Toledo disasters
by Dennis Norman
dennis@airacemodels.com
This year marked the 61st anniversary of the Toledo Show: R/C Model Expo. Although not an RC modeler, I began attending the Toledo trade show in the late 1960s, and I have been a swap-shop vendor for years.
After setting up on Thursday, April 9, I invited my buddies and fellow vendors, Roger Wathen and Pat Trile, to join me for a delicious supper at the nearby Iron Skillet restaurant. We had just sat down to eat when a powerful storm erupted. Lightning flashed, winds howled, and a torrent of rain fell sideways across the windows. Moments later, storm sirens sounded and the management relocated us to a safe area away from the windows. Climatically, a tornado touched down near us and supper was over.
The following day began with clear weather and the show opened with a huge, enthusiastic crowd. All went well until 11:45 a.m., when the power failed in the SeaGate Convention Centre. Fortunately, power in the adjoining Park Inn hotel remained on.
Emergency generators kicked in, but provided only minimal lighting in the venue. In the hallway where we had our displays, only two widely spaced lights came on. Amazingly, one of them was right over our tables! Windowless rooms (including bathrooms) remained black and were navigated only by flashlight. The crowd shifted to rooms with windows then gradually dissipated. Power was not restored until nearly 9 p.m.
Saturday lacked the drama of the previous two days, but we stayed at our tables, hoping to counter Friday’s dismal showing. Despite our efforts, Saturday’s sales were disappointing. Because of this, most of the independent vendors (including yours truly) decided to pack up and go home rather than incur possible further losses on Sunday.
Great News About Flying Models
A few days later I received the May/June issue of the Cloudbusters club newsletter and learned that Flying Models (FM) magazine had a booth at the show! I was stunned that I had missed it, but was delighted to learn that Thayer Syme, a former FM editor, bought the magazine’s rights and plans service, and assumed its obligations to subscribers. Be sure to contact Thayer for more details. (See the “Sources” list.)
The rebirth of FM is by far the best news for us from this year’s Toledo show. Many thanks to the Cloudbusters for spreading the news. The Cloudbusters club is in its 76th year and the informative club newsletter remains an outstanding example of what a newsletter should be.
Flying Aces Club News
The Flying Aces Club News is today’s most comprehensive Free Flight Scale newsletter. It is vibrant and chock full of current events, tips from some of the world’s best modelers, and much more. Even the cover art is exciting.
Howard Koverman created the basis for the May/June
Right: Kent State University’s huge field house, one of the finest venues in the country, as it appeared at the start of this year’s CFFS-sponsored Indoor contest. Photo by Glen Simpers.
2015 Flying Aces Club News cover more than 20 years ago and it still sparkles.
2015 Kent State Indoor Meet
On April 26, 2015, the Cleveland Free Flight Society (CFFS) hosted the annual Kent State Indoor Contest. Competitors came from near and far to enjoy Kent State’s cavernous field house, which is a magnificent site. Not only were there specific events, but also record-breaking flights.
2015 Kent State Indoor First-Place Winners
Event — Winner — Model
- Phantom Flash — Don Slusarczyk — Phantom Flash
- Embryo Endurance — Don Slusarczyk — Ghost Rider
- Jetco Rise-Off-Ground (ROG) — Chuck Slusarczyk — Jetco ROG
- F1L — Leo Pilachowski — F1L
- A-6 — Bill Gowen — A-6
- MiniStick — Jim Buxton — MiniStick
- Limited Pennyplane — Bill Gowen — Limited Pennyplane
- Standard Catapult Glider — Bill Gowen — Standard Catapult Glider
- Unlimited Catapult Glider — Bill Gowen — Unlimited Catapult Glider
- EZB — Logan Noel — EZB
- F1D — Yuan Kang Lee — F1D
- Jet Catapult Scale — Benjamin Buxton — Bell P-59 Airacomet
- Peanut Scale — Don Slusarczyk — Voisin Hydroplane
- Dime Scale — Jack Karn — Stinson 105
- No-Cal Scale — Jim Buxton — OHKA
Category II national records were set in Open F1D (Jim Richmond, 22:38); Junior F1L (Logan Noel, 11:25); Junior A-6 (Logan Noel, 5:28); Junior F1M (Logan Noel, 7:13); Open F1R (Don Slusarczyk, 20:25); and Open Standard Catapult Glider (Bill Gowen, 2:00.1).
Thanks to the leadership of contest director Mike Zand and his wife, Irene, the Kent State Indoor contest was again a success and a pleasure to watch. Thanks also to George Bredehoft of Shorty’s Basement, Glen Simpers, and Don Slusarczyk for taking and sharing beautiful photos of the venue, handsome models, and happy participants.
John Jackson’s Phantom Flash looked nearly iridescent as it flew to second place in a four-way flyoff. Don Slusarczyk took highest honors. George Bredehoft photo.
David Franks’ Albatros D.V
World War I’s centennial is bringing renewed interest in aircraft of the period. This spring, David Franks was building a 22-inch wingspan (approximately ¾-inch scale) model of an Albatros D.V, originally offered by Dudley Model Airplane Supply Company in the 1930s. David contacted me for help in getting lozenge-printed tissue paper to cover his model’s wings. It was my pleasure to fill his order. A photo of his finished Albatros D.V will appear in my December 2015 column.
SOURCES:
CFFS
se5weber@cox.net
Cloudbusters
http://cloudbustermac.tripod.com
Flying Aces Club News
newsletters@flyingacesclub.com
Flying Models
thayer@flying-models.com
www.flying-models.com
2015 Kent State Indoor Meet
imzand@hotmail.com
SeaGate Convention Center
www.toledo-seagate.com
Toledo Weak Signals RC Club
www.toledoweaksignals.com
Volare Products/Shorty’s Basement
(269) 339-9795
www.volareproducts.com
National Free Flight Society (NFFS)
www.freeflight.org
