Letters to the Editor: Ah, the Good Old Days
Bert Bush — Tuckerton, NJ
Enclosed is a photo taken at Teterboro when it was a flying site, around the turn of the Forties. Everyone was building crutches — of course, they were mostly Ohlsson-powered (three sizes). Occasionally a Bantam showed up. Ben wasn't making too many then; Bunch and others were to be seen.
So, like Sal, I made one for my Forster .99. Using a pine crutch about 3/4" or 1", I built a 105‑oz monster. It flew perfectly with no adjustments, using large "D" batteries for airborne ignition. It flew to the left under power and on the glide — a real Sunday flier, always in sight. Even to the end, when the wing met up with a sapling that removed part of the right wing, leaving six feet. I now have a Viking fuselage covered; the wing is framed but still Silkspan-covered.
Bert Bush Tuckerton, NJ
Bob Demitz — St. Louis, MO
Tearing paper gliders (sample enclosed) out of "decent" paper — not too strong, not too weak. Too strong is cardboard; too weak is toilet paper. I've cut one out for you, but it is flat for mailing.
Anyway, about one flight out of six or eight attempts would be a winner. The glider leaves the hand or window, flies halfway across the adjoining street, picks up the easy updraft and begins an admirable circle at steady altitude.
That is far too tantalizing for any self-respecting (and always hungry) sparrow, and almost invariably, so long as nothing bumps it out of orbit too quickly, a sparrow darts out at killer speed and snatches the "moth," flying away at top speed with it! Good range and deflection settings in ye olde gun sights — and they know how to lead a moving target, too.
Cheers to you guys — you have a youthful outlook, and I'm happy to enjoy the thoughts and information that your publication provides.
Bob Demitz St. Louis, MO
Yes, the paper thing glides merrily — as did one sent by an unsigned reader... and there was Rigby, the "paper man," whose giant-sized books of colored fold-out model patterns were published by Doubleday. From his window high in Carnegie Hall (of all places), he launched an endless stream of paper gliders to the bewilderment of scurrying New Yorkers below — a soprano hit high Cs, and violins wailed in nearby studio apartments... strange.
(Untitled reminiscence — Teterboro and old-timers)
Enclosed photo taken at Teterboro R/C flying site around the turn of the Forties. Everyone was building crutches — mostly Ohlsson-powered, three sizes. Occasionally a Bantam showed up. Ben wasn't making too much of a showing; a bunch of others were seen. So what did we like? Sal made a Forster .99 using pine crutches about 3/4". I built a 105‑oz monster — it flew perfect, no adjustments — using large D batteries. It flew left under power, glided like a Sunday flier. One sighted end wing met up with a sapling and part of the right wing was removed, leaving six feet. I have a Viking fuselage covered now; the wing is framed but still Silkspan-covered.
Crutches were indeed an important part of old-timers' gas modeling. We laid out two basic longerons, right and left, connected cross pieces, ply firewall hanging over bench end. After erecting upper fuselage structure we inverted the whole business and added bottom bulkheads. Ben, of course — Ben Shereshaw, Sal Taibi — Teterboro (now Bendix), though locals keep telling us it's still Teterboro. Once rode bikes down the long dirt road to watch Fokker Trimotors, Atlantic Aviation built Standards, Jennies of the Gates Flying Circus, Pangborn airshow aerobatics, Hawks, Mystery 5, Byrd's South Pole Ford transatlantic f...
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Clyde Wiley — Tampa, FL
...and busted airplanes and un-built kits. I enjoy it all. I don't join clubs, though I go there to watch. I have a card and a license, and I have a great time down here in the sunshine. I try to stay "current"; my heart is with the old planes and older models — these are predictable.
Everyone loves the old-timer bit. We all have our memories of good times and good flights with our friends — and, sometimes, with rare, full-scale birds that flew, briefly, into and out of our lives. We miss them. May they fly on forever! In directing attention to Bill Noonan's great Fokker Universal, MA stirred my spirit. I keep seeing things — both model and full-scale. The two are synonymous. Like flashbacks of huge OX-5–powered bi-winged open-seat Travelairs, big, robust Stearmans, and romantic "whatnots," dropping down out of nowhere, side-slipping into final on our little field, rippling across the open sea of broom-sage to settle in and gas up and find out just where they were. These pilots were so good you could never tell just when the big planes quit flying and shifted their weight from wings to wheels.
I hardly realize I have known 50 years of modeling pleasure. I remember my first taste of modeling through the Model Airplane League of America. First successful flights from little Wanner kits — boxes all packed neatly and marked out in attractive red, yellow and black. These indoor models flew well and tracked around like U‑Control. Now we have so much, but nothing can replace the old dreams.
Yes, modeling does bring back the past... but I am putting away the pins and the paste for now. The evening sun is slanting low in the southwest, and I can feel the chill of the breeze stealing in from Old Tampa Bay. But what memories! They come back, each one hoping for another rebirth through my glue tube and patient hands.
Don't you see them coming?
Clyde Wiley 6912 N. 21st Street Tampa, FL 33610
Editor's Note
We are happy to publish this letter — and we regret that we could not include all the beautiful things that were in it. Clyde's "buddy" and "pilot" passed away recently, so it is difficult for him to operate. We are much impressed by the large stable of numerous, very beautiful R/C jobs in the many colored pix Clyde showed us. Why don't you Tampa area guys look him up? We think him a great guy to know — and fly with.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
