District III Report - 2003/03
The 2002 District III election is over and I thank all who participated in the election and provided support for any of the candidates.
During my tenure as your vice president, we have created a positive link to a vast majority of the membership. Without this team effort, we would certainly lack the positive relationship District III modelers have with the Academy. If you have input or desire change, please contact your vice president or any of the associate vice presidents throughout the district.
Dick Fano of Aero Tech Hobbies in Canton, Ohio, provided the following article written by Arnie Sisca.
“Initially the project was a memorial to our father, a navigator and bombardier in the South Pacific during WWII and crewmember on the Sticky Kitty. After the maiden flight, my two sisters and I were going to present it to our mother.
“Unfortunately, during construction, my younger sister Lea began to lose her fight with cancer. If it were not for the combined efforts of Jim Hug, Gary Villard, Aero Tech Hobbies, and the patience and understanding of my wife and family, Lea would never have seen any of the project completed.
“Before her death, we pieced together the plane and gave it to our mother. Lea’s final request was to get a ride on the maiden voyage. With our mother’s concurrence, I placed a small vial of her remains in the female co-pilot figure. On August 26, with our mom present and Chris Starkweather at the controls, the B-25 Mitchell/Sticky Kitty made a textbook liftoff, flight, and landing.
“Afterward, many congratulations and joyful tears were exchanged—the Sticky Kitty had flown again. Now the plane hangs in our mother’s family room, carrying with it many hours of labor and affection, and most of all the spirits of Dad and Lea.”
The B-25 was a Wing Manufacturing kit, powered by an O.S. four-stroke engine. Anyone with knowledge of the original Sticky Kitty is asked to contact Arnie Sisca at LoganSisca@aol.com.
The Sticky Kitty flies again!
The Buc-Le Aerosportsmen, Inc., of Quakertown, Pennsylvania, conducted its fourth annual Kids Fly. This event gives children seven years or older the opportunity to fly model aircraft under the direction of the club’s master pilots. With eight pilots on hand and a dozen trainers with buddy-cord setups, the day was a complete success. After landing each airplane, the faces of the student pilots said it all. The parents’ questions and the smiles on the faces of these kids certainly proved that this event goes a long way in promoting the hobby.
Vincent Caruso, chair of the Kids Fly, provided the information and photographs.
Although you might not realize it, control-line activity within District III is very active. The Flying Dutchmen Aeromodelers of Reading, Pennsylvania, vividly illustrate this with the club’s Gordon Thomas Memorial Fun Fly.
David Moodhart provided pictures of the enjoyable activity.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
