Old Time Stunt turns 40
Bob Hunt [[email protected]]
Forty years ago this past October, a new CL Precision Aerobatics (Stunt) event made its debut. Old Time Stunt, or OTS, was intended for airplanes published and/or kitted prior to 1953.
Shortly after that timeframe, most new Stunt designs sprouted flaps, longer moment arms, and other performance-enhancing features, and a certain something was lost. John Miske decided to resurrect those old model designs and have his club—the Garden State Circle Burners (GSCB)—sponsor an event for them.
Origins
John’s idea was to pay tribute to the designers and models of the past. It also enabled those who “missed” that era to enjoy a different flying experience and allowed those who flew the airplanes in their youth to recapture those years.
He made the rules practical by allowing the use of modern engines and finishing materials, while insisting that airframes be constructed as close to the original plans or kits as possible. He devised a points system that rewarded the use of ignition engines (as used in the early OTS era) and imposed a penalty for designs with working flaps.
The first contest
The inaugural OTS contest was held at the fabled GSCB field in Lincoln Park, New Jersey, adjacent to where Route 80 now passes the Lincoln Park/Wayne area. The surrounding region is highly developed, but the GSCB field sits in a floodplain and cannot be used for much else; it floods if the weather gets even a little too humid. As a result, the modeling environment has changed little since the early 1960s—perfect for an OTS contest.
I received a call from John in September 1970 inviting me to fly in the first OTS event. I told him I didn’t have a qualifying model and didn’t have time to build one. John pointed out that I already had a qualifying airplane: a Veco Mustang I’d been flying that summer, originally designed and available in kit form in 1952. I promised to come and participate.
The day of the contest arrived, and everyone was surprised to find club officials dressed in old-time garb—red-and-white striped vests and straw hats reminiscent of a barbershop quartet. Beth England, a member’s daughter, was drafted to dress in period feminine attire and preside as “Miss Old Time Stunt.”
There were only about eight entrants, but the meet struck a chord and quickly gained popularity. The event was added to GSCB Stunt contest menus, and soon other clubs began running OTS meets.
Notable competitors in that first meet included:
- John D’Ottavio (flying a Hal deBolt–designed All American Senior)
- Tom Niebuhr (flew an accurate replica of the Lou Andrews–designed Barnstormer; placed third)
- Bob Lampione (1969 Nats CL Stunt Champion)
- Jim Damerell
- Vic Macaluso
- Sam Bridges
- Wayne Colgan
- Jean Pailet (renowned free-flight designer/flier; earned 20 bonus points for flying an ignition-engine-powered Ringmaster)
I’m proud to say I won that first OTS contest, edging out John D’Ottavio.
Forty years later
Fast-forward 40 years and the same GSCB field still hosts OTS. The famous trees are taller, a chain-link fence has replaced the old split-rail, cars and attire are modern, and most contestants are a bit grayer—but the field still feels like a step back in time. The food tradition lives on: Ron Testa of Ron’s Deli (West Orange, NJ) still cooks for the club, and his sausage-and-pepper sandwiches are worth the trip.
Memories of the first OTS contest were vivid as I drove to the GSCB’s 40th Anniversary celebration with my flying buddy Tom Hampshire. Pulling through the field entrance brought unexpected goose bumps. John Miske had been suffering the effects of a severe stroke, and it was uncertain whether he could attend. At about 10 a.m., while Tom and I were judging the Classic Stunt event, an announcement suspended flying for a few minutes—John and Elaine Miske had just arrived.
A line formed at John’s car to greet him and thank him for his vision. He was visibly moved. John and Elaine stayed most of the day and joined a group photo that recalled the one taken in 1970, though with many more fliers present. GSCB Membership Chairman Rich Peabody presented John with a special photo plaque commemorating the first OTS event; we all signed the photo before it was framed.
Thanks and results
I want to thank John Miske for his steadfast work behind the scenes for so many years to make CL flying more enjoyable and successful, and especially for his guidance in my early modeling life. He has been a beacon of what a true modeler should be.
Thanks also to GSCB members past and present. The club has become an institution in the East, known worldwide and respected for keeping the flame of control-line flying alive.
Try hard to make it to the 45th anniversary of this contest! For the record, Tom Hampshire won the 40th Anniversary OTS meet flying his F&B Sharpy.
Till next time, fly Stunt. MA
3M 77 Original Formula
In the September column I wrote about making foam-backed sanding blocks using 3M Super 77 Spray Adhesive to attach sandpaper to foam. I lamented that I could no longer do this because the new 77 spray adhesive had apparently changed formula and included a solvent that attacks expanded polystyrene foam.
There is good news: Mickey Nowell of Longwood, Florida, emailed to say that 3M 77 original formula is still available. I checked the company website and found a link to the 3M 77 Classic Spray Adhesive; the address is listed below. This is good news for many modelers who used that adhesive for tasks such as covering foam-core wings. Thanks to Mickey for the tip.
In the next column we’ll return to discussing the necessary tools for equipping a shop to build great CL Stunt models—or models of any type. I promised a report on a special line of sanding and filing tools, and we’ll get to that.
Sources
- Classic 3M 77 Spray Adhesive: http://bit.ly/a7XcUEg
- Precision Aerobatics Model Pilots Association: www.control-line.org
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
