Navy WW2 Model Aircraft certificate & explanation

[Vincennes]

Here is a certificate given to Otis Perry for building a model aircraft to be used by the US Navy in training during WW2. These certificates are not particularly rare, but I located a newspaper clipping that describes the program run by Maurice Altom (he signed this certificate as Superintendent) at Ardmore (OK) Jr. High School. I thought the newspaper article was worth including.

 

"PAGE TWO THE DAILY ARDMOREITE, ARDMORE, OKLAHOMA TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1942

Ardmore Industrial Arts Students to Build Model Airplanes. Each Boy Makes Plane to Help Train Air Men. Instructor Says Work Should Start Within Two Weeks.  Approximately 100 students of industrial arts classes at the Ardmore Junior high school will build one model airplane apiece in the work requested by the navy department, Maurice Altom, instructor, announced Tuesday. “As soon as blue prints are torwarded here from Washington, we will begin work. They should be here within the next two weeks,” Altom said. The project involves the construction of at least 10,000 model aircraft each of approximately 50 types of planes, including those of the united nations and of the axis nations. The models are to be constructed according to plans and specifications furnished by the bureau of aeronautics, The smallest model will have a wing span of five and one-half Inches, the largest 25 inches.

 

It was requested by the secretary of the navy who stated that “the bureau of aeronautics has need for a large number of model planes built to scale for such purposes as recognition. range estimation and determination of cones of fire".

Local Shops First. The Ardmore shops were among the first In Oklahoma to accept the opportunity to help in the construction of the 500,000 planes to be built in the U. S. Each school which helps is to start with 50 or more planes while Ardmore has requested 100. Each model must stand a rigid examination before it will be approved, since a slight error would make the plane useless in training observers and gunners. There will be 50 distinct models, these Including all tynes of bombers, fighters and observation planes which are taking part In World war II. Since each model will be built according to an exact scale, much interest should be aroused among the boys In comparing the finished planes. The names of Messerschmltt. Hurricane, Spitfire, Tommahawk, Henkel, Flying Fortress. Air cobra and many others should be common very soon because models of these famous fighting planes will soon be made in the Ardmore shops. The models will be used by both army and navy, and in connection with training "spotters" for civilian defense. The navy secretary has requested that within six weeks the planes should be completed and ready for distribution to training centers. As each boy completes his model, he Is given a certificate of merit from the bureau of aeronautics as reward for his effort In making a useful contribution to national defense. At the present date, only Ardmore, Oklahoma City, Capitol Hill and Orlando have reported their Intention to build models."

 

Paul