1992 NFFS UNITED STATES
Dateline & Overview
Muncie — Thursday, September 3, 1992. The advance guard of more than 300 contestants arrived at the museum building and the new AMA flying site for the 1992 NFFS‑sponsored United States Outdoor Championships (USOC). Fliers paused at the office to pick up contestant packets, then set off to survey the facility and locate lodgings reserved in advance.
Newcomers found the rolling terrain pleasing: a blacktop entrance road leading to the center of the field, three gravel parking lots, and a paved L‑shaped 600 × 400 ft RC launch pad with a permanent pavilion tucked in the angle. A map in the museum lobby showed the AMA property at roughly 1½ miles north–south by about a mile east–west, though corn to the south, soybeans to the north, and a west cornfield reduced the usable area. Still, by Midwest standards the site was ample; winds were predicted to be light for the long weekend.
A record summer rainfall left the ground soft in places and the grasses green. By noon vehicles were scattered along the access road, and practice flights intensified through the afternoon. Continued heavy rain would have made field parking hazardous without four‑wheel drive.
Kickoff Bean Feed
The kickoff "bean feed" behind the museum the eve before competition brought many friends together. The food was generous (the name was a gross understatement), and a large white cake bore a blue NFFS logo. Short welcome messages were given by Contest Manager Phil Sullivan and AMA President Don Lowe. A sudden thunderstorm ended the evening, leaving the grass wet for morning flying.
Friday — Day One
Prevailing winds in the area are usually southwest, but early arrivals found light, variable east winds that settled to a light ENE for the day. Soft ground kept vehicles to paved areas. The usable contest area measured roughly three‑quarters of a mile; downwind from there was a sea of corn, waist- to head‑high in places.
The day’s free‑flight card was managed by Contest Director Dick Covalt (AMA, FAI, NFFS events). Don and Sue Sachtjen ran the Old‑Timer Free Flight activities under an adjacent tent, with Dick Brace directing Old‑Timer RC Assist under the pavilion by the RC pad. Several anecdotes and highlights:
- Dick Hall attempted to ROG his Super Cyclone‑powered Scram off rough ground. After a few aborted attempts a folded banquet table served as a runway. The model drifted south and DTed over the cemetery on the southeast corner of the field. Hall later won OT C Fuselage with the Scram after subsequent maxes.
- Many contests required strings of flyoff maxes; in B Gas the top 14 contestants logged the basic three maxes. Marvin Mace tallied 14 maxes before dropping his 15th and outpaced Gil Morris by several maxes.
- The downwind cornfield consumed several models, including Gene Bowers’s first Nostalgia Gas T‑Bird and Roger Lane’s Comet Interceptor; both fliers recovered with backup models to win their events.
Notable Friday results:
- B Gas: Marvin Mace (Pilfered Pearl derivative) finished ahead of Gil Morris (Toothpicks).
- Mulvihill: Fred Blon edged George Perryman by 10 seconds.
- Combined Electric A & B: Charles Groth (max‑out plus).
- NFFS Nostalgia Gas: Gene Bowers (Holland Hornet‑powered T‑Birds).
- Pee Wee 30: Bill “Ole Yeller” Hale (Cox .020 Basic Yeller), perfect three‑flight total.
- Moffett (rubber) trophy: Bob Bienenstein (first recipient of the restored trophy).
- OT C Fuselage: Dick Hall (Scram).
- OT B Pylon: Dan Harshman (Zipper) narrowly over Don Boyer.
- .020 Replica: Roger Lane (scaled Brooklyn Dodger).
- Small Rubber Stick (Gollywocks): Joe Williams (35 entries).
- Large Rubber Fuselage: Roy Stewart tied with Ed Kenefes (trophy split).
- J‑2 Texaco: Jack McGillivray (Kerswap).
- RC LER Class A Ignition: Fred Mulholland (Enya 2.49 diesel, Playboy).
- RC LER Class C Glow: Fred Mulholland (Lanzo Bomber, K&B .35).
- RC Ohlsson .23: Art White.
The evening concluded with a formal NFFS banquet across town at the Carolina Room, featuring speakers including Phil Sullivan, Don Lowe, Vince Manikowski, Chris Weinreich, and NFFS President Tony Intaliano.
Saturday — Day Two
An overnight rain left fields soft. A SSE breeze prompted relocation of the free‑flight launch site to the southeast corner of the property, adjacent to the cemetery and at the southern extension of the ridge used the previous day. The single‑lane perimeter road had to be kept clear, so vehicles sought higher ground on the grassy ridge. A brief mist dissipated and competition began.
FAC flying‑scale events started at the east parking lot (about a half‑mile downwind of free flight). SAM 58 RC Assist continued from the pavilion.
Notable Saturday results and highlights:
- A Gas: Charles Caton (green‑and‑white Humming Bird) topped 63 entrants.
- F1C Power: Dale Mateer and Ed Keck tied; flyoffs went off‑site and were deferred to the Lost Hills FAI Team Selection Finals.
- A Towline Glider: Bill Schlarb (over Vic Nippert).
- P‑30: Bob Hartsock won by seven seconds over Tom Hepler (had nearly missed a max by two seconds earlier).
- Junior P‑30: Chris Sydor.
- Cargo: Abra Van Dover won with a three‑flight total of 1,221 g (43 oz.) (only two entries airborne).
- Hand‑Held Catapult Glider: Bernard Boehm (1st), Bill Schlarb (2nd).
- Jumbo Rubber Scale: Oscar Smith (replica Piper J‑3 Cub, 3rd).
- Class D (Rubber): Harry Murphy (Nelson‑powered Buck 800).
- Small Rubber Fuselage: Don Reid and Mike Burns (Double Feature entries dominated the 37 entries).
- Large Rubber Stick: Paul Crowley (Lambs Climber) over Don Reid.
- SAM 58 / Antique Day: Fred Mulholland won Pure Antique (Anderson Spitfire‑powered Thor); Tom Botkin won Antique Glow; Jack Beatley won 1/2A Scale Duration.
Late afternoon brought two brief thundershowers that dumped more water on “cemetery ridge.” Rain‑soaked contestants pushed and pulled about three dozen vehicles out of the mud; a farm tractor was ultimately used to extract the final few. Despite the chaos, spirits stayed high.
Sunday — Day Three
A southerly breeze and muddy grounds moved the launch site north of the old hog sheds, accessed via a short gravel lane off the perimeter road. Footing there was firmer, with rockier soil. Competitors set up on a small knoll about 500 feet south of the buildings; this would be the home site for the remaining days. Weather was comfortable and sunny.
Notable Sunday results:
- D Gas: Bob Johannes (Buck 800) over Guy Scott.
- 1/2A Gas: Bob Hanford (Shuriken‑powered) — large field (72 entries).
- Junior 1/2A Gas: Ryan Bane over Zack Dock.
- Hand Launch Glider (HLG): Bernard Boehm added the HLG title to his HH Catapult win; Jimmy Buxton and Bill Schlarb placed behind him.
- Wakefield: Joe Williams edged Vic Nippert.
- Embryo Rubber: Bill Barr (popular event).
- B NosGas: Ed Keck (Dream Weaver) won over Dick Hall and Bill Hale.
- NosGas Ignition: Harry Murphy (’47 Phoenix, O&R .29) beat Bill Hale.
- OT events under SAM 57:
- 30 Second Antique: Dick Hall (Scram).
- A Pylon: Don Reid (Elfin .249 diesel, Mego Ranger).
- A Fuselage: Bob Eidelstein (So Long, Arden .19).
- OT HLG: Jim Buxton (Hervat maxed out over Bill Schlarb).
- Pre‑’37 Wakefield: George Perryman (Yng design).
Other Sunday notes:
- The Hand Held Catapult Glider event continued to grow in popularity thanks to support from John Voorhees and Central Indiana Aeromodellers.
- Several rubber and vintage events attracted larger entries than some contemporary AMA rubber events.
Monday — Day Four (Final Day)
The final day opened with a southerly breeze and a thick overcast that threatened more showers but none arrived. FAC had disbanded and attendee numbers at the free‑flight site were reduced. Competition continued as officials and contestants showed signs of fatigue after four hectic days.
Notable Monday results:
- AMA Category III Class D gas: Charles Caton recorded 14 maxes but fell 4 seconds short of the record (the model disappeared behind a central hill).
- F1J Power (new FAI class for ice engines, .06 cu. in.): Gil Morris won after Keith Fulmer opted not to take another flight; Gil’s Maverick displayed excellent vertical climb and transition.
- F1G Coupe d’Hiver: Chuck Markos (five perfect flights); Markos was overall High Point winner for AMA events.
- CO2: Duane Renken (max‑out).
- Korda: George Perryman.
- 1/8A NosGas: Warren Kurth (Cox Tee Dee .020 Zeek) — Kurth logged four maxes to win and also took AMA Payload Gas earlier.
- C NosGas: Ed Keck (121% Crescendo, Johnson .35) dominated.
- OT Ohlsson Sideport Engine: Meredith Chamberlain (Antique Class Twin Cyclone design).
- OT 1/2A Antique: Harry Murphy beat Gene Bowers.
- ROG events / Commercial Rubber: Ed Konfes (Dietrich Convertible).
- OT Rubber Scale: Dan Smith (Puss Moth).
- SAM 58 wrap‑ups: Fred Mulholland won RC Class C Ignition and RC Old‑Timer Electric (double winner); Jim Reynolds won RC Class B Glow LER (K&B .35 in Playboy Sr.).
Closing
As the cloud cover broke and sun returned, awards were distributed and everyone pitched in to pack the AMA trailer and equipment. Charles Caton, after a full day that included flying in a rented aircraft twice to locate his downed Class C Gas model, summarized the consensus: the AMA flying site was an excellent facility and the event was one of the best things AMA had done for its membership.
Contest Manager Phil Sullivan and many others were thanked for their efforts in organizing and closing out the meet. The 1992 NFFS United States Outdoor Championships ended with high spirits and many memorable moments.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
