Free Flight: Old-Timers
Clarence Haught
TIMER! Max Out! Fly-off! Overrun... If you've got the contest fliers blues, or, if you are flying more and enjoying it less, what you need is a change of pace! Take a break from the frustrations of FAI, AMA competitions or the same old routine and try Old Timer.
Old Timer was revived for just one purpose: to put the fun back into modeling. If competition is your thing, you can find plenty in Old Timer but it will be a totally different experience. The pressure is off. Kind of a low-key gentle approach to enjoying the hobby. The max is not king in Old Timer. Fly-offs are rare and while some events are oriented toward thermal chasing, others like time, target and spot landing are an enjoyable challenge. One northwest club, the Willamette Modelers, include a "Concourse d'Elegance" event in their annual meet. This consists of a one hour break in activities for the purpose of picture taking and selecting a beauty winner! Often during award ceremonies "special" awards are made for such rare attributes as procrastination.
If the thoughts of spark coils, high-tension leads, dirty points and gas and oil fuel mixtures seem a bit much or if an ignition engine is not immediately available, there is still a wide range of old timer activities open to you.
In the power category SAM rules (that's Society of Antique Modelers) provide for glow engines to be used with a reduction in engine run to even out any advantage a glow engine would have over an ignition engine. One of the most popular events in Old Timer competition today is .020 Replica. These potent birds are scaled down versions of classic old timers powered with the Cox TD.020 glow engines.
If you do own an ignition engine there are many options available to you. Besides the various classes created by engine displacement alone, the modeler can choose between Cabin models, Pylon designs and Antique. Antique is defined as any antique design published before Dec. 31, 1938. The Old Timer cut off date is considered to be Dec. 31, 1942 or if an ignition engine is shown on the original plan.
Antique category is further divided into 30-Second Antique (based on engine run) and Fuel Allotment Antique for ships with over 6-ft. wing spans. Special events like Texaco with its own rules are popular variations within the Antique category.
Recently, radio control has entered the act and has necessitated separated events and new rules. Often purists shun RC-Old Timers claiming they are sacrilegious. However, in many areas shrinking flying sites have offered no alternatives.
If noisy, oily airplanes don't really appeal to you there are literally hundreds of rubber-powered models just waiting to fly off the pages of Zaic's Yearbooks and old model magazines. Many of the 1935 to 1938 designs would look quite contemporary at the local flying field. In the heyday of rubber power designers really let their ideas soar! Rubber competition, while usually combined, is divided into Cabin and Stick classes. Interest is also developing in tow-line gliders. Pleased to see tow-line gliders included in the O.T. Championships at Denver this past year. While the variety of designs is not as numerous as rubber there are plenty of interesting ones lurking about.
The stated objectives of the Society of Antique Modelers is to preserve modeling
FF Old-Timers/Haught
as it was. Increasing performance is not intended. Having a good time building and flying model airplanes is of prime importance. If you are one of those individuals that just has to do your own thing an Old Ruler category is available. This allows original models designed and built to the 1941 AMA rules to be flown.
You can see from this brief summary that Old Timer truly does offer something for everyone and we haven't even mentioned engine and kit collecting or the collectogethers frequently held the night before each contest.
When I obtained my first Arden glow plug and watched it utter as my Ohlsson 60 churned away without benefit of all the wires, batteries and associated ignition components, I swore I'd never crank my heart out on another ignition engine! Time has a wonderful way of healing. Now after rejoining the Old Timer movement a few years ago I find it to be a truly satisfying experience. I suspect better batteries have contributed the most. I still fly nearly all Free Flight classes but sometimes when I go out to test some of my high powered VIT bombs I really wonder if I'm having fun or just trying to beat Charlie Martin.
I hope this little overview will get you excited about Old Timer. In months to come we will discuss pertinent topics for expert and beginner alike. In the meantime if you have any special questions, pictures, or information to share with some of the greatest modelers on earth send them to me at Route 5, Box 16, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, 83814.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
