Letters to the Editor
Send your Letters to the Editor to: Model Aviation, 5151 East Memorial Drive, Muncie IN 47302
A Beginner Thanks his Mentor
I am writing this letter to you concerning your article in the April 1995 issue ("The Haught Corner" discussed helping youth/beginners). I am only 15 years old and have been flying for only about two years now. My skills have drastically improved from my first visit to the field.
The first model that I ever flew was a 48-inch Aristo-Craft Juicer. It was powered by a .10-size engine that I bought. The first two times I went to the field with this model were heartbreaking for me. As they say, "the third time's a charm." I happened to arrive at the field when there were people there.
Of course, this was my first model, and I had no experience in the hobby, and if I had believed the look on the faces of the people at the field, it probably never would have left the earth. The first man I met was Bob Brough.
He tried to balance my airplane and the tail dropped right to the ground. He laughed and sort of tried to balance it out. Then he tried to start the engine. Well, as a beginner I had no idea that the gas tanks were pressurized, and so the engine wouldn't start until he checked out the gas tank.
Now it was time to fly, and he immediately got it ready and got it in the air. It was very shaky and unsteady but was a good climber. He got it high enough that I "would not do any damage" and let me fly it. What an experience! I was doing what I had set out to do just a few "inexperienced" years ago.
The airplane was fun until I got out of control and he took over. The landing was rough and there was damage. He unselfishly said, "Well, just bring it over to my house, and we will fix it up." That caught me off guard, because I never knew a stranger to be so kind to a total stranger.
When I got to his house and went into his barn, I was so amazed at the models and all of the stuff. Being so interested as I was, I was a bit nosy, but he didn't mind at all. He cleared a workspace on his cluttered table and we went to work. He did most of the work and I just watched, but what looked like a bad repair job turned out to be great. What I mean is that he has his own way of doing things, and that is cool because he almost always does the job right.
The next time that airplane flew it was great. He has since helped me fix mistakes on new airplanes and also cover them. Also he has "nagged and nagged" and taught me to fly very well. Every once in a while he will say, "See, all that yellin' helped, didn't it?" My reply is a very simple "yes" with a little giggle. Without him that third time, I probably would have given up.
He always is willing to come pick me up to take me flying and is always taking me to model shows. It is that unselfish attitude he has towards the hobby that really surprises me. If he doesn't need something, he will usually give it away to someone who does. Also, if anyone else at the field has a question, he will answer it. Or if someone needs help, he just says, "Come over and we will figure something out."
Although I don't say it to him, I would probably do anything for him. He has rendered his time, patience, and supplies to help me and others at our field. Like what I read in the column, I like to go to his house and "hang out" to do stuff he may want help doing. I, at one stage in my life, want to return the knowledge that he has given to me in a different form.
All the questions that I ask and he answers without ever getting mad or irritated shows how great of a man he really is. I see him as a sort of mentor. He never minds doing things for anyone.
I just want everyone to know that there is someone out there to help in this hobby in some way. Also I just want to thank him for all of the hours he spent helping me. I'm just not one to say this directly to him.
Bill Walmer Aspers, Pennsylvania
Mid-America Challenge
For the past two years, I have crewed one of the pylons at the [Muncie] AT-6 races. Other than flying, this is one of the most fun things that I have done in model aviation. This year was particularly exciting with the addition of the Formula I and Thompson Trophy.
One thing that stands out in my mind is the camaraderie that the pylon crews develop. This year, however, seemed to be a little more special with the addition of some of the staff from the Academy. In particular, I had the opportunity to work with the folks from the Competitions department.
As we sat in the middle of the field, in the hot Indiana sun, I thought about the staff profiles that Jerry Rouillard wrote about in his articles in Model Aviation. While Jerry's descriptions pointed out the technical abilities of these fine people, they really did not convey the personalities that drive them to excellence.
Over the four days we spent sitting side-by-side in that hot Indiana sun, many stories were shared, both funny and serious, about dealing with Academy members and their situations and problems. I am sure that many of these stories are not too dissimilar from the ones heard by other support teams within the AMA organization. One thing that always stood out in these situations was the professional way that these people handled each one of them.
I also found it interesting that this group had many ideas on improving the Academy—not only in their own work area but in others as well. These folks don't just work for the Academy; they have a vision for it, and therefore have great value to each and every one of us.
This type of dedication is not paid for with a paycheck—it comes from the person. It demonstrates a caring for the organization and ultimately the members that they serve.
Keep up the good work. We know who really runs the place.
Bruce Bradbury Muncie, Indiana
Cover Story
With regard to the cover picture of your Model Aviation magazine of August 1995: I would like to give you some information on this model, because I donated it to the Museum of Flight in Seattle in July of 1984.
I built this model of a Fokker Spin III in 1983 from a construction article in Model Aviation. It was designed as a free flight and powered by a Cox .049. Constructed mainly of aluminum tubing, spruce, and Coverite. As I recall, wingspan is about 46 inches. By the way, the model was awarded the AMA Best Scale Aircraft trophy at the 1984 Northwest Model Exposition held at Puyallup, Washington.
I have been away from flying for a few years and a friend brought this cover to my attention. As my birthday is in August it made a very nice and very unexpected birthday present to see my model on the cover of your magazine.
Ernie Brown Kent, Washington
Regarding the complaint of a reader about a lack of sharpness on the August 1995 cover: I have been a teacher of photography at the university level for 20 years and have seen plenty of sharp uninteresting pictures. While the August cover picture may not be completely sharp, it communicates the affection we all share for flying machines of all types.
The covers over the last couple of years have done a great job of showing a wide variety of modeling activities in a way that reflects the diversity of our membership. Keep up the good work.
Barry Andersen Fort Thomas, Kentucky
In regards to your October "Letters To The Editor," Mr. Glen Merritt criticizes your cover photos. The picture of my P-51 was the cover photo in your June issue, and I would like to assure Mr. Merritt that a 1964 Kodak Brownie camera with adapted 110 film cartridge was not used!
Instead, I used my Leica equipment and professional film setup in my studio, using professional studio strobes for the lighting along with professional backgrounds, props, etc. The value of the entire setup approached $10,000... a bit more than the price of a 1964 Kodak Brownie!
I would also like to assure Mr. Merritt that this same equipment has been used to take photographs that have appeared in the Experimental Aircraft Association's calendars and the official programs of the Reno Air Races, along with other air show events, plus winning in international aviation photo contests, salon exhibits, and local and state competitions—an achievement that would be impossible with a 1964 Kodak Brownie!
I am very proud and honored to have had a published photo cover on Model Aviation. Perhaps Mr. Merritt would like to try for it; let's see what he can do!
Bill Parker Corpus Christi, Texas
Paradigm
Thomas Kuhn argues that science is progressive only because most scientists in a discipline have a shared paradigm, or world view, and are thus agreed on what is important to achieve. He thinks that any field that lacks a shared paradigm cannot progress.
An event with formal rules (as seen in the AMA rule book) is a paradigm, and the level of performance by the modelers who compete will become better and better as they strive toward their mutual goal. The most important thing new serious competitors learn is the self-discipline and careful effort necessary to assure that they and their machinery work, and work well and reliably, every time they compete.
Fun flying is ordinarily informal with "do your own thing" as a fairly fuzzy goal. But, gentle reader, aren't most modelers who come out and put up good flights after good flight with a minimum of fuss and bother present or past serious competitors? Do you ordinarily come home from the field frustrated because you might take up competition flying, not so much for dust-bath trophies, but to learn the do-it-well lessons every successful competitor knows?
Jim Thomerson Collinsville, Illinois
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
