SAM, “play it again,” and the 34th annual
SAM (Society of Antique Modelers)
Champs, a seven-day Old-Timer modeling
event filled with flying, fun, and
camaraderie, was underway October 6-13.
SAM selected Pensacola, Florida for
the 2000 event. The flying site was the US
Navy’s Spencer Field, which offered one
square mile of manicured grass with
paved replica aircraft carrier decks
running several directions.
The field is normally used as a practice
field for helicopter and carrier landings,
and the entire area is kept in pristine
condition. The perimeter area is wooded
with tall pine trees, which make for a
Ray Combs of Orlando, Florida displays his first-place 1⁄2A Free Flight Nostalgia class
model—a Jay’s Bird powered by a vintage Fox .049 engine.
38 M ODEL AVIATION
Roger Moon (Madison WI) launches his
Twin Pusher—a 1930 Bob Burnham design.
This special event has a mass launch.
A week’s worth of Old-
Timer modeling events
n Charlie Reich
May 2001 39
beautiful windbreak and sometimes act as
magnets for the Free Flight (FF) models.
Retired Navy Commander and active
SAM member Jack Bolton graciously
volunteered to be the Contest Director of
the meet and procured this area for SAM’s
exclusive use.
The antique modelers (Most of them
are; the average contestant is near 60!)
came from around the world to join in
the festivities.
This year’s entries represented Alaska,
Argentina, Australia, Canada, England,
France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, and
they brought with them a diverse mix of
model designs. Italy was well-represented,
with 16 members from SAM Italia.
Showing up for this gala event were
243 contestants, along with helpers,
buddies, wives, and friends, making for
a nice crowd that doubled the amount of
Old-Time model airplane enthusiasts in
attendance.
Attendees arrived in cars, vans,
station wagons, and motor homes. Some
of those vehicles, already filled with
models, were also trailing huge enclosed
trailers filled with the week’s worth of
model airplanes. In many cases two or
more members shared the ride and space
for their airplanes.
There was an average of 20 models per
conveyance and a backup or three per
man, or enough airplanes for five days of
different events. That amounts to more
than 4,600 models in attendance!
Saturday the “SAMmers” made their
pilgrimage toward MECA: the Model
Engine Collectors Association’s annual
SAM Collecto—a large room filled with
a flea market of Old-Time modeling
goodies.
Ignition engines, coils, miniature
Champion spark plugs, Austin timers,
wooden propellers, light balsa, tissue, silk,
Dale Hannum’s 1934 Chet Lanzo-designed RC-1 takes a sudden gust of wind on takeoff.
The faithful Ohlsson .60 pulled it through for a successful flight.
Randall Krystosek bought his RC Westerner from August Kleinhans—AMA’s first
member. Delbert Weathers designed the model in 1937. Has Ohlsson .60 engine.
Gianco Lusso of Geneva, Italy proudly shows his FD15 Radio Control glider.
This is a 1945 design. The leading and trailing wing edges are hand-carved pine.
Jim Parnell (Saint Clairsville OH) holds his 1938
Comet Cl ipper MK I RC model , powered by an
Ohlsson .60 ignition engine.
Photos by the author, except as noted Graphic design by Carla Kunz
40 M ODEL AVIATION
A proud Kirby Hinson with his scratch-built 1924 Avro-Avis 1⁄2A Texaco Scale
biplane. Has Cox .049 Texaco engine.
Giulio Datti (R) and Mario Gialanella (L) of Bologna, Italy
launch their rubber-powered Small Stick-class model.
Ed Konefes (Wauconda IL) launches his Dick Kordadesigned
(1939) Korda Wakefield—the winner of the
1939 Nationals.
Don Hartman (Tulsa OK) with RC Record Hound, for event honoring Henry
Struck’s 1939 design. Has original 1941 Ohlsson .60.
Dan Harshman (Forest Park OH) holds his Cloud Snooper—a 1941 Ed
Konefes design with 1941 Arden .19 ignition engine.
May 2001 41
antique kits, plans, and more were the
order of the day. It was truly an Old-Time
modeler’s paradise.
The specialized, sometimes hard-tofind
Old-Time modeling goodies were
piled on the tables and picked fairly clean
by the end of the day.
The Italian contingency took advantage
of the offerings, since nothing like this is
available in Europe. They attacked the
tables with a vengeance, and bought scores
of old ignition engines—especially the old
originals that were still new in the box.
Sunday was unseasonably cold for
Florida, with high winds. This day was
set aside to commemorate the late Frank
Garcher and Wally Simmers. Special
events were offered for Frank’s
Fortastrop and for Wally’s Super Sniffer
gas model and rubber-powered
Gollywock and Jabberwock.
Many braved the cold winds and
offered their tributes. Others watched, and
saved their “wocks” for other Rubber
events later in the week.
Sunday night featured the traditional
Bean Feed, and allowed old friends to
get reacquainted, eat, talk, and tell tall
tales of modeling conquests during the
past year.
The official SAM contest started Monday
(October 9) and ran through Friday, from
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. all days.
One might ask how you keep an event
going for five days—and therein is the
magic of SAM.
The models’ criterion is that they were
designed and flown in the period of the
late 1920s through December 1942 (pre-
World War II). Within that time, Hand-
Launched and Towline Gliders were
introduced, and rubber-powered models
were being perfected.
In 1934 model gas engines powered a
few aircraft entered in the Nationals (Nats),
and were soon followed by diesel engines
and a couple of electric motor-powered
airplanes. In 1937 the first Radio Control
(RC) models showed up at the Nats.
The Fourth Day! Bob Edelstein’s models in good order, except
for two broken fuselages (bottom center)—victims of high winds.
Ed Shilen (Ennis TX) struggles to maintain altitude with his
Texaco model. Is this the way to relax and fly RC or what?
Dave Henderson (Poquonock CT) displays his Paratrooper rubber-powered aircraft,
flown in a special event recognizing the model’s designer—Don Garoflow.
Ted Patrolia brought two versions of his Cobra: one for Free Flight and one for Radio
Control. He designed this unusual-looking model in 1948. Thomas Ryan photo.
This 20-year span of modeling
progression now offers the SAM modelers
a diverse choice of styles, designs, and
power choices from that era.
The weather warmed up considerably
Tuesday, and calm winds made for
excellent flying weather throughout the
remainder of the contest.
The registered contestants came from
34 states and nine foreign countries. Fiftythree
percent were registered for Free
Flight (FF) events versus 47% in Radio
Control (RC).
The flying field was split into two
sections: an FF area, which takes the
prevailing wind direction into account,
and an RC area—usually upwind from the
FFers. A directional wind shift can create
a mad scramble for turf relocations by
both groups.
All models flown were of pre-1943
design, with the exception of special FF
and RC Nostalgia events that allowed the
use of any design up through 1956.
A total of 46 events were flown
during the five days: 12 rubber power
with one Hand-Launched Glider (HLG),
12 FF Gas, and 22 RC with one RC Old-
Time Glider.
Special commemorative events featured
Don Garofalow’s Paratrooper Rubber
model, Henry Struck’s American Ace in FF
Gas, and his Record Hound in RC.
42 M ODEL AVIATION
Reviewing the amount of events, it
quickly becomes apparent that the SAM
Champs is really the Olympics of Old-
Time modeling, and can become an
endurance event for these older SAM
boys.
Some competitors pace themselves and
enter one or two events per day. Others go
“all out” and enter every event. They are
usually in the air from 8:00 until 4:00 the
full five days. They’re a tired bunch by the
end of the day, and especially so by the
end of the week.
All of the SAM Champs events are based
on keeping your model aloft the longest.
Those in FF Gas are allowed six attempts
to obtain three official flights of 40
seconds minimum or a two-minute max.
This has to be done on an 18-second
motor run using a hand-launch or a 22-
second run in rise-off-ground. Those
who achieved three two-minute maxes
made it to the flyoffs, to ascertain the
winner.
This simple goal may sound boring to
some modelers, but rest assured that the
skill required to attain that status does not
come easy. Old-Time modeling usually
involves slow and relaxed flying, but the
SAM Champs offers a challenge to those
who enjoy competition.
Almost every event offers six attempts
to make two/three maxes. A max in RC is
15 minutes. Try to get all the maxes, then
have a flyoff against all those who did
achieve their required maxes. Whew! Talk
about pressure!
A Texaco event is basically one flight
on a fixed amount of fuel. The winning
score in Class A RC Texaco was 4,048;
that’s 4,048 seconds, or one hour and 12
minutes of flying time (soaring and
catching/chasing thermals) in one flight
to win!
Ron Johnson accomplished this feat
with a 1940 Playboy design powered by
an MVVS .15 diesel and 1/2 ounce of fuel.
One needs to be there to observe the
constant bustling activity in the FF and
RC areas; it’s comparable to a sensational
three-ring circus.
All FF and the majority of RC events
utilize original ignition engines or exact
replicas thereof, such as Brown Jr.s,
Ohlssons, Forsters, Super Cyclones, etc.
However, SAM RC also allows special
events using modern glow engines. No
glow engines are allowed in the FF
events, but some diesels are used in FF
and RC.
The RC category offered special
ignition engine events for the Brown Jr.,
Ohlsson .23, and Ohlsson Sideport (.60),
three Electric events, three classes (sizes
of models and engines) of ignition engine
events, and three classes/sizes of glowengine
events.
Selecting a potential contest winner from
more than 300 Old-Time gas designs and
May 2001 43
Free Flight
Place Airplane Engine Score
(seconds
flown)
A Pylon (20 flew)
1. Dan Harshman Alert Shilen .19 1,320
2. Bill Vanderbeek Thermal Thumber Shilen .19 1,260
3. Larry Davidson Stardust Special Elfin 2.49 d 799
B Pylon (23 flew)
1. Larry Davidson Alert Torpedo .29 1,299
2. Woody Bartelt Alert O&R .29 1,080
3. Cliff Betz Alert Forster .29 919
C Pylon (12 flew)
1. Larry Davidson Foote Westerner Super Cyke 1,200
2. Sal Taibi Playboy Sr. Ohlsson .60 900
3. Mickey Walker Playboy Sr. Super Cyke 720
Class A Fuselage (20 flew)
1. Bud Romak Go Getter Elfin .15 d 547
2. Ted Dock Ascender Elfin .15 d 438
3. Larry Davidson Ascender ED Hunter d 353
Class B Fuselage (21 flew)
1. Larry Davidson Brooklyn Dodger Ohlsson .29 720
2. Frank Harper Pacer DeLong .20 689
3. Sal Taibi Brooklyn Dodger Hunter .21 d 672
Class C Fuselage (12 flew)
1. Sal Taibi Pacer Madewell .49 337
2. Cliff Betz Brooklyn Dodger Anderson Spit 330
3. Emmeh Lenaz 330
30 Second Antique (10 flew)
1. Larry Davidson Rambler Ohlsson .60 FRV 840
2. Bob Oslan Rambler Super Cyke 655
3. Dan Harshman Clipper MK 1 Madewell .49 480
Old Ruler (14 flew)
1. Bill Vanderbeek Gravitas Ohlsson .23 600
2. Dan Harshman Zipper Torpedo .29 578
3. Jack Bolton 480
Ohlsson Sideport (14 flew)
1. Ward Delano Playboy Ohlsson .23 457
2. Bill Vanderbeek Baby Sailplane Ohlsson .23 346
3. Jim Kutkuhn Playboy Jr. Ohlsson .23 340
.020 Replica (20 flew)
1. Ben Cleveland Intercepter Cox .020 TD 662
2. Jack Jella Strato Streak Cox .020 TD 434
3. Sid Jepson Kerswap Cox .020 TD 422
Henry Struck Commemorative-American Ace (4 flew)
1. Ted Dock American Ace Forster .29 230
2. Bob Edelstein American Ace Forster .29 213
3. Mickey Walker American Ace Forster .29 126
NFFS Nostalgia
1⁄4A NosGas (8 flew)
1. Ben Cleveland Jay’s Bird Cox .020 TDF 309
2. Dick Hall T-Bird Cox .020 TD 307
3. Max Bleck T-Bird Cox .020 TD 253
1⁄2A NosGas (18 flew)
1. Dick Hall T-Bird Fox FAI .049 835
2. Frank Parmenter Jay’s Bird Cox Medallion 665
3. Frank Osborne 656
A NosGas (12 flew)
1. Ron Sharpton 351
2. Dick Hall T-Bird O.S. .19 342
3. Ben Cleveland Jay’s Bird O.S. .15 335
B NosGas (11 flew)
1. Dick Hall T-Bird Fox .29X 1,200
2. Ron Sharpton 1,168
3. Ben Cleveland Jay’s Bird Fox 201 820
C NosGas (10 flew)
1. Ron Sharpton 1,004
2. Dick Hall 473
3. Bill Bell 422
Small Ignition NosGas (7 flew)
1. Jim Kutkuhn Conn. Yankee 261
2. William Jordan Phoenix 256
3. Dan Harshman Phoenix 188
Large Ignition NosGas (4 flew)
1. Olin Tinsdale 435
2. Max Bleck Zipper 295
3. Jim Kutkuhn Conn. Yankee 251
Rubber
Don Garofalow Paratrooper (11 flew)
1. Ray Combs 348
2. Joe Macay 312
3. Jim Anderson 280
Jimmie Allen (18 flew)
1. Herb Kothe Sky Chief 349
2. Jim Kutkuhn Bluebird 340
3. Tom McCoy Bluebird 316
Large Rubber Fuselage (31 flew)
1. Herb Kothe Dethermalizer 1,800
2. Carl Redlin Dethermalizer 1,800
3. Jim O’Reilly Eugene 1,402
Small Rubber Fuselage (38 flew)
1. Carl Redlin Double Feature 1,980
2. Joseph Williams Crusader 1,198
3. Don DeCook Pacific Ace 885
4-ounce Wakefield (18 flew)
1. Herb Kothe Lanzo Duplex 900
2. Bucky Walter Lanzo Duplex 896
3. Gene Wallock Lanzo Duplex 836
Large Rubber Stick (22 flew)
1. Carl Redlin Lanzo 300 1,412
2. Ed Konefes Lanzo 1,058
3. George Perryman 1940 Lanzo 1,022
8-ounce Wakefield (26 flew)
1. Herb Kothe Korda Wakefield 1,437
2. Robert Goldie Cleveland Gull 1,232
3. Bob Erpelding Kansas Wakefield 1,225
Small Rubber Stick (31 flew)
1. Ed Konefes Casano 570
2. Joseph Williams Gollywock 544
3. Bob Erpelding Gollywock 480
Twin Pusher (7 flew)
1. Jim Adams Schmaedig 255
2. Ed Konefes Simmers 208
3. George Perryman Burnham 169
Rubber Scale (9 flew)
1. Gene Wallock Lanzo Puss Moth 635
2. George Perryman Lanzo Puss Moth 535
3. Herb Kothe Lanzo Puss Moth 531
Gliders
Old-Time Hand-Launched Glider (17 flew)
1. Steve Roselle Hervat 330
2. Bill Smead 307
3. Al Seither Huguelet 171
Radio Control
Henry Struck Record Hound (7 flew)
1. Don Bekins Record Hound Ohlsson .60 963
2. Marcy Martin Record Hound Ohlsson .60 906
3. Bob King RecordHound Ohlsson .60 594
A Ignition LER (22 flew)
1. Fred Mulholland Playboy Shilen .19 1,728
2. Jim Reynolds Lanzo Bomber Elfin 2.49 d 1,617
3. Mike Salvador Lanzo Bomber Elfin 2.49 d 1,613
B Ignition LER (18 flew)
1. Paul Schmitz Lanzo Bomber McCoy .29 1,261
2. Ed Shilen Lanzo Bomber Shilen .29 1,260
3. Tandy Walker Playboy Sr. Shilen .29 1,253
C Ignition LER (32 flew, 15 in flyoff)
1. Bob King Westerner McCoy .60 2,579
2. Paul Schmitz Lanzo Bomber McCoy .60 2,522
3. John LeTrent Playboy Sr. Anderson 2,420
A Glow LER (20 flew)
1. Fred Mullholland Lanzo Bomber ST .19 1,715
2. Sam Hulin Playboy Cox .15 1,690
3. John LeTrent Lanzo Bomber ST .15 1,109
B Glow LER (22 flew)
1. Fred Mullholland Lanzo Bomber ST .29 1,957
2. Harold Sprague Playboy O.S. .25 1,855
3. Ed Hamler Westerner ST .29 1,743
C Glow LER (27 flew)
1. Ed Hamler Playboy K&B .35 2,402
2. Andrew Latowski Playboy K&B .40 2,269
3. Jim Reynolds Playboy ST .35 2,245
Antique (20 flew)
1. Edward Simpson Lanzo Bomber McCoy .49 1,800
2. Fred Mulholland Lanzo Bomber McCoy .60 1,726
3. Paul Schmitz Lanzo Bomber McCoy .60 1,710
Pure Antique (27 flew)
1. Chuck Hutton Lanzo Bomber McCoy .60 3,285
2. Fred Mulholland Lanzo Bomber McCoy .60 3,198
3. Don Bekins Lanzo Bomber McCoy .60 2,676
Texaco Ignition (18 flew)
1. Lawrence LatowskiDallaire Sportster Enya .60 2,082
2. Ed Shilen Lanzo Bomber O.S. 1,872
3. Dale Hannum Lanzo RC-1 Ohlsson .60 2,609
Texaco Classic (24 flew)
1. Ed Hamler Dallaire Sportster Ohlsson .60 3,527
2. Don Bekins Lanzo Bomber Ohlsson .60 2,609
3. Andrew Latowski Lanzo Bomber Super Cyke 2,204
Texaco Glow (18 flew)
1. Thomas Pratt Miss America O.S. .48 3,311
2. Sam Hulin Dolfin MVVS .40 2,734
3. Fred Mulholland Lanzo Bomber Irvine .40 2,402
A Texaco (20 flew)
1. Ron Johnson Playboy MVVS .15d 4,048
2. Harold Sprague Playboy MVVS .15d 3,756
3. Peter Bennett Lanzo Bomber PAW .15d 2,832
1⁄2A Texaco (45 flew)
1. Eut Tileston V-tail Swallow Cox. .049 2,675
2. Ken Kullman Atomizer Cox. .049 2,441
3. Harold Sprague Lanzo Bomber Cox. .049 2,415
Old-Time Glider (4 flew)
1. Lusso Gianfranco FD-15 1,198
2. Gaetano Fratini FD-15 1,197
3. Leo Bussmeier AMG 866
Electric Texaco (7 flew)
1. Ron Johnson Playboy Leisure 05 724
2. Luther Peters Bomber Leisure 05 424
3. Lusso GianfrancoScalatura SMT 250 406
Ohlsson .23 (14 flew with O&R .23 ignition engines)
1. Bob King Westerner 771
2. Walt Geary Playboy 764
3. Chuck Hutton Playboy 696
Brown Jr. LER (14 flew)
1. James Davenport Rambler 1,944
2. Bob Angus Pacific Coast Champ 1,730
3. Richard Pratt Folly 1,329
Ohlsson Sideport (30 flew with Ohlsson .60 ignition)
1. Don Bekins Record Hound 1,723
2. Fred Mulholland Folly 1,704
3. Eut Tileston Lancer 72 1,667
1⁄2A Scale Texaco (20 flew with Cox .049 engines)
1. Cal Sutterfield Piper Cub 1,436
2. Lamoine Schrock L2A 1,308
3. Don Sachjen Wren 1,273
Spirit of SAM Electric (14 flew)
1. Jack Hiner Stahl Gypsy S300G 4,500
2. Eut Tileston CRY Speed 280 4,191
3. Michael McIntyre Stahl Gypsy Speed 250 3,618
Electric LMR (17 flew)
1. Harold Sprague Playboy Leisure 05 2,518
2. Michael McIntyre Playboy Cabin Aveox 2,321
3. Jack Hiner Playboy Astro 805 g 2,224
Nostalgia Combined (12 flew)
1. Mike Salvador Airfoiler ST. .29 1,639
2. Lawrence Latowski Playboy K&B .40 1,529
3. Ted Patrolia Cobra Hornet .60 922
May 2001 45
an excess of 2,000 Rubber model designs
can be difficult.
Add the building skills required to
keep on or near the minimum weight
requirements (usually an eight- to 10-
ounce wing loading); the skills needed to
select the proper well-tuned engine; and
the skills required to achieve the perfect
adjustments for basically hands-off
flight, and you can understand the
pressures a SAM contestant encounters.
The Old-Time models seem to sniff out
thermals and can stay aloft for hours,
gliding on good air after the engine quits.
An FF contestant launches, mounts the
motor bike, and the chase is on, intently
following the creation as it soars through the
sky. The RC flier prays that the batteries are
fully charged while flying a Texaco event.
Since the FF models truly fly free of
control, they are prone to attaching
themselves gracefully to an ever-rising
thermal and gliding away, out of sight
into never-never land.
To prevent the heartbreaking flyaway,
all FF models utilize some type of
mechanical timer device called a
dethermalizer, or DT, to persuade the
model to return to earth, hopefully
within the confines of the flying field.
Many SAM Champs contestants started
out in the 1930s building and flying
rubber-powered models, and are still
building and flying these rather
simplistic flying machines today.
However, it’s wise not to sell their
Rubber models short; these timeless
designs are constructed with the skill of
fine watchmakers.
A considerable length of time and
considerable experience is required to learn the
skill of building light, covering, trimming, and
adjusting for those perfect flights. Then there’s
the necessary ability to select the proper rubber
composition and wind in the correct amount of
turns for a winning flight.
The result is a launch that is
breathtaking to observe while you try to
comprehend how a large rubber band can
provide such power.
The model leaps into the air, and the
rubber motor’s only noise is the loud
purr of the whirling balsa propeller
biting the air. The aircraft quickly gains
altitude, then there’s silence as the prop
stops and the model transitions into a
flat, slow, circling glide.
Only the anxious ticking of a stopwatch
interrupts the contestant’s silent prayer
that his longest flight time will rule all.
SAM Champs 2000 is now recorded in
the annals of time. There was a winner in
each class, but all those in attendance
were the real winners, with their favorite
model designs from days long gone.
They came, they flew, and they
conquered; some conquered the
weariness of aging and health and some
the long distance traveled and seven days
of contest activities, yet they came.
The attendees enjoyed the camaraderie,
spending time among their friends and
peers, and were still thrilled about rubbing
elbows and chatting with modeling heroes
and legends from the past.
The SAM Champs is somewhat of a
family reunion, and it’s a happy family
indeed.
Next year SAM will host the Champs in
Las Vegas, Nevada, on the nearby vast
spread of the El Dorado Dry Lake.
The theme will be “Four Aces,” with
special commemorative events for four Old-
Time aces and their model designs: Chet
Lanzo’s rubber-powered Duplex, Carl
Goldberg’s FF gas-powered Zipper, Ben
Shereshaw’s Mercury in RC, and Frank Zaic’s
glider designs with events in FF and RC.
Come on out and join the fun!
If you’re interested in Old-Time models,
SAM dues are $18 a year. That includes
an excellent bimonthly magazine. Drop
me a note if you’re interested in
receiving an information package. MA
Charlie Reich
3376 Kings Rd. S.
St. Augustine FL 32086
[email protected]