Author: Dave Mathewson
Edition: Model Aviation - 2003/11
Page Numbers: 149

District II Report

Contact

  • Dave Mathewson

Vice President

Note

For a listing of district AVPs and other volunteers, please consult the previous issue of Model Aviation or the District II web address above.

Centennial of Flight activities

This has truly been an exciting year to be an aviation enthusiast. Events are taking place throughout the country commemorating the first 100 years of manned flight. Our members and clubs are participating in many of these events.

Charles Stager, president of the Pine Barren Modelers, sent this about an event in which his club participated:

"Helping to contribute to the ongoing Centennial of Flight Celebration, the Pine Barren Modelers club of Ocean County, New Jersey, planned a presentation at the Barnegat Branch of the Ocean County Library on July 21, 2003. Presenting a detailed history of early aviation, including the trials and tribulations of the Wright brothers, was club secretary Carl Miller and member Bill Kramer.

"The slide show and demonstrations of World War I and earlier models were well received by local youngsters and adults, who had many questions about model aviation."

WMWA Warbird Classic

July 18–20, 2003, the World Miniature Warbird Association (WMWA) held its annual Warbird Classic in Gilbertsville, New York. The WMWA is the Academy of Model Aeronautics' newest Special Interest Group, dedicated to the building and flying of model aircraft of any size that are replicas of full-size military aircraft from around the world.

This year's event took on special meaning as it became a memorial for WMWA founder Dino DiGiorgio, who passed away in April. Al Kanser and Don Godfrey assumed the task of organizing the fly-in with the help of the Oneonta Radio Control Flyers.

Pilots from throughout the Northeast turned out, bringing some absolutely top-shelf scale models. The highlight of the event for many was the Saturday afternoon flight by Dino's son, Dean DiGiorgio, who flew his Top Gun Team Scale–winning P-51 in a beautifully choreographed and moving tribute to his dad.

Rounding out the weekend was the Saturday evening banquet, which included as guests several Tuskegee Airmen. There's talk of holding the Classic in Gilbertsville again next year. If you enjoy Warbirds, keep an eye out for it.

Combat Over Cicero

On July 26, 2003, TufFlight Models again sponsored Combat Over Cicero at the Midstate Modelers field in Cicero, New York. Pilots flew several rounds of Open Class B and the newer Slow Survivable Combat (SSC) class.

The SSC class of Combat is a great way to give RC combat a try without having to invest a lot of money. Engines are limited to stock .15 CID engines that sell for $60 or less. All engines need to run a standard brand, unmodified 8×3 propeller turning no more than 17,500 rpm. All of this has the added advantage of being a little more docile than some of the Open class models, giving the new combat pilot a chance to get their feet wet without being overwhelmed by some of the quicker setups.

I had an opportunity to judge a few rounds during this event and was struck by how safety conscious all of the pilots were. AMA guidelines were adhered to at all times, and it wasn't unusual to hear one of the pilots flying call for everyone to "push out" of the combat zone when it appeared they were beginning to crowd themselves.

RC Combat seems to be gaining popularity in the district. If you think you might like to take a shot at it, visit a Combat event. I think you'll find most combat pilots willing to take the time to help you get started.

District II Fly-In

Plans are coming along nicely for the District II Fly-In to be held at Floyd Bennett Field on October 4–5, 2003. Check the District II web site at www.amadistrictii.org for the most current information. Hope to see you there.

Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.