I have found that most local public libraries can get high quaility digital reprints of past issues for popular mags. I have made requests for and received a few reprints (for a very small fee) for back issues of many home improvement magizines. The Kiln Library is not the biggest and holding onto back issues is not a real option, I think this is a subscription service for public libraries. They may not do fold outs or oversize pages that are inserted into magizines like National Geographic maps. So, if these were real prints in a larger format they may not have it. Worth a try, you have gotten me interested in this now. I'll be home in 2 weeks, I can check then if none of you do.
Check out May 1935 Popular Mechanics page 141a. There is the original add for Airstream. They never printed the plans, you sent in 25c for a book of plans. Then you piad for the plan you wanted. I'd like to see the book of plans.
The only known set is in Dr. Holmans trailer and he won't give up a copy, I've tried.
Doug
Good luck love to see if there's progress on the search
Interesting search. Don't lose hope.
Its discouraging when others won't share rare materials or allow for copies when appropriate. Perhaps there are copies in other places? Wally's heirs/estate?
I wonder if a museum or library (Library of Congress) would have the plans?
Or if someone at the factory would have them/know where they would be?
Or maybe some vintage experts from the WBCCI?
Good luck!
__________________ Steph in MI Air# 6996- I Hockeytown USA!!
With all the photos of Dr. Holman's Torpedo, and the advances in CAD drafting and dimensional photo scaling, I wonder if anyone would be able to produce a set of workable plans?
Model railroaders have worked from photos for years to make reasonable representations of buildings, locos cars, etc.
In the world of MS Fight Sim and Train Sim there are add ons to make new virtual trains and airplaines to run in the sims. Overlay a grid over a photo, set the grid size to a known dimension and off you go. I can tell you that working in wood and metal is much easier for me than in virtual space.
Anyone up to the challange? Is there any annoying Airstream copyright to consider?
I'd also be willing to kick in a few bucks for a set of drawings.
Tom.
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WBCCI # 6411 Not All Who Wander Are Lost.
It is amazing to me that in this day and age there is no other copy of these plans besides the one that Dr. Holman owns.
But the CAD idea is one to think about. Maybe its a job for one of our Advanced CAD students at school. Here is a photo kid, make me some plans, and we will all be rich....ah ah ah ah (evil count dracula laugh).
Seriously, there has to be another copy out there somewhere......
Pretty silly of Doc Holman (or his son, now that Sr. is gone) not sharing the plans. I mean, there's no real threat of these things exactly glutting the market. I mean, it's neat, the whole "Version 1" angle, but I doubt more than 4 or 5 people would actually follow through and build one when the production models are superior in every way.
It's funny when people think they have something much more valuable than it really is. The Holman trailer is neat - but not "top secret" neat.
I work with CAD all day long. It wouldn't be that hard to draw plans of a Torpedo-like trailer up, but they wouldn't be Wally's plans either. They would be an interpretation of a Torpedo-like trailer. I think what everybody wants is to see WALLY'S PLANS & Specs, not a guess of what they might be. At least that's what I'd be interested in ~ you can buy tear-drop plans all day long from many sources.
It's a vintage thing...not a new version of a vintage thing IMO.
Shari
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WBCCI #1824 - DenCO Unit Past President (2005)
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Depending on how vague the original plans were, there may have been quite a bit of interpreting required from the get go!
You're right though, Shari. You could get awfully close, but it wouldn't be a trailer from $5 plans. Well... unless you sold them for five bucks apiece.
I would think, that given these plans were to be for a home / owner built trailer, that there would be more than a LOT of sorta / kinda, "if you have/ want it", ie 'fudge factor', in the plans....
I mean to say, that there would likely be 'set' locations for water/ heat (if equiped) and so forth. These could be gleaned from photos. If the dimensions are reasonably accurate (sounds like CAD can DO that) then there is really not a lot that wouldn't be known.
We all have an understanding of the way these trailers were designed early on ( Torpedo time frame) and could reasonably extrapolate....
I understand, that the 'extrapolation' part would likely throw a few purists. Probably 'ruin' any resale value too!!
What am I saying? Heck, if someone can create a reasonable, fact/ photo derived plan that takes the limited variables into account....
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Maybe someday another set will turn up...
Good luck love to see if there's progress on the search
Interesting search. Don't lose hope. 
CAD Anyone?
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