District II-2011/08

August 2011 149
The Brooklyn Skyscrapers. Back row: Jean
Pailet, Bob Morris, Tom Juell, Mal Maclean,
Art Collard, and Andrew Barron. Middle row:
Alan Abriss, Vito Gagliano, Brian Pacelli,
Larry Davidson, Carrol Allen, Dave Acton, Ian
Hurley, Mike Cook, and Don Rousseau.
Seated: Chris Maikisch, Bob Geyer, Bob
Hatschek, Leon Shulman, Bob Langelius, Bob
Lipori, and Tom Fennell. Leon, seated behind
the banner, is a founding member of the 75-
years-old club.
I HAD the distinct pleasure of attending the
75th anniversary luncheon of the Brooklyn
Skyscrapers, held at Sam’s of Gedney Way
Restaurant in White Plains, New York. Club
president, Dave Acton, arranged the event and
also acted as the host. Dave was recognized as
the key person responsible for organizing all
of the club events, including its FF flying
events, and he is the nucleus that binds the
members together.
Leon Shulman
addressing the club.
Mal Maclean,
Jean Pailet, and
Larry Davidson.
Gene Pailet, Brian Pacelli, and Gary Fitch
with Brian’s award.
The guest speaker, and a founding member
of the Brooklyn Skyscrapers Club, was Leon
Shulman. Incidentally, Leon is also one of the
founding members of AMA, which I find
most interesting because both organizations
are 75 this year. At age 91, he is still very
active in our hobby, flying during the winter
months near his home in Florida, and then
coming north for the summer. Leon spoke
about the history of the club and how it grew
into the country’s premier FF organization,
then as well as today.
I also had the privilege of meeting one of
the club’s youngest members, Brian Pacelli.
Brian was recognized as the Skyscrapers
Modeler of the Year, and why not? Brian was
a member of the 2010 Junior Free Flight
Team, flying F1B. He placed second at last
year’s World Championships in Romania.
The Skyscrapers are living proof that the
roots of model aviation are alive and well.
Skyscrapers’ photos courtesy of Alan and
Karen Abriss.
While attending the Mercer County Radio
Control Society (MCRCS) Jumbo Fly-In
event, I had the opportunity to speak with
longtime board of director and charter
member, Jim Meighan. Jim talked about and
provided me a copy of the club’s 50th
anniversary booklet. This is a very interesting
publication loaded with club history and facts
that were published in honor of the club’s
golden anniversary. The club was founded
March 3, 1961, with an initiation fee of $1 and
dues of 50¢ a month. The first club president
was Forrest Miller.
Today Keith Zimmerly is the president of
this 160-member club. It sponsors both the
Jumbo Fly-In event in May and a warbird
event in September. The members raise
thousands of dollars for their patron charity:
The Sunshine Foundation Dreamlift at the
Mercer County Airport. With this type of
donation, you can tell that the events are well
attended with some outstanding aircraft.
MCRCS is one of many outstanding clubs
in our district.
This ½-scale Nieuport 11-C1 with 106cc twin
was designed and built by Keith Zimmerly.
This Halberstadt D.III with flying horizontal
and vertical stabilizers was designed and
built by Seth Hunter.
This Gilmore
Red Lion,
powered by an
O.S. BGX, is
by John
English.
Congratulations to both the Skyscrapers and
MCRCS clubs in reaching these milestones.
Until next month, help secure our future and
take a youngster flying!
District II
Gary Fitch, District II Vice President; [email protected]
New Jersey, New York, Europe
Gary Fitch
1298 Slab City Rd.,
Franklinville NY 14737;
Tel.: (716) 341-2813
www.amadistrictii.org
Associate Vice
Presidents
Frank Granelli,
Rockaway NJ; (973) 625-
4995; [email protected]
Tom Murray, Basking Ridge NJ;
(908) 766-5656;
[email protected]
Tony Rossi, Somerset NJ; (917)
320-2665; [email protected]
Peter Seiffert, Baldwinsville NY;
(315) 635-6370;
[email protected]
Terry Terreniore, Endicott, NY;
(607) 748-8246; amad2terry@
stny.rr.com
Eric Williams, Schenectady NY;
(518) 356-2057;
[email protected]
Frequency Coordinator:
Kevin Coleman, Middletown NJ;
(212) 975-2988; kcoleman@
cbs.com
CL and FF Contest
Coordinator: Dave King, South
Plainfield NJ; (908) 769-5149
Webmaster: Ray Kappes,
Clifton Park NY; webmaster@
amadistrictii.org
For a complete listing of
district officers and volunteers,
please visit the District I1 website
or see a previous issue of MA.
District II Volunteers
Tom Dyl with
his Topflight
kit-built P-47.
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