History Preserved: The Collection of the National Model Aviation Museum
Membership communication has been essential to model aviation clubs for more than a century. From large to small, these organizations need ways to reach their members, disseminate pertinent information, distribute rules, report meeting minutes, and even pass on a joke or two. Newsletters eventually made this happen.
In the early days of aeromodeling, clubs used full-scale aviation magazines to promote their activities and make announcements. The Horace Mann Aero Club (established in 1909) had its contest rules published in the August 1910 Aircraft magazine. In a late-1911 issue, the New York Model Aero Club presented results of the “first endurance contest for medals held in America.” Aeronautics magazine provided a regular “Club News” section.
In its “Elementary Aeronautics and Model Notes” section (1910s–1920s), Aerial Age Weekly gave local branches of the Aero Club of America a brief space to relay details about contests and meetings. Those branches spanned the coasts, from the Pacific Northwest Model Aero Club of Seattle, Washington, to the Buffalo Aero Science Club of Buffalo, New York.
As national model aviation magazines such as Model Airplane News became popular, clubs used their pages to relate information to members, including coverage of meetings, advertisements for upcoming events, and pieces celebrating members’ achievements. However, clubs were at the mercy of publishers and editors, who determined what, if, and how much of the groups’ news to print. Therefore, clubs began producing their own publications.
The earliest club newsletters in the Archives and Library collections are from the 1930s and comprise a mix of handwritten and typed articles and hand-drawn mastheads. They have clever names such as the Junior Aviation League’s Wing Overs (also at times called Left Overs or Hang Overs), the Boston Gas Model Society’s Gaskets, and the Metropolitan Model League’s Fly Paper.
As technology advanced and became more affordable, clubs published more sophisticated newsletters. Formats varied from folded booklets to legal-size stapled documents. Mastheads became more stylized, and computer graphics replaced cut-and-paste typewritten text. Photographs started to replace drawings, sometimes appearing in color as color-copying prices went down. However, the playfulness and creativity remained.
Although this is the age of e-mail, blogs, and digital forums, where you can obtain information in an instant, club newsletters still exist and are important. Whether mimeographs or Photostats, Xerox copies or digital downloads, club publications broadcast the past, present, and future of model clubs.
Reading these newsletters elicits a degree of nostalgia—a yearning for the days when you had to wait by the mailbox for the next issue, and “forwarding” to a buddy meant handing it over when you were finished reading it.
Within the Museum Archives and the Lee Renaud Memorial Library reside many club newsletters, ranging from the early days of aeromodeling through current issues. Please feel free to stop in and view our collection; the library is open to the public. Check the museum web site for hours at www.modelaircraft.org/museum.
The library is always looking to expand its assortment of club newsletters. For a list of those it has, go to www.modelaircraft.org/museum/whatshere/newslist.aspx. If you would like to donate to the collection, please contact the archivist with a list of items you are offering at [email protected].
Jackie Shalberg, Museum Archivist
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Wings Across America Update
The Wings Across America 2008 (WAA-08) adventure had a great 2010, and I'm looking forward to an even better 2011.
We made excellent progress throughout last year and provided great opportunities to promote model aviation in various communities as the SQuiRT made its way through New Mexico, into Utah, down through Arizona, into California, up the Pacific Coast into Washington, and to the U.S./Canada border.
The airplane traveled through seven states, visited 47 AMA-chartered clubs, was flown by 153 pilots, and traversed more than 5,000 miles during 2010. To see more about its journey, visit the WAA-08 web site at www.waa-08.org.
Our pilot order has been mixed up because of the holiday season, but we are moving along — even though the Pacific Northwest weather would prefer to keep the SQuiRT inside. We have two more pilots to go in the Seattle area, and then the model will finally start heading back east toward its home field.
There are 110 more registered pilots to fly and 13 more states to visit before the adventure comes to an end in Eastern Virginia. With the current schedule, I am hoping for a summer 2012 arrival date.
That would put WAA-08 on a four-year tour of the U.S., with more than 400 pilots flying the SQuiRT. It's a huge accomplishment, and I appreciate everyone's help and enthusiasm for making this happen.
We had our share of equipment failures in 2010. It started with all of the Li-Poly batteries puffing. We think that was because we left them fully charged and they swelled in the hot Arizona temperatures. The decision was made to replace the batteries even though they showed as if they were working okay. I contacted Jason at MaxAmps, and he sent us four new batteries for free. Now we leave only two charged, and the remaining batteries are at a storage charge until needed.
Then we had several receiver failures with the Spektrum AR6200 we were using. We hoped that we could fix the problem by replacing the pin connections in the satellite transmitter, but it quit wanting to bind when the SQuiRT made it into Oregon. Matt Stagg of Al's Bicycles and Hobbies in Medford donated an AR6100e for the project.
Our last equipment issue was with the Castle Creations (CC) Pixie ESC that was installed in the model. Pilot 253, Bernard C., tried swapping it with the Pixie we had in the spare-parts box and learned that it was unserviceable—odd since it was new. Bernard checked with CC and learned that it no longer makes brushed ESCs.
The last ESC in the spare-parts box was installed and checked out okay, so the SQuiRT is now flying with a Medusa Research brushed unit (which is also the last of its kind). Then Bill Stevens came to our rescue (again) and sent two new GWS ESCs to Bernard, for free. Now we have two backup ESCs, in case the Medusa stops working.
We certainly appreciate the generosity of Jason, Matt, and Bill, who unselfishly donated these needed items to keep the adventure alive.
WAA-08 had some good press coverage this year, with a number of pilots getting articles about it into their local newspapers (I think only two have been turned down). It's great to see fliers taking the time to contact their local media and helping spread the word about this wonderful sport.
I hope we can get many more newspapers to cover this feat and get the word out about how fun and exciting this hobby can be, especially to the younger generation. Many kids nowadays seem to be interested only in TV and video games. I think that making a spark with this adventure might lead to a lifelong interest and activity in model aviation. Wouldn't that be a fantastic gift to pass along to any child?
WAA-08 statistics (as of December 29, 2010)
- The SQuiRT has traveled 15,772 miles.
- 381 pilots have flown the WAA-08 model.
- The airplane has visited 152 AMA-chartered clubs.
- The SQuiRT has visited 35 states.
- 363 pilots have registered for WAA-08.
- 248 AMA-chartered clubs have been represented.
- The state with the most registered pilots—29—was California, followed by New York with 22.
- There was one registered pilot in Delaware and one in Vermont.
- 17°F was the coldest temperature at which the WAA-08 airplane was flown, by Chuck W. (pilot 84) of Gandyville, West Virginia.
- 107°F was the hottest temperature at which the WAA-08 model was flown, by Mike H. (pilot 127) of Valley Mills, Texas.
- 8,500 feet was the highest altitude at which the SQuiRT was flown, by Rod B. (pilot 180) and John C. (pilot 180a) of Dillon, Colorado.
- More than 9,000 e-mail messages have been sent in support of the WAA-08 adventure.
- More than 3,700 thread posts have been made on online RC forums in support of the WAA-08 adventure.
- There have been 87,867 hits on the WAA-08 Google Maps page.
- There have been 12,794 hits on the WAA-08 web site.
- 118 pages of notes have been taken recording my experience and important events during WAA-08.
Thank you all for participating and helping to make this adventure a reality. Your time and effort keep the dream alive, and I deeply appreciate all that you have done or will do. If you have any questions, please call me or send an e-mail.
Frank Geisler
[email protected] (804) 296-5686 District IV
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High School Students Promote Aeromodeling
West Potomac High School Technology Education offers students nine courses, covering everything from basic technical drawing to research and development engineering and aerospace science. The students also meet twice a week after school for various engineering-club events.
Two years ago the Engineering Club and aerospace science class began hosting model aircraft fun-flys in the gym. The first was a huge success, and these gatherings have continued with support from many local clubs including the Prince William County R/C Flyers, Northern Virginia Radio Control, DC Maxecuters, Fauquier Aero Recreation Modelers, District of Columbia Radio Control; numerous local fliers; and West Potomac High School Principal Cliff Hardison.
This endeavor has also been supported by the West Potomac Parent/Teacher/Student Association (PTSA) and has received donations from the Hobby Hangar in Chantilly, Virginia. Even some individual attendees have made generous donations including models, kits, and parts. People coming together to support the aerospace class and the Engineering Club is fantastic.
Participants are charged $5 for six hours of open flying in the gym and/or an outdoor lot. Spectators are admitted for free. The Fun Fly is open to the community to expose the public to aeromodeling. In addition, students have the opportunity to meet experienced fliers and get help with their models.
The students run most of the event, which includes a kids' table for making foam-plate gliders. There is also a concession stand led by volunteer and PTSA President Jane Quirk. It sells drinks, doughnuts, hot dogs, pizza, and other food items, along with custom-made mugs and T-shirts that have the West Potomac Fun Fly logo on them.
We encourage fliers to bring airplanes to display in the lobby so that people can see the full scope of aircraft sizes and power plants and enjoy other people's models. The gathering is open to RC as well as FF. It is nice to have this mix so that both types of hobbyists get to see each other's aircraft.
The school is continually looking to improve and add to the Fun Fly. Possible additions to future events include indoor pylon racing and an "Introduction to RC Models" seminar for spectators.
West Potomac High School students are also the proud new owners of a laser cutter, which will give them the ability to make kits!
The Fun Flys have been so successful that they are now held twice a year, and we are looking at hosting a spring fly-in using the school's outdoor facilities. The next Fun Fly will be held February 19. Come join us!
MA
Joseph Franco, District IV
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The AMAA's Educational Event
On October 3, 2010, our club, the American Model Airport Association (AMAA) in Chino, California, welcomed a troop of Girl Scouts from the Yucaipa and Calimesa area of Southern California for a day of flight instruction and lunch. Our flying site is located in a canyon that provides a spectacular backdrop for RC flying.
The kids arrived excited and ready for fun on that bright and sunny day. Once everyone had her name tag and received a welcome from AMAA President Harry Hill, club members put on a first-class air show.
Club Vice President Terry Talkington flew his huge Piper Cub to wow the spectators, and Treasurer Rick Ogden performed jaw-dropping stunts with his Wylie Coyote–piloted model. Karn Krainarong, one of the AMAA helicopter pros, put on a show that left the kids and their parents gasping for breath. All of our club's air-show pilots did a splendid job of getting the crowd's attention.
The show was followed by a class in basic aerodynamics to give the Scouts a sense of how an airplane works. Terry used his big Cub to show how each flight-control surface works, what it does in flight, and what the model's reaction is to its movement.
Tom Bright, the AMAA's chief flight instructor, told me that he loves to do flight training. That was evident in the hours he spent with the students that day while they took to the buddy box and got their first taste of our sport. Terry Talkington, Ralph Buscemi, Jim Wilson, and Rick Ogden were on the flightline helping Tom. At the end of the Scouts' flight training, their parents got the opportunity to take a turn, to see what all the fun was about.
The students moved on to the construction tables and the famous FPG-9. At the 2009 AMA Expo we learned about this great little glider that costs next to nothing, is rugged, and is simple to put together. Best of all, the kids love it! The girls got to construct, decorate, and fly the heck out of their FPG-9s. The air was thick with them, as most of us ran for cover.
That was followed by a great barbecue hot-dog lunch for all who participated. Thanks to our cook, John Ferranti, who did an excellent job of keeping up with a bunch of hungry junior pilots and instructors. There is nothing like the sight of a mustard-encrusted FPG-9 sailing past your head, being chased by a munchkin pilot.
At the end of the day there were smiles all around and a pledge to conduct another learning and communication experience with young pilots. The future of our sport depends on this concept.
Thanks to all member instructors—led by George Read—who gave their time to make this such a special event.
MA
Steve McGill, Education Director
[email protected] District X
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
