Modeling Spoken Here
Bob Hunt Aeromodeling Editor
It's a rare gift to be able to convey highly sophisticated information in everyday terms.
FEATURED IN THIS issue is the second of the "State of the Sport" (SOS) articles that we have commissioned. The first of these SOS articles was on Free Flight Scale modeling, prepared by Dave Rees and presented in the July 2001 issue.
Dave set the bar high with that first piece and gave us a great outline for future articles in the series. For those of you who are not aware of the SOS idea, some explanation may be in order.
It is a common opinion in the publishing industry that all of the information about any given subject area needs to be represented at least every four to five years. This is especially true in the modeling world; changes in equipment and technique happen fast and often.
It is difficult enough for the experienced modeler to keep abreast of all the changes in his or her chosen discipline, but for the new modeler just coming into the sport, it can seem overwhelming. The SOS concept is designed to not only be, in essence, a push of the "cosmic re-set button" to make longtime enthusiasts aware of new developments, techniques, suppliers, etc., but also to be a way of getting newcomers quickly up to speed in a field in which they have an interest.
Imagine trying to get started in a new hobby or sport without having any idea of its history, where it is today, where it seems to be heading, the technical aspects of equipment, or where to quickly find information on any aspect of it. Scary, eh?
The SOS series is aimed at answering all of those concerns. Naturally, each modeling discipline will have, for the most part, totally different sets of informational needs, so the selection of the author for each of these articles is critical. He or she must not only be an expert in that particular field, but must also be someone who can anticipate any questions that might be asked by an experienced modeler or newcomer to the field and be able to arrange his or her thoughts into logical segments so that the information is readable and understandable.
Tough assignment! And, like I said before, Dave set the bar high.
One of the very neat things about being a modeling-magazine editor is that fact that you get to work with a wide variety of talented people who end up making you look good! That has certainly been true in my case. I've been extremely fortunate throughout my 18-plus years in this industry to have worked with many outstanding modelers who were also gifted writers.
The author chosen to write this month's SOS article on "Electric-Powered Flight" is Bob Abele. Certainly Bob needs no introduction to those of you who have been in this sport for even a moderately short time. Bob's scope of knowledge and expertise extends to many modeling disciplines.
For those of you who are new and haven't been introduced to Bob through his writing, please allow me to have the distinct pleasure of introducing him to you.
I worked with Bob for the 17 years I was with Flying Models magazine. He was the technical editor at that publication, and he preceded my tenure as editor by several years! I really felt as though he was my boss rather than the other way around! He taught me plenty about the inside workings of the hobby/sport, and for that I would like to publicly thank him here.
Primarily, Bob was assigned the technical product reviews at Flying Models. His understanding of complex electronic devices was impressive, but more impressive was his ability to break down the technical information into easily understandable language and concepts for us "average" modelers. It's a rare gift to be able to convey highly sophisticated information in everyday terms.
Bob's reviews were appreciated by the manufacturers of the items as well, because he gave them valuable, real-world feedback about the products being tested.
In fact, Bob is still performing those tasks in product reviews for Model Airplane News, and hopefully he will be doing the same for us in the near future!
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In light of the above, it would be easy to overlook the fact that Bob is also a lifetime model builder and flier. He has had many original designs of incredibly varied types published through the years. He is truly a modeling renaissance man!
In recent years the electric modeling movement has captivated Bob, and he has spent a great deal of his time and energy in breaking down the technical for us who are not so technical. In true Abele fashion, he has immersed himself in it and has become one of the masters of the sport. And that is why I am so happy to have him as the author of this very important piece.
No introduction to Bob Abele would be complete without listing just a few of this multifaceted man's credentials. Bob started modeling and became an AMA member in 1951, so he has just achieved the 50 year mark as a modeler!
I mentioned his work at Snappy Aircraft, which spanned 25 years — from 1974 to 1999. During that time he published more than 30 original designs as well as averaging nearly eight plans per issue of review and technical writing.
Bob has been a member of the AMA RC Frequency Committee since 1976 and was chairman of that committee from 1980 to 1983, which was the period in which we obtained our 50 new Radio Control channels from the Federal Communications Commission.
All of this service has not gone unrecognized by the modeling world; Bob has received many significant awards. In 1982 he was presented the prestigious and coveted Howard McEntee Memorial Award. Also in 1982 he was appointed an AMA Fellow, received the Distinguished Service Award, and was inducted into the Vintage R/C Society Hall of Fame. (Not too bad a year, Bob!) The crowning touch to his impressive list of awards came in 1998 with his induction to the AMA Model Aviation Hall of Fame.
All that is pretty impressive, but to Bob his "best moment in modeling" was, after 45 years of trying, finally winning a First Place trophy at an AMA National Championship. I'd say he has his priorities straight!
Bob's SOS piece is really several articles in one. It begins with a review of the history of electric flight and pays homage to the great pioneers who showed the way, and it reveals what technical achievements occurred decade by decade. Included here is my "Radio Control Electrics" columnist Bob Koprek, whose landmark Electrics article series in the 1960s is still one of the most definitive works on the subject.
Other items covered in Bob's SOS piece include how to get started in the sport of Electric modeling, what
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
