Now You're Talking: The Vintage Movement
By George M. Aldrich
A conversation with ex-Brit Dave Platt this past summer has kept coming to mind. He wondered whether England should resurrect the original Wakefield Trophy and re-establish it as the international rubber event, flown under at least the last pre-28-oz rules.
The basis for this thinking is that most FAI-oriented events have become so hi‑tech that they simply are not fun anymore. This advanced technology has gone so far that the B.O.M. rule was tossed out. Winning seems to be the key word in S.A.M. and now here in the U.S. it has become a disease in PAMPA, our CL stunt organization. In our ignition FF events we have allowed alcohol fuel and pressure fuel systems—never stopping to think that we are advancing the state of the art in our drive to win at all costs. What is missed is that all are affected and we wind up with only a more complicated event. In PAMPA, some want to allow $2,000 RTFs to compete on an equal basis with those who design and/or build their own models. In O.T.S. and Nostalgia events some feel you should be able to change moment arms, landing-gear locations, etc., forgetting why we are flying the event in the first place.
The B.O.M. rule has been a statement of pride throughout my modeling life. Anyone who competes with another's craftsmanship has missed the major pleasure in our hobby. In early years there were a number of people in direct competition who flew models built by someone else. Today, none of these people are to be found in our great continuing venture. What bothers me most is that a parent who participated in this was teaching his child to cheat. And a cheater, sooner or later, will come to know just what his "trophy" is worth.
Ever since Mike Keville's dream of a Vintage Stunt Champs became a reality, I'm constantly amazed at the number of letters and calls I get from those who dropped out twenty or more years ago. These people apparently found that, as the event became more exotic and rigid in its planform, it became less enjoyable. The idea of once again building and flying models from its creative time, under a truly "fun" aura, has an appeal irresistible to most.
I see nothing wrong with the use of more modern materials to produce a vintage model that is stronger and thus more durable. Reinforcing joints or spars with carbon fiber or fiberglass to make our model more resistant to rough landings or "DTing" can spoil nothing. Changing dimensions or the basic structure to improve performance can only be considered outside of the spirit for which the activity exists. If S.A.M. U.S. continues on its present course, we will have carbon-fiber-covered foam, zippers, and 4 B.H.P. tuned-pipe .40s climbing at Mach 1!
England has shown us more of "the way," with its Vintage Weekend at Old Warden. There one can relive the most golden of all times, with winning not the only thing—it's really not very important at all.
Perhaps we are a dying breed, since so many of us fail to show some grey on our noggins. But because we have that bit of experience, most of us have found this constant: things become less important as we endure. People count for so much more. There never was a trophy worth a model or a friend.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
