FAC = FUN2 - 2008/03

March 2008 65
A legacy of aeromodelers who are dedicated to fun thinking and the willingness to help
by Dennis Norman
Above: The cheerful Don Long with his great-flying Martin
MO-1 in 2005. Jack Moses photo.
Right: British FACers Jane and Lindsey Smith wind Jane’s
Mustang for the FAC Powder Puff Scale event at the 1996
FAC Nats, Mk X. Moses photo.
NOVEMBER 2007 was the 40th
anniversary of the Flying Aces Club News.
The year 2008 marks the 30th year of Flying
Aces Club (FAC) national competitions.
The FAC’s continuing growth and success
inspired Michael Ramsey to ask me to write
this article.
In preparation I reviewed all 40 years of
the Flying Aces Club News and concluded
that it would take a hefty book to tell the
full story of the FAC in detail. Because of
this I am giving you, at best, a superficial
overview of the organization, its growth,
and its development.
The title of this piece looks like some
sort of mathematical formula, but it is an
attempt to distill the FAC’s central purpose,
which is to increase fun in the FF segment
of our great hobby/sport.
Today’s FAC traces its origins to the
Flying Aces magazine of the 1930s and
1940s. The publication focused on three
basic things: factual reporting, model
building, and fiction. Although the original
Flying Aces was incorporated into Flying
Models magazine in the mid-1940s, it left a
lasting impression in its readers’ hearts and
minds.
The original FAC was the Flying Aces
magazine’s promotional effort to boost
readership by making a club for aviation
fans—especially kids—who were excited
about flying. Upon joining, members were
encouraged to ask their friends to join and
form local squadrons. Coupons were
offered toward cadet and pilot wings.
Volunteers were sought for “the inner circle
of the FAC...G-2.”
Famous honorary FAC members
included prominent aviators such as Wiley
Post, Roscoe Turner, and Captain Eddie
Rickenbacker. Even President Franklin D.
Roosevelt and his wife, Eleanor, were
named honorary members.
Today’s FAC began in the early 1960s,
when a few modelers from Connecticut and
New York, led by Dave Stott and Bob
Thompson, rekindled the spirit of the old
FAC. Partially out of nostalgia and partially
out of a desire to return to the fun and
excitement of simple FF Scale modeling,
these intrepid few started a story that is still
being written. Membership has
mushroomed from that small group of
dedicated individuals to more than 1,500
and is still growing.
The first meets of today’s FAC were
local contests held in Connecticut. FAC
membership was obtained simply by
entering one of the competitions. By 1967
membership had grown to the point where
the Flying Aces Club News was started in
November of that year. It was sent to those
who participated in FAC contests.
Dave Stott and Bob Thompson were the
publication’s first editors, and they were
helped by volunteers such as Joe
Fitzgibbons (of Golden Age
Reproductions), who provided mailing
labels, and Johnny Kwiatkowski, who did
the publishing for little expense. At first,
FAC membership and Flying Aces Club
News costs were paid for from the
Connecticut FAC contests’ entry fees.
By the late 1970s FAC events were
being flown at local meets across the
country. The first attempt to consolidate the
widely scattered FAC rules was published
in the May 1977 Flying Aces Club News.
The concern was that there be uniformity in
the rules to validate victories fairly in FAC
competition.
Tom Nallen Sr. suggested a big FAC
meet at a more central location. The idea
met with enthusiasm, and the first FAC
national competition was set for July 15-16,
03sig3.QXD 1/25/08 9:29 AM Page 6566 MODEL AVIATION
David Bubolz holds his Miles Magister built
from a RockyTop Models kit. It flew well in
FAC Rubber Scale at a 2007 meet. Fred
Wunsche photo.
The famous FAC Nats Mk II battle flag at
the 1980 contest in Dayton OH. The
youthful FACers include Fred Gregg, Pres
Bruning, and Mark Fineman. Moses photo.
“Museum quality” best describes Scottish
FACer Joe Ferguson’s trophy-winning
Hawker Hart built from a West Wings kit.
Ferguson photo.
FAC enthusiasts (L-R) Paul Boyanowski, Earl Stahl, and Ralph Kuenz. Earl has near-deity
status in the FAC; he drew many great FF Scale plans in the 1930s and 1940s. Moses photo.
FAC greats (L-R) Don Srull, Ralph Kuenz, Dave Stott, and Jack Moses enjoy a good
laugh at one of the SUNY Geneseo University dorms in 1995. Moses photo.
Photos as noted
Jack McGillivray shows his scratch-built
S.E.5a. “Wizardry” is perhaps the best term
for his building and flying techniques. Steve
Kanyusik photo.
Jack Moses, Chris Starleaf, and David Franks pause with their Guillow’s Fairchild 24s
just before a mass-launch event in 2007. Wunsche photo.
03sig3.QXD 1/24/08 2:27 PM Page 66March 2008 67
A 1977 mass launch of the WWI Peanut Dogfight. Dave Stott is in the white cap and shirt
with dark slacks. Such events are still among those that FACers most enjoy. Stott photo.
Dave Stott, co-founder of
today’s FAC, launches his B-25
Mitchell during a 1975 trimming
session at Pinkham Field near
Durham CT. Rubber-powered
twins were rare 33 years ago!
Bob Clemens photo.
Ed “Rare Birds” Heyn’s
Zalewskiego, a 1916 Polish
quadriplane, takes to the air.
Dave Stott photo.
Local television coverage was given to the
1986 FAC Nats Mk V. Rebecca Johnson of
Rochester NY station WHEC holds Gordon
Roberts’ Spitfire Mk XIV. Moses photo.
FAC Hall of Famer Russ Brown (Cleveland
OH) enlivened early FAC meets by making
delightful trophies to inspire long after the
contests. Russ Brown photo.
As do all of
Mike Midkiff’s
models, this 40.25-inchspan
Mosquito Mk IV flies
wonderfully. Midkiff photo.
Left: Bob McLellon with
his 85-gram Wyvern at
the 2007 Non-Nats. He
flew the contrarotatingpropeller
model with
r u b b e r u s i n g a
Regalbuto prop unit.
Wunsche photo.
Right: The dynamic
Juanita Reichel takes a
break from her many
duties with the FAC
GHQ to enjoy a
moment with her
Piper J-3 Cub. Irma
Wenlock photo.
03sig3.QXD 1/25/08 9:33 AM Page 671978, at the Johnsville Naval Air Station in
Pennsylvania. Lin Reichel volunteered to be
CD.
A total of 10 events were scheduled, and
81 contestants made 743 official flights.
The soon-to-be-legendary Don Srull was
declared the first Grand Champion—a title
he has won many times since.
The 1978 contest’s great success made it
clear that similar events would follow, but
there were storm clouds on the horizon. By
1980 the growing FAC’s demands caused
co-founders Dave Stott and Bob Thompson
to announce that they were giving up
running the organization and publishing the
Flying Aces Club News.
As the news was made public, FAC
mania had begun to sweep Cleveland, Ohio;
Detroit, Michigan; and several other areas.
When Lin Reichel of the Erie Model
Aircraft Association in Pennsylvania heard
the news, he was in disbelief. He asked
Dave and Bob if he might take over the
organization in an effort to keep it alive.
They readily consented.
Lin was perfect for the job. He was a
gentleman, low-keyed and soft-spoken, but
he also had impressive credentials. For
years Lin and his dynamic wife, Juanita,
had successfully run the Erie-area Little
League. They were no strangers to the
rigors and demands of a large and complex
organization.
The Reichels also had capable friends
who were FAC members. People such as
Vic Didelot, who had started the Erie Model
Aircraft Association in 1963, and Ross
Mayo, a brilliant medical professional,
brought much energy to the organization.
Under Lin’s leadership the FAC Nats
was scheduled at two-year intervals at
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio
(1980); Johnsville Naval Air Station (1982);
Utica, Michigan (1984); and Geneseo, New
York (1986). Geneseo’s central location,
huge flying site at the National Warplane
Museum, State University of New York
Geneseo facilities, and welcoming
community spirit led the FAC to make it the
Nats’ permanent home on May 16, 1987.
The FAC Nats has continued to grow. In
2006 there were 150 contestants, 1,007
official flights, 190 “maxes” (maximum
flight times reached), and 335 mass-launch
flights. In addition to the individual event
winners, 12 awards were given for special
achievements and a distinguished group of
modelers was inducted in the FAC Hall of
Fame.
There are currently two national FAC
contests held each year. The biennial FAC
Nats is held in mid-July, and a somewhat
smaller FAC Non-Nats is held in the off
years at Geneseo. In early September each
year the FAC Championships is held at the
AMA flying site in Muncie, Indiana. In
addition, FAC Squadrons, of which there
are more than 70, hold numerous local
meets.
The reborn FAC’s newsletter mimics the
Flying Aces magazine’s style, but coverage
has been expanded to include member
correspondence, contest information,
advertisements, reports of members’
achievements, technical articles, editorials,
FAC rule updates, and even poetry, prayers,
and songs as expressions of the FACers’ joy
and creativity.
People such as Vance Gilbert (a
professional folk singer) and Bill Warner
have regaled FAC gatherings with their
substantial musical talent. The unforgettable
Richard Miller has joyfully danced jigs
while playing a small harmonica in the
closing minutes of FAC competitions.
Ross Mayo emcees the FAC Nats
banquets and keeps them light despite
endless award presentations. He also helps
direct much of the FAC Nats activities,
including hilarious model inspections for
mass-launch events.
In addition, Ross writes humorous
pieces for the Flying Aces Club News. One
of his classics is “Midway Motor Lodge
Revisited,” in which he tells of a visit to the
motel that had housed many contestants
during FAC Nats Mk IV.
Ross returned to attend a wedding in
Warren, Michigan, and had elected to stay
at the same motel. He told the clerk at
check-in that he had been a guest with the
FAC.
The clerk got pale and nervous and
called for the manager.
“This gentleman has a reservation, but
68 MODEL AVIATION
Host/Hostess Program
Keeping watch over the 1,100-acre National Flying Site in Muncie, Indiana, is a formidable task. Borrowing a page from the National
Park Service and many successful state-park programs, the Academy is seeking retired volunteers to become flying-site hosts.
Requirements for this position are simple. They are:
• Must possess a love of all aspects of model aviation
• Must own an RV suitable for 30-day stays
• Must have outstanding people skills and a willingness to represent AMA in a positive manner to fellow members and guests
• Must be willing to live on-site for one month during the flying season—April-September
• Must follow all flying-site rules and guidelines
• Must have a familiarity with model-aviation flying sites (norms and customs a plus)
AMA will provide these volunteers with the following:
• A camping site with full hookups
• Transportation for use on-site
• Caps and golf shirts with an “AMA host” designation
Duties will include:
• Helping members and guests who visit the flying site
• Helping ensure that the AMA Safety Code is observed on the flightlines
• Helping check in members and visitors at the camping sites
• Communicating with AMA staff concerning conditions of the flying site
We are seeking couples for each month of the flying season. If you would like to apply to become an AMA host and hostess,
contact Joyce Hager at [email protected] or (765) 287-1256, extension 200.
Come Join Us at the International Aeromodeling Center
www.modelaircraft.org/news/seekinghost.aspx
03sig3.QXD 1/24/08 2:30 PM Page 6870 MODEL AVIATION
It is funny and it is true. I was the one
still working on my Lancaster at the start of
the 1984 FAC Nats, and I had made the
table near the window my temporary
workbench.
Approximately 20 FACers had gathered
around the window to watch me when my
gorgeous new bride, Linda, stepped out of
the shower in full view of the window. To
her amazement she was completely
overlooked! One can be too dedicated to
one’s hobby.
Dave Stott wrote to me and cited several
things that, in his opinion, gave rise to the
FAC’s success, one of which was the close
association of the new FAC with survivors
of the original FAC and magazine. Then
there was club members’ widespread
participation in organizing and running
FAC contests.
Nicknames were given to many FAC
members, which fostered the organization’s
famous informality. A broad sense of
humor characterized FAC meetings.
Another unique feature was the group’s
romantic recognition of individual
successes by awarding “Kanones” to those
who won official FAC events. One Kanone
conferred the rank of Lieutenant, five
Kanone earned one a promotion to Captain,
and so it went, until the flier received the
highest rank of Air Marshal at 50 Kanones.
When a German full-scale pilot reached
16 Kanones, he was awarded the coveted
“Blue Max Medal.” The FAC follows the
same practice.
All Air Marshals are Tigers of the FAC.
Gordon Roberts, with 534 Kanones, is the
organization’s Ace of Aces. He was the
first to reach Air Marshal.
Aero Mail
Continued from page 7
Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen
I enjoyed the article in the November,
2007 issue on Lt. Col. Alexander
Jefferson’s past service with the Tuskegee
Airmen. It was also nice to see both
Manny Martin’s “Aerobatics P-51” in the
Focal Point section and Bryce Watson’s F-
16 in the Kentucky Jets section detailed in
Red Tail tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen.
During an air show in Cleveland, Ohio
a number of years ago I was not only able
to meet and talk with former Tuskegee
Airmen but was also treated to a flying
demonstration of the full-scale P-51C By
Request “flying classroom” piloted by Don
Hinz honoring the Airmen.
During an air show in Wisconsin in
2004 Don was performing a high-speed
pass in the aircraft when the Y-drive failed
and the engine suddenly quit. During the
subsequent forced landing Don was fatally
injured and the aircraft was lost.
Immediately a fund drive began to
rebuild the aircraft to honor Don and the
Airmen. I encouraged the Association, and
every member of it, to visit
www.redtail.org and pledge to help the
Red Tail Project rebuild this aircraft like I
did.
A minimal $30 tax-deductible donation
will get you an embossed “Rivet
Certificate” signed by a Tuskegee Airman.
Your donation will help them complete a
critical point in the rebuilding process: to
get the aircraft’s wing jib built so it can fly
again soon. MA
Rick Rea
Saint Louis, Missouri
Order foam wings from
the AMA Plans Service.
(765)287-1256, extension 507
I was the second to reach Air Marshal
status. When I topped 100 Kanones I decided
to give up serious competition and
concentrate on other, equally important,
aspects of FAC activity, such as newmember
recruitment, teaching, and writing
about FAC activity. Today there are 55 Air
Marshals.
FAC members are famous for their
willingness to help others—especially the
young and inexperienced—learn to build and
fly. It has been said that a true FAC member
will gladly give a needy competitor his or her
last bit of high-quality rubber, even if it
means that the competitor may go on to win
the event. I have seen this type of unselfish
gallantry in the FAC many times.
If you are not a member, please contact
the FAC GHQ. Membership, including
Flying Aces Club News, is $18 per year in the
US, $25 per year in Canada, and $30 per year
overseas, all in US dollars. Flying Aces Club
News is published approximately every other
month. MA
Dennis Norman
[email protected]
he’s one of those FACers,” she said with a
trembling voice.
Then Ross got pale and nervous. Had a
clubster done some dastardly deed? Had the
FAC damaged the motel? The manager
explained reassuringly:
“Please excuse her, sir. Some of our
more experienced employees like to tease
trainees with stories about the wild groups
we’ve had here. Oh sure, after you guys left
we had to replace some carpeting, repaint
some walls, and close the pool down for a
week. [Ross started to get weak in the
knees at that point.] ... but that was all
scheduled maintenance. Here now, let me
lead to your room ... you look a little worn
out.”
Ross started feeling more relaxed as
they walked to the room, especially as they
neared the pool. He began reliving the Nats
in his mind when the manager unexpectedly
stopped in front of room 127. The manager
became sad and serious all at once.
“Well,” he sighed, “there was one
problem after you fliers left ... we had to
close this room to honeymooners.”
He pointed to a small plaque near the
window. The inscription read:
“July 14, 1984
“On this date, twenty adult males stared
through
“this window to watch another grown
man
“finish building a model airplane
“ ... as his lovely new bride stepped out
from the shower,
“dried and dressed for dinner ...
totally unnoticed!!!”
03sig3.QXD 1/25/08 9:35 AM Page 70

March 2008 65
A legacy of aeromodelers who are dedicated to fun thinking and the willingness to help
by Dennis Norman
Above: The cheerful Don Long with his great-flying Martin
MO-1 in 2005. Jack Moses photo.
Right: British FACers Jane and Lindsey Smith wind Jane’s
Mustang for the FAC Powder Puff Scale event at the 1996
FAC Nats, Mk X. Moses photo.
NOVEMBER 2007 was the 40th
anniversary of the Flying Aces Club News.
The year 2008 marks the 30th year of Flying
Aces Club (FAC) national competitions.
The FAC’s continuing growth and success
inspired Michael Ramsey to ask me to write
this article.
In preparation I reviewed all 40 years of
the Flying Aces Club News and concluded
that it would take a hefty book to tell the
full story of the FAC in detail. Because of
this I am giving you, at best, a superficial
overview of the organization, its growth,
and its development.
The title of this piece looks like some
sort of mathematical formula, but it is an
attempt to distill the FAC’s central purpose,
which is to increase fun in the FF segment
of our great hobby/sport.
Today’s FAC traces its origins to the
Flying Aces magazine of the 1930s and
1940s. The publication focused on three
basic things: factual reporting, model
building, and fiction. Although the original
Flying Aces was incorporated into Flying
Models magazine in the mid-1940s, it left a
lasting impression in its readers’ hearts and
minds.
The original FAC was the Flying Aces
magazine’s promotional effort to boost
readership by making a club for aviation
fans—especially kids—who were excited
about flying. Upon joining, members were
encouraged to ask their friends to join and
form local squadrons. Coupons were
offered toward cadet and pilot wings.
Volunteers were sought for “the inner circle
of the FAC...G-2.”
Famous honorary FAC members
included prominent aviators such as Wiley
Post, Roscoe Turner, and Captain Eddie
Rickenbacker. Even President Franklin D.
Roosevelt and his wife, Eleanor, were
named honorary members.
Today’s FAC began in the early 1960s,
when a few modelers from Connecticut and
New York, led by Dave Stott and Bob
Thompson, rekindled the spirit of the old
FAC. Partially out of nostalgia and partially
out of a desire to return to the fun and
excitement of simple FF Scale modeling,
these intrepid few started a story that is still
being written. Membership has
mushroomed from that small group of
dedicated individuals to more than 1,500
and is still growing.
The first meets of today’s FAC were
local contests held in Connecticut. FAC
membership was obtained simply by
entering one of the competitions. By 1967
membership had grown to the point where
the Flying Aces Club News was started in
November of that year. It was sent to those
who participated in FAC contests.
Dave Stott and Bob Thompson were the
publication’s first editors, and they were
helped by volunteers such as Joe
Fitzgibbons (of Golden Age
Reproductions), who provided mailing
labels, and Johnny Kwiatkowski, who did
the publishing for little expense. At first,
FAC membership and Flying Aces Club
News costs were paid for from the
Connecticut FAC contests’ entry fees.
By the late 1970s FAC events were
being flown at local meets across the
country. The first attempt to consolidate the
widely scattered FAC rules was published
in the May 1977 Flying Aces Club News.
The concern was that there be uniformity in
the rules to validate victories fairly in FAC
competition.
Tom Nallen Sr. suggested a big FAC
meet at a more central location. The idea
met with enthusiasm, and the first FAC
national competition was set for July 15-16,
03sig3.QXD 1/25/08 9:29 AM Page 6566 MODEL AVIATION
David Bubolz holds his Miles Magister built
from a RockyTop Models kit. It flew well in
FAC Rubber Scale at a 2007 meet. Fred
Wunsche photo.
The famous FAC Nats Mk II battle flag at
the 1980 contest in Dayton OH. The
youthful FACers include Fred Gregg, Pres
Bruning, and Mark Fineman. Moses photo.
“Museum quality” best describes Scottish
FACer Joe Ferguson’s trophy-winning
Hawker Hart built from a West Wings kit.
Ferguson photo.
FAC enthusiasts (L-R) Paul Boyanowski, Earl Stahl, and Ralph Kuenz. Earl has near-deity
status in the FAC; he drew many great FF Scale plans in the 1930s and 1940s. Moses photo.
FAC greats (L-R) Don Srull, Ralph Kuenz, Dave Stott, and Jack Moses enjoy a good
laugh at one of the SUNY Geneseo University dorms in 1995. Moses photo.
Photos as noted
Jack McGillivray shows his scratch-built
S.E.5a. “Wizardry” is perhaps the best term
for his building and flying techniques. Steve
Kanyusik photo.
Jack Moses, Chris Starleaf, and David Franks pause with their Guillow’s Fairchild 24s
just before a mass-launch event in 2007. Wunsche photo.
03sig3.QXD 1/24/08 2:27 PM Page 66March 2008 67
A 1977 mass launch of the WWI Peanut Dogfight. Dave Stott is in the white cap and shirt
with dark slacks. Such events are still among those that FACers most enjoy. Stott photo.
Dave Stott, co-founder of
today’s FAC, launches his B-25
Mitchell during a 1975 trimming
session at Pinkham Field near
Durham CT. Rubber-powered
twins were rare 33 years ago!
Bob Clemens photo.
Ed “Rare Birds” Heyn’s
Zalewskiego, a 1916 Polish
quadriplane, takes to the air.
Dave Stott photo.
Local television coverage was given to the
1986 FAC Nats Mk V. Rebecca Johnson of
Rochester NY station WHEC holds Gordon
Roberts’ Spitfire Mk XIV. Moses photo.
FAC Hall of Famer Russ Brown (Cleveland
OH) enlivened early FAC meets by making
delightful trophies to inspire long after the
contests. Russ Brown photo.
As do all of
Mike Midkiff’s
models, this 40.25-inchspan
Mosquito Mk IV flies
wonderfully. Midkiff photo.
Left: Bob McLellon with
his 85-gram Wyvern at
the 2007 Non-Nats. He
flew the contrarotatingpropeller
model with
r u b b e r u s i n g a
Regalbuto prop unit.
Wunsche photo.
Right: The dynamic
Juanita Reichel takes a
break from her many
duties with the FAC
GHQ to enjoy a
moment with her
Piper J-3 Cub. Irma
Wenlock photo.
03sig3.QXD 1/25/08 9:33 AM Page 671978, at the Johnsville Naval Air Station in
Pennsylvania. Lin Reichel volunteered to be
CD.
A total of 10 events were scheduled, and
81 contestants made 743 official flights.
The soon-to-be-legendary Don Srull was
declared the first Grand Champion—a title
he has won many times since.
The 1978 contest’s great success made it
clear that similar events would follow, but
there were storm clouds on the horizon. By
1980 the growing FAC’s demands caused
co-founders Dave Stott and Bob Thompson
to announce that they were giving up
running the organization and publishing the
Flying Aces Club News.
As the news was made public, FAC
mania had begun to sweep Cleveland, Ohio;
Detroit, Michigan; and several other areas.
When Lin Reichel of the Erie Model
Aircraft Association in Pennsylvania heard
the news, he was in disbelief. He asked
Dave and Bob if he might take over the
organization in an effort to keep it alive.
They readily consented.
Lin was perfect for the job. He was a
gentleman, low-keyed and soft-spoken, but
he also had impressive credentials. For
years Lin and his dynamic wife, Juanita,
had successfully run the Erie-area Little
League. They were no strangers to the
rigors and demands of a large and complex
organization.
The Reichels also had capable friends
who were FAC members. People such as
Vic Didelot, who had started the Erie Model
Aircraft Association in 1963, and Ross
Mayo, a brilliant medical professional,
brought much energy to the organization.
Under Lin’s leadership the FAC Nats
was scheduled at two-year intervals at
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio
(1980); Johnsville Naval Air Station (1982);
Utica, Michigan (1984); and Geneseo, New
York (1986). Geneseo’s central location,
huge flying site at the National Warplane
Museum, State University of New York
Geneseo facilities, and welcoming
community spirit led the FAC to make it the
Nats’ permanent home on May 16, 1987.
The FAC Nats has continued to grow. In
2006 there were 150 contestants, 1,007
official flights, 190 “maxes” (maximum
flight times reached), and 335 mass-launch
flights. In addition to the individual event
winners, 12 awards were given for special
achievements and a distinguished group of
modelers was inducted in the FAC Hall of
Fame.
There are currently two national FAC
contests held each year. The biennial FAC
Nats is held in mid-July, and a somewhat
smaller FAC Non-Nats is held in the off
years at Geneseo. In early September each
year the FAC Championships is held at the
AMA flying site in Muncie, Indiana. In
addition, FAC Squadrons, of which there
are more than 70, hold numerous local
meets.
The reborn FAC’s newsletter mimics the
Flying Aces magazine’s style, but coverage
has been expanded to include member
correspondence, contest information,
advertisements, reports of members’
achievements, technical articles, editorials,
FAC rule updates, and even poetry, prayers,
and songs as expressions of the FACers’ joy
and creativity.
People such as Vance Gilbert (a
professional folk singer) and Bill Warner
have regaled FAC gatherings with their
substantial musical talent. The unforgettable
Richard Miller has joyfully danced jigs
while playing a small harmonica in the
closing minutes of FAC competitions.
Ross Mayo emcees the FAC Nats
banquets and keeps them light despite
endless award presentations. He also helps
direct much of the FAC Nats activities,
including hilarious model inspections for
mass-launch events.
In addition, Ross writes humorous
pieces for the Flying Aces Club News. One
of his classics is “Midway Motor Lodge
Revisited,” in which he tells of a visit to the
motel that had housed many contestants
during FAC Nats Mk IV.
Ross returned to attend a wedding in
Warren, Michigan, and had elected to stay
at the same motel. He told the clerk at
check-in that he had been a guest with the
FAC.
The clerk got pale and nervous and
called for the manager.
“This gentleman has a reservation, but
68 MODEL AVIATION
Host/Hostess Program
Keeping watch over the 1,100-acre National Flying Site in Muncie, Indiana, is a formidable task. Borrowing a page from the National
Park Service and many successful state-park programs, the Academy is seeking retired volunteers to become flying-site hosts.
Requirements for this position are simple. They are:
• Must possess a love of all aspects of model aviation
• Must own an RV suitable for 30-day stays
• Must have outstanding people skills and a willingness to represent AMA in a positive manner to fellow members and guests
• Must be willing to live on-site for one month during the flying season—April-September
• Must follow all flying-site rules and guidelines
• Must have a familiarity with model-aviation flying sites (norms and customs a plus)
AMA will provide these volunteers with the following:
• A camping site with full hookups
• Transportation for use on-site
• Caps and golf shirts with an “AMA host” designation
Duties will include:
• Helping members and guests who visit the flying site
• Helping ensure that the AMA Safety Code is observed on the flightlines
• Helping check in members and visitors at the camping sites
• Communicating with AMA staff concerning conditions of the flying site
We are seeking couples for each month of the flying season. If you would like to apply to become an AMA host and hostess,
contact Joyce Hager at [email protected] or (765) 287-1256, extension 200.
Come Join Us at the International Aeromodeling Center
www.modelaircraft.org/news/seekinghost.aspx
03sig3.QXD 1/24/08 2:30 PM Page 6870 MODEL AVIATION
It is funny and it is true. I was the one
still working on my Lancaster at the start of
the 1984 FAC Nats, and I had made the
table near the window my temporary
workbench.
Approximately 20 FACers had gathered
around the window to watch me when my
gorgeous new bride, Linda, stepped out of
the shower in full view of the window. To
her amazement she was completely
overlooked! One can be too dedicated to
one’s hobby.
Dave Stott wrote to me and cited several
things that, in his opinion, gave rise to the
FAC’s success, one of which was the close
association of the new FAC with survivors
of the original FAC and magazine. Then
there was club members’ widespread
participation in organizing and running
FAC contests.
Nicknames were given to many FAC
members, which fostered the organization’s
famous informality. A broad sense of
humor characterized FAC meetings.
Another unique feature was the group’s
romantic recognition of individual
successes by awarding “Kanones” to those
who won official FAC events. One Kanone
conferred the rank of Lieutenant, five
Kanone earned one a promotion to Captain,
and so it went, until the flier received the
highest rank of Air Marshal at 50 Kanones.
When a German full-scale pilot reached
16 Kanones, he was awarded the coveted
“Blue Max Medal.” The FAC follows the
same practice.
All Air Marshals are Tigers of the FAC.
Gordon Roberts, with 534 Kanones, is the
organization’s Ace of Aces. He was the
first to reach Air Marshal.
Aero Mail
Continued from page 7
Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen
I enjoyed the article in the November,
2007 issue on Lt. Col. Alexander
Jefferson’s past service with the Tuskegee
Airmen. It was also nice to see both
Manny Martin’s “Aerobatics P-51” in the
Focal Point section and Bryce Watson’s F-
16 in the Kentucky Jets section detailed in
Red Tail tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen.
During an air show in Cleveland, Ohio
a number of years ago I was not only able
to meet and talk with former Tuskegee
Airmen but was also treated to a flying
demonstration of the full-scale P-51C By
Request “flying classroom” piloted by Don
Hinz honoring the Airmen.
During an air show in Wisconsin in
2004 Don was performing a high-speed
pass in the aircraft when the Y-drive failed
and the engine suddenly quit. During the
subsequent forced landing Don was fatally
injured and the aircraft was lost.
Immediately a fund drive began to
rebuild the aircraft to honor Don and the
Airmen. I encouraged the Association, and
every member of it, to visit
www.redtail.org and pledge to help the
Red Tail Project rebuild this aircraft like I
did.
A minimal $30 tax-deductible donation
will get you an embossed “Rivet
Certificate” signed by a Tuskegee Airman.
Your donation will help them complete a
critical point in the rebuilding process: to
get the aircraft’s wing jib built so it can fly
again soon. MA
Rick Rea
Saint Louis, Missouri
Order foam wings from
the AMA Plans Service.
(765)287-1256, extension 507
I was the second to reach Air Marshal
status. When I topped 100 Kanones I decided
to give up serious competition and
concentrate on other, equally important,
aspects of FAC activity, such as newmember
recruitment, teaching, and writing
about FAC activity. Today there are 55 Air
Marshals.
FAC members are famous for their
willingness to help others—especially the
young and inexperienced—learn to build and
fly. It has been said that a true FAC member
will gladly give a needy competitor his or her
last bit of high-quality rubber, even if it
means that the competitor may go on to win
the event. I have seen this type of unselfish
gallantry in the FAC many times.
If you are not a member, please contact
the FAC GHQ. Membership, including
Flying Aces Club News, is $18 per year in the
US, $25 per year in Canada, and $30 per year
overseas, all in US dollars. Flying Aces Club
News is published approximately every other
month. MA
Dennis Norman
[email protected]
he’s one of those FACers,” she said with a
trembling voice.
Then Ross got pale and nervous. Had a
clubster done some dastardly deed? Had the
FAC damaged the motel? The manager
explained reassuringly:
“Please excuse her, sir. Some of our
more experienced employees like to tease
trainees with stories about the wild groups
we’ve had here. Oh sure, after you guys left
we had to replace some carpeting, repaint
some walls, and close the pool down for a
week. [Ross started to get weak in the
knees at that point.] ... but that was all
scheduled maintenance. Here now, let me
lead to your room ... you look a little worn
out.”
Ross started feeling more relaxed as
they walked to the room, especially as they
neared the pool. He began reliving the Nats
in his mind when the manager unexpectedly
stopped in front of room 127. The manager
became sad and serious all at once.
“Well,” he sighed, “there was one
problem after you fliers left ... we had to
close this room to honeymooners.”
He pointed to a small plaque near the
window. The inscription read:
“July 14, 1984
“On this date, twenty adult males stared
through
“this window to watch another grown
man
“finish building a model airplane
“ ... as his lovely new bride stepped out
from the shower,
“dried and dressed for dinner ...
totally unnoticed!!!”
03sig3.QXD 1/25/08 9:35 AM Page 70