District X - 2011/06
An account of the Vintage Stunt Championships was generously provided by MA Editor Emeritus Bob Hunt. Enjoy!
Vintage Stunt Championships (VSC) — history
In 1989 Mike Keville and his wife, JoAnn, hosted a contest at Whittier Narrows in California for vintage CL models and called it the Vintage Stunt Championships (VSC). Mike Keville wanted to see his favorite vintage models and as many of CL’s great pilots fly as possible. He couldn’t travel to see them all at their home fields, so he devised a plan to make them come to him.
The first VSC was a resounding success. Two events were flown: Old-Time Stunt (OTS) and Nostalgia Stunt (later renamed Classic Stunt).
OTS was developed by John Miske and was first flown in 1970 at the Garden State Circle Burners’ field in Lincoln Park, New Jersey. The rules of the event stated that the models flown had to be designed before 1953. OTS became a staple of CL contests coast to coast very quickly.
Most models from that era did not employ operating flaps, but some did, and the flaps increased model performance significantly. When OTS was designed there was a 20-point penalty for flying a model fitted with operating flaps; it was eventually reduced to a 10-point penalty.
Nostalgia Stunt was the brainchild of Doc Passen and Tom Dixon. It was designed with a rolling cutoff date of 30 years so new designs would become eligible each year. It became apparent that a permanent cutoff date was required so more modern designs would not dominate the event. The final cutoff date was set at December 31, 1969, and the event name was changed to Classic Stunt.
Classic Stunt models characteristically are fitted with operating flaps, although some pilots opt to fly OTS designs in this event.
Move to Tucson and growth
In 1990 the Kevilles moved to Tucson, Arizona, and moved the contest with them to the Cholla Choppers’ Christopher Columbus Flying Field. The Cholla Chopper members embraced the concept of VSC and provided the manpower to run the contest. The contest has flourished, with a peak participation of 169 entries. Contestants have come from many countries, including:
- England
- Germany
- Switzerland
- Japan
- Brazil
- Netherlands
- Australia
- Canada
The Cholla Chopper Model Airplane Club is one of the oldest clubs in existence, dating to approximately 1947. Continued support from the City of Tucson Parks and Recreation Department helped the site develop into its current six flying circles (three paved, three grass).
After the move to Tucson, a separate event for Ignition OTS was added, bringing the contest menu to three vintage CL events. The Vintage Stunt Championships has become one of the premiere CL contests in the world.
Events
- Old-Time Stunt (OTS): Models designed before 1953; originally penalized for operating flaps.
- Nostalgia/Classic Stunt: Originally rolling cutoff; final cutoff December 31, 1969; models often fitted with operating flaps.
- Ignition OTS: Added after the move to Tucson as a separate ignition-powered event.
2011 VSC (23rd) — highlights
This year marked the 23rd VSC, contested March 15–19. Attendance was down slightly but still healthy, and the event was a resounding success. The flying days were nearly perfect, with little to no wind and temperatures in the mid‑to‑high 80s.
Notable achievements included:
- Joe Gilbert (Sapulpa, Oklahoma) won both Ignition OTS and the regular OTS event — a feat never before accomplished at VSC. He won both events flying the same ignition engine–powered, Ted Snow–designed Humongous.
- Bob Hunt (Stockertown, Pennsylvania) won the Classic Stunt event for the fifth consecutive time. He flew a replica of his Caprice, a model he designed in 1967. This was his seventh overall win in Classic Stunt.
VSC is scheduled next year for March 13–17. If you have any interest in CL aerobatics and/or vintage models, don’t miss it.
Awards and resources
There are a number of special awards presented at VSC each year, including the Keeper of the Flame award, presented to Bob Hunt.
- The entire list of winners and volunteers, along with Bob’s complete report, can be found on the District X website.
- More than 70 pictures from VSC are available at www.ama10.org — select the link to Albums and enjoy.
- If you’re not visiting the District X website, you’re missing out on some good stuff; check out the blog weekly.
Until next month, may you have nothing but happy landings.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
