District IV
Bliss Teague, District IV Vice President; [email protected]
Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia
Associate Vice President resignation and successor
I regret to report that Associate Vice President John Stare of Middletown, Delaware, is resigning after roughly eight years of excellent service to the hobby/sport and AMA. Many thanks, John, for all your hard work and efforts. When you see him, thank him and give a well-deserved pat on the back.
John has recommended his successor, John Kirchstein. After talking with John Kirchstein and having met him several years earlier, I agree with his recommendation. Thanks for accepting the challenge, John.
About John Kirchstein (in his own words)
“When I was about 10 years old, my father helped me build a Comet model of a TG-2 glider. From that time until I left home for college, I spent many an hour in the attic of our house, building stick-and-tissue and eventually glow-powered airplanes. My twin and I used money we earned from picking Connecticut Shade-Grown tobacco to buy our first radio-control unit in approximately 1954.
“Success was an elusive thing, but we tried hard. College and career intervened until the mid-1960s when, while working at a salt mine in Cleveland, I got my first proportional radio: a Kraft Single Stick with the metal-cased servos that had a slide-wire potentiometer.
“I learned to fly on my own by building multiple copies of the same craft and replacing anything that broke in the field. I’ve been involved in RC modeling ever since at one level or another. I’m not a great builder or flier, but I enjoy the activity and the interesting characters that are drawn to this pastime.
“I helped found a sailplane club (SKSS) and have been an officer and/or newsletter editor in two clubs over the past 15 years.”
All in Delaware, please welcome the new John and make him feel at home in his new endeavor.
Contact information:
- 106 De Walt Rd., Newark, DE 19711
- (302) 731-2813
- E-mail: [email protected]
DCRC fly-in — Bealeton, Virginia (September 9–11)
The DCRC club had another great fly-in September 9–11 at the Flying Circus site in Bealeton, Virginia. As usual, the weather was great and all who attended had an excellent time. This year was especially memorable because we had the most recent District IV Model Aviation Hall of Fame inductee present, Don Srull. Don brought several airplanes to fly, but the one most seemed to be interested in was an 80-inch wingspan B.E.2e that was originally designed for glow power and converted to electric by Don.
At the noon break I was honored to present Don with the Hall of Fame plaque and was assisted by one of his good friends, John Hunton. Several other friends contributed to the ceremony, making comments about Don’s accomplishments and dedication to the hobby. He even gave one of his prize airplanes to a youngster to help him get started in model aviation. This award could not have been given to a more deserving person.
After the presentation, Don was permitted to be the first in the air with his B.E.2e. Many thanks to CD Jim McDaniel who allowed this break-in flying to honor Don Srull, District IV’s latest inductee to the Model Aviation Hall of Fame.
Saturday evening and prizes
Saturday night many attended the usual “feed fest” and prizes were awarded. Among them were rides for three people in full-scale airplanes courtesy of the Bealeton Flying Circus. Robert Donohue from Hampstead, Maryland, won the JR 9303 radio raffle.
Thanks to Jim McDaniel, Andy Kane, and all the DCRC members for a fine event.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
