S.A.M. Old-Timer Nats
JUST WHAT is there about a Nationals or a SAM Champs? Is it a feeling of nervous anticipation? Apprehension? Excitement? Or perhaps some other hard-to-put-your-finger-on-emotional feeling or attitude? It's really hard to say, but sunny anticipation appears to be the front runner, at least for this writer. This is the anticipated happiness of seeing old friends, examining the models, the checking out of new trends or refinements, and the impending competition. Whatever, these are good honest feelings and you can bet they will be satisfied and, perhaps, satiated during the course of the meet.
The 1978 SAM Championships
THE 1978 SAM Champs! Once again the gathering of the players in New Jersey for the annual grand National Antique and Old Timer Championships. Somehow, to this writer, it seems particularly appropriate for SAM activities to be taking place in the New Jersey/New York area. When one reviews the modeling events of the Thirties, the metropolitan area surrounding the "Big Apple" stands out. The list of pre-WW II modelers and designers from the area reads like the Who's Who of modeling. SAM Champs "78" arose from the ashes of an organizational conflict within the parent group. The meet was originally scheduled for the New England area; however, the sponsoring SAM Chapter caveated their sponsorship by insisting that original SAM rules be in force during the meet. The 1978 rules change eliminated glo engines in the basic free flight events and, apparently, the sponsoring chapter took exception.
16th SAM Championships
HEADING EAST on Rt. 291 just after passing under an overpass, the large sign said: "Rodeway Inn-Chicopee." Moving up out of the road's depression, we could see the inn's marquis: "Welcome-Society of Antique Modelers." We put two and two together, and decided that we had found the place. We drove up to see modelers unloading boxes, wings, fuselages, and other paraphernalia that nearly blocked the area. It was a grand sight! What more could a modeler want than the anticipation of experiencing three or four days of holing up with other modelers-talk-models, looking at models, reminiscing about models and modelers, meeting old modeling friends, making new modeling friends, talking old engines, looking at old engines, feeling the motivation of modelers, feeling the enthusiasm of those who where attending their first SAM Champs, and generally just living model airplanes.
