OLD-TIMERS
Mike Keville 31 Franklin Pkwy., Brunswick ME 04011 E-mail: [email protected]
I’ll start by thanking several contributors who sent photos and material for use in this column, a couple of which were exceedingly generous. There is a great deal of interest out there in “gluing Part A to Part B” despite the current popularity of “buy-and-fly” items. Stick-and-tissue, rubber-powered airplanes remain a favorite of many modelers, including replicas of the 1930s Jimmie Allen designs.
Jimmie Allen Postal Contest (results and announcement)
An annual postal contest is held for Jimmie Allen models. Thanks to Hal Schwan of the St. Louis Thermaleers, I received complete results from last year’s affair. The top team was the FAC (Flying Aces Club) Cactus Squadron of Gilbert, Arizona: Neal Hudson, Joe McGuire, and Jim Kutkuhn. Their club name is now engraved on the perpetual championship trophy originally donated by Larry Oliver of the San Diego Orbiteers.
The Arizona group will host this year’s Jimmie Allen Postal Contest, running from June through September. It is open to clubs of any persuasion—FF, CL, RC, or SAM—as long as they can enter at least three members with Jimmie Allen designs. Two excellent sources for plans are Bob Holman and Easy Built Models.
- For rules and an entry form, contact:
- Jim Kutkuhn, 1420 Wildflower Dr., Casa Grande AZ 85222
Plans source: Charles F. Schultz (List No. 16)
Charles Schultz’s latest list, No. 16, contains more than 475 plans from the 1930s, 1940s, and early 1950s. Types include Gas, Rubber and Glider, FF, and CL, with an emphasis on rubber-powered Scale. Wingspans range from 10 to 54 inches (most are 16–30 inches). Many designs are adaptable to electric power and miniature RC equipment.
Charles sent several samples: the plans are high quality (black line on white). Of note is a large number of Earl Stahl plans. In his cover letter he wrote: “I find it particularly satisfying to receive orders from model builders in their 70s and 80s, expressing their thanks for having the plans available for models they would like to have built back in the 1930s but were then too expensive—like $1.00 or $1.50.”
- To receive List No. 16: send $1 and a business-size SASE to Charles F. Schultz, 910 Broadfields Dr., Louisville KY 40207.
SAM 40 — “Pass the Transmitter”
Among the newsletters I receive is SAM 40’s (Michigan), edited by Joseph Roose. In late 2004 he ran an item titled “Pass the Transmitter” addressing members whose eyesight or skills have declined with age. Excerpt:
“Some of the members of SAM 40 are old! Hard to believe, but we are all getting older, and therefore less capable of doing all the things we want to do. That should not stop any SAM 40 member from flying in our local contests and enjoying these Old-Time airplanes and engines.
“At most contests, if the airplane you are flying gets away from you, or you lose sight of it, once you give up the transmitter to a helper, that flight is over and a zero recorded. Not this year at SAM 40.
“Realizing that fun is the important issue here [rather than] winning, our kind and gentle president, Chuck Hutton, brought up this issue at our winter meeting. It was decided that if any flier needs help flying an airplane, we will offer help with no penalty to the flier or his score. If you are flying high and lose sight of your airplane, your timer or capable member can help you get back on track.
“We have some great people in SAM 40, and this is one way to show that our members’ enjoyment is more important than winning.”
On competition
Let’s not forget that many enjoy competition. I agree with Aeromodeling Editor Bob Hunt’s remark in the 2004 MA Special Issue (the Nats report): “What wins on Sunday sells on Monday.” This is evident in events such as RC Aerobatics and CL Precision Aerobatics (Stunt). Competition is inevitable in modeling—two fliers with ARF park flyers will soon try to outfly each other in duration, acrobatics, or whatever. I support competition 100%; without goals I would quickly get bored.
Competition often involves a great deal of fun. For example, there’s an annual contest in northern Virginia for the old “hollow log” Scientific CL Scale and sport models popular in the 1950s and 1960s. Kits went out of production long ago (found on eBay at high prices), but plans are available from designer Walt Musciano. The meet, normally in September, features Beauty, Speed, and Stunt events.
- Contact for details and photos: Hal Howard — [email protected] (he has email photos from last year, including the Beauty-class winner: a Curtiss P-6E Hawk).
Vintage Stunt Championships (Tucson)
Dates: March 9–12 — the 17th annual Vintage Stunt Championships in Tucson, Arizona. This is the world’s largest all-Stunt contest, founded in 1989. For the past three years it has been hosted by the Cholla Choppers of Tucson (an AMA Gold Leader Club).
There are three (unofficial) events:
- CL Old-Time Stunt (OTS) — designs prior to 1953
- Spark-ignition OT event
- CL Classic Stunt — designs prior to 1970
Schedule:
- Wednesday–Saturday events (Sunday travel day)
- OT (including Ignition): Wednesday and Thursday
- Classic: Friday and Saturday
- Gala banquet and awards: Saturday night, March 12
You’ll see pioneering CL Stunt designs flown by pilots such as World Champion Bill Werwage, PAMPA Vice President Ted Fancher, and Bob Hunt, though most entrants are regular folks who enjoy the sound and sight of early CL Stunt.
- CD: Lou Wolgast, assisted by Robin Sizemore.
- For entry form and full details contact:
- Jim Hoffman, 2658 W. Montgomery Dr., Chandler AZ 85224
- Tel: (480) 897-0630
- E-mail: [email protected]
- Entry deadline: all entries must be received by midnight on March 2.
Materials tip — music wire
A contributor reported trouble finding suitably spring-temper music wire at local hobby shops (their varieties seemed too soft). They contacted McMaster-Carr online and found the wire listed under “wire, spring-temper carbon steel,” part number 8907K85.
- Purchased: 24-inch lengths, 100 pieces for $28.97 plus shipping.
- The supplier carries a wide assortment of diameters (up to 1/16"); check McMaster-Carr for available lengths and coil options.
The contributor bought a lifetime supply and shared some with Bob Hanford the Elder.
SCAMPS and Perris flying
Thanks to Kevin Sherman, editor of Gas Lines (Southern California Antique Model Plane Society, SCAMPS), for photos and back issues; he added me to his mailing list. This group flies Wednesdays at Perris, California (Taibi Field). Several members specialize in twin-pusher Rubber FF with the oft-stated goal of “beat[ing] Mikkelson.”
I remember Mik from 1979–1980 when I flew FF Rubber Scale—a first-class gentleman and outstanding craftsman. Apparently he’s now a force in the Twin Pusher event. I plan to draw material from the SCIF and SCAMPS newsletters for future columns. Thanks to Mike and Kevin for adding me to their lists.
Submissions and photos
If you’d like your items and photos included here, feel free to send them, but note a three-month lead time. Contest announcements should be made well in advance; results will be somewhat dated by the time they’re printed.
- Preferred photo format: clear, sharp 4 x 6-inch original color prints.
- I’m experimenting with disk submissions, but prints are best.
Meanwhile, for those of you in warmer climes, go fly. Way up here we’re still building. MA
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
