CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF THE NATS
By Rich Hanson, AMA President | richh@modelaircraft.org
EACH SUMMER, the aeromodeling community across the nation comes together to compete and participate in the annual National Aeromodeling Championships, commonly referred to as the Nats. Although we often think of the Nats as AMA’s focal aeromodeling event, this annual, comprehensive competition actually predates the AMA. The Nats was first hosted by the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) in 1923. Next summer, we will celebrate the 100th anniversary of this premier event.
From the first time that two modelers flew their models at the same place and at the same time, aeromodeling enthusiasts have endeavored to see who could build the best model aircraft, fly the fastest, perform the most precise aerobatics, or achieve the greatest level of precision. This competitive spirit
has culminated into a national championship event that has endured for 100 years and will once again be celebrated at the AMA’s International Aeromodeling Center (IAC) in Muncie, Indiana, in the summer of 2023.
Next year’s IAC schedule is packed full of exciting aeromodeling events. The season kicks off with AMA’s National Fun Fly, scheduled for June 23-25, and continues with a huge celebration of the 100th Nats, commencing on Thursday, July 6, following the Independence Day holiday. The Nats will be immediately followed by the US-hosted FAI F3C/F3N World Championships for Radio Control Helicopters.
Am I the Best?
For those aeromodelers who ask themselves this question, competition is key. Facing an opponent and besting him or her is the only true way to know.
Aeromodeling contests began almost as soon as two people flew their model airplanes. In the early days, competitions were regional affairs, with exchange clubs, parks, businesses, and the Young Men’s Christian Association sponsoring many events. In 1915, the Aero Club of America sponsored the first national aeromodeling contest. The contest was divided into three separate events: distance flown after hand-launching, flight duration after rise-off-water, and flight duration after rise-off-ground.
Cash prizes were awarded to the individuals who achieved the best scores each month, and the Henry S. Villard Trophy was awarded to the club with members who had the highest collective scores.
The Illinois Model Aero Club won the three years that it was awarded, retaining the cup in 1919 and ending the only national aeromodeling event. The Illinois Model Aero Club encouraged the NAA to hold an aeromodeling event.
In 1923, Bernard Mulvihill, vice president of the NAA, agreed to offer prize money and a trophy if the St. Louis Air Board and the Air Race Contest Committee added the event to the schedule. After much work, Event No. 6, the Mulvihill Trophy Duration Race for Model Airplanes, was added to the National Air Race program.
For the next few years, numerous sponsors came and went, including the Playground and Recreation Association, the American Association of Model Aero Clubs, which hosted the First National Indoor Model Airplane Contest, and the Airplane Model League of America.
When the Great Depression hit, the Nats seemed done for, but interested modelers prevailed. With the leadership of Lt. H.W. Alden, chairman of the NAA Model Airplane Committee, and financing from Model Airplane News magazine, the Nats survived. Radio Control joined Free Flight in 1937, and following a brief hiatus during World War II, the Victory Nats were back in 1946, with nearly 1,000 contestants flying in 23 events, including Control Line.
For many, the Navy Nats, from 1948 to 1972, represented the glory years of the event. Each summer, a different naval air station hosted the event, providing food, housing, manpower, and, most importantly, great building hangars with hundreds of tables set up for 24-hour building and repairs.
Celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Nats with us and make 2023 a benchmark year for model aviation.
In 1973, AMA took over responsibility for the entire Nats, and with the help of numerous groups and sponsors, put the show on the road. For the next 23 years, the Nats were held in 16 cities across the country. In 1996, the Outdoor Nats found a home at the IAC, and the Indoor events are still being held at various venues. Aeromodelers worldwide continue the quest to see who is, indeed, the best.
Mark your calendar now and make plans to attend any or all of next year’s IAC summer events. Celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Nats with us and make 2023 a benchmark year for model aviation. Follow AMA’s website for updated information as it becomes available.
Keep ’em safe, keep ’em flying, and continue to enjoy this great hobby!
