Born to Fly-2011/09

Jim T. Graham | jgraham@Born to Fly rcgroups.com
Jerry Smith: a man with a lifetime of RC experience
86 MODEL AVIATION
I REMEMBER when I got my first job in
the RC industry. The vice president of the
company told me I would have to attend all
of the major RC shows across the country.
We were sitting in a restaurant so I stopped
myself from jumping up and letting go with a
real Texas yahoo.
That was 10 years ago and I would love to
know how many miles I have walked (or
driven in my golf cart) in an attempt to fully
cover every RC event I have been to.
Throughout the years there are a few
constants—the grass on the main line at Joe
Nall will take your breath away, SEFF feels
like home as soon as you enter the gates,
NashBro is always as much fun as you expect
it to be, the XFC is always exciting, and Jerry
Smith will be on the flightline taking pictures.
I say all of that to bring us to Jerry Smith
(not to be confused with Jerry L. Smith, good
friend and nine-time Fun-Fly champion). I
run into Jerry Smith and his camera at most
of the shows I attend. Jerry has been covering
RC events for more than 30 years. I know
how hard it is to properly cover an event and
it is even harder to cover an outdoor event.
Jerry is 86 years young and an inspiration
to me. I had a chance to ask him some
questions and wanted to share with you the
story of a man with a lifetime of RC
experience.
JG: Where did you grow up, and when were
you first exposed to RC flight?
JS: I grew up in the little town of Niles,
Michigan, very close to the Indiana state line.
I graduated from school and enlisted in the
Army Air Corps right after. I spent 31/2 years
in that service.
During my early years as a child, I built
solid and stick models and later on became
interested in Free Flight. I used to design my
own and what a thrill to see something you
designed and built fly. That was back in the
’30s and ’40s when a paper route wouldn’t
support RC, which wasn’t too well developed
at the time. I didn’t get into RC until 1956
when I saw some flying at a local field.
My first RC airplane was a Goldberg
Falcon 56 powered with a Fox .19 which
didn’t last the first flight because it
encountered a tree. I had much better success
after that first event.
JG: Who was the person who first helped you
get into RC?
JS: The first person to help me with RC was
Ed Broshures, who was president of our
newly formed club, Tri Valley RC, at the
time. He helped me considerably and even let
me fly some of his airplanes to help me learn.
Yes, I did break one for him.
JG: What part of RC interested you the most
and does it still interest you?
JS: In the beginning of my RC years there
wasn’t much more than .40-.60-size airplanes
and you had to build them yourself. In those
days, building your own radio was popular,
hence Ace RC, Royal Electronics, and Heath
flourished with their products. However my
interest soon turned to Giant Scale in the late
’70s. But I find that now I like them all, little
and big fixed-wing, no helicopters.
JG: I understand you worked on some of the
earliest UAVs in the 1950s. Can you tell me
about that?
JS: During my 40 years at Bendix Aerospace
in the ’70s I did build an 8-foot Telemaster
with a SuperTigre .71 to haul some
instrumentation around for them. They had a
grant to develop some low-power radar and
needed an air platform. I told them that being
an RCer I could do that and was successful
with the project.
I flew the airplane for them for a couple of
years, in all kinds of weather, and they gave it
to me when the project was complete. I flew
it for a while and gave it to a friend who used
it for aerial photography.
JG: Did RC play a role in how you earned
your living?
JS: No, it is hard to make a living in RC
unless you are in the business end of it, then it
is still tough. I used my income to support my
hobby of RC and later photography.
Writing for magazines and covering
events doesn’t pay that much. You do it
because you like to do it and want to help
others with the ideas and knowledge you
have gained. The magazines become your
sounding board, and you can do much to help
others in the hobby with your knowledge.
Left: This picture of Jerry’s small
airplane club is from 1937 when
he was 12. He is third from the
left. The 8-foot Cub-like airplane
shown was powered by a
Forester Super 99.
Jerry Smith was
caught at a recent
event doing what
he does best.
Right: Jerry and his friend,
Marvin, in 1937. Looks
like Jerry was in the
process of building a Cub.
Look at all that hair!
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September 2011 87
JG: Did you have a mentor who helped you
with your hobby?
JS: In my early days I looked up to Carl
Goldberg and still did when he was alive. I
knew Carl well and he and I had many
conversations about airplane design. The rest
of my RC knowledge came from being
involved and being somewhat of a fanatic
with the current trend of what was going on.
JG: I also understand that you have designed
RC airplanes. Can you tell us about that?
JS: After I retired and moved to the Atlanta,
Georgia, area I met Bubba Spivey, the founder
of Lanier RC, at a local swap shop. He asked
me if I drew plans and was looking for a good
sport airplane. I said yes and designed the
Stinger, my first airplane, with him.
He liked it and soon I had another fulltime
job; it became more work, designing,
drawing CAD plans, laser-cutting files,
writing the instruction manuals, and bill of
materials. I spent 14 years with Lanier RC
and designed over 20 airplanes for them.
When the ARFs started to come in the
Chinese took over my job and that was the
end of Lanier RC.
JG: How did you get involved in the
publishing side of RC?
JS: Back in the early ’70s I was newsletter
editor for my RC club. I would send copies of
the newsletter to various magazines, RC
Modeler being one of them. In the newsletter
I would include an idea or hint, called “Here’s
How,” to help the reader with an idea that
might help him.
Don Dewey, then publisher of RCM, took
note and asked me if I would be interested in
doing it for the magazine. I said yes and was
on staff with RCM for 30 years doing the
“For What It’s Worth” column. It was
something I thought I could do after I retired
but sadly RCM went under in 2003. It was
fun.
Back when I first started writing for RCM
I took up photography as a tool to help me
with my column. Through the years it has
played an important part for almost
everything I do in RC, especially event
coverage and kit reviews.
I have specialized in my photo work with
air shots of model airplanes and worked hard
to be skillful at it. Because of this I have had
many magazine cover shots and have
become known for this. In the last two years
I became staff photographer for Extreme
Flight RC and do all their flight shots on new
airplanes which they use on their website, kit
boxes, and ads.
JG: How many RC events do you attend
these days?
JS: Back in the ’80s, when I worked for
High Flight, I would take in an event almost
every weekend during the summer to provide
coverage for Les Hard, then editor. Now I
freelance with the magazines and do kit
reviews when asked. Covering events is a lot
of work and I am getting up in age and
slowing down (no kidding?), but I still love
to do it when I can. Now it’s two or three a
year.
JG: What do you like best about covering
events?
JS: I like meeting the pilots, getting to know
them and what they like best about RC flying,
how they started out, and why they like it.
Getting around like I do, I get to see their
models and some of them are real craftsman
who go to great extents to add realism to their
aircraft. I find this part of it interesting.
Covering events is not easy. After
spending time doing the photography,
interviewing, and getting to where it is all
happening, you come home and your work is
only half done. You have to write it up and
make an interesting story for others to read. I
find all of it very fascinating.
JG: If you have some wisdom or advice to
pass along to a novice RC pilot, what would
it be?
JS:When you decide to take up the
hobby/sport of RC you will find it very
engaging. Not only the skills you will
acquire, but the friendship of fellow modelers
will play an important part of the hobby for
you as well. You will learn from them as
your skills increase and find many rewards
you never know existed. It will take you from
your daily stresses and provide you with
much pleasure. It has been a lifetime passion
of mine. MA
Sources:
Extreme Flight RC
(770) 887-1794
www.extremeflightrc.com
Left: Jerry is holding the Goldberg
Sailplane in this 1941 group shot of the
small American Ace Model Airplane Club.
Above: One of the perks of working for
Extreme Flight RC is to be able to fly one
of the company’s great airplanes. This 50cc
Extra is just right for the “old man” who
can still fly.
Right: Chuck Cunningham’s Lazy Ace
Biplane, flown with an O.S. .61, was one of
his first kits. Jerry flew the biplane for
more than four years.
Far right: Jerry with a Giles G202 that he
designed for Lanier RC. He designed more
than 20 models for the company.
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