Modeling Spoken Here
Axioms and Truisms
I have certain axioms and truisms I try to adhere to. A few simple, popular examples:
- "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again."
- "A winner never quits and a quitter never wins."
- "Luck is where preparation and opportunity meet."
I collect these sayings and try to put them into daily use. I’ve also modified some and come up with original ones that are modeling-specific. For instance:
- "An ounce of inspiration is usually followed by at least a pound of perspiration." (a modified truism)
- "It is possible to build a Stunt model too light, but no one has ever done it."
- "There is only one correct amount of horsepower—way too much!" (this fits both my hobbies: model airplanes and motorcycling)
- "If a little bit is good, a whole lot more is better, and too much is perfect!"
My favorite is one my good friend and modeling mentor Bill Simons used to quote whenever I complained about low contest scores when I was starting out in competition aerobatics: "Fly good enough, long enough, and they can't keep it away from you." It’s not exactly grammatically correct, but it got the point across, and I thought so much of it that I used it as the title for a new book I’m currently writing. Bill could always "...see the forest in spite of the trees."
All of these axioms are geared to motivate us and help us succeed, proceed, and achieve a goal. They are helpful keys—if we use them and really listen to their message.
What Set Me Off
What set me off on this tangent this month? There is an article in this issue by my very close friend Bill Werwage about his 2004 F2B (CL Aerobatics, or Stunt) World Championships–winning P-47 Thunderbolt.
Bill Werwage — "The Man"
Bill Werwage is a competition Stunt flier who started at age 12. He’s 64 now. When I say he’s been at this game for all that time, I don’t mean only that it’s his hobby; I mean he’s been on a quest 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Sure, he’s had to make a living like the rest of us, but the foremost thought in his mind has been winning the World Championships in the Stunt event. Those who know him well refer to him as "The Man." No one I’ve met has put so much of his life into just one goal as Bill has.
He won the World Championships on his first try in 1970 and successfully defended his title in 1972. Since then his life has been dedicated to capturing the title again. It took him 32 years to accomplish the task. During that time he has been on 14 FAI teams, captured several medals besides Gold, and has consistently been at the forefront of Stunt model and engine development. The point is that he never stopped giving 100% day in and day out for those 32 years to achieve his goal.
Lessons
Think you really want something out of life? Have you really put out the effort required to achieve it? Are you devoting every waking hour to do whatever is necessary to get to your goal? If not, don’t be too hard on yourself; not everyone can do that. But the message is clear: if you really want something, you must be prepared to go far beyond the norm in dedication, innovation, perspiration, sacrifice, and desire.
In my experience, those who put out the most effort get the most in return. The harsh reality is that sometimes a goal is unreachable no matter how much time and effort you invest. But while trying, you will achieve things that would not have been possible without striving for that unattainable goal.
The catch-22 is that you won’t know if your particular goal is achievable until you make the total commitment to try. In other words, there are no guarantees. It’s worth trying anyway.
Is Bill ready to retire now that he’s reached his goal? Not on your life. He celebrated for about 12 hours and then got right back to work trying to put himself in position to win it all again. Winning is more than a goal with him; it is life itself.
Contact
When I’m not trying to figure out ways to beat Bill in competition I can be reached at (610) 614-1747. Or, if the computer is your thing, try [email protected]. My address is Box 68, Stockertown PA 18083.
MA
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
