Vintage Radio Control Society Fly-In

October 2003 19
VESTAL, New York—Monday, June 2,
2003: It’s time to leave home for one of the
Vintage Radio Control Society’s (VR/CS’s)
annual reunions, to be held June 4-5. The
models are loaded in my van and my travel
trailer is hooked up, so it’s off to meet old
friends, make new ones, and see what vintage
Radio Control (RC) airplanes and control
systems they brought to AMA’s International
Aeromodeling Center in Muncie, Indiana.
Upon arriving at the site Tuesday, June 3,
I parked the trailer and headed for a local
restaurant where an informal gathering had
been planned for those who arrived a day
early. I was pleasantly surprised to see so
many members there, and equally pleased
with the number of spouses that were
attending the event.
The weather immediately became a prime
topic of discussion since rain was predicted
for Wednesday—the first day of the event—
but clear skies were forecast for Thursday.
This was my first Muncie reunion, hosted by
VR/CS Chapter I, but I quickly learned that
the weatherman had not been friendly to this
group in the past. Each previous Muncie
reunion had experienced at least one day of
almost unflyable weather, and it looked like
2003 was not going to be any better.
Fortunately neither drizzling rain on
Wednesday morning nor high winds on
Thursday dampened the event’s social
element. There is so much to discuss with
Tom Thiele brought this nicely built 1958 Hal deBolt Custom Bipe. Power was provided
by a Saito 72 engine, and the top wing has a span of 60 inches.
The legendary Art Schroeder holds his
1953 Jack Port Hi-Q for rudder and
throttle control only.
Most of the 25 VR/CS pilots and 75 vintage aircraft that were in attendance at the Muncie fly-in.
■ Bob Noll
20 MODEL AVIATION
Bob Gardner’s 1965 Schoolboy with Tom
Sander’s “toothpick” rudder pushrod and
pull/pull rudder of the 1960s.
Bob Gardner’s colorful Jerry Nelsondesigned
Pegasus, circa 1960, looks great in
this checkerboard trim.
Frank Adams’ mechanical decoder on the
action end of a Q-Tee by Bob Gardner.
Concours judges (L-R) Ed Welsh, Art Schroeder, and Ron Ogren study one of the
beautiful models. Delmar Johnson is on the far right. It’s a tough job!
Don Patterson’s working TTPW (Twin Tone Pulse Width) early proportional system.
each other about the history of RC in those
years before 1970 and early airplane designs
and control systems to examine that were
abundant all over the site.
The purpose of the VR/CS is to preserve
our RC history and the achievements of those
electronic- and airframe-design pioneers who
made RC the hobby/sport that it is today. As
such, the VR/CS has established the end of
1969 as its cutoff for airplane designs.
Therefore, all models must be original or
replicas of airplanes designed for RC or those
that incorporated RC prior to 1970.
So much about the society; it’s time to
discuss who attended the Muncie fly-in and
what airplanes they flew. There were 25 pilots
from 10 states and Canada who flew more
than 50 models in spite of the less-thandesirable
weather conditions.
Following is a rundown of the pilots and
their models. Many of the participants
selected vintage designs based on their past
experience in RC.
Tom Ailes of Valparaiso, Indiana, had one
of the largest fleets of airplanes. His included
four various-sized Don Hardy-designed
Esquires, a Doug Mauer Super Esquire, a Phil
Kraft-designed Bi-Fli, a Frank Zaic Aero 7, a
Shu Box by Bill McDermott, and a Hal
deBolt Live Wire trainer. Tom likes Esquires
because that was the first RC airplane he
owned and flew for more than one year, in the
late 1950s.
Charlie Bauer of Norridge, Illinois,
brought his Leon Shulman-designed Zomby,
a Joe Elgin Playboy Senior, and a Walt Good
Rudderbug. Charlie is fond of the Zomby and
the Playboy Senior because he won several
Free Flight contests many years ago with
those designs.
Ken Carter represented Speedway,
Indiana, and campaigned with a Chet Lanzo
Bomber and a Playboy Senior. Those were a
October 2003 21
Tom Ailes built this 1961 Phil Kraft-designed Bi-Fli (in the foreground) and Doug Mauer-designed Super Esquire.
Ron Morgan displays his (L-R) Jerry Nelson-designed Sultan, 1961 Doug
Spreng-designed Flat Top Stormer, and Cliff Weirick-designed Candy.
Left: Author Bob Noll with his ultraclean Jim Kirkland-designed
Beachcomber. The model spans 64 inches and uses a SuperTigre .51 engine.
Photos courtesy the author Graphic Design by Carla Kunz
22 MODEL AVIATION
A pulse actuator system from the 1960s is shown on Bob
Gardner’s 1966 Shoestring.
Colin McKinley shows off his small Hal deBolt Champion,
which spans 24 inches and uses an Astro 010 motor for
power.
The VK Cherokee is a vintage favorite. Bob Gardner built this Saito 56-
powered, 65-inch-wingspan version.
It looks as though the modelers’ wives had some fun too. They seem
to love Dan Thompson’s Tri-Squire.
Repackaged reed transmitter by Don
Patterson simulates reed-type operation
with today’s standard airborne systems.
couple of many designs that Ken flew in 1938
and 1939.
Dan Cooper, who hails from Indianapolis,
Indiana, brought a VK Cherokee Babe
designed by Vern Krieble and a Goldberg
Junior Falcon. The Falcon design was Dan’s
first RC model.
Ricardo Cruz came from Abington
Heights, Illinois, with his Astro Hog and a
Buzzard Bombshell. Dave Edin of Des
Plaines, Illinois, had a Lou Andrews
Aeromaster because he likes aerobatic
biplanes. Bob Garbarini traveled from
Buffalo Grove, Illinois, with his Vern
Krieble Cherokee and a Plowboy, whose
designer is unknown.
Bob Gardner represented Canada.
Traveling from Peterborough, Ontario, he
brought eight models of various designs: a
Hal deBolt Live Wire Kitten, a Jerry Nelson
Pegasus, a Brad Sheppard Doubler, a Howard
McEntee Mac’s Mini, a Ken Willard
Schoolboy, a Lee Renaud Q-Tee, a Dan
Parsons Esquire, and a Walt Musciano
Shoestring. Bob’s airplanes were unique
because he controlled them with a variety of
vintage actuators and radios that he restored.
Dan Grotzinger of Indianapolis, Indiana,
flew a Vern Krieble VK Navajo, and I mean
he flew it. I lost count of the number of
times he flew that aircraft, but he easily
won the award for most flights.
24 MODEL AVIATION
Delmar Johnson of Barrington, Illinois,
who was the event’s contest director (CD),
had a Playboy and a Walt Good WAG. The
WAG is significant to Delmar because it
was his third RC model, and he powered it
with an ignition Forster .29. Delmar’s WAG
is 50 years old! Also from Barrington, L.A.
Johnson brought a Sal Taibi Powerhouse
and a Model 70 Monocoupe Scale design.
Colin McKinley came from Winston-
Salem, North Carolina, with two Hal deBolt
Champions; one was an original 56-inchwingspan
design, and the other one had a
37-inch wingspan.
Ron Morgan represented Scotland,
Pennsylvania, with his fleet of RC
Aerobatics models. The Flat Top Stormer by
Doug Spreng, the Candy by Cliff Weirick,
and the Jerry Nelson Sultan were successful
Pattern designs of the mid-1960s. Ron flew a
Flat Top Stormer in Pattern in 1964. He built
the Candy in memory of Cliff Weirick, who
was a good friend of his and won the 1964
Nationals in “Multi” with the Candy.
Ron Ogren of Orchard Park, New York,
arrived with a Hal deBolt-designed Custom
Live Wire biplane and a Joe Konefes
Buzzard Bombshell. Ron built the Custom
Live Wire because he cut his teeth on deBolt
designs when he started in Control Line and
Free Flight competition in 1945.
Don Patterson of Troy, Michigan, sported
a Carl Goldberg Falcon 56, a Ken Willard
Breezy, a Rascal R/C, a 7 Cents, and a
Howard Bonner Smog Hog. His Rascal R/C
was built in 1971 and still uses the original
ACE pulse radio and Adams actuator. The
Falcon 56 is controlled by a modern Futaba
radio with the transmitter modified and
repackaged into a Citizenship 10-channel
reed case to simulate reed flight
characteristics of the 1960s. The 1957
Breezy is controlled by a Futaba/Kopski
Galloping Ghost conversion.
Art Schroeder, who is one of the VR/CS
founders, arrived from Spring Hill, Florida,
with his Hal deBolt Chief and a Jack Port Hi-
Q. Art chose the Hi-Q since it won the
Nationals in rudder-only competition against
more complicated designs. Spring Hill,
Florida, is the site of a VR/CS reunion held
every February.
Weldon Smith of Cary, Illinois, had a J-3
Cub. He was the CD for the first Muncie
reunion and several others. Tom Thiele
represented Lake Zurich, Illinois, with his
Hal deBolt Custom Bipe.
Dan Thompson of Paris, Kentucky, had a
Midwest Tri-Squire. He selected that model
because it was designed at roughly the time
he started participating in RC in the early
1960s.
Ed Welsh of Manchester, New Jersey,
had a Henchman Pattern model designed by
Maurice Franklin of the United Kingdom and
a Lou Andrews Explorer. Ed chose the
Henchman because he heard that it was a
great Pattern aircraft of the 1960s. He picked
the Explorer because he never saw one fly
well in the early 1960s and figured that it
needed today’s equipment. He was right!
I brought four airplanes. The first was a
Lou Andrews Aeromaster. I love aerobatic
biplanes! The second was a Walt Good
Royal Rudderbug—a replica of my first RC
model.
The third was a Beachcomber designed
by the great Jim Kirkland, who won the 1963
Nationals in Multi with it. I had to have a
Pattern aircraft in my vintage-airplane
hangar, and since I flew against Jim and his
Beachcomber at that Nationals, it was a
natural choice for me. The fourth model was
a Hal deBolt Live Wire Champion. I
originally built it for one of my daughters,
who is 37 now. I resurrected it last year with
new covering and a modern radio.
Bob Hoover came from Indianapolis,
Indiana, but he did not supply information
about his airplanes.
The traditional Wednesday-evening
banquet featured some special awards, as
follows:
• Ed Welsh won the Best Vintage Plane
award for his Explorer.
• Bob Gardner won the plaque for the Best
Vintage Control System for the Min-X
Galloping Ghost radio in his Esquire.
• Ron Ogren won the award for the Best RC
Controlled Free Flight with his Buzzard
Bombshell.
• I received the Concours plaque for my
Royal Rudderbug. This award is presented
for the best representation of a vintage model
in authenticity and craftsmanship.
Another VR/CS fly-in at Muncie
concluded with sincere thanks to VR/CS
Chapter I for providing the opportunity to
gather at the beautiful AMA site, share the
past with great friends, and exchange many
stories and memories of the early days of
RC.
The next VR/CS gathering is the Spirit of
Selinsgrove reunion, which is held annually
during Labor Day weekend. This is the
longest-running VR/CS reunion, and the 14th
edition will be held at the Zaverton Airport in
Montrose, Pennsylvania. Come and join us!
You can obtain more information about
the Vintage Radio Control Society on its
Web site: www.vintagercsociety.org. MA
Bob Noll
2317 Acorn Dr.
Vestal NY 13850

October 2003 19
VESTAL, New York—Monday, June 2,
2003: It’s time to leave home for one of the
Vintage Radio Control Society’s (VR/CS’s)
annual reunions, to be held June 4-5. The
models are loaded in my van and my travel
trailer is hooked up, so it’s off to meet old
friends, make new ones, and see what vintage
Radio Control (RC) airplanes and control
systems they brought to AMA’s International
Aeromodeling Center in Muncie, Indiana.
Upon arriving at the site Tuesday, June 3,
I parked the trailer and headed for a local
restaurant where an informal gathering had
been planned for those who arrived a day
early. I was pleasantly surprised to see so
many members there, and equally pleased
with the number of spouses that were
attending the event.
The weather immediately became a prime
topic of discussion since rain was predicted
for Wednesday—the first day of the event—
but clear skies were forecast for Thursday.
This was my first Muncie reunion, hosted by
VR/CS Chapter I, but I quickly learned that
the weatherman had not been friendly to this
group in the past. Each previous Muncie
reunion had experienced at least one day of
almost unflyable weather, and it looked like
2003 was not going to be any better.
Fortunately neither drizzling rain on
Wednesday morning nor high winds on
Thursday dampened the event’s social
element. There is so much to discuss with
Tom Thiele brought this nicely built 1958 Hal deBolt Custom Bipe. Power was provided
by a Saito 72 engine, and the top wing has a span of 60 inches.
The legendary Art Schroeder holds his
1953 Jack Port Hi-Q for rudder and
throttle control only.
Most of the 25 VR/CS pilots and 75 vintage aircraft that were in attendance at the Muncie fly-in.
■ Bob Noll
20 MODEL AVIATION
Bob Gardner’s 1965 Schoolboy with Tom
Sander’s “toothpick” rudder pushrod and
pull/pull rudder of the 1960s.
Bob Gardner’s colorful Jerry Nelsondesigned
Pegasus, circa 1960, looks great in
this checkerboard trim.
Frank Adams’ mechanical decoder on the
action end of a Q-Tee by Bob Gardner.
Concours judges (L-R) Ed Welsh, Art Schroeder, and Ron Ogren study one of the
beautiful models. Delmar Johnson is on the far right. It’s a tough job!
Don Patterson’s working TTPW (Twin Tone Pulse Width) early proportional system.
each other about the history of RC in those
years before 1970 and early airplane designs
and control systems to examine that were
abundant all over the site.
The purpose of the VR/CS is to preserve
our RC history and the achievements of those
electronic- and airframe-design pioneers who
made RC the hobby/sport that it is today. As
such, the VR/CS has established the end of
1969 as its cutoff for airplane designs.
Therefore, all models must be original or
replicas of airplanes designed for RC or those
that incorporated RC prior to 1970.
So much about the society; it’s time to
discuss who attended the Muncie fly-in and
what airplanes they flew. There were 25 pilots
from 10 states and Canada who flew more
than 50 models in spite of the less-thandesirable
weather conditions.
Following is a rundown of the pilots and
their models. Many of the participants
selected vintage designs based on their past
experience in RC.
Tom Ailes of Valparaiso, Indiana, had one
of the largest fleets of airplanes. His included
four various-sized Don Hardy-designed
Esquires, a Doug Mauer Super Esquire, a Phil
Kraft-designed Bi-Fli, a Frank Zaic Aero 7, a
Shu Box by Bill McDermott, and a Hal
deBolt Live Wire trainer. Tom likes Esquires
because that was the first RC airplane he
owned and flew for more than one year, in the
late 1950s.
Charlie Bauer of Norridge, Illinois,
brought his Leon Shulman-designed Zomby,
a Joe Elgin Playboy Senior, and a Walt Good
Rudderbug. Charlie is fond of the Zomby and
the Playboy Senior because he won several
Free Flight contests many years ago with
those designs.
Ken Carter represented Speedway,
Indiana, and campaigned with a Chet Lanzo
Bomber and a Playboy Senior. Those were a
October 2003 21
Tom Ailes built this 1961 Phil Kraft-designed Bi-Fli (in the foreground) and Doug Mauer-designed Super Esquire.
Ron Morgan displays his (L-R) Jerry Nelson-designed Sultan, 1961 Doug
Spreng-designed Flat Top Stormer, and Cliff Weirick-designed Candy.
Left: Author Bob Noll with his ultraclean Jim Kirkland-designed
Beachcomber. The model spans 64 inches and uses a SuperTigre .51 engine.
Photos courtesy the author Graphic Design by Carla Kunz
22 MODEL AVIATION
A pulse actuator system from the 1960s is shown on Bob
Gardner’s 1966 Shoestring.
Colin McKinley shows off his small Hal deBolt Champion,
which spans 24 inches and uses an Astro 010 motor for
power.
The VK Cherokee is a vintage favorite. Bob Gardner built this Saito 56-
powered, 65-inch-wingspan version.
It looks as though the modelers’ wives had some fun too. They seem
to love Dan Thompson’s Tri-Squire.
Repackaged reed transmitter by Don
Patterson simulates reed-type operation
with today’s standard airborne systems.
couple of many designs that Ken flew in 1938
and 1939.
Dan Cooper, who hails from Indianapolis,
Indiana, brought a VK Cherokee Babe
designed by Vern Krieble and a Goldberg
Junior Falcon. The Falcon design was Dan’s
first RC model.
Ricardo Cruz came from Abington
Heights, Illinois, with his Astro Hog and a
Buzzard Bombshell. Dave Edin of Des
Plaines, Illinois, had a Lou Andrews
Aeromaster because he likes aerobatic
biplanes. Bob Garbarini traveled from
Buffalo Grove, Illinois, with his Vern
Krieble Cherokee and a Plowboy, whose
designer is unknown.
Bob Gardner represented Canada.
Traveling from Peterborough, Ontario, he
brought eight models of various designs: a
Hal deBolt Live Wire Kitten, a Jerry Nelson
Pegasus, a Brad Sheppard Doubler, a Howard
McEntee Mac’s Mini, a Ken Willard
Schoolboy, a Lee Renaud Q-Tee, a Dan
Parsons Esquire, and a Walt Musciano
Shoestring. Bob’s airplanes were unique
because he controlled them with a variety of
vintage actuators and radios that he restored.
Dan Grotzinger of Indianapolis, Indiana,
flew a Vern Krieble VK Navajo, and I mean
he flew it. I lost count of the number of
times he flew that aircraft, but he easily
won the award for most flights.
24 MODEL AVIATION
Delmar Johnson of Barrington, Illinois,
who was the event’s contest director (CD),
had a Playboy and a Walt Good WAG. The
WAG is significant to Delmar because it
was his third RC model, and he powered it
with an ignition Forster .29. Delmar’s WAG
is 50 years old! Also from Barrington, L.A.
Johnson brought a Sal Taibi Powerhouse
and a Model 70 Monocoupe Scale design.
Colin McKinley came from Winston-
Salem, North Carolina, with two Hal deBolt
Champions; one was an original 56-inchwingspan
design, and the other one had a
37-inch wingspan.
Ron Morgan represented Scotland,
Pennsylvania, with his fleet of RC
Aerobatics models. The Flat Top Stormer by
Doug Spreng, the Candy by Cliff Weirick,
and the Jerry Nelson Sultan were successful
Pattern designs of the mid-1960s. Ron flew a
Flat Top Stormer in Pattern in 1964. He built
the Candy in memory of Cliff Weirick, who
was a good friend of his and won the 1964
Nationals in “Multi” with the Candy.
Ron Ogren of Orchard Park, New York,
arrived with a Hal deBolt-designed Custom
Live Wire biplane and a Joe Konefes
Buzzard Bombshell. Ron built the Custom
Live Wire because he cut his teeth on deBolt
designs when he started in Control Line and
Free Flight competition in 1945.
Don Patterson of Troy, Michigan, sported
a Carl Goldberg Falcon 56, a Ken Willard
Breezy, a Rascal R/C, a 7 Cents, and a
Howard Bonner Smog Hog. His Rascal R/C
was built in 1971 and still uses the original
ACE pulse radio and Adams actuator. The
Falcon 56 is controlled by a modern Futaba
radio with the transmitter modified and
repackaged into a Citizenship 10-channel
reed case to simulate reed flight
characteristics of the 1960s. The 1957
Breezy is controlled by a Futaba/Kopski
Galloping Ghost conversion.
Art Schroeder, who is one of the VR/CS
founders, arrived from Spring Hill, Florida,
with his Hal deBolt Chief and a Jack Port Hi-
Q. Art chose the Hi-Q since it won the
Nationals in rudder-only competition against
more complicated designs. Spring Hill,
Florida, is the site of a VR/CS reunion held
every February.
Weldon Smith of Cary, Illinois, had a J-3
Cub. He was the CD for the first Muncie
reunion and several others. Tom Thiele
represented Lake Zurich, Illinois, with his
Hal deBolt Custom Bipe.
Dan Thompson of Paris, Kentucky, had a
Midwest Tri-Squire. He selected that model
because it was designed at roughly the time
he started participating in RC in the early
1960s.
Ed Welsh of Manchester, New Jersey,
had a Henchman Pattern model designed by
Maurice Franklin of the United Kingdom and
a Lou Andrews Explorer. Ed chose the
Henchman because he heard that it was a
great Pattern aircraft of the 1960s. He picked
the Explorer because he never saw one fly
well in the early 1960s and figured that it
needed today’s equipment. He was right!
I brought four airplanes. The first was a
Lou Andrews Aeromaster. I love aerobatic
biplanes! The second was a Walt Good
Royal Rudderbug—a replica of my first RC
model.
The third was a Beachcomber designed
by the great Jim Kirkland, who won the 1963
Nationals in Multi with it. I had to have a
Pattern aircraft in my vintage-airplane
hangar, and since I flew against Jim and his
Beachcomber at that Nationals, it was a
natural choice for me. The fourth model was
a Hal deBolt Live Wire Champion. I
originally built it for one of my daughters,
who is 37 now. I resurrected it last year with
new covering and a modern radio.
Bob Hoover came from Indianapolis,
Indiana, but he did not supply information
about his airplanes.
The traditional Wednesday-evening
banquet featured some special awards, as
follows:
• Ed Welsh won the Best Vintage Plane
award for his Explorer.
• Bob Gardner won the plaque for the Best
Vintage Control System for the Min-X
Galloping Ghost radio in his Esquire.
• Ron Ogren won the award for the Best RC
Controlled Free Flight with his Buzzard
Bombshell.
• I received the Concours plaque for my
Royal Rudderbug. This award is presented
for the best representation of a vintage model
in authenticity and craftsmanship.
Another VR/CS fly-in at Muncie
concluded with sincere thanks to VR/CS
Chapter I for providing the opportunity to
gather at the beautiful AMA site, share the
past with great friends, and exchange many
stories and memories of the early days of
RC.
The next VR/CS gathering is the Spirit of
Selinsgrove reunion, which is held annually
during Labor Day weekend. This is the
longest-running VR/CS reunion, and the 14th
edition will be held at the Zaverton Airport in
Montrose, Pennsylvania. Come and join us!
You can obtain more information about
the Vintage Radio Control Society on its
Web site: www.vintagercsociety.org. MA
Bob Noll
2317 Acorn Dr.
Vestal NY 13850