RC SCALE
2025 AMA RC SCALE NATS
By Stan Alexander | onawing4602@att.net
THE FOLLOWING ARE some interesting items from this year’s RC Scale Nats.
A Pitcairn PC-A-2 autogyro was entered this year by Keith Numbers and it flew very well. To my knowledge, there was also a model entered that had 3D-printed covering similar to a car with a 3D finish. There were turbine jets, EDF jets, electric-powered aircraft, and, of all things, five Stearman biplanes. Most of the Stearmans were powered by five- to seven-cylinder radial engines. The sound could raise the hair on your arms!
There were a couple of German World War II airplanes, and there was only one Nakajima Ki-43 that represented Japan in WW II. Experimental aircraft, antiques, and World War I aircraft were also present this year. There were only two twin aircraft. Jeremy Arvin won Open Scale with his twin-engine Britten-Norman Defender, which is a military version of the Britten-Norman Islander.
As you can see, it wasn’t any one particular type of aircraft that dominated the competition.
What Are You Building This Winter?
I love working with balsa and building from kits or plans, but in many cases, traditional kits are no longer available. ARFs and other types of models dominate sales throughout the industry. Small cottage companies tend to direct what types of models we see out at the field. Finding products has become more difficult, even with the computers we have today.
To my knowledge, Williams Brothers is out of business, and I’m guessing it won’t be back. We thought Sullivan Products was gone as well, but the company is still in business. Its premium wheels are back, all the way up to a 7-inch size with spun aluminum hubs, along with many other parts, including fuel tanks.
Now if we could only buy those skinny wheels again, like what Williams Brothers had, in a large size for the 1930s-era airplanes!
NASA RC Scale Hall of Fame
The National Association of Scale Aeromodelers (NASA) RC Scale Hall of Fame inductees this year are Charlie Nelson and Henry Haffke.
Charlie had won it all: the AMA Nats, U.S. Scale Masters, and the Top Gun Invitational. Along with Jack Buckley, they held the New England Scale Masters Qualifier and mentored a generation of Scale modelers in their district. Charlie won more than 130 trophies in his competition days and inspired others to follow in his footsteps.
Many view building from plans as scratch-building—it’s not. Charlie was a true scratch-builder in every sense of the word. He would take three-view drawings then measure a full-scale aircraft and make sure that the drawings were correct. If they weren’t, he would correct the mistakes and proceed to cut the parts needed to “make his kit” for the model.
Charlie was all set to attend the Nats again this year with Tim Dickey, but it was not meant to be. The two of them originally met in Arizona, where Charlie and his wife, Lynda, had spent the winters for the past decade or so. Charlie brought Tim along, who learned quickly. Tim went to the FAI F4 World Championships for Scale Model Aircraft last year with his Waco Cabin model, which was completely scratch-built. He finished in eighth place overall in his first world championship, which is quite an accomplishment for the first time. Tim went on and flew Charlie’s veteran VKS Waco Cabin in Team Scale at the Nats this year and won the class.
Charlie passed away that Saturday morning of the Nats, which was truly a bittersweet time for many of us. His AMA History Project autobiography has been added to the National Model Aviation Museum website; the link is listed in “Sources.”
Henry Haffke was a designer, author, competitor, and friend of the Granville family, who went on to racing fame in the 1930s with the Gee Bee aircraft. In 1989, Henry published the definitive book on Gee Bees titled, Gee Bee—The Real Story of the Granville Brothers and Their Marvelous Airplanes. The book chronicles the history of the Granville brothers and these wonderful aircraft that have been loved by modelers for decades.
Henry designed and built many models
This impressive Super Starduster by Tom Lourie won Designer Scale. With a 107-inch wingspan, the power is a DLE-170 engine.
Flown by Tim Dickey, Charlie Nelson’s 82-inch wingspan VKS Waco Cabin biplane won Team Scale. The scratch-built model is powered by a UMS 90 radial engine.
Sullivan Products is back in the wheel business with aluminum or plastic hubs that are available up to 7 inches in size.
This Pitcairn PCA-2 autogyro is by Keith Numbers, from Dayton OH. The kit-built model is from a discontinued company called Whirlybird Aviation.
of the Granville brothers’ airplanes, including the Model D Sportster, the Model E Sportster, and the Model Y Senior Sportster. But, of course, the most famous is the Gee Bee Super Sportster R-1, which set a world speed record.
Henry also designed many other models, most of which are available through the AMA Plans Service. In some cases, the article is included with the plans.
Fair skies and tailwinds.
SOURCES:
AMA RC Scale Nats
https://nats.modelaircraft.org/discipline/
radio-control-scale
Sullivan Products
(410) 732-3500
www.sullivanproducts.com
AMA History Project Presents:
Autobiography of Charles (Charlie) Thornton Nelson
www.modelaircraft.org/sites/default/files/
museum/bios/NelsonCharlesCharlieThornton.
pdf
The AMA History Project Presents:
Biography of Henry A. Haffke
www.modelaircraft.org/sites/default/files/
files/HaffkeHenryA.pdf
Gee Bee—The Real Story of the Granville Brothers and Their Marvelous Airplanes
By Henry A. Haffke; published January 1, 1989
www.amazon.com/Story-Granville-Brothers-
Marvelous-Airplanes/dp/0934575045
AMA Plans Service
(765) 287-1256, ext. 507
https://plans.modelaircraft.org
