View from HQ
Joyce Hager, Executive Director
This is a great harbinger of the future.
Second Annual Static Model Aircraft Show
The Evergreen Aviation Museum hosted the Second Annual Static Model Aircraft Show February 15–16, 2003. Coordinators Roger Weeks and Cecil Mead spearheaded the event, which they hope will become the premier flying-model show in the Northwest—and possibly on the entire West Coast. Roger and Cecil are part of a volunteer force of more than 200, many of whom share this increasingly popular avocation.
The organizers plan to expand the scope of the event to include anyone who buys, builds, or flies model aircraft. The model display also has significant appeal to regular museum guests.
Evergreen Aviation Museum
The Evergreen Aviation Museum, located in McMinnville, Oregon, has hosted roughly 400,000 guests since its opening nearly two years ago. The museum is home to Howard Hughes' Spruce Goose and more than 40 vintage and modern aircraft, and it offers many aviation and educational exhibits.
A new RC flying field is being developed to the north of the building. Del Smith, founder and chair of the museum's board of directors, has provided the land. The opening of the field is planned for this spring and will be a wonderful addition to the Northwest modeling world.
Exhibits and Categories
Eight categories of airplanes presented visitors and exhibitors with models from the past and present. Models included vintage Control Line (CL) aircraft, Radio Control (RC) craft, gliders, electric-powered models, and Free Flight planes.
- Eight categories included:
- Control Line (CL) — including restored originals
- Radio Control (RC) sport and scale models
- RC helicopters
- Free Flight (rubber-powered)
- Gliders
- Modern CL stunt aircraft
- Electric-powered models
- Scale models of various sizes
According to Roger, more than 60 models were exhibited at this year’s show—“about double from the first year’s offerings.” Cecil noted, “No doubt the numbers will increase as the word gets out about this opportunity to display prized model aircraft of all kinds. It is an opportunity that is available to all flying-model builders and owners.”
Notable Models and Winners
Unique craft were displayed, including an Italian Caproni built just before World War II, a Nieuport 28 from World War I, and several J-3 Cubs built in the late 1930s. Cecil showed a kit-bashed Cloud Dancer called the Dancer 52, a modern RC aircraft. Gliders ranged from an old standby Cirrus from the 1970s and 1980s to a small Styrofoam sloper.
- Best of Show: Ted Atmore for his unique YP-39E (a version of the P-39/P-36).
- Best of Scale: Vern Ahlberg for his prize-winning WACO featuring a gas engine, a three-battery backup system, an exceptional paint job, and immaculate detailing.
Vern flew the WACO at a local club field two days before the event “just for the fun of it.” Roger noted that “it looked so much like the original, one had to blink several times to tell the difference when it was in the air.”
Education and Community Outreach
The museum staff has asked members of the modeling community to provide educational model-aircraft opportunities in the museum. Cecil has committed to teaching beginners how to build models on Saturdays in the museum facilities. Educational programs will be developed to support this plan along with current hands-on exhibits and simulators.
A close relationship between the Evergreen Aviation Museum and community aeromodelers has quickly taken shape, and it is anticipated that it will continue to grow. This is a great harbinger of the future.
Contact
- For more information: Roger Weeks — (503) 554-8187
- Joyce Hager, Executive Director — [email protected]
Happy flying,
Joyce Hager Executive Director
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
