Riddell Field
by Tom Ryan
Field of dreams
When you drive to Riddell Field, it's almost like something you'd see in the movie Field of Dreams. As you drive in and down the road leading to the site, you are surrounded by 6-foot cornstalks. Then the field appears and you can't help but be impressed by the beautiful 450 x 850-foot airfield, its smooth grass runways, and the rustic, parklike setting.
Riddell Field was the brainchild of longtime Alban resident Larry Riddell, who had dreamed of having an RC flying site in Alban, Wisconsin. On March 21, 2005, Larry, Dan Danczyk, and Jerry Seehafer decided it was time to make that dream come true.
With property Larry owned and seed money of only $300, the three started what some would consider a huge task. After all, they were in Alban: a farming community of only 912. Most modelers outside that area knew little of the club and its new field. Larry knew that Alban wasn't a highly traveled area and that many would say that it was out of the way, but that didn't stop those guys; they went ahead with their plan.
On July 9, 2005, Riddell Field was officially open and the Alban R/C Flyers had its own RC flying site. As word got out that there was a new RC field in the town, the club started to grow and currently has a membership of 21. The Alban area does support a host of recreational activities. According to Larry, a new RC flying field "...will complement the community even more, and hopefully by having the new field here in Alban, it'll attract not only area youth into model aviation, but youth from surrounding cities and towns."
As the club members prepared for their annual picnic, which was to be September 6, 2008, they wanted to get the word out early in hopes of attracting other pilots from across the state. They knew that theirs wasn't a big community event, but the more fliers who knew about their event and site, the more people would come to fly at the field and meet the club members. That would help promote the club and, it was hoped, spark the interest of area youth and the community as a whole. After all, model aviation is a family-oriented activity that is open to everyone.
Larry contacted Tom Ryan, the area District VII AMA associate vice president, in June and asked for his assistance in promoting the picnic. Tom drove up from Milwaukee, toured the area, and met with local Rosholt officials. "Let me see if I can help your event and get the word out," said Tom after his visit. He did, and news of the event spread.
Pilots attended from across the state; it was a full house. More than 80 models filled the flightline that Saturday, and food and refreshments were shuttled in for a noon feast. Aircraft poised on the flightline and ready to fly included 40-size ships, Giant Scale, helicopters, gliders, and turbine-powered jets. There was even a Quadrocopter, a four-motor aerial-photo platform made in Germany. Marty Gischeldmeier of New Berlin, Wisconsin, piloted the craft and obtained several great photos from ground level up to 200 feet.
Other guests included AMA District VII Vice President Bill Oberdieck, who flew in from Southgate, Michigan; Tom Ryan; and city officials from nearby Rosholt. The Rosholt newspaper even had a reporter, Kate Zdroik, there to cover the event. Fliers showed up from Franklin, Wisconsin, which is home of the RAMS RC club. Larry Sperberg and Jim Vanderwalker of the Shawano RC Club, in Shawano, Wisconsin, also traveled to attend.
Mike Lutzenberger of Milwaukee was at the gathering, flying his aerobatic Ugly Stick powered by an O.S. .55 engine and showing Mike Hodge of Alban how well it performed. That's normal at an RC event, but those guys were special. Both are quadriplegics who sustained spinal cord injuries in accidents early in their lives. Mike Lutzenberger had always wanted to fly RC but didn't know if he could, considering his injury. So he joined the RAMS RC club, hooked up with an instructor, and worked at flying. Now he's an outstanding pilot and proves it every time he flies. After seeing Mike Lutzenberger fly, Mike Hodge hopes that he can do the same and has been working on a flight simulator to learn the basics. We hope that he will be ready to fly a trainer this summer.
Larry Riddell looked up when the jets flew by and remarked, "If the local kids could only see and hear this. Man, that’s impressive."
The Alban club hopes that the local high school and other area youth groups will take an interest in model aviation. Larry views flying model airplanes as an alternative to sitting in front of computers, playing computer games all day. He hopes to get other community leaders involved and to assist him in bringing area young people out to the field to see for themselves the excitement and fun that model aviation has to offer.
As the picnic came to an end and the fliers headed home, many remarked that they had a good time and would be back. Bill Oberdieck stayed awhile longer and chatted with Larry and some of the Alban membership. He complimented them on a job well done and shared ideas for the club’s continued growth.
Then it was time for Bill to head off to Rhinelander, Wisconsin, to visit with yet another club. There are more than 255 in this district; it’s impossible for Bill to get to them all, but he visits as many as time allows.
After all was said and done, Larry and his wife, Marilyn, remarked that the club picnic turned out to be a great day of flying, food, and fellowship.
"We never thought so many fliers would show up and enjoy the day with us, but we’re glad they did," they said.
The little club from Alban, Wisconsin, had proven the saying from Field of Dreams: "If you build it, they will come." They did, and we hope they continue to do so as our hobby grows and promotes camaraderie and fun.
Location and directions
Riddell Field is located at 10343 White Pine Road, just east of Rosholt, Wisconsin.
- From Highway 66: take Highway 66 east to County Road A.
- Head south on County Road A to White Pine Road.
- Turn left onto White Pine Road and head east roughly a half mile.
- Look for the "Riddell Field" sign on the right. Turn right at the sign and follow that road back to the flying site.
Camping, lodging, and nearby amenities
- You can camp overnight at the flying site; however, there are no electric or water hookups.
- There is no charge for AMA members to stay overnight at the field.
- If you require hookups, there is a beautiful RV park just minutes away.
- There are several motels within minutes of the field.
The location is a perfect setting for those who would like to arrive on a Friday night and make a weekend of flying and enjoying all the area has to offer. The vicinity of Rosholt has a wide range of recreational events, restaurants, and businesses close and convenient to Riddell Field.
You can fish, hunt, hike, or simply enjoy the local historic values. This rustic community is also home to many businesses you might not expect to find in a small community, making it unique for its size and location.
For a bit faster pace, Riddell Field is close to Stevens Point (or "the Point," as locals call it). It has everything from fast-food restaurants to fine dining, a variety of shopping centers, and motels with evening entertainment at modest prices.
Larry’s dream is shared by all of us who enjoy RC aviation. It creates new friends and promotes companionship. It’s one of the last activities families can enjoy in which age or gender isn’t a factor. The excitement and pride of owning a model airplane is surpassed only by flying it.
The thrill of flight is alive and well in this community. And with people such as Larry Riddell, it will be for years to come.
Tom Ryan [email protected]
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
