The SAM Championships is coming to Muncie in 2006!
Mike Keville | [email protected]
Also included in this column:
- Thoughts about VSC XVIII
- SCIF/SCAMPS annual Old-Timer contest
- Dirk Woestenburg recalls the Scientific Flea
- Bob Govro tells of his meeting Joe Bridi and Irwin Ohlsson
Welcome back
WELCOME BACK to the column for those who still build their own models. Let's get the serious stuff out of the way first.
I've noticed that old-time modelers—the "stick-and-tissue builders"—seem to be passing away with increasing frequency. This really isn't surprising, given the human lifespan and the fact that many have been at this hobby since Wiley Post flew around the world in his Vega.
I'm a relative "newbie"; I didn't start until 1947. And although the prospect of leaving this world is inevitable, there are certain things we can do to help reduce the chance of a premature departure. Proper diet, frequent exercise, and a positive outlook on life are essential. A good sense of humor doesn't hurt either.
This past year I've been more careful to avoid artery-clogging foods. I also began pumping a bit of iron—nothing serious, just little 15-pounders—just to get the blood flowing.
SAM Championships — Muncie, IN (Sept. 11–15, 2006)
As you may have noted by now, this year's SAM (Society of Antique Modelers) Championships, to be held at the National Flying Site in Muncie, Indiana, will include CL events for Old Time Stunt (Precision Aerobatics) and Classic Stunt.
Based on the success of these two events that were added last year in Henderson, Nevada, CD Randy Ryan and Event Director Allen Goff are expecting increased participation. Although the majority of Old Timer (OT) activity centers on FF and RC‑Assist events, an increasing number of modelers are discovering (or in some cases rediscovering) the joy of "direct connection."
Those whose modeling nostalgia focuses on CL may want to visit the SAM Champs to relive the days when Barnstormers, Zilches, Noblers, and Thunderbirds ruled the circle. Dates are September 11–15. You can obtain more information on the SAM Web site at www.antiquemodeler.org or by contacting:
- Randy Ryan, CD, 6985 Edwards Rd., Belleville, MI 48111; Tel.: (734) 697-8982.
If you'd like to really plan ahead, the 2007 SAM Champs will return to the (we hope) lakebed near Las Vegas. Hal Wightman has agreed to CD that contest. Spectators are welcome.
Vintage Stunt Championships (VSC XVIII) — Tucson, AZ
The largest and most successful meet for vintage CL events—actually the largest all‑Stunt contest in the world—is the annual Vintage Stunt Championships (VSC) held each March in Tucson, Arizona. This year more than 200 participants preregistered: 97 in Classic (pre‑1970 designs), more than 80 in Old Time (pre‑1953 designs), and a new high of 17 in Old Time Spark Ignition.
Hosted by the famed AMA Gold Leader Club, the Cholla Choppers, with outstanding assistance from members of the Central Arizona Control Line Club, VSC XVIII featured four days of competition and another three days of precontest practice and tuning for the 2,300‑foot elevation.
The VSC is an AMA‑sanctioned Class C contest, but it is more of an annual reunion and fun‑fly. Some have described it as a "Love‑In."
Memories of those balky spark‑ignition engines are quickly erased when you watch them perform as a result of transistorized ignition components and generally improved skills. If you're among that group, do yourself a favor and go watch. The RC‑Assist events will amaze you.
There's nothing quite like the sight of a Lanzo Bomber hauling nearly straight up behind a howling McCoy .60 or a gaggle of Gollywocks, strands of rubber unwinding madly, clawing their way upward.
Perhaps your taste runs toward tethered flying. When was the last time you saw a Super Duper Zilch perform precision Overhead Eights? Did you think those days were gone forever? Not so! Attend any of the gala events I have mentioned above and relive the memories.
SCIF/SCAMPS annual Old-Timer contest — Lost Hills, CA (Nov. 4–5)
For those on the left coast who can't make the long haul to Muncie, the SCIF/SCAMPS annual OT contest will be held at California's Lost Hills flying site November 4–5. The Southern California Ignition Flyers (SCIF) and the Southern California Antique Model Plane Society (SCAMPS) join forces each fall to host one of the longest‑running OT meets in existence. The weather that time of year should be ideal.
You can obtain more information from:
- Kevin Sherman, 1521 S. Normandy Terr., Corona, CA 92882.
- Mike Myers, 911 Kilmary Ln., Glendale, CA 91207. (Mike is also the current SAM president and the SCIF newsletter editor.)
Each club produces an outstanding newsletter, edited and mailed by the men I mentioned. There exists something of a friendly rivalry between the two groups, often noted in print with playful jabs, yet both newsletters are loaded with helpful hints, tips, and "who‑flew‑what?" information. They are well worth the price.
Subscriptions:
- The Flightplug (SCIF) — $20 per year. Mail to M.H. "Bud" Matthews, 20006 Delight St., Canyon Country, CA 91351.
- Gas Lines (SCAMPS) — $25 per year; membership in the club is included. Contact George Walter at [email protected] for the mailing address.
Heck, get both. They're worth every penny.
Dirk Woestenburg recalls the Scientific Flea
Dirk Woestenburg (Morro Bay, CA) recalled my earlier mention of the old rubber‑power kits that included dummy spark‑ignition engines complete with sound effects. He sent a couple of photos of himself with a Scientific Flea. One picture shows him at age 13 in Detroit, Michigan, and the other shows him with the Flea he built sometime around 2002.
Regarding the 1937 version, he wrote: "If you built it according to the instructions, there was even a gas tank, inlet tube with needle valve, and a spark plug (all simulated). There was a ratchet that flipped a piece of flat brass spring stock to simulate the engine sound as the prop spun. That was a model of the Brown Junior, which was the first real engine I bought several years later for $12.50, including coil and condenser."
Bob Govro — meeting Joe Bridi and Irwin Ohlsson
Sometime ago I received a nice letter from Bob Govro (Albany, OR) in which he described an RC hydro session he once attended and his meeting with Joe Bridi and the late Irwin Ohlsson. Bob included some E‑mail photocopies that can't be used here since we need actual prints and not copies.
Nonetheless, following is what he wrote:
"In June 1978 I flew in an RC floatplane contest (NW Seaplane Championships) with Irwin Ohlsson and Joe Bridi. This was at Haystack Reservoir in central Oregon. They arrived at nearby Redmond, OR in a private airplane, and someone drove them out to the lake.
"I introduced myself and asked Mr. Ohlsson how he got AMA number 4, which was barely visible on the top of his model's wing. He replied that he was the fourth president of the AMA. Later that day Mr. Bridi flew his twin .60‑powered model inverted in a long, low pass in front of the crowd."
First exposure to Old-Timer modeling
My first exposure to OT modeling was at the 1966 Nats, held aboard Naval Air Station Glenview in Illinois. The movement had been in existence for a few years, thanks to such people as John Pond, Bud McNorgan, Tim Dannels, et al., but I'd been out of the country, thanks to a government‑sponsored tour of beautiful, exotic Vietnam, and hadn't seen any of this yet.
I walked into the workshop hangar at that Nats, and there was a silked Comet Sailplane, a blue‑and‑white KG‑1, and several other blasts from the past on display. Later that day, out on the flightline, I managed to snap several color photos—including one I am including in this issue—of Tim Dannels and his Goldberg Valkyrie.
I also took pictures of Louis Levine with his Sailplane and Bob Larsh (I think) with a beautiful red Brooklyn Dodger. Somehow a few of those photos managed to survive the ensuing 40 years and several long‑distance moves, and I hope to include some in future issues.
Photos and submissions
On the topic of photos, I remind everyone that the MA staff can use only high‑quality prints; that is, actual photographs—not E‑mailed pictures or printer copies. (Having mentioned that, I'll admit that some of my own aren't exactly "high‑quality.") When submitting photos, try for uncluttered backgrounds and good contrast. Include all pertinent information about the model and the builder.
Most who submit photos say they are ours to keep. If you send one you'd like returned, we will make every effort to ensure its safety. Given our lead time, you may not see it again for several months, but we will do our best to return it to you in good condition.
Closing
Based on letters and E‑mail I have received, it appears that many of this column's readers are not currently active fliers, yet they would delight in seeing Zippers, Bombshells, etc., roar their way upward once again.
Thanks for reading my stuff. Let me know what you'd like to see here.
MA
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
