Paul Plecan

Nowadays, the average RC enthusiast accepts most of the reliability, light weight and model maneuverability without question. Forty years ago, it was a different story. We will attempt to briefly cover the major advances in the state of the art, leaning towards the model aircraft rather than electronics or complex gadgetry. While the very early pioneers like Ross Hull and Clinton DeSoto developed basic electronic circuitry and lightweight energy-efficient actuators (both magnetic and rubber powered), most readers will relate more readily to what happened at the various Nationals. While the designs are presented in rought chronological order, some were flown for years prior to publication, so bear that in mind.