Radio Control: Old-Timer
BACK in the Bad Old Days. Let's take a time-frame jump this month from the pre-war era into the immediate post-war one, to take a look at RC flying as it was in 1950. In visiting with younger modelers, we are frequently stunned by the presumption that RC models and equipment have always been as they presently are. Most of them have only a vague appreciation of the incredible changes in technology this hobby has undergone in the last three decades.
Kloud King
THE EARLIEST RULES governing competition of models with internal combustion engines were based on fuel allotment. Engine runs were limited to try to reduce the alarming number of fly-aways being experienced in contests. Generally, the fuel was allotted based on the model's weight. The Texas Oil Co. donated a perpetual trophy for the winner of the annual National Model Airplane Championships, and to this day fuel allotment events in the Society of Antique Models (SAM) competitions are referred to as Texaco.
Radio Control: Old-Timer
THE HISTORY OF RC. We have arbitrarily divided the development of RC into four eras. Although many of the true experts might take exception, for purposes of personal perspective and convenience, the four are the Ham, Exam-Free, Multi-Control, and Modern (or Proportional) eras.
Radio Control: Old-Timer
This month, we are returning to our traditional format in order to catch up on a number of items more genuine to SAM-type Old-Timer activities. Next time around, we have a bunch of interesting things from the Reed Era of RC. Long before Thimble Drome. It seems ironic, somehow, that the most popular Old-Timer designs of the pre-War era are seldom seen at Old-Timer contests today. Take the Dallaire as an example: I am unable to locate a single advertisement for the kit in my rather extensive magazine collection, yet it is extremely common today. The reason is, of course, obvious - competiition success.
Radio Control: Old-Timer
SAM CHAMPS. The 1983 Society of Antique Modelers Championships are scheduled for July 19-21 in La Junta, CO. La Junta is a small city with a population of about 8,000, located near the exact center of the southeast quarter of the state. The Sangre de Cristos range of the Rocky Mountains lies rougly 120 miles directly to the west. A former Air Corps field lies three miles north of the city and has three intersecting runways of 8,000-ft. length. Field altitude is 4,238 ft. Surrounding terrain is essentially flat and treeless; however, the area is extensively irrigated, and many canals run through and along the fields. This is the home of the famous Rocky Ford cantaloupe, although they are not harvested until later in the season.
