels)

Super Chipmunk: 9/11/17 (Eric Granger)

Skybolt D (40th Anniversary model): 11/6/18

Stinson Reliant 20%: 10/10/19

Pietenpol Air Camper: 10/10/20

    
Dad said the Pietenpol was his most satisfying build.
This photo was taken four months before he passed.

100" Bird Dog: plans scaled down and built in 2021

100" Tri Pacer: plans scaled down and built in 2022

      Dad's last build. He was 94 years old