OLD-TIMERS
SAM 26, JOHN POND, AND TAFT
By Bob Angel
samrcflier@verizon.net
IN MY PREVIOUS COLUMN, I described the founding of Society of Antique Modelers (SAM) Chapter 26 and the origins of the annual John Pond Commemorative contest.
Timewise, those two events began in fairly close succession. I mentioned John Pond’s model aviation contributions and accomplishments just briefly because they are described more thoroughly in his AMA History Project biography, listed in “Sources.”
John’s son, Allen, wrote most of that biography. Later, one of John’s friends, Red Barrows, shared some memories of him at the 2006 AMA Expo in Ontario, California. The transcript was added to the AMA biography. Red was one of the initiators of the John Pond Commemorative contest. Allen learned to be a draftsman, working closely with his dad in restoring and redrawing old model plans and drafting three-views of old engines for publication.
John was a dedicated Free Flight (FF) flier, but he was also a visionary when he worked to integrate RC into the Old-Timer (OT) movement. FF enthusiasts are some of the most devoted of all modelers, and, as such, many are highly protective of their aeromodeling niche. Because the OT movement sprang from strictly FF flying, many opposed the addition of RC into SAM.
The differences in outlooks between pure FF fliers and RC pilots were alleviated somewhat by maintaining slightly separate rules and events. At the annual SAM Champs, separate flightlines for FF and RC are established for practical reasons. Some fliers cross over and enjoy a little of each discipline, but it was the acceptance of RC into SAM that produced enough membership numbers to support the publication of the quality Sam Speaks journal and a well-attended SAM Champs each year.
Throughout the years, the SAM membership balance has shifted from predominantly FF fliers to mainly RC, if for no other reason than the fact that large fields suitable for FF are disappearing at a faster rate. Within RC, the movement from “real” engines to electric motors has shifted to the point where I have newfound empathy for those who resisted bringing RC into SAM.
(Columnist’s note: Before getting back to the John Pond Commemorative event, I apologize for the date of 1982 that appeared in a photo caption in the June 2022 column. It should have read 2012.)
In 1985, the Pond contest was held at its third venue, Vandenberg Air Force Base (now Vandenberg Space Port Base), northwest of Lompoc, California, for the second and final time. Military exercises in the spacious, open flying area were increasing and potentially conflicted with our event because of the necessary long-range planning of contest dates, so we decided to move again.
Sure enough, on our scheduled contest dates the following year, a military training operation occurred. I didn’t share my doubts with fellow club members at the time, but I still suspect that we would have lost the battle for field position to that well-armed regiment of U.S. Marines.
Fortunately, we had moved to the newly opened River Park in Lompoc and held the contest there for a couple of years, along with a few other contests and fun-flys. The park was being improved with added camping and RV sites and was therefore more heavily used. We had a written use agreement with the city of Lompoc, which seemed comfortable with our presence, but we again decided on our own that the site was becoming unsafe with the curious and roaming mixture of other park users.
The event was then moved to Taft, California, for the next 25 years. (Wow—a quarter of a century!) Taft was even more centrally located in California and was one of the most practical sites for such activities. There was plenty of cleared, open space, with large overflight areas for FF, as well as errant RC aircraft, along with less wind and bad weather—if you overlooked some of the mid-summer days when temperatures soared above 100° F.
Those years of flying at Taft were among the finest for the SAM movement in California. FF flourished at the site long before SAM was even born. National and international events were regularly held there, and two or more SAM Champs made use of the venue.
SAM Chapter 49, from the Los Angeles area, held two well-organized annual meets for SAM RC each year. SAM Chapter 26 joined the action with two more annuals, presenting four sanctioned OT RC events regularly each year. Attendance boomed as the regulars developed into friends and became acquainted with the welcoming city of Taft.
Progress, however, marches steadily onward, and even this large patch of desert changed hands. Chapter 26 held the final sanctioned meet there in 2013. John Pond had attended and entered his namesake event nearly every year, but he passed away in early 2011.
I’ve been the contest director for most of the 47 annual Pond events. With help from other chapter members, I’ve also managed to fly in an event or two. After John passed away, other participants lent a bit more help, and I proudly saw my own name added to the distinguished winners’ list on the John Pond Commemorative championship trophy.
The loss of the Taft site, plus a few key members who moved or passed away, contributed to the demise of SAM 49 in Southern California. After the Taft closure, a SAM 26 crew dedicated a long day to visiting and searching for a potential new contest venue within the Central California area. We were warmly welcomed by Rick Trani, who was president of the Greenfield Flyers RC club that is located south of Bakersfield, California. The club’s flying site is well developed, with large, open areas surrounding the field. It is also ideal for off-field excursions that unfortunately occur, even with RC.
We were able to continue holding the Pond event in the fall of 2013 without interruption. Greenfield is the sixth venue for the event. That site (Wekerle Field) is approximately 30 miles from Taft and enjoys the same good weather. Taft sees an average of slightly more than 5 inches of rain annually, but the average for Bakersfield is closer to 8 inches.
In addition to the Pond event, our chapter held another annual contest that was usually just called the Spring Season Opener because it was normally the first SAM RC event of the California OT RC season. During the disruptions created by COVID-19, we dropped that spring event and will probably not renew it.
As you might expect, most SAM members are older and we’re probably not recruiting as fast as we’re aging out. With scattered membership, the SAM Speaks journal, plus chapter newsletters, are vital parts of retaining interest and membership. With the disappearance of some newsletters, SAM 26 is trying to fill the void by becoming an “at-large” chapter for isolated OT fliers and members of other chapters who choose to hold membership in dual clubs.
We have members scattered throughout the continental US, Alaska, and overseas. Some might merely consider themselves newsletter subscribers, but here at home base, we consider all of them as full members.
For a recent newsletter sample, email me at my address that is listed at the beginning of this column.
SOURCES:
The AMA History Project Presents:
Biography of John I. Pond
www.modelaircraft.org/sites/default/files/PondJohn.pdf
Greenfield Flyers
www.greenfieldflyers.org
