District II - 2015/02
Contact
Eric Williams Vice President [email protected] 4242 Amanda Ln., Schenectady, NY 12303 Tel.: (518) 356-2057 Website: www.amadistrict-ii.org
Walt’s HobbyTown Secret Santa Sale (November 22, 2014)
Winter brings special events as outdoor flying slows down. On November 22, 2014, I visited Walt’s HobbyTown in Syracuse, New York, for its annual Secret Santa Sale. The event is more than a sale; it’s where store proprietor Bruce Throne carries on the tradition of giving back to modelers.
Throughout the day, store founders Walt and Jan Throne gave away thousands of dollars in prizes and provided free doughnuts and refreshments. Area AMA clubs, plastic modeling clubs, RC car clubs, and others displayed their work and discussed their organizations. The local rocketry club launched rockets outdoors to the delight of everyone—even with a few snow flurries falling!
Also in attendance was Art Arro, promoting the Highland Jets event in Frankfort, New York. Art is a modeler of distinction; in the 1970s he worked on the concept of NASA’s Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA). The SCA concept—carrying the space shuttle on top of a 747—was first tested on RC model aircraft. A scale RC model 747 and space shuttle used in early NASA proof-of-concept testing now resides in the National Model Aviation Museum in Muncie, Indiana.
Garden State Circle Burners Swap Meet (November 23, 2014)
On Sunday, November 23, 2014, I attended the Garden State Circle Burners Swap Meet at the fire hall in Wayne, New Jersey. The Circle Burners event is a long-standing swap meet with various modeling luminaries and members of the AMA Model Aviation Hall of Fame in attendance.
Vendors specializing in glow fuel and balsa, as well as modelers with both Old-Timer and modern aircraft, came to sell their items. Don’t miss out on good deals and opportunities to sell your unwanted items.
This swap meet season, help support clubs by attending swap meets and auctions—and have a fun time, too!
Indoor Flying Facilities and Armory Buildings
Upstate New York modelers in the Capital District have worked to secure large indoor flying facilities. Several promising locations are former Army National Guard armory buildings. Many of these buildings have outlived their military usefulness and have been deeded to local municipalities, schools, institutions, or private concerns. New building owners are looking for ways to repurpose these facilities.
The Electric Powered Aeromodelers (EPA) club of Schenectady, New York, found the new owners of the former Schenectady Armory and Drill Hall, Legree Restorations, very receptive. The EPA and Legree have scheduled several winter flying sessions to gauge interest.
Consider these former armory buildings and similar large repurposed structures for potential indoor flying sites.
Reminders
- Support your local clubs by attending swap meets, auctions, and events.
- Look for and promote large indoor spaces—former armories can be excellent possibilities.
Remember, it’s not about what we fly, it’s about the people and the friends we make.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
